Thoros

Thoros was training by himself again. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the company of others, but the amount of assassination attempts had increased over the past week. It was just too dangerous to be with his non-combatant friends.

He kicked out with his left leg; the powerful force left a noticable mark on the tree he was training against.

A whistle from behind caused Thoros to spin around. He spotted a group of three watching him from several meters away. Though they were very colorful and most likely not archangels, Thoros was wary of the pearlcatcher and two fae.

The pearlcatcher approached, but was looking down at a parchment. "A monochromatic Wildclaw with a scar on his right shoulder..." Thoros resisted the urge to cover his scar. "You're, Thoros, right?"

Thoros tried to keep his face neutral. "Who's aski..."

"Now!" The pearlcatcher lunged at him with a sword. Thoros tried to take a step back, but the two fae had zipped behind him. They began to slash at his ankles and propel him forward. Unable to avoid it completely, Thoros twisted his torso to deflect some of the sword's damage. It stabbed into his left flank causing the pearlcatcher to swear.

Thoros was able to kick one of the fae before the pearlcatcher could lunge again. This time the sword caught him in the ribs. The third stab was partially blocked by his forearm.

"Stop Tarq! You're going to kill him!" The other fae was suddenly in front of Thoros, arms outstretched and facing the pearlcatcher.

Thoros jumped back as the blade pierced through the fae's wing. "Of course I'm trying to kill him! That's the contract!" Tarq roughly flicked the sword, damaging the fae's wing further and sending it crashing to the ground.

Thoros had been preparing for the next attack during their exchange. He'd probably take another stab to his flank, but if he could land a kick he was confident the fight would be over. Tarq lunged once again. Thoros responded by pivoting on his right leg and kicking out with his left.

Tarq stopped short. While Thoros didn't get stabbed, he also wasn't able to land a decisive blow. "You!" Tarq screeched with rage. The fae was clinging to his leg, so Tarq began trying to stomp on it. Thoros took this opportunity to kick him squarely in the chest, sending Tarq crashing into a tree.

Thoros followed after Tarq and grabbed him by his shoulder. "What contract?!" He shook him, but the pearlcatcher was out cold. Thoros looked around for the first fae, but it was nowhere in sight. When he looked at the battered fae it was struggling to sit up.

"They didn't say their names... But they looked like you.." The fae crawled closer, its mangled wing dragging in the dirt. "It wasn't suppose to be like this. Tarq said we just needed to rough you up. That's all. I didn't sign up to kill..."

Archangels. Thoros wanted nothing more than to find their hideout and rip them to shreds. He picked up the sword the pearlcatcher had been wielding.

"They gave that to Tarq too. You were supposed to recognize it."

The fae offered information without Thoros even asking. He didn't recognize the sword, but decided to take it with him and ask his parents. "You're being oddly helpful, what do you want?" When the fae didn't respond Thoros looked back and saw they were laying on the ground with their eyes closed. Cautiously he approached, but the amount of blood convinced him the fae was actually unconscious.

Always look out for your comrades.

His parents' words echoed in Thoros mind as he looked down at the injured fae. He shook his head. Just because a would-be assassin had a change of heart it didn't make them a comrade. Even if they were tricked, they still worked with the archangels and intended to cause him harm.

Thoros tied the pearlcatcher up first, hoping the fae would sort themself out. He sighed and unwound his tail bindings, using them to bandage the tiny creature. It was getting dark, so Thoros carried the fae and pulled Tarq along the ground to a new location. He didn't want to be in the area when the more fearsome nighttime residents caught scent of all the blood.

Tarq began to wake up, so Thoros decided it was a good time for answers. When he set the fae down they cried out 'Yacha!"

"Even unconscious that's all he talks about." Tarq laughed and ended up wheezing.

"What's Yacha?" Thoros turned to Tarq, ready to knock him out again with a kick if needed.

Tarq warily eyed Thoros's tensed muscular leg. "Our contractors used different payments to encourage us to take the job. For me it was a million gold. For Lili it was some fancy necklace," He looked around. "She get away?" Thoros stayed silent and Tarq tried to shrug with his bindings. "And for Sascha it was Yacha, his sister."

Sascha stirred at the sound of his name. "You spared me?"

Thoros gestured to the fae's wing. "You spared me as well."

Sascha closed his eyes. "Then we're even... but maybe you'll still grant a dying request. Please, save my sister! Save Yacha."

"As you said, we're even. If you want her to be saved then do it yourself. Do you even know where she's being held?" The fae was drifting away again. Thoros was trying to keep him talking, but it wasn't working. He sighed, tapping into a power he never intended to use again. The strength of his healing magic was far beyond that of regular dragons. It'd be like a beacon to any nearby archangels as well.

Tarq let out a surprised gasp. "You're an arc..."

Thoros kicked him in the chest. "I'm a VERY angry Wildclaw." But that wasn't the case anymore. The healing magic was an unwanted balm on his emotions, soothing all his irritations in an instant. It was invasive, way too pleasant, and the reason he'd switched to physical training instead.

When Thoros was finished the fae's breathing changed from non-existent to the soft snores of sleep.

Thoros looked at his own wounded arm. The warmth of the magic built up in his hand, willing him to heal it. Instead he dug his nails into his palm. He'd not give in to the power of those fiends.

---

- They storm the assassins' lair and find an archangel. Thoros beats the archangel until it confesses they never actually had Yacha. Does not kill the archangel even after it begs due to its broken wings.
- fae promises to pay for his misdeeds.
- Thoros says he was use to it and that makes the fae decide to dedicate his life fending off assassins.
- Thoros also has made a big decision - to embrace becoming a healer. He says he wishes to show the archangel's compassion and help them understand that his parents' love wasn't wrong. He also concedes that compassion could come in the form of his fist if the archangels continued to lack understanding and needed it beaten into them. His true intention is to paint a target on himself to draw the archangels' ire instead of his family. He doesn't really believe they'll be understanding.

---

Wrote his story in order to adopt him