The Search for Power

[Strazio Rockwell]

*In another time and in another place*

"We are very disappointed in you Mara Strongwall, you have betrayed not only your brothers and sisters but you have also betrayed your own oath, the oath of the Hexbreaker" Primarch Karrisa spoke with the authority of her position. Her armor gleamed in the open courtyard of the Hexbreaker's headquarters. She stood mere feet from the battered and beaten Mara, who was lashed to an upright board staked into the ground. A small regiment of Hexbreakers stood on guard and watched as their former sister was punished. This was the price of Mara's betrayal, to be excommunicated and executed in front of her fellows. Mara spoke weakly, her body ravaged from days of torture and starvation.

"I have broken no oath of mine."

Karrisa scowled and continued her diatribe "when you joined us you were but a broken shell of a woman, someone who had witnessed first hand the wickedness of magick. We had such high hopes for you, we took you under our merciful wings and gave you purpose we gave you the power to avenge your husband, your child."

Strazio watched Mara's excommunication through Fateweaver's mirror. Fateweaver's aged face looked ancient as he frowned and watched as Strazio clenched his fists. Strazio glared at Fateweaver and pulled at the blue robes covering his gaunt frame. Strazio yelled and pointed at the mirror.

"Bring her here like you brought me! You said we were both important, so bring her here before that psycho slaughters her!"

Fateweaver pushed Strazio away, his old body belied his strength and Strazio was unable to resist him. "I cannot Strazio, it pains me greatly but I cannot bring her here. At least not yet." Strazio's body sparked with magick and he spoke with the force of a crashing wave "You will bring her here Fateweaver, or I will annihilate you."

Karissa unsheathed her sword and pressed the point against Mara's breastbone. A small pinprick of blood dripped onto the signature blade of the Hexdrinkers, a sword known across the lands. "I will allow you to die with some honor Mara Strongwall, repent and forsake your allegiance with that forsaken magus. Do this and your name will not follow the same fate as your body." Mara raised her head, her eyes were grey and listless she smiled slightly and spoke weakly

"I will not"

"Very well" Karissa swung with lightning speed, slicing Mara's neck open. Blood poured forth and Mara gagged as she tried to scream in pain. Karissa shook her head and sheathed her blade. The Primarch turned her back and left the fallen to suffer and bleed out.

*Present time in the Omniverse*

Strazio opened his eyes slowly, the room was bright and he winced as they adjusted to the light. He looked around and saw Seargent Rumford sitting at his bedside, head down deep in thought or maybe even prayer. Next to him a young girl held him tightly, she was watching Strazio intently. She noticed Strazio stirring and tugged at Rumford's arm and pointed at the bedridden Strazio. Rumford looked at him and revealed an eye-patch and a fresh scar across his right eye.

"You're lucky Strazio, the clerics and medics here in Darkshire are some of the best"

"What happened?" Strazio tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in his gut forced him to lie back down. He lifted his shirt and noticed a large scar, right where Gnash's hook had pierced him. Rumford handed him a wooden cup filled with water and he eagerly drank it down.

"You saved my men and me, if you hadn't tagged along there was no way that we could have brought Gnash down, let alone his escort of ghouls. You fell in battle, but you did enough that we were able to fight back the ghouls and get you back here. I'm always surprised by the regenerative ability of Primes, of course you still would've died on your own but as I said our clerics are used to treating grievous wounds" he then pointed at his eyepatch "unfortunantly most of us aren't Primes and can't make full recoveries like you and your kin can."

Strazio clenched his fist tight and then let go softly "Sorry, I wasn't strong enough" Normally a fight like that would have been a walk in the park for Strazio, but in this realm his powers were greatly diminished. He could hardly even feel the magick coursing through his body, let alone control it. Rumford whispered something to the girl and she ran out of the room. Seargent Rumford pulled his chair closer to Strazio's bed he looked down at the floorboards and then back at Strazio.He wrung his hands together as he spoke.

"Before I was brought here I lived in a place known as New Tristram. It was a shabby little town, built near the ruins of its predecessor. I was a simple farmer with a wife and daughter before a star fell from the sky."

"Why are you telling my this?"

Rumford continued his story without missing a beat "When the star fell our dead began to crawl out of their graves and attack New Tristram. The undead attacked our farmhouse." His voice faltered and he fought back tears "When they attacked I... I hid in the cellar. My wife and... They weren't as quick and I listened to the undead tear them apart. My family... my family died because I was too terrified to save them." He took a pause to collect himself and Strazio could see the pain in his eye.

"When I finally worked up the courage to leave the cellar their corpses were gone, already reanimated and shambling towards New Tristram's walls. I made my way to the settlement and I was greeted as a hero for being able to survive the undead onslaught. I didn't tell them of my cowardice and they made me the captain of the guard. I couldn't even protect my own daughter and they charged me with protecting the village." He rubbed his cheekbone and wiped away a tear. He looked at the door that the child left through and pointed at it.

"Many of us are ripped from our families when we are brought to the Omniverse, that girl's name is Rika. She came here with no family around the same time that I was ripped from New Tristram. So why am I telling you this? You asked me why I don't leave and head somewhere less dangerous than the Pale Moors. I don't leave because I have taken it upon myself to protect that girl and this town. My past sins and failures can never be erased or forgiven, but dammit I will not make the same mistake twice."

"I see" Strazio thought back to Mara and clenched his fist. He stood up slowly, gritting his teeth through the pain from his wound. He smiled at Rumford and stretched his shoulders. "Alright Seargent, you've inspired me. I'm assuming you guys need all the help you can get around here. I'll put my magick to good use and crack some heads for Darkshire."

"Thank you Strazio, I'll take you to see Lieutenant Dobson right away."