She paused. She could hear the noise from the building ahead of her. Music and swordplay, the latter of which being what caused her to stop before opening those large doors of petrified wood; though her younger brother might call that music as well - he was always interested in things like that.

 

She wasn't alone. Malformed people were here, creeping around, staring at her with hunger in their eyes. She would later come to learn the races and circumstances of each of these terrors, but for now she simply sat near the door, arms wrapped around her knees.

 

She took a breath and, releasing it slowly, she began to calm. She'd never been away from her brothers this long - they had always been close at hand to keep her safe. But now, she decided, now was the time to step up and take care of herself. Now it was up to her. Another breath, and the young Aslaran stood.

 

She had been given a lute during her panicked pace to reach this place and now she paused to actually look at the instrument. It wasn't terribly large and was made of wood. The strings crossing the lute drew her attention. She knew nothing of music, but she gave it a try. Withdrawing her claws, she rubbed the pads of her paws down the strings, creating a rather dissonant sound. Suddenly the people mulling around her dashed away, fear in their eyes. She looked behind her for a moment, but there was nothing. Could it have been her that scared them away? She ran her hand down the strings again, creating a slightly different but still terrible sound. So many scrolls she'd been given gave her pause as she tried to find the right one. Pulling one out, she squatted to spread it out on the floor to look more easily. Using the pictures given as reference, she held the lute properly but struggled to get her paws to hold down the proper strings. Once she got everything settled in place, all that was left was for her to strum the chord. Standing herself back up, she looked around the area, now devoid of intelligent life. A deep breath and the tips of her paws ran over the strings. She had barely finished the note before a brave rat that was previously creeping closer in hopes of food let out a small scream of horror then fell onto its side dead.

 

She held out the lute in front of her in shock. She had killed it without having to even touch it. Her eyes widen as her sight is drawn back to the lifeless rat. This is why everyone ran when she played the first time - the minor second chord had given her the power of life and death. Her expression grew swiftly into one of elation. She had the ability to kill. She had power. She finally, finally had the means to stand on her own. She didn't need her brothers to hold her hand and keep her safe.

 

All of her fears fled from her, leaving her with a beaming smile as she let go with one paw to open the imposing doors in front of her. She was now a student in the College of Necromantic and Tainted Research and looked forward to what her future may hold.