About brent brentBackstory:
Klonett was born in a metropolis city into a middle class family of Artisans. During this time unfortunately a war ravaged the city and the surrounding area. Klonett often had strife with military officials and was often arrested for petty crimes. His parents were not much of a influence in his life as they were artisans they were very busy with their work and neglected attention to their only son. In this way, he grew up without a paternal figure. He went out into the streets one day, and stole a handful of coins from a passing guard who in turn chased him down and cornered him. He beat Klonett almost senseless, but someone stayed his hand. A Pariah in a Inquisitorial order happened to notice this spectacle and rescued him. This Pariah took him in this order and introduced him to the deity Gerana of Justice and Valor. Klonett started to revere this god as the perfect human and strive to live within his teachings. However he also took it to another level, he would often chastise and brutally assault those who he felt dishonored or insulted this deity. The Pariah took notice of this and introduced him at the tender age of 15 to the order, he quickly rose through the ranks to a Temple Detective. He became ruthless in his search of those who were weak in faith and condemned them to a mortal damnation. He even condemned his own parents in the name of Gerana. All of this took a turn however when the Pariah was revealed by his cohort in the order to be practicing political assassinations to further his own agenda. Klonett was engulfed in rage at the betrayal of the person he had followed and chastised himself for listening to his teachings. The Pariah was sentenced to execution and Klonett grimly attended this execution. Soon he wanted to rid himself of this atmosphere and asked the Order if he could pursue the Order's agenda else wheres, the Order after much consideration happily agreed and with a sigh of relief that the pious Temple Detective would no longer be around to look over their shoulders. Witch
Thereafter the four were nigh inseparable, becoming a regular sight around the village for several years. In this time Senris came to see the other 3 children as the siblings he'd never had, and he was never happier than when he was able to witness Eugene and Claire get married. Just like many others, he'd seen it coming from a mile away, even taken action a few times to provide a nudge to their relationship. True, he was a bit sad that they didn't spend as much time together anymore, but he understood. They had their own lives now, and he had his own studies to attend to. However, when he was 16 his life was put on hold. Senris and Oblib had joined Claire and Eugene in taking the orphans that Claire had helped care for out on a picnic. Everything was going smoothly, with Oblib and Eugene entertaining the children with stories and antics while Senris helped Claire set food out for everyone. It was a nice warm day, with a shining sun and a light breeze. Perfect for a day outside. But throughout the setup Senris couldn't shake a sense of uneasiness. He didn't realize what it was until the setup was almost complete. There were no birds. On a day like this birdsong should have been easy to hear, even over the children's ruckus. Then, as Senris opened his mouth to remark upon the oddity, a horn blast echoed out from the village. A sound that every child learned to recognize and fear. It signaled an orc attack. Senris could feel himself trembling, but ignored it and began gathering up the supplies, until Claire snapped at him to leave the things and help gather the children. Embarrassed by his panic, Senris meekly followed her order and started getting the children to head back toward the village. Soon, the children were well on their way and the four friends were running after them. It looked like they were going to make it until Claire tripped. Eugene immediately stopped to help his wife back up and Senris paused to glance behind them. The sight made his blood run cold. Senris wasn't sure how many orcs counted as a 'large' group, but there were certainly enough of them to kill 4 teenagers. Senris glanced at Eugene and Claire, then back towards the children, with Oblib hurrying them onwards. He only saw one way to help his friends. When Eugene and Claire were standing he gently pushed them toward the village and told them to go, that he'd use a trick he'd learned to buy some time. He could see in Eugene's eyes that he knew what Senris was doing, but Claire came first. For both of them. So he nodded and took Claire back to the village. Senris only had seconds to regret his decision before the orcs were upon him, and then everything went black. Senris woke up alone in a small room, his ankles and wrists bound together so tight they chafed from every movement. So. He'd been captured. Senris accepted this calmly. Whether because he was in shock from his capture or because he'd been raised to be aware of the possibility he wasn't sure, but he did know his duty. Unlike most in the town, he'd kept his hopeknife in his pocket where it was easier for him to grab for comfort. But now he palmed the blade for a different reason. Unsheathing it, he held the knife up to his throat as he'd been taught. If he didn't do it, he'd be tortured and interrogated before being brutally murdered. This was the way out. The honorable thing to do, to ensure that he didn't betray Trunau. He sat there for a minute, his hand shaking, before he let out a sob and dropped the blade. He couldn't do it. He feared what the orcs would do, but he feared death more. So he sat there, in the dark, waiting for his captors to come. He didn't have to wait long, as shortly thereafter the door opened to reveal three orcs. While two of them looked like standard orc warriors from the pictures he'd seen, the middle one was different. He wore a grotesque mask and was smaller than the other two. Oddly enough, while Senris was nervous about the warriors, it was this elderly, hunched orc that truly terrified him. Something about the mask spoke of things that he wasn't equipped to comprehend and sent shivers of disgust down his spine. The elder orc, spotting the knife on the ground, let out a guttural bark and one of the warriors scrambled to pick it up, tucking it away in his belt. Once this was done the elder orc looked back at Senris, gazing at him until he began to fidget apprehensively. Then the orc nodded and said something to the other two before hanging another mask on the door and leaving. As soon as he was gone, the two warriors grabbed Senris roughly, yanking on his bonds and hanging him from a nail on the wall, his feet just a few inches off the ground. Then, as he hung there, helplessly staring at the demonic mask on the door, the orcs tore off his shirt and started their work. And Senris began to scream. The sessions were impossible to predict. The sealed room that was his prison allowed no sunlight, making it impossible to keep track of the passage of time. Sometimes they'd come when he was only halfway through a meal, other times he'd be woken up and hung on the wall for the work to be done. Senris tried to avoid thinking of it as torture. It made it easier to take, like they didn't know he was being hurt or something. It didn't make sense, but it helped and that was all Senris cared about. As time stretched on Senris came to realize that it wouldn't end. They would just continue, on and on until he died from old age or disease. While at first Senris had searched for a reason for the cuts they made, the bones they broke and burns they submitted him to. But there wasn't one. It wasn't for joy, as the orcs never so much as smiled. Not for a ritual, as there was no consistency to it, neither in length or timing. They never spoke, let alone interrogated him. All that existed was pain and despair. But one day, Senris simply...stopped. He stopped caring about the pain, or the dark or the flames. He still felt them, but they didn't matter. It was so simple in the end. Senris was the one they hurt, the one who was trapped and tortured. The one who needed reason and ration. So he stopped being Senris. He was nothing but a body, just a pile of flesh to be cut and burned. And, in the void of his mind, Senris discovered that he'd begun losing his sanity. As he stared at the mask on the wall he heard whispers and slithering shadows. They spoke to him from within the mask, telling him of survival. It was odd, in a way. He, or rather Senris, would have expected it to speak of pain and suffering, but instead it told him to live and endure. On this day, as the orcs cut into him as always, they finally showed an expression. They showed fear as their prisoner began to laugh with a knife hilt-deep in his ribs. The sessions stopped for a while after that. But he didn't mind. They'd return. For they were the ones that brought pain. And pain was the one constant. He didn't know how long he remained there, but one day after one of his sessions ended the mask spoke to him again. It told him to leave, that it was time to go home. The body barely understood this. What was home? It seemed like something Senris knew. But the mask did not lie, so he did not question it. Instead he stood up, took the mask and put it on, and knocked on the door. Silence answered him for a moment, before it slowly opened to show the face of a guard. As shock spread across its face, the Body reached out and touched the orc. At his will, the orc burst into flames and fell to the ground, rolling and clawing at itself. Calmly, Senris stepped over the orc and walked outside the building he had been imprisoned in. Involuntarily he cried out as the light stung his eyes and he covered them instinctively. When his eyes had acclimated to the light he looked around, finding himself in the middle of an orc village and surrounded by warriors with various weapons pointed at him. He gazed back at them impassively, noting their uneasiness. Perhaps they were concerned about his mask? How...amusing, he thought the word was. It had been too long for him to be sure. When he was about to take action again he heard a shout. It was the elderly orc. the masked orc had visited him occasionally during his torture, but always stood back as if simply observing the torturers' progress. But now he walked before the warriors and spoke in the orc's rough language until they stepped back and lowered their weapons. Senris wasn't sure what was happening, not having had much opportunity to learn their language, but gathered that the elderly orc was defending him for some reason. Then another orc stepped forward. It was obvious at a glance that this one, clad in skins and bearing a spear made of good steel, was the tribe's chieftain. He roared at the elderly orc, gesturing at Senris only for the elderly orc to reply calmly. The two continued until the elderly orc made a statement that sent murmuring through the orc ranks. The chieftain glared at the elder orc for a moment before roaring something toward the back of the crowd of orcs. Shortly, an orc that looked no older than Senris himself stepped forth. The chieftain stepped over to him and placed meaty hand on the youth's shoulder, speaking quietly. Almost like...Senris blinked. Was that the chieftain’s son? He supposed they had a...certain resemblance. He was broken out of his musing by the elderly orc, who handed him an ornate knife and nodded toward the young orc before stepping back. The two apparent combatants stepped forward and the battle began. The orc feinted and stabbed, weaved and slashed. He was clearly a trained fighter and it was all Senris could do to avoid the flashing knife. Soon, he was at the edge of the circle and being pushed back inside toward the chief's son, who had a gleam in his eyes and was lunging forward in a straight stab. Senris was about to try and dodge again when he realized his mistake. He was fighting like Senris would. But Senris couldn't have survived the torture and he couldn't survive this. Not being afraid of the pain as he was. He had to fight his way. As just a body. Planting a foot, he stood up straight as the knife slid into his shoulder. The pain was almost pitiful compared to what he'd endured in the sunless room and he grabbed his opponent's wrist. Then, looking him in the eyes and seeing the fear that lay there, Senris slashed once and the fight was over. He watched the corpse fall until he heard a cry of anguish. Looking up he saw the chieftain fall to his knees. There was a moment of silence, and then the chieftain spoke a short phrase. As the gathered orcs began to surge toward him again the elderly orc barked something that made them stop. The chieftain looked up and, after giving Senris the purest look of hatred he'd ever seen, spoke again and kneeled over his son's body. The elderly orc looked at Senris for a moment, nodded, and walked away. Looking around, Senris noticed that the orcs were backing up. So he made his way out of the village, binding his wound with a scrap of cloth. A few weeks later, he returned to Trunau. His return caused quite a bit of excitement in the town when the watchmen saw a wounded masked man dressed in tattered rags stumble up to the gates before collapsing. After checking the area for signs of an ambush, he was brought inside and given medical treatment. When the mask was removed however, the doctors couldn't believe their eyes. He was older of course, it had been 3 years after all, but they still recognized the boy who had played in the streets with his friends. Rushing outside to the waiting authorities and announced the miracle that had occurred. Senris had survived his capture and returned, after nearly 3 years gone. The news spread like wildfire through the town and when Senris awoke, his parents were there, waiting tearfully. Senris cried out when they rushed to him, freezing in shock when they hugged him. He sat there stiffly, not sure how to react. They were his parents. He was back. But...what now? After a few moments of tears and hugging Senris' parents drew back, confused at his lack of a response. But he had no answer for them. Before they could continue Eugene burst into the room, gasping for air. Senris blinked at the sight of his old friend. Eugene had grown during Senris' absence and was now a man, though he looked a bit flustered at the moment. Then Eugene grabbed his shoulders and asked him if he knew where Claire was. Senris shook his head, not understanding. He'd only just woken up, how could he know where she was. Seeing his confusion Eugene sank to the ground, whispering that Claire had been taken a year earlier. Senris wasn't sure how to respond, but Eugene was his friend. So he spoke honestly. "I'm...sorry Eugene. You know she was a sister to me, so understand when I say that...for her sake, I hope she's dead." He didn't understand the horrified looks on his parents' and Eugene's faces. Could they not see what he'd become there? Did they want Claire to be the same? Senris abruptly felt an emotion he had thought he'd discarded years ago. Anger. How could they look at him like that? Why did they look at him like he was another person? They'd expected to get Senris back, but he was gone. Shattered by the horrors inflicted by the orcs. Now he was just...a body called Senris. Nobody spoke until the healers came back and took his visitors out of the room. As soon as they were gone Senris stood up and removed the clothes he'd been dressed in and looked down at himself. Not a single inch lay unblemished. Scars criss-crossed all over his body except where the flesh had been burned away and healed, leaving reddish-pink blotches. Not even his body looked the way it had. He was just a cracked egg shell that had it's yolk scooped out. It was several weeks before Senris was allowed to return to his parents' home with orders to rest. The whole way they barely looked at him. They touched him like he would break if they weren't careful. It was laughable to Senris. After what he'd survived, did they think they would hurt him? Pain was nothing to fear. It had revealed so many things to him about the world and himself. When they reached the house his parents situated him in his old room and left him to acquaint himself with it. It was strange. And dark. Then Senris was back in his cell, alone in the dark with the fear and pain. He cried out at the shift and fell to the ground, curling up to ward off the putrid smells of healing cuts and burns until he felt a touch on his shoulder. Lashing out, he struck blindly before realizing that it was his father and he was still in his room. For a moment he saw fear in his father's eyes before it gave way to something else. Senris wasn't sure, but he thought it might be...pity. After that he was moved to the storage room and given a bauble enchanted to give off light. It made it easier, but the closed space still made him feel trapped. And yet he couldn't bring himself to leave it. He stayed in the room, staring at the mask for weeks before his parents insisted he leave, that the town had a surprise for him. Upon leaving the house he found Sera, the town blacksmith with a small bundle for him. Opening it, Senris felt sick. It was a hopeknife, to replace the one he'd lost. It was like a slap in the face, a reminder of his cowardice. He couldn't bring himself to look up, knowing that if he did everyone would see his emotions. It was a gift, not meant to be an insult. So he just nodded, murmured brief thanks and ran to his old room. He needed the memories. The pain and fear. It made more sense and grounded him, gave him something to stand on that was more tenuous than...this place. Senris considered leaving the hopeknife there and forgetting it, but in the end he didn't. It was a physical representation of his pain, and he might need it. Senris remained a recluse for many months, rarely seen by anyone other than his parents. Then one day he left the house, stood on the wall looking out over the valley, and as the watchmen pleaded with him not to do something stupid, he remembered. He remembered his entire imprisonment, all of the things he'd endured and survived. Finally he remembered how he'd escaped. Odd as it may be, he had never thought much of setting the orc on fire with a touch. It had seemed natural at the time, that the world conform itself to his vision. But now he realized the truth of it. He'd used magic. Magic that had been unlocked using pain as its conduit. He wasn't sure where the knowledge had come from. In his madness he'd thought it was the mask, but now he thought it was just another conduit for something else. What it was he couldn't say, but it had helped him live and escape. Senris felt the need to understand. What had they done to him? Why had that elderly orc chosen him for it? What was he now? Senris had spent enough time in the dark, held back by fear and pain. Now he would use the pain to learn more about the secrets of his magic. It was time for him to remember who he was, that he was more than a body. He was Senris Terell, and he had a lot of time to make up for.
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