TRA: Brothers Of The Scar

The history of the Alteans

Cassandra, or rather Cass as some called her, sat in her cell, curled up in the fetal position, her small black wings draped over her blood stained body. She had been imprisoned for a crime her mother had committed, one that had been both her doing and undoing.

The Alteans were a proud and noble race, one that had ruled the sky's for thousands, if not millions, of years. Her people were dying out by the day in the war that plagued them. A war that was raged against her father, of all people.

The war was not the reason for Cassandra's incarceration though, it was because of her blood. The Alteans were such a proud race that if one ever diluted the blood that ran in their veins, they were instantly labelled as a criminal, both the parent and the child.

Cass shivered as a cold breeze brushed her barely clothed body. The marks from the night before when the guards had their way with her still burned. She had been told that she had siblings outside of these cell walls, but Cass feared she would never meet them.

A tap on the jail cell ranged out, catching Cass attention, but she dared not look up. Fear struck her, what if they had returned to do her more harm? She pulled her legs closer to her chest, hoping that if it is those men, they will make it quick and painless.

"Cassandra, daughter of Mileanis," to Cassandra's surprise, the voice was a females, "I have come here to let you prove your loyalty to the Altean race."

Cassandra's dry cracked lips spread into a smile, sharp pain bit into her as the skin ripped, and began to laugh. "If you are here to give me false hope," she said through the laughter, tears streaming down her face, "then forget it. I do not wish to show loyalty to a race that allowed their men to force theirselves onto me."

The woman outside the jail cell was silent for a moment, then Cassandra heard the distinct sound of a sword leaving it's scabbard. Cass closed her eyes, this is it, she thought, this is how all the pain and suffering will end.

To Cassandra's surprise, the swords blade never once touched her. A scream could be heard on the other side and, for the first time, Cassandra looked up to find a young, white winged woman holding a sword that had been pierced through one of her assailants stomach's. The man held the woman in his eyes, a look of disbelief and betrayal clouded them.

"Is this one of the men that assaulted you?" The woman asked Cass, to which Cass nodded. The woman twisted the blade in the man's stomach before pulling it free and cutting off his head.

Cass stood and walked to the bars, peering down at the lifeless body that laid on the floor. His death was to good for him, Cass thought, but his death is not the one I seek. Cass looked the woman in the eyes, she knew who the real culprit behind her assault was. She stood before her, putting on airs to win Cassandra's favor and gain one more warrior for the battles ahead.

"What must I do?" Cass said with a smile.

The woman's lips twisted into a hideous version of a smile. "You must kill the one who brought this sin onto you to bare."

Cass nodded, she knew they wanted her mother dead, but only someone who held a blood tie to her could take her head. It was against the law for anyone else to do so, and all Alteans must obey the law or risk the same punishment her mother was to face.

"Where do I begin?" Cassandra asked, the smile ever present.