The morning sun cast a golden light over the quiet town of Serenia as Korran Uldar, the Bull of Serenia, stood at the edge of his former domain. Behind him, the town was silent, its people watching from windows and doorways. No one spoke as Korran adjusted the strap of the weathered pack slung over his shoulder.
The weight of his choice was palpable. For years, he had been the symbol of power in Serenia—a protector, a ruler, and, in some ways, a tyrant. Now, he was leaving it all behind to embark on a journey of self-discovery.
The elderly woman who had spoken on behalf of the town stepped forward, her eyes steady. "Where will you go?"
Korran shrugged, his voice low. "I don't know. Somewhere far from here. Somewhere I can figure out who I am without this." He gestured to his tattoos, the once-bright runes now dull against his dark skin.
She nodded. "Good luck, Korran. Come back when you've found what you're looking for."
With a faint nod, Korran turned and began walking. The dirt road stretched out before him, the horizon glowing with promise.
The journey was harder than Korran expected. For years, he had relied on his strength to define him, to guide him. Now, stripped of his pride and authority, he felt adrift. The road was lonely, the wilderness vast and indifferent.
Each night, as he sat by his campfire, Korran wrestled with his thoughts. The memory of his defeat at the hands of Etreuf and Elliot Graves played on a loop in his mind. He had been invincible, or so he thought, until they showed him the limits of his strength.
"They were more than just strong," he muttered to himself one night, staring into the flickering flames. "They had something I didn't. Something I need to find."
Korran's travels took him to a small village besieged by a band of raiders. The villagers, too scared to fight back, lived in fear of the next attack. Korran saw the parallels to Serenia and decided to act.
Using his strength and cunning, he ambushed the raiders, disarming them without killing. His restraint surprised even himself. The villagers offered him their gratitude, but Korran refused their gifts. "I'm not here to be a hero," he said. "I'm just passing through."
2. The Hermit's Shrine
In the mountains, Korran stumbled upon a shrine tended by an old hermit. The man saw through Korran's gruff exterior and invited him to rest. Over tea, the hermit spoke of balance and purpose.
"Strength is a tool," the hermit said. "But it's not the answer. The real question is: What will you use it for?"
The hermit's words stayed with Korran as he continued his journey, shaping his thoughts on what it meant to be strong.
Weeks into his travels, Korran found himself in a ruined temple, its crumbling walls covered in ancient carvings. At its center was an altar, upon which rested a broken weapon—a massive warhammer split cleanly in two.
The carvings told the story of a warrior who had once wielded the hammer, a man who had been consumed by his lust for power. The warrior's downfall was his inability to see beyond his own strength, and the hammer was shattered as a symbol of his failure.
Korran knelt before the altar, his massive hands resting on the fractured weapon. "I understand now," he whispered. "Strength alone isn't enough. It's what you fight for that matters."
As he stood, a faint glow emanated from his tattoos, as though they acknowledged his realization. It was a small sign, but it gave him hope.
With renewed determination, Korran continued his journey. He vowed to use his strength not to dominate, but to protect and uplift those who could not defend themselves. Each step he took was a step away from the man he had been, and a step closer to the man he wanted to become.
Korran began to seek out people in need, offering his aid without asking for anything in return. His reputation as the Bull of Serenia faded, replaced by whispers of a wandering
Unbeknownst to Korran, his path was destined to intersect with Elliot and Lyssara once more. The forces at play in SAMBALETA were vast and complex, and Korran's journey was but one thread in the grand tapestry of their fate.
As he walked into the horizon, his thoughts turned to Serenia and the people he had left behind. He knew he wasn't ready to return yet, but when the time came, he would return as a man worthy of their trust.
For now, he was content to walk the long road, his heart lighter and his resolve stronger than ever.