Hal
It's dark, it had been dark for a while, and it probably will be dark for some time. The darkness didn't stop Hal from seeing, his eyes long having adjusted to the lack of light. Neither was the lack of light something Hal found frightening. To Hal, the dark was as much a companion in here as the other inhabitant of his mind. Where Tinct was silent because he had nothing to say, the dark spoke without words. The shadows told stories of when they'd first formed and when they'd last seen the light. Those stories printed themselves on Hals skin, dying it white with the ink best seen in this lightless place. Hal walked forward, listening to the shadows, immersed in the legends they could never speak aloud. He immersed himself in those grand tales of the void. Of the world before the light and of the first embers. The darkness whispered without sound, recounting stories of times long past and monologuing memories that they could never convey to themselves.
The tunnel continued, unending to Hal's eyes, but the darkness spoke of the end and the beginning, or at least they tried to. The entrance was long gone, each section of the tunnel collapsing behind Hal as he moved further into the murk. And, the exit was beyond the darkness, for now, so they could only speak about here. The deep shadows, wordless and soundless, told Hal of where he was, how far he'd walked, when the tunnel would collapse again, and where the next bag of supplies would appear. But, despite how vast the knowledge in the dark, these shadows didn't know when the exit would reveal itself. These ones knew of others, who knew of others who might know about the exit. But, the dark cannot speak with itself; it requires someone who can listen.
So Hal listened, and he walked, ever forward, his body growing as he moved. Hal didn't know how long he had walked, neither did Tinct. The darkness spoke of distance moved, but not the time Hal took to cover that distance; the shadows were terrible with time. They were awful with a few things, but time was the worst. Because the darkness was always there, it didn't end or begin but moved. Sections of it learned about a place for a while before the light came and moved them to another site, where they learned more. But, the darkness was great at some things, namely, remembering. They remembered everything for however long they existed. They recalled the first light, and they would remember Hal. For, the murky void is an entity of lost knowledge and forgotten places, so they can never forget what makes them real or anything else.
Hal had a few indications that it had been some time since he first started walking through this tunnel. His hair, once shoulder-length, now hung past his shoulder blades. Once baggy on his body, his clothes had long become too small and replaced by new ones found in the bags of supplies. His limbs grew longer, the roof of the tunnel grew closer, and the time between the packs of supplies became shorter. But still, Hal couldn't find the exit. So, he walked ever deeper into the dark tunnel. However, when walking became tiresome or overly tedious, Hal would stop and train. The tunnel was not wide enough for all forms of practice, but basic exercise was within reason. And when those physical exercises joined walking in the realm of tedium, Hal and Instinct would practice with forms of energy. Both practicing to better co-operate with the other. But, no matter how exciting these bouts of training were, supplies would run low, and Hal would have to continue forward.
Always Foward, never looking back. Because looking back, meant thinking about the past. And Hal knew he couldn't handle that. The shadows had told him that it was gone, that he couldn't return because it was all gone. Hal didn't understand what they meant, but he knew that thinking about it hurt too much. So he walked forward, never looking back, always one foot in front of the other, never turning around. Hal walked, walked, and sometimes ran, always moving further from his past and toward the unknown. That unknown had once scared him, but the shadows had changed that. They were the unexplained made real, and they spoke so much about what they knew and what they had seen. So Hal walked, ever forward, always listening.
----------------------------------------
Instinct
Instinct let Hal walk; it seemed to be enjoyable to him. Hal occasionally talked about a discussion with someone Instinct couldn't hear, but Instinct didn't think his brother insane. The entity Hal spoke to was accurate too regularly for it to be something secluded to Hals mind. It told them about the bags of food and clothes. Lo9ng before either Instinct or Hal could perceive them. It told Hal about when the tunnel would collapse and other things that Instinct didn't comprehend. But Hal said it didn't know how far it would be to the exit. Instinct tried to hear this entity, whatever it was, but he couldn't. Hal said it was the darkness, the shadows, or the void of light, but none of that helped Instinct understand. Hal said it wasn't something he heard, not in the usual way; it was something he felt. But, Instinct couldn't grasp the shadows in that same way, nor could he perceive that feeling when looking at Hal's memories of the unseen entity. So, while Hal walked and listened to the darkness, Instinct sat and listened to his blood.
Instinct experienced images and sounds, memories that weren't his. Techniques and tactics, lives and deaths, victories and losses, and so much more contained in the fluid within himself. Instinct listened and watched, and when he could, he absorbed the offered knowledge. He learned about what he could do from the memories of those who mastered these things. He let his blood flow rapidly, and as it did, it brought out knowledge that might be of use. But, not all of it was helpful. The knowledge in his blood was filled with memories of wars without understanding why they were waged and the memories of grudges without context. However, while they weren't helpful, that didn't mean they were useless. No matter how inane the visions seemed, Instinct dug into them for some piece of information that had helped that individual in the past. A regret at death's door, or maybe a few rods from an elder that didn't make sense until it was too late, all these tiny experiences became tools in Instinct's mind. Incomplete techniques became the guides to entirely forgotten teachings, and lost wars became lessons on what not to do in the face of the enemy, whoever they might be.
Instinct tried to show these things to Hal, but his brother couldn't connect to their blood in the same way. He failed to find the memories contained in the fluid, but Instinct didn't fault him for that. Because while Hal couldn't listen to their blood, Instinct failed to understand the darkness in the way Hal did. So, for the first time, he resolved himself, no to die to save his brother, but to live and be what Hal couldn't. While Hal walked and listened to the present, Instinct would sit and listen to the past so that maybe they would both survive in the future.
----------------------------------------
Hal
The darkness stirred. It spoke about something different, a point it couldn't see, an area beyond itself. This was something new, something that wasn't dark, perhaps it was another person, or maybe it was the end of the tunnel. Whatever it was, the darkness said it was still far off, but it wasn't so far away that this darkness was unaware of it. The shadows whispered, unsure about this thing or place. They couldn't feel into it, nor could they tell if it moved; they could tell other darkness existed beyond this place, but darkness cannot speak with itself. It wasn't like the stone; the stone was dark and still within what they knew. Nor was it like The few times Hal lit a torch. That had cast shadows, new and flickering, with a profound knowledge of their relationship with the light. This was somehow different, the darkness wasn't able to tell, so they spoke to Hal, trying to figure it out. They wanted to know because they were an existence of knowledge and forgotten places. But, this place was known by another, and this other did not allow the darkness to know about it. So, Hal walked forward, unease in his heart but a flame of curiosity burning in his eyes.
One step after another, slow but consistent, it wasn't worth it to rush. Hal could hurry, sprint down the tunnel to this thing the shadows spoke about. But, running would drown out the darkness and any stories it might tell. So, Hal walked slowly, at a steady constant pace, but always forward, never back. As Hal got closer to whatever it was, the shadows provided more clarification about how they couldn't touch the thing. They could feel something was there, but approaching it didn't work. They could tell it wasn't large, but they couldn't see it. It wasn't any brighter than the rest of the tunnel, just not present to the darkness, as if the area around this thing was a void to even the void. They felt the absence, fully aware of the oddity, but they couldn't feel the contents or even see if there were any. So the shadows whirled around that empty sections. Trying to find entrance or some seam that would allow them entry, but such a thing proved futile. The darkness failed to identify the object and was unable to provide Hal with information that would prove useful while approaching it. Nonetheless, Hal walked forward toward whatever this object was, always forward, never backward.
It was some time before Hal found the oddity. Not long enough to sleep, but long enough that Hal's stomach had called for food, and Hal had sat to eat his fill of preserved food. So it was less than what Hal considered a day but longer than He'd expected. That didn't change Hal's apprehension as he approached the area the shadows couldn't see. Hal could see a flickering purple light off in the distance. Hal thought it was likely the light of an ever torch, an object Hal had heard of but never actually seen. Hal's reaction to this sight was two-fold. Hal felt relief at his first sight of the light in a long while. But, he also felt a deepened caution because the light of a torch would not explain the confusion conveyed by the darkness. Hal hoped that the light indicated that he was near the end of his time in the dark tunnel. But his feet slowed as he approached, each step taking longer and longer, making Hal's approach slower and slower. But, no matter how slow he was, or even if he stopped, Hal could never go back.
Despite his slowing pace, Hal's feet did eventually enter into the pool of light granted by the purple fire. The shadows advised Hal to be cautious, they knew of the area, but they did not know about the center. They feel the flickering light and how it moved them around, but that feeling stopped near the torch. At least, Hal interpreted it as near the torch; the void did not know about the torch, only that something from within the abscess cast a light outwards. Hal felt a feeling of caution from Instinct, mirroring that of the dark, if for a different reason. But, Hal still stepped closer to the center, toward a simple sack, much like the ones that had supplied Hals journey through the otherwise empty tunnel. It was similar but different in a few ways. The first, it was larger, quite a bit larger than the other bags. The other bags of supplies were just big enough to carry on your waist. This one was much larger, enough so for Hal to compare it to a pack for an extended journey. The size was similar, but Hal wouldn't call it a pack, this lacking the characteristic straps to put over his shoulders. Instead, this bag had a tie at the top, like all of the other bags of food.
As Hal walked closer to the bag, directly under the purple torch, the whispers of the shadows faded away. The sound he'd come to feel was ever-present vanished, and he felt an odd pressure in the air around him. Hals skin tingles a little, and the hair on his neck stood up like something was breathing behind him. But the tunnel Behind Hal was empty; it had been that way for a while and hadn't suddenly changed. So, Hal kept moving toward the bag. He reached his hand out, grabbing the opening at the top, and pulled it apart to reveal the contents of the sack. The first thing Hal saw inside was a parchment envelope, sealed with wax, with Hal and Instinct's names written across the back. It was stuffed full, clearly several pages contained within, but the seal was intact. Beneath the letter was another bag, slightly smaller than the one it was inside but with a wooden tag on the strings holding it closed. The tag had a message to read the letter before opening the second bag. So, Hal broke the seal on the envelope and pulled the stack of papers out to read the ones marked for him, choosing to leave the others for Instinct to read.
To Hal.
If you are reading this, that means that the part of your journey I have prepared for you is coming to an end. When you next see the light of the sun, you will do so without my guidance and without the protection I have offered up to this moment. But, I am loath to send you into the world unprepared for what awaits you. So, I have prepared a final gift for you. Along with that gift, I have written this final message.
Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
Hal, I must warn you that the world is not a kind place. This is especially true for you. Those born of a more accepted union must take caution around others to avoid deception, robbery, death, and many other maladies. You will have to take extra care around others. Any devout follower of the church will consider you a monster because of your parentage. Many would sooner see you burn than give you the time of day. You will need to hide what you are, at least until the time that you are among those you trust. Or until you obtain the ability to defend yourself from those who would do you harm. Your life will not be easy, nor will it ever be safe. But, it will always be interesting, which is something that others might only see in dreams.
So, I want you to promise yourself something. I won't ask you to make this promise to me, because I cannot guarantee that fate will ever allow us to meet again. I ask that you promise never to do something you'll regret. If remaining safe and anonymous would lead you to live a life of self-hatred and grief, I implore you to act. Promise yourself you'll live a life that you can look back on and laugh, not one that makes you hate that you ever lived at all. If safety is what you want, then I pray you are capable of building a world that allows you that commodity. If you choose something else, then I hope my gift prepares you enough to grasp that world in your hands.
I won't ask anything more of you. I know that if you keep that promise, you'll live a life better than any I could ever give. I know that it will be hard at times that giving up will feel like the only option. But, when those times come, FIGHT. Fight till you can't walk. Fight till your body won't bleed another drop. FIGHT the world and never let it keep you down. No matter how much you hide, no matter how many times you run, remember that you do all of those things so that you may live to fight another day. Never give up, and never look back. Because you will have to live a life where you constantly move forward, and for that, I am sorry.
May fate bend to your will.
The Old Man
Hal felt tears in the corners of his eyes. It wasn't an emotional letter, but the words between the lines spoke of how much The Old Man had cared. How much writing this had hurt him. Hal only understood a portion of the message right now. But, he could tell that if he continued forward, as the letter said and how the tunnel demanded, he would eventually understand more of the layered message. And Hal would come to comprehend what The Old Man was trying to convey fully. But, for now, he would let Instinct read the letter meant for him, and then they would both read the final one that explained the gift.
To Instinct
Let's start with a confession. I never once intended to go along with your plan to kill you. It would go against everything I have worked for, everything I currently stand for, and everything I have taught Hal. I can assure you of this; I have made the appropriate preparation so that you and Hal may survive even if Hal cannot choose a class. So with that said, I have a few things I must say and a few things I wish to ask of you.
I did not raise you like I did Hal, but you and he are two parts of a whole, so I wish the same for you that I would any other under my care. But, the world would not let this be how things happen. You will live a life of danger, people will constantly try to kill you, but I was hoping you could stay with Hal for as long as your situation allows. Protect each other, care for one another, and when it is necessary, fight together. Because, from everything I understand, neither of you could survive without the other. That isn't to say that your plan would kill Hal, but I don't believe it would give him acces to what you can do, as you so felt.
So, walk together, and live together, and maybe one day you will come across a truth about yourself that I was unable to see. Be honest with yourself, and keep Hal focused. Ground him, and he will lift you up. Together you two can fly, but alone neither of you will leave the ground. Or, so this old man believes.
Now I must ask you something that may be unreasonable. Among the blessed races, Hal will blend in fine as long as his hands and ears are covered. However, should you take control, they will recognize you for what you are almost instantly. So, I must ask that you remain inactive whenever possible or relevant. I trust you to make that judgment as needed, as I cannot predict every situation that may befall you two. You and Hal are a team, and you will need to act as such to a far greater degree than you ever have before.
With all of that said, my final request. Try to be more selfish. Hal is understanding; he will do what he can to accommodate your desires, should you voice them. Live for yourself as much as you live for Hal, if not more. And when the time comes, fight so that you both can walk away and live another day.
May fate bend to your will.
The Old Man
Instinct didn't know how to react to the letter. Part of him felt betrayed that The Old Man had lied about helping him before. But, Instinct also understood why such a thing was necessary. The rest of the letter contained some things Instinct would have to think about, and maybe he'd find an interpretation that worked better with his current mindset. But, for now, he would have to wait and see what the world would do and what The Old Man had prepared for them in his gift.
To both of you.
I have prepared a gift for you two, and it might possibly be the most valuable thing that anyone has ever seen. With that said, I must confess something about this gift. I have created this with the intention that it will help you two survive, but if someone else should discover what this item is, they may very well try to kill you to obtain it. My confession is that, by giving you this, I may have increased the amount of potential danger you two will encounter in your life. If I had more time to teach you two, if I could raise you for longer, I would have done that and destroyed this item. But, I do not have that time, and I cannot teach you everything you need to know. So I have called in enumerable favors and created this gift for you two.
Inclosed in this bag is a few things. The least of these is a cloak that will always fit, as long as it's not destroyed. I prepared this so that you two would never have to worry about remaining hidden when you so choose. It's not the warmest, nor is it as elaborate as some might desire. But it will fulfill its purpose for as long as you will use it.
The rest of the contents are a set of five books. Each one of them is written by my own hand, specifically for you two. I must reiterate, the knowledge in these books is so valuable that many would kill for them. I advise that you never reveal the existence of these to anyone for any reason.
The first book contains a coherent explanation of mana usage, how to practice using it, and several spells. The contained knowledge would allow anyone, regardless of what skills they may or may not have from their class, to learn magic. The second is a continuation of the first. But, this contains detailed explanations on how to cast spells that rival those cast by a fourth tier who specialized in magic.
The third book is much like the first, but for spirit usage and weapon utilization. Unlike magic, using a weapon is difficult to practice without a partner, but I cannot provide that. So I have instead provided explanations of basic weapon arts that can function with the most common weapons. The fourth book continues from there. It will instruct you on techniques and spirit arts that are considered exclusive to higher-tiered classes. It is not a substitute for experience, but it should allow you to utilize nearly any weapon you come across in the world.
The fifth is potentially the most dangerous and the one I am most cautious about letting out into the world. You see, while creating these books, I came to have a particular understanding of how skills and spells function. To explain how to cast a spell I did not myself acquire through a class, I had to understand how to observe it in another. The fifth book is a culmination of this knowledge. It will teach you how to functionally copy the techniques of others. How to observe how they move energy to do the things they do, then replicate that for yourself.
Understand that I grant this to you because I am unable to replicate the abilities of everyone, only those that would allow me to observe them. And from those, I could not write out explanations for all of them. So I give this to you, that you may use it to refine yourself, not so that you may two could use it to harass those weaker than you. So, I must implore you both, use caution when copying someone's abilities so that you do not become like those who you flee from now. Because this book is the potential for power, and power is a corrosive force that can corrupt the wills of even some of the strongest men.
With all of this said, I will express the danger these five tomes pose for the final time. And the precautions I have taken to alleviate some of that danger. Many out in the world would do anything for this knowledge, especially that of the fifth book. They would kill you, trick you, rob you, torture you, or worse. Most of this danger is negligible as long as no one comes to know about these books. But, some men are smart and may recognize the use of abilities that are otherwise unique to a particular individual. To help you, or maybe for my own mind, I have had each book enchanted with blood binding. When you open these books, they will take a piece of you and bind it to you. Afterward, no one other than you will be able to open them without your permission for as long as you live. This will stop people from stealing them and help prevent anyone from discovering the nature of the contents. But, it will also put your life as an obstacle for any who seek this knowledge, so tread with caution.
I hope this gift serves you two well. And I hope that in giving it to you, I have not doomed you both.
May fate bend to your will. And may fate temper your mind.
The Old Man
Hal and Instinct read the final letter together, having given the other privacy to read the one for themself without the other. Both held some degree of curiosity about the other letter, but they would not pry. Both would wait to hear what the other was willing to share. But, both read the explanation, both taking in the implied meaning of the letter at the same time. The gift was dangerous as much as it was helpful. And, if they so chose, they could leave it here or destroy it, ridding themselves of the potential danger. But, if they took it, the protection of the knowledge in these books would fall to them. They would have to guard these books with as much care as they protected themselves, if not more. But, neither one of the two brothers hesitated when faced with that knowledge. Neither one even thought for an instant that destroying the books would be better. Both resigned themselves to take this knowledge and take it to their graves. They would take these books and never let them go because this was the final gift, the gift of possibility.
Hal opened the second bag. On top was the mentioned cloak. A dull black cut of fabric with an oversized hood and a few large pockets sewn into the inside. Beneath the cloak were five leather-bound books. The cover was inscribed with inlaid golden runes, each one vibrating beneath Hal's fingers. The parchment within was cut so cleanly that not one sheet was out of line. The cover was thick, durable, and well-formed to the spine. When Hal opened one of the pages, he almost instantly cut his finger on one of the pages, a drop of his blood falling to land on the book before vanishing without a trace. Inside, the words were written cleanly in waxed ink. Each letter ran over multiple times, raising it from the page but guaranteeing that it would survive in almost any condition. The letters felt cold under Hal's fingers, the black letters pulling heat away from his fingers. The pages were stitched in tightly with a fine silk thread. Hal felt confident ripping a page out of the binding would prove far more difficult than one might assume, that is, if the parchment would give at all. The parchment wasn't ordinary; it was thinner than any Hal usually dealt with. But, despite this, it was stronger, almost like it was made from ironwood instead of reeds. But, the contents were by far the most exciting part about any of the five books.
Each book was descriptive enough for Hal to understand it almost perfectly on his first time through. He felt little need to look over a passage because none were tedious or mind-numbing. Every segment consumed his attention, filling his mind with a lust for knowledge. So Hal sat, reading through the books, often switching to the others, so that Instinct could read from the ones best suited to him. But, eventually, the call for food came, Hals stomach grumbling about its predicament. So, Hal was forced to eat. And by eating, Hal became keenly aware that he wouldn't be able to finish the books here in the tunnel. Lack of supplies would pose an issue long before Hal reached the end of even one tome. And even if the supplies did last, Hal felt it wasn't right to stop here, that he must continue his journey through the tunnel and out into the world beyond. So, despite his desire to sit and read, Hal started walking. And, as he walked, he felt the shadows whisper, curious about what Hal had found, curious about what the object was that they could not see because the torch was not the source of the emptiness, but the books. Because even the shadows could not be permitted to read them, lest someone else learn to listen to the stories they tell. So Hal placed one foot in front of the other, walking toward the exit and the light of day, always forward and never back. Because looking back was no longer an option, and may never become one again.