Aerith

There once was a man, Zharnon , and a woman, Pherissa , who were both Tieflings and rebels. They lived in secret underneath the beautiful structures and houses of Illumé. The Tieflings were lovers and dealers in illegal goods. The goods include all kinds of illegal things, dangerous alchemy ingredients and creatures from all across the world, necromancy spell scrolls, cursed artworks, holy books for evil deity’s and more. The Tieflings had created an entire network of smuggling goods into the city to sell them to its inhabitants. The network included five other people who were paid a generous amount. Two people acquired the goods, one brought them over to Illumia and the last two brought them to their underground shop but they were also look-outs. They did this using a secret entrance or pipes. Only a few Illumian’s knew about their activities or even their existence. No one ratted them out because there was no other way to get these goods without having to travel all the way to the mainland and somehow find them there. The business was going so well that the Tieflings decided to have a child. These golden days went on but the rewards for finding Tieflings and handing them over to the ministry of Illumia became higher and higher as did their popularity. A poor Illumian human called Rogrof who had no desire to buy illegal goods and only wanted coin visited the underground shop. He got this intel by overhearing a conversation of two drunks in the local Inn. After Rogrof had confirmed that the Tieflings were really there he gave the ministry a tip. At first the ministry didn’t react, it was only a shabby, dirty man after all. Rogrof kept on telling them and insisting that he should have a chat with the minister of Purity and Order, Kelos. Kelos, who was the first man that took Rogrof seriously and acted on his tip.   That same day the Tieflings did not have one child, but two. The first child was a boy with clear orangy-brown eyes and the pretty light skin of his mother. The second child was a girl with the most beautiful blue eyes and red-ish skintone. She already took the likeness of her mother but had her father’s skintone. Sadly, sometime later, through one of the pipes with which the Tieflings communicated to their above ground colleagues informed them of danger. The pair looked each other in the eyes; the inevitable day had finally come and they knew what they had to do. Pherissa ran with the children towards a secret exit but Zharnon stayed, his quarterstaff and magical traps at the ready. The Warforged barged in and fought the Tiefling who was surprisingly strong even though he was on his own. He fought and fought, giving his life to save his significant other and giving her the chance to escape. Once the Warforged found out that the other Tiefling was not there they searched the entire city but the mother of the two children who had always been a master of disguise was already on the edge of the city. She and the children who she carried underneath her dark cloak managed to slip past the Warforged that guarded one of the gates of Illumia. She traveled as far as possible from the city and she was successful for quite a long time but there came a day that she knew that she could run no longer. The Warforged managed to come closer and closer to her as she traveled to the harbor on the south of Fhanor. Her mother put the children, who were a little older now, on a cart that was loaded onto a merchant’s boat in the hopes that someday someone else could take care of them on the mainland.   Instead, the merchant, unaware of the children on his boat, went only to the mainland to bring supplies back to Fhanor and to one of the high elves in Illumia’s council. A woman saw the children as she watched some men help loading the supplies upon the boat. She came closer and looked at them both. She grabbed the boy and carried him in her arms and a happy feeling swelled inside of her. The woman found them both pretty but always wanted a baby boy herself so she took him with her, no questions asked and leaving the other child behind.   On their way back to Illumia the merchant and the girl passed through Bucklewhyte , a small farming village. The farmer there who spoke with the merchant noticed Aerith in the back of his cart amongst several cages with hawks. The merchant, appalled by this discovery, wanted to get rid of it immediately since bringing a child like this into the city could turn some heads. The farmer, named Randal , looked in Aerith’s pretty blue eyes and made a decision he never thought he would make. He scooped the child up into his arms, said goodbye to the merchant and took her inside his house.   The owner of the Bucklewhyte farm, a half-elf named Randal, gave her food and shelter. He cared for her as much as he possibly could even though work at the Bucklewhyte farm was tough. Randal named her Aerith a near-anagram of Erith, the name of his late wife, which means ‘flower-like’.   Because Aerith lived an ordinary life, she never knew what she was or what she was able to do. In the farm village she was believed to be an Elf because of her pretty looks and her pointy ears. The more she grew up, the more Aerith became charismatic and could get away with almost anything. One day after chasing a hawk in the sky she met an Elf-boy of her age named Zharrus at the edge of the woods just outside of Bucklewhyte. Zharrus was extremely underfed and told her after some convincing that he has been wandering all his life. After she learned that he was orphaned just like her she took him straight to Randal. Randal was not very pleased with the newcomer at first. He explained to Aerith again that it was a big risk that he took her in. Aerith however, kept begging and begging, telling him how unfair it was for Zharrus to never have been able to have a home and that everyone deserves one. Randal, shaking his head but being touched by this truth, decided that Zharrus could stay with them.   And quickly Aerith and Zharrus became the best of friends. They played around the farm every day, chasing hawks from time to time. Once they became a little older, they helped around on the farm amongst the other villagers. Zharrus told Aerith of the stories when he wandered the world aimlessly. Aerith was jealous that she had never seen the mainland like he did and listened intently when she asked him to talk about it even after the hundredth time. On the day that Aerith turned fifteen years old, people in shiny armor came to visit their village and told them that a certain Tiefling was amongst them on Fhanor. There was no mistaking that these were guards that served important people. Aerith, not knowing what they meant and that she was a Tiefling herself, watched as they held her childhood friend by his arms, his feet dragging across the ground. Zharrus suddenly had sprouted two horns which shocked all of the villagers, but not Aerith nor Randal. Tears were glistening on Zharrus's cheeks and he looked confused and defeated. “He just works around here at the farm and I need all the help I can get!” Randal protested, but the people in shiny armor told him off. Aerith tried to fight the guards, but it was no use as one of them easily pushed her off. She fell to the ground, but got up immediately. “Who is it that wants him removed?” Aerith had asked the guards bravely as they walked away. One of the guards turned back, scoffed and told her that they are Warforged and she could figure out the rest herself. Knowing there was nothing she could do she watched Zharrus get taken away.   After that Aerith became quiet. The fury inside of her was burning. She wanted answers, she wanted to find out where her friend was, why they had to take him and how they even knew about him. Aerith also wondered why he never told her about being what he was. Most of all, she wanted to find out who took him and rescue her friend. Randal tried to talk to her but she would not say much. One day she came out of her room and asked him what he knew about the Warforged and why they would take Zharrus. “They are the guards of Illumia.” he started gravely. “There’s a ministry that always seeks for power and wants to erase the impurity of this island. Tieflings are considered as impure.” Randal explained to her with a sigh. “Meaning that they might kill him?” she asked with a slight tremor in her voice. “Sadly, they might.” Upon hearing this Aerith slammed her fist on the table, a faint flicker of red in her eyes. After a short moment, she walked towards the door but Randal spoke again, which made her stop. “The world is a dangerous place, Aerith. I know you want to save him, but you should be prepared for what’s out there before you leave.” Aerith turned back around again and agreed.   Randal prepared days and days of food for her while she managed to collect clothes and accessories to put in her disguise kit. She promised herself that she would collect more during her journey. Being skilled in charisma, she haggled with a local villager who gave her two small blades. Aerith practiced with them in her room. She noticed how every time she practiced she could do some apprentice level magic and spells. When figuring out how to do a spell she discovered as she looked into the mirror that she could grow horns just like Zharrus. She had finally realized she was a Tiefling too, but it didn’t shock her. She somehow knew that ever since she met Zharrus that they seemed different from the people around them. To her, everything was always faith.   For the last remaining days she kept training and she had somewhat control over her powers and her horns which she thought would be better kept hidden. The day that Aerith was going to leave was finally there. Randal gave her all the food he cooked for her. The food was imbued with magic which made the food preservable for an entire year. “Will you be alright now that they found out Zharrus was here on the farm all this time?” Aerith asked him, worried. “I might be, I might not be. They might turn a blind eye, but since Zharrus is a Tiefling it could be a problem. But not to worry, Aerith! He’s in danger and saving his life is much more important so you don’t have to stay. I’ve gotten away with stuff before, you know. Used magic to enlarge my crops, they didn’t like that at first but sometime later they saw the benefit in it and that it was harmless.” Aerith thanked him for fostering her even though he was busy with the farm most of the time. He shook his head saying that there was no need but that there was something he wanted to give her. He gave her a sickle, telling her that it was from his father who used to be a farmer as well. It has brought him luck ever since so he wanted to pass it onto her. Randal’s name, carved into the blade by the magic of his late wife, shone in the sun as Aerith turned it in her hands. They bid each other farewell and good health.   Aerith has roamed the island asking people whether they had seen a boy with horns. Only one person said he had seen him. A man that worked at the docks told Aerith that he had seen someone like that who was put on a boat that headed for the mainland. And thus, Aerith followed her only lead. Aerith struggled a lot because was too weak and inexperienced as she traveled around the mainland. The roads were dangerous, she nearly escaped enemies and foes and no matter how hard she tried she could not get far. Frustrated and furious at the unfairness, she retreated to a nearby forest one bad day. At her lowest point, wounded and bleeding, a cold voice spoke to her.   I sense the burning fury inside you…   Aerith weakly held one of her daggers at the ready, trying to figure out where the echoing voice came from. It seemed to circle around her.   You have every right to feel it… but fury will not be a way for you to thrive and find who you look for.   The last part caught Aerith off-guard. How did it know? A figure of pure darkness appeared in front of her. “Who are you?” she asked.   Someone who can help you achieve your goal. I am The Keeper.   “But how? I am wounded, powerless and not ready to take on what I need to.” Aerith said desperately. The figure came closer to her and she felt a strange coldness that did not scare her but somehow comforted her instead. It was impossible to make out any features of the figure even though it was so close now. She lowered her dagger.   You see, young Tiefling, fury is what fuels me. It is what I thrive on. Your fury is great which is one of the reasons I reach out to you. Even though you have lived an ordinary life you have powers, I can sense them. Powers most suitable for a warlock, it seems. If you become one you can become greater than you could ever have imagined. I can help you with that.   Looking down at her hands which were covered in blood, she figured that there was no other choice. This could be her chance to become what she was meant to be all along. She held out her bloody hand to him, scared about the outcome, but she spoke confidently. “Help me then.”   I shall house your fury in me and in return you shall house my power in you…   The voice echoed and circled around her again as did the figure, now more like cold, dark flames. The wind was picking up, the sounds of the forest were gone. Aerith fell to her knees and she was screaming not exactly knowing why. The cold flames came nearer, her scream echoed and the cold voice became the loudest sound she had ever heard as the fury escaped from her body. Dead silence. Suddenly, it was all over and she opened her eyes. All the sounds had returned, the sun was shining on her through the trees. The blood on her hands and body was gone. Aerith had never felt like this before. There was a power surging inside of her that desperately wanted to be released. She stood up, held out her hand and as a bright light appeared, a beautiful quarter staff appeared in her hand. The gem inside it was as dark as The Keeper had been. Aerith bowed and thanked it for helping her.   Ever since Aerith has met The Keeper she trained for years on end. She practiced on monsters that were invasive to the region in exchange for information on minister Kelos, never forgetting what she was out here to do. She was going to find Zharrus and save him. On her way she stumbled upon a group that would take her journey further.