The One Between
"The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse."
Edmund Burke
(Middlesex Election, 1771, Eighteenth Century CE)
The One Between Awakes in a room where The Mentor has laid Them to rest. From his healing and the Connection it had with The Mentor last, They feel energized and ready for the day. They sit up and think about the sparring against Their Mentor. Their Light jumps in Their chest. His brutality... It shudders at the thought of what happened and what he did. How he bit Them and fed on its energy like that. They try not to think about it.
They float off the bed and glide into a walk. They can feel The Mentor through Their energy Connecting them. They follow his distinct signature. The One Between thinks about the The Mentor's Nightmare from the other night and the Fear They sense in him. They worry. He didn't share what it was with Them. Entangled in thoughts, The One Between feels when he's lost in his own shadows of Pain and how he seems so far away from Them. Lost in a world They are not a part of.
The One Between finds him in the study. They step inside and see Their Mentor place the large xuan scroll of the painted ensō on the wall from where it fell. They look around and see that most of the study has been cleaned up from the mess caused by the sparring. The Mentor moves his hand out and a book rises from the floor into it, returning the item to its shelf. The Mentor has fixed the damage on the wall and dusted the room. They notice he swept the floor and cleaned it to a shine, too. The study looks practically spotless. The One Between goes to Their desk to resume Their studies as The Mentor would expect Them to do without his direction.
"Did you rest well?" The Mentor asks, not looking away from the shelves of books he's organizing.
"Yes, I feel great after my rest despite the beatings from you. Thanks for asking."
He smirks and quietly chuckles at Their response. The Mentor knows his Pupil is going to really hate him for what he's planned for the start of today's lesson. The One Between will most likely be furious, but it's for Their benefit. The Mentor already has a plan to lessen The One Between's anger. His apology will be a surprise he knows will make up for the ordeal afterwards. He senses his Pupil's emotions shift. Something is distracting Them from Their studies.
"Do you have something on your mind you'd like to express?" The Mentor slips a book onto its shelf. There's a pause.
"…What was your Nightmare about?" The Mentor turns to see The One Between staring at him quietly.
He can see his Pupil's concern in Their colorful starlit eyes. He returns the last book on the shelf inside the jade stone wall.
"It's nothing for you to be concerned about." He turns to face his Pupil. "Pause with what you're reading, you can return to it later. It's time for your training."
The Pupil grudgingly closes its book, sighing, already worried about what its Mentor has in store for Them and hoping desperately that it's not as obscene as what he subjected to the last time. They join him and teleport to a place where The Mentor can privately and safely teach his Pupil.
~~~~~
The One Between and The Mentor arrive in a bright, white void. His Student stands there quietly, ready. Nervous about how this will turn out. They both take Human forms, The Mentor a middle aged Asian man and The One Between appear as a young Asian woman. They take on these forms for research purposes since The One Between is studying about Asia and has decided its Vessel will come from Asian descendants after seeing its influence and history among Humans and the Humans future, it has observed.
"In this lesson I will teach you 'Forbidden Combat,' or what many of us would call, 'Savage Combat.'" The Pupil feels a sudden dread. "As I'm sure you know, this fighting style comes from The Realm of No Light. Savage combat is the only way to survive against the relentless beings who inhabit it."
They have heard of it only in passing and know that The Beings of Light are forbidden to use this fighting style, as it goes against their articles of war. The Pupil can sense The Mentor's energy shift intensely, making Them feel intimidated by the prospect of learning this forbidden art but intrigued nonetheless. The One Between knows this will be a very difficult challenge for Them.
"During your training, I will treat you as a Being of No Light fledgling." The Mentor is cold. His glowing golden eyes stare at Them. "You will learn to understand our fighting techniques and social behaviors and how we think and engage in battle," he announces gravely, making sure his Pupil understands.
He projects his energy to communicate his expectations that this decision is final and that this is how Their training will proceed. A familiar Fear returns from the recesses of The Pupil's memories. Having to go against The Mentor's past self makes Their flaming Light flutter heavily in Their chest. He can sense Their Fear of fighting against him.
"I knew he would beat my ass, again. He might as well fail me now to save himself the trouble.There's no way I could ever be at his level in a short time," They privately say to Themself in Doubt.
The Pupil looks at The Mentor and realizes he is not bothered by what he said. They're disquietted by his lack of emotion. He senses Their reaction, its aura shifting in a wave of energy around it. He can feel Them anxious about what he will do to Them. He tries to lessen Their anxiety.
"You're quick to learn and despite having little to no experience, you have shown you're still able to discern the situation and act accordingly. You have an ability to adapt quite easily to whatever environment you're in, and can be quite flexible and quick on your feet. This will be to your benefit."
The Pupil is surprised by all the compliments he's giving Them. That's not good, it thinks to itself. It means he's planning something insidious.
"Today, I will have you Rape by Possession."
There's a chilling silence. "...What... the fuck?Are you… serious?"
He projects his energy to console his Pupil's nerves. The One Between can sense him manipulate Their horror into a calm. But They aren't having it, upset about what The Mentor is forcing it to do.
"You're going straight into the hardest part!" They protest.
"Yes, I'm going straight into the hardest part. You will Rape me." His expression darkens. "This is what you'll be doing a lot of in The Realm of No Light, just as you will on Earth."
The One Between is very disturbed by Their Mentor's warning. It reflects in silent dread. It will be Raping many Others on Earth. A terrible Fear. Disgust and despair burning in Their Consciousness in what its Mentor predicts will be Their experience on Earth as a Human.
"The only difference is you will have to Intentionally Rape Others to protect yourself from harm by taking away your opponents' Power, instead of only Instinctively Possessing out of self-preservation."
The prospect of Possessing Others purposely makes Them already feel sick to Their stomach. Their energy cannot conceal Their true emotions. The One Between takes a heavy breath in anticipation, trying to accept what The Mentor will force Them to do. They imagine what the Others will do to Them.
"Your ability to Possess is very useful for when you're in combat, since you are the only one that is the exception to The Laws, and what separates you from all of us. This is what makes you very unique and Powerful once you become strong enough to control a Being of No Light. Take advantage of your Power.ThisTestis the exception to the moral rule."
Projecting his energy, he tries to convince his Pupil that it is necessary to Rape regardless of what They feel about it and that it is for the sake of Their survival. There is a heaviness in the air. The Mentor gives his Pupil time to process his words, knowing that what he will have Them do goes against Their moral compass.
The Mentor looks at his Pupil calmly, "It's time to begin."
The Pupil takes a step backward, scared.
"Don't hesitate andPossess me."
"Can we do this another time towards the end of my training after learning everything else thatyou plan to teach me?"
"No." He takes a step towards them.
They avoid him, trying to keep Their distance. "I don't want to do this,not yet. I need more time."
Annoyance is evident in his voice. "What does wanting have to do with it? Possess me…" He glides towards Them. "Now. It's part of your training."
His Pupil quickly glides away and pleads. "I don't want to Rape you!"
"You'll be Raped in The Realm of No Light. You must do the same.Now do it."
"Please... don't make me do it... I can't."
"You will." He rushes towards Them.
In that second, he easily breaks through his Pupil's Shield and grabs Their throat and Light. Too quick for The One Between's Instincts. His hand moves through its Human flesh, his fingers tightening around its flame as it burns in a flutter inside his hand. It's as if he's captured a fallen star. He Rapes his Pupil by feeding on Their energy and life force. Taking control of Them, his eyes can see Their Fear. The One Between grabs the forearm of its Teacher, anxiety suffocating Them as The Mentor's hand wraps around its neck and tightly squeezes its throat, continuing to absorb its energy and life force. The Pupil grasps his forearms, trying to pull his hands away from its body. They struggle, feeling weak.
"Rape me, damn it!"
The Pupil's Light dims rapidly. Its starlit eyes glow in a swirl of blues, violets and pinks, staring at him pleadingly. To The One Between's surprise, They feel Pain. The Mentor makes Them hurt. Terror written on its face. The Mentor's eyes turn a fearsome crimson red, a trait unique to The Beings of No Light. The One Between's body remembers the trauma, shaking in his powerful hands. They begin to falter anew, legs weak from His Power weighing Them down. He justifies his actions to himself with the assurance that this is what They will experience in The Realm of No Light. He must make Them understand the importance of Power, but his Pupil still refuses to Possess him.
The Mentor's anger rises, his jaw clenching in frustration. "Fucking stubborn. Just like our Brother," he frustratedly thinks to himself.
The Mentor's Light grows stronger. The Pupil experiences a searing burn in Their chest. Every breath becomes a Painful struggle. His Power grasps its Light, eliciting deep gasps as the large hand unrelentingly rips its life force from its body. The Mentor wants The One Between to handle this Pain when their Light is grabbed and Their energy is being siphoned off. A Pain They must get used to.
The Pupil's Instincts causes Them to manifest a doppelgänger with Their energy and it flows into The Mentor's body like a spirit Possessing him. Raping him. The Mentor can feel his Pupil's doppelgänger trying to strengthen its hold. They feel The Mentor's Nature while fighting against taking on his identity. He smirks, feeling Them struggling inside him. The Pupil's body feels overwhelmed by the mounting euphoric high engulfing its very being. They fight it. The Mentor forces his Pupil to learn how to keep in control while experiencing this parasitic pleasure that comes from Power. It is why so many cling to it, becoming slaves to it. They can feel his Power slowly taking hold. They panic, trying to hold on to Their senses and identity. They can feel its energy body tingling and vibrating with rising intensity. To his relief, The Mentor can feel his Pupil slowly removing his hands from its throat and chest, its arms shaking. His grin widens as his plan begins to come to fruition and can sense that The One Between knows this, too. The Pupil stands before its Mentor and silently glares, Their eyes glowing like molten suns, burning with anger. His hand begins to lose hold of the pumping organ where Their Light is housed. He no longer strangles its Light as They shakily pull out his hands through the opaque Human flesh of its chest, which begins to change from cradling its energy and life force to revealing the cosmos peeking from within. The Mentor struggles to keep in control. The One Between continues to Rape him with great difficulty. His hands are removed and as soon as they successfully stop him, The One Between releases The Mentor and its doppelgänger returns to Their body. The One Between falls onto the ground, gasping, its chest heaving and its body vibrating and shaking from the overwhelming Power it felt from its Mentor. The Pain still lingers.
"You did that on purpose!" They growl, breathing frantically.
The Pupil feels fatigued by the experience. The Mentor smirks, seemingly unbothered by what he did to his Pupil. The One Between holds back its tears, Their anger still burning in its silver, gold eyes, glaring bitterly at Their Mentor. He sympathizes but does not feel guilt for his actions. He slowly walks towards Them. He is proud of his Pupil for not being tempted by his Power to the point They get taken over by it. Losing Themselves to it. Mutating Them.
"You did well, but not enough to convince me since you merely Possessed me by Instinct to save yourself from being absorbed." Nevertheless, he is impressed by how his Pupil handled him Raping Them.
"I will return to this lesson when you least expect it." he warns.
The One Between gets up, Their chest still heaving as They gather its bearings. "Be on alert at all times with me when training. Understand that I'm doing this for your own benefit as there is no mercy in The Realm of No Light."
His Pupil bitterly accepts his Intentions and the logic behind them. It weighs its options regarding the least evil but most effective action in dealing with situations in The Realm of No Light that force it to go against its Nature. It is aware his lessons will only get worse now that They must learn Forbidden Combat.
Fuming, They walk through the white void to dissipate its anger, taking deep breaths to calm Their nerves. "If I must Possess and Rape Others, I refuse to let it control me and lose my identity and Nature to Chaos. I won't let it take me." They thought bitterly, distracted by its thoughts.
They feel Their Mentor's intense energy, alerting Them that he is not done with his lesson and will soon resume. The Mentor can sense his Pupil's indignation as They walk away from him. He follows behind Them from a few feet away to allow his Pupil space to cool off for a temporary break in the usual way that They take walks to settle Their nerves, especially when angry. And after what he's done to The One Between, he has the sense not to push Them to move on to the next lesson just yet. After some time has passed he feels the intense energy wave of Their emotions now finally flowing into a calm.
The Mentor comes to a stop. "Are you ready to return to your lesson?" he asks gently.
They calmly reply. "Yes." The One Between turns to face him.
He walks to Them. "If you want to prevent getting Raped by our Siblings, you need to strengthen your Shield, which as of now is nowhere near Powerful enough. This lesson has shown your weaknesses…"
Their brows furrow when hearing its lack of skills. The Pupil looks away from him, knowing he's right. The Mentor can feel his Pupil acknowledge his harsh words, seeing that his Pupil is embarrassed by its incompetence.
"Don't worry about your weaknesses, this will change." He lays a comforting hand on Their shoulder. "You have a very high tolerance for Pain, like me. Possessing me has proven that." He looks at his Pupil with gentleness, his energy reassuring his Pupil that he believes in Them.
He continues solemnly. "This is in your favor, but, in the Realm, it is different, a point I have belabored and will continue to belabor. There you will feel Pain you've never felt before. I will train you to withstand it. Having a very Powerful Shield will protect you from the physical aspect of this Pain. Right now, your ability to Shield is hopelessly outclassed by the Beings of No Light, who can easily break through your defense almost effortlessly and always with the Intention of Raping you. Unfortunately for you, you'll get used to the Pain… Eventually." The Pupil is taken aback, feeling his energy burdening its Light, his words coloring Their anxiety.
"Until you've improved your Shielding, you still have other advantages that you can draw upon that I intend to have you hone to expertise."
His energy shares his earnest belief that he has full confidence in Them. The Pupil Doubts They'll reach his expectations.
He continues to help ease some of his Student's concerns. "Your energy is intense and pure and comes in abundance unlike most Others. This unique energy-print and your Light are what will most attract the entities and the Faction. The damage they can inflict can be severe if you don't know how to properly Shield and fight back. You have Powerful energy stores you can draw upon when needed, which is also in your favor. Materializing weapons from the elements around you during combat will help reduce how much energy you use so that you can focus upon using it to create a stronger Shield. The amount of energy you use can make the difference between survival or defeat. When you're Powerful and advanced enough in your Savage combat techniques, you won't need a weapon.You will instead adopt the more efficient method of using your hands to tear apart and kill your opponents."
"Oh… that sounds… great," The One Between responds sardonically, clearly upset.
"It's vitally important to conserve your energy whenever possible.The Realm of No Light is a place that constantly feeds on energy. You can't show even a scintilla of weakness. The greater your energy, the more Powerful you become. Hence why it's more effective using your hands instead of an energy weapon. This will also include teaching you how to absorb energy quickly so that you won't need to think about it when an opponent touches you."
The Pupil realizes They'll be healing itself often. Healing can be exhausting and cause great fatigue depending on its duration if there's no one to assist in it, especially if the injury is severe and the energy stock is largely depleted.
"Let's return to the study to continue with your lesson." The Mentor has something very important to show his Pupil. They both fly off and teleport to their home.
~~~~~
They appear in their private garden in the center of the home peering through the nebulae. The One Between walks alongside The Mentor, passing diverse flowers from unique far off places.
"I know you are aware of the Shadows where Beings' of No Light summon their Shadow entities." He gazes at The One Between who watches the flowers, still carefully listening to him. "The Shadows are also a portal to other locations where there are shadows. You can move through shadows to any location you think of when traveling from one place to another. If Powerful enough to suppress your energy-print and manipulate the Shadows, you can infiltrate Shielded areas through the shadows within the protected area to avoid being attacked by the Shield Guardians head on." The One Between looks at him surprised.
"You will gain this ability when you begin to lose a piece of yourself in The Realm of No Light. But, you will learn this on your own. All Beings of No Light must learn to manipulate the Shadows to earn their place and be respected in the Faction of ourBrethren. Until you have mastered Shadow Manipulation, They will challenge you to see if you have mastered this skill."
Using his energy to convey his meaning, The Mentor clarifies to his Pupil to expect the Brethren to bully Them constantly, and that only the Lightless Beings are capable of Shadow Manipulation. When this challenge might arise in the Realm of Night Light, he doesn't say. The One Between is annoyed with this but will find out to prove itself to its Lightless Brethren.
"Once learned, it stays with you. I'm an example of this."
"What if I fail and get stuck, or I'm unable to manipulate the Shadows?"
"You'll be lost in the Shadows if you get stuck and will have to learn how to navigate through the Shadows to return to our Realm or any Realm. If you're unable to manipulate the Shadows, Hope our Brethren don't find out. You'll become more of a target where they will hunt you.The harassment and bullying will be much worse and you'll always be fighting against Them. Exhaustion will set in quickly, which will make it easier for them to Rape you."
"How can it be worse than that? Being in the Realm of No Light is bad enough."
The Mentor's sparkling gold eyes glow. "Trust me, it can get worse," he warns, his expression grave. "Don't stress over it," he exhorts, with little success.
The Pupil mentally scoffs to Themself. "...Sure. Don't worry about being viciously bullied and Raped by my Siblings…"
"For now, I want you to focus on what to expect in The Realm of No Light and prepare yourself to walk in the Shadow of Chaos."
The Pupil can feel the oppressive weight of its Mentor's energy. He is not being subtle about how he feels and what his expectations are.
"I have spoken with The Council regarding the Knowledge you'll be gaining throughout your studies with me." His Pupil perks up, Their eyes twinkling impatiently. They both glide into the study.
"They have given me permission to share with you some Forbidden Knowledge during your studies. I want you to have realistic expectations about the Realm in preparation for the Chaos. You can ask me any question and I will answer if I think you need to know."
The One Between's entire disposition changes as They happily nod, Their androgynous face beaming with a big grin. The Pupil goes through the long list of questions They've been harboring for eons in its mind. His Pupil goes to its desk with a skip in Their step. The Mentor can feel his Pupil trying to hide Their excitement but Their growing Light and the wave of energy emanating from Them gives Them away. A small smile creeps at the corner of his mouth. His attention stares at the chaos on his Pupil's desk and sighs.
"I wish you would organize your study. It's impossible for me to search through it."
He turns away to glide to a wall near his desk. The One Between watches him curiously. He presses his hand on the empty space of the wall and it opens up to reveal several books. He keeps these special books locked away to prevent anyone accessing the Knowledge he's collected.
"Why? I know where everything is," They confidently retort.
The Mentor brings out a very large and ancient book, worn from time and aged to black. He carefully removes the old, tattered cloth wrapped around it.
He turns to look at Them. "How?"
"I have a system. If you move anything or organize it the way you want it, then I'll never be able to find what I'm looking for on my desk."
Bewildered, he watches Them quickly clear up space on its desk as he returns to his Pupil. The Pupil sees what its Mentor is carrying in his hands. The book looks unfamiliar to Them.
He can sense his Pupil's excitement. The One Between is already liking this part of the lesson, wondering what the book is about. He gently sets the heavy book in front of Them. The Pupil carefully opens it. From what They can gather by how it was stored by The Mentor, They assume no one outside The Realm of No Light has ever seen its forbidden pages with its dark secrets. The Pupil looks through the countless pages in awe. Memorizing its contents, Their eyes hungrily devour The Forbidden Knowledge. The One Between is fascinated by the descriptions and drawings of the monstrous denizens of the Darkness.
They're overwhelmed by all the Knowledge. "It's so interesting and… I'll admit… terrifying, looking through this." They look at Their Mentor quizzically. "How do you have this? I feel like you shouldn't have this book. Isn't this supposed to be in The Realm of No Light or in The Forbidden Akashic Records?"
In a low cough to rebuke being called out for his crime, and averting his eyes, The Mentor responds. "Yes. Well." He clears his throat. "I didn't want The Commander of War to have it." He evilly grins at his transgression.
The One Between likes that The Mentor still stays true to the former "bad boy" side of his Nature. They know he will go against the rules if he can get away with it, albeit with rules that won't negatively affect the Circle they're both in, of course.
The One Between returns the smile, loving The Mentor's retaliation against their Brother and The Commander of War. "I like your pettiness." They giggle quietly.
He leans down and quickly turns the pages to the section he feels is really important for his Pupil to learn. "First, I suggest you focus on studying this." He stops at a page exhibiting a horrifying monster. "This is what you most need to remember and be aware of."
They return to look through the several pages devoted to a creature it's never seen or heard of before. "It is known as 'The Light Killer'. But it's also known by another name, "Kitty," The Mentor explains.
The Mentor sees the confusion written on/cross his Pupil's face. "The Light Killer is our Brother's pet. He calls it Kitty."
They begin to analyze the hand drawn pictures of the monster and the many other renditions of the countless forms it shifts into. They read through its Powers with wide eyes. Kitty is terrifyingly unique.
"It must be nice having a pet this terrible to scare away anyone from wanting to harm its Master.I have to admit that it's genius of our Brother to keep it as a pet like some Shield Guardian." They imagine how cute it would be if Kitty had a nice shiny collar with its name on it.
Perturbed, The Mentor is reminded of The One Between's love for animals, especially the very dangerous ones. The Pupil admires the hand drawn pictures of Kitty. The details and colors are vivid. They look through the pages to learn of its origin, wanting to know if there are more of them that it could catch to be its own Shield Guardian in The Realm of No Light.
He shares the Knowledge about Kitty that his Pupil will not find in this book or any other. "You won't find anything about where it comes from because there's only one of its kind. It was once a Being of No Light, turned into this creature that embodies a void of Pain. Our Brother created Kitty to serve as a weapon and Shield Guardian. Its identity is lost and it suffers from the curse of being perpetually hungry, despite being in constant Pain."
Their eyes widen in disbelief. The Mentor watches his Pupil's Light dim in contemplation of what happened to their Sibling. They can't believe The Brother created it. Their Light aches heavily in Their chest.
"How did it become what it is now?"
"For committing the unforgivable offense of challenging The Lord of No Light."
"…Why? What was it that offended him to do this!?"
"It dared to break one of the tenets, to question The Lord of No Light's Power. This egregious transgression showed their disloyalty by challenging the principle our Brother lives by and breaking the most significant rule that all Beings of No Light unquestioningly obey."
Their flaming Light flickers with empathy for Kitty. "...I see." The Mentor sees sadness in Their shimmering bluish-pink eyes. They feel a Pain in Their Light. "How terrible. This punishment is cruel."
"Kitty has few that it's loyal to and serves under its Master's command. It is most loyal to our Brother. Its other loyalty after The Lord of No Light is to The Commander of War, who uses Kitty as a weapon."
He turns the pages to the section that lists its abilities and "weapons". The Pupil is at a loss for words. He feels Their energy vibrate in thought.
He continues. "It was cast out and Othered by the Realm and our Faction. The Lightless Brethren no longer see it as one of us but a weapon to be used. I still see it as part of the Faction because it is still our Sibling. Nothing will change that."
The One Between's Light smiles at its Mentor's kindness for their ostracized Sibling. His kind Nature was always there although he'll never freely admit it to anyone.
"Wanna know the secret to get on Kitty's good side?" The Mentor asks mischievously. The One Between's eyes brighten as They lean closer to The Mentor.
"Don't share this with anyone," his shimmering eyes warn Them. His Pupil Promises, nodding Their head.
"Bring it food from The Astral Realm. It doesn't matter what it is." He grins. "But, if you want to gain its loyalty, give it chocolate. Kitty is addicted to it. Having it on you may save you from being absorbed."
He can hear his Pupil try to stifle a laugh, Their shoulders' bouncing gives Them away.
Unable to hold it in, They loudly burst into laughter. "It likes chocolate?! That's hilarious! How can I take it seriously? Its weakness is chocolate!"
"But, I'm not certain since I never had to worry about Kitty attacking me when I was a Lightless Being."
They can't believe something so absurd. The Mentor watches his Student in amusement. He felt the same way when he first learned what Kitty likes to consume. The Mentor waits for his Pupil to get Their laughter out.
"That must be nice." The Pupil thought, not surprised. However, it's having a hard time believing what he said about Kitty's addiction.
"What kind of chocolate does Kitty like?" The Mentor looks at his Pupil, surprised, not expecting to be asked that question.
"…I don't know. I never bothered to ask."
The One Between ponders if it likes white chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or a mix like a truffle.
"Knowing what kind of chocolate Kitty likes will help me greatly from being eaten. Hmm… Bribing Kitty could make it trust me and be on my side. I'll have to tes—"
"No, you will not study Kitty. Just give it chocolate if you're unlucky to come across it, but it's best if you stay well clear of its path."
Disappointment crosses The Pupil's face. They pout while looking through the book. The Mentor knows how They think. He hopes his Pupil won't do anything stupid.
He leans down and kisses the top of Their head. "Don't do anything dumb. Let go of this notion of taming Kitty. As I've said, it's only truly loyal to our Brother."
They know it takes an enormous and continuous supply of energy to sustain Kitty. "To be able to create The Light Killer and control it, how Powerful is The Lord of No Light?"
There's a long, chilling silence. The Pupil is curious about what The Brother can do since it's clear he can create a Powerful creature and has the means to keep it alive.
With an expression grave as death, he remarks darkly, "Our Brother can manipulate all forms of matter."
Their eyes widen in horror. From Their perspective it seems like Their Mentor is not affected or bothered by The Brother's Power. He observes his Pupil's reaction, Their shimmering eyes changing into a swirl of golden-silver. He projects his energy to convey his perspective of how cruel The Brother can be. He can feel its Fear rising up inside Them. The Pupil is at a loss for words as They think deeply about what its Brother is truly capable of. What it could do to Them. But The Mentor knows that The One Between is just as terrifying as The Lord of No Light. No, even more terrifying than anything that exists. He just needs to cultivate this with his training.
The Pupil remembers what he said about Kitty's punishment. "...You mentioned the tenets. What are they?"
The Mentor recites the laws to his Pupil. "Remember these Laws from the Realm of No Light:Loyalty and obedienceto The Lord of No Light; Chaos is the Gate to all Knowledge; Knowledge is Power and Freedom; Loyalty to the Lightless Factionyou serve in your Web;Protect your ownBrethren of Darkness; Always win the fight no matter what it takes; Our existence is Pain to gain Power, all else is meaningless…"
The One Between remembers the sixth tenet. The Mentor had first mentioned it before he forced Them to spar in the previous lesson, and that tenet is now imprinted in Their mind. The issue They have is having to fight dirty. They believe such actions are dishonorable. The One Between feels guilty for its ignorance. Their flaming Light flutters with empathy. They sense what The Mentor is feeling when he recites the laws he once followed. Reminding him of his dark past. Feeling the traumas plague him. They can feel his Pain. Though these laws have no meaning to Them, this will soon change when The Pact begins. Holding back its tears from feeling Their beloved's emotions, The One Between rises from Their seat and, to his surprise, Lovingly and tightly hugs him. He returns the gesture and embraces his Partner. They hold onto him, Their energy warming his being with comfort and compassion. The Mentor pulls away to look at Them and smiles. He wipes away a tear from Their cheek.
"Don't worry about me. I'm fine."
The One Between can see the sadness in his eyes, despite him trying to hide it. The Mentor takes Their hands into his and gently squeezes. He leaves Them alone to study as he glides towards the doors. The Pupil stays at its desk watching him pause at the open entryway.
"I have some things to attend to. I'll return when it's time to continue with your training."
His expression is unreadable, not giving a hint of what he's thinking or planning. The Pupil watches him fly off and returns to its reading, not looking forward to the training. The One Between knows these lessons are going to be even more arduous than they have been so far. They shudder at the thought and wonder what he'll force Them to do next. What kind of Pain he'll inflict. They grab its chest, remembering the distinct Pain he caused Them. Its Light still feels it there. They heavily exhale. They notice that The Mentor is a different person ever since They made The Pact. The Nightmare only makes him seem distant. The One Between knows it must be Their Brother's doing. They turn a page to continue reading about Kitty's Powers, upset that The Mentor does not share what happened between them. Remembering his eyes shine with Fear and an empty sadness. The One Between thinks about its agreeing to The Lord of No Light's Pact. They don't want Their decision to cause harm to others, especially Their beloved Mentor. It was never Their Intention to cause him Pain. Doubt suddenly tugs at its fluttering Light. They begin to feel that They are standing in The Mentor's shadow.
"…What did The King of Nightmares do to him?…Have I …made a mistake?"
Glossary of the Alien Language
1 Awake is when a Being of Light or No Light wakes from "sleep" from being in other realms/dimensions/planets as energy beings. They take physical form in either their original bodies or take a physical form of another life form, also known as a Sentinel (See Sentinel). This happens when occupying a realm/plain they're not native to when interacting with the native species of that planet. This also implies that they can be in more places than once in all three of their true forms: physical, energy body, and Consciousness (See Conscious/Consciousness). They can separate themselves to travel to other realms/planets/dimensions and be across different parts of a timeline/world lines (past, present, and future) at the same time.
2 Mentor(s)/Teacher guides their Pupil/Student in their life (See Pupil). The lessons are individualized, specifically based on the Student's role and the function assumed in a given action or process. Oftentimes, the Mentor uses unconventional teaching methods. This also entails the strengths and weaknesses of the Pupil/Student to overcome challenges and improve skills. Mentors continue to teach and educate their Student(s) in all subjects the Mentor deems necessary: mathematics; science; history; humanities; physics; biology; economics; culture; astronomy; combat/fighting; etc., for their Student(s) to grow in their Knowledge (See Knowledge) and understanding of the world around them. Mentors are responsible for their Pupil(s) and guide their Students to prepare them for their missions and their journey in life (i.e. in realms; dimensions; past; present; future). Normally, this also entails the Pupil learning on their own without the Mentor's guidance.
3 Light represents the Beings of Lights' life force as a flaming light located in the middle of their chest. It is the heart of the Beings of Light to represent a Soul (See Soul).
4 The Connection is a deep and intimate bond between the Beings of Light and/or No Light. Knowing a Being's Hidden Name (See Name/Secret Name/Hidden Name) is this Connection. Having this Connection allows you to summon a Being of Light and No Light located anywhere in The Universe by calling on their Name and they will appear. The Connection can also be shared with other life form(s). This allows The One Between to feel and experience what the other life form is experiencing and feeling. The Connection is also a representation of starbound Lovers (See Lovers; See Being One/One) sharing one Soul and body (soulmates/twin flames).
5 Dreams/Nightmares is a life form(s) or the individual themselves dream that they are experiencing or being present in or sharing a dream with another life form(s) dream. (See TheRealm of Dreams (and Nightmares).
6 Pain is experiencing great suffering and despair that would make someone want to cease to exist. Pain can also be used as a weapon if one has the Power to wield it.
7 Pupil/Student follows their Mentor (See Mentor) in their guidance and learns, studies, and researches the many different subjects expected of them to learn and understand the world around them. Students must abide by what their Mentor tells them and have them do, and take their studies seriously. Students must obey their Mentor and follow their directions and instructions in their learning.
8 Fear is the deepest, most terrifying fear. The emotion of Fear universally applies to all life forms (everyone has experiences based on Fear(s)). It is the fear life forms will not admit to and will hide from it. Fear is tied to Doubt (See Doubt). Fear can be destructive and violent. However, Fear can lead to protecting oneself out of survival. Fear applies to The Law and The Absolute Truth (See The Law; See The Absolute Truth). Fear and Knowledge (See Knowledge) can cause one to lose their Light/Soul (See Light) or it can help an individual grow and change as a person. Fear can both lead to destruction and chaos or it can lead to progress. Fear can lead to solutions towards peace and keeps the balance in The Universe if used for the right reasons depending on each individual and their circumstances. All of creation shares the emotions related to fear and logic based on their experiences.
9 Rape is translated to "power, control and violence" and does not only encompass the human concept of rape (sexual assault and sexual violence).
10 Possess/Possession is forbidden by the Beings of Light and No Light. The only exception for the Beings of No Light to possess another life form is when they're given consent. Beings of Light are not allowed to possess any life form. The only Being that can possess other life forms without consent is The One Between. When The One Between possesses another life form, they meld with it and take on their host's personality, behaviors, feel what they feel, and can know the life form's memories and what they are thinking. In so doing, they become almost one with the body they inhabit and its consciousness and take on its identity. They can also read minds outside of the other life form's body without consent if necessary, or only when the other life form projects what they are thinking and is given permission to read their minds. They prefer to read minds with the consent of the other life form, because invading the life form to control the mind is considered Rape (See Rape).
11 The Other/Outsider can be an insult if the Being perceives it that way. It describes another life form as an outsider that is not part of their community, world and existence. They refuse to accept them and block them from their life or existence. Severing their Connection and being ostracized.
12 Intention means the life form is consciously aware and competent about their intention of what it's doing without mental illnesses in the brain/Consciousness/mind (e.g., Alzheimer's; pathological liars; psychopaths/sociopaths; down syndrome; tourette's syndrome; bipolar disorder; narcissists; depression; CPTSD/PTSD; etc.) (See Consciousness).
13 Power is a weapon that is very powerful (indeed, the ultimate power) and can be difficult to wield and control depending on who holds it. It can be used to harm and Rape others or help others. Power can be chaos or can bring balance, depending on how it's used. Power is mostly used as a weapon in The Realm of No Light, but for the Beings of The Realm of Light it's mostly used for good and to maintain the balance of the universe. Beings of Light use Power on others only after being given consent or to force a life form to carry out an action that the Beings of Light believe is necessary for the good of that life form. They do not abuse Power to harm and control others like the Beings of No Light. Too much Power leads to destruction, chaos and imbalance when used irresponsibly.
14 Instinct is acting instantly without Doubt (See Doubt) or thought. Without following one's Instinct and acting upon it, and instead succumbing to Fear (See Fear) and Doubt, you are bound to fail. This includes instincts related to biological evolutionary Nature (see Nature).
15 The Law is the law of the Beings of Light and No Light. All Beings from The Realm of Light and No Light are to abide by it to keep the balance in the Universe and to prevent it from unraveling into chaos. The Absolute Truth and Truth are connected (See The Absolute Truth; See Truth/True). The Law creates and establishes the rules that are there for the safety of all life forms and creates a balance of unity. The Law cannot be changed or modified and is final. If the Beings of Light and No Light violate a Law, it will result in banishment or a punishment that fits the crime, depending on the gravity of the Law that is broken and is considered serious/egregious. If it's serious, then that Being is "dead" to them and the Being of Light is Othered (See Other/Othered) and is no longer part of the Group (See Group/Circle/Web/Faction) (is ostracized/cast out) and the Being will have to rebuild their life again.
16 Test/Tested is a means of trial on a Being of Light or No Light for any reason that is deemed necessary. Sometimes in relation to a Pact (See The Pact).
17 Nature is the body, behaviors, and emotions of all life forms, which are unique to each species, society, culture, and biological entity. However, The Absolute Truth (See TheAbsolute Truth) is that this Nature identifies each species, culture etc. and that it represents a constant that unifies and characterizes them.
18 Chaos represents the totality of Chaos. This causes the unraveling of balance and leads to extinction or unnecessary and Intentional suffering, destruction, and Death (See Intention; See Death) of countless species/life forms.
19 Brethren/Sibling(s)/Brother(s)/Sister(s) represents all Beings of Light and No Light as siblings to each other. They are separated by The Line between their respective Realms: The Realm of Light and The Realm of No Light. All Beings of Light and No Light are Connected and related to each other like Family without biological relation. Incest is not part of their language, and therefore can be intimate Partners/Lovers with each other.
20 Shield is an energy/force-like barrier that shields the body and mind from harm. Beings of Light and No Light have this ability naturally but vary in how strongly they can wield it. It can also be used to protect others.
21 Siblings See Brethren/Sibling(s)/Brother(s)/Sister(s).
22 Shadow(s) are where entities/creatures come from and are called upon by the Beings of No Light. Beings of No Light create and control Shadow creatures/entities. The Shadows are also another form of travel for Beings of No Light and the entities/creatures to other Realms and dimensions where shadow is present. The Shadows can be used to hide oneself and another form of Shielding (See Shield).
23 Hope is a powerful weapon like Love and is one of the things that survives a terrible event and experience. It is one of the powers to defeat darkness and is an Absolute Truth. Hope is incorruptible.
24 Knowledge is facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation and gathering of information. The body of truths or facts accumulated in the course of time by the Beings of Light and No Light. Something that is or may be known or the sum of what is known by the Beings of Light and No Light. Humans and other life forms are barred from learning and knowing this Knowledge unless the Beings of Light and No Light choose to share their Knowledge. This also refers to The Akashic Records (See The Akashic Records) of all the Knowledge stored there. Moreover, Knowledge is neither good nor bad, which pertains to how it is used.
25 Darkness is another way to describe The Realm of No Light. It is the completion of darkness where no light will ever shine and where the creatures of darkness reside. Any place with darkness is a doorway for the Beings of No Light and their creatures/monsters to pass through as a natural form of transportation to a place where darkness is already found (such as the inside of a cave). It also represents the negative energy and darkness one holds inside of them. It will or can corrupt if not controlled and the individual doesn't acknowledge it and heal. The darkness can overpower and turn the individual into a Being of No Light if they lack the strong will to overcome it.
26 The Akashic Records/The Library is the great Library of the Universe in The Astral Realm (See The Astral Realm). It's accessible to all life forms in the Universe.
27 Shield Guardian/Shield/Guardian is a protector and/or guard of a life form, place, and/or objects. They can be warriors/soldiers in combat to protect a place and/or life forms and/or battle in a war. It depends on the situation and context. They can be assigned to guard and protect other life forms and Beings of Light and No Light until released.
28 Promise/Oath/Vow is a vow that can never be broken. A Promise results in a Pact (See The Pact) you make with the other(s). You make this type of Promise to those you deeply love, trust, and respect. To Promise is a very important word to say to another or when giving a Promise to another. A Promise is not taken lightly and should only be used with complete certainty. The one making the Promise keeps it and depending on the Promise, honors it or forever be tied to the other in servitude until The Pact is broken by another: on rare occasions a Healer strong enough to sever it, or a Being of Light or No Light the Promise is made to release the servant, or the Promise has Intentionally been fulfilled. The one who has not fulfilled the Promise will only become a servant when the other demands it when they feel the Promise is not going to be trulyfulfilled. The Being cannot demand its servant to harm another or themselves or the one it's made the Promise to. This also means the Being cannot force the servant to fulfill the Promise. The servant is the only one to fulfill the Promise Intentionally.
29 Group/Circle/Web/Faction is a collective of individual Beings who work together toward a common goal. All of their successes and failures are shared. There are heavy personal responsibilities and penalties for mistakes, but at the same time, unless it's egregious, the entire Group they're affiliated with takes the hit with the Being(s) who made the mistake(s). There's a massive social pressure to do well for their Circle. The Beings of Light and No Lights' culture believes in the idea of going against the moral law, which does not support the whole Faction and the individual Groups, is nonexistent (i.e., a Being doing whatever they want outside their Web that doesn't support the Circle and more broadly among the Beings).
30 Love is unconditional and compassionate. It is the purest form of love and is incorruptible. It is an Absolute Truth and a Powerful weapon. It is one of the Powers to defeat Darkness.
31 Partner/Lover can be both a Being of Light or No Light. It represents companionship and an intimate Connection of Being One with another. The relationship is Connected by the Love (See The Connection; See Love) for each other, or a relationship of Friendship and Family, or for others they interact with that they respect and/or work with. Beings of Light and No Light can have intimate relationships with other life forms they can Connect to. They all fall under LGBTQIA and have queer relationships, all can be either monogamous or polyamorous in their relationships.
32 Doubt is tied to Fear and is the deep feeling of one's true ability, identity, and anxieties of oneself, manifesting as uncertainty. Doubt creates a strong weakness in the individual and can hinder them in every aspect to where it can be detrimental and dangerous and lead to guaranteed failure. Doubts are like lies to oneself. It challenges Instinct and hinders from acting on Instinct. Instinct can overcome Doubt if the Beings of Light and No Light have a strong will and know themselves completely.