Excerpt from the Book of Runes
- The story of Zaerk the Slayer and Llewella
Translated and condensed by Selrac, Master Sage of the South
Zaerk, the warrior, learned his cunning skills from the legendary Lenazura. The Lenazura, master assassins, found him as a child and taught him the ways of merciless combat. As Zaerk progressed in his skill as an assassin, he noticed that he began growing very rapidly in size and muscle mass. After a while, he grew too large to become a full-time assassin. At the age of 17, he stood nearly 8 feet tall. The Lenazura began to doubt his supposedly human nature, and he was banished from their secret society.
Equipped only with his broad sword and Kala (A weapon used by the Lenazura, much like two boomerangs put together with blades on it), Zaerk went ou t to find his real race. Because of his size, everywhere he went, he was shunned and hated as a freak. Many people thought of him as a monster and threw rocks at him. More than often, he was mistaken as some sort of a giant, and would not be allowed into some of the major cities.
Zaerk's sad life went on for several years. Finally, he encountered a woman named Llewella. She accepted Zaerk for what he was, and did not care about his gargantuan height. She told him that she would be his friend, even if no one else would. Zaerk asked her if should would travel with him, to find who his people were. She accepted immediately, and the two fell in love over time. There were many times when Zaerk would dreams of the old days with the Lenazura, and cry out in the night. Llewella was always there to calm him down. It seemed the mighty giant warrior had found his perfect match.
Eventually, the madness inside of him was too much for him to bear. Zaerk would become crazy and begin fighting those people around him. He killed many innocent folk. Luckily, Llewella was always near, and managed to stop him with her healing powers to decrease the suffering. Of course, these actions would get them kicked out of tavern after tavern. Eventually they would not have a place to go.
Nevertheless, Zaerk and Llewella travelled to many distant lands and encountered many different and interesting people.They saved both the rich and the poor from bandits, thieves and assassins, preferring food and shelter over money and glory. They finally gained a better reputation from the citizens of the land, and Llewella was finally able to control Zaerk to the point where he was not able to do harm.
One day, however, Zaerk ventured out without telling Llewella, who at this point had become his wife. He went to far lands, farther than he had ever traveled before. He went seeking high adventure with his now famous broadsword known as Rendual. No one knew why he left. No one even knew where he had gone.
Llewella sent her magical minions off to find her husband. Months later, the minions came back with grave news. Zaerk was dead, slain by the leader of the Lenazura, Shax. Furious, Llewella swore revenge on Shax.
Using her magic, she sought out the leader, and invaded his mind. She tried to destroy his mind and drive him insane. Unfortunately, Llewella had exerted too much energy and while destroying the leader of the Lenazura, she also managed to destroy her own mind. Or so it has been told.
To this age, no one knows what really happened to Llewella. But to believe that she died during the attack on Shax is very doubtful.
