[ that was a different system— but not unheard of. the closest falco can bring to mind comparing paul’s household power was the tybur family— closely tied to the country’s military and a keeper of one of their greater powers: another titan. it all came back to that, and falco realizes this just after he accidentally (partially) diverged from his earlier mention. ]

When it started? Eight. I was in the Warrior program before that. [ eldian children could be taken as early as four or five. to marley, if they could at the very least hold a rifle, then they were able and trainable. whether they’d handle it or even survive the process was another story.

(partially true, too, that the topic of titans was mildly unsettling, but being distracted by being approved of his work also hadn’t helped— poor paul wants the thick juice). ]

I’m twelve, now. That’s when it ended. [ there’s no relief; they’d gotten out of one war and started another. he decides to add, belatedly: ] There’s a family back home that sounds like yours— They had a Titan, too.