“What… What do you mean prove it? We aren’t humans, we have no reason to lie about that kind of thing?” Eda said.

“Because the both of you still haven’t accepted the fact you are hybrids, Since Miss Senya turned the both of you, have the two of you even checked your blood?” The man demanded.

Ray, and Eda shifted their eyes, they couldn’t meet the man gazed.

“Yeah, I thought so. The first thing I need you both to do is use that knife and draw your blood, seeing it with your own eyes will help you to move on.” The man stated.

The man grabbed the lantern he hung up, and walked until he was in front of both of them. The light from the lantern illuminates them.

Ray looked at Eda, her back facing him, he walked a little closer to see what she was going to do. She was just staring at the blade. One hand on the handle, and the blade resting on her open palm. She took a deep breath, raised her arm in front of her chest, and put the blade against her forearm.

[Slit!]

Ray was startled by what she just did. Eda stared wide-eyed at her forearm. Where she made the wound. her blood running down her arm. Dripping on her elbow, she saw her usual bright red blood, mixed it with a bit of black liquid , and raised it to her for a better look. She seemed transfixed by the black liquid that came out of her wound.

“Eda, Eda, Eda!” Ray screamed her name. Eda jerked her head towards Ray, her eyes still wide open. “Are…Are you ok?” Ray asked, his face filled with worry.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine, just trying to shake off the pain.” She wiped her forearm against her shirt, her blood staining her clothes again.

“Now then, it’s his turn.” The man said.

Both Ray, and Eda jump, forgetting that he was even there.

“He already saw my blood, he doesn't need to do the same. He knows we are one of them.” Eda told the man.

Ray looked to the ground not wanting to be noticed, secretly he hoped he didn’t have to do the same. Eda and the man looked at each other, trying to see which one would back off first.

The man sighed and held out his hand. “Give me the knife, both of you get inside, in the hallway there are two rooms next to each other, one for each of you, at the end of the hallway is the bathroom. There should be some clothes in the room, they might not fit you, but it's better than what you two are wearing, grab some of them they should be in the nightstand, after that take a shower. When the both of you are done, come to the kitchen, we will talk after you are both clean, and fed.”

Eda walked towards the man, handing him the knife, and going up the stairs into the cottage, Ray followed afterwards avoiding the man gazed as he passed him. The man looked around one more time, making sure no one was watching them. He blew out the candles in the lantern, and walked inside locking his door.

They entered the living room, they saw two brown leather couches facing each other, and a table with some books on it. On each corner there was a lit lantern. On the wall there was a painting. It was a city with a big lake in front of it. On the table in front of the couches was a statue with the mark of Sez.

{What? Why does he have that? I thought hybrids hated the religion of Sez?} Ray thought to himself.

They continued on to the hallway, it was a single corridor with four doors, two on one side, one in the other, and the last one at the end of the corridor. They both entered their rooms, which were identical, a single bed, a nightstand, a desk in the corner, and a lantern hanging next to the bed, and a window with a view of the forest.

“Which one do you want?” Ray asked.

“I’ll take the left one,” she entered the room, before Ray could say anything. She went through the nightstand taking out some clothes that were clearly big on her. “You want to take a shower first Ray?” Eda asked.

“No! No, it’s fine, you still have to clean your wound, right? I’ll wait in the room in the meantime.” Ray reassured her, he went into his room and pushed the door, leaving it slightly open. He looked through the window. The moonlight barely coming through. He turned his head and noticed Eda passed his room, and into the bathroom.

Ray looked at his hand. {Should I have done the same thing as Eda? Did she do that for my sake? I have to prove myself, otherwise I won’t make it.}

Ray started remembering the things he, and Eda went through. Their dad being killed, their village being burned to the ground, Senya saving them. As well the religion of Sez. He took a deep breath; It was a lot to take in.

{I have to get stronger so it doesn’t happen again to Eda. I have to be able to protect her from those knights. Still if those knights are going to kill innocents maybe I should….} Ray sat in silence, not noticing how much time had passed. There was knocking coming from his door, Eda poke her head in.

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“Hey, I’m done, it’s your turn…You ok?”

“Yeah, I’m fine just overthinking some things,” Ray told Eda.

“Alright, I’ll be in my room. Let me know when you are done, so we can go into the kitchen.”

Eda left the room, Ray stood up and through the nightstand, he picked up a blue tunic that seemed to be his size, and went into the bathroom.

***

After taking a bath, Ray knocked on Eda’s room. “Hey I’m done, let’s go.”

Eda opened the door, they both walked to the living room, and entered the kitchen. The man was sitting behind a circular wooden table, reading a book. The table had three chairs. Behind him a pot was boiling.

“Good, you are both done, sit down, I’ll get you a plate.” The man said. He stood up, and put down his book.

Ray moved the chair so he could sit a little cloer to his sister. They both sat opposite side of the man. They saw the book he was reading had a hardcover. The cover was brown, with four circles in front of it. The man grabbed a handle and scoop up what was in the pot and pour it into the bowls. He turned around, and handed the bowls to them.

“Eat up, we will talk after you are done.” He said.

“Are… Aren’t you going to eat too?” Ray asked him.

“No, I already ate earlier, I’ll be in living room, join me when you are both done.” The man grabbed his book and left the kitchen. They looked at the soup in front of them. It had a different kind of smell, they didn’t recognize it, they took a bite and started eating. They enjoyed that they wanted to ask for seconds, but decided it would be rude to keep the man waiting. After putting their bowls in the sink and cleaning them, they headed towards the living, and sat on the other leather couch, facing the man.

“Ok,” the man put the book he was reading on the table in front of them. “First my name is Charles Rolfe, what are your full names?”

“I’m Eda Friede, and my brother Ray.” Eda answered him.

“Hello.” Ray said, as he slightly waved his hand. {Why did I do that? Dammit, I’m just nervous.}

“Well Eda, and Ray, I read the letter Miss Senya sent me, but tell me in your own words what exactly happened to the both of you.” Charles said.

Eda explained what happened to the both of them, Ray pointing out the stuff she missed, after they were done explaining, they leaned on the couch; He was staring at the ceiling. They could see he was wearing a black necklace with the symbol of Sez on it.

Charles ruffled his hair and looked at the siblings. “I don’t know what the fathers are thinking. Maybe they have finally gone mad, but still I can’t believe they would do something so against the teaching of Sez.” Charles said.

“We used to believe in their religion, but not anymore.” Ray spoke out.

Charles looked at Ray, until Ray looked the other way.

“The religion of Sez is not to be blamed for the destruction of your village.” Charles stated.

They were about to argue with Charles, but he put up his hand to silence them. “Let me finish, the people who used the word of Sez as a way to twist things are to blame. Not the religion itself. I won’t ask the two of you to worship the religion, but I do expect the both of you to respect my home, and my rules, ok?”

“Those actions taken by the church were because of the teaching of Sez, how can you worship that? How many lives have been taken in his name? Eda demanded, with an angry look on her face.

“The religion has also saved people. If you have read the bible you would know there is nothing about hybrids, the fathers just choose passages from it, and take it out of context. I fully believe our Sez loves all of his creations. He even gave us free will, so we can be ourselves.” Charles answered.

“That free will you speak of, got our entire village burned to the ground, are you saying we should be thankful for that?” Eda told him.

“We are responsible for our own actions, nobody else. The ones who burned down your village were people, not our god Sez. Those knights just follow the words of the pope rather than the teachings of Sez.” Charles told her.

“...I still can’t accept that.” Eda stated.

“That is fine, I’m not looking to spread the word of Sez, I’m just asking the both of you to respect that I still do, and nothing is going to change that.” Charles told them.

Eda wanted to argue, but she was done with the discussion. Ray looked at Charles like he wanted to say something.

“Yes, Ray?” Charles asked.

“What did you mean, when you said there is no mention of hybrids in the bible?”

“The bible existed way before hybrids, and even before the blessed knights came into existence, I don’t know how much you two know, but the blessed knights, and hybrids started appearing about four-hundred-years-ago. Since the destruction of the first pillar. After that the hybrids disappear for some time but have been spotted again about two hundred and fifty years ago.The church has tried to kill off the hybrids, but they haven’t succeeded. When the past pope took control, he had many ideas on how to find hybrids, and to torture them. After refusing to followed those orders, I retired from being a knight.” Charles told them.

“You were a knight!” Ray spoke out.

“I was a knight.” Charles corrected him. “But after witnessing how far the church was going with their methods, I did something that went against their orders, and decided it was best to leave my hometown, and live in the outskirt villages. This way I don’t really meet any other knights. But that is enough for today, let’s get to bed, tomorrow we start your training.” Charles stood up, and motioned the both of them to their rooms. “Good night,” Charles said, as he closed his door.

“Good night, good night Ray,” Eda said.

“Good night Eda,” Ray said back, as he closed the door, he walked to the window of his room, and thought about what they just discussed.

{So four-hundred years ago? We are in the year one thousand four hundred and eight, I wonder what happened during that time? I should ask Master Senya when I get a chance, hopefully she knows something and is willing to tell me. But still the destruction of the first pillar was around the time hybrids started showing up? Are we finishing what those hybrids of the past started?}

Ray sighed, and headed to bed, after tons of turning he finally fell asleep.