Khaia was still sitting there. He had once existed in a void; he had faced the reality that even though he had goals and dreams, he would never be able to achieve them. The steps he needed to take were clear. He read, he listened, and he saw, but he couldn't act on them. His body and his situation blocked everything. In the end, he had given up on everything and let himself drift. He no longer enjoyed life; he only watched those who did. What was living, and what was it for?
He had even forgotten his dream, but when he read what his father had written, he felt something inside him again. He had never been able to escape this void and the feeling of loneliness, even when he wasn't alone. But according to the notebook, he now knew he could achieve his dream. Even though he had given up on it, after learning at least a little of what his mother and father had done for him, he now had a new purpose.
He closed his eyes and felt his heartbeat quicken. The necklace was glowing faintly. He wanted to remember what it felt like to live again. Two tears fell from his eyes. These drops were the last memory of his mother.
He thought of the notebook, which contained the details of the experiments performed on him that he couldn't remember, what the necklace was, and how to use it. It was clear from his state that Khaia didn't know how he should feel; he was experiencing a chaos of emotions. While tears flowed from his eyes, he sat with his fists clenched, shaking his leg rapidly.
His movements stopped in a way that showed he had made a decision. He opened his eyes and turned the pages of the notebook. Even though he couldn't think very clearly due to his situation, he was certain that he had to learn everything about this experiment and necklace nonsense to grow stronger. He would grow strong for his mother. He was furious at the guy who called himself the Emperor for being able to do whatever he wanted; his goal would be to kill that bastard and fundamentally change the Empire.
From what he understood, the experiment aimed to research the blood of half-breed children, separating their bloodlines to enable them to use Essence techniques. Thus, they would create a warrior capable of using the Essence techniques of both races. He learned that research had been conducted on many half-breed children, their blood had been drained, and most had died during the research. Those who survived had died while being tested to see if they could use Essence techniques. He was lucky to have escaped.
The necklace was being developed to ensure that when it was realized half-breed children could not use Essence techniques on their own, it would separate their blood, turning them into a being containing two different types of blood. This would enable them to use Essence techniques.
He bowed his head and looked at his chest; this necklace was around his neck right now. He reached out and rubbed his hand over it. While wondering how to use it, he turned the page and saw a text containing activation and usage instructions for the necklace. This writing was different from the way the information was written and didn't look like his father's handwriting. It must have been written by someone else, he thought.
In the notebook, something was drawn with various characters from a different alphabet and strange shapes. These were the same as the shapes on the black cloth piece from the box his mother had given him.
To activate the necklace, after putting it on, an Essence spell containing these shapes and characters had to be cast and brought into contact with the necklace. It was written that after this contact, there would be a sensation of great pain and a possibility of fainting. He remembered that he had already experienced this. The necklace might already be activated.
Using the necklace was simple; it was written that one just needed to learn to gather the Essence in the body at a certain point. After gathering the Essence in the necklace, you just need to focus on the side containing the Essence techniques you want to use. By transferring part of the Essence gathered in the necklace to the desired side, you enable the Essence to pass into that side's blood, allowing you to use Essence techniques. On the other side, the Essence transfer to the blood is blocked. In this way, the body can remain normal. It was also written that using both sides at the same time was possible, but it was very difficult and dangerous.
As far as Khaia knew, his mother was a Surface-dweller, and his father was from the Mohr race, one of the races in the layer they lived in.
On the last page of the notebook, there was a map showing how to get to the location of the friend his father mentioned would help. He placed the map in his pocket. When he took the map, he saw there was also writing under it:
"Take the notebook with you and deliver it to Khural. I have shown how to get to his location on the map. Take the black cloth that came out of the box with you; when you reach the marked place on the map, there is an inn, go there and wait. As long as the black cloth is with you, he will find you."
Khaia thought he could learn from this man named Khural about what his father and mother went through, how to use the Essence techniques of the Mohr race he didn't know, and how he should fight.
He got up and walked toward the cupboard. He opened the cupboard and took the leather satchel he had seen while looking for food. He went back to the table. He put the notebook and the cloth piece he had put in his pocket into the satchel. He wanted to use the necklace as soon as possible; in his excitement, he couldn't put the cloth in the satchel and dropped it on the floor. He picked up the cloth from the floor and put it in the satchel, then left the satchel on the table.
He needed to set out as soon as possible, and for this, he would take food and gold with him. Since the cupboard he had opened a moment ago was still open, he took as much food as would fit in the satchel—things that were filling and could be eaten on the road—without having to open it again. He closed the cupboard and placed the food in the satchel. There was also a gold store here in a small chest; he took enough to last him and placed it in the satchel.
When he had finished all his preparations, he was ready to set out. But his eyelids were drooping, and he was yawning. Night had fallen, and he hadn't slept. But he thought that the men who came yesterday might come again; he couldn't stay in this room all day, he had to set out now. Even though he wanted to try the necklace, he left the house. He took the torch standing by the door and lit it in the fireplace burning in the house. He extinguished the fireplace and closed the door. The journey was beginning, and his life was changing completely.
He opened the map; the place he needed to go was a town like the one he was currently in. It was a day's distance away. He untied the horse hitched next to their house and jumped on it. He thought that the training sessions he used to do aimlessly and reluctantly were now his life.
He held the horse's reins and wrapped his legs around the horse's body. He began to move slowly, looking at the horse's swaying mane with his head bowed. He slowly threw the torch in his hand into the haystack next to where the horse was hitched. And without looking back at the burning hay, he continued on his way.
His one-day journey had begun with only a sword left from his father, enough food, and the notebook.
He reached the center of the town. In the center, there was a large ornamental pool and a fountain spraying water. Certain shops were settled in a circle around it. He slowed down, got off the horse, and washed his face with water to wake himself up. The surroundings were quite silent. He could hear owl sounds. He got back on the horse and continued on his way.
He was moving through a region like a steppe. There were very few trees. He was moving on a path surrounded by dry, short black grass and dark red shrubs. Sometimes he could see the shrubs moving, but he had read that there were no dangerous creatures in this region, so he wasn't afraid. Occasionally, he saw the silhouettes of small creatures running. He continued like this for 6 hours.
The sun had risen. He saw a settlement ahead. He approached the entrance. Two guards were waiting at the entrance. They pointed their twin-pronged spears toward Khaia.
One of the men squinted and looked at Khaia's hair. It was as if he was seeing it for the first time. The other man spoke:
"Hey youth, which lineage do you belong to?"
Khaia's facial expression changed. He probably knew from the books he read what the lineages mentioned were and the relationships between them, but he didn't know which lineage he was from. There were 5 lineages also known as The Virtuous, and this lineage was passed down from the father.
"I don't know."
The shorter of the men spoke, turning to the other man who wasn't speaking:
"This boy is like a half-breed. He can't be one of the 5 lineages."
"Son, go back. Only the 5 lineages known as The Virtuous who possess noble blood can enter here."
The tall man spoke with a calmer and more smiling stance:
"Calm down, Shen. He didn't choose to be a half-breed. He might be from The Virtuous."
"Boy, what is your father's name?"
When Khaia heard that the short man's name was Shen, he thought that this place must belong to the lineage carrying the virtue of The Loyalty. But thinking of the possibility that his father might be known as a traitor, he gave another answer. He was trying to speak like these villagers.
"My father's name must be Khural."
Shen (The short man): "If it's true, he has the lineage of the virtue of The Power. But the speech is strange. Your mother is a Surface-dweller?"
"Yes."
Shen looked at the tall man: "The Power and a half-breed child. They do that."
The tall man replied: "The agreement is new. Don't say it like that. Let it not be heard. Boy, pass. But in my opinion, cover your hair. Being a half-breed won't be good. Take this. Rub it on the hair."
The man gave a strange bottle filled with a purple liquid.
The men withdrew their spears and went back to their places, continuing to talk among themselves. Before passing through the entrance, without getting off the horse, Khaia opened the bottle and, trusting the man, bowed his head and poured the bottle on his hair. He spread it with his hand. His hair took on a slightly frizzed and messy shape. And his whitish-yellow hair turned purple.