~As the infant grew into a young girl, her training was hard. She learned to hold a sword before she could even walk. When she could walk, she could use any weapon that was placed before her. Day and night her training took place. And when she failed at even the smallest task, she was beaten. Tied to a post in the courtyard of the Lodge, and whipped until she passed out from the pain. Eventually she became used to it, and learned how to block it out, by detaching herself from her body. Very few knew she could do this, and those that did were usually found after they had some accident that took their lives.~

~Nezzka watched all this with a detached air, yet was proud of his pupil. He knew she would become a knight to be reckoned with, and eventually would be able to best even him. Yet there was more he knew she had to learn, and that was what he was waiting for. With unabashed glee.~

~He didn't have to wait log. As time passed, Shadowfyre eventually grew into a young woman, and came of age. This was when the real training would take place. She would learn the weaknesses of men, and use them against them to gain their confidence so it would be easier to slip a dagger in their back~

~One day, Nezzka approached her while she was dueling with one of the other apprentice knights. He came up behind her, sliding his foot in the way, yet instead of tripping her as he had planned, she anticipated his action, deftly turned away, and drew her dagger on him.~

"Why have you disturbed my training, Lord Tolax? Am I not doing better than you had hoped?"

~The crack of his hand across her face echoed through the courtyard. A small trickle of blood escaped from the corner of her mouth.~

"You have grown arrogant, Shadow. Too arrogant, in fact. Now you must learn yet another lesson."

~Nezzka swiftly grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her in an unnatural angle, bringing a wince of pain to Shadow's face. Shoving her in front of him, he motions for the other apprentice to follow, with a jerk of his head. Soon it become apparent where they are going. The training hall, where all the other apprentices were.~

~Nezzka kicks open the door of the training hall, turning all eye there to him, the young apprentice, and the young woman he is shoving before him. Cruelly he forces her across the room to the overseers chair, and forces her face down into it.~

"Bring me some ropes!" ~he shouts, his voice echoing through the hall for a moment, before a dozen shocked trainees scurry to do his bidding. The first one back is rewarded with a snarl from Tolax, as he instructs him to tie the young knight to the chair, making sure she cannot escape. Without hesitation, the apprentice does as instructed, than quickly backs away.

"What are you doing, Nezzka?" ~Shadowfyre nearly snarls over her shoulder. "You think this will be any different than the beating you gave me last eve?"

"You shall soon learn, my dear, what is in store for you and your arrogance."

~He than pulls her dagger from it's sheath, and begins cutting the bindings of her armor, letting each snap in two. First the bindings on her breastplate, than the bindings on her greaves. Quickly Nezzka shoves the pieces aside, exposing her dark flesh for all to see. As the last piece falls, he grabs a handful of her hair, and jerks her head back. Leaning in close to her ear, he whispers low enough so that only she can hear.~

"This is your next lesson, Shadow. You have what men want the most. What I want the most. You will learn to use it against them. But unlike the others, I get the sweet, sweet pleasure of teaching it to you."

"For the remainder of the day, Shadowfyre will be here, as you see her now, to ease any frustrations you may have. Once the sun hits the mountains to the west, anyone that than touches her shall have his hand cut off."

"WHAT!" ~Shadowfyre shrieks in rage, fighting against the bonds anew.~

~Nezzka once again leans in close to her ear and whispers.~
"Maybe this will squelch the arrogance in you."

~With the last bit of resistance she has, Shadowfyre turns her head and spits in Nezzka's face.~

"Nothing will do that, you fool. For you were the one that taught me that lesson."

~The force of the slap Nezzka gives Shadow ricochets her head off the arm of the chair, and almost knocks her unconscious, but not quite. That would have been too kind. Nezzka than stands back and watches as each of the trainees approaches the bound knight, and relieves what baser urges they have. Shadow never once takes her eyes from Nezzka, and the fires of hatred and rage only grow within them.~


~The days of training turned into weeks. The weeks into months, than years. Shadow's skills kept improving and she never ceased to amaze Nezzka with her talents with a sword or mace. On many occasions he would stop and watch his pupil with a mix of admiration and revoltion, for she had the skills that he knew he would never possess.~

~One day, during such a moment of pause, Nezzka approached her, and drew her aside roughly.~

"Shadowfyre, I believe you are ready for the final test, and lesson, in your training" he fairly hissed.

~Her eyes blazed remembering the last lesson in the great hall.~

"What is it this time, you lecher?" she snarled. "Another lesson in humiliation, but this time using the ghouls?"

~He chuckled at her, than squeezed her arm harshly, imprinting his fingers into her skin.~

"No. This one is much more tantalizing than the last. Come with me."

~With that, he wrenches her arm behind her, and roughly shoves her ahead of him. Leaning in close he whispers in her ear, his lips mere inches from her ear~

"You will thank me for this, I assure you, my dear… This moment has been a long time in coming."

~Shadow jerks her head away from his mouth, than slams it back, busting Nezzka's lip. He snarls at the sharp pain, than snakes his tongue out to catch the trickle of blood before it trails away.~

"You will pay for that one day, bitch. Too bad it can't be today. More important things await."

~Only than does Shadow realize he has been leading her down into the depths of the Lodge. The walls have a glow to them, created from the centuries of blood and sweat that have been beaten into their very pores. The light, almost none existent in this place, ebbs and flows as though it were a living thing. They move through the shadows together, Nezzka guiding her all the way, until they come to the very last chamber, in the very depths of hell itself.~

~Nezzka takes out a keyring that contains only one key, and hands it to Shadow.~

"Inside you will find that which started you on this path, Shadowfyre. Think hard on what to do once you discover what it is."

~Shadow gingerly takes the key, not fully trusting her teacher, and turns towards the door. Sliding it in the lock, she listens as the tumblers fall and the door slowly begins to swing open. She has to duck her head to step inside, and even than cannot stand up straight, the cell is so small. She pauses a moment and allows her eyes to adjust to the dark and shadows, and only than does she notice, in the corner, a crouched figure.~

~Slowly she approaches the figure, and when she nears it, she recognizes the shackles that bind it to the wall as those of Nezzka's making. Manys the time she was forced to wear them in the great hall. The figure raises it's head, and Shadow can see that it is a man, thin and frail, and obviously quite mad. His eyes stare at her, burning into her mind, and she feels as though she should know him, yet she does not.~

~Nezzka moves in behind her, pushing her closer to the wretch of a man, and, brushing a lock of snow white hair from her shoulder, he leans over and speaks quietly, yet harshly.~

"Shadowfyre, it is with great delight that I can now introduce you to your father. Lord D`Sade, meet the very creature you tried to destroy, but failed."

~The prisoner's head snaps up, and the fire burning in his eyes flares again. He begins to fight against the chains and bonds, reaching for Shadow, his hands clawing at her in his attempt to kill her, even now. Strange gutteral sounds come from his mouth and throat, but nothing intelligible.~

~Shadowfyre stands there, staring at this man that would have her dead.~

"You." ~her eyes begin to narrow, and her hand move reflexively to the hilt of her dagger nestled on her thigh. The word slips from her lips, flowing on a river of hate and disgust.~ "You. Such a weak and vile creature as you sired me? And then thought to kill me? ~her fingers begin working the handle, and the rage and hatred burn in her eyes, searing her father's very soul.~ "You failed at that once, but you shall not again. For you shall not have the chance to, father."

~In a flash she unsheathes her dagger and sword, drawing the first over the Lord D`Sade's throat, and burying the other swiftly into his gut. Shadow looks at the man, now gurgling in his own blood and begins to laugh. Nezzka moves back a pace, a sickening smile begins to spread across his face as he listens to Shadowfyre laugh, knowing that her training is at an end. She is now ready to become Innoruuk's own mercenary.~