During the last year of the once United Pack, Asriel was born into a strong and nourishing family. His mother and father were renowned protectors of the pack, well known for their seemingly effortless partnership in settling pack disputes and the occasional defeat of the predators that threatened their borders. Among their family and peers, his father was often called The Bear Slayer. Not only for his efforts in organizing and leading the posse against the vicious beast, but for valiantly delivering the killing blow. It was a hearty time for the pair, full of excitement and thrill. A perfect time to start a proud and honorable family.

Asriel and his siblings were encouraged from an early age to learn and train under the guidance of their parents. Asriel, being the first born and largest of the litter, rose quickly above his siblings, gaining favor of his parents through his earnest ability to quickly adapt and learn from their teaching. He was their perfect and obedient son, and was dotted upon more than the rest.

During his adolescence, tensions within the United Pack were on the rise, and dark whispers drifted across the land. Even so, when the murmurs of Malaysia and revolutions reached the family’s ears, Asriel’s parents taught their children not of good and evil, but of order and chaos. Preparing them for the trials that may soon fall upon them in the storm to come. And yet, the storm was more brutal than anyone could have imagined. Man arrived to the realm, and just as quickly as they came, they were gone. The pack was thrown into divided chaos, and Asriel followed his parents into Tündes.

With the threat of the Kol and the strange happenings on the island, Asriel joined the rank of Einar, following in the footsteps of his parents. But unlike them, he did not stop there. Over the following seasons, the proud and burly male worked diligently to become a Guardian of Tündes; craving the desire to become more than just a mere guard, but a true warrior of the isle.

Asriel grew distant from his siblings, and as the moons in Tündes past, Asriel suffered the loss of his mother and father. The Bear Slayer passed upon the turning season, as many wolves would for years to come. Asriel viewed the cause as neither good nor evil, but perhaps as a matter of fate. Nevertheless, the death of his father was unsettling for the white male, and he clung closely to his mother until she too, would inevitably pass away by an infection. Though for the brief time his mother was alive, Asriel met her caretaker: Wendolyn. She was a gentle and beautiful Herbalist who displayed great compassion for the wolves in her care. So when Asriel’s mother passed, Wendolyn wept beside him. Her sensitivity and empathy surprised and softened Asriel that day. Neither Asriel nor Wendolyn could have known that such a tragedy would breathe life into a gentle fire of love that would grow between the pair, for their differences would unite them together in perfect harmony. Asriel spent every moment away from his duties at her side, bringing her as much love and happiness as he could provide.

As time passed, they bonded in mateship, and it was not long until Wendolyn was expecting. The pair was ecstatic. Overjoyed at the prospect of bearing children… but such children would never live. Twice, they tried for children, but to no avail. The results left Wendolyn devastated, often shutting herself away for days at a time. She was a sensitive soul, and it pained Asriel greatly to see his mate go through such emotional turmoil. For her mind was beautiful, but easily captured by sorrowful thoughts. Together, they agreed to try once more for pups, and it was upon their third try that Wendolyn gave birth to a single pup. A son. Akeldama.

Wendolyn, driven by the hope Akel’s birth brought her, was passionate about giving her son a sibling, knowing far too well of the loneliness a single child could bear. For she too, was born alone. Wendolyn grew obsessed with herbal treatments for pregnancies, even experimenting with remedies of her own. Over the seasons she tried twice more, but she bore no children. It nearly destroyed the Herbalist, leaving her on the verge of breakdowns constantly. Asriel could no longer bear to watch his mate put herself through such agony– for seeing the emptiness growing in Wendolyn troubled him deeply. One evening, Asriel embraced Wendolyn during one of her moments of grief, and together they vowed to no longer pursue the prospect of children, for what was once a dream had turned into an obsession of desperation. Together, they agreed to focus on the living son they had.

As Akel grew, Asriel adopted the parenting style that his own mother and father used for him. But this time, the world was different. It was more dangerous. More unstable. The proud Guardian was tough on his young son, determined to prepare him for a merciless world. Asriel would accept nothing less than greatness for Akel, placing great expectations on his son to become a Guardian as he was. Therefore, upon the turning season, Asriel brought Akel to the gruesome scene of a body. Exposing his son to the concept of death was Asriel’s way of strengthening Akel. And from that point on, as Asriel taught and trained his son, he did not fail to show Akel the darkest parts of their world; of what the island could do to wolves, and what wolves could do to each other. Asriel believed that if Akel was to not only survive in this life, but thrive, there could be nothing hidden from him. Especially during a time of rising division and tensions within Tündes in the face of Osirus’ death.

Although by surprise, Wendolyn was expecting again. The news brought great distress for the pair, Wendolyn was fearful of the inevitable loss she would endure again, and Asriel was anxiously worried over her wellbeing. Even more so amongst the growing instability of the pack. Wendolyn wanted to keep the pregnancy a secret from Akel, knowing all too well of the sorrows it would bring her son, for she understood how deeply he dreamt of siblings she once promised him. Begrudgingly, Asriel accepted her wish to protect their son from the truth. And so, Asriel began to train Akel more often and diligently than before, while Wendolyn avoided her son whenever she could, delving deeper into her duties amid the growing fractures of Tündes.

During a dark and cloudy night, the wind howled outside their den as Asriel curled himself around Wendolyn. She was particularly ill that night, suffering from severe stomach aches and nausea. Asriel asked Wendolyn if she had eaten well that day, to which she responded no. A storm brewed, but Asriel insisted on going on a small hunt for her, believing some food would rectify the illness she felt. By the time he had made a considerable distance from the den, heavy rain fell violently upon the earth. Asriel grew tense knowing the prey would seek shelter from the rain, but still, he persisted deeper into the territory to where he knew animals would be less disturbed by wolves. Irritatingly, a few hours passed without a kill, but Asriel refused to return to Wendolyn empty-handed, He even bumped into his son as he returned from a patrol. Though the Guardian did not pay Akel much mind aside for a brief explanation of his hunt, already growing stressed that he had left Wendolyn alone in discomfort for so long. Nevertheless, Asriel managed to capture a small hare, and quickly embarked for the den.

Asriel had only neared their home when his son emerged from the treeline. Confusion and frustration bubbled inside of Asriel as he neared, exasperated that Akel would leave shelter to further wet himself and their den. However, he was unable to clearly make out the sight before him through sheets of rain. Akel seemed to carry a small rodent– had Wendolyn sent her son for a meal instead? No– There was blood stained on his son’s fur that a rodent could not spill. It took Asriel only moments to realize the scene before him. For it was a newborn pup that Akel carried from his maw, and the blood that stained his son’s fur…

Wendolyn.

The world blended together for Asriel. He thought not of the hare that fell from his grasp, nor the distance that he closed between him and the den before he stumbled inside of it. Asriel failed to see the pool of blood that would cause him to slip in his efforts to reach Wendolyn. The once unbreakable figure of the Guardian shattered as he cradled the lifeless body of his mate, weeping into the coldness of her fur. His thoughts were scattered and broken, unable to process anything but the loss of his love. Not of the murderer, nor the child. He was unperceptive even to the emptiness that emanated from his son. “Reyna”, Akel said “That is her name.” but the words fell on deaf ears.

Asriel strained in vain for support from the Tündes, begging for aid, but the pack was fractured and divided, unable to organize an investigation for the killer. Tündes split in three that following night, and Asriel was forced to abandon his hopes for justice in favor of his family’s survival. The former Guardian took his son and daughter and followed Yetta to Stonehaven, where he worked diligently in service to their cause so he may provide his family with a safe and stable environment the Tündes could not.