Lightless Twin Souls | ONC 2023 ✔

Chapter 4 - Memory Soul

Name pronunciation:

Hysta - his + ta
Whist - whilst without the L / wise with a T sound at the end
Ameme - a + meh + meh

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"Hysta, you need to focus more on your magic." A woman's voice echoed beside the young boy in a ray of light.

That boy, Hysta, glanced elsewhere, where his mirror image practiced his magic. Compared to Hysta, this other boy flawlessly manipulated all the elemental magic in the world, with additional sparks of something unique only to him.

"You do so well, Whist." A young woman's voice resounded from the surging water waves around the other boy, Whist.

As Whist responded with a chuckle, Hysta smiled at the sight.

"Hysta, there is no use if you simply watch your twin rake all the glory." The woman's voice whispered.

Hysta shook his head, a smile still on his face. "He deserves all the glory, Lady Emeruse."

Emeruse sighed. "And that complete acceptance of his capabilities far surpassing yours might be why you can't focus on yourself."

"That's not true." Hysta turned to face the ray of light where Emeruse's voice came from. "Look, I can manipulate all the basic elements just fine."

Emeruse echoed a scoff, then a clanging noise followed from where she was.

"Dear me, what is the aristocracy up to this time?"

"Lady Emeruse?"

"Apologies. I shall be back for further training with you later. Humans are making a mess of themselves in my continent again." Frustration lingered in the last bit of what she said, which brought a little smile to Hysta's face.

"Take your time, Lady Taurus." Hysta mimicked a bow as his tone shifted to how Emeruse's human subjects referred to her in Julisie.

"Hmph. For a youngling, you seem to have much knowledge of Julisie."

Hysta's smile widened as he clapped his hand, the magic he was performing fading. He reached out to the ray of light and moved his fingers up and down around it.

"Your other half is approaching, Hysta."

"Mhm. I can feel it." The ray of light slowly thinned and then disappeared. "I'll see you later, Lady Emeruse."

"Brother!"

As Hysta turned around, Whist had reached him. From behind, where Whist came from, the water had evaporated.

"How did your training with Lady Ish go, Ameme?" Hysta started, walking down to the fields from the hill where they trained.

"It went well as always! How about yours?"

Hysta pursed his lips but retained a smile. "It's not bad. Lady Emeruse might be noticing my interest in human conflict, though."

"In Julisie? The world of humans?" Whist peeked at Hysta's face. "Is there something in Julisie that brother likes?"

Hysta waved a hand, "Nothing in particular. It just interests me how different they are from us. Especially the land we rule—they seem to have many conflicts with one another the very moment we stop checking their status."

"The Great Gemini?"

"Mhm."

"Hmm... I don't think I understand them very well."

Hysta stopped walking and brushed Whist's hair. "It's okay. You'll get it soon enough. You're... special, after all."

"Brother!" Whist pouted. "You are, too!"