Chapter 1: One in a Thousand

> “Sacrifice is a part of life. It’s supposed to be. It’s not something to regret. It’s something to aspire to.” - Sidney Howard

Fórn found out that Djinn had taken his parents when he was fifteen.

It was nearing sunset when a knock came at the door. In front of it stood a hooded man in all white. A Mourner, Fórn realized, with a rising feeling of dread. "I regret to inform you... " the Mourner began, but Fórn could not hear a single word the Mourner said after that. He could see the man’s mouth moving, but none of the words registered in his mind. It had been a while since his parents had returned from their Hunt, but it had happened before. Sometimes, they got delayed or stuck in Tide. Never for this long though, an insidious part of his mind whispered.

The Mourner returned to focus, “… a monthly Stipend of 50 Gold, all recovered belongings, and support to get over this difficult time…” This was no cruel joke. His parents were gone. The Mourner was out of focus again. What about Traust? He thought with alarm, his adopted elder brother wouldn’t even meet the Mourner. Mourners only spoke to blood relatives. Fórn would have to tell Traust what happened himself. The Mourner had nearly finished speaking, “I am truly sorry for your loss. Their death is a great blow to the Empire. I will see you again next month.” He walked away, leaving Fórn staring at him, dazed.

The second he closed the door. Fórn sat on his bed. He knew his parents were dead, but he didn’t really know. So he sat, until the paper veil was pierced. Then suddenly, all breath left his body, and it struck him. His parents were gone forever. All he could think about was his parents. He imagined them with him, telling him it would all be okay. But the words ran hollow, and the pain would never leave him. He curled up on his bed and sobbed quietly. Eventually, he found himself in a restless sleep.

* * * * *

Fórn woke up to a loud knocking on his door. He immediately knew it was Traust. When he opened the door, Traust spoke gruffly, "Grab your backpack. We're going camping." and immediately turned around and started walking towards the stairs. Fórn grabbed his things as fast as he could and rushed out, slamming the door behind him as he ran. They came outside to the pitch black night, with the moon shining brightly overhead. It was dead silent out. No people, no noise. Fórn's family went camping together almost every year, till this one. This year, it was just Traust and him. They were just reaching the city gates when Traust pulled a gold coin from his pocket and passed it to the guard on duty. When he saw the Traust, gold coin in hand, his eyes lit up brightly. Traust passed it to him with a smile, “Can you open the Gates for us, please? We're headed for the Misty Forest.” The guard eagerly nodded and took the coin happily. The Gates opened smoothly and silently, as they had before. The trees still swayed gently, as they did before.

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It's unfair, Fórn thought. My parents have died and nobody cares. With them gone, his world was forever changed, but looking outside it looked the same. It was jarring.

“Why’d you give him a Gold? He would have done it for a few silvers,” Fórn asked.

“We don’t have a shortage of money,” Traust responded, “and since we have the money, it’s better to make friends than transactions"

We had already reached the trail, which was a well-trodden dirt path.

Hesitating, Fórn asked, "So, you know?"

Traust responded calmly, almost devoid of emotion, "Yes. And you don’t need to worry about me. I'll be fine. I have more than enough money and a job. You can leave without worries."

“Leave?" Forn asked, shocked. “Why would I leave now?"

“Not now… next month and you know exactly why.” he responded easily, “The Mourners will return next month, and you should leave with him to the Academy. It's what our parents would have wanted."

“But.. But.. I’d leave you alone!” Fórn shouted, as if the thought itself burned him.

Traust’s smile turned slightly melancholy. “Trust me, it will be better this way. Your parents and I knew you would leave this place eventually. Now it is the time for you to grow up and leave the nest. We are proud of you."

Already, Fórn felt better. They had reached the end of the path and set up a small camp. Instead of setting up a tent, they both decided to sleep outside. Fórn heard Traust’s breathing deepen as he fell asleep, but he didn’t want to. Instead, he stared at the sky, simply thinking. He thought about his parents, His father's booming laughter, and his mother’s gentle touch. He remembered their love for all life. They sacrificed for it, so he would too.

The shadows grew longer, but for some reason, Forn didn’t feel scared. The shadows seemed welcoming somehow, and within them, he felt warm. Cozy even. His troubles seemed to melt away, and as they did, he could feel his parents' gentle Aura. Its bluish glow contrasted with the darkness of the shadows. It felt like he was in a space separate from the world, surrounded by twinkling stars, the bluish Aura of his parents, and Darkness. Eventually, he could see them. His parents. Their presence was so real, he couldn’t breathe. He rushed towards them and they enveloped him in a hug. Tears began to fall from his eyes, and finally, he felt like he could relax. His sadness was melted away and he was left feeling tranquil. It must be the Shepherd of the Stars, he realized. It was a blessing. The shadows swirled around him reaching closer and closer. He reached out to touch one. The moment he did, the shadows rushed towards him, their inky blackness swallowing his vision . He felt the world in a new way that was difficult to describe. He could almost physically feel the shadows, touching him, supporting him with their strength. The pale blue Aura of his parents turned darker to the same indigo as his eyes. The whole world seemed to shift and twist.

His parents began fading away. They waved to him silently, tears leaking from their eyes, as well as his.

Their eyes told him everything was going to be okay. But this time… It rang true.