Arsa ✩ Loner

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Arsa and his twin brother were the illegitimate products of Sunce, a prestigious male engaged to the crown, and a rogue female—born into a distinguished society ruled by a formidable commander. The sovereign of the Sea of Sedam, Talamh, despite the hardhearted title she wore, was fair and noble and glimpsed potential from the bastard twins. Her authority was absolute, her laws iron-clad, but she ceremoniously accepted the twins as her own. She spared no leniency in punishing the unfaithful Sunce who had sworn loyalty to her but betrayed her trust. However, instead of banishing him to run freely with his mistress, she stripped him of his prestige and forced him into the commoner body as she opted to raise the twins alongside her own biological children with the aid of her advisory body, the Lower Council.

Talamh was not a lone ruler. Her children stood behind her in a chain of command arranged by age: a system called the Upper Council. She was the sovereign, her children the Ministers, or Royal Diplomats, followed by the Lower Council. Arsa was ranked last but his position was no less imperative. Under the title of Minister, he and his siblings were slated to become experts within a particular discipline, a sub-rank called Specialists. It was a customary title, practice, and expectation specific to the Sea and a coming of age that would be flaunted to boost the pack’s morale and honorable reputation.

Though Arsa was the youngest, fate favored him and he developed rapidly. Very quickly his athleticism rivaled that of his oldest half-brother, Siva, who had always been of impressive proportions. His size was recognized and on multiple occasions, many tried to coax him into joining the defense unit, but he would kindly decline each time. He had already set his heart on the art of healing. Ardu shared similar passions and the two were transferred under the tutelage of the Sea's most accomplished practitioner: an eccentric spiritualist by the name of List.

They devoted themselves to their studies. Arsa became a scholar absorbed by the new world of pharmacognosy, where possibilities between the beauty and tragedy of plants were endless. He achieved a wealth of knowledge and his siblings also progressed. Siva and Aris, the oldest and most battle-ready, became the top-ranking students in their unit. Leon, the third oldest, specialized in cartography and astrology in the expedition unit. The siblings were vying for the title of Specialist, competing to find out who would succeed first. Upon early adulthood, Arsa was the first and received a grand ceremony as he was bestowed the honor, but his siblings were hot on his heels.

Before long, the five bright young minds were deployed to serve the Sea's neighboring affiliates to promote stable affairs, share intel, and reciprocate labor in the form of an exchange program. The exchange program would last two years, offering its participants hands-on experience in a variety of jobs within other packs. What made this program possible was the long-term coalition established between the settling packs: a pact called the Conexus. It was a means of connection and commerce on a mass scale, brimming with benefactors and beneficiaries. The Sea was a prominent figure among many others and consequently, diplomacy was the siblings' fundamental study.

Due to his title, Arsa’s abilities were sought but List recommended him to his former affiliation, the Magister Guild, and before long, he was employed. The guild was a small but distinguished traveling syndicate of “witch doctors,” called Mages among the Conexus, a title not of their choosing but one they embraced. They were a cardinal client of the Sea with a vast network of connections. They dealt with herbs and toxins and dabbled in divination among other nonsecular practices, making them the center of rumors not entirely disproportionate. They were infamous in many aspects but revered for their achievements and enigmatic techniques. Though the guild was one, each individual worked independently. Only when their name was enlisted at a generous price or percentage did their efforts unite. Their business method yielded promising results; their commissions always ended with success at the height of perfection.

Many of the guild's clientele was "under the table" and contending with the Sea, marking them a topic of controversy. Some harbored malicious intent. The Conexus never assured loyalty or camaraderie between packs as that was its own matter meant to be dealt with privately between leaders. The guild was not clean of these crimes either, often wielding underhanded tactics to protect their secrets and fortune. Moments of tension between the guild and packs enabled Arsa to keep in touch with his comrades at home despite the gnawing feeling of having betrayed them. But employment was an opportunity that was instrumental to his growth as a healer. Ardu was employed not long after and the estranged twins reverted to their old studious habits, giving Arsa a much needed distraction.

The guild's amoral principles helped shape Arsa’s moral compass. Personal bias was not permitted on the job. If a client's request was to harm or to heal, all emotions were to be shut off. Arsa learned how to harden his face due to the restrictions but he never lost touch with his humanity, so he would always decline the harmful and dirtier jobs, which was taboo. His guildmates criticized him as a result and many claimed he was too softhearted for their line of work.

Although there were many things that Arsa and the guild did not have in common, one thing was certain: his skills rivaled those of the Mage Masters'. He was an exemplary Mage but the title was not in any official capacity, given by only the show of his expertise. Over time the unofficial title became his great obstacle, one he could not overcome as it siphoned his dignity and credibility. His efforts were never enough. He felt alienated, untrusting. Some of his peers thought his way of thinking was an insult to their name and found his accomplishments unworthy of recognition.

Particular guildmates became sources of suspicion as hearsay circulated. Arsa had reason to suspect them of criminal activity after his herbs and handcrafted medicines were tampered with. After a thorough investigation the poisons used were designed to cripple and in overzealous scenarios, kill. The guild prioritized its secrets and fortune but also its means of achieving the right of secrecy and fortune: its members' work. To vandalize a guildmate's work was a direct insult to its entirety, a personal offense punishable by exile. The vandalization was a clear-cut threat.

Despite the consequences, such lawless acts became routine and soon Arsa was no longer the sole target. It damaged his faith in the guild but he denied there was much to begin with. Though his forgiving nature gave way to the companionship it offered and he subconsciously developed a distorted fondness for them, enjoying the company they brought in times where he would be alone. His two years had almost been served and though he wanted to leave, he felt trapped. The guild became a source of comfort where he could surround himself with herbs and those who were equally as devoted to the craft as he, which was reason enough for him to stay.

A few months shy of his third birthday he ended his employment with the guild after immense encouragement from Ardu, and not long after, left the Conexus entirely. Despite his high profile reputation, nobody stopped him — perhaps it was because of it. He became a traveling healer who offered his services at no expense. The following months were his liveliest but also his loneliest. He harbored doubts, wondering if the path he had fallen in love with was really what he wanted. It was a harsh matter to face; it was something he avoided answering. Of course it was what he wanted; it was the reason he was alive. However, deep down he no longer felt satisfied despite how many smiles his craft and kindness earned him. That had always been the one thing he ever asked for in return, but it was no longer enough. No longer did he feel like he was enough.

Life became monotonous; something he feared and dreaded. But his days of journeying drew to an end when he happened across an individual who was within an inch of her life. Trapped between upright slabs of broken rock and thick layers of snow she lay unconscious. Blood blemished her pale fur and ugly scars marred her. When he looked up his heart sank. She had fallen off a cliff higher up on the mountainside where there were traces of an avalanche. Arsa assumed she had succumbed to her injuries but he did not have the heart to turn his back, so he stayed. Later he found a pulse.

When the woman came to, she told him to leave, saying she was past the point of saving. Arsa was taken aback, not by her demand but by how she still had the strength to defy fate. Her condition weighed heavily on his conscience. His mind had been made long before she came to and abandoning her was not an option — it had never been. Ignoring her order he stayed by her as she slipped in and out of consciousness until at last, she swallowed her pride and tentatively asked for help. Able to let his true emotions show he was overcome with panic, frantic for her life, and worked tirelessly to patch the worst of her injuries.

Arsa admired how determined she was. When he could sense the pain emanating through her body and across her hardened features, he could not miss the steely resolve that burned in her eyes. She wanted to live despite the cool indifference she portrayed when Arsa experimentally brought up the prospect of death. Her resolve pulled her through and miraculously she survived. Her name was Estrella, and with her recovery underway, he could finally rest. Day by day her condition improved and soon she was standing tall again.

Estrella was slim and lean, sophisticated yet playful. She was assertive and proud which complemented his more quiet, humble nature. They found sanctuary in their differences and such helped plant the seeds for a strong bond. Once Estrella was able to stand on her own again, they set off together.

After a few nomadic months, the pair became parents, but had to shoulder the heartache of two stillborns. Though something entirely out of his control, Arsa mourned deeply for the lives that would have been. However, they had one little miracle: a son by the name of Aureole. He developed into a lean and willowy body much like his mother but inherited his father's cool temperament and lavish coat. What made him stand out most was his disability: inherited hearing loss. While not entirely deaf he was very hard of hearing, but persevered, learning how to read lips, vibrations, and social cues.

The small family was close-knit but as Aureole approached young adulthood he set out with a will of his own. It was an emotional departure that left a fissure in Arsa's heart, but he could not deny that he was incredibly, solemnly proud of his son for what he was able to accomplish. Their number of three shrunk back to its original two, but his and Estrella's relationship had already grown rocky. Of all the broken bones and bad wounds, their relationship was the only thing he could not fix. They had bid each other a fond farewell and the two went about their separate ways. Silence stalked him and kept him company, following him through the past months of lonely wandering, returning him to a life of monotony.