In the remote and desolate town of Darkbrook, nestled deep within the heart of the continent of Kelt, lived a young girl named Zerina Oktash. Darkbrook was an isolated settlement, surrounded by dense, ancient forests that seemed to whisper secrets to those who dared to listen. The townsfolk were few and far between, and the village had a sinister reputation, for it was home to a cult that worshipped a blood god named Ok'Tash.
Zerina's parents, Malor and Thessa, were devout followers of Ok'Tash. They were feared and shunned by the few villagers who dared to remain in Darkbrook. The cult was known for its dark rituals and blood sacrifices, which they performed deep within the shadowy woods. Zerina, born into this life of horror, and knew no other existence.
From a young age, Zerina was subjected to the twisted teachings and harsh tortures of the cult. Her parents spoke of Ok'Tash in hushed, reverent tones, describing him as a deity of immense power, capable of plunging entire lands into darkness. They believed that through blood, they could summon his essence and bring about a new age of terror and domination.
As Zerina grew older, she began to sense that her fate was not her own. She often overheard her parents speaking in cryptic whispers about a prophecy, one that foretold the coming of a vessel, a pure soul that would become the new host for Ok'Tash. It wasn't long before Zerina realized that she was that vessel. The knowledge of her impending doom filled Zerina with dread. She couldn't bear the thought of becoming a pawn in the cult's malevolent plans. Her parents' cruelty and the cult's heinous practices had already scarred her deeply. She knew she had to escape, to flee from the darkness that threatened to consume her. Flee from the torture from her parents, locking her within a small box with tiny holes. They would use these tiny holes and guides for the thin, long and very sharp needles that would prod and poke the poor young woman. Small pin pricks on her skin that would ooze with blood. The flooring of this cage was grooved for the blood to pool and pour from slots on the bottom. Her parents would use this blood for their heinous rituals. Bathing within the blood of the pure soul.
One night, as the cult prepared for their grand ritual,the summoning of Ok'Tash himself, Zerina would finally see a chance for her escape. She had never once disobeyed her parents, always going along with their demands for fear of the repercussions that would follow. The one and only time she did disobey they had ripped her toenails from her feet. She knew disobediance would come with severe pain. The forest was alive with the eerie glow of torches, and the air was thick with the stench of blood. With her heart pounding in her chest, as one of the cultist's came to unlock her from her cage, Zollis, was his name, and he come to let her walk by his side instead of dragging her when he first started unlocking her from her cage. The end of a needle had broken the last time she was subjected to such torture, her parents had not noticed. It was small only a few inches long, but it was sharp and deadly in one so desperate as her, She let the need slide into her hand before taking a deep breath and then stabbing, her untrained aim pierced and tore into the soft flesh of the man's neck, she ripped it free and continued her relentless assault. Blood gurgled from Zollis's throat as he tried to call out. She felt no pity watching the man clutch at his throat trying to stem his precious life blood from leaking onto the rotting ground beneath him. She turned then and ran into the forest, the trees loomed like twisted sentinels, their branches clawing at the sky and at her, scratching her face and exposed legs and arms. Zerina ran with all her might, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She could hear the cultists chanting in the distance, their voices growing louder and more frenzied. Panic gripped her, but she pressed on, determined to escape. She did not hear the chanting stop. She did not hear the scream of one of the Cultist's who found the body of Zollis.
As she ran, Zerina stumbled upon a hidden path, barely visible beneath the underbrush. It led her to an ancient, crumbling ruin, with large grave stones overgrown with vines and moss scattered around it's step. She hesitated for a moment, but the sound of, or lack thereof of the cultist,she knew the body had been found and they would be in pursuit. She pushed open the heavy, decaying door and slipped inside.The interior of the ruin was cold and dark, the air heavy with the scent of decay. Zerina felt a chill run down her spine as she ventured deeper into the labyrinthine corridors. Shadows danced on the walls, and the distant echoes of her footsteps seemed to mock her.
In the heart of the ruin, Zerina discovered a hidden chamber. Its walls were adorned with strange, ancient symbols depicting Kinarugi, though she did not know who that was, not yet, and at its center lay a stone altar. She felt an overwhelming sense of dread, but also a strange sense of familiarity. It was as if the chamber called to her, offering both refuge and danger.Desperation drove Zerina to the altar, where she knelt and whispered a prayer, not to Ok'Tash, but to any force that might hear her plea for salvation. As she prayed, a faint, flickering light began to emanate from the symbols on the walls. The room grew warmer, and the oppressive darkness seemed to lift, if only slightly.
Just then, the cultists burst into the chamber, Zerina felt a surge of energy. Something had seen her and answered her prayers. The light from the symbols intensified, blinding her pursuers. They cried out in pain as the light seemed rip their sight from them, permanently. She seized the moment and fled once more, the power of the god who watched over this ancient ruin giving her strength and speed. With the cultists left behind, Zerina emerged from the forest, battered but free. She vowed to never return to Darkbrook, or Kelt, to never be bound by the chains of her past. She would forge her own path, far from the shadows of Kelt and the malevolent grasp of Ok'Tash.
And so, Zerina did just that, she had found her way to a port city. She watched from the shadows as various ships came in and out of port. She waiting until the cover of darkness to make her move, to sneak aboard one of the merchant vessels. She knew not where it was to go, but she knew it was far from the horrors of her past.
It did not take long when the sun's rays streteched out over the port city before the ship began to set sail, the rocking of the ship made Zerina's stomach toss and turn and she would have vomitted if she had eaten any food or drank any water. It did not take long for the ship to arrive in Edana, Zerina had kept her secrecy upon the ship the entire journey, sneaking out at night stealing some food and water here and there. She waited until the merchants and crew had left the ship to unload and proceed with their dealings before she snuck off the ship. She was free.
She had only been within the town a week before she met a man. Alistair was his name. He treated her with a kindness that was unknown to her. He took her in and gave her clothing and food, he spoke to her as if she was person, someone that actually mattered. Soon he began to teach her of the ways of Kinarugi, the ways of life and death and the cycle. She grew to call him Master, out of respect more than ownership. She has found purpose in life. One she never thought she would know.