(Bel's note: The following back story on the character, Locke, is completely written by my husband Marty and unedited by myself. It's filler, to fill the gaps in our story that would have been too awkward to role play together! :P Lilanei's back story will soon follow.)
Interrupt: Locke's Story
The lonely moon hung over the town of Illias, its light seemingly casting down on one specific house. From the window of the house in question, a woman with hair that draped to her backside stared at the Moon with worry.
The woman was Rivka Kallidin, mother of the hopeful adventurer, Locke Kallidin and she stared out of the window with a longing hope in her eyes- hope that her son would return home soon. She and her husband, Longrin had no idea where he had set off for early in the day, but he was awfully late coming home and like any mother, Rivka could not rest easy until he returned. The sound of footsteps descending the staircase that led into the kitchen of the Kallidin's home roused Rivka temporarily from her worry as she turned to see a man of average height, but muscular build walk to her.
“Has he still not returned?” Longrin asked before he stopped before the large circular window and stared out to see the twinkling lights from the houses in their vicinity. Longrin usually had a stony stern face and that was extenuated by Locke's disappearance.
“No, dear.” Rivka sighed. “It's so late, I don't understand where he could be.”
“Hmmm...” Longrin sighed. “That boy worries me. He's coming of age. He's growing into a man, yet he doesn't take on board the responsibilities of one. This just proves how much discipline he lacks. I don't care what he says, tomorrow when I go to the Mines to work, I shall ensure he is recruited for work there. That will mold him into a man.”
“I wish that for him too,” Rivka began. “He's so vague with me. He's never told me where he goes during the days, but when he comes home, I sometimes note bruises and scraps on his face and arms. Then sometimes Zelsa tells me he mentions to her he's going to be an adventurer someday...I don't know. There are terrible things beyond Illias' gates and he seems so eager to fight it all.”
“Earning a living will straighten him out.” Longrin said with a steely glare through the window as he saw movement- a body was slowly approaching the house, with something large in tow. “Here he is now...”
“Dear, please don't cause any arguments. Zelsa is asleep upstairs.” Rivka pleaded with her husband.
“The boy must be told.” Longrin stated.
The door that separated the kitchen from the outside clicked open before it swung inwards. Longrin and Rivka stood in the dim glow of the kitchen table's candlelight, listening to their son, Locke grunt, groan and struggle with something heavy, which moaned as the bottom of it scraped on the pavement and in to the stone floor of the kitchen. Locke finally came to a stop once he and his item- the large treasure chest that he and Lilanei had recovered earlier- had cleared the door. He let go of the chest, which landed on the stone floor with a loud thump before Locke quickly closed the kitchen door. Only then did he realize that his parents stood before him, one with a look of relief and the other with a look of irritation.
“Where have you been?” Longrin asked slowly but sternly. “In fact, if you could answer that question that we've had for the past, who knows how many years, I'd appreciate it.”
“Just out.” Locke said, his face somewhat concealed from the shadows of the kitchen where the candlelight did not reach.
“So, you've been out? WHERE, Locke?”
“What does it matter?” Locke asked as his voice began to boom slightly, much like his father's when he began to get tense. “I'm back, you don't have to worry. Now, if you'll excuse me father, mother, today has left me weary. I need to sleep.”
“You're not going anywhere until you explain yourself!” Longrin bellowed, his booming voice causing an echo in the kitchen before he sniffed. “You smell terrible, boy. Have you been rolling in a Unicorn stable?!”
“You're not too far off.” Locke answered as he began to walk from his position by the door to the stairs, still covered in the shadow of the back of the kitchen.
“It stops now, Locke.” Longrin announced. “Your days of leaving and not coming back until you feel like it are over. You are to work with me in the Mines and learn some real discipline. These childish visions you have of becoming the next great explorer, or whatever you said to Zelsa are going to stop so you can become a real man.”
Longrin's speech caused Locke to stop in mid stride. He peered over his shoulder to look at his mother and father, his mother standing behind Longrin who stood strong, with his arms defensively crossed over his chest. Locke had always kept his exploits of training along with Lil, under the wing of Akorinn a secret, but for some strange reason, Locke felt that destiny had made it so this night would be the time to reveal his many kept secrets. After a moment of silence, Locke stepped out of the shadows, revealing himself to the light and to his parents.
Rivka covered her mouth when she gasped while Longrin's eyes widened in surprise as they saw their son, bloody and wounded with his clothes, which were tailored for combat were torn and stained with blood, a lot of which wasn't even his own.
“Does this look like the workings of a child's imagination?” Locke spat at his father. “While you mindlessly toil night and day for no reason but to stay stuck here, I have also worked hard. But my toil is to make it so I can survive the outside world when I make my initial expedition.”
“What are you talking about, son? You're scaring me.” Rivka spoke, her voice slightly broken in shock.
“I have been mentored in the arts of self defense.” Locke explained. “I have also literally been taught how to survive in the harshest valleys, the darkest forests and the wildest rivers. My teacher, Akorinn has instilled within me a burning fighting spirit, and an ambition to right the wrongs in this treacherous world. I intend to start this very quest, with or without your consent.”
“Akorinn?!” Longrin asked in surprise, his voice once again rising. “That overgrown Lizard who owns that fighting center? Oh, Locke, your insolence towards this family has gone too far...We do not associate with anyone other than Humans, or did you forget that?!”
“Akorinn is a Dragonborn, and I won't have you talking about my master like that!” Locke bellowed.
“Shut your mouth, boy. This is my house and you will talk to me with respect!” Longrin answered in a louder voice which caused Rivka to cringe. Another storm was brewing in the Kallidin home.
“I'll respect you when you respect others.” Locke hissed as he took another step forward, and much to his parents' fright, withdrew his Sickle from its' sheathe at his side. “Don't talk about my Master that way.”
“Son...” Rivka began with a gulp, staring at the blood stained Sickle. “Where did you get that?”
“My master.” Locke simply answered. “Mother, I'm sorry you have to know like this, but I shall soon be leaving with Lilanei to start my journey.”
“Who's Lilanei?” Rivka sheepishly asked.
“You know her, mother. Her mother owns the General Store-”
“The mother of the Half Breed?!” Longrin roared, finally mustering the nerve to speak after the shock of seeing his son with a deadly weapon. “How long has this been going on?!”
“Years.” Locke said with one word. “She's my training partner.”
“Y-you've been tutored under a Dragonborn? Learned alongside a Half Breed, despite knowing this family's views of having other races in this town? You bring shame to us, Locke!”
“What a load of tripe!” Shouted Locke, raising the sickle further. “If anything, I bring pride to this family. I have to suffer hearing tripe everyday from a fascist biggot! Mother may stand for it, but I shan't any longer! I outgrew hating somebody due to their race a long time ago, and I pity you for not having the insight to see beyond somebody's appearance also, you racist.”
“Of all the nerve..” Longrin said, his voice only a whisper before his face twisted into one of outright rage. “You are no longer part of this family, boy. Not after speaking to I, the man who toiled day after day to ensure your survival. Get out! Leave this house and never come back! If you think some lowly Dragonborn can protect you and raise you into a greater man than I can, then scurry along to your precious Akorinn, and that disgusting Half Breed! As far as I'm concerned, Locke, I have no son!”
Locke bit his bottom lip slightly as he watched the effects Longrin's words had on his mother, who immediately after Longrin's speech cradled her face in her hands and sprinted out of the kitchen and up the stairs to the master bedroom, wailing a heartbreaking sob due to the confrontation transpiring between the man she married and the son she brought into the world. Longrin and Locke were motionless until they both heard the master bedroom door slam, then they glared at each other once more.
“Well, if that's how it is to be, Longrin Kallidin,” Locke began, still brandishing his sickle, “then I have no father. Sir, I thank you for sheltering me all these many years. I shall now gather my possessions and be out of your abode within the hour. Goodnight.”
Locke slid his sickle back into its' curved sheathe before he walked up the stairs to his bedroom, leaving Longrin to sit down at the kitchen table in silence. For the Kallidin family, this hour was their longest as Locke gathered up his most treasured possessions, placed them in a large green shoulder sack and shared a long, sad goodbye with his mother and sister in Zelsa's bedroom. After that, Locke slowly made his way down the stairs, and peered into the living room to see his father, looking out of the large rectangular window at the night sky, his back to Locke, so he could shield his tear stained face away.
For a moment, Locke wondered whether to tell his father that his quest had been one to avenge many of his close friends who had been unlucky enough to be mugged and murdered by the Orc gang that haunted the trail between Illias and the mines, but instead decided to leave before Rivka or Zelsa could stop him. Shaking his head in frustration, Locke walked over to the kitchen door, opened it and began to drag the large treasure chest out of the house, not bothering to close the kitchen door as he wanted to get away from the house as quickly as possible. Within minutes of making his way onto the street, Locke heard the kitchen door echo with a violent slam, which had been done by Longrin.
It was done. It might not have been on the best terms, but Locke had finally shared a long kept secret to his family, and now knew in his heart that the life of an Adventurer is what awaited him. Filled with sorrow that he was now only a Kallidin by name, Locke tried to make himself upbeat by thinking of the adventure, prospective friends, and even dangers that awaited he and Lilanei in the world of Heroes & Magic as he continued to drag the large treasure chest along the streets, looking for a good place to make camp for the night until he was to meet up with Lilanei and Akorinn the next morning...
~*~
After their well deserved rest, Locke and Lilanei meet up once again in the Merchants' Circle before making their way together to Akorinn's Hall – on time on this occasion – with Locke once again dragging the chest behind him. After Akorinn grants them entry into his hall, he looks down at them, his eyes giving away a slight glint of pride.
"Well done, my pupils," He announces. "I must admit when I first sent you off to find the evildoers, I had my doubts. Your past years of bickering and petty squabbles made me wonder if you could ever work together long enough to survive the mansion. But I must say you have done an excellent job. We will now ensure that the Miners' widows and their families receive the belongings of this chest. Now, before we do that, I must ask you – do you feel ready to take the next step and journey beyond your home?"
Lil bows humbly, "Yes, master."
"We're ready," Locke simply answers.
"Very well then," Akorinn replies. "Today, we shall travel to the Merchants' Circle and announce to the townsfolk that their dead husbands' belongings wait to be collected. After that, you shall return home, rest, and tomorrow morning meet me by the gates where I will see you off – my pupils.”
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