Loss of a brother

We grew up poor, our mother abandoned our father at a very young age. She claims we weren't the children she deserved, and disappeared one night. Our father, a low ranked soldier in the local lords army, tried for a few years to provide for us. He taught us how to trap, track, and hunt beasts. He ensured we were fed, and had the skills to survive.

Sadly, he passed away 3 years and a few months ago. When my brother and I were only 11. In honor of his service the lord granted my brother and I the opportunity to become squires. Alas both my brother and I did not have a talent that awakened to assist in that endeavor.

We were cast out of the territory with not a copper to our names. We were driven away from our ancestral homes, and even from the kingdom we grew up in. Today, we agreed to help a traveling merchant avoid some bandits, but to our great dismay, he was a bandit all along...

"Hurry up! They are right behind you!" Rayjin cried. "I'm running as fast as I can!" I shouted back, jumping over a fallen log. I heard a 'whoosh' sound as an arrow whizzed bast my face! "Their trying to kill us!" I shouted, changing direction to throw off the archers aim! "The river! Let's go!" Rayjin pointed.

We both crest the ridge, and without any hesitation throw ourselves over the ledge! I feel a sudden flash of pain in my leg, but shrug it off as I crash into the waters. I grab Rayjin, who's not as good at swimming as I am, and struggle desperately to stay above water. Rayjin doesn't fight this, and seems to just float alongside me.

An hour has passed, my exhaustion is beyond anything I have ever felt before. Somehow I drag Rayjin and I from the waters. Rayjin coughs, and then grabs my hand. "Brother... I feel it. I've awakened my talent!" He says before coughing again. "But... I don't think I'll make it..." he speaks quietly before rolling to his back only to reveal an arrow protruding from his chest! The moment I see this, my blood runs cold. "Rayjin!" I cry, knowing he isn't long for this world. "Dwelyn, don't cry. I will use my talent on you. I already know you will be able to use it more than I can..." Rayjin says weakly, his wound already taking a toll on him. "I will be with you, always, brother. My talent, "merger" will bind us. Though for you to us to survive, you will be the primary, and myself the material." Rayjin says. "No, you have to survive!" I tell him, unwilling to give up the only family I have left. Rayjin grasps my hand, and says, "too... bad..." and in that instant, my world goes dark!

It has been several hours since I feel that I lost consciousness. I am driven back to my situation when I hear a metallic voice within my head."system activated: extraction system installed. System message: merger system installed. System message: Query: Merge systems?" Unable to move at the moment due to overuse of my muscles in the river, I can only think of how I should accept my brothers will. "System message: merging systems... complete. System message: Extraction and merger system activated! Talent tier ~unknown."