| Shadow of the Past: She was called Moonskin, the chosen priestess to a Lodossian love goddess, and a woman of unparalleled beauty and charm. Though many clamored for her attention, only one man truly stole her heart. Even her goddess approved of the union, and their love transcended to a bond of marriage. But with any tragedy, such happiness was not to last forever as in the fairy tales. One admirer followed the priestess wherever she went, enraging her husband, whose jealousies were well documented as violent. Moonskin never returned the admirer's attempts at affection, and eventually he took what she would not give, violating the priestess as she walked home one evening. In a moment of grief, she vowed never to tell her beloved, for fear that he would declare her defiled and leave her. This eventually proved to be her undoing, for her violator bragged of his encounter to her husband and he sought her out while in a jealous rage, murdering her within the temple, her blood staining and defiling the altar. The goddess raged that such had occurred, and in a fit of pique, cursed both her wayward priestess and the man who dared to defile her temple. For all time, each would be reincarnated, find one another and again he would murder his beloved. This would continue until the goddess felt her anger and indignation lessen... and now that the Lodossian Gods are all destroyed, well, she's doomed to continue the cycle until she can find a way to break it. Current History: Moonskin was born to a Galbadian priest and a woman he had an affair with, given the name Badriana. The priest paid his penance for breaking his vow of celibacy by taking a vow of permanent silence, and the Church saw to this as unbreakable by removing the man's tongue. Badriana was raised with her mother until the age of two, when the Church placed the girl in a convent to be raised by nuns so that she might know the love and forgiveness God. The sins of the father would surely plague the daughter, or so they justified parting her from her mother in this manner. Badriana has not seen her since, and does not know that the woman was branded a heretic for tempting a priest with unholy lust and handed to the Inquisition for questioning, dying after the torture they put her through. Life in the spartan and stoic convent was never harsh or brutal, but Moonskin grew up in an isolated environment, for there were no other children for her to play with. The nuns cared for her as if she were a collective daughter, most finding her charm and sprightly exuberance to be a blessing from the doldrums of daily life. The Mother herself was a harsh and stern old woman, but even as she barely acknowledged the girl, she saw to her education and often put her to work on tasks that would bring her closer to God and teach her a sense of responsibility. Perhaps Badriana might have missed out on what most would consider a normal childhood, but she never really knew what else the world had to offer, and considered these years to be happy ones. At the age of thirteen, the nightmares began to haunt her dreams. As she reached the beginnings of adolescence, she dreamed of a man she knew instinctively to be her lover and watched as he murdered her with graphic, violent detail. Many nights the girl awoke screaming or in a terrible sweat. The Sisters couldn't comprehend what was happening to their child, and prayed for her daily. Eventually a few rumored that the girl was possessed by demons and word soon reached the Church, who sent a Bishop forward to check on the child and perform an exorcism if necessary. Upon meeting the girl, he was positively delighted with her intellect and obviously charming personality and had her removed from the Convent, deciding perhaps she was suited more for Priestesshood than the life of a cloistered Sister. Though reluctant, Badriana agreed, not realizing that the man had other purposes in mind for her. Naive, she believed that all men of the cloth revered God and would never break their vows of chastity. The Bishop was a lecherous sort, who fell in love with her obvious pale beauty and desired her for himself. Fate saved her from the amorous designs of the Bishop, however. On the road toward Deling City, the pair were attacked by a roving group of bandits and Badriana was taken prisoner by them. The Bishop was left dying in the road, later found by Holy Knights who began to track those who committed such an atrocity on a man of the Church. These weeks were terrifying for the girl, though in the end she was unharmed. When eventually the Holy Knights came upon the bandits' main camp, a terrible battle ensued and in the end, those who did not flee were slaughtered by the far more powerful Knights. However, one bandit in particular managed to mortally wound one of Badriana's rescuers, which proved to be the catalyst for her powers to awaken. Leaning over the wounded man's fallen body, she laid her hands on the blood and felt herself literally pull the wound from him, taking it into herself. The sensation, though she has since grown accustomed to it, both frightened and fascinated her. Then it made her horridly ill, her body aching in a manner she'd never felt before. The Knights could hardly believe their eyes as they watched her work, several falling to their knees and bowing their heads in prayer and reverence. Surely God worked His miracles through this girl, and were pleased with His servants for rescuing her. She held the wound as long as she could, not yet understanding that she could purge it earlier, and on the third day spit up a horrible black ichor. The Knights comforted and pampered her the entire way back toward Deling. She felt their gratitude, as well her own pride in seeing the man whose life she saved stay by her side. How drastically things would whirl out of control upon arriving at the Church in Deling. Immediately her powers were questioned, the Knights who rescued her gone, leaving her without protection or comfort. Her disarming personality kept her from the Inquisition, but it sharply divided the upper echelons of the Church, half believing her a miracle from God and half believing her to be a witch who should be executed. As more of her powers developed and displayed themselves, confusion reigned further. Soon those of power within the ranks began to see how useful such a girl would be to their schemes and machinations. The tides shifted, and instead of being handed over to the Inquisition, her existence was simply hidden as everyone merely decided what to do with the girl. Currently Badriana, now just turned sixteen, is staying in Galbadia Garden. She is not at all aware of the controversy that surrounds her. The Church has not yet made a decision regarding her fate, though there is clearly a power play not only between factions within the ranks, but between the religious and secular politicians of Galbadia. Vinzer Deling knows of her existence, as do other high ranking, non-religious, governmental figures. There are still those of more fanatical beliefs who think the girl is a witch, and should be burned at the stake as is appropriate. Only one thing is clear, so far, none of them are willing to let her go. |