Sheera

"What, this...? It's just a trinket I found. Why are you so curious about it?"

Sheera was once a young girl, born in Farthington with same ambitions of most of the young, having heard brave exploits about Paladinas and their epic conquests to preserve the peace and serenity of Falacaerr. When she was young, she strove to learn their ways, while her mother and father watched her practice with a small wooden sword that Father had made for her on her birthday. She treasured it, naturally, and set off for quests into the forest, ready to rid the world of evil! Most days, she came back victorious, and usually with a few 'battle scars' to boot after worrying her parents sick! Bee stings, poison ivy, sometimes even coming back completely wet from a dunk in a lake to vanquish the 'evil water demons'!

However, as she grew Sheera's talents began to develop in a different calling. She never really carried the strength and fortitude that a Paladina would be required to have, but instead she was lithe and far more agile than most. By the age of fourteen she had grown past her treks into the woods and began to 'develop', and this of course, brought all the usual things teenage daughters bring with puberty. Boys, first loves, friends... Her self-training as a Paladina started to take back seat to her social life. She was quite popular with the youth of Farthington, often performing feats for them in a little show in exchange for money. Her dexterity and precision began to be well known through the town, and one day when she was enjoying a meal with a good friend they made a notion that Sheera might be better off as a spy, rather than a Paladina.

The idea stuck.

The thought had never crossed her mind up until that point, and she thought about it long and hard for a couple days. Her training had always been with a long sword, never with daggers. But her natural skill set seemed to agree with her friend. After thinking it over for days, she finally confronted her parents with her decision. Naturally her parents were against the idea of dropping the honorable and noble path of a paladin for a darker career, but Sheera simply couldn't be talked out of it. It just felt right for her and her parents would simply have to live with her decision.

Under the tutelage of a new teacher she found shortly after, she thrived. Her skills grew at an astonishing rate, and new tricks of the trade came to her naturally. Sometimes it only took her one or two tries at most to master basics, and even the physical training seemed to suit her more. In general, she felt happier knowing that she was getting stronger much faster. The thrill was intoxicating in a way, and it didn't take her long at all to be promoted from a trainee, to a full fledged member of the organization... Many found it remarkable that someone so young could have gained rank so quickly and it brought a bit of tension from the other members of the Royal Chorus of Blades. At the age of seventeen she was already being considered for promotion to full fledged assassin, which had never happened before.

With that her career began and she couldn't deny that the pay was vastly better than what she'd imagined. Looking back at what she'd heard about how poorly most starting Paladinas were paid she found herself indulging in finer clothes and superior crafted gear. Her weapon of choice never changed however and she continued to master her longsword as her primary while training with everything from daggers to bows in her off time. Her dedication to her profession began to worry those that were close to her. Friends and family alike would often hold dinners and get-togethers just to try and get Sheera to spend more time with people. Eventually her eyes began to lose the sparkle they had carried as a child when her duties escalated from simply observing and tailing targets to assassinations and hits. The rumors about her began to grow like wildfire, and her quest to become the strongest began to yield some of the consequences. Jealousy. Malcontent. Distrust. Hatred... All the while she continued to think, 'Just a little more... Just a little stronger and they will all be in awe...'

After a few years of toiling away and slowly becoming more and more isolated from 'commoners' as she began to call them, her life would take a dreaded turn. She was strolling through a local bazaar on one of her tasks and she was searching for her target like the predator she was. Stalking the streets and she hadn't noticed really but people were starting to give her a wide berth... After the first few hours of searching however her target didn't show and it was becoming tiresome. She was being mercilessly pummeled by the sun as she walked amongst the commoners and her body yearned for a break. She saw a shaded alleyway and walked over to take a break in the eerie if not graceful crevice between two large buildings. She was simply relaxing on the ground and watched the people troll mindlessly through their lives and gave a smirk of disgust... 'Never... That isn't my life. There is so much more to me.' she thought as she turned to face the other way and look down the alleyway when saw a form moving in the shadows. 'No way...' she thought to herself as thought she saw the target she was after. An old man walking with a wooden cane and a severe hunch that her guild assured her was a 'serious threat'.

Naturally she got to her feet and followed to what proved to be a dead end out away from the populace... A perfect spot. Sure enough, there he was. Just standing there and smiling back at her. "Well hello there miss! An odd spot to find a young beauty like yourself..." the man said with a cheerful expression that was only met by Sheera drawing her sword. Her intent was clear. The man's expression changed slightly to a light-hearted grin. But there was more behind it that sent a chill down Sheera's spine. "Now now. Lets not be hasty young lass. You needn't embarrass yourself here." the man said right before Sheera took a well practiced swing from up high and brought the blade crashing down on top of him.

Only her blade never stopped. The shining steel simply bit into the dirt and Sheera heard that same heckling voice from behind her now. She spun around and carried a fearsome growl as she was obviously mocked. "What do you have against an aging old man?" he would ask. "Nothing. You're just unfortunate enough to have pissed someone off somewhere down the line. Should you go without a fuss, no one will even have to know why!" she said as she took another horizontal swing at the man that yielded nothing but air. "Ooooh I doubt that young miss. I've made more enemies than you can possibly know... And had a wonderful time doing it too!" "All the more reason you should -perish-!" she growls out and takes yet another swing but this one is caught by a hand. The blade didn't even leave a scratch! Sheera gasped and tried to tug her sword free of the man's grip but he gave a tug and the assassin was caught off guard by the amount of power he could generate from just a pull! The blade was flung down the alleyway and embedded itself at least a foot deep into the solid wall behind him nearly twenty feet away. On instinct the girl pulled out a small curved palm blade and assumed a defensive stance... The organization wasn't lying... He was a threat.

The man put up his arms in front of himself as she stared him down and still kept that gleeful demeanor at the situation... Mocking the assassin as she looked at him. "Calm down young lady. Perhaps we can come to an agreement." he said and the proposition struck the greedy girl's mind. "... And what could you offer me for your life?" she said. He was quite enamored with her iron-clad confidence in the face of such obvious overwhelming might. The quality was always quite amusing. "Power." he said simply and Sheera's stance slouched just a tad. "Power...? What kind?" she asks back, always willing to wheel and deal if it made her stronger. This wasn't the first time she'd gone against direct orders after all. "The kind that would give you what you've been searching for since you were a little girl, Sheera dear." The assassin gasped at the depth this man could read her. "How do you know my name?" she replied.

"That doesn't matter. What does matter is that you want to prove yourself. Be the strongest of the strong. To make your name known all across this land. And I can make it happen." the man explains. "All you need to do is swear to me and you will earn my blessings." he adds as she looks at him a little funny... Then she remembers her sword behind him that was buried inside that wall. "... How do I know you aren't just trying to screw me?" she asks back. "Because if I wanted pleasures of the flesh I would have already taken them." he says in the calmest voice one could have despite either misunderstanding Sheera or simply not caring enough to take her comment seriously. Reluctantly she nods to him and manages to steel her slightly shaky nerves. "Great then. Come here." he says and holds out his hand for her to take. She eyes him and second thoughts stream through her head as she looks at him and that eerie smile he had. But the promise of power... Admiration... Glory... The thought that she could get it all... She lowered her dagger and stepped closer, still a tad cautious as she took his hand.

As soon as their hands met for that shake her eyes went wide as things just started to happen. She felt what was akin to an electric shock and her pupils dilated as the vast influx of power flowed into her. Her muscles began to tense as they grew stronger, fortified by the magic. Her heartbeat was out of control as her vision got a bit hazy... All the while the man grinned knowing she was enjoying the 'boost' on some level. After almost a minute a final jolt lashed through her body and sent her flying back until she slammed into the wall behind her and stumbled on her feet. Her training and instincts managing to catch her for the moment as she felt uneasy on her legs. Eventually she began to lose her balance and started to fall forwards with an "Uhnn..." sound when she collapsed to the ground with her long hair coming to rest messily around her. Her palm blade clattered to the ground nearby as she fell and lacked even the fleeting energy to try and reach for it. She looked up to the man while the palm of her right hand still burned with the new mark she'd been given and managed to stutter out a few words... "Who are you...?" she would ask only to be responded with a short response that made her groan, "You may call me Zaenir." by the man who simply walked his way out of the alley with his walking stick while the assassin lost consciousness, that same friendly smile on his face.

Sheera wouldn't wake for hours until she felt some concerned citizen she'd never met trying to bring her back to the realm of the living. The assassin would surprise the girl as she reached for her palm blade and pointing it at her! The girl would gasp and hold her hands up, stammering about how she was merely trying to help! A tense moment passed, and Sheera felt... Different. Everything about her just felt different. She got to her feet and looked to the sword embedded in the wall that had drawn the citizen's gaze in the first place and moved over to grip the hilt in one hand. A tug and the blade slid out as if it was slicing through butter! However, she grimaced as she noticed the blade was chipped and for most intents completely ruined. The thought of paying money to have it fixed repulsed her, and then the memory of the man she'd met embedding it in the wall flashed through her mind. She also remembered the incapacitating experience that had left her so helpless after a brief minute, and then she began to notice her muscles were vastly stronger now and the strength surprised her as she stumbled back but managed to stay on her feet once the blade slid free. She placed the blade on her back again and looked back to the girl. "You never saw me." she said to the confused girl before vanishing off into the crowd again.

Through the course of the next few years she began to explore her new powers and skills that had been gifted to her, but her notably darker powers began to only widen the gap between herself and the society. Sheera came to know that her abilities were kin to that of a Maternal Guardian but not quite the same. She began to grow somewhat vengeful and her assassinations when not performed by unbirthing, which was a new skill for her, began to be a great deal more brutal and callous. One by one everyone she ever knew was severing their ties with Sheera. Even her family. They claimed that she was going down a road no honorable daughter of theirs could ever have gone. Oddly though she didn't find herself losing much sleep over it as her power continued to grow. The Royal Chorus of Blades however seemed to truly love her new abilities since they aided her in her work and made her one of the most efficient of the entire guild. But she was far from the strongest and every day she was reminded of it. The thought alone began to drive her mad with envy and desire for more. Always more.

Seven months later she would feel this sensation wash over her body as she walked down the streets of the bustling Jewel of the Royalist Kingdom, Morning. The feeling was as if a great weight was pulling on her shoulders. Pulling her down like gravity itself was intensifying... The assassin pulled off to the side of the street to try and catch her breath while he leaned up against a wall. She was still panting as she heard that voice yet again. "Ah... There you are." the old voice said as Sheera looked towards the origin. "Zaenir..." she said. "I've been looking for you Sheera. You're a hard girl to track down to be sure." he would say. But Sheera was glaring at the man. "As are you. You lied to me!" she said with a hateful hiss which actually seemed to anger Zaenir. After all that was an assault on his pride! The flicker of anger showed as that pressing weight returned at nearly double the pressure and forced her to her knees while the insignia she had kept hidden on her palm burned. "And just how is that?" he would say in a surprisingly calm voice. Sheera's hate was genuine however and gave her the strength to speak up. "You said... That you would make me... The strongest!!!" she said between deep breaths. "That was the deal!" she growled out.

The pressure eased up some as she heard the calm words slip from his mouth like they were having a casual conversation... "Ohhh... I suppose I did say that... But last time you broke the link too soon. That was for the best though, considering you barely survived your first dose. Are you really so eager to get another? I know just what to give you but I wonder if you will be able to explain to your friends how you suddenly got so powerful in such a short amount of time?" he explained and questioned both at once. Sheera didn't hesitate a wink, "No one needs to know." she said. The old man smiled broadly as he offered her his hand again, "That's my girl."

The years following would be blessed years for Sheera as she rose through the ranks due to her last burst of power and found herself addicted to personal gratifications it brought. She lived in the wealthy sides of the rich towns and the whole world was open to her while no one was able to describe how she became so intimidating so quickly... And she would never tell. Those who got close to uncovering the mysterious secret to Sheera's rise to fame seemed to vanish or silence themselves until the authorities began to become overly concerned with her. She could only keep the lid on for so long before the evidence started to get pile up around her... It was only too late that the corruption her heart had suffered and what she'd become came to light.

The rumors began to spread when she vanished, of a 'cleansing' amongst her guild that left the organization's hierarchy gutted from the inside out. Even more rumors sprouted that she'd been seen on increasingly frequent occasions speaking with an elderly man with a cane... The authorities would eventually learn of her ties to Zaenir and the famous assassin was soon one of the most sought after fugitives in Falacaerr when she went missing from the world. The authorities were so eager to finally have someone in custody with a connection to the infamous Lord of Chaos that brought the undead to the world of Falacaerr! Alas... Once Sheera had proven herself to be the strongest of the Royal Chorus of Blades she felt no qualms about the massacre she left behind. They found her body amidst the dead at the guild but none believed her to be truly deceased, and the body of one of the guild's younger members was missing entirely. When people went to look for her, very few ever came back and they described her to have a mark burned into her right palm...

The authorities' worst nightmare had come true. Sheera had become a Dominator, and even worse she was a corrupted Maternal Guardian loyal to Zaenir. Her cross-nation fame flourished as she went on the run with no order to keep the rogue assassin in check now. She continued to serve her new master unquestioningly in exchange for power and knowledge with no regard for anyone who got in her way. She was even known to take an evil glee as she toyed with her victims, deriving a malevolent joy before taking what she wanted and leaving the remains. She even had the audacity to go for nobles or high ranking officials!

She has become overjoyed with her lifestyle because of two simple and undeniable facts.

Her name is known all over Falacaerr, and she has grown very, very powerful.

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I believe the opening story is finally complete. I hope you enjoyed, but sadly I believe that is all the freebies that will be revealed about this character. The rest must be learned of through role play.

An assassin set in the realm of Falacaerr, with a dark past.

Succubi_Corporated is responsible for this tragic tale.
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