Prologue

There could only be one. A law unwritten, yet so intertwined with our blood that it was more binding than any other law in our world. And so is the story of the Ones.

There could only be one. We all knew that. From the beginning of time that had been the rule. A law unwritten, yet so intertwined with our blood that it was more binding than any other law in our world, or even in the worlds beyond ours. It was nature. But sometimes even nature could make mistakes.

The One was a mistake. No one should have been forced to give. Fortunately, the rule of one kept the giving to minimum. If only there was such a limit on taking. For as long as the Ones had come into existence, there had always been someone wanting to take. Bound by their nature, the One always gave. Even if it wasn’t requested, the One knew. They took pride in their work, even if it was inevitably the death of them. Whether the One was aware of that, nobody could guarantee, but everyone knew that the One would never turn down an opportunity to give.

That was why they were so hidden. Kept locked away by their handlers, years would pass before they fully understood their potential. Their desire to help ran deeper than good nature. It was as deeply ingrained as the need to breathe in the average person. Once they realized that, there was no stopping their drive. They would give whenever they could, whether or not they were fully capable of the task.

And so is the story of the Ones. Locked in the stronghold of their nature, and exploited by those seeking their powers. Incapable of fighting back, of changing the very fabric of the world, they were forever waiting to give for the last time. Until nature gave the world two.  

Author's Note

This was very short, and while I've never read it and know nothing about it, I fear the nature of it appear similar to the Giver. Although, after reading a synopsis for the Giver, I can assure you that this story is nothing like it (as far as I can gather).