Forged

"We are here to kill."
 
Words echoed by the chief with pride.
 
Words echoed by his heir, Ka'thrak, with scorn toward Xerrakir.
 
I am a Bugbear. Born to the material plane in violence. Raised in violence. Kill or be killed.
 
Every town raid, every highway coach ambush, every waking hour of my youth I was taught to be a weapon. Fighting for food. Fighting for space. Fighting to stay alive. Scorned as I was in the clan, I was still a pair of axes to turn toward their enemies. And so I learned to kill. To take life.
 
When Mother brought me home that small, hostile, bubble of the world faded away. A collective peace and mutual benefit I had not once seen in 16 years lay before me, an alien and utterly incomprehensible way of living to me at the time. It took a long time to unlearn that which I had lived. Everything changed for me when I was first taken to the Skyforge, the endless sky opening before me, the vertigo of being on a great height lurching my stomach.
 
The smith there was an elderly Air Genasi, named Seldash; An albino of their race, like me. He was lost in his work; the rhythmic ringing of hammer strike on heated metal. Beside him; a row of axe blades sat, freshly quenched, some sitting in acid, others simply cooling in the air. Weapons, tools for killing. A language I thought I understood.
 
As if sensing my line of thought; Seldash turned to me.
 
"Everything you know is wrong, Xerrakir. No I can't read your thoughts, Mother told me to be expecting you." a sly smirk flashed across his face. That cheeky Seldash.
 
" These blades are not for killing" he continued, holding my eyes with his own.
 
" That is not their purpose. They are capable of killing, yes. But they can be used for other things. For felling trees with which to build shelters. For protecting those that cannot protect themselves. They can be smelted and repurposed to shod horses, to become locks to keep beings safe. They are capable of doing more than just killing, And so are you. I will teach you all I know. As is Her design."
 
Something inside me....relaxed. The tightly wound and learned essence of who I was, loosened just slightly. It is a strange feeling, to have everything change so dramatically and imperceptibly at the same time. Sixteen years I was here only to kill. My only purpose. But no longer. That was the day I finally began to be who I was meant to be.
 
 
My name is Xerrakir Icemane.
 
"I am here to help."