Chapter 2: The Half-Breed

Natara and The Harbinger of Death lived a happy life. The Ravaging Demon had reformed the world through his many years of life. He terraformed the once desolate wastelands of the mythic rhine, into a flowing garden of green poppies, and yellow lillies. Magic permeated the air in the outer banks. The monsters of magic were happy. And within the serenity of the Garden of the Nightshades, a baby was born. He came out into the world crying, flailing his tiny arms in an effort to defeat an invisible enemy. His little head was small and delicate, like a baby's head should be. His little hands could be clasped in the paws of mice. This little small child represented purity in its entirety. And his father was disgusted. The moment the boy came out from the darkness of the womb, his father let out a 'tsk'. The boy resembled nothing of a Nightshade. He had too many human features. His bones were too brittle. His muscles too lean. His skull plump, not firm. The Harbinger of Death felt disgraced. He was terribly embarrassed by the snickers and sneers he received from the other Nightshades. His son, who had done nothing but be born into the world, had stained the legacy of the Ravaging Demon, but the Demon himself had no concerns about the boy being human. In the honesty of his heart, he was glad. The future he and Availion had dreamed of was finally coming to fruition with the birth of his grandson.

"What should we call him my love?" Natara asked, gazing into the eyes of her son. The Harbinger of Death looked at her confused, "What? You know we don't name are own." Natara pressed her lips together.

"Well the boy is half human is he not?" The Ravaging Demon chimed in.

"Father-", The Harbinger of Death began, but he was cut off by Natara's words, "How about we call him Grey? Look into his eyes. They remind you of Winter's End do they not?" Natara said as she looked towards her husband, then to her father-in-law.

"I think that is a wonderful name for the boy" The Ravaging Demon bellowed..

"Natara! We are not giving the boy a name! He is-" The Harbinger of Death cried, throwing his arms up and approaching his wife and the boy, but he was cut off by his father.

"Now now young king." The Demon cooed, "Let's not be so sooth as to assume that this young boy will tarnish your good name. Give him a chance hm?" And with that the Ravaging Demon kissed his daughter in-law upon the forehead and turned to leave, "Oh. One more thing my son. I know your child has just been born, but you really must attend the war council today."

"Yes father." The Harbinger of Death sighed letting out the smallest smirk of a smile.

Young Grey's earliest memories were not his fondest. His mother showered him with love and compassion. His grandfather took him for walks around the outskirts of the village, and told him tales of the distant past. The elders of the village taught the boy about the different creatures who resided within the forest surrounding the village. But his father, along with the young men of the village held nothing but disdain for the boy. He was constantly chastized and ridiculed by the other children and their parents. He was never invited to play with the other boys, and all of the girls spread nasty rumors, calling him a 'half-breed'. Grey never let these things said about him sink in though. He brushed them off like the pollen on the tops of flowers. So instead of playing with the other children, he would sit under the great oaks surrounding his house and read different books and stories that his grandfather gave him. He tended to dream of seeing the light blue will-o-wisps floating across the beaches bordering the Eastern ocean. He was a whimsical dreamer, a being separated from his kind, and an abnormality within the Nightshade's race. His father thought these ideals he held were the thoughts of the weak, so he forced him to learn to fight. He forced him to learn the way of the fists. To use one's hands as a battering ram to smash through any obstacle. Grey was adverse to this. He was disgusted at the idea of hurting something, but he went along with it because the times he spent training were precious hours his father spent on him.

Surprisingly, Grey was a gifted fighter. His feet seemed like they floated across the floor when he ducked and dodged. His arms were able to weave their way between the barricade of his opponents defenses. He was extremely gifted in the art of combat, and mastered hand to hand combat at the age of 10, but tragically he never won a single sparring match against another Nightshade. Poor Grey was but a young human boy, forced to fight against some of the strongest beings on earth. Victory for Grey, meant surviving.

The Nightshades were a race whose bones were made of steel, and their skin was as tough as tungsten. They possessed the powers of the human soul, and could manipulate mana at will, summoning great creatures to help them in combat, or weave mystical spells to overwhelm opponents. They held a profound shape. Their skin was cracked and creviced. Their eyes a ghastly red. The cracks in their skin radiated red light, shimmering with power.

Grey stood with his hands up by his face, knees slightly bent ready to launch off to the left or to the right. Arleen smiled. It had been a while since Grey had been forced to fight. The last time he had an altercation with Grey, it ended up with Grey going home with two broken legs. He expected it to be no different this time. "Hmph. Let's see whatcha got halfbreed." Arleen sneered. Grey clenched his fists. "Oh yeah?" Grey shouted, his immature voice slightly cracking, "I'm gonna- I'm gonna w-". Grey stuttered. Arleen bent over in laughter. Greys face reddened when all of the spectators started laughing too. "You're gonna what? Beat me? Good luck bud." Arleen's fist exploded with red energy, fiery flames encompassing his right arm. Grey opened his stance, and gulped. Arleen rolled his eyes. Then jerked his body forward in a taunt. Grey didn't even flinch, but rather held his ground, his eyes staring straight into Arleen. Arleen's face sneered up. He cocked his right arm up high above his head, and swung it down towards the ground. Off of his arm glowing red flames extended out, jumping and jitting to the left and right. Grey shifted his weight onto his back leg, then side stepped out of the way, smirking. Arleen tensed up in anger. The surrounding spectator's eyebrows lifted. Grey immediately made a counter attack, taking his favorable position to lunge at Arleen. Bringing his left hand upwards, Grey made direct contact with Arleen's jaw, causing a loud CRACK!

Grey lay curled upon the dirt floor, his blood surrounding him, holding his left hand, rocking back and forth. "Pathetic." Arleen said, spitting on Grey. "What a disgrace. And you are supposed to be our next leader? Hmph." He raised his voice and looked towards the crowd, "We're screwed boys!" Everyone started laughing, and throwing in their own comments. "What a joke!" "Jeez, that's the Harbinger's son?" "They should've killed him off." "This is why abortion exists."

"What abuncha ass holes huh Grey?" Grey felt a heavy hand gently rest upon his back. "You know," The Ravaging Demon said, looking up towards the sky, "Every hero has an origin story right?"

"Grandpa," Grey said, turning his tear and blood stained face towards his grandfather, "What are you talking about?"

The Ravaging Demon smiled, "You'll find out one day boy. Now let's go home! Your mother is cooking stir fry!" Grey smiled, and slowly picked himself off the ground, "Wait up grandpa! I'm injured here!"

"Oh posh! It's just a little wound. You'll get over it!" The demon said, smiling.

"Grandpa!" Grey shouted, chasing after his grandfather.