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Callum arrived far to late in Viren's study to save Ezran. He saw the Elf girl vomiting in a corner, his brother dead on the rich carpet, blood pooling from a neat slash to his throat. The assassin was shaking and seemed in shock. Callum lost him self there, flying into a frenzy trying to bludgeon her to death with his sketch book. Of course he never stood a chance. Being attacked brought the assassin to her senses and she swiftly retreated leaving behind her swords.
Callum howled and cried over Ezran's body that day. The guards who found him, reported that he had barely sounded human, that his rage had shaken them to their bones.
Callum later found out 5 more assassin had gone after Harrow, his step-father. they failed. Harrow lived and when Harrow found out about Ezran's death.... his anguish eclipsed even Callum's.
It would have been war, right then and there, if not for Viren. The High Mage had seen what Harrow and Callum had become and he realized this course would destroy Katolis. So he produced the Egg of the Dragons Prince and summoned forth the council to stop Harrow. Amaya was just as angry as Harrow and the debate over what to do had raged for days. Harrow soon went to mourn his son. he refused to see anyone for five days and when he came back, He declared that in his dreams Sarai and Ezran had come to him and convinced him to not seek war against the Elves. He would seek peace instead.
Some how... Harrow pulled it off. Xadia had stood up and taken notice of the Humans. They had struck down the Dragon King and were seen as equals to Xadia, a war would destroy both. So when the King who had lost his son, instead returned the Dragon Queen's son unharmed, The right people on both sides took notice and peace. It took years but it happened.
Soon enough trade was established and the hostility began to thaw out.
Not for Callum though. He never endangered the peace, he didn't hate all elves or even Xadia. No, he focused his hate for the one assassin to escape. She had to pay.
He learned from Claudia and Viren and became a powerful Dark mage in his own right. He created a new spell just for this assassin, one so vile that he vowed that only two creatures would ever feel the effects.
The banther which he had used it on in self defense and the Assassin girl. The spell would cause it's target to flay itself, the skin ripping away, the muscle tearing loose one fiber at a time and the bones cracking into dust. It was a gory abomination of Magic. For an assassin, it was Karma, just desserts for a life of Murder.
Callum had been looking for his assassin the moment He was able to establish contacts in Xadia. He followed up every rumor and carefully examined every possible target. He had to be sure. He would not kill an innocent person by accident or misinformation. His efforts paid off. The assassin had taken up a small cottage in the wilds of the Moon Glades. Territory belonging to the Moonshadow elves, though this cottage was perfectly isolated. No one to interfere, no one to play hero and save the assassin, no one to report that a human had killed an elf in such a horrible way.
He gathered his things and went there immediately, taking with him his Bladed Staff. Callum had surprised Soren with his eagerness to learn how to fight properly, he even beat the Captain of the Crownsguard from time to time. Callum knew he couldn't rely on magic alone against such a foe, so he devoted time enough to become a decent fighter, then he combined it with his dark magic. Spear-Staff and Sorcery. It was a potent combination.
Callum soon found the cottage, and the dark thoughts of revenge crowded into his mind, they distracted Him. He wasn't paying attention and this nearly cost him his head. the Assassin had known he was coming, she had her own contacts. When she struck it was from behind, aimed straight at his head. It should have been enough to take him down.
But Callum wasn't a fool, and his own reflexes kicked in to block the blow. It wasn't perfect and She had Callum on the back foot but Assassins work best from the shadows. In a straight up fight, they tend to lose. She was skilled no doubt, but Callum had chosen a bladed staff for a reason.
It kept her at a distance
Callum could channel his dark magic through the staff while still fighting her. Every blow she blocked cost her strength and stamina, and Callum moved closer to the cottage and away from trees. This cost Her mobility, She couldn't bounce through trees to get behind Him and the dark magic ate away at Her. Her arms became leaden, her feet like cement blocks. Each cut she took made the effects drastically worse.
All Callum had to do was wait and keep kiting Her and She knew it. Despite this she was determined to keep him away from the cottage for some reason. It didnt matter though, soon her marvelous body gave out and she fell. A dark feeling of victory coursed through Callum's body, it was time to enact his revenge. He slapped away her swords and moved closer. She couldn't even move a leg to kick at him, so tired she was. Her breathing came in heavy, Her chest rising and falling rapidly. She could only glare at Him.
Callum pulled out her Switch Swords, the weapons she had used to kill Ezran. The recognition was instantaneous. He dropped them at her feet, His spear at Her throat. A strange look came over her eyes. Guilt.
Guilt and Acceptance. She moved her head back as far as She could, giving Callum her throat. She closed her eyes and waited for him to take his revenge.
Oh but it wont be so quick for you, Callum had thought, You will Suffer like no other. He was going to start his chant, to inflict on Her this most horrible of spells, when something caught his eye. Peeking out of the cottage where little children. 5 little kids, no more then ... 7-10 years old. Elves and Human. They stared at him, Terror in their eyes. Something in him broke at that moment. Callum looked to her new swords and realized the edges were dull. They could hurt certainly, but these were not the weapons of a killer. He had to ask.
"Why do you have Children? Why are your weapons dull? You are a murderer, you Killed my Brother, my family." He growled at her, and she replied "I-I'm sorry, I did a terrible thing to you, that day i realized that i was never meant to be an assassin. I realized it far too late. It's no excuse and i cannot give back a life, j-just take mine and leave the children alone, Please!"
"Whose are they?" Callum asked,
"Orphans, I took them in, when they had no one," She said, Adult fear plain to see in her eyes, she was growing increasingly concerned Callum was going to kill her children.
But no. Callum would not harm Children. He would never harm a child. He thought long and hard for a moment. Within him raged two sides: One dark and lusting for revenge and the Other.... the Other was the young man Callum use to be. That Ezran would have wanted him to be. He had to chose and choose He did.
Callum raised his spear and the assassin looked aside bracing for the blow, the children gasp in fear. Only for Callum to throw the weapon aside.
He held out a hand to the Assass- no, the Woman, and helped her stand. "Why? " she asked, and Callum said this: "If my father and Xadia can over come their hate, and make peace with each other, Then I... I should be able to Forgive you. In time."
"I'm Callum," He said, "what is your Name?"
"Rayla"
With that the Cycle of Revenge was broken. Time heals all wounds, or so they say. Though One must make the choice to let those wounds heal.