Role

Chapter 1

Vlalkon's parents had both died when he was very young. Both anathema to
the Theran Empire, they had been hunted down and slain. Vlalkon likely
would have joined them--for the Empire does not tend to favour loose ends.
Vlalkon had not been there, however. He did not know the reason, but he had
been left with an associate of his mother, named Zrath.

Zrath was a reclusive practitioner of the dark arts. He had but one child
of his own, a daughter of an age with Vlalkon, Ezara.

The two did everything together when growing up. Vlalkon didn't know what
it was about Ezara, but he knew she was not like him, or Zrath, or any
other giant he had met (few as that were). She was too kind. When Vlalkon
would catch fish and smash their heads against the rocks to stop them
flopping, she'd cry, and so Vlalkon made sure she didn't see him do it
anymore. When Zrath would fly into a rage, it was Ezara who would dress
Vlalkon's injuries. Vlalkon loved Ezara, a fire in his blood and soul that
only grew over the years. She was the light in an otherwise dark world. She
pointed out the beautiful things in nature as they travelled. Vlalkon
didn't understand why she cared about the trees or the lakes, the mountains
or the valleys, but he would look at them for her and make appreciative
noises.

The three of them moved often. Vlalkon never really knew why. Zrath was an
anti paladin in truth. Vicious and quick to wrath, he was not slow to reach
for the whip and so Vlalkon and Ezara learned to keep their own council.

But Vlalkon had a secret.
Vlalkon was going to kill Zrath one day.

He'd decided that when he was very young. When he was strong enough, he'd
kill the monstrous Zrath, and he would take Ezara to find the refuge, or
maybe the battleragers. Anyone who would cut down people like Zrath.
Somewhere the most important person in his life could have a life worthy of
her. One day, they would be free.