There is a long forgotten myth that everything has a doppelganger. Something that is both equal and opposite in its form. A mirror to the original. It is said that a doppelganger will one day try to overtake the original, that it is a parasite; if it is seen, the original will die. However, this is not the case. In most cases the doppelganger doesn't even know about its other. There are times, however, where it will get involved with its other's affairs.
One such case is of Sanis and Gaia. Gaia, otherwise known as the Human world lives completely unaware of the magic around it, as well as of its double. The double, Sanis, however, is not allowed such ignorance, for it is Gaia's protector.
Long before Humans walked along Gaia's surface, Sanis has been watching over the younger of the pair. Sanis matured much faster than Gaia did, and in a much different way. Instead of bearing the fruit of the mundane, Sanis is home to three very special races. The Exciderunt, Xeinae, and Animas. Each race has its own talents, its own gifts. However, as with all things with physical forms, complete understanding is impossible. Thus, misunderstandings bred anger, and mistrust between the three races. The Xeinae and Exciderunt banded together and called the Animas evil. Soulless.
Whether their claims were true or not, their actions begot a war that lasted for more than 2 centuries. In that time, the Animas tried numerous times to escape to Gaia, only to be hindered and then killed.
The war was bloody, and Sanis was stained with the sins of its inhabitants, which left a taint on portions of its surface. When the Animas came in contact with this taint that would later come to be known as Darkness, they were transformed. From what was once a fearful, and cowardly race came beasts born of rage, and hatred toward their planetary kin. After only a mere 70 years of peace, the other two races were attacked in their homes. Many of them were slaughtered before they could even attempt to fight back.
The Xeinae were hit hardest in the attack, their race was almost completely wiped out in one night because of how small and tight knit their communities were. After the smoke cleared, and the damage was seen, the Xeinae were seen as almost god-like creatures because they had become as rare as one.
It was this attack that prompted the construction Sein Academy.
Sein Academy is nestled in the center of the capital city of Rein, as a beacon of hope and protection to its denizens. It is here that young Xeinae and Exciderunt are trained to use their respective gifts to combat the Animas threat.
When one of the two races is sent to the school they are immediately paired up with another student, either of the same race, or of the same age. Though, generally they are paired up with a more experienced upperclassmen.
Xeinae, with the ability to shapeshift and control an element are trained to be hunting dogs, even being made to wear a Soul Detection Collar when outside the school's grounds. While their training is often more difficult than an Exciderunt's--who are only able to control an element--they are still treated similar to how a Human in the olden days would treat royalty due to their rarity.
Not long after the Academy's founding a group of Animas managed to get past the defenses of a portal guard, and escaped to Gaia. This prompted them to send a pair of their top Xeinae to hunt down and kill the group. However, upon being released into Gaia, one of the Xeinae went feral, and started to attack Humans. It took their partner all they had to get them back to the Academy, where they would later die due to an unseen wound they sustained restraining their ballistic partner.
It was this that prompted Sein to introduce the Soul Detection Collars. Xeinae were to wear them whenever they left school grounds. They would be used to detect the Xeinae's sanity level. If the Xeinae lost too much sanity too quickly, they would become feral, and attack anything around them. If they somehow managed to come out of this state on their own, they would have no memory of what happened, or what they did.
It was later found out that being in prolonged contact with an Animas would drain a Xeinae's sanity to the point of going feral. Though this was seen as a dire issue, it was surmised that the collar could be manipulated to call the Xeinae back to the Academy in the event that their sanity was getting too low.
In the event that calling them back through the collar didn't work, a group called the Custos was formed as something similar to a guard unit. In general they protect the Academy's grounds. However, if a Xeinae is ever thought to be losing their mind, a small pair of Custos will be dispatched to quickly, and quietly deal with the problem. That is their true job. And thus, they are point of constant conversation and rumors throughout the student body.
There is even a rumor that Custos kill the Xeinae they are to discipline.
It doesn't help their case that outside of short, clipped sentences, the Custos don't generally interact with anyone on campus; they simply watch, their eyes ever vigilant for any danger to the Academy.
Belongs to @Celaira though I have full permission to post this.
One such case is of Sanis and Gaia. Gaia, otherwise known as the Human world lives completely unaware of the magic around it, as well as of its double. The double, Sanis, however, is not allowed such ignorance, for it is Gaia's protector.
Long before Humans walked along Gaia's surface, Sanis has been watching over the younger of the pair. Sanis matured much faster than Gaia did, and in a much different way. Instead of bearing the fruit of the mundane, Sanis is home to three very special races. The Exciderunt, Xeinae, and Animas. Each race has its own talents, its own gifts. However, as with all things with physical forms, complete understanding is impossible. Thus, misunderstandings bred anger, and mistrust between the three races. The Xeinae and Exciderunt banded together and called the Animas evil. Soulless.
Whether their claims were true or not, their actions begot a war that lasted for more than 2 centuries. In that time, the Animas tried numerous times to escape to Gaia, only to be hindered and then killed.
The war was bloody, and Sanis was stained with the sins of its inhabitants, which left a taint on portions of its surface. When the Animas came in contact with this taint that would later come to be known as Darkness, they were transformed. From what was once a fearful, and cowardly race came beasts born of rage, and hatred toward their planetary kin. After only a mere 70 years of peace, the other two races were attacked in their homes. Many of them were slaughtered before they could even attempt to fight back.
The Xeinae were hit hardest in the attack, their race was almost completely wiped out in one night because of how small and tight knit their communities were. After the smoke cleared, and the damage was seen, the Xeinae were seen as almost god-like creatures because they had become as rare as one.
It was this attack that prompted the construction Sein Academy.
Sein Academy is nestled in the center of the capital city of Rein, as a beacon of hope and protection to its denizens. It is here that young Xeinae and Exciderunt are trained to use their respective gifts to combat the Animas threat.
When one of the two races is sent to the school they are immediately paired up with another student, either of the same race, or of the same age. Though, generally they are paired up with a more experienced upperclassmen.
Xeinae, with the ability to shapeshift and control an element are trained to be hunting dogs, even being made to wear a Soul Detection Collar when outside the school's grounds. While their training is often more difficult than an Exciderunt's--who are only able to control an element--they are still treated similar to how a Human in the olden days would treat royalty due to their rarity.
Not long after the Academy's founding a group of Animas managed to get past the defenses of a portal guard, and escaped to Gaia. This prompted them to send a pair of their top Xeinae to hunt down and kill the group. However, upon being released into Gaia, one of the Xeinae went feral, and started to attack Humans. It took their partner all they had to get them back to the Academy, where they would later die due to an unseen wound they sustained restraining their ballistic partner.
It was this that prompted Sein to introduce the Soul Detection Collars. Xeinae were to wear them whenever they left school grounds. They would be used to detect the Xeinae's sanity level. If the Xeinae lost too much sanity too quickly, they would become feral, and attack anything around them. If they somehow managed to come out of this state on their own, they would have no memory of what happened, or what they did.
It was later found out that being in prolonged contact with an Animas would drain a Xeinae's sanity to the point of going feral. Though this was seen as a dire issue, it was surmised that the collar could be manipulated to call the Xeinae back to the Academy in the event that their sanity was getting too low.
In the event that calling them back through the collar didn't work, a group called the Custos was formed as something similar to a guard unit. In general they protect the Academy's grounds. However, if a Xeinae is ever thought to be losing their mind, a small pair of Custos will be dispatched to quickly, and quietly deal with the problem. That is their true job. And thus, they are point of constant conversation and rumors throughout the student body.
There is even a rumor that Custos kill the Xeinae they are to discipline.
It doesn't help their case that outside of short, clipped sentences, the Custos don't generally interact with anyone on campus; they simply watch, their eyes ever vigilant for any danger to the Academy.
Belongs to @Celaira though I have full permission to post this.
