Chapter 3 - Torn

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Torn
*Moonless Age chapter*

Main characters
* Ariel Val'Sarghress
* Faen'arae Val'Sullisin'rune
* Kel'noz Val'Sarghress
* Yafein Val'Sullisin'rune

Related locations
* Orthorbbae
* Sarghress Fortress
* Northeast Chel'el'Sussoloth

Related factions
* Val'Sarghress
* Val'Sullisin'rune

Chapter 3 of Moonless Age continues the story of Ariel's experiences and struggles in the male section of Orthorbbae. Despite the hardships she faces, she forms a strong friendship with Faen'arae and is ultimately forced to choose between life with her only friend and the duty she has to her clan.

## Summary

### Faen & Ariel

The chapter begins with Ariel being escorted by Faen into the female section of the school, following the assassination attempt on her the previous chapter. Faen asked Ariel if she remembered the faces of the girls who caused her fall, unaware of Ariel's secret admission into the male section of the school. Ariel hesitated before answering simply that she did, deciding not to correct Faen's assumptions on the matter.

Seeking to move away from the topic, Ariel asked if Faen was there when she fell, or if she heard her screams for help. Faen freely admitted she was just there, seeking solitude away from those who would harass her, though Faen noting that Chrys'tel kept the bullies from following her. Ariel asked if Chrys'tel was Faen's friend, though Faen believed Chrys'tel was only protecting her on the orders of her family, seeking to retain good political relations with the Val'Sullisin'rune clan.

The pair then entered the Crescent's main hall, with Ariel reacting with awe to the grandeur of the architecture. Faen merely assumed Ariel to be a recent arrival with the first-year students. The sight of a wolf statue among the center fountain reminded Ariel of her clan, and her own weakness in the eyes of Quain'tana Val'Sarghress. As Ariel began sinking into a despairing shame, Faen's emapthy allowed her to sense the younger girl's troubled state. Seeking to comfort Ariel, Faen took hold of Ariel's hand and reassured her that everything would turn out fine. It was the first time anyone had done such a thing in Ariel's life, and she wished to herself than Faen, not Syphile had been her sister.

Still injured, Ariel was then taken to Faen's room, where Chrys'tel sat waiting. The Sharen student quickly objected to Ariel's presence, insisting she should have been left to die, as rescuing her posed a serious risk. As Faen ignored Chrys'tel's continued protests to tend to Ariel, Chrys'tel angrily stormed off claiming Faen's gentle attitude would get her killed one day. After she left, Faen turned to Ariel and asked if there was anyone should should fetch for help. Ariel directed her to seek Kel'noz, Headmaster of Davya tower. Faen then left to send for him, while Ariel began to pass out from pain and exhaustion as Chrys'tel looked on.

### Kel'noz's Concerns

A month later, Ariel had returned to her studies at Davya tower. However, Kel'noz noted that, while her physical wounds had recovered, the experience had left her timid and traumatized. Though Kel'noz wished he could expel the boys involved, their remaining at Orthorbbae was the only thing ensuring they could not spread word of Ariel's presence to the world at large. Furthermore, Ariel had developed the habit of sneaking off to the lower levels to meet with Faen. While Kel'noz appreciated the benefits it had in allowing Ariel to relax, it would inevitably draw suspicion towards the young girl.

Kel'noz grimly bemoaned that he could not be too strict with the child, as well as the fact that Ariel was far too aware of it. However difficult the task with Ariel might be, he resolved to see it through; viewing the opportunity as a second chance to succeed where he had failed with Mel'arnach. Summoning Ariel to his office, Kel'noz informed her that he wished to train her personally to understand and master her mysterious affinity. Though he warned her that it might prove difficult and painful, she agreed so that she might be able to properly defend herself from the boys of her class.

### Faen's Nightmares

During Ariel's fourth year at the school, a teacher lost control of her seed and transformed into a glutton demon, annihilating an entire generation of Beldrobbaen students. Only one child, Naal'suul, survived. However, she was heavily tainted in a manner than Faen could perceive all too clearly. Her powers already unstable and growing faster than her ability to control them, Faen soon became haunted by the presence of the taint within many of her fellow classmates, causing her to isolate herself even further.

### The Orthorbbae Towers Tournament

As Ariel's fourth year came to a close, Ariel and her class would soon be released from the bond preventing them from leaving the school. As a form of celebration, a tournament was hosted between the fourth-year students of each of the eight towers of Orthorbbae: Devya, Divya, Dravya, Druva, Davya, Danava, Darvan, and Drayvd. The students were to wear special armor that would harden upon receiving a blow from staves given to each child. After two hours, the tower with the greatest number of undefeated students would emerge victorious.

Immediately, friction erupted as several of Ariel's classmates, most notably Mir'kiin, refused to fight alongside Ariel; with Mir'kiin even going so far as to threaten to eliminate her from play himself. Though Sorane and Yafein attempted to keep the team unified, ultimately the group followed the lead of Mir'kiin, Nau'kheol, and Khal'harror, abandoning Ariel to her own devices.

A short time later, a pair of students from Devya tower, Suya and Faren, ran past Ariel as she lay in ambush. As the boys laughed about their recent successful skirmish, even flaunting a pair of glasses stolen from Yafein, Ariel was able to catch them entirely off-guard, swiftly disabling both boys. As Ariel moved to fully eliminate Faren from the match, Mir'kiin came up behind and began striking her armor, partially disabling her. As Mir'kiin ignored Ariel's protests of their being on the same team, he himself was attacked from behind by Sar'nel. Ariel was shocked as Sar'nel disabled her remaining attackers, leaving her untouched. Sar'nel then informed her that the clan came before all else, departing and leaving Ariel in a position to take a brief vengeance against Mir'kiin.

### Ariel's Return Home

Unfortunately, Ariel's actions had drawn the attention of Snadhya'rune, who watched Ariel's progress during the tournament on a set of monitors. Asking her sister regarding rumours surrounding Ariel, Khaless noted the claims that she was no boy, but in fact a girl. The question was largely rhetorical, as Snadhya'rune already had her suspicions, and the pair expressed an interest in initiating another purge of the male faculty in response to their "games".

This proved to be a far lesser concern than her more immediate decision, which was to order Ariel to depart from Davya tower and report to the main section of the school for reassignment. Though Ariel was excited at the prospect of joining Faen, Kel'noz informed her of the far more serious repercussions of such an action. He then told her that the decision was not theirs to make, and that Ariel would have to be taken to Quain'tana for the mighty Ill'haress to decide. Though noting her life would never be the same afterward, Kel'noz reassured Ariel that he was proud of her and that she had grown much in the past five years.

Upon their return to the Sarghress Fortress, Ariel was accosted by a soldier claiming to be her father. Immediately, Kel'noz stepped in and grabbed hold of Jer'kol, furiously threating to have him fed to the wolves if he repeated the act once more. Jer'kol was largely unfazed, having planted a seed of doubt in Ariel that he would linger for later use. As Ariel and Kel'noz continued into the fortress, he warned her of the many who would attempt to take advantage of her status as a potential heir to the clan.

### Tasking the Heir

As Ariel and Kel'noz entered the Sarghress throne room, Quain'tana furiously rebuked Kel'noz for his trust in the male headmasters, noting their swift surrender to Snadhya'rune's whims. Though she bitterly entertained the notion of laying siege to Snadhya'rune for her interference, she was keenly aware that none of the other clans would support or allow an assault upon the neutral ground of Orthorbbae. After ordering the others to leave the room and grant the trio privacy, Quain'tana once more confided to Kel'noz of her frustrations with politics and rule. Turning to Ariel, Quain'tana asked her directly if she wished to accept Snadha'rune's reassignment to the Crescent wing. Ariel, unaware of the politics involved, eagerly agreed. Further frustrated by this response, despite the child's naivety, Quain'tana again disclaimed Ariel. Though Kel'noz was able to argue her down from this heated stance, Quain'tana asserted she was not going to recognize another failed heir. Musing for a moment, Quain'tana delivered an ultimatum: If Quain'tana was to be recognize Ariel as her heir, she would have to defeat the boy who had stabbed her, and bring him before her.

After being dismissed from Quain'tana's presence, Ariel waited in her room as Kel'noz offered to have Faen summoned so they might spend the last few days they would have available together before the next break at school. Kel'noz asked Ariel if she remembered Syphile, recalling a recent incident where an embittered and jealous Syphile had begun accosting Ariel. Despite her anger, she was quickly and forcefully cowed by a furious Kel'noz. Kel'noz noted to Ariel that, despite her lack of blood relation to Quain'tana, Syphile had once been considered as an heir to the clan, but failed and grew into the miserable being Ariel had come to know.

His thoughts turning to his own sister, Kel'noz recounted how Mel'arnach's rebellion had crushed his hopes for a suitable heir to Quain'tana. He further noted that not only was she suffering under the heavy burden of leadership, she was also the sole lynchpin of the clan. Without Quain'tana's authority, the Sarghress would quickly cease to function as a clan. Kel'noz turned to Ariel, imploring her to find allies, defeat Mir'kiin, and grow into a strong woman worthy of becoming Quain'tana's heir.

### Seeking Allies

Soon after, Faen arrived and had matters explained to her by Ariel. Having been told of Ariel's desire to accept Snadhya'rune's order to enter the girl's section of the school, Faen implored Ariel to defy her mother and come back to the school, noting its status as neutral ground would render Quain'tana unable to respond. This greatly disturbed Ariel, as she felt torn between her devotions to Faen and to her old brother. Shortly afterward, the pair departed for the courtyards dressed in matching gowns, with Ariel expressing discomfort and embarrassment in wearing girl's clothing.

Having approached the Sarghress wolf pens, and Ariel eagerly asked the beastmaster in charge of the pens if the pair could see the wolves. Waer, however, was quick to deny the young children, explaining their Val status carried no weight without proper authority and rank to command him. Though the two children were disappointed, Jer'kol appeared and attempted to persuade Waer to allow the children a wolf, claiming it as a favour owed. Though Waer warily rejected the demand, he was unable to deny Jer'kol the right to loan out his own wolf to the pair. Faen quickly noted that the animal had been badly mistreated, though it reacted well to Faen and Ariel's kinder treatment.

Shortly thereafter, the pair had reunited with Yafein in the Anta Street of Chel's north-eastern district. Faen has purchased a light elf slave, Maya, with the hopes of using her to fight on Ariel's behalf. As it quickly became apparent that Maya had no combat abilities, Yafein asked Ariel if he could keep her. As Faen had already paid for the slave, she allowed her cousin to take ownership of Maya.

### Meeting Liriel

With their first slave unsuited for combat, the trio began searching for a slave with martial training. They soon encountered a drow who was in possession of a dark elf child, asking if they knew a place where one could buy such a slave. Both Liriel and and her master noted the children's wealth and lack of escort, and he lured the young Vals to an isolated street with the intent of robbing them. Drawing his knife to Ariel's throat, he demanded their ada lest he slit Ariel's throat and sell the corpse as meat. Unfortunately for the ruffian, the stress of the situation provoked Faen into an uncontrolled burst of empathy, feeding the rage of the wolf accompanying them and resulting in his gruesome demise.

With Faen struggling to respond to the aftermath of her breakdown, Liriel quickly approached the trio and cheerfully greeted them as her new masters. Despite the incredulous attitude of the young Vals, Liriel promised to lead the group to exactly where they could find a slave worthy of battle; her only price for her service being the promise of alcohol.

## Characters

### Other Characters

*This article reflects events up to Chapter 3**.***

1. ↑ Chapter 3, page 4
2. ↑ Chapter 3, page 4
3. ↑ Chapter 3, page 15
4. ↑ Chapter 3, page 22
5. ↑ Chapter 3, page 27
6. ↑ Chapter 3, page 35
7. ↑ Chapter 3, page 41
8. ↑ Chapter 3, page 46
9. ↑ Chapter 3, page 48