A Will to Fight


~The way of the warrior is the way I chose to live my life,  to live by the sword and to die by it that is my path, 
I thought as I prepared for combat.  Would my mother approve what I have become…~

Just then a beautiful female Hell-drow entered the chamber “Sir all is ready for you, but may I must ask why do
 you do this every day?”  

“What I do is none of your concern, but I do need my exercise” was all that came out as we left my chamber 
and walked to a small arena that was built for combat.  Upon entering the arena a set of heavy iron doors could 
be heard locking.

 “Let’s see if it will last longer today” as an opposite set of doors opened.  The opponent a troll that was captured
 not to long ago, not just any troll but the leader of a group of them.  The troll’s anger in being captured was seen 
by all observers as the beast rushed forth.  The combat began by toying with my prey trying to make it last as long 
as possible, but within a minute the job was done, there is only so much one can hold back after all.

The doors opened and a squad of Hell drow came out and quickly lugged the carcass of the troll back to it’s prison.
  “Milla have a bath drawn, that beast’s blood is  covering me, and also have my armor cleaned.”  

“Yes sir, any thing else?” she asked
“Nothing at the moment”

“Why does he keep doing this, he knows he can easily kill the beast in a matter of seconds, what is his reason.” thought
 Milla as she had the orders carried out, “and why did he chose me from the line up to do these things?”

Upon returning to my chambers, the armor was removed and set aside for cleaning, the large scar on my chest stared 
back at me,  “Such a long time has past”.  Milla then entered the room, ”Sir your bath is ready.”

“Milla, you wanted to know why I fight that troll every day” the two of us were walking to my bath, “then I will tell you.” 
 When we reached my bathing area, and knowing that it was her time to leave, Milla turned to walk away.  

“Where do you think you are going Milla, I need to speak with you now so you can come in.”  Slightly embarrassed she 
entered, and she looked away when I showered to remove the excess blood and enter my bathtub.  When she turned back 
she saw that the wounds that were inflicted  by the troll were slowly closing.

“Milla,” a in a strange tone for her, ”In order for us to work together we must know much about each other, first off I am 
not from this world, and you see I wasn’t always as you see me today, here I shall tell you my story and you will see why 
I must fight”

23 Years earlier….
My mother, as skilled with the bow as she was with the sword, was a beautiful woman.  She was unmatched in combat
 even by her male peers.  She drew many who wanted to take her for their bride, but she was saving herself for true love. 
 While on an adventure her path came across a beautiful lake, unbeknown to her a tribe of trolls made an encampment near 
by, and it was time for their hunt.  As she stopped to rest the troll’s surrounded her, and attacked.  

Although she had great skill, she lacked the one thing needed to properly kill a troll, a ready and available source of fire.  Their
 attacks finally penetrated her defenses, and she knew her back was to the wall.  When all seemed hopeless, four arrows shot 
from the woods.  Moving with great stealth a stranger was able to confuse the trolls by attacking from every angle.  The largest 
and most powerful among them was undeterred though, and it made a beeline for my mother, before she blacked out from the 
blood loss, but she told me before that she saw an elf jump from the bushes wielding a pair flaming blades.

After the combat she found her self in a cave, she had been bandaged to stop the blood loss.  The stranger entered the cave, 
carrying some medicine and food, he told my mother that she had been in bed for at least two days and that she would not be 
able to return to her way of life for a while because of her injuries.  During the time he cared for her, she grew fond of this elf, 
perhaps he is the one she thought.  The elf also had the same feelings for my mother, they soon celebrated their love four months
 later 

22 Years earlier….
Nine months later I was born, a bouncing baby boy, my parents saw me as a blessing, the town that they decided to make 
their permanent home was not far from the mountains, and my father was almost never home, he stopped by once in a while 
to see how we were doing, and left as quickly as he came.  I was not worried about his strange actions after all he was a 
ranger and it was his job to protect the forest.  As I grew up I knew I was different, a half-elf, but I was so naive at the time,
 there were rumors in the town, as my skin had a golden hue, and my golden hair made me stand out from the other children.  

I paid no mind to the rumors, I was a half-elf and that was that.  

As I grew I started to notice certain differences between me and the other half-elven children from my town.  I was taller, 
and noticeably much more stronger than them and even some of the adults. 

 “You are truly a special child and that you will aspire to greatness.” my mother told me “but you should really get back 
to your chores“.  
“Yes mom I’ll go finish them” with that I went in to the woods to  collect some fire wood for dinner, as I walked farther 
and farther in to the woods I thought  to myself am I really all that different?

Present
As the plug was pulled to empty the water my concentration broke, and Milla turned.  

“Milla fetch me a towel.”
“Yes sir.” was her reply.  While toweling off Milla got my clothes ready.  When I dressed Milla asked “Sir if all of your 
combat injuries normally heal on their own, then why do you still possess that large scar on your chest?”

“You are a curious one Milla,” smiling “you wish to know why this injury does not heal, then you will have to wait.”

~A smile I had not smiled in such a long time, then why do I smile now?  Perhaps it is because she reminds me so much 
of my mother.  Maybe that is the reason I chose her out of the rest, who knows….~

“Now if I may continue….”

7 Years earlier (age 15)
As I made my way through the woods collecting all of the fallen branches and twigs I could find.

~“Remember Lamia, the trees have both eyes and ears, if you do any thing to harm the forest I will know, so show the
 forest the proper respect.” those were the words of my father and I have always listened to what he said.~

On my way back home I heard a loud roar, as if a creature of immense size was near my home town.  I ran back as fast 
as my legs could carry me dropping all the wood that I had collected.  When I made it to the edge of the town, I saw what 
was making the all of the noise.  It was a very large red dragon, it had come to town in order to take some of the virgin 
women for it to eat.  As every one ran for cover, my mother not bothering to put on her armor, ran out of our house with her 
sword and shield in order to combat it.  From the look of the beast it had a terrible combat previous to reaching our town.

When my mother swung her sword the beast knocked it out of her hand.  She braced her shield as the dragon’s tail came 
swinging at her.  She managed to stay on her feet in order to block all of the other blows coming her way.  During the 
commotion, I ran to where my mom’s sword lay and picked it up, and ran to her side

“Lamia get out of here, I don’t want to lose you.” she shouted

“No mother I will not leave your side” was my response.  With that I swung the sword, I managed to hit it quite hard 
and I put all the strength I could muster in to it.  The creature retaliated by raking it’s claws across my chest.

“You insolent curr, do you wish to waste your life by fighting me, so be it then.” the dragon hissed.  It reared back 
and it launched it’s most powerful weapon, it’s fiery breath.  

“No!” my mother shouted as she shielded me with her own body.

“Mother!!”, with tears in my eyes I stood up gripping the sword as tightly as I could, and shouted “This one is for 
you mother!”  Putting every last ounce of strength my young body had I delivered one final strike.  The blow was so 
powerful that the heavily enchanted sword of my mother shattered after it had done it’s job.  I stood there for what 
seemed an eternity, but it was only just a few seconds, and I dropped the hilt of the sword.

Rushing back to her, “Mother it’s over now, so let’s get you home”

“No my son,” she said weakly “I’m not going make it.  Let me just say before I leave my body that I am truly proud 
of you.”

“No mother you will get better, I don’t want to lose you,” I cried.  Just then she put her arm around me, “Please my 
son I don not want to leave you too, but my time has come.  Do me this last favor and seek out your father, from the 
look of that dragon, it must have ran in to him before it reached our home.” she managed to say despite her condition.

“I will mother, I will,” I managed to choked out between the tears.

“Please do me this favor to, always battle for what you believe in and always keep me in your heart, then I will always 
be……” with that her body gave out.  I held her close to me, sobbing my eyes out, and after I was done I picked up 
her body, and carried her home.

I stepped out of my house after being bandaged, and set out to look for my father.  I did find him, but not as an elf 
but what his true form was, that of a gold dragon.  My father was in a terrible condition, after all he did manage to 
slow down and weaken a much larger dragon.

“My son,” he said meekly, “I am sorry for not being there to defend our home, he was too much for me.”

I was shocked at first, to find out that your father was not who he said he was is a large thing.  I could not speak,
 the every fiber of my body was shocked.

“Sorry I wasn’t there for all your most precious moments too.  Defending our home was a job that I took very 
seriously.  I just hope that you and your mother don’t forget me when I‘m gone.” he said with an expression of 
agony in his voice.

Looking away I said with much sorrow, “She died to protect me, why did this happen father, answer me.”

“It seems that I will be joining her shortly then, remember this my son, we both died to protect something 
we loved, that was you, if it was to happen all over again we would….” he managed to gasp out before his 
life faded.

“…do the same thing.” I finished.

With that I set out, to learn the meaning of my parent’s words, and why they had to sacrifice themselves.  

~Why am I so special, I’m just a freak of nature, I’m not that special.~  

After months on the road, it finally hit me, they put their lives on the line to protect me because I was a 
symbol of their love for each other, and that I was irreplaceable.

Present

“When I fight I feel as if both my parents are right there by my side, that is why I do it, so I can always 
remember the sacrifice that they made.” when we entered my bed chamber, a shattered sword could be 
seen on a shelf above the bed.  “This was my mother’s sword, the same one I used to finish off the red 
dragon, and the scar was caused by that very same dragon, the reason it never healed…., please leave me.”

“Yes sir, shall I get something for you to eat?” Milla asked, as I took a seat on the bed.
“No just leave me be,” with that she left the room.

~The reason my scar never fully healed is because my heart is still injured from that day.   Perhaps it will 
never fully heal; mother, father please give me the strength needed to over come your loss.  In order to 
move on I must remove the shackles of the past, but I don’t want to lose the both of you.

~My son we will never forget you, remember if you keep us close to your heart you  we will never be very 
far.

Why did I chose Milla, perhaps it is a sign from my parents.  She is after all the only one who questioned 
my actions and seemed generally worried about me.  Perhaps she is the one who can heal this old scar.

~My path will not end, only death can bring an end to it, but I will not give up the fight however.  As long 
as there is life in this body, I will continue to fight, I will prove that my parents did not die in vain.  As long 
as my god is by my side, I will continue to do his will, after all I owe him much more for what he has done 
for me.  He has given me something to believe in, a reason to fight, and a reason to live.~

“I did not chose this path of the warrior, it chose me.  So it is by my will and my oath, that I continue down
 it‘s path, that I continue to fight”