Modification

The sounds of bells drizzled the air on the night of Salwy's birth. Salwy was nothing special, but it was upon the day of Yggolrik that she came to be born. The festival was chief amongst her particular tribe, the Kattaryn, who are a subset of the Emerald Forest. Indeed, it was the day that a daring Pixie named Yggolrik fought back a horde of hellhounds and saved his people from certain death. Yggolrik himself was slain that day, but he bought enough time for the others to prepare for the onslaught that was sure to come. In fact, it never came because the hounds had been decimated so severely they feared to persist in their unholy crusade. At his funeral, tinkling silver bells were in It was believed that being born on this day meant great and marvelous things for the newborn, a Pixie that would surely fight for the wellbeing of the community. Such is no longer believed. Salwy was born to parents who were slightly better off than the average Pixie and was therefore sent to school to learn of the tribes and Kattaryn's specific rich culture and history. She would also learn to speak in the language common to the strange land of Serin, herbalism, botany, and music. As a people, Pixies celebrate the nature they find themselves in above most anything else, even teaching their young to fight off anything that taints the beauty of the wilderness, and Salwy was no exception. Truthfully, she was more fascinated by the rustling leaves in the wind and the vibrant green and rich browns of the world than any of her peers. She would frequently take walks alone through the aptly-named Emerald Forest simply so she could take in the sounds of the chattering squirrels and the babbling of softly ebbing creeks without distraction. It was on one such walk on one of the most beautiful days she'd seen that she happened across a young girl dancing about merrily with some fluorescent butterflies of various colors. Watching the pointy- eared girl flit amongst shimmers of light from breaks in the canopy with smile well in place and dust reflecting marvelously about her made Salwy's heart leap in her chest. This green-haired girl was the most beautiful creature she'd ever laid eyes on, she was certain. The girl caught a glimpse of Salwy from her eye's corner and her smile curved more before emitting a rippling laugh that reminded Salwy of the songs of jays and the gentle bubbling of springs in her ears. Captivated, Salwy raced to dance alongside the girl. As they joined in play, there was nothing but Salwy and the girl. This was surely the very thing she was meant to do for her people; dance and laugh and play and mingle with nature. This was her calling. After what felt like an eternity in heaven, the girl yawned pleasantly, stretched, and laid her head down. Salwy immediately felt an overwhelming exhaustion sweep over her. It surprised her as she knew she'd only actually been dancing for a few minutes, but... She just couldn't..... Keep her eyes..... Open. When she came to, Salwy was in a remarkably different place. No longer surrounded butterflies, Salwy found herself in a large clearing with dark trees mounted with wicked-looking torches encircling it. The unhealthy plants seemed to all turn away from where she was at in the center. She tried to sit up, but found herself on a stone altar, dripping with sticky red. A dim beating like a heart could be heard, but muffled. Salwy thought her own had gotten away, but realized it was certainly not her own heart. As she regained her bearings, she realized she was not alone. Surrounding her were tall dark figures adorned with rotting capes of flesh wielding various hellish weapons. In a deep, low bass they chanted in unison, Alrek-bastet-pifta-aubret-sheena-hilfa-sawbrek. As they chanted, a tall black-robed figure with hooked claws emerged from a split in their ranks at her feet. Unlike the others, he uttered not a word from his scarred bestial face. Salwy's eyes bulged further as she realized his countenance was split wide at the snout with crooked yellow teeth spilling forth. She shrieked in terror, totally and supremely horrified. Rashti-kalrek-vishrem-palret-VRA! The chanting stopped as the beast raised his arms in the air, palms facing upwards towards a sky of black clouds. A gutteral roar emitted from the throat of the monster and the ring of figures split in three places; to her right, to her left, and behind her head. Three women came from their midst and all fell silent and bowed their heads reverently. The beast pulled a long staff with a wicked-looking, curved blade at the end from behind him and sliced it along his snout so that blood came gushing forth onto the stone block and sprayed over Salwy (who was rather trying not to faint at this point). After the blood was over her entirety, the beast pushed his hand under Salwy and it returned with a heart within it's clutch. Salwy's eyes widened as she realized the source of the beat and the women behind her head accepted it from the demonic creature. As the three women uttered an incantation that caused the altar and the heart to glow, the last thing Salwy remembered was the creature suddenly and swiftly swinging his weapon into her own bosom. When she came to, Salwy was at the edge of some dark woods where her family had taught her it was forbidden to enter. She rose quickly and felt herself all over. She'd believed it so real, but seemed entirely intact. She checked herself again, more thoroughly, and discovered a large scar over her chest. Shaking her head, she returned home to learn what the pathetic creatures she called tribesmates could possibly teach her beyond what she already knew. If nothing, then she might just end them all.