When Soric was a boy, he lived with his mother and father on a small farm on the Plains of the North. His family wasn't rich by any means, but they weren't poor like some of the folks that lived around them.

Soric's father and Nevis After the fall harvest had all been put up, Soric's father would work on repairing farm equipment for himself, and the other locals. Every once in a while, an old warrior friend of his father's, Nevis, would wander through and stay for a night while his equipment was being repaired. Nevis would sit in the barn and tell Soric stories, while Soric's dad worked on various swords and pieces of armor. Soric would listen with wide-eyed wonderment at tales of fire-breathing dragons, and giant ogres.

Soric's Mother and Father When Soric got a little older, he asked his dad how he knew Nevis. Where did they meet? Why was he always coming by? Soric's dad told him that they used to fight together. He told Soric that once a dragon had almost killed him and that's how he met Soric's mother. He fell in love with the beautiful young girl that tended to his wounds night and day. When he was better, he just couldn't bare to leave her and go back into battle. They were married and the King had given them this small parcel of land as a gift for his loyalty and bravery.

Temple of the White Lotus When Soric reached the age of manhood, he asked Nevis to teach him to be a great warrior too. He yearned to slay dragons and defend his homeland against evils. Soric's father tried talking him out of it, knowing how dangerous that kind of life is. But Soric was determined, and Nevis offered to take him to the Temple of the White Lotus so he could learn from the teachers and masters there.

Soric and his special sword Soric studied hard under the teachers and masters at the Temple. He learned to concentrate on his inner strength, to rely on himself, and to move faster than lightning when he needed to. When Soric was ready to return home, the masters of the Temple gave him a special metal to take to his father. They told him to have his father forge a sword out of the metal, and it would give him special strength, but he should never forget the strength within.

Traveling He traveled to far and distant lands, fighting the evil that was spreading. Goblins, Orcs, Trolls, and all kinds of undead creatures that were under the control of some evil being. Through all the battles, Soric never forgot what his teachers had taught him. Relying on his inner strength and goodness, he defeated many a foe without ever being hurt. One day and urgent call came from the Duke of Malathar. A dragon was roaming Soric's homeland and destroying everything within sight! All the great warriors were needed, as this dragon seemed unstoppable. Worried about his parent's, Soric left immediately.

Dragons! It wasn't hard to find the dragon, just follow the scorched land. There he was, towering above Soric. Soric drew his sword and the dragon let out an awful scream of rage and tried to sear Soric with his gassy flames. The battle was fierce, Soric's sword bouncing off the tough dragon hide, balls of flame barely missing it's mark. As his sword found the dragon's soft underbelly, the dragon bellowed with pain and anger, his talons ripping at Soric. As the dragon drew his last breath, Soric stumbled back a few steps and collapsed on the ground, exhausted and bleeding freely.

Kiri Soric lay gasping for breath, the pain almost unbearable. The dragon's talon had ripped a deep jagged wound from his shoulder to the top of his britches. As he lay there in a pool of his own blood squinting at the sun, a beautiful lady appears. She utters some strange words in a low soft voice, while moving her hands above the gaping wound. Soric feels a burning and pulling, as if someone is pulling his flesh back together. The woman stands and utters a few more words, then reaches down to give Soric a hand and urges him to stand. Soric takes her hand and stands, amazed. He blinks in awe and the woman, "Who are you?" The pretty woman replies, "I am Kiri, and I have spared your life. You must come with me and help me for you are now an immortal. Don't fear, your deeds will never be forgotten, you saved this land. Well done, Soric, well done."



Web page and Story by Lari