Berig     Created on Thursday, 03 March 2005 16:41  
  Triage  
  Heritage is a thread that weaves through a family, from generation to generation. Ever since my parents, Marcus and Arian Balitang fled from the bonds of slavery of the pirates of Ilbon Island, the Balitangs have always supported, loved and aided one another. My older brother, Gnoff, was the first to marry. He and his wife Mikalyn had several children. I was anxious to find love and start a family of my own as well. I found the one I thought would be my life-partner. Amy and I were joyfully wed shortly after the birth of Gnoff's second child.

However, fate had different plans for me than I'd hoped for. During one of my travels to far away lands, my loving Amy was taken from me, her life force snuffed out by a band of raiding outlaws that destroyed our home and took from me that which cannot be easily replaced - love.

I was despondent and traveled the lands in search of a reason to go on with life. I spent several yuri's simply moving from town to town, village to village, healing the sick to pay my way, but feeling nothing inside. One morning a messenger found me in my sparse rented room and handed me a worn but still intact parchment with the Balitang Family Seal. Inside of me a spark ignited, the spark of family brought feelings rushing back into my being...cascading over one another in their rush to be let out once again.

Tearing open the seal, I quickly read the short note therein. Gnoff had divorced some yuris ago and was needing my companionship, as only brothers can give one another. Finally! a reason to go on! I laughed and cried at the same time. Joyously I returned to Buya and was reunited with not only Gnoff, but found my younger brother, Baltzen was all grown up and had taken over our father's successful merchant business.

Gnoff and I have decided that family is too important to let sit idle or be seperated by outside influences, so have bonded our blood as brothers in the Barbarian Ceremony of the Blood Oath and both are joyous and happy as we enjoy newphews, nieces, and even his grandchildren. As for me, I know the pain and suffering of losing a loved one, and do not know if I'll ever venture down that path again. For now I am content to be with a loving family that cares for and aids one another.