Chapter 9 A Shadows Birth

Cracks of thunder echo in the distance. Rain begins to fall on the fair city Orbis. A warm hearth lights the windows of a building near the north eastern sector of the wall. Inside, is an ashen skinned half-elf girl sparring with a punching bag. Around the room are weapons galore and mounts of crafted taxidermy monster heads adorn the walls. Ogers, trolls, a manticore, and the crown jewel, the head of a young white dragon over the fireplace.

"Father, father! I was able to do a butterfly kick just like you showed me!"

A massive human, as tall as a goliath, wearing his casual sleeping attire walks down the stairs in the back. He stands at 7ft tall with 280 pounds of muscle, and has black hair sheard to a velvet touch that blends into a thick well groomed beard. 

Father: "That's good to hear Nullthara. But remember, although there is a lot of power due to momentum it's very inaccurate. Alright put'em up, time to show me what you've really got."

Nullthara and her father square up. Continual blows, jabs, crosses, hooks, and uppercuts are unleashed. Nullthara dodges and weaves through the punches striking at opportune moments while taking some blows herself. Then she sees it, a clear opening, Nullthara twists her body jumping into the air, positioning her leg to strike. As soon as she is about to land a butterfly kick, her father grabs her in the air.

Father: "Haha, Nice try baby girl, maybe next time."

Nullthara: "Ugh, I was so close."

As he sets Nullthara down, a woman with charcoal skin, beautiful like the night sky, and platinum hair flowing down past her shoulders, walks down the stairs with elegance. She has on a white gown with a black wolf fur coat.

Mother: (Elvish) "I hope you are keeping up with your elvish and magic as much as you do with your sparring? Also, Tor, take it easier on her, yes?"

Tor: (Common) "Of course my darling Ereldra. Only if she takes it easier on me."

Nullthara: (Elvish) "I'll never take it easy, I'm a Petros after all, haha. But, of course, mother I am keeping up with elvish and magic."

Ereldra: (Common) "Take things a little seriously ok. As a half-elf drow with the blood of the shadow fey, you will be shunned by most. Controlling your innate abilities is necessary."

Nullthara rolls her eyes with a smile.

Nullthara: "Ok mom. I'm gonna go get ready for bed. Goodnight."

After giving goodnight kisses to her parents she runs up stairs.

Tor: "She's really come a long way hasn't she. I can't wait to take her on an adventure."

Ereldra puts her arms around Tor and gives him a kiss.

Ereldra: "Adventures can wait for just a bit. But, how about for now, 'wrestling?' I could go for a round or two."

Tor: "You read my mind lovely."

As the lighter rain gives way to a storm, five cloaked drow approach the house. Reaching the windows, they unveiled loaded hand crossbows in and darksteel short swords dripping in poison. Aiming their crossbows at Ereldra and Tor they fired their bolts.

Tor: "Arrgghh! Shit, assassins."

Ereldra: "Ugghhh! Get me my sword!"

Tor with three bolts in his back grabs his cold steel maul and Ereldra's adamantine longsword tossing it to her. Ereldra with a bolt in her right shoulder and leg reaches out her hand as a black fog pours out forming into a hound of shadows. Phasing through the wall the hound immediately tears into one of the assassins ripping out her throat. Two of the remaining assassins break through the windows while the other two break through the door blades drawn. As the drow that busts through the right window lands on the floor, he is met with the kiss of a maul as it shatters his left arm, ribs, and spine sending him flying towards a wall. As Tor is demolishing the assassin's body, one of the drow plunges his blade into Tor's side. Tor turns to the intruder dropping his weapon, grabbing the sides of the dark-elf's head, crushing it. Ereldra's hands begin to spark as she blasts lightning at the assailant coming through the left window, leaving a cavernous hole at where she aimed. As Ereldra looks back at Tor she only is able to see him fall to his knees. In that moment she loses focus, not reacting fast enough the sword of the last assassin pierces her stomach. Ereldra's eyes zero in on her opponent. Kicking the killer onto the floor she quickly beheads her. Hobbling over to Tor she begins to cry seeing no life in his eyes.

Ereldra: "Ahhhh!! Why!? Why!?"

The pitter patter of steps can be heard as Nullthara rushes down the stairs after hearing the end of the commotion and her mothers voice.

Nullthara: "Wow! I can't believe we got attacked! That's awesome I wish I… Father!? Mother!?"

Ereldra: "Nullthara, come here. I don't have much time left…. The blades had poison on them.

Nullthara: "Mom what happened? How did it come to this?"

Tears stream down both Ereldra's and Nullthara's faces.

Ereldra: "I didn't think they'd go this far to hunt us. Listen child, never forget, this was the doing of the Xiltyn Dynasty past the Black Mountains of the Karakin. The doctrine of the Dynasty is of drow elitism and even more so for those with Shadow Fey blood. To have a child of impure heritage is a grievous sin. They will never let you live in peace. Oh, my little Nullthara, grab some coin for so called 'donations' to get into the temple of Cognitios."

Nullthara: "Why could I not stay here? I don't want to leave our home."

Ereldra: "It's simple, the nobility that governs this city won't let a child, let alone a half-drow own property. They will take everything that isn't nailed down, leaving you in the street. So, go up stairs, put as much money in a discrete pouch as you can, and call for the guard named Brandar, he's a friend of the family. Now hurry, do as you're told."

Following her mothers words, Nullthara grabs a pouch placing 100 gold into it, and rushes back down the stairs.

Ereldra: "Nullthara, I love you, be strong…."

As the last breath leaves her mother, the subtle sound of wheezing can still be heard. Looking to her left, the drow that was crumpled by her fathers hammer was still breathing. Slowly Nullthara approached the drow, staring her down.

Drow: (Elvish) "You're… a monstrosity… that shouldn't have been born…. You damn cretin."

Wrath incarnate manifests in Nullthara's eyes. Reaching the broken assassin she says nothing. Then begins to beat him, over, and over again. She beat him till bones were shattered and flesh was torn. She beat him all night and till the morn. When the guards finally arrived at the crack of dawn, she was still punching what now was more a sack of flesh than a recognizable person. Hearing them enter Nullthara turned her head.

Nullthara: "I need to speak to Brandar and have him escort me to the temple of Cognitios."