Fallen | Raven Reyes

Interlude: The tales of Toni

Toni had a rough life from the minute she was born. Her older brother tried to kill her when she was a baby. At the age of six she was forced to kill said brother in an act of self defense. Her parents were turned into reapers and she was forced to kill them both at the age of seven. She was on her own for months. She was thankfully really skilled. She hunted her own food and kept herself alive. Until she ran into the wrong people.

She was luckily saved by the Queen of ice nation. Queen Nia.

After that Toni was raised alongside the Queen's son, prince Roan. She didn't see him as a brother but she did consider him a close friend. Once she became a certain age Nia took her to a room with three other kids. Ash, Echo and Mikey. The four of them were to train under her and to prove themselves to her. They had to prove they were worthy enough to be her spies and warriors.

Echo, Mikey and Toni made it. They proved themselves worthy enough. Nia was quite impressed with Toni.

The redhead got really close with the other two and they endured every training session, every punishment, every assignment, every killing. They endured all of it because they were together. Through thick and thin the trio stuck together.

However, Toni stumbled across a group that quickly adopted her. Tanya, who was definitely what one would call a 'mother figure.', Nicole, who didn't seem to trust new people, Marina, who was full of hope but was also a total badass, Sebastian, who was a healer, and Layla, who was the youngest and Wawa's really bright.

At times Tanya, and her warriors, Nicole, Marina, Sebastian and the youngest Layla would drop by and check on Toni and Mikey. Echo didn't trust them enough to become close with them like the other two did.

One day Nia came to Toni when she was alone and tasked her. Nia had told her that a trikru warrior was caught illegally forging in their territory. He escaped and Nia wanted Toni to personally hunt him and kill him. Her exact words were. "Bring me his head. Show me exactly what you're capable of, my little weapon." Toni being the good soldier she was nodded. She would kill him and bring back his head. Even if she was only fourteen.

So one fateful night she walked through the trees with her bow and her sword. It was a little chilly and very dark out. She walked carefully as she strained her eyes to see. She was just at the border of Azgeda when she seen a shadow dash in front of her. She pushed herself against a thick tree. She peered behind it and saw the man hunched over a deer. She debated which weapon to use before she drawled her bow. She stepped forward tentatively and aimed it at the back of the shadows head.

She took a sharp breath and let her arrow fly. It hit the guy and he fell to the floor with a gasp.

Her eyes widened as she gasped. Laying on the floor with teary eyes that were staring at her was, Sebastian kom trikru. Blood spilled out of his mouth and he was choking on it. But, Toni couldn't move. She was rooted to her spot. Her brain was screaming at her to move but she just couldn't.

She just stood and watched as he gasped, fighting for air, as he choked on his own blood. A kind soul who had a partner who was probably waiting for him. Who had a mentor who is basically his mom who will most likely be devastated. Who treats others with respect, and equality is now dead. And she's the reason why. She killed her friend.

But then for a minute she stopped and thought to herself. She thought about her queen and her people. What she did was for them. So technically she shouldn't have to feel bad right? That's what she told herself but her stomach was still churning. Then she remembered the words her queen told her before she left. The words she often repeated. "My little weapon."

Weapon.

Weapon.

I'm a weapon.

That's what she is, a weapon for Queen Nia to harbor. Something to keep her and the rest of ice nation safe. Toni accepted this. She did so proudly at that. She loves her Queen and her people. So, if keeping them safe means killing Sebastian then she was fine with it.