Shalis

It was early spring and the dew was form on the grass from the cold night before. Khatelyin and Damontauk had been blessed with a bouncing new baby girl. They named her Shalis. It was not long after Shalis had learned to walk that they again where blessed with Shalis’ little sister who came to be known as Austaris.

Shalis and Austaris in their early years where very fond of each other. Khatelyin and Damontauk taught them all the ways of being a Paladin in the hopes that one day their two children would follow in their footsteps on the glorious path of the God’s champion knights.

It was about the time Austaris hit her 30th birthday, a real special one in Shalis’ village, when they started to notice changes in her attitude. She began to sneak around and do things behind her parents back. Shalis believed that she was the only one whom her sister felt close to so she went to Austaris and asked her what her problem was. Austaris turned on her sister, angered by the fact that Shalis believed she had a problem.

Austaris grew short tempered and started stealing from other people in Shalis’ small village. It was Austaris’ way of getting revenge on her holy parents. When Khatelyin and Damontauk heard of the things that Austaris did they were outraged. They went to the town leader and dropped on their knees, confessing the sins of the daughter and begging forgiveness of her.

The town leader found thievery a unforgivable offence and banished her from the town. Khatelyin and Damontauk went back and wept their sorrows to their children. Austaris was untroubled by the whole fact. She had no care that her home that she loved and grew up in was being taken away from her. She went to get her stuff. Shalis was pained by the though of losing her sister. She cried to her mother to convince the town leader to let her stay, but it was no good. Nothing could change Austaris’ fate.

Shalis went outside to a clearing in the forest and sat to think. She dreaded losing her sister more than anything. After much thinking she decided that if her sister must leave, she needed someone to go with her, to take care of her. So Shalis went back and told her mother that she was leaving with Austaris. Khatelyin fell to her knees weeping at the loss of both her daughters. She told Shalis she must tell the town leader if she was going to leave and why. So Shalis made her way to the town leader and told him of her decision. Sorrow filled his eyes, for he didn’t wont to lose the young lady but he was forced to deal with her decision.

Shalis was told that if she left with Austaris, she too was banished and could never return. Shalis was felt with grief but went back to pack her things. That night Austaris left with out saying goodbye to anyone. Shalis found out a little while later that she was gone. She went to her mother and said her good-byes. Shalis cried for a long time with her father then sent off to find her sister before she made it to far.

Austaris was not hard to find. Austaris begged Shalis to leave but Shalis insisted that she wouldn’t. Austaris grew angry with Shalis and began to hate Shalis more than anything. Shalis followed Austaris silently and never told her that she had given up the town she loved to be with her sister who now hated her. Shalis followed her sister now, out of sheer will and love and refusal to admit defeat.

After many days of travel Austaris led them into a city named Crossings. It was big and full of many new kinds of people that Shalis and Austaris had never known. Shalis saw how different people led their lives. Shalis and Austaris got a hotel room together and decided to try and make a living here to put food in their empty bellies. As time wore on Shalis saw less and less of her sister until finally Austaris stopped coming to the hotel anymore. Shalis was troubled by her great loss for she had no friends in the great place and even her sister was now lost to her.

Shalis made her way to the outskirts of town. She found her way to a forest like the one where she found peace at back home. She sat down against a large tree and wept for the first time since she left home. She cried for everything that had hurt her that had built up inside of her. She may have sat there for hours crying and not realized it, she was so swallowed by her self grief.

Shalis didn’t her him coming. He came out of no where. He was dressed like a tree almost. He carried a bow and arrows and asked her if she was okay. Shalis, needing to tell someone her story found herself telling this strange short man everything. He asked her if she had considered becoming a Ranger because of her love of the forest, as her chosen place of rest. Shalis confirmed that the idea had never occurred to her.

The man told her how to find the great Kalika and that she would tell her everything she would need to know. Shalis stood up to thank him but he was gone. She gathered herself together, wiped her face clean in a small stream and walked back toward the town following the directions the nameless man had given her. When she found Kalika finally she had a feeling that she knew this face from some far of dream. Shalis spent a long time with Kalika asking many questions to make sure this is what she wanted before she finally allowed herself to join. She spent many weeks with Kalika learning everything there was to know about how to be a Ranger.