The Lost Child of Light

The Forgotten Beginning

"What? No! I refuse!"

"It is the Law, Ven. You technically were the first Child she met."

That was true...but that was something I couldn't do. "Can't Jadin Train her? He was the first Child who came. Well...Before you Tal."

"Ven...this was the Master's direct decree."

"The Master? But..." Tal smiled as she scrutinized her Light Dagger which she was cleaning. "Jadin is the second Light Child. Plus, he has 3 Cycles left. You know the Training is supposed to be 5 Cycles at least."

"Can I...can I have a week?"

"Three days."

"Aw, come on sis! I have a half Cycle left! Do I have to?"

"Yes." Tal put her blade into its sheath. "You are the only one who can teach her. You yourself are a Defect."

"I am not! I function normally!" Tal gave me a look. "I...function well enough...?"

"Be that as it may..." Tal came and stood by me as we looked out the two-way glass towards the Garden. "You and I both know that no one else can train her. Even if Evelyn didn't have health problems...only you are strong enough to keep her from dying...or killing us in the process."

"...I'm almost 19..." A quick lunge to the right as three Light Blades connected into the wall where I stood a half second ago saved my life. One would've pinned me between my eyes, another straight in my heart, and the last dead end in my jugular vein. "So? She's almost 17!"

A quick drop to the floor as a Light Spear connected into the wall a few inches above my head. "You have no right!" I rolled left and grabbed two of the three Blades and dove right again as two arrows pierced the wall again. One grazing the skin of my shoulder. "It is the Law!" I threw both Blades and lunged forward. Tal deflected a Blade and grabbed the other.

Before she could anything else I was on top of her and had her pinned against the floor. Putting pressure on both her hands, she eventually let the Light Blade go and stretched both hands upward in a open gesture, The universal sign for surrender. "See? You are ready."

She was right. But I couldn't just face the girl. I couldn't go up and say hi, expecting her to forgive me much less talk to me. I let Tal go and we both cleaned up our usual battleground. "Ven...I understand. Everyone who knows will definitely understand..."

A quick shake of the head to clear broken thoughts before asking, "So...what happened?" Tal was born into the Light Children Lineage...kind of. That meant she wasn't a 15 Cycle Light Child. She had a 20 Cycle period after the initial 5 Cycle training. That meant she was allowed into the Hearings of Recruitment, occasionally Hearings of the Sphere, and...in special cases, Hearings that involved me in them. She was already cleared and fully trusted.

I was in the 5th tier. She on the other hand...was on the 6th tier. A rare gift for those who haven't been in the Light Sphere yet. I was lucky. Having a sibling as a Light Child was rare in itself, but having a contact from inside the Circle, the highest responsibility a Light Child was crazy enough.

"Jadin has offered to train her at first but the Master Himself said that 'since you are the first, the first you shall be.' I of course, agreed. But Jadin then asked if it was fine to have a month to train her. Which the Master answered with, 'Only three days. Then Ven will will take his rightful place as her Trainer.' Besides, Jadin is your Trainer, so that would be weird, right?."

"Hm...Where is she?" Tal went over to the Glass wall and pressed against the surface. Within seconds her ranking was approved and the glass to the left of her hand seemed to ripple and show the Third Courtyard filled with many people. Tal lifted her hand and we watched the life-like screen.