How upbringing and oppression shape Elemental power in the Renegades Epic
When you read the Renegades Epic, you might wonder why each member of the Five levels up at dramatically different paces.
There may be some confusion regarding how Ones of the Five level up. In Elementals of Nordica, Sion Zona is already at a proficient level to the point he can duel and defeat Elemental Masters. Then there is Tarja Titan, who often gets overpowered early in her stories. The other Ones fall between Sion and Tarja, so it makes sense to wonder why there is so much variation here.
In the Epic, Ones of the Five level up faster than normal elementals. Only their Escorts seem to rival or in some cases, pass them. Liza Fury levels up faster than Tarja, while it’s implied Erno was, at least in the short run, higher than Sion.
As mentioned in the intro, there is a reason each One of the Five levels up at different points. And yes, they all level up alarmingly fast. But you will find out that it is their unique environments that ultimately dictate the speed in which they level up.
Ones of the Five faced different scenarios early in life
Sion Zona grew up in South Nordica, a colony run by the notorious Tamurian Empire. In South Nordica and all over Tamurian-controlled lands, element-wielding is illegal. If you are an elemental, you have two choices: Forget you are an elemental, or join a branch of the Tamurian government so they can train you in wielding it.
Sion grew up with his cousins Erno, Timo, and Hannah, who are also elementals. But since they spent their child and early adulthoods in Wild Valley, South Nordica, the four used the sparsely-populated area to their advantage. Tamurian soldiers tasked with enforcing the law rarely came around, as they were more focused on larger cities. This played into Sion’s hands, and it’s why he’s such a powerful wind wielder from the get-go in Elementals of Nordica.
Tarja’s situation
Tarja Titan may be the most prominent One of the Five if you read her story. But unlike Sion, she sits on the opposite end of the spectrum. Tarja’s memory loss left her unaware that Elementals (the term is capitalized in the World of Terra) even exist. Though she experienced visions and ultra-vivid dreams, her step-parents chalked it up as schizophrenia and put her on a variety of medications.
This drove Tarja further away from even remotely utilizing her ability, and it wasn’t until her godbrother came to the rescue did she finally train. But with her memory loss, Tarja sat behind the eight ball and had to learn everything from scratch. Then there was her sheer prominence in Elemental Society that she knew nothing about.
Therefore, leveling up in her Spirit Elemental ability wasn’t the first thing on Tarja’s mind. Sion grew up with his aunt and uncle, both of whom were secretly rebels against Tamuria during the Ten-Year War. He also lived a carefree childhood while Tarja had no memory of her own.
The other Ones of the Five
The other Ones of the Five were in unique situations. The One from the World of Catenary, by their superpower nation’s law, was not allowed to train in their element, much as Sion would not have been. But this One couldn’t train because they grew up in the city and were under their government’s watchful eye.
The One from Rondure grew up in the bowels of the superpower nation’s most notorious prison. They knew of their ability, but like the One from Catenary, were unable to use it. But they knew the theory, and that gave them an advantage over Tarja, who knew nothing. Still, as with the One from Catenary, they were well behind Sion Zona.
Only the One from Terrene came close to Sion. Like Sion, they grew up practicing and honing their ability.
But unlike Sion, they were kidnapped and forced into their superpower nation’s military ranks via possession. In this case, the superpower forced the One to use their ability for sinister purposes.
Fast Growth All Around in the Renegades Epic
Tarja Titan, in the novel Liza Fury: Catch 22, shows immense growth during a span that takes place in March and April 2021. So despite opponents constantly overpowering her, Tarja grew into a dominant force at the ripe age of 19, though she still lagged way behind the other Ones of the Five.
Sion, the fastest grower, showed signs of godlike ability in Wind Keeper, and the trend continued in Wind Ruler. In other novels, you’ll meet Ones not named Sion or Tarja, and will witness their special ability those of normal Elemental status could never pull off.
Hopefully, this article gave you some insight of why the Ones, fast as they can grow, also grow at a slower pace in some circumstances. But ultimately, they’re fast growers once they find themselves in the correct environment.
