Seraphim - Born of Flames

[LoupGaroux]

Reminiscence

The chair in the headquarters creaked slightly as Seraphine sat in front of the burning hearth of home. The past few weeks have kept her preoccupied, but it was the previous days that had her sitting in that chair and reflecting on matters, matters that often brought her back to her past. Family was a frequently used word of late. A word she had not used herself since she had joined the Sisterhood of the Pure Flame. Though becoming part of that family was no simple task either.

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She had undergone so many trials, trials by fire. Only seven years of age when she walked through those marble halls, seeking amnesty from her father who was a cruel man with a heavy fist. His wife was no saint herself, looking at her for the bastard child she was. Her eldest brother was away on mission, having joined the Order of the Phoenix when he turned fifteen she could not go to him and her youngest, was just as wicked as father.

Amnesty. It came with pain, but with pain came endurance. Seven years of age, and her first task to endure the flames of the Firelord. She was frightened even then, but the words rang in her mind as she stood on the large rock with her tome in hand.

"Have faith in our lord child. If you do not, then he will consume you, but show you trust him to care for you as you would for his flames and you will be rewarded. Endure, Trust, Acception"

And so she stood there, as the Elders called upon Kossuths flames, the stone and grounds around her began to burn with the fiercest of flames. Tears welled up in the childs eyes, but she did not move. She gave in to the pain, blisters forming slowly upon her skin, her dress becoming singed and her hair slowly curling up as it burned away. Still she did not move, she accepted what was to come. Be it death or embrace of the Fire Lord. As the flames died down once more she stood there frozen, her skin burned and peeling away in several places. The pain was clear on her young expression, but she survived and passed her first trial by fire. The elders removed her from the stone, and despite her soft cry from the pain of movement, she woke days later to find herself without a single blemish from the ordeal




The door opened to her right, and Seraphine once more jolted from her thoughts rose with an expressionless stare. Duty called again, and her role required discipline and focus. That is what her family would get from her.

[LoupGaroux]

The Father

It was quiet in the Vardo's Headquarters. Everyone had gone to bed or gone about their business. Seraphine sat in her usual chair by the hearth, thinking of recent occurances with a frown. She was not herself, she felt weak and out of control of her own actions. A deep breath taken in, she closes her eyes as memories flood over her of another event in her life surrounding rituals of dark intent


The small girl with red hair peeked through the railing of the staircase. She was no more than five years of age as she watched her eldest brother undergo training with father. Father was always shouting, and his belt guaranteed a sharp sting if he felt it deserving. They were undergoing a summoning rite, a minor one from what she could hear. She'd only seen an imp once, but that was a pet of a red mage.

"No boy! That is wrong! How many times have I told you, when you create the circle, you MUST ensure that it cannot take control of the situation. Now, when summong a hellion, what is required. Speak!"

"S..sorry father. C..cold Iron?"

"Correct. One simple mistake, one simple reagent left out can cause complete failure. The cold iron hurts hellion blooded, so it creates a barrier disallowing it to flee or use its tricks against us. It creates a protective dome so to speak. Do you understand? Are you listening boy?!"

She cringed every time his voice raised. The boy no more than twelve did all he could not to cry himself. As the lesson ended, she fled back to her room in the attic before she was spotted, only to find her brother that very night standing over her while she slept. She started awake, but he covered her mouth before she could scream. A look of determination in his eyes as he spoke softly to her.

"Come away with me little one. I am leaving this place. I have no desire to become a mage, he knows this but presses it upon me. We'll be safer where I'm going, and he'll have no power over us ever again."

But she was too frightened. What could two children do against such a powerful man such as their father. He would catch them, and the consequences are what terrified her to shake her head and decline. He begged but she only refused more adamantly. He vowed he would come back for her, then rushed off into the shadows. It would be years before she ever saw him again, and she wept that night knowing the only good thing in her life was gone.




Seraphine woke with a start, unaware she had fallen asleep in the chair. She frowned deeply, rubbing her brow mumbling low under her breath...


"Damnable Mages....."

[LoupGaroux]

Sacrifice

The night was long, and it dragged into the early stretch of morning. So much yet to do and so much ground to cover. She sat by the hearth in her usual seat, sipping wine while writing the letters to loss to families. So many sacrifices for family, one she always accepted no matter the cost when it came to her own well being. So many she had made as well and yet none would ever know what she had given up.



It was a year ago when Seraphine had asked to leave the family to deal with personal matters. The Vadims running things during that time. She had received word that someone looking very much like her was causing greif in Hazlan. Of course she had to investigate and remove the problem. Her first thoughts were a doppleganger, until she arrived to see not that, but her youngest brother. His eyes were filled with madness, no doubt from the power that their father had driven him to seek.


"Hello little brother. Up to no good I see."

"You! You are supposed to be dead. Father was accused for your disappearance and met with no end of trouble because of it"

"So sorry to disappoint, but do you really think I would concern myself over a man who cared nothing for me? You however, are causing a lot of trouble, and you know I can't allow that." 

Her tone was calm, as were her movements as she slowly approached him.

"Oh? And just how do you intend to stop me sister? By showing me the love of kossuth as a Sister of the Pure Flame? You are weak, but you have always been weak because you are a bastard, motherless girl who joined a monastary cause she could not command the true flames of Kossuth!"

He cackled madly as she embraced him as a sister would a brother, yet there was no love in her eyes as she held him.

"Oh, my sweet Victor. That was simply the wrong thing to say to me. Your mother took mine from me, now I will take something from your mother and father"

Without hesitation, she cupped his face, kissed his cheek then snapped his neck. She looked down at him with no remorse, and dragged him to the nearest bog for the crocs to eat. One less crazed mage to deal with in her life, one less traitor who would destroy that which she was loyal to.

Her heart should have been heavy for the death of her family, and yet she felt none because he never was family to her. Her true family that she would kill or die for waited back in Vallaki, and she looked forward to returning.




Seraphine shook those thoughts from her head as she focused on the letters she would deliver to real families who cared for one another. She intook a deep breath, finishing the last then rising to pack for her trip. She walked through the halls of home, smiled to Nelu and murmured

"Keep a wine chilled for my return hm?"

And stepped out with determination to see her task through.