1 Prelude - Stone of light

Taotrom is a continent where humans are segregated in knowledge and levels. The most influential and powerful are descendants of lineages, where their ancestors had powerful skills or vast knowledge. They have the genetic memory ability, only the firstborn of the clan inherit the memory of their ancestors, and through their lives, they slowly wake them through training.

And with the ability of genetic memory, even if the family has more than one child, the second child would still have a chance to acquire the knowledge orally or through other means from his parents, thus creating the secondary lineages, where the genetic memory began to form anew.

And so the clans were formed where the chief lineage reigns and the secondary lineages help them and thrive together.

Because of this ability to pass knowledge across their genes, clans overprotect their legacy. All information about their craft is kept in their libraries. Or in extreme cases, they die with the firstborn of a family.

The Ciadhan, or second-born children, even if they are from the main lineage, are generally less valued than the firstborn of the secondary families. Without this knowledge that awakens with the maturation and practice of the craft, they have to learn everything from the beginning and have a considerable investment of time and effort if they want to develop in any activity.

Ullach is Tiomnach's twin brother, in these rare cases, the one born first awakens the power, and because of this special birthright blessing, all the knowledge that would be of his brother is plunged into himself — making them geniuses that rival kingdoms.

Unfortunately, Ullach did not have the pleasure of being the firstborn, and in a family of wizards, this is all the more critical because, beyond your knowledge get sucked, all magical talent is taken from twins.

***

A regular night in my life.

I am fourteen years old and went through a lot of things during my growth. I am Ullach.

Going to the top floor of my house, I gazed at the dark sky through the window. I looked at the sky and saw a brilliant light. This light was so beautiful that all the stars and the moon were overshadowed by it. This light had such a mesmerizing beauty that I felt my soul was being healed by it. My whole body felt good. And all my strong muscles were enjoying the feeling.

Being a Ciadham "second born," I didn't receive much attention from my parents, Lina and Arthur. Almost all the family attention went to my genius brother, Tiomnach, that seemed like a great sage since he was born.

Bearing the gift of magic, my brother, Tiomnach, has control over the magical energy almost since he was a baby. Showing such a prodigy that everyone from one thousand kilometers came to congratulate my family. Luckily, Tiomnach was born in the Solas family. It was a family famous for its powerful magic of the primary and secondary branches. My family was known for knowing to wield nature magic with easy. Its inheritors were always powerful and full of wisdom.

Unfortunately, I was the other side of the coin, being the second born of twins. I had all my genetic inheritance ripped out from me by my brother. Not that I blamed him…. Tiomnach was a loving brother; he took care of me since we were little.

But my parents were not so forgiving. Being born in a family of mages, I was expected to have some magic, at least. Although I didn't have the genetic memories, I could at least learn orally and with hard studies how to wield magic. But it seemed that the old histories of the second born of twins being real. I have no talent for magic, while my brother was a monstrous genius, showing his might since he was little.

I strived for magic, studying the rules and magic itself like there was no tomorrow. My knowledge was unparalleled at my age. No one in the kingdom was better than me in magic theory. But unfortunately, I couldn't put all that knowledge into practice. In the end, it was only theory.

Seeing that all my efforts were fruitless, I didn't abandon the magic studies but began to tread the way of the body.

Training the body to the utmost limits, and training the brain with the most sublime knowledge, I became a great warrior for my age, at least between mortals... But in a family of magicians, physical strength means nothing.

And everything comes to now. Fourteen years old, living in the shadow of my brother and powerless in the eyes of the family.

Looking at the night sky from the rooftop, I saw a brilliant light falling in the distant horizon and knew that it was a treasure that could change my life.

"What was that light? My soul feels lighter, and my body stronger. According to the old writings, some treasures can give a man's body power to overcome fate. That light could be what I am seeking to be able to yield magic… finally"

Felling an active call from the light, I immediately geared up and ran in the light's direction.

Although I am fourteen years old, my body stands at 1,85 meters tall. I have a strong and lean built. When I move my body, it is like a cheetah moving. The eyes are black, just like my hair.

After getting up, I immediately went to my room and wore my battle clothes. I strapped my greatsword into my back, got some money, and fetched my horse in the stables, galloping after the light.

I am sure I was not the only one that saw and felt that magical light; I can be assured of it…. Lots of people could feel a phenomenon like that. I am sure I'll have a lot of competition, but I have to outsmart them. I need to get there as soon as possible... Luckily, my family's compound is outside the city. If anybody that can fight for the item wants to go after, they'll have to wait until morning for the gates to open. But I know there's a lot of powerful people that live outside the city as well…

Lost in thoughts, I rode my horse to the horizon amidst the forest. I was only feeling the humidity of the night in my skin. My spirit was brave, and my mind infallible.

After a long ride through the night, I was anxious about the destination because I could feel I was getting much closer to the place where the light fell.

I feel that this item is essential, but how could such a marvel exist, how is it made? According to the principles of magic, there must be a source to an end, and a source can affect a soul would be the most powerful of all. The soul is the most sacred thing about life, and few things could change how it behaves because only a soul could affect another one. If it's not a powerful mage, it must be a source of magic, a source so powerful that it began to form sentience.

During my years of studying, I realized something. According to the laws of magic, the ability to control mana comes from the body's innate mana interacting with the natural mana in the air, processing it, and using it to reinforce one's mana. And in the end, I was born without innate mana.

I am blessed with a sensitivity towards mana, I can feel it everywhere, I can see it flowing through my body, and through everything that surrounded me. But I couldn't grasp it.

Usually, a person could only feel the mana around him, but couldn't see it.

It was a talent that only me and my brother awakened in the last thousand years. Unfortunately, I could only look at magic and do nothing.

After around 10 hours of traveling, I arrived at my destiny by morning. The flora in Taotrom was terrific in its way. The flowers could spin gracefully and leave the ground, traveling through the sky, and the trees were full of different colors and elements, some trees had leaves of green fire, and other trees that were made entirely of stone, but these kind of three's were much rarer. It was indeed a fantastic view.

The brilliant light was shining in the distance. I could feel an energy from where I was. And I was still a bit far from it.

Looking around, I could feel other presences in the woods. Most likely, they were adventurers or magical creatures that were attracted to the light.

Taking a deep breath and gathering my courage, I proceeded.

I trained for all these years… although I do not have magic to fight with, my body is my ultimate weapon… I can go against anyone that wants to stop me!

I trained for many years, and there was a delusion on myself that I was almost invincible, but in the end, I knew that it was not true. I was very reckless, and some times, recklessness could lead to death.

Arriving closer to the light, I could see some adventurers in the woods. They were feeling the light as well, but it seemed that something was holding them back.

"I must do this. If I want to be truly powerful, I can't fear anything that stands in my path."

I took a deep breath and proceeded. Getting through the trees, I finally saw it. A vast crater spanning 300 meters, and in the middle of it a rock the size of a fist, emanating a soothing light.

Getting down from my horse, I sharpened my senses and looked around to find what was stopping the others, and I finally saw him.

Standing 30 meters above the rock, a man was floating. He was garmented in black robes trimmed in blue. The man stood at 1,85 meters tall and had black eyes and hair. The man, floating like a god, was almost the split image of myself. It was my brother, Tiomnach.

Seeing my brother standing there, I even forgot to breathe for a moment. After all, he was everything I could not be, and at the same time, my dear brother.

Taking a step out of the forest, I looked at my brother and began to walk in the rock's direction.

I could only hear the sound of my footsteps hitting the ground. The world stopped around me. My brother looked in my direction.

"Ullach, what are you doing here?" asked Tiomnach while frowning, he never expected to see me there, so far from home.

"Well, I saw something special falling on the horizon, and I came to fetch it. I feel that it can make me wield magic, or at least help me become powerful." I said sincerely. My eyes were shining, imagining the power that I could reach after getting the stone.

"Sorry, brother, but you can't have it." Said Tiomnach with sadness in his voice while shaking his head. "This stone must go to the clan; the elders also felt it, and send me to take it back. This stone can help our clan grow to new heights and step into a new age. The elders will decide what to do with it."

"But it can heal me. It can make me whole again. I NEED IT!" I felt my soul cry. Everything that I wanted could belong to me if I absorbed the stone.

My brother and I could tell that whoever absorbed the stone could achieve higher power and that it would benefit the person immensely. But Tiomnach was following the orders of the clan, and could not allow anyone else to have it. The clan would decide what to do with it.

"Brother, you know that I always fought for power, the power that I never had. When my path to magic was closed, I struggled for physical power. Now there's something in front of me that can help me became powerful. I must have it."

"No, it's already set in stone Ullach. The clan will decide what to do with it. and no one else, not even you, can stop that." Said Tiomnach

I stomped my feet on the ground in frustration. "Brother, I will get it, and if you stand on my way, I will have to defeat you," I said while getting the greatsword from my back, and began to walk toward the stone.

"Sorry, but I'll have to stop you." Said Tiomnach while his body was glowing with a green light.

Roots of energy began to form beneath Tiomnach, and above him, a high crown of a tree appeared. The roots extended like snakes and went into my direction.

Seeing them coming, I held my sword diagonally and slashed against the roots using all of my strength, my eyes quickly found the weak point of the magic and cut in its direction, or at least I thought so.

"PENG"

Instead of cutting the energy roots, the sword bounced back strongly, and I was repelled for a few meters, skidding on the ground.

"How is it possible? How could it not be cut? HOW?" I asked with desperation in his voice, all these years tempering my body, and I couldn't even some roots, done casually by my brother.

"Brother, you have trained your body for many years, but you still are a mortal. You are no Ki user or mage." Said Tiomnach with sorrow in his voice. "I wished with all my heart you could be powerful, and if someday I can do something for you, I'll. Let's go back to the clan."

The roots quickly unleashed in the stone and my direction. It constrained both me and the stone in a green cocoon and made us float in the air. The rock went directly into Tiomnach's hand. And I was restrained, floating beside him.

"Let's go home brother."

___________________________

With a heavy feeling in my chest, we arrived near the clan`s compound a few hours later. Tiomnach had a stern look on his face. I knew it was not his fault for taking the stone and not giving it to me. He is loyal and faithful to the clan and is considered the next lord of the clan. He has a heavyweight upon his shoulders.

He was treated like the hope of the clan and was brainwashed into serving it. He still had his free will, or I believed so, but he would not put my interests before the clan's. To him, the clan was the provider of everything he had, and in a sense, it was true.

Looking at the brown buildings that were me using nature magic, my heart felt the height of the clan. Twin towers reached the sky, they were like two enormous trees, almost as if nature itself had placed them there.

"Brother, don't take me back to the clan, my place is not here." At this moment, I decided that if I wanted to be truly powerful, I had to leave this place.

"What are you talking about, brother? Here is where your family lies," Tiomnach realized the seriousness in my voice and was startled.

"I am constrained here, I can't use magic, so I have to seek other ways to power. For now, I am only a normal human being, and I will die in fifth years or so. But you and our parents, for being powerful magicians, could extend your lifespan for much, much longer. I can't stay here knowing that I am mediocre, that I can't become more. So, I must leave and seek the power that I so much desire." The conviction in my voice was thick. I never felt so assured in my life. My destiny was waiting for me, and I would not stand here doing nothing.

"I respect your decision, brother… And if you truly wish to do so, I will not stop you. But you must know that there will always be a place for you to return… we are family! I love you" Tiomnach came to me and gave a tight hug. His feelings were overflowing trough this gesture. I knew I was lucky to have such a brother, and want to one day catch up to him…

Waiting for a moment, I let go of my brother and took a step back. Difficult decisions should be made some times.

"Say farewell to our parents for me. Goodbye, bro." I turned away and left. Sometimes we should fight for the power we seek. Not everything comes easily.

Walking through the forest, my mind flew through the sky, the future was limitless, and only I could decide my fate.