Chapter 2: What lies after death
Decades Earlier
A lone woman is seen sprinting through the woods, as if something was chasing her.
Yet there was no sentient being for miles.
In her arms were two bundles of life.
One of the infants had a head full of silky black hair, and bright blue eyes.
The others scalp was full of messy black hair. His eyes made him unique though, a piercing silver.
These infants were unlike any other, for they watched in silence as the woman barreled through the forest.
Looking into their eyes one might notice the weary look in them, and the spark of sentience.
The woman could have been considered beautiful if it weren't for the numerous wounds across her body.
Snow white hair draped her face, and a light blue glow emanated from her eyes.
Blue runes appear on her body as she gets a sudden boost in speed.
And she zoomed across the glades in seconds.
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She stopped when she came across a flying landmass.
The floating city of Xyrus.
Considering this to be the optimal place to hide the two.
Taking a foot back, she jumped up, and began flying towards the city in the clouds.
Once inside the city she looked around for a suitable place for the two children.
Often she would look down and smile gently at them.
After a few more minutes of searching, she came across a building with the words Xyrus Orphanage written on it.
This would be the perfect place for them.
But before that.
She gently set the twins down, one beside the other.
Reaching into the folds of her clothing, she brought out two things.
One, a simple gold bracelet, yet it emanate a sense of royalty.
The other was a pendant, a pitch black pendant. It had a obsidian colored crystal hanging from a black thread, which extended to the crystal and entwined around it, giving it a net like covering.
Carefully she tucked away the two accessories in their baskets.
She then proceeded to take out two letters, and placed them beside the two infants.
Reaching out a hand to the silver eyed boys abdomen she spoke, "I'm sorry my son, but please endure."
Something unrecognizable travelled up her arm and entered the child's body.
This time he cried, for the pain was excruciating.
All the while the woman kept on mumbling, "I'm sorry."
After the process came to an end, the boys crying died out, and he looked curiously at the woman who had called him her son.
She rubbed the heads of both babies and spoke once more, "Be well little ones. Grow up together, and keep each other safe. And if fate allows it, we may meet again."
And then, she disappeared in motes of light.
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10 years later
Fayden POV :
I was forced to get up as direct sunlight hit my face.
Cursing at the sun under my breath I get up grudgingly.
"About time you woke up." I hear an all too familiar voice speak.
"Morning to you too, Jaron." I turn my gaze over the meditating form of my brother, or that's what the orphanage says anyways.
I only got a nod in response, as I began descending from the bed.
Moving to the washroom I quickly brush my teeth before joining Jaron in meditating.
Sitting down there, in lotus position, I began swirling and purifying the mana in my core.
Now normally a human mage awakens at around 12, with their cores being at the dark red core at best.
But Jaron and I are a special case, we never needed to awaken.
We were likely born with a mana core, and that's why we both are in the light orange stage.
My memories of coming into this world are a bit fuzzy, hence I couldn't be sure.
Yeah you heard me right, coming into this world.
I have led a different life before this.
In my last life, I had a family and a normal life for the most of it.
That was until a third world war broke out.
The Government drafted everyone as long as they were over 18.
It was ruthless, and didn't hesitate to break families for more soldiers.
That's what happened to mine.
I was 17 that day, the day when my parents were drafted.
The fact that they were well past their prime didn't stop them from going.
And I was sent to a military bunker, as were most other minors.
Mom and Dad rarely visited, they weren't given much free time anyways.
And I learned to cherish those rare visits, especially after they died a year later.
I didn't like the governments of the world before, and after my parents death I downright hated them.
Of course I didn't let that show.
But there was nothing I could do when I too was drafted.
I fought in the war, but only half heartedly.
While others felt some sort of remorse killing fellow humans, I fought like a machine, not quite registering the massacre I was a part of.
In the end I was caught off guard by a bio weapon, a grenade of some sort.
On reflex, I jumped upon it.
My squadmates had a family waiting for them, I didn't.
I won't be missed anyways.
And as it exploded and released pathogens everywhere, I could do nothing but watch as it made contact with my skin.
And it began to wither out.
If one were to ask me then what were my deepest desires, I would have answered with companionship and power, power enough to go against the entire world if need be.
That's how I died.
I was 19 that day.
The next thing I knew after an agonizing death was seeing a light at one end of a dark tunnel-like place.
That's how I was reborn.
I remember how the woman, my mother in this world, injected me with something out of her palm, and how she left a pendant for me.
But that's all I remember.
Later I would know that she left a ring for Jaron as well.
Now, I wear the pendant all throughout the day.
But enough of me being gloomy.
In this new life, I will make my own path, my own destiny. And if fate comes to fuck with me again, I will sever my fate.
"Fayden? You coming?" I was broken out of my musing as a hand shook me.
"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm coming."
He nods and walks away.
Taking a deep breath in, I clutch my pendant, "Wherever you are, I hope you are safe Mom."
Jaron POV:
My eyes opened and landed on the bottom of the bunk bed above me, a sight which I have come to know quite well these last 10 years. I raise myself from my bed and drop to the floor, not a single sound being made as my feet hit the wooden floor. Looking back above from where I had laid I see the sleeping form of my brother and shake my head. He couldn't be convinced to join me in exercising and working out before the sun had risen.
As I went through my usual routine of stretches I couldn't help but think about everything, something that is a common occurrence in the early mornings. This... this isn't my first life after all, and I had figured out that it wasn't Fayden's either. We both died during a deadly world war where everyone 18 and older were drafted to their respective militaries. Me being no different had the misfortune of having turned 18 just days before the draft was announced.
I killed people, lots of people. Is it terrible that I took pride in being a great soldier? The last thing I remember before waking up 10 years ago with a white-haired woman saying goodbye to me and Fayden, was me throwing a patho-nade, the latest in bioweapon technology, into the middle of an enemy squad. One younger boy, maybe just a year younger than me, froze momentarily before diving atop the grenade. It was brave and selfless and I found myself stunned by the sight.
Now, looking at the remains of the boy, his flesh reduced to an ash-like substance....all I could think of was the legend of the Phoenix, said to die and burn to death, only to be reborn from its own ashes.
The sound of a heavy rifle was all I heard before everything went dark, it was one of the few times I felt remorse and I only had one thought. 'I want to know more about that boy.'
I shook my head from the thoughts as I looked to see Fayden beginning to stir due to the rays of sunlight. I had long switched to meditating about an hour or so ago, time strangely passed quickly when I reminisced.
"About time you woke up." I said with my eyes still closed, I felt his gaze brush over me before he sat up in his bed, looking down at me.
"Morning to you too, Jaron." I just nod in response as I focus on my meditation, feeling him climbing down from the top bunk. As usual, he washes up in the washroom and then joins me in meditating. I can't really describe it, but it almost feels as if my own meditation is increased when he joins. It feels as if I can sense the mana in the air more clearly, the motes of magical energy almost seem eager to be purified when we're near.
My internal clock goes off after a while and I see the sun has risen quite a bit since Fayden had joined me. Others wouldn't notice, as like me he is fairly good at controlling his facial expressions when he wants to. However, I could see right through it and tell that he was thinking about serious and unpleasant things. I thumb my ring I keep on my right middle finger, feeling the grooves in the ring as I stare at my brother's meditating form. Unfairly I find myself being a little envious, we know that he has a mother as the woman who dropped us here said as such. However, I don't know if my mother or father are alive in this world, or what they look or sound like.
"Fayden, you coming?" I ask, having stood while using a hand to shake him slightly. Not quite focused, he nods before responding.
"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm coming." I nod and walk out of the room, Fayden will find me if he needs to talk about what he was thinking about. While we may not be blood brothers, we have become as close as you can to being such these past 10 years. He will confide in me if he needs to, and I'll be there to listen when he does.
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