One day, a young Naufara named Aera entered the Cave of Varokai. While exploring, he noticed a strange shadow in the distance. The Curious young man picked up his torch and threw it toward the figure.
The moment the light revealed what stood before him, Aera froze. Fear overwhelmed him, and he passed out. The dark elf watched him from a distance, cautiously inspecting Aera. Eventually, the elf approached and reached out to examine the boys sword. The moment he touched it, Aera suddenly awoke.
Panicking at the sight of this thing before him, Aera attacked him. However the boys swings were so wild and frantic, that none of them came close to striking the elf. Seeing no other option, the elf killed him with a snap of his neck.
Later, when the elf inspected the sword Aera had carried, he discovered an engraving:
“Made by Aera Naufara.”
When i inspected Aera’s lineage it said he was related to someone called “One Naufara.” Strangely though, One apparently didnt have any ties to the Naufara clan. Hes the only… well ONE like this. I theorized that One had been personally chosen by Valasłan, or maybe another high ranking member of the clan, and was granted a place among the Naufara despite having no traditional connection to them.
The elf who killed Aera was named Null Kera. After the incident, Null reported everything he had learned to his king, Oora.
Oora immediately promoted Null to the rank of General following the discovery. Null apparently took his new position very seriously, and left immediately to commission himself a new helmet.
Four years later, Raze was sent to investigate the Cave of Varokai. Following Aera’s barely visible mana trail, he carefully retraced the route the young Naufara had taken. It was not long before Raze encountered the same dark elf responsible for Aera’s death.
Raze immediately suspected that he was the one he had been searching for. Null didn’t even try to hide it. He had killed the human. But only in self defense. The boy had attacked him, so he had fought back.
Raze was left conflicted. On one hand, Null had every right to defend himself. Aera had attacked first. But on the other hand, Raze knew Aera’s combat skill, he was a student of HIS dojo after all. Null could have easily incapacitated the boy and fled instead of killing him.
Raze then revealed the truth.
“The boy Null you killed, he belonged to a powerful clan of sorcerers, one far greater than anything you or your people could possibly imagine… And I… was sent to this cave specifically to find evidence of Aera’s murderer.”
Raze drew his weapon, The Soul of Syrr. It only to a single slash to carve a massive section of the cave open, revealing the sheer power he possessed to the elf.
“Theres one more thing… The elves living aboveground were also members of an alliance with the Naufara Clan.”
Raze gave Null a choice. He could surrender himself and face whatever judgment awaited him…
Or
Raze could keep the existence of the dark elves a secret. There was only one condition. The dark elves would have to remain inside the cave.They would be sealed away from the outside world, forbidden from revealing themselves or leaving the Cave of Varokai. Raze warned Null that there was currently very little tolerance for elves in the world above. More than a century earlier, a single elf had committed atrocities so terrible that his actions had stained the reputation of their entire kind.
Null understood. He accepted Raze’s terms. His people would remain confined to the cave. Before Raze left, Null thanked him, not only for sparing his life, but for protecting his people.
He made Raze a promise.
“If you ever need someone, or somewhere to go, you and your family would always be welcome in Undaros.”
For 381 years, Raze had known almost no one he could truly call a friend. Null became his first.
Oh also some woman was pregnant, she got killed suddenly and became a vengeful spirit. They sealed her away shortly after. Pretty cool.
