Rapidly drumming her fingers upon the the railing of the ship. She took a deep breath. Today they would be sailing back home. To the small continent of Wustroth. Wustroth is half cover with plains and half covered in forest. Within such forest resides their destination of the elven kingdom of Arivae.
Kalyssa looked to the waters and sighed. "Back home we go, I guess." She looked to the one that was charged to make sure she didn't pull anymore stunts.
"You know you don't have to be near me the whole time to watch me. I mean think about it Thokk. Where am I going when out in the middle of the sea." She gestured her hands to the open water. Thokk turned to her and said "Sorry Lissa. Your father said to do this. And I cant go against his orders."
"Kalyssa. You know I mean well." A slender elf with long black hair and a fancy robe approached with a walking stick in one hand and using the other to dismiss Thokk. "Join Thia. She has some food waiting for you." Thokk smiled and with a quick bow, he headed off.
Kalyssa grumbles and looks back out to sea. "So when were you going to tell me the truth about my mother." He sighs and put a hand on the railing. "Your mother and I believed that keeping her location and what really had happened a secret to prevent you from going out for revenge which had not worked out well. The story behind what was told to you in the tower was true. But there were many things that happened that day. We were once a band of six." He took a deep breath and stared again.
"Many years ago. Grug, Alister, and Seraphina set out to search for a solution to a problem that consist of recent excavations within a small mining town. Where they stopped to rest at a tavern. Where they had found me. I was happily drinking with a great companion of mine by the name of Alaunius. He was a weird fellow of faith. He told me that he served the goddesses of this entire realm. And that all were bound to him. He claimed that they all claimed him as their mate. Wild as that story may be. It was true. Although That story is for another time. I must tell you the day I watched him die. It all starts three weeks before then." He sighed then spoke again.
"Alaunius and I were hired by the three. Your mother and them to traverse and investigate an ancient ruins. Alister's knowledge of the arcane was somewhat limited. So they needed knowledge of faith and knowledge of the old gods. We still need the old gods after they recruited us. As we were traversing a dark woods we came upon a small hut. Within said hut lived a young lady by the name of Alannah." Sudden flare of anger and disgust came from Kalyssa. Though hating the thought of her. She continued to listen. "Alaunius took a liking to her and she at first hated the attention of a male. At the same time your mother and I became closer and naturally we fell in love. Alaunius could see the good within Alannah. No matter how small it was. We came upon a clearing where we were suddenly attacked by seven giant wolven creatures. We fended off several when one went after Alannah striking for her neck."
This caught Kalyssa's interest. "Alaunius leaped in front of her and the wolvens fangs bit deep into his shoulder. Stoic my friend was he reached up and gripped the monster by his lower and upper jaw and with great strength he tore it apart."
A flash back came to her mind of the little goblin who jumped in front of her and handled the ice devils back near the castle. "Like Gar." With a whisper. She smiled then a pained look returned to her face. Where was her friend? It broke her heart to know she couldn't find him now.
"Little while after that..." He continued. "The party was split to cover ground. Grog, Seraphina, and Alister went down the left passage. While Alannah, Alaunius, and I went right. There we met with Joyrot. Alannah then revealed her patron was indeed him. Joyrot demanded she leave with him and when Alaunius fought hard to stop her. She struck him with an unknown force to his abdomen. The force erupted through the cavern and rock started to fall caving in the area between him and I. I tried to rush forward. Alaunius threw up a wall of light and blocked my path. Through immense pain he shouted for me to run and live." Her father took a deep breath and said. "I saw the pain in his eyes the defeat. The betrayal of one he called his light. And the hurt he may have caused to the goddesses he also loved so much. During my attempt to escape rocks fell and injured my leg permanently. My life was spared by Bahamut. When he delivered your mother to my rescue."
Her father drew a symbolic necklace from his robes and showed it Kalyssa. "Everyday i dreaded not being able to save him. Until the day Joyrot then took my light from me as well. Your mother fixed this broken man. And brought me you. You were only a newborn when your mother went to fend off Joyrot. Which lead to leaving his trump card frozen in the tower. She sacrificed her life to make sure you would live. It may be the reason i kept you so sheltered and told you never to leave the woods."
"Father. I don't blame you for keeping her secret. Yeah! Im shocked and flustered by it all. Maybe leaving was a bad idea. Perhaps someone I care about would of been safe." Her eyes started to well up and she leaned onto her father's shoulder.
"He will be my child. We will ask your mother to watch over him when we arrive at home." Her father sighed and looked out to sea.
He was about to speak again till a voice rang out from the crows nest. "Lord Zackereth! A ship approaching! Just off starboard bow!"
Zackereth with his walking stick rushed to the right side of the ship and looked out. Sure enough a ship was indeed approaching. Kalyssa right behind him spotted something weird. She squinted then ran over to the telescope and looked out then gasped loudly. Near the wheel of the other ship, holding the hand of a robed female. Was Gar....