Being treated like outcasts all their lives, living had been very hard. They barely had food to eat, let alone clothes to wear.
At only eight years old, the twins would go to homes and stores seeking chores they could do to earn money. Most times they would be sent away, being called bad luck and a curse having been born on the day the kingdom was in anguish.
They worked for hours doing chores for people around the village, cleaning their stores and whatnot. When it came to pay, they would be given very little or told to come the next day. When they did, they only got some silly excuse.
The people would always find faults in what they did just so they wouldn't have to pay them. Constantly get bullied by other children in the neighborhood and eventually having what they worked for stolen, they decided to steal themselves.
Aspiring to become wizards, like their father was, they focused on their mana training and learning spells. Though weak, they were able to change their appearances so they wouldn't be recognized. It would only make matters worse if they were to be found out. Healing and illusion was something else they learnt. Still, they were only at basic level.
They could only transfer pain from one to another. For defense, they learnt to condense environmental aura and energy from within into a solid form, called energy ball, or blast if the attack was on a wider range. Still, it wasn't strong enough. They couldn't even produce it multiple times, their bodies were not strong enough.
"We're still weak!" They would always complain after getting beaten by the other boys in the village. What they didn't know is they were achieving amazing feats. It was rare for one to be able to learn different abilities at once, especially at their age.
They were fast learners, what they needed most was control. Agnar, their father, who was also their teacher, always told them this. Though they haven't been able to cast spells and make potions, they focused more on bringing magic from within.
Agnar then stopped casting spells and slowly avoided magic. He began training their bodies and fighting skills. He gave them no reason as to why, only stating it was for the best. Time to time, he would give in to their wishes, but it was not as often as he used to.
Magic was common, a lot of children wished to indulge in it. There were even schools set up for it. Though not in every kingdom. Mulgard was one of the few to have an academy for magic.
In the village, there were men who would teach children the basics of magic casting. The boys knowing their family's situation, couldn't afford to pay for the sessions. They decided to steal for it.That was when they met Maxwell. They had failed in getting the money and he saw everything. Even their ability to change appearances.
He paid for a month of the session and invited them to work for him, if not the village will know of what they had been doing which would only make matters worse for them. They had no choice but to accept his offer.
He always knew where valuables were in the village and would ask the boys to steal them. In return, they would be paid.
Their father found out and was beyond furious. They promised to stop. But when he fell ill, they felt they had no other choice.
Hearing their words, it was clear his sons were not happy with their current situation. Well, who could blame them.
'If only things were different.' Agnar thought.
"Did we ever do anything wrong by being alive? Why so much hate? We are people just like them are we not, why do they keep treating us this way?" Raten asked.
"It's my fault, all my fault." Agnar mumbled, but his sons heard him clearly. "If I had never done what I did, you wouldn't have to steal to feed."
"Your fault?" Kiyan asked confused. "What was it that you did?"
"Surely, it wasn't something gruesome. You're a good man." Said Raten.
Agnar looked at his sons who now sat on the floor next to him.
"Father?"
Not saying anything, he looked away.
"We want to know what happened, what did you mean by your earlier statement ?" Kiyan asked eager to hear his reply, to know the reason things are the way they were.
"Let's just say I made a mistake that affected the entire kingdom and beyond." He sighed.
"A mistake?"
"Yes, a mistake. That took a good number of men to fix, myself included." He gave a small smile.
"What kind of mistake was that exactly?"
"A big one." He replied.
His responses made it clear their father wasn't ready to tell. So they decided not to push it and just sat there. Whatever it was that happened seemed to be big, they could tell by the look on his face. After a while, he spoke.
"You must be hungry. I prepared something for us three."
Turning to the east side of the room, the twins noticed three plates, well covered, on the makeshift table. Their father stood up and they followed.
"Forgive me, the food is cold." He spoke as they sat down to eat.
"It's okay. If we had returned earlier, it wouldn't have gotten cold." Kiyan said, taking the blame on himself and his brother.
No other words were exchanged as they sat staring at the food. The boys began eating slowly while their father didn't even touch his. It seemed the earlier conversation was bothering him. The twins couldn't help but wonder what 'mistake' their father had made back then.
He also said he helped fix it, so why is everyone still treating him this bad. Also if there was something he did, people would speak about it. But, no one has ever said a word about their father doing something bad.
"Just how long ago did that happen?" They wondered. The kingdom wouldn't just be quiet about something that affected it, would it ? If it was as serious as their father claimed, there should be some gossip at least.
After dinner, they had all gone to bed. Kiyan and Raten usually shared a room, while their father slept alone. This time though, he decided they slept in his room. Both his sons slept on either sides of him while he stroked their hair. He watched them sleep while deep in thought.
Oh, how he wished their mother were there to see how grown their sons had become. A happy family is what he always wanted, but he felt he had failed. Looking at his sons resting, he just wished things were different and they were happy.
Every night they returned with bruises and this night was no different. Looking at Kiyan, he could see fresh scars on his body.
"Putting yourselves in harm's way for your old man." He chuckled bitterly. "I'm deeply sorry that I can't do better." He placed soft kisses on their foreheads. Moving his hands, the lit candles went off. Clearing his head, he eventually fell asleep.
*******
The rays of the morning sun peaked through the curtains of their room as it rose in the sky. Kiyan and Raten had arose from sleep and began doing some chores. Raten cleaned as Kiyan swept. After which they had their baths. Having nothing at home to eat, they thought to get something from the market.
Before leaving, Kiyan went to Agnar to tell him they were stepping out. Though the brothers found it odd that he was still asleep, he was one to be up as soon as the sun rises, they didn't think much of it.
"Father..." Kiyan standing beside him called out. "Father, father?" He shook his father lightly. Still, there was no reaction.
"Father, come on, wake up!" He said pushing him harder this time. Looking closer at his face, Kiyan could see how pale his father looked. His breathing was almost gone.
"F-father ?" He shook afraid of what was happening. "Raten! RATEN!!" He called for his brother.
Raten who had been by the doorsteps waiting for Kiyan to inform their father of their stepping out was getting tired.
"What's taking him so long ?" He wondered sitting on the floor, watching as the people moved by. Most times, it felt like their home was not really in the village because they were practically invisible, unless they did something to attract attention.
"Raten!" He heard his name. Getting up slowly, he wondered what Kiyan needed him for.
"Raten! Something's wrong with father!"
Hearing these words he bolted into the house with worry.
"What's going on ?" He asked as he got to the room. His heart raced as he saw his brother holding onto Agnar who still laid on the bed.
"Father, he's not responding. He's not, he's not waking up." Kiyan said. Tears stung his eyes, threatening to fall.
Trying to compose himself he slowly walked closer to his brother hoping he had misheard.
"It can't be, it can't be." He kept telling himself. "He can't be, he can't be dying."
"We need to do something, we need to save him!" Kiyan said snapping Raten out of a trance.
He had been silently watching his father struggle to breathe, he felt his head spin.
"Raten ?!" Kiyan who was equally panicked, worried and scared, cried out. "Are we going to lose him ?"
"No, we won't. He can't leave us, not now!" Pulling himself together, Raten said.
"Healer. We need to take him to the healer now!"