Alroy Malachi

### Allies

Cleo Malachi , Dior Malachi , Mithral Tagata , Gilheart the Fallen , Valok Firefield , Tucker , Captain Daniels, Tieran Archlite

## Biography

Alroy Malachi, born Cleo Malachi Jr., is the son of Cleo Malachi, an elderly druid and a member of The Council of Sages. From a young age, Alroy's parents called him Junior for short. Growing up in a small settlement within ruins, Junior found life rather boring.

From a young age, Alroy was had formal education, his first teacher was Chilon Atrapus. Alroy enjoyed learning but not the style that was imposed upon him.

One day at the ripe age of eleven years old, Alroy ventured into the forest. He traveled for one day and stumbled upon something he could not believe. It was a city, Alroy stood flabbergasted at its vibrant animation. The only life he knew was his placid village. The city was bustling with life and Alroy immediately wanted to be apart of it.

Upon entering the city, Alroy was in shock at the better lifestyle these people had. They had very fine and extravagant clothing and hairstyles. There was much more volume and talkative people here and Alroy admired all of it. As he strolled through the crowded streets he stumbled upon a haberdashery that displayed a very elegant set of fine clothes. Alroy needed to have it.

He entered the store but immediately a middle-age man violently shoed him out calling him dirtier than a sewer rat. Alroy is dumbfounded and while continuing down the city streets, he notices his reflection. He is unlike the people of this city, his hair is long and dark brown. His eyes as dark as the heart of a cave. The people around him had light blonde hair that almost appeared gold in the light. The combination of their hair and cold icy blue eyes made them seem almost angelic.

Alroy realized he needed to cleanse himself. He soon found something he had never seen, a bathhouse. He went in and did what the others did. He washed away the grime that clung to him and with it, he shed his former identity. A man inquired about his name. With Alroy's newfound identity and independence, he shed his birth name - Cleo Malachi Jr. and became Alroy.

Alroy returned to the city frequently, whenever he could go unnoticed by his parents. In the following weeks after Alroy's first time in the city, he began to plan a heist. One to steal that fine set of clothes he had first set his eyes upon. It was a difficult task, one that Alroy planned meticulously.

Alroy knew he would need some people on his side. He was constantly involved in small thefts until he had some coin to recruit other poor children. He used these children as pawns but this did not stop him from getting emotionally attached to them. Each one had a unique nickname, simple but descriptive. There was Scrapper, Jester, Mouse, and Siren. He considered them his friends and during the weeks leading up to the heist, they bonded greatly.

The plan was not very elaborate but effective. Alroy was the brain behind the brawns but he was still just a kid. The plan was to use the shopkeeper's own hubris against him. He had Scrapper and Jester become filthy, just like him on his first day here. The two of them then paraded throughout the store, trudging dirt and mud all over the floor. This filth infuriated the shopkeeper and he immediately began to chase them out.

It was here Siren stepped in, she was only sixteen but held beauty beyond her years. She stopped the shopkeeper after he had chased the other two out. She held a conversation to stall for Mouse and Alroy. Mouse, the quietest and most nimble of our team, worked his way behind the counter to collect the shopkeeper's revenue. Alroy, on the other hand, went for the clothes.

Each member was successful in their part. The extra coin prior to the heist was to cover Scrapper and Jester's mandatory labor. Being as filthy as they were, they stood out and were caught. Just as Alroy was heading to the rendezvous point a man pulled him into what seemed like a hidden tunnel.

"Hey kid, I saw what you did back there. You plan all that out?"

"Depends on who is asking."

"Well if it was you, I could help you expand your skills and reach your potential."

"How so?"

"I've stolen much more than some fancy clothes and I know a group of people who can say the same. My name is Sulkin the Swift, I am a member of The Swindling Sons."

"Hmm, I see. You have my interest."

"That was your only option, come with me."

Sulkin blindfolded Alroy and led him to a location unfamiliar to him, presumably the guild's headquarters.

Alroy and his family ran through the woods, desperately fleeing some unknown horror. Alroy heard terrifying sounds of destruction as he ran from everything he had ever known. Eventually, his family came across a cabin in the woods.

Once inside the small meek wooden cabin, the stench of death was quick to greet them. Alroy had no idea who the body belonged to, but his father seemed to know him. Alroy was in too much shock to listen to what old Cleo had to say though. This wasn't the first time Alroy had seen a dead body, but it was surely the most gruesome. He'd seen many dead animals and a few elders that had passed placidly, but this was the first to shake him.

The thought of the cold, pale, lifeless corpse stuck with Alroy through his journey to Kilaed and on Daniel's Sloop. Alroy despaired as he worked on the Sloop, thinking about the life he left behind - about the man who had tricked him. He had seen death's true face and he was scared. He wished he could just go home, go somewhere safe. He felt trapped on that cursed ship.

Things, of course, got even worse when the Sloop was marooned on an ill-advised journey to some island to get a magical artifact. Alroy, now literally trapped on an island, sat alone - angry at his father, angry at the world. He tried to build a shelter but failed. He tried to light a fire but burnt himself. He grumbled as tears silently rolled down his face. He cursed the stupid island and angrily began eating some of the mushroom-infested crabs he had caught.

Things got a whole lot worse from there when the group entered the giant monolith that towered above the mushroom trees. They fought perils and met again with old allies, but the most memorable part of this day was the Collectors' duel against Pythia. During the duel Pythia released a sick and warped vocal music similar to a Banshees, which incapacitated half The Seekers, including Alroy's parents. At this point, with just he and Gilheart standing, Alroy ran - ran as fast as he could.

He nearly wet himself as he ran a cowardly run to the exit, then watched from above as Gilheart single-handedly finished off Pythia. This caused a lot of anger from the rest of the group, them even going so far as to decided to abandon him at an Orphanage.

Everything turned around when he decided to sneak away from the party and join the Drow Elf Kenny. Traveling with him was an enlightening experience, as he realized not only the mistakes he made but learned lessons of acceptance. Kenny taught him a valuable lesson, that you may not choose the situation you are in - but you can choose to make the best of it; something the Drow did commonly on his journeys through the realms.

After ten long years, Kenny called Alroy to his chambers and informed him they'd need to call upon some old allies of his. Alroy, Mithral, Cleo, and Valok then embarked on a fantastic journey, the details of which have been lost to the ages. After these events, Alroy realized how much he missed his family and friends - and so he decided to return with them back to The Malachite Isles.

It wasn't even a day later that the group tried to clear out The Sewers beneath Kilead of any obstacles in their way, as they were planning to use The Sewers as an escape route. However, The villainous Kain and his grunts were there, trying to do the opposite of the Collectors - ensure the Reapers death. The two groups and a Sea Crawler fought a long and tough battle, but in the end, the tables turned in favor of The Seekers as those not yet unconscious did everything in their power to stop Kain.

He proved too strong for their attempts though, as he flung a final dagger into Alroy's head and ran off into the shadowy corridors of the Sewer. The Collectors gathered around the dying boy, as he felt his soul travel. He found himself in a dried-up river, in a boat. Looming over him a tall skeletal body, an oar in its hand. it wore a cloak with a hood, and the wind blew the hood, concealing its face.

When the wind let up, Alroy saw the face of his old friend Kenny.

"Couldn't even last a day without me, huh kid?" The Drow said with a sad smile.

"Now you see why I left in the first place." Alroy joked

"Hah. Well, don't worry kid. Death ain't so permanent as you might think - maybe I'll see ya on the other side, huh?" Kenny asked as his face turned to dust and blew away with the wind. Alroy was left staring at the skeletal boatsman.

Then a dark feeling pervaded his spirit, as he saw the outline a giant devil lord on the horizon. Somehow Alroy knew him - he didn't know how - but something told him who he was about to meet; Baal'El - The Soul Ripper. As Baal'El tore Alroy's soul from him, he felt a strange feeling. Then he heard his father - it sounded as if he was lightyears away yet whispering right into his ear -"I Accept."

Then a peal of disgusting evil laughter, more like a vicious dog's snarl than anything else. He suddenly felt as if he was free-falling from the Heavens to the ground. Then he realized - he was shooting upwards at an incredible speed. He saw a body - was it his? It got closer - too close! Alroy winced as his soul slammed back into his body with a slam.

He awoke a while later - alive. Confused. Then Mithral told him what happened.

## Notable Quotes

\*Meeting father again after habing run off with Kenny ten years earlier\*

Cleo: "I'm sorry my boy. I was a poor father. I know. I cannot make up for all that I have done. Always too busy in the Arcanum, studying the eye. I never did what was right. I'm sorry. I promise henceforth to be a better man. A better father. I will do anything for you, my son."

Alroy: "And I'm sorry too, father. I abandoned you and mother. I should have stayed by you, to defend you; or at least her. I was scared. I was selfish. But these ten years I have seen and learned a lot. I was scared, many times too. But thinking back to my days on the island gave me the strength and resolve I needed to face those fears. Now, I have asked Kenny to bring you here so I may join you again and make this promise to you, as your son. I will never run away again father, I promise. I love you father."

Cleo: "And I you my son. There are no need for any more apologies between father and son! Embrace me!"

\*risking his life to save his father from an attacking Roc\*

Cleo: "Alroy no! What are you doing here! I told you to *run!"*

Alroy: "I know. And I told you I would never run again."