Hiera Lochka

✦ Backstory

Born in the Ice Tribe of southern Nohr, Hiera was considered exemplary in the use of magic, something that was highly culturally valued. Not having much to do in the small village and a difficult person to socialize with, Hiera often found joy in her mastery of magic. She would make it an art, and found admiration from others for it; although, it always felt artificially distanced. As she grew older, the tribe would continuously call upon her proficient abilities. Hiera grew familiar with the process of slaying beasts, and it almost became a chore for her. Nerves. Bones. Heart. Head. She felt less like a part of the family and more like a hired help without any of the pay. Of course, she didn't mind; she was doing this because she loved her family more than life itself, and was taught that this was just. When she reached the age of 16, however, she overheard talk amongst the leading authorities in the tribe. There, they discussed the possibility of Hiera's furthered education. It would only be a few days later that the tribe would gather for her departure, one that her family had offered to her on the spot. By making it an offer, Hiera couldn't refuse. According to the story she was told, the tribe combined the majority of shared wealth in order to allow her the chance to study at the capital's famed magical academy. The truth was a lot different, however. Subjugated and pushed into a corner, a ruling noble nearby sported his superiority by sending his bastard child, Hiera, to the Ice Tribe. They would be forced to raise her, and he would offer them peace and "protection", when he was really the only threat to them outside of monsters. Regardless, Hiera got the chance to learn about both military and every day magic at the academy, exploring her interests while keeping a relatively low-profile. She was resolved to become a star student and make her brothers and sisters back home proud...or so she thought. She followed their wishes down to the very letter; studying, making friends, and staying healthy. She knew that she had to have results to show for their contributions, or else she would be disappointing them. The material weight and dedication she assumed that they put onto her was both an opportunity and a duty. As time went on, Hiera went to make friends a lot more quickly at the academy. Whether it be due to her abilities or simply being outside of the tribe, she felt more at home in the city than home itself. She had many people she considered her friends, but her closest friends were the commonfolk coming in through either merit alone or external funds. Her friends would supplement Hiera's curiosity, and she would find time to read up more about the Ice Tribe. Finding various texts regarding the Nohrian history of the Ice Tribe, almost all sources labeled them as savages. Back then, they weren't just some small village in the middle of the harsh tundra, but were a vast and well-spread territory of people throughout all of Nohr. As she read more, she began to realize that Nohr's central royalty had subjugated her people and forced them into the small lands they now occupy, taking away what was once theirs. Of course the Ice Tribe couldn't bring themselves to fight back, at least not explicitly. They would be crushed in an instant, so long as the royalty had visible, 'reasonable' grounds for doing so. It was a culture of alienation, and she began to reflect why she felt that she belonged less at home and more at Nohr, this place with a legacy of evil. A part of Hiera felt liberated by all of her new experiences, but she also felt a deep-seated fear of losing herself in all the excitement. No matter what she did, Hiera felt trapped and conflicted the more she looked at the world at large. 

Eventually, things came to a head for her as her grades began to suddenly falter. Hiera just couldn't perform as well as she once did. Desperate to get an academic foothold, one of the academy's faculty confronted her one day, and offered more favorable grades in trade for "extra time spent together after class". Repulsed, Hiera would reprimand the advances, but noticed that the faculty member never once leveraged the threat of royal influence or authority; they were scared of something now that their plan had failed. Taking the advantage, Hiera demanded answers, and the truth was broken to her. She was never a member of the Ice Tribe to begin with, but a royal bastard that not even her parents could bother with. She discredited him for his lies, and made quick work of him in combat. Although the event had long passed thereafter, the idea still lingered on her head. She was afraid of finding something her heart couldn't handle. Despite her fears, the uncertainty was just as unbearable for her. Taking a brief trip from the academy to the supposed castle, Hiera resolved herself to confirm her suspicions. Going inside and meeting her blood father, she could see the resemblance in just a glance. Hiera cracked, and resorted to blind violence and rage. In that moment, she felt truly unloved, tearing the castle as well as her father to shreds. She fled in a hurry, and assumed a new name, "Hiera". Under her new identity in Nohr, it was all she had. Hoping to make some gold and find some solace, Hiera joined the Lanceitt guild. Bit by bit, she felt special sort of relatability with them, admiring how their sense of belonging was something that they forged, and not something defined by blood. Out of all the "families" Hiera had, it was only the Lanceitt guild that truly felt like a family. While she couldn't bring herself to look for more answers, Hiera was determined to support and protect the new family she found in the guild.