Kadrin

A young child peered around the corner towards the entrance of the orphanage. Sister Gladis closed the door carrying a child wrapped in a cloak into the nursery area of the orphanage. Kadrin snuck behind her, he always wanted to meet the orphans in the hope that one would be like him. Kadrin was different from the other orphans, he had red skin with horns and a tail. Sister Gladis had kept him in the attic until he found the ability to hide his features only then did she allow him to join the other children. He waited for Sister Gladis to place the child into a free crib. That's when he saw the tail and odd skin color, this boy was different, he was like him. Sister Gladis noticed him staring.

"Kadrin, you are supposed to be in bed."

"I know…but…he is like me." He stepped closer craning his neck to get a better look.

"He is but you mustn't show your true self to him, he won't understand why you can be with the other children but he can not, okay?"

"What if he can change his appearance too?"

"Then maybe, but for now let him learn his place in the world, as you did."

The months went on and the new orphan, once he was old enough was brought to the attic. He still was too young to communicate so Kadrin left him alone until one day Sister Gladis came to him.

"Kadrin, I want you to meet Rothox. He needs a friend, can you do that for me?"

"Of course!" he could barely contain his excitement.

Sister Gladis let him play with Rothox once every week, but she made sure that Rothox didn't know he was a demonblood too. There were a few times he wanted to say something but he trusted Sister Gladis knew what was best. The years went on and they became friends. One day Kadrin went into the attic to see Rothox but he wasn't there. In a panic, he searched the small upstairs room thinking he was hiding. He didn't find him so he told Sister Gladis. After searching the entire orphanage and the neighboring buildings they gave up. The city of Meirgrand had him now. Kadrin struggled with losing his friend and that he had been abandoned by him, the only other demonblood he had known. He stayed in the orphanage for a few more years until he too left.

Kadrin traveled around Yulandi in search of other demonbloods. He found out quickly how hated they were. Sister Gladis had treated them with respect and as an equal, she had been an exception. Her actions towards the two of them showed Kadrin that she had been protecting him and Rothox from the cruel world. He became jaded and angry at the other races, how they made demonbloods slaves. Kadrin avoided slavery but watched his new friends get forced into it. He made it his goal to make all races free.

One day it happened, not by some grand gesture he had made but because the Emperor passed a law that all races were legal and no longer to be bought and sold as slaves. That day Kadrin dropped his disguise and began to walk around as a free man. However, Kadrin realized it wasn't enough, people were still racial and prejudiced towards him and his fellow kin. He created a new goal; he wanted to bring down the regime, topple the wealthy slave owners and make everyone equal. Even though the Emperor had been the one to sign the law he was still a part of the problem, that's where he would start. During his first year while he was building up a small following was when he birthed the Infernos, took on the nomer 'The Leader' and that's when Ottothal and Vorthas found him.

He smiled at Rothox, "The one and only."

"But…you aren't…?"

"You aren't the only demonblood with the ability to change appearance, I just happened to learn at a young age."

"As nice as this reunion is, we have a mission to complete." Vorthas stepped forward, his body seeming to grow in size and pull the shadows from the setting sun towards him.

"You are correct Vorthas…If you please?" He removed his sword and gestured at the cloak.

"Hold on one second," Trixia said. "I have one more question."

"I told you no more questions."

"Not for you, for him." She pointed to the dockmaster.

Kadrin rolled his eyes, "Fine, not that it matters since you'll be dead."

Trixia stared into the eyes of the dockmaster. "When were you going to tell your son?"

"Excuse me…son?" Kadrin asked.

The dockmaster cleared his throat, "Ahem…yes, Erigos is my son."

"Wow, this really is a reunion. I am intrigued now, so long as Vorthas doesn't get bored."

Vorthas grunted in annoyance but allowed it.

"Please, proceed."

The dockmaster raised his head, looked right at Erigos. "Son…I…I" He struggled, unable to produce the words.

"You've been alive this entire time, and you never once told me." Erigos turned to Trixia. "And you, you knew."

"I did, but he asked me not to say anything, I am sorry Erigos."

"Enough with the apologies. Why, why help these monsters?"

"Whoa, who are you—No actually, that is accurate for one of us," Kadrin glanced at Vorthas, no reaction.

"They promised I could keep one of the artifacts…my whole life I've been searching."

"Did you know it was us, it was me?" Erigos had a tear start to stream down his cheek.

"I—"

"Actually no, don't answer that. Fuck it, I'm done, here." Erigos unstrapped the lightning sword and tossed it onto the dock at the feet of Kadrin.

"Erigos no!" Harim tried to stop him.

"Harim, look around, we are fucked, there is no way out, it's over." A lot of pent-up anger was surfacing in Erigos.

"Listen to your friend, monk, he speaks wisely." Kadrin knelt down and grabbed the sword's hilt, it cracked inside the scabbard tickling in his hand. "Interesting."

Harim sighed deeply. "You can have the artifacts but not Trixia, she stays."

"Ottothal won't be happy…" Vorthas said.

"Someone has to take the fall for the Emperor's assassination, I can't leave without her unless you take her place…Rothox."

Harim stopped and looked at his friend, "What is he saying…you didn't have a part in the assassination did you?"

"I'll do it…take me. Let the others go." Rothox stayed focused on Harim.

"Very well and if you don't mind…the artifacts." Kadrin extended his open hand. The Sect hesitated and the sound of crossbows clicking back and the growl from Vorthas broke their hesitancy. Reluctantly Alissa passed over the staff, Harim handed Kadrin a golden ring and Rothox unclasped the cloak and passed it over.

"It was very impressive you found the remaining artifacts, I will give you that." Kadrin smiled as he stored the items in a bag on his side. They all magically fit into the pocket dimension created in the bag. He turned around and began to walk away. "Coming Rothox, or is Vorthas going to have to make you?"

Rothox bowed his head, took two steps forward before stopping and falling his gaze on Harim. "I had no choice…it was my destiny." Kadrin produced a rope and tied it around Rothox's hands.

"We always have a choice." Harim could see the pain in Rothox's eyes, he had held this from them the entire time. Alissa went to rush past Harim to hug Rothox but he put his arm out and held her back. "Let him go, he made his choice." She started to cry.

Rothox slowly turned away and trudged after Kadrin. Vorthas stared down Harim, sword at the ready as he backed away. Before turning around he looked at the Erigos' father. "Kill them." He laughed demonically and then turned around.

Erigos' father made no signal to fire, he held his hand up at the ready but he couldn't release it.

One of the other captains did it for him, "If you won't, I will...Fire!" Trixia reactively summoned a shield to block the bolts from the one side, Ergios held his shield up and Harim fell into a defensive position. Julius began to whisper a spell.

"Wait!" Erigos' father yelled but it was too late, the crossbows fired and the bolts sailed across the docks.

Before they reached them, for Alissa, it felt as if time slowed as she felt a power surge from within her. She pulled her hands up taking the water on each side with them, just as the first bolts clanged off Erigos' shield and the remaining arrows were either swallowed by the large wall of water she was controlling around them or harmless bounced off their personal protection. The free-standing waves circled them, encasing them in a salty wet shield. Alissa held her hands out focusing on maintaining the spell.

"What now?" She asked above the roar of the water.