The Twin Souls

in: Gods & Religions

## Origin

One of the eldest gods known to the world is Ji'Khal. Records identify him as one of the first higher beings known to the world. Ji’Khal is visually represented as a large humanoid god with two heads. Ji’khal was tasked with watching over the changing skies of the world with both heads. With one hand, they moved the sun of the world, bringing the dawn to the world and chasing away the darkness. The other hand would bring up the moon, a soft light to comfort those in the darkness. While an essential task, this left them with much time to contemplate the world that they heralded the sun and the moon over each day and night.

Ji'Khal watched over the sentient beings that roamed the mortal plane beneath them. They watched as lives changed and how lesser beings interacted with one another before dying. They became obsessed with watching the lives of people, always changing and never stagnant as the deity’s existence seemed to be. Internal strife boiled within Ji’Khal as the two heads slowly began to drift apart in their desires, wants, and focus. Conflict grew within them as their thoughts divided more and more the longer they watched their opposing obsessions.

## Conflicted Obsesion

One of Ji'Khal’s heads was cunning and shrewd, whose obsession focused on the darker side of people. That head watched the actions of those cloaked in shadow as people gave into the darkest part of their nature. It was obsessed with sin and debauchery, wanting to amass more wealth and enslave those who dare not bend to them. The other head wanted to face all that they could boldly. They became obsessed with freedom and believed that life should be enjoyed and experienced to the fullest extent. This head believed that any sin or crime could be atoned for just as the sun rose each day to chase away the darkness of night.

This initial divergence of focus turned into a conflict that, over time, turned into a boiling rage directed toward the other. They danced and impotently fought as they tried to separate themselves, no longer able to be one anymore. Insanity settled on the pair as they found they could not pull themselves apart.

## Soul Split

In time, each head created a blade to wield in the hand that they controlled. Each blade paralleled the other, one shimmered with the light of the sun, while the other was as silver as the moon. However, one could not slay the other without dealing a death blow to themselves. Perhaps the first agreement in many an age, both decided they must separate themselves, fully ending Ji’Khal’s existence and finding independence from each other.

A woman named Jiia and a man named Khalis were selected to receive one-half of Ji'Khal’s soul each. Jiia received the golden blade of the sun, whereas Khalis received the silver blade of night. Ji'Khal faded from existence as the god split a single soul between the two. These two newly formed souls turned the once mortal creatures into newly born gods.

## Jiia

The first one to awaken was the newborn goddess of the two. Jiia was beautiful and bright, warming the hearts of those around her. Her warmth and beauty had caught the eye of one of Ji'Khal’s heads that favored the day. That side saw her as a symbol of all that was good in the world. When she ascended to godhood, her mortal body erupted in flames, changing into that of a goddess. Jiia became more beautiful and bright; aglow with a godly flame that warmed all when she awoke. Being the representation of all that was good in the world, she became the goddess of freedom, sex, dancing, and hospitality. Every step she took seemed to be another step in the dance of life, whether on the battlefield or off of it. She is believed to be the bringer of light in the world. Jiia is always depicted in bright clothes and sensual poses, holding the golden blade of Ji'Khal with heavy dark chains wrapped around her and the sword. This representation is typically connected to another mural depicting Khalis.

## Khalis

Khalis was the second to become awoken as a god. He was a dark man who was the representation of everything Jiia was not. While he was just as handsome as Jiia was beautiful, he was cold and calculating in all that he did in life. His mind and cunning caught the eye of the other head. That head saw him as the pinnacle of all that is dark in the world. Khalis’ body became consumed in cold darkness when he ascended to godhood. Khalis became the god of commerce, slavery, assassins, thieves, and dark magics. He used the darkness of his shadow to hide the underbelly of the world from the light, with the moon to guide those who follow him. He is always depicted in darker clothes sitting in the shadows with a silver blade of Ji'Khal and a bright golden chain wrapped around him and the blade.

## Soul War

Jiia and Khalis both detested the bearer of the other half of what was once Ji’Khal. The internal war that had raged within Ji'Khal was now free to spill out into the mortal world. The two waged war against each other with their followers joining the old conflict The war lasted for what felt to be eons as the two constantly danced with each other in battle, escaping time and again before the final blow could ever be landed by one or the other. For years they continued in this dance, meeting up with each other and separating over and over again. This battle came to an end, though not by the mortal blow that both sought to land on the other. Jiia simply failed to return to the field of battle one day.

Even after realizing he had won the battle, the disappearance of his twin soul did not fill Khalis with happiness. He found that he had come to care for Jiia; the battle between the two of them had long stopped being the full effort between the two of them. Instead, their battles were times for the two to meet and dance with their blades with one half of the soul calling out to the other when they were close to each other.

## Jiia’s Captivity

Amongst the scholars of the Twin Souls, there has been much debate about which god had injured and enslaved Jiia. The most common belief is that Solarium had become obsessed with the goddess of warmth and fire. He fell for her sensual and seductive charms, stealing her away to make her his Sun-bride. Some claim that he had planned to combine their fiery passions to burn through the darkness of the world. These scholars reason that she refused to do so as it would also kill her soul mate, Khalis. In this time, Jiia is not represented as a distressed woman but one who was unyielding to the demands of others, believing in her own heart and passions.

There are other scholars that believe she was trapped by one of the darker gods of the world who had become obsessed with her beauty and the fire of her passions. People have claimed that Suvobog, Sopeth, or Malakht became Jiia’s enslaver. One thing all agree on is that her captor failed to break her while in captivity.

Worried for his soulmate, Khalis sent his followers throughout the world to unravel the mystery of Jiia’s disappearance. The thieves and spies that worked for him claimed the bright moon in the sky hindered their ability to slink around. Desperate to find Jiia, he wrapped his silver blade of Ji'Khal in darkness, thus darkening the moon that covered the land and giving his followers an advantage in their search.

## Reunited as Lovers

Eventually, with the combined efforts of both Jiia and Khalis’ followers, Jiia was rescued. In the aftermath, the two fully ended their war, realizing their love for each other when they were separated. However, fearing losing Jiia once again and being the dark god he was, Khalis sought to chain Jiia and keep her by his side where he could keep her safe. Jiia was undeterred in her love of freedom and passions, refusing to be chained. She desired her own freedoms from him and to continue her own dance. Once she had recovered from her injuries, she leapt from their bed to start a new dance.

Where the Twin Souls had fought in a dance of war, now the dance was more of a lover’s tease. Jiia dances with her brightness and warmth throughout the world. One can tell where she is by the shimmering of the light off of her golden Ji’Khal blade, creating the sun in the sky. When she pulls away from Khalis, it is soft and slow, casting the world in the soft light of the dawn as she slowly starts up the new dance for the day. Moving throughout the world brings her warmth and flames to all who can see her. Khalis moves to follow her with a collar and chain. When the two of them meet, the sun sets, and his Darkness enshrouds her with the passionate colors of sunset. Khalis keeps his promise to the thieves and spies that helped find his Jiia. He wraps his sword in darkness more and more each night until it is fully engulfed. This allows them a night of pure darkness and debauchery as he enjoys holding Jiia by his side till she slips away from him the next morning.

## Common Names For the Twins

### Khalis

* The Shepherd of the Moon / Moonshepherd
* The Bringer of the Moon / Moonbringer
* The Herald of Dusk  / Duskherald
* The Master of Chains

### Jiia

* The Dawnbringer/ Daybringer
* Dancer of the Dawn / Dawndancer
* Herald of Dawn / Dawnherald
* The Lifebringer
* The Joydancer
* The Queen of the Free / Freequeen

## Symbolism

The Twin souls are worshiped together, honoring both Jiia and Khalis. They are often depicted together in a dance. Twin-carved swords with chains wrapped around the hilt are used as their most common religious symbol. Often, temples will display statues of the twin gods in either a fighting dance or intertwined as lovers. On a smaller scale, followers display simple shrines in their homes or businesses. These typically include a black and white candle or two small figurines, one black and one white. If candles, only the white candle is lit.

Lotus: Crimson lotus and shimmering lotus are often associated with Jiia. The crimson tends to incite passions while the shimmering is thought to cure and counteract poison. Necrotic lotus and violet lotus are associated with Khalis. Necrotic is known to be a deadly poison while violet has paralyzing properties.

## Views on Death

While Khalis is considered a dark god, he is not specifically associated with death. Death is a fact of life for many of the faith as the darker half of the Twin Souls appeals to thieves, assassins, and other unsavory elements of society. However, one cannot continue to serve the Twins once they are dead. While followers may not respect the lives of others outside of the faith, they certainly seek to preserve their own.

The dead are cremated with ashes spread on the wind by night or day, depending on the Twin that appealed to the deceased the most. Little is spoken about or considered related to the afterlife. To follow the Twins is to revel in the moment and gain as much pleasure and wealth as you can in life before it ends.

## Festivals

Feasts and festivals are common among followers. These tend to happen at least once a month at the time of the new moon when the night sky is at its darkest. This time of the month is seen as Khalis’ blessing of near darkness for a night for his followers. A feast is held starting at noon and progressing until evening. Jiia is emphasized at this time: food is plentiful along with laughter, wine, and dancing. By nightfall, the revelers are drunk and carry the celebration on into the night with all manner of debauchery as is pleasing to Khalis. Sexual gratification appeals to both Twins and may be an element in the festival at any time. It is at these times that even the closest of mates may find themselves in another’s embrace.

## Chase of Chains

Worshipers reenact Khalis’ chase, capture, binding, and claim of Jiia in a ritual known as the Chase of Chains. For some, this is nothing more than hide and seek with the ultimate goal of seeking out one representing Jiia and returning her to the starting point. Others carry this reenactment much further and include binding and sexual dominance for the night to those that are captured.

In either case, some token is exchanged at the start of the chase. The one representing Jiia has the choice whom she passes her token to. While Khalis chases and claims Jiia, she has chosen him before the chase begins. Often a horn or bell is sounded to start. Jiia is given time to hide before a second signal releases the representative of Khalis and the chase begins.

*Credit: Original lore written by TigerHellFigh with assistance from Ghen. Revision written by Akan.*