Villian Backstories

Kallum's Past (A full insight)

Name: Kallum

Age: Early thirties

Crimes: Turned traitor, killed King Aldrich of Dragonspyre.

Status: Deceased

Cause of death: Killed by Princess Nuri of Dragonspyre

In his youth, Kallum grew up in Dragonspyre. He never bonded with a dragon, nor did he ever seek one out. Kallum aspired to be a great warrior, but despite encouragement from his peers, including General Zion, he harboured resentment towards him. Kallum often felt inferior to the General's exceptional skill with swords. Shortly before Princess Nuri's birth, Kallum accidentally encountered a group of hunters outside the mountain range that protected Dragonspyre. Instead of turning them in, Kallum let them escape, and soon he began to sneak off to meet them, offering important information in exchange for training. Three days after Princess Nuri's birth, Kallum led the hunters to attack Dragonspyre. When King Aldrich discovered Kallum's intentions to destroy the royal family, he attempted to kill Kallum. However, he only managed to scar Kallum's face horrifically before Kallum stabbed him through the heart. After the people of Dragonspyre fled their home, Kallum, despite his disfigured appearance, was not finished. The current leader of the hunters was old, weary, and Kallum believed him soft and unfit to lead, despite having trained under him. That night, as the hunters celebrated their treacherous victory, Kallum approached the leader in the throne room. The older man was seated on what had once been the Queen's throne, holding his sword with the point down and resting his hand on the hilt. He straightened as Kallum entered, noticing the scars that marred Kallum's face. Slowly and painfully, leaning slightly on his longsword, the elder raised an arm and said, "Kallum, you did well today. You led us to victory; come, drink with me." As the older man turned to pour wine into two mugs, he missed the scowl that darkened Kallum's face, along with the small vial of liquid held tightly in his fist. Kallum quickly hid his expression as the hunter handed him a mug. When the elder turned away, Kallum dumped the small vial's contents into his drink and switched the two cups. As the older hunter raised his mug to drink, he said, "To our victory." Kallum simply nodded. The scar over his lip made talking difficult, but the older man didn't seem to notice as he drank. After a few sips, the elder set his mug down. "I've been looking for someone like you. You gave us valuable information and betrayed your own people and family. Why?" Kallum looked up and replied, "Why?"

The older man tilted his head. "Yes, you didn't hesitate to turn your back on your family. How do I know you won't do the same to us, your new family?" For a long moment, Kallum said nothing. Finally, he spoke. "They were weak, they showed off, and they were arrogant." The older man nodded but remained silent. "And the infant princess?" "Dead. My men finished her off." "Good, good." The older hunter started coughing and put a hand to his mouth, but Kallum caught a glimpse of blood that the man quickly concealed. The poison was taking effect. Kallum stepped closer. "I have a bone to pick with you about Mages." The older hunter's expression hardened, and he snapped, wheezing, "We have talked about this before, Boy." That was true, but Kallum pressed on. "I know someone who can help us gain more power. We have Dragonspyre, but we could conquer the whole Realm. We'd be unstoppable." The elder straightened, but his lips had a bluish tinge. "The answer is no. No Mages. They cannot be trusted, and you cannot fight anymore, Boy. Your scars need to heal, and you barely survived killing the King. Conquering can wait." Kallum sneered, the movement sending fire pulsing through his still-healing wounds. "Damn my wounds," he hissed. "You are an old, decrepit, weak and soft leader. A strong leader would push his men to fight harder!"

The older man's expression changed. "Watch your tongue, boy," he snarled. "Don't forget who trained you, who took you in when no one else understood you. You need me." Kallum took a step closer. "Do I? You're weak, old man. You're finished." The elder's expression hardened. "So this is it-you're going to kill your own leader?" A sinister smile crossed Kallum's face. "Oh no, Dren. You've already done all the hard work. While you were busy drinking, I slipped this into your drink." He held up the empty vial, and Dren's face drained of colour. "No," he wheezed. "You wouldn't... after everything I did for you!" Kallum's expression remained passive as Dren fell to his knees. Kallum crouched down to his level. "Consider this a mercy."

After that night, Kallum ascended to the position of Leader. He took charge of training the younger children in his group, not trusting anyone else to do it. Despite all his talk of conquest, he remained in Dragonspyre for fifteen years, occasionally visiting the other camp to instil fear in his men and the women, ensuring they never forgot who he was. Then, at the dawn of his fifteenth year in control of Dragonspyre, Nuri and her people came to reclaim their kingdom. Kallum watched in fury as he saw the massive dragon that the young princess rode. He was enraged to learn that his men had lied to him. That day marked the end of Kallum's reign, as he met his fate at the end of Princess Nuri's blade, and those who continued to fight for him were imprisoned.

(before and after images below)