Prologue
It all began with him. The black hair warrior wearing dark robes bearing two symbols that I've never seen before. A symbol that looks like a down facing triangle with a Y above it and a line going through the top of the Y, with the other symbol showing a small silver and white circle. He moved with the speed of a hurricane, destroying everything in his path. Nothing could stand against him, not even my parents, as strong as they were. The scared look on Mother as Father tried to defend us. What used to be a beautiful, soft blue face that complemented her light golden eyes with shining, flowing white hair that reached just below the shoulders of her slim figure, was turned into a face screaming for escape, eyes of terror hiding behind dirty, tangled hair. I remembered Father, having a slightly darker tone of blue than Mother, with forest green eyes and short platinum hair, standing over the black hair warrior, using his broad shoulders and hulking body as a shield for us. Size meant nothing to the warrior, as he took what was the tower that was Father down with ease. Mother held me tightly as she whispered into my ears. "It's okay Forctis, your mother is here, she won't let anything bad happen to her twin son." Father used to joke about how much I looked like Mother. I share almost every feature of my face with my mother, the only thing that my father can claim in my short hair, but not the color, mom still had that. I closed my eyes, holding her arms tightly, not wanting to let go. The black hair man did not have any sympathy for what would be our final moment together, for he struck Mother down with such speed that I felt the wind rush by his strike next to my face. She fell lifeless next to me, her arms losing the grip on my body. I opened my eyes and looked over to see the arms that were once holding onto me flat on the ground, her neck slit with precision, the prayer beads she fashioned into a necklace unwrapping, and her once life filled eyes emptied out. I looked around one last time, to see what I thought would be my final view of the world. Smoke and ash pollute the air, screams of agony and pain roar over the clashing of metal and flesh. What was once an area of green hills and open blue skies was now stained brown and black from the blood of my people and the smoke taking over the air. The Air Genasi race would end today, by the man standing before me and the people he brought with him. Banners bearing the same triangle symbol as his robes rose along the fields, the marching of invaders desecrating the land grew in numbers as I look up one last time to meet the warriors eyes. "Please, kill me. Mother and Father are gone, and I don't think I can live in a world without them. My parents, my neighbors, the people I share my heritage with are all I know, and you've taken that from me. So please, give me mercy, give me death." The black hair warrior pondered over my request, his fingers dancing over the hilt of his dagger, the blade still fresh with Mother and Fathers blood. "I could kill you, but what's the fun in that? He then knelt down in front of me, a dark, twisted smirk forming on his face. "Tell me boy, what is your name?" I was too paralyzed with fear to respond, I could do nothing but stare into his empty black eyes. Suddenly, faster than I could process, my eyes were looking at the ground to the right of me, the result of being smacked at blinding speeds. "Did I stutter boy? Tell me your name now, or I cut off a finger for every three seconds you don't speak." Somehow, I find the courage to speak, anger and hate begin fueling my body to speak up and answer his question. "Forctis, Forctis Ultor is my name." The man grins, accepting my response, and also relishing in my swelling anger. "Forctis Ultor, what a fine name. Tell me Forctis, if I let you live, what will you do with the rest of your pathetic life?" My own blood begins to spill on the ground from my fist as my nails dig into my palms. My family, my people, slain by the man in front of me and the people he works with. My childhood, ruined by him, for reasons I don't yet understand. One thing is clear to me however, and that is my hatred for this man. "To find you and avenge my people, avenge my family." The man lets out a loud laugh followed by another speed smack on the other side of my face. The force of this smack sends stars to my vision as I'm almost knocked over by it, but I still stand my ground. "Very well, you've amused me enough. I'll let you live, for now. Find me when you believe you have gained all the power you could possibly gain so I can slay you at your best. It'll be much more satisfying when I do so instead of now when you're such a weak child. Farewell then." The man gets up as if he's gonna take a leisurely walk and begins moving away from me. My body however, moves on its own, and tries to attack him. I see his figure turn into a black shadow, and then I realize I am looking up at the sky. My body is somehow on the ground, and then the pain from the blow he struck to my stomach finally registers. I grab my stomach, dizzy from both the anger and the pain, and try to move up again, but fail, falling on the ground. "I said when you're grown, not now. Try that again, and I'll make sure the dagger is in my hands this time." The pain is making me lose conscious, as the last thing I see is him walking away, back to the banners that destroyed my home. I look over to see Mother and Father's lifeless corpse and I see my mothers necklace on the floor next to her corpse. I crawl over to it and grab onto it as tight as I can before my conscious fades into darkness.
In my dreams, I relieve a memory of my early childhood. I am playing with my friend, Raegal, on top of a green hill, the wind blowing with grace and serenity. Raegal was another Air Genasi about a year older than me, with ocean blue skin, earthly green hair and icy blue eyes. chasing each other around trying to see who is the fastest and who can use the wind more to their advantage. Raegal was always one step ahead of me, already being taught by the sages how to use his magic that he can use to warp the wind around his feet, greatly increasing his speed, while I could barely create a slight breeze. "You'll never catch up to me at this rate Forctis, I'm gonna leave you behind" Raegal said as he grew the distance between us. I was already out of breath while he was running circles around me, poking me after every pass behind my back. I tried to create a gust of wind underneath his foot to trip him, but all that came out was an insignificant air bubble that dissipated seconds after I created it. Raegal laughed at my pathetic excuse for a spell as he stopped in front of me. "You're gonna have to do better than that. Here, watch how I do it, and maybe you'll learn a thing or two." Raegal proceeded to create his own air bubble that was much larger than mine, and when he threw it up in the air, it exploded into a strong gust that made me cover my eyes from the wind. He always did love showing off how much better he is than me at well, everything. "You have to maintain focus when you're casting spells, and make sure you don't exert too much energy out, only enough to make the spell you want to create." I was tried of Raegal showing me up at everything, so I wasn't paying much attention to whatever he was saying. I glanced over to my right to see Mother calling me and Raegal into the house for lunch. When I turned back to tell him that lunch was ready, he was gone. I called out his name, but heard nothing. I kept calling out but never got a response. Sweat started to roll down my head as the fear of somehow losing him to something or someone began to sink into me. Finally, I turn back to my house to call out for Mother when I see that the house is suddenly on fire. I blink, and the world around me changes to fire and smoke. All the smoke in the air is causing me to cough and choke as I try to find Mother or Father, or anyone to help me. When I walk over the hill, I see a black hair man with dark robes standing over the corpses of Mother, Father, and even Raegal. I shout to scream, but nothing comes out. My voice is mute as the smoke seems to be coalescing around me, grabbing my lungs from the inside. The black hair man is now standing over me as I'm on the ground grabbing my throat, my lungs desperately trying to breathe in clean air. He kneels down in front of me, a dagger appearing from his waist. A twisted smile creeps on his face as he puts the dagger closer and closer to my neck, and I can do nothing but grovel. As his blade touches my neck and makes a swift cut, I wake up gasping for air on a bed in a dimly lit room. Sweat is beading down my face as I recover from the nightmare, hands on my throat as I try to find the cut the man made. I don't find any cuts fortunately, but reality is finally setting in. I don't have any memories of how I got here, or what happened to me after the invasion. I look around the room for anything familiar, but there's nothing. This small room contains the wooden framed bed with red sheets, a nightstand with a small mirror and a lamp I turned on to shine some light in the room, a small wooden drawer and a window with its dark yellow curtains shut. The door next to me doesn't appear to have any locks on it, so I'm more than confident that it's open, or at least not locked from this side. I get up from the bed and look down and realize my clothes have also been changed. Somehow, I'm wearing a ragged brown garment that most farmers wear, black trousers and brown sandals that are too big for my feet. Someone must have taken me from my village after the attack, and I don't know if it was an invader or wanderer who stumbled upon me when the invaders left. Both of the possibilities frighten me, because I don't know what they plan to do with me. I look in the mirror to see that whoever took me not only changed me into new clothes, but also washed my hair and face, putting bandages where the black hair man struck me. Obviously whoever took me couldn't have been one of the invaders at this point since there would be no point in cleaning me up if I was just gonna end up as a slave. I open the curtains and see that it's night outside, and with no torches on this side of what I figure to be a cabin due to every structure of this house to be made of wood, I couldn't see very far out. The only thing I could see was the moonlight being hidden behind the trees around the cabin. I contemplate whether or not just going through the window and running away from wherever I am, but that's the big problem with my plan. I don't know where I am and I don't know if whoever took me is still here. I decide to take my chances and walk over to the door and see if I can enter the next room without making any noises. The door doesn't cooperate however as it makes a creaking noise when I try to slowly open it. There are lit candles scattered around the room so I can see what's around. This seems to be the main room as I see the door that would take me outside on the other side of the cabin, a small kitchen area, a dining area with small table and two wooden chairs, a large fireplace lit up with another set of wooden chairs opposite to each other with a small, old couch on the side, and a bathroom with its door open. I don't see anyone in here, so I carefully trek across to the kitchen area trying to find any food. I find some bread in a bowl and a pitcher of water next to it and immediately begin to devour it, not realizing how hungry and thirsty I am until the food is in my hands. As I'm downing the last bits and chugging the last drops of water, I hear the front door start to open.
I immediately duck down behind one of the chairs in the dining area, hoping to not be seen. Entering the cabin from outside is a large build but small man with sandy blonde hair with shades of gray, mud brown eyes with thick eyebrows, and wearing a long blue robe with a symbol that I've never seen, but different than the ones the invaders had. He's carrying a large white bag with decorative charms around it strapped around his shoulder. The aura around him for whatever reason made me feel at ease, like I can trust him. He looked across the cabin to see that the door I had come out of was wide open, I was stupid enough to leave it open after leaving. "I know you're in here, and it's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you or make you a slave or whatever might be going through your mind. I'm here to help you." The man was looking around the room now, trying to find me. The way he spoke with softness and sincerity made me believe him, but after what I just went through, I still couldn't find the courage to reveal myself. "My name is Gregory Ward, and I work as a priest at the church of Helm. I found you after the invasion of the air cult, you were gonna die because of all the smoke your unconscious body was inhaling if I hadn't rescued you. Honestly, I didn't think there were any survivors, that attack was awful, but I'm soo happy that I found you. Please, come out so we can talk about what happens to you next" the man said while walking towards the fireplace. He then puts down the bag next to him and sits down on one of the chairs, arms on his laps waiting for me. Something inside me is telling me that it's okay to show myself, that he's a good person, the other more logical side of me is saying to make a break for the front door and run. I decide to listen to my guts, and I come out from the chair slowly, showing myself to him. "Thank you for coming out, I know that I'm a complete stranger and it would have made a lot more sense to just run or keep hiding, but I really do mean you no harm. Please, sit down across from me" spoke Gregory as he gestured to the chair across. I slowly make my way towards the chair and sit, not letting my sight off of him in fear that he would just jump and attack me, but he didn't make many moves. "Well, I see that you've found the water and bread that I left out for you. I didn't know if you would wake up before I came back or after, so I just left it out for you. Now, let me explain what happened to you, or at least, what I know. Your village where the Air Genasi live was attacked by the air cultist, a large and evil cult that worships Yan-C-Bin, an evil archomental, powerful beings that reside within a different plane of reality than us, who wants to destroy the world with devastating winds and tornados. They believe that sacrificing every Air Genasi will help bring Yan-C-Bin to our plane of existence and bring about the end of the world. While it doesn't seem that their plan worked, the damage they have done is unforgivable, and I am truly sorry for your losses." As he's saying these words, the mention of an air cult and their god makes me clench my fists, now knowing who is responsible for the deaths of my people. "I was on my way back to the church when I saw the attack. Being alone, I could not do anything without dying for nothing, so I had to wait until the end. I'm sorry for being weak, but then I found you and I brought you back to my cabin where I was gonna rest before making the trip back. I cleaned you up as best as I could, tended to your wounds, and gave you my bed to rest on and my spare clothes, I'm sorry if they fit you too big" Gregory says with an apologetic look on his face. "It's okay, thank you for your hospitality and kindness, I truly appreciate everything that you've done." A warm smile appears on his face, along with a sigh of relief. He reaches for his bag and pulls out something that makes my heart tremble. "When I found you, your hands were clinging onto this next to a body, which I can only assume to be your mother because of how similar you look to her." I grab the necklace from his hands and hold it close to me, tears beginning to form in my eyes. In that moment, I want nothing more than to be held my Mother and Father one last time, to feel their loving embrace, but I know that I never will again. Gregory reaches an arm out to put his hand on my shoulder. I flinch at the first feeling of physical contact, but I let his hand stay there. "What is your name son?" With tears rolling down my face at a slow but steady rate, I meet his gaze to see sympathy in his eyes. "My name is Forctis, this was my mothers necklace she made out of her prayer beads. She said it would always keep the bad energy away, and that one day, she would give it to me when I was old enough. Thank you for returning it to me." Gregory looks like he's also about to cry, but is trying hard to hold it in. "No child should have to go through what you have. Believe me, those cultist will get what their due in time. Someone will stop them." Anger swells in me again, the memory of the black hair man killing Mother and Father, the cultists banner and their troops surrounding us and killing everyone makes my knuckles turn white. "Its gonna be to do it, to take them all out, but I need to know one thing. Do you know if there were any other survivors of the attack?" Gregory looks down at the question, disappointment being shown through his shoulders slumping down and a sigh filled with hurt. "I looked around, but I'm sorry, I couldn't find anyone else who was alive. It was miracle that I even found you." Sadness began to take over my anger as I stood up and faced the fireplace. In that moment, I let the emotions I had bottled up out. I screamed in despair, I punched the walls around me in rage, and finally, I collapsed, weeping in agony with my hands covering my face. Gregory did nothing but stand back and let me vent out all of my feelings, and I was grateful for it. Once he saw me on the floor, he went to the other room and grabbed the blanket from the bed. He put the blanket around me, letting his hands rest on me. "I know there is nothing I can do to bring them back, but I also know that you have to keep living for them. Your parents wouldn't want you to give up. Take this opportunity and keep going. If you want, I can take you back to my church and teach you the ways of Helm. You would be provided shelter, food, and be protected by me and the others in the church. I am leaving tomorrow morning, and it is up to you if you wish to join me. I wouldn't force the decision on you. Be strong, Forctis, don't lose your will to live. I will sleep here on the couch. Living as long as I have, I've slept through worst conditions, so don't worry about me, you can have the bed." I look at Gregory, and he has that warm smile on his face again, but the fire from the fireplace shows me the age on his face. The wrinkles on his forehead and cheeks, the blonde on his eyebrows turning gray, and the way his eyes look heavy, as if he's trying his hardest to keep them open. He notices that I am studying his face, and laughs. "Also, don't worry about me dying in my sleep or whatever other old man thing you're thinking will happen to me. I've lived for about one hundred and twenty-seven years, and I've still got another hundred years or so before I become an old man in my race. We dwarves age very slowly, so what you're seeing now is what you're gonna see for another fifty years or so before old age kicks in." With that, he gets up to retrieve his bag and goes into the bathroom. I stay at the fireplace for a little longer, staring into the flames. At the moment, a sense of calmness washes over me and I feel somewhat safe knowing that at least I won't be sleeping alone for the night. I proceed to get up and go back into the bedroom, closing the door behind me and with the blanket still wrapped around me, collapse on the bed. As my eyes begin to close, one last image of my mother flows into my head as I drift off to sleep, her necklace still held closely in my hands.
The following morning, I wake up to see sunlight peering through the curtains and hear birds chirping in the distance. Sometime in the night, Gregory must have closed the curtains for me while I was sleeping and left me a glass of water on the nightstand. I look in my hands to see Mothers necklace still there, so I wrap it around my neck. The beads hang low, but I know that I will grow into it over time. I grab the glass of water and walk out to the main room to see Gregory eating at the couch. He is now wearing simple white clothings that he must use as sleeping garments. "Good morning Forctis, I hope you had a good sleep" Gregory says with his mouth full of food. "I did, thank you for the bed and the water." I sip on the water and sit down on one of the chairs while Gregory keeps eating away at his food. "Where are my manners? You must be hungry. Here, it is not much but thats only because I was going to pass by a town on the way back to the church and eat there." Gregory hands me a small wrapped up sandwich with ham, tomatoes, lettuce and mayonnaise. I thank Gregory for the food and start eating. Soon afterwards, Gregory takes my trash along with his and puts it in another bag on the side. "Well, now that we've eaten and slept, have you thought about my offer? I'll be leaving for the church soon and I would like to take you with me, but if you choose not to, I would understand." Gregory tries not to show it, but he is anxious about my answer. To be honest, I did not see myself joining a church or honestly, being with a large group of people so soon after this incident, but Gregory was right. I'm only twelve, and I don't know how the world is outside of my village. Mother and Father would never take me out of the village because they always said that other people are dangerous and we should never trust them, but Raegal did not share that belief. He would always say that we should not judge people before we get to know them, and Gregory is a prime example of that. Gregory is the first non Air Genasi I've ever met, and he's shown nothing but kindness to me. Maybe there are more people like that out in the world. I decided to take the leap of faith, and while Mother or Father would not like that I did, I think they would prefer me having the best chance at living rather than sticking to their beliefs. "Okay, I'll come with you and join the church. It's my best chance at survival and if they're are more people like you, I would like to meet them. Gregory jumped up in excitement as he clasped his arms on my shoulders. "I knew you would make the right choice, and yes, there are people like me in the church who are good. You'll make a fine believer in the ways of Helm. Now then, let's pack up our things and start traveling." Gregory and I proceeded to pack up everything we had in his large bag and started leaving the cabin. I took one last look around the outside of the cabin, taking in the scenery of the trees, the warmth of the sunlight, the clear blue skies above, and the smell of forest, for this is the place where my life changed again, for good this time.
It's been three years since Gregory took me in as a student in the church of Helm. It was weird at first, praying to a god I knew nothing about, but when I learned that Helm was the god of protection and guardians, he felt like the kind of god I could worship. The anger that used to be a big part of my childhood slowly dissipated over the years thanks to Gregory and the teachings of the church, and through the teachings, I have learned how to use my magic more properly. I can now maintain more focus on my wind spells and even learned how to use recovery magic. I would become a student in the ways of a cleric, being taught directly by Gregory himself, who was also a cleric and also became the leader of the church of Helm over the years. Gregory said that I was still a beginner, but that he sees potential in me. One day, Gregory was called to a mission and he asked me to stay behind at the church and keep studying. When he arrived back, he brought with him a small eight year old human boy with no hair on his head and light blue eyes. Gregory said that the boy is now under his and Helm's protection, and that I should also watch over him. "His name is Bartholomew, and he doesn't have a family anymore, so we'll take him in." Bartholomew was holding on tight to Gregory's hand like a lost child, and looked at me with fright. "It's okay Bart, he wont hurt you. This will be your new brother. His name is Forctis, and he'll be there for you always." I appreciated how Gregory was making me seem like the kid's older brother, but by human standards, we were fairly close in age. I might have been around six years older than him, but air genasi lived a little longer than humans, so our growth rate is slightly slower. I kneeled down to meet his eyes, which had a bit of fear and concern in them as he moved closer to Gregory. I stuck my hand out, and he slowly met it with his own. "Hi, I'm Forctis, nice to meet you Bart. You'll do great here, I can feel it." Bart saw the sincerity in my eyes and loosened his grip on Gregory just a little, but it was a start. Throughout the following years, Bart and I would study and train together in the church, becoming just as close as brothers would be. He decided to pursue the path of a paladin, truly embracing the ways of Helm more than me. Over the years, he would take Gregory's last name and become his adopted son. I would also become Gregory's adopted son, but I decided to keep my last name in respect to my family. Bart and I would have many stories over the years, and we each grew as a person, but our true adventure would not begin until thirty years after he joined the church, until the cults started their plans once again.
