[half to be whole]

[founderinglight]

Once upon a time, there were seven stars in the sky.

----

- and though he was not the brightest of them, the most beloved by the people was the moon. For though it was the sun that gave the light required for living, it was the moon, with its ever-changing faces, that was thought to most resemble humanity. The light of the sun was a constant burning, brilliant but harsh, impossible to gaze upon directly. The moon showed himself to the people, and lit the depths of night to keep the darkness away. He pulled upon the tides, keeping the sea in check, and touched both the dark and the light within people with gentle, compassionate hands.

The sun was king, but the moon beloved. Thus was the harsh sun jealous of his gentler brother.

And so, one day, the sun drew his many swords of metal and flame, and challenged the moon. And the moon, believing he had nothing to fear from his brother the sun, accepted. But the sun struck not with the force of a friendly duel, but with a cleaving blow, past all of the blades of the moon, pale reflections of the sun's own, and slew his brother.

----

And so it was that the moon, betrayed, never showed his face to the sun again, but hung, lifeless, in the shadow of the world, visible only by a dim, blood-red glow. And the tides stilled, and the nights darkened, until the people dared not step into them. And so the sun, though never beloved as his brother, became the sole ruler of the sky.

So it has been, for two thousand years.

----

And then, one day, a woman asked the sea for a child.

The sea rose up to meet her, and it said, I have no children of my own to give you, for none would survive in the air. But my brother the sun has made two sons, and cares nothing for them. He cares more for the glitter of ice in the firelight, for he was always jealous of those who had the love of the people.

And the woman said, please.

And the sea said, Return in the night with a single cradle, and they shall be yours. But until they are grown, they must be kept from the sun, for he should he know that they have escaped him, he shall surely come for them.

And so the woman did, and set the cradle to float in the arms of the sea. And when it returned to her, inside were two boys, their hands curled together in sleep.

The fire saw, for he was in the torch the woman held to keep away the terrors of the night. And the storm saw, in the clouds that gathered overhead like a blanket, and the earth saw, in the grains of sand along the beach. And the ice saw, for she sees all that is beloved.

But the sun saw nothing, as the sea gave the children of the moon, one of dark and one of light, to the hands of the mortal woman.

And the woman swept her sons to her breast and vanished into the night.

Or at least, that is how they would say it happened, the writers of myths, if they knew it happened at all.

----

"Ardyn!"

Izunia drops the hand away from his mouth, sighing, as he finally sees his brother turn in his direction. "Come on, we're going to be late, and it's not fashionably late if it's your own party."

Over his head, the hum of magitek lights keeps the darkness of the night at bay - a blessing, for the twins, who are paler than near all the rest of the city, with red hair the color of the eternally-shadowed moon. Tonight, finally, is their coming of age, and the end of the rules that have restricted them to the nighttime. Officially, it's due to sun sensitivity, unusual in this day and age, but -

You mustn't tell anyone. I promise, I'll tell you when you're grown. I just want to keep you safe.

- truth be told, Izunia is looking forward less to the party than he is to their mother's long-promised explanation after. Social affairs have always been more Ardyn's comfort zone, Izunia more at ease with quiet nights at home.

Comments

[scourgingstars]

I'm coming, I'm coming.

[Ardyn sighed in overdramatic annoyance, his stride as slow and uncaring as ever.]

Must you rush me?

[founderinglight]

That depends, must you wait until the last minute, every time?

[Izunia's exasperation is equally overdramatic, but also fond.]

[scourgingstars]

Perhaps I do, what of it? I was sleeping.

[As usual.]

[founderinglight]

Just because we're forbidden the sun doesn't mean you have to avoid it like some kind of daemon, you know.

[They have probably had this discussion every other month since they were twelve.]

[scourgingstars]

Yes, Mother. Are we going or not?

[founderinglight]

Come on, then.

[With a final straightening, Izunia grabs his brother's hand and tugs Ardyn after him with almost childlike excitement. Finally.]

[scourgingstars]

What did I just say about rushing me--

[He stumbled a bit but quickly found his footing, gripping Izunia's hand and falling into stride with him.]

What's got you so excited? I thought you hated things like this.

[founderinglight]

...I don't know. There's something special about finally becoming adults, isn't there?

[He's practically glowing.]

[scourgingstars]

I suppose so.

[Ardyn managed a smile himself; it was hard not to, when his brother was so happy.]

But I'd not thought you so excited for it.

[founderinglight]

It's the sort of thing you try not to get too excited about because that won't bring it any faster.

[But tonight, well, it's not getting any further away, either.]

[scourgingstars]

Excited enough to enjoy a social event, though? This is practically unprecedented, brother dearest.

[founderinglight]

Oh, I'm sure I'll be back to being your favorite wallflower half an hour in. Let me have my fun.

[scourgingstars]

Perish the thought, I'd never spoil such a good mood.

[founderinglight]

Well it will certainly be spoiled if we are late!

[Tug, tug, pick up the pace!]

[scourgingstars]

I'm coming, I'm coming. Let's go.

[founderinglight]

[For all that the two were home-schooled and relatively separate from the majority of people their age, it's a surprisingly big party. Possibly because Ardyn is a star of the nightlife, but also possibly because, you know, young adults ill often take any excuse to party. The air is still warm from the late-summer sun, and lights hang in clusters around the edges of the massive rented gardens.

And for once, Izunia is making cheerful greetings as he lets Ardyn take the lead, instead of disappearing to some corner table. It's a surprise to many of the party-goers as well.

Finally, though, the socialization is starting to get tiring for him.]

I'm going to take a bit of a break, I think. Meet me by the east gate later?

[scourgingstars]

Yes, of course.

[Ardyn did admittedly take his sweet time--'later' was such a vague term, and he did adore being the center of attention. Eventually, though, he broke away from the party and whoever he was currently flirting with to escape in the direction of the east gate.]

...How are you feeling?

[founderinglight]

[It's okay, Izunia pretty much expected that. He's got a glass of some kind of punch he's been nursing and one of those little fancy patio tables, tucked up under the lights in the corner. A set of hanging lanterns casts the notebook he's fiddling with in shades of red, pink, and orange.]

A bit tired, but no worse than I usually am at such things. Did you have fun?

[scourgingstars]

I always do, with things like this.

[He tilted his head at Izunia before sitting down across from him and leaning it on his hand.]

What's this you're working on?

[founderinglight]

Just a bit of stray composition.

[There's a few bars of musical notes on the page, some of them crossed out.]

Can't quite get it to cooperate, but no harm done.

[scourgingstars]

Hm. Anything of particular interest?

[founderinglight]

[From there, it's practice. Practice, practice, practice - long nights of it, until the trick barely requires thinking about. Until following what they throw is easy and they're good enough at the throwing to at least get a respectable score at darts.

They're probably also never going to descend the stairs like normal people ever again, except where strangers can see. Some secrets are still best kept between the two of them.

And so it is, a week later, after a hard day of practice, when they're not quite asleep yet in their attic bedroom - ]

...So are we really going to go?

[scourgingstars]

Don't you want to?

[Ardyn propped himself up on one arm, looking to his brother in concern.]

[founderinglight]

I do. I suppose I'm just nervous.

[Izunia rolls onto his back, staring at the ceiling.]

[scourgingstars]

There's nothing saying we have to go through with this. We could just as easily carry on as we have been.