(This is part one of an origin story for one of my characters. Expect the next few parts anywhere from later tonight to a week from now)
"You… You're hopeless, you know that, Henry...?"
The words still lingered in the back of the Kathar's mind, tormenting him to the very core. The only person in the world that mattered to him, the only one who ever made him feel anything other than hate, had died muttering these words in her final breaths. It had been a whole decade since the duo met in Essalonia, and at least five years since Henry's lover passed away, yet he still couldn't get her out of his damn head. But, he had work to do, he'd just have to keep ignoring it.
Henry happens to be in a gang known as The Family, a group banded together by loyalty, trust, and a very strict code. Without this comradery, none of them would be able to survive the harsh, unforgiving continent and its political turmoil. But they also needed to give members an incentive to keep the bonds strong, so anybody who joins may never leave, the only way out being death. Unfortunately, Markus and Elizabeth, two of the "brighter" folk, had decided to go rogue and run away from it all a few months ago. Henry and Frank, one of his "buddies", were given the task of finding and killing them, and word around town was that they were seen hiding in some abandoned tavern.
"Holy shit," Frank chuckled, dragging a cigar across his own ragged coat to extinguish its burning tip, as the two of them gazed towards the old bar. "Here it is."
Henry let out nothing more than a groan before approaching one of the shattered windows, peeking inside. There was definitely someone living in there---There seemed to be toys lying around and they didn't look nearly as beaten up as the rest of the building. Not to mention the blown-out candles, which were still letting off a bit of smoke. The Kathar signaled his partner, and they both crept to the front door. Unsheathing their blades, the two gave a simple nod before breaching the entrance in unison. Dust blew from the impact, and Elizabeth immediately revealed herself, the blonde dwarf holding two knives. They were only about a dozen feet away from each other.
"Well," Frank waved his sword around, looking to the woman in front of him. "That was pretty quick. So, you gonna put up a fight or what?"
Henry shook his head and pushed his partner aside. "Where is Markus?"
Her grips tightened, and she moved to throw both her knives. In an instant, instinctual reaction, Henry had already pierced his blade into the Dwarf's heart. There was silence. The Kathar stared into her eyes, with a cold, unfeeling gaze, and she stared right back. After a few moments, he released his sword and sighed.
"P-please…" Elizabeth coughed up some blood, falling to her knees. "Please… My… My b-"
Before she could finish what she was saying, the blood hurling out from her lungs became too much. She collapsed, dying a gruesome death. Henry just watched as her blood began to puddle on the floor, but Frank sheathed his bastard sword and covered his eyes, trying to prevent a gag.
After what felt like an eternity of silence, a new sound filled the room… Crying… A baby?
"You… You're hopeless, you know that, Henry...?"
The words still lingered in the back of the Kathar's mind, tormenting him to the very core. The only person in the world that mattered to him, the only one who ever made him feel anything other than hate, had died muttering these words in her final breaths. It had been a whole decade since the duo met in Essalonia, and at least five years since Henry's lover passed away, yet he still couldn't get her out of his damn head. But, he had work to do, he'd just have to keep ignoring it.
Henry happens to be in a gang known as The Family, a group banded together by loyalty, trust, and a very strict code. Without this comradery, none of them would be able to survive the harsh, unforgiving continent and its political turmoil. But they also needed to give members an incentive to keep the bonds strong, so anybody who joins may never leave, the only way out being death. Unfortunately, Markus and Elizabeth, two of the "brighter" folk, had decided to go rogue and run away from it all a few months ago. Henry and Frank, one of his "buddies", were given the task of finding and killing them, and word around town was that they were seen hiding in some abandoned tavern.
"Holy shit," Frank chuckled, dragging a cigar across his own ragged coat to extinguish its burning tip, as the two of them gazed towards the old bar. "Here it is."
Henry let out nothing more than a groan before approaching one of the shattered windows, peeking inside. There was definitely someone living in there---There seemed to be toys lying around and they didn't look nearly as beaten up as the rest of the building. Not to mention the blown-out candles, which were still letting off a bit of smoke. The Kathar signaled his partner, and they both crept to the front door. Unsheathing their blades, the two gave a simple nod before breaching the entrance in unison. Dust blew from the impact, and Elizabeth immediately revealed herself, the blonde dwarf holding two knives. They were only about a dozen feet away from each other.
"Well," Frank waved his sword around, looking to the woman in front of him. "That was pretty quick. So, you gonna put up a fight or what?"
Henry shook his head and pushed his partner aside. "Where is Markus?"
Her grips tightened, and she moved to throw both her knives. In an instant, instinctual reaction, Henry had already pierced his blade into the Dwarf's heart. There was silence. The Kathar stared into her eyes, with a cold, unfeeling gaze, and she stared right back. After a few moments, he released his sword and sighed.
"P-please…" Elizabeth coughed up some blood, falling to her knees. "Please… My… My b-"
Before she could finish what she was saying, the blood hurling out from her lungs became too much. She collapsed, dying a gruesome death. Henry just watched as her blood began to puddle on the floor, but Frank sheathed his bastard sword and covered his eyes, trying to prevent a gag.
After what felt like an eternity of silence, a new sound filled the room… Crying… A baby?
