Beloch was beaming, inwardly if not outwardly. This was the day that every child of the Shai dreamt of. The day he would become an adult and take his station in life - the way of the warrior.

The Shai were not much for ceremony, but they made an exception in this case. Even the ceremony of the Shai however, is plain. Beloch was adorned simply in the plain garb of a warrior, a matte black combat suit. There was to be no feast or celebration, merely formal induction into the rites of adulthood.

Beloch was ready, he stepped out of the hut where he had been meditating in preparation for this even, and found a double row of warriors leading from the entrance to the hut to the village elder. Quickly Beloch snapped to attention. The elder waved Beloch forward, and as he made his way down the isle, the warriors on either side rose their Megiladus and extended their pristine blades that glinted in the early morning sun. As Beloch reached the elder, the blades were retracted and all the warriors turned toward the elder and stood at attention. Beloch slowly knelt before the leader of his people.

"Beloch, son of Ral, son of Kinuk'ta of the house of Shrike," The elder said, "I bestow upon thee the Yura sum, the title of warrior. With this, the elder put a hand on both of Beloch's shoulders. Beloch rose to his feet, a christened knight. The village elder slowly moved aside to allow Beloch's father, Ral, to step forward.

"Beloch, my son," Ral Began "Today, you leave my care. I will send you forward into life with this gift."
A great black horse was brought foreword by Beloch's mother "This horse is called Whisp, he is to be your Arrokko. Keep him well..." As he said this, Beloch's father guided the horse toward Beloch, who in turn guided it to stand beside him. With this, Ral stepped aside, and Beloch's lifelong instructor, Harth, stepped forward.

"Beloch," Harth began in his gruff tone, "You have proven yourself an adept student, a cunning adversary, a skilled warrior, and a [I]good person[/I]." He pronounced the last title with Emphasis. "You have proven, to me and the counsel, that you are worthy to carry a Megiladu." Harth removed the Megiladu, that Beloch himself had made, from the second sheath at his side and handed it to Beloch, who placed it on his own belt. Harth Raised his own Megiladu in salute of Beloch, who did the same, then stepped aside.

Finally, Shinarith's Father stepped forward. "Beloch, you have proven to me that you are a worthy man. Strong and brave. Responsible, and good. Based upon this, I willingly give you my most prized possession...My daughter." With these words, he clasped Beloch's shoulders, and blessed him. Then, not wanting to be long winded, he gestured for Beloch to turn.

Beloch pivoted back toward the hut he had come from. Shinarith stood there, clad in white, a veil over her slender face. Slowly, she began to walk toward him, her face filled with joy. Beloch stood, speechless, captivated by her poise and her beauty. When finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she reached him.
He threw her a stupid look, and she gave him a nervous smile. Realizing how stupid he looked, Beloch tried to look stern and emotionless, staring straight ahead. Much to his dismay, the only reaction from the lovely woman beside him was a suppressed giggle.


And then it started...


Whistling arrows flew at the gathered Shai from the forest. The Screaming and howling of Demons was heard, they were crying for battle. Many Shai died in that first volley alone, including the Elder of the Shai village! But the Shai were a warrior people, and before another arrow was fired, they formed ranks and drew their Megiladu. As the Shai warriors struck the arrows from the very air, the demons began to appear in the village. Coming quickly from the forest, Hellspawns and Balrons, Demons and other Vermin. Their number were staggering. How was it possible that they had found the sacred forest village? Only those who knew where it was could find it!

Then they saw him, Thorian. Clad in the armor of Talzar, covered by a black cloak. He wielded the fire element with ferocity and grace, cutting down the Shai that had welcomed him here as a child. With his demon claws, he ripped through warrior and child alike, sometimes cutting through his own minions to reach another victim. He seemed intoxicated with death. One by one, the Shai fell.

Beloch saw them fall. Warrior after warrior dying at the hands of the man he had called brother. Tears streamed down his face, this was not supposed to happen! Beloch fought with a mad rage that has never yet been surpassed by any on this earth, but when he saw Harth fall, Beloch knew the battle was lost. Harth was the greatest warrior the Shai had known since the days of the gods, without him the Shai were obviously doomed. Their numbers were few, and their enemies were endless. Beloch did the only thing he could do, he fled.

He searched quickly and found Shinarith, kneeling over her dead father, her white gown cut short to increase mobility and her gown stained red with the blood of Shai and vermin alike.

"We must flee!" Beloch shouted to her. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes, then looked around at the death that surrounded her. All she could manage to do was nod.

"Where will we go?" She stammered

"The falls, evil cannot go there. We will be safe for awhile" Beloch whispered quickly as he helped her to her feet. Without wasting more time, the two lovers began to flee. It was the only thing they could do, part of a Shai's training was knowing when to run, but Beloch still felt shame.

Beloch and Shinarith ran together through the woods as they had so many times before, but this time it was not a lovers frolic, but a flee for life. Beloch knew that they needed to flee fast, for they would stand out from the other Shai, and special attention would be directed their way. Suddenly, an arrow hit Shinarith in the ankle.

"DAMN!" Beloch screamed in fear and despair as his love fell. He quickly scooped her up
into his arms and continued running, but just as he did, another arrow hit her in the small of her back. She gave out a groan, arching her back and coughing blood from her mouth as Beloch continued running. He tore through the trees of the sacred forest, fleeing from an evil that he had once loved.

Beloch leapt quickly over fallen trees and through streams and ponds. He knew this forest well. The constant sound of Thorian's minions and arrows thudding against trees kept him from slowing down. He had to reach the waterfall, it wasn't much farther now…

Just as that thought passed through the mind of the young warrior of Shai, he heard the waterfall up ahead. Relief filled his soul. they were almost safe. Quickly he Leapt into the water, which turned red around him from Shinarith's blood. Beloch pushed his way through the water and through the waterfall, finding the grooves in the rock there, he laboriously pulled himself up the 100 feet to the cave opening that was hidden behind the pure water of the falls

Quickly Beloch laid his beloved down on a cot. The Shai kept this place well supplied for just such an occasion. It did not take him long to diagnose her, though he was no doctor. She was going to die.

Beloch could not accept that.

"Shinarith..." He choked.

"Beloch...I haven't much time left" She began, her voice already raspy and faded, with very little hint of the happy lively woman he had married only an hour beforehand.

"Don't talk like that...please-" Beloch started, but she cut him off.

"Stop...Don't patronize me..." She managed a little smile "you know how much I hate that." And all Beloch could do was nod. "Beloch...you...you are the last...of our people...You are the only Shai left." Tears began to stream down Beloch's face and he shook his head. He tried to deny it but he couldn't speak. "You.....must....keep our peoples...memory...alive..." Shinarith reached up and grabbed the collar of his warrior's garb "Honor this, my last request...Live long, and well. Honor our people's memory."

"I…I will" Was all that Beloch could choke out. Shinarith lessened her grip, and moved her hand up to stroke his cheek. Beloch put his hand over hers, they were so cold.  Shinarith coughed, and her breathing began to fade, she struggled to choke out her last words,

"I…love…you…loch…" Tears streamed down both of their faces now, and with the last of her strength, Shinarith whispered,  "I'm sorry I couldn't….couldn't be your wife…for very long…."

"I love you as well, more than I can say" Was all Beloch could choke before he began to weep. He lay down next to her, she who was to have been his life companion, cradling her in his arms until she breathed her last.

Alone now, Beloch Dug a small grave in an earthy patch in the back of the cave. He wept as he laid Shinarith's earthly remains to rest. As he sang the prayers of his people, all he could think of was the one who had brought his to be.

Thorian.

With each verse of the death prayer, Beloch's heart died a little more. As the final verse came to a close, Beloch left behind emotion forever. All that remained was a burning desire for vengeance. He took one final look at the place where his love lie, then turned and walked toward the cave entrance. As he was leaving, he spotted an old brown trenchcoat laying near some boxes. He picked it up and put it on. Inside the pockets he found a pair of teardrop sunglasses. Beloch put them on, and exited the cave to find Whisp, waiting at the base of the falls. Beloch walked over to his loyal friend and whispered in it's ear

"We are wanderers now, warriors without a master." Then he mounted, and rode from his forest, never to return the same way again.