Heron stared agape. This sounded like some kind of story for old folks to tell over roasting fires at festival times. Granted, Godmother Keri was certainly old, but this wasn’t time for a festival or for idle stories. And Keri spoke like one who completely believed what she was saying, not like someone simply repeating a story. But it seemed unbelievable to Heron nonetheless. He looked at his parents, and saw his father nodding at him encouragingly. His mother patted his shoulder again.
“Are... you saying...” Heron swallowed before continuing. “...you’re saying that my entire family was killed over some antiques they had collected?” He thought maybe they were supposed to be more than just antiques, but didn’t want to think about that yet.
But Keri wasn’t going to let that statement go by without correcting it. And then some. “Antiques? No.” She shook her head emphatically. “Listen here, boy. Long ago, there was a powerful family led by those who desired power above all else. They sought to conquer all of the known world and gathered up every powerful weapon they could get, recruited every capable fighter they could buy with all the wealth they had amassed. And they sought out every form of magic that would help them get more wealth and power. After a long war, they were defeated by an alliance of those who opposed them, directed by wise and capable leaders. Those who were power-hungry were defeated, their army and skilled fighters either changed their allegiances or were annihilated. Their wealth was plundered and all of the weapons and magic they had gathered was destroyed, except for a handful of powerful magic items that proved to be indestructible. They were considered too powerful to be trusted to any one person or family, so they were locked away and put under the guard of a neutral society of wizards sworn to uphold peace and never do harm to anyone or anything under any circumstances. But over time that society of wizards died out, and their responsibilities passed to a local family of nobility that had traditionally supported the wizards. They were hardly remembered by anyone outside of their own province anymore, and they and the relics of the ancient war were only mentioned in obscure legends. But the wizards left behind a prophecy that whoever would next seek after those relics to gain power would be defeated by one of the Kaheri family. Generations passed, and many of the Kaheri didn’t know where the relics were locked away, much less that they had ever been more than legend. But they are real, and they are needed again. The ones who killed your family must be stopped. And prophecy has declared that you are the one to stop them, as the last of the Kaheri.”
