Temple Black

by Nightwind

I was raised in Temple Black, a small enclave of elvish refugees living in caverns carved out of an outcropping of rock in the middle of a desert wasteland. I was their only healer, and something akin to a monk or priestess.

I was born through a cloning device using preserved genetic material from multiple parents. I was also born with my body aged to maturity. Most elves created in the birthing chambers were born of the genetic material of two elves, and given to the couple to raise through youth in the lower caverns. I was born to a different caste there, created to physical majority so that the symbiotic being that was to share my life would not have to wade through awkward infancy and youth and would simply supply me with first-hand mental and emotional experience and context as though I had a long dream that was life.

Then we underwent a program of physical training to hone our bodies and muscle memories for specific acts. We underwent testing to find out where our particular talents were and they were also trained. I turned out to have a talent for healing, but I also received the usual combat and tactical training my caste received. We were honed to be spies, to run missions for our lord. Because our memories were boosted by the alien creatures guesting in them, we were able to absorb knowledge from many disciplines. However, since I was a healer, I didn't expect that I would be making use of much of that knowledge, I thought I would be spending most of my life in Temple Black, although my symbiant, Warren, was edgy to get off-world and pursue the hunt of its sibling.

My lord, the leader of the temple, took too much interest in me, including a streak of jealous rage regarding where I spent my time. As a healer in this culture, I had been taught that I would lose my powers if I lost my virginity, so my interests in people on a physical or romantic level were artificially limited by this cultural inhibition. The lord was jealous both of me on a personal level, and on an ability level; he needed my healing abilities and was extremely afraid that I would cross the line and lose my healing abilities. My discomfort in my position in the temple increased. When an opportunity to get off-world presented itself, both myself and Warren were eager to take it.

Nightwind

Dreal