Zo's Early Years
Starting from early childhood (1-4) Zo was pretty much ignored by father Grande in favour of her older brother Sean, only receiving care from Damiana (her mother) and Harold Bronzeburn. Damiana leaves the family when Zo just turned 2, citing Grande as a self-absorbed and conceited man too busy focusing on his own legacy to care for a family, let alone a kingdom, and Harold takes over as her Guardian parental figure. Around this time Maximus, cousin to the two royal children, starts making regular trips back from the frontlines to the palace. Sean was typically always busy with royal education so Zo was the only one who Max would be able to visit whilst he was there. Max took a shine to young Zo, always telling her embellished stories of his service as a Specia Legionnaire and playing small games with her with what little free time he could spare, Zo treasured these stories and games, always looking forward to Max coming back to visit.
When the time came for Zo to begin the Royal education process, though even this was slow, and usually waived in favour of Grande allocating more resources for his heir, because of this Harold stepped in and opted Zo out of the usual education, instead passing along his own course of education, stemming from his Paladin beliefs and vows, and taking the chance to form a different kind of Royal Dark representative, a peacekeeper rather than a warmonger. Through this Zo would become an avid reader of creative works and historical accounts, as well as several instructional books when nothing else was available, the side effect being that she picked up several small skills: letter writing and penmanship, basic camping and survival knowledge, chess strategy, and gods of the wider world.

The Bloody Coup, Zo's perspective
The Bloody Coup happened when Zo was still young (4-5) the lead up to the night was mostly ordinary for Zo, though everyone had been quite distant during the day, Grande was still tutoring Sean as usual, though the classes dragged on into the early evening before he was finished, Harold had been unusually distracted at the time, even seeming a little impatient and unorganised, there were fewer guards about, and even the ones posted close to Harold's lounge room and the bedrooms were absent. Max was supposed to visit during the day, but never arrived.

9 PM
Sean is finished with studies, Grande is pleased with the progress he has made, and treats him to a long night-feast for his effort. Zo is ushered to her quarters per Grande's orders, Harold usually reads her stories to help sleep, the guards tell Zo they will pass on a message, but nothing is passed on. There's a disturbance in the city's center square plaza. Lights and noise in the distance, this has happened before and Harold has reassured her that such things happen from time to time. More and more guards trickle out of the palace, in heavier and heavier gear.

10 PM
The lights and sounds outside Zo's window have grown brighter and louder, shouting can be heard down the hallway, the main palace doors are slammed shut, guards are rushed to Harold's lounge to protect Zo and Harold from attack. Grande never mentioned to his guards that Zo had been sent to bed early, and her personal quarters are left void of any protection. Harold had still not returned to the palace after a late notice consultation, and would likely not be able to return under such conditions.
the lights begin to circle, Zo hides deeper in her covers thinking this is all just some nightmare that will disappear soon, soon, soon...

11 PM
The palace doors are breached, the clear sounds of combat in the halls of Zo's home ring out, the city guards falter, the royal guards are few, the mercenary captain that had provided additional security had been killed, a single blade to the heart.
The windows outside the palace are set alight, there is no escape to the outside, and the billowing smoke and fire strains the windows of Zo's quarters. The wishes to wake up are now urgent cries for her brother, for Harold, for the few royal guards she had come to know by name. Zo attempts to open her door and run, but it's stuck, and the keyhole obscured. She had been locked inside per Grande's earlier orders, presumably to keep her from knowing about Sean's rewards. Her cries were not unheard, one of the invaders breaks open the door, illuminated by firelight, face covered by cloak, and blade visible with fresh blood, Zo's cries are silenced by shock, as the man moves to cut her down. Zo screams and closes her eyes, not knowing what was going to happen, but there is no sudden pain, only strange warmth, and the caustic iron-like smell. Opening her eyes, the man before her now has a blade piercing his chest from behind, before it is violently removed. The intruder lays dead across the floor, Zo's vision is blurred, but the voice she can hear is clear, and familiar. "Zo, are you okay?! are you hurt?! did he hurt you?!"
Before she can recognise the voice, Zo passes out, completely giving out from the stress of everything that has happened.

Aftermath:
When she awakes, she finds herself in Harold's lounge, being carried and cradled by Max, the sun has begun to rise, "it must have all been a nightmare" she thought to herself, before hearing only minutes later outside the room, that Grande was murdered, and the culprit had been identified as her uncle, Max's father Eious Dark. she didn't know what this specifically meant, but she could tell by everyone's grim tone that everything she saw happened, and it was not a nightmare.
before she could fully process everything, Zo begins to cry, completely inconsolable. Max, inexperienced as he is, just softly and calmly reassures over and over. "it's okay, you're safe."

The following years of the Bloody Coup were resoundingly silent in the capitol (ages 6-10). Years of a proud and triumphant reign cut short in mere hours. The Dark family houses were in shambles, it's leadership scrambled in a single night. The following years, Zo fell deep into solitary, spending days and weeks at a time removed from familial affairs and events, so much so that people would occasionally verify that she was even still alive. Harold had taken the position of Advisory, and thus couldn't teach Zo as much as he wanted to anymore, Sean was quickly being ascended to the white and gold bands trying to form stability in an era of expansion, he seldom saw Zo at all, except for the few events they did attend together, now his only family, he attempted to reach out, with little success. Though related by blood, under the same roof, a compounding of neglect, and favoritism had made their differences night and day, Sean was brash and hot tempered, whilst Zo remain highly reserved and watchful. The one true brotherly figure she had in Max was slowly slipping away to the demands of siege and warfare, and his visits became more sparse.

A Strong Light
A temporary dissolving of the Royal Advisory branch afforded a respite. Harold was finally able to see who he considered a daughter to him. Years had distanced the two  ever so slightly, but in that time the familial bond between them had strengthened greatly. Oddly, Zo saw herself spared of losing a "father" in the Bloody Coup, though still grieved for Sean, and Max who had both lost everything. In the following week, Zo had taken to an intense round of studies, staying up for days at a time in the library and Harold's lounge, when queried on this newfound interest, Zo had simply stated to people, that she wishes to save her father and brother from an ever apparent collapse of the kingdom. The people had caught wind of this development through the rumor mill, gossip skewing the details had almost put the royal siblings as rivals for the throne, though Harold used some quick thinking to quell the errant powder keg.

Seeing Zo's renewed vigor to live up to Harold's principles shaped by his paladin life gave him an inspired idea to help focus this new vigor into a positive force. Setting Zo aside, Harold told her all about his long storied life as a Paladin of Specia, not just to the Dark family, but to the land itself. He laments in the fact that he nearly failed his duty to Zo. "I so very nearly failed to preserve your light, and for that I am forever sorry." Harold had not been one to show emotion easily, the concept of Paladin vows still alien to her, Zo simply replied "you didn't fail though, what is there to be sorry about?" The remark took Harold by surprise, and his immanent tears had been replaced with a shining laughter, and warm closure, thinking to himself that he would have said the exact same thing should the roles have been reversed.

"You understand quickly Zo." Harold says with a proud smile. "I know you want to help fix what was damaged, you perform above what is expected of your station, I and the people are extremely grateful for that." The tone Harold says this in is all too familiar to Zo, like a lecture of the days long passed. "Before you can work on fixing the world around you, you have to start small, and from within. Fix that which is broken in you first, work to help others next, those less fortunate than you. Then and only then can you set your sights on repairing a town or a city, or a kingdom." Zo listened to every word intently taking everything to heart.

The following month, Harold had helped situate Zo within the walls of Purity, in the Temple of Eldath, God of Peace, Deity of Specia Kingdom. Becoming one of Purity's many priestesses was not how Zo had anticipated her decisions to lead, but trusting in Harold's guidance she set out on her journey of healing, healing the festering scar of years prior.

The Lost Soul
Settled in at the Purity Temple of Tranquility, Zo set to work and began to climb the ranks. As a lesser ranking acolyte, she could not call upon higher powers for assistance in treatment or guidance yet, having to rely on the hundreds of hours of book learning, and using applied knowledge to get by. Most of these early days were spent helping those with small wounds or benign illnesses, and giving guidance to those with moral quandaries that did not require a priest's attention.

As the war in Central Specia reached a fever pitch, more and more refugees came trickling into the city, being moved from Cita-Del, and kept out of Specia City, per the wishes of the Honour Court. Zo saw the displacement first hand, priests asking for the goodwill of the people to help those without a home, though not as many as they had hoped actually offered to help.
A few months in, and the leaders of Purity were forced to create a refugee sector, and poach priests and priestesses from every temple to help maintain the rising population. Zo was one of the many assigned to this task, hearing the stories of how people lost their homes to war, and their livelihoods displaced, to even those who had lost their loved ones to the fighting. Her heart ached listening to so much suffering, thinking it can easily be stopped with a single order from the King, her brother. On a late night, she had penned a letter to Sean, asking to halt the campaign of the Specia Legions. another month had passed and the refugees kept on arriving, with war related news from the Capitol.

On a late Autumn day, a surprise visit happened in the refugee section. Max had arrived, with a personal delivery. A young half-breed was seen trailing behind Max, reserved and disheveled, looking around nervously at people who are giving Max a scornful glare. Max had asked that the man be looked after here, and kept hidden from the Advisory and Inquiry investigators, and so was hidden amongst the refugees. He would return for him after the campaign had reached the sands of the Eastern Desert.

Zo never got a chance to greet Max personally, only learning of his impromptu visit from the murmurs of other acolytes.
Everyone was weary of the man, whispered tones suggested he was a thief, a killer or even an assassin the priests kept their word and did not disclose any information to other parties, not even their own.
Acolytes were cautious to even help the man find a tent, or help stoke a fire or bring a hot meal. Zo saw the anguish on the man's face, something more severe than displacement or sorrow. That night, whilst he sit at his fire pit alone, staring blankly into the fire, Zo had brought him a warm stew. Her initial words were of official capacity, "Please, do not be afraid to ask the Temple of Tranquility for any assistance." She has said these same words many times, with the same warm smile and demeanor. The man had not moved, or even acknowledged Zo's words. Sensing something was not right, Zo set the stew next to the man and sat a quarter rotation across from the man.
10 minutes had passed, the only sounds were of the backdrop of refugees and the crackling of the open fire pit. the steam from the fresh stew was beginning to falter, as Zo kept tending to the fire, poking it with an oak branch, slightly charred from it's use.

Without breaking eye contact with the fire, the man asked Zo, "You are not like the other priests, you've been the only person to bring me warm food, keep me company and tend my fire. You aren't scared of me, or my name are you?" his tone was a mixture of curiosity, coated with a strong vacant sorrowful feeling, likely a scar of the man's past.

Zo sets down the impromptu fire poker, thinking to herself how much truth any of the rumours thrown around have. "I've been hearing what the other acolytes have been saying, but I understand they are just rumours. I don't see what you could've been or the deeds you could've carried out. Like everyone here, you are someone in need, and as an acolyte of Eldath, and a Dark, it is my responsibility to give you aid, and offer my guidance, to give life back to you." 
The response is from the heart, passionate with genuine belief and purpose. The man looks at Zo, seeing her determined expression, it was moving, but not enough to elicit any strong reaction.
"It's Zo right? Harold Bronzeburn's kid?" The man said looking into her eyes, before moving to look back at the fire.
It was a surprise to Zo that someone outside of the kingdom had heard of Zo, had her name been carried to the far sands in Tolvestes? "Yes, though Harry isn't really my fa-" her clarification is cut off by the man already having his confirmation. "Max told me about you, how you'd been through similar things I had, that you weren't like the king, or any other Dark for that matter." The following silence is awkward, Zo hadn't anticipated the response, and could not bring herself to reply, feeling she had nothing of value to share or add.

A few minutes pass, and the man turns once more to Zo. "You should probably go and see to someone else, I'm fine here."
Zo, feeling that the conversation had reached as far as it could without being intrusive, obliged handing the poker to the man before excusing herself. "Please let me know if you need anything else to help uh-" drawing a blank, Zo had realised she had never asked the man for his name, struggling to complete the gesture without such information.
"Hevelta-Xann" the man amends.
"I'm sorry?" Zo replies, interpreting the words as intended, than as a name.
"Leon Hevelta-Xann" he answers. "My name" he adds.
Zo hurriedly atones for such a simple mistake in etiquette "I'm ever so sorry, I completely forgot to ask!"
"Don't worry about it." Leon assures. "I think you're probably the only person here who didn't know."

The following days and weeks, the same routine takes place, Zo brings Leon warm food, and sits by his fire for a few minutes, gradually beginning to open up and confide in Zo about his past, Leon and Zo became friends. It was the first time Zo had made friends with someone outside of the Palace walls.

Silver Pendant
It had been more than a month since Zo and Leon had first met. The refugee sector has had some time to stabilize from the mass exodus weeks prior, with stabilisation came the time to relieve some acolytes of their stations inside the refugee section. Zo was recalled to the Temple of Tranquility to continue her studies, but she still felt a duty to help out those in the refugee sector, at first she had simply asked to be transferred back to the sector, but was denied and reminded that her duty as a faithful acolyte was to first be able to recognize the will of the God of Peace. Zo chafed at this ruling, thinking to herself along the lines that helping those displaced by war would be the exact kind of order that Eldath would carry out across his followers. But she had long felt that voices of authority cannot be swayed once they back their beliefs with faith, but instead must be subverted.

For the next 2 weeks, she had decided that before her studies begin, she would travel to the refugee sector just outside of the city walls and tend to the needs of people inside as she had before. Every day she would end up ever gradually later to her studies, much to the chagrin of the priests and priestesses. After the long day of studies, she would return to the refugee sector once more, spending the evening amongst the people there, along with keeping Leon company on his lonesome nights, neither of them talking, just sitting and observing the fire.

It was one of these reflective fire pit gatherings that had attracted some disgruntled refugees, victims of Xann crimes and operations. The group had recognised Leon's face, the young burglar and thief that had stolen on behalf of his family. Zo and Leon's reverie was disturbed by the shouting of one in particular, "Xann dog!" and "Where were you when the city was burning!"
accusations of treason and selling out, as he was escorted here by Max, a Legion commander. The fight in Leon's eyes had long since evaporated, sinking lower into his knees, hoping they would simply move on and not attack him. Seeing this Zo felt an acidic fire in the back of her throat and the clarity of fine thought and memory had begun fading into a protective fervor.

"Enough!"
before she knew it, Zo was stood fully upright, putting herself inbetween the gang of belligerent refugees, and Leon.
Her yell of authority was more a young teenager's shriek of anger, voice breaking slightly, strain in the throat and heavy prolonged breaths.
"How can you stand there, and attack someone defenseless, someone you don't even know, and call it right or just!"
Zo's voice strains from the extensive shouting, the like she had never done before. but not willing to back down she powers through the struggling vocal chords.
Someone in the gang of refugees reply, "So now the Temple of Purity is sheltering criminals? you frauds!"
Anger growing at such a baseless slight, Zo had not even noticed that she had leaned into the argument, inching closer to the gang involuntarily.
"The Priests and Priestesses of Purity shelter refugees! people like Leon, people like you! Everyone here has been hurt by the war!" Zo had intended to tie the two parties together in solidarity, hoping to convince them that they aren't so different, and that they shouldn't be fighting among themselves. The message fell on deaf ears however, these people were wronged by Leon's family, and now seek to enact vindication on anyone in the bloodline.

The sector stood silent, it seems the shouting had attracted the attention of passersby, refugee and acolyte alike were watching in silence, the refugees confused at the discourse, and acolytes, petrified by one of their own blowing up at the group, forsaking the rules of every temple in Purity.

Before the situation could escalate any further, Purity peacekeepers had entered the refugee sector, the yelling having alerted acolytes of an antagonistic public disturbance, an illegal action within the boundaries of Purity. the two parties were separated, and detained, the younger acolytes were stunned silent by the display, having never seen the tough enforcement of Purity law in effect.

Zo was interviewed, providing her side to the story, coming to the defence of her friend being bullied for sins he had not committed. With a lack of someone to attest to Zo's story, she had to spend the night in the holding cells, anger abated, now worry plagued her mind. She, an acolyte of Purity, the very symbols of peace in future generations had been detained for a public argument, at worst she could very well lose her right to study with the Temple of Tranquility, or be scorned by it's goddess. The night was almost sleepless, but fatigue had slowly caught up to Zo after the last of her adrenaline had worn off.

Dreaming in her sleep, Zo had imagined her own expulsion, being exiled back to the palace in Specia City as a failure, but before her sentence can be handed the scene fades. Slowly coming awake in her holding cell, she sees someone standing opposite her in the cell, she darts awake only to see herself standing across from her.
"You worry about judgement, though there is nothing upon which you can be judged." the clone speaks not in Zo's tone of voice, and is more ethereal.
"What do you mean? I escalated an argument, almost turned it into a physical brawl." Zo is confused, her sentence was clear, she sits in a cell reserved for criminals, in a well of guilt.
"Young Zo Dark, I understand your worry." the clone says, calming and soothing. "Though you may have escalated, your intent was pure, and you acted in the defense of another. Even in the face of insurmountable odds." There was not chiding or disappointment, but the opposite, the feeling of a proud mentor. The clone's voice continues, "Peace is not a constant, nor is it a product of it's own existence. Peace is the result of battle and unity, of those who fight for the lives of others, others they may not even know. Not just with a sword and a shield, but with their tongue and their words to join minds in unity. And in true unity, lay everlasting peace."
The speech resonated within Zo, in the last moments of silence, she realises who this clone of her really is, but before she can even ask, the figure dissipates into a blinding burning light.

Zo shoots awake inside the holding cell, rubbing her eyes and looking around frantically for the person who looked like her.
She is alone in the holding cell, and the morning sun is beginning to rise in the window, it's light begins to reflect something hanging from the shelf in the room. Along a fine platinum chain link necklace is a pendant, the pendant is formed of pure bright silver, depicting a dragon facing left proudly, like the 4 dragon statues around Purity square, guardians of peace.

Zo doesn't know how it got there, and asking a peacekeeper, she knows that no one had come to visit her during the night.
Though it's origin is obscured, she felt compelled to wear it around her neck, a proud symbol. Release paperwork filed, she was surprised to find that no priests/priestesses or acolyte messengers were dispatched to notify her of any Temple meetings, but saw Leon fast asleep under a bench opposite the detention center. After waking him up, Leon jolts up and smashes is head on the underside of the marble bench, causing a slight head wound. Holding his head still and helping him to his feet, she asks if he is hurt badly or bleeding. Leon simply replies that he felt fine, like nothing had happened, comfortable even. Confused, Zo removes her hand from Leon's forehead to see there is no wound, or even a lump, she could've sworn there would be though, the sound of impact was quite loud.

Leon explains why he had been camped out under a bench next to a detention center, "I wanted to say thank you for defending me last night, you didn't have to, and I'm worried about what the other acolytes might think of you now."
Zo was more concerned about Leon sleeping rough for her sake than the gesture that was intended, but thinking back to what little of her dream she could remember, and the bright pendent she now wore, she felt content with what she had done, but was still worried about what punishment the Temple of Tranquility would bestow upon her.

Arriving at the Temple early, she found no one outside expecting her arrival, and most acolytes seemed unaware of what had transpired last night, with only the few who witnessed the altercation whispering amongst themselves. Entering the temple, her tutor for the day greeted Zo, "Ah Acolyte Zo, good morning to you, it's quite early for you for a change, is there anything I can help you with?" the tutor was as bright as they usually are, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. "Uh, no I'm fine actually, is Priestess Danai here today?" Zo replies a little confused at how such news never reached anyone. "Yes, Head Priestess Danai should be finished with her divination this morning, she should still be in her prayer quarters if you want to speak with her." the tutor answers. Zo thanks the tutor and begins to walk in the direction of the prayer chambers, before being stopped by her tutor asking, "Are you sure you're okay Zo? You seem a little frazzled and panicked. Did something happen to you last night?" Zo sheepishly replies "N-no everything's fine, just a little wired from early morning exercise." "Well okay then, I'll see you in the study hall later then." the Tutor does not call out Zo's bleak lie and continues their morning routine.

Opening the door to Danai's prayer room and knocking, Zo is ushered in by the head priestess and urged to take a seat next to her.
"You seem out of sorts Acolyte Zo, what is on your mind?" Danai remains calm, eyes closed, no indication of wrongdoing.
"I, uh, well I-" Zo can't seem to find the courage to out her own mistake and detainment, stuttering and sweating.
"You were detained last night by patrolling peacekeepers no?" Danai said still calm, still eyes closed.
Zo is taken aback immediately, and rushes to offer her heartfelt apologies. "I'm ever so sorry Ms. Spirili! I won't do it again!"
Danai chuckles at the notion, "Apologize? whatever for Acolyte Zo?" her eyes open, but with an earnest smile.
Zo is completely bewildered by joy and confusion, "Well I-I violated the rules of Purity, and escalated a situation past resolve."
Danai simply takes her hand upon Zo's cheek, like a mother to a child. "Oh young Zo, you needn't worry about any of that, your intentions were pure, defending a friend in need in the face of greater odds." The words ring out to Zo, hearing the voice from her dream again with the same words being echoed.
"Just like-" Zo's realization is confirmed by the head priestess. "In your dream vision last night yes?"
Danai continues to explain, "Eldath herself has taken a shine to you Acolyte Zo, she has expressed much herself in my divinations." Zo's eyes light up in amazement, quickly taking out the pendant tucked behind her garb to look at. "It seems that minor studies and learning communication is a little out of your league now Zo. You've become a chosen representative of Eldath, and by extension, of Purity and it's temples." Danai lays out some tools, the kind a wandering priest would use.
"It's time I passed the torch along, so that you can light the way forward." she says with a pride in her eyes Zo had never seen.

Zo begins to tear up at everything that had transpired, the stress of many years finally being alleviated, and purpose realized.
That day she began training as a cleric, learning to wield the power gifted to her, as Harold watches on from the high balcony of the temple, knowing he had made the right decision.

The First Lesson
A few months after Zo had received her silver pendant, Zo had begun her first tests as a temple cleric. Whilst memorising the core beliefs had gone just fine, putting spellcasting into practice had proved an entirely different challenge.

On one of these training days, Zo's eyes were closed in deep focus trying to manifest divine energy within the pendant, when the doors to the practice room were opened quietly as someone walks in. "I've been told you've been at this for a few hours now. Take a break. A road of a thousand steps can't be traversed in just a few bounds." The voice is resoundingly familiar to Zo, as her eyes snap wide open, the light of the midday sun beaming in through the large windows, taking Zo's eyes a few seconds to adjust, before she turns around.

"Harry?" Zo is slightly stunned, still not fully aware after putting full concentration into her divine channelling. At the door to the practice room stands Harold Bronzeburn wearing his old paladin gambeson and tabard. "Harry!" Zo's realisation is followed by pure ecstatic joy, matched only by the joy she had shown in her younger years. Just like her younger self, Zo couldn't help but begin to sprint as fast as she can, giving Harold what can only be described as an "attack hug" with tears welling in her closed eyes. Harold can't help but delight with a small chuckle, clearly having missed his surrogate daughter as much as she had missed him, embracing Zo and giving a small kiss to her forehead before hugging back.

"Gods you have grown so much Zo!" Harold can't help but let emotion overwhelm him as well, knowing that the time and effort he had dedicated to shaping Zo's future path to have been fulfilled beyond what he could've imagined. "I took the first opportunity I could to come to Purity and pay you a long deserved visit." Harold implored, keeping the embrace for as long as Zo needed. "Oh right! Harry look what I have!" Zo's giddiness was at a fervour, letting go of the hug to show Harold her newly earned holy pendant, which still shined with a pure bright silver sheen. Harold indulged in the sense of paternal pride that was gathering within him, smiling from ear to ear. "Danai told me about what happened, I'm so so proud of you Zo." the words struck Zo all at once, giving her an elation she had never felt before. "But even as with a seasoned paladin, a certain trainee cleric needs to reserve her strength, and have a warm meal before she can take on the world, let alone intermediate meditation." Harold follows up quickly, the pride mixing in with a somewhat pitying and understanding tone, reminding Zo not to wear herself out.

Zo listened to what Harold had said, realising that she had been wearing herself thin. Despite this she desperately wanted to press on until progress was made, instead acquiescing to Harold's plea.

Taking a seat within the temple's meal hall with a warm stew for each of them, Zo and Harold begin to converse. At first the conversation is slow, catching up with the news of each other's lives.
"So, they've moved you away from the sermon writing and put you into the thick of divine training then?" Harold asked, trying to steer the conversation to the present.
"Yep!" Zo responded enthusiastically. "I've been trying for about a week now, but nothing's come of it yet." she continues, seeming a little disheartened by her lack of progress.
"You've asked for guidance already I assume." Harold inquires, wanting to get to the heart of the issue. "I've asked all the priests and priestesses for help. Nothing has worked so far." Zo's mood sours, contempting the fact that all her attempts haven't brought her any closer to her goal. Seeing the frustration in her eyes and in hearing it in her dejection, Harold thinks back to his own experiences for a moment, looking for a solution to his dear daughter's problems.

"Your frustration is understandable Zo." Harold sympathises with Zo, remembering his own struggles. "But lamenting on the failures and mistakes will only let that anger fester and boil over, and that'll only cause harm to your training." Harold says in a calm, soft tone, like a parent soothing their child to calm them down. Zo turns to look Harold in the eye, staying quiet; expecting him to continue. "I don't want you to give up on this path. But if the current path isn't working, then it's best that you approach it from a new angle." Harold lays out his advice along with a gift for Zo, a newly made dagger.

Zo is confused by the gesture, expecting Harold to understand that Zo did not want to seek violence as a cleric. Hoping for a clarification, Zo asks "is that-?" cutting herself short, still taken aback by the presence of a weapon in the guise of a gift. "Not exactly, I know you don't want to find yourself in a situation of violence, but unfortunately there are beings in this world that will not care for your aversion to combat and harm you all the same." Harold explains his reasoning as he begins to unsheathe the dagger, revealing a slim shiny blade, with many indentations along it's spine, each gap between indentations looking quite ornate, finished with a shined brass guard and hilt, and covered in fine leather. "This is no ordinary dagger. I had this made by some very skilled blacksmiths overseas." Harold states, admiring the blade himself for the second time, having only ever seen it once before. "This is what duelists call a 'Swordbreaker.' a dagger meant to catch wayward blades and snap them in a swift motion." Harold recounts what he read about the weapon in various books, fantasising a little bit for fun. "That is mostly a legend however. Still this is something meant to be used defensively, to keep you out of trouble should it ever arise." Harold clarifies the intention of the gift.

Hearing it's true purpose, Zo looks upon the weapon with a new frame of mind. Encouraging Zo to hold the dagger for herself, she timidly grasps the handle expecting it's weight to be akin to a small stack of her books. To Zo's surprise, it is light and quick, cutting through the air swifter than she expected. Feeling the edge of the blade itself, Zo is more surprised still, gingerly running the edge across the nail of her left thumb, finding that the blade did not leave much of a mark. Harold looks on with a smile as Zo admires the swordbreaker in her hand. "I intended to give this to you when you had finished your training." Harold reveals to Zo. "But seeing as you need help in a slightly new direction. I figured I could teach you my own methodology of swordsmanship. If only to ease the stress of your current lessons for now."

After finishing learning how to wield her new dagger effectively, and wiping the sweat forming across her forehead, Zo looks to Harold for approval, or a sign of progression. Harold looks back at the fatigued Zo, barely able to hold a steady posture, shaking weak in her footing. "It's not a bad start, for only a couple of hours." Harold claims, holding back his list of criticism to allow a reprieve. "Just remember to keep going over these lessons again and again." Harold urges. "Keep a strong core, and steady footing." Harold gestures to his chest and midsection, before planting his feet in a ready combat stance, and drawing his own blade as demonstration. "But do not tense up so much." Harold relaxes his stance and walks over to Zo, who is trying to mimic his movements with a wooden practice sword.

"Keeping this much tension is likely to make you crumble." Harold states as he grabs another practice sword from training room's wall rack. "Much like bending a blade, it holds so much tension inside." Harold's voice strains as his hands scrunch up and turn pale as he applies force to either side of the wooden sword. "All this tension, makes you brittle, and all it takes is just a small-" Voice still strained, Harold putting all of his force into trying to snap the wood in two, he holds the sword slightly higher, before crashing the center of the sword against the base of his knee. A deafening crack reverberates throughout the practice room, as now Harold is holding large shards of wood, with splinters coming from one end each. "Just a small push, and everything buckles." Harold's voice returns to normal, finishing his demonstration to Zo.

Zo is taken aback by the demonstration, seeing Harold be able to snap a very sturdy practice sword like it was a dead tree branch; not even flinching at the pain he must clearly be in. "So, are you saying that-" Zo's question stops midway through, noticing that a small red splotch has begun to enlarge on Harold's cloth trousers, next to a small tear in the fabric. "Yes, I'm saying that the same kind of approach can be very easily applied to many different aspects of life, with small transformations when necessary." Harold finished the question for Zo, already knowing what his answer would be; noticing that Zo had caught onto his intention.
"So, how about you try again. To channel divine power." asked Harold, sensing that his lesson had made an impact on Zo.

picking up the silver pendant hanging from her neck, and cradling it in her palm. Zo looks deeply into the pendant, it's reflection staring reality back at Zo as intense as she was. Clasping her hand, Zo begins to relax her mind, and closes her eyes, trying to apply Harold's teaching to her focus where she could make sense of it. Still feeling nothing, she takes a deep breath before trying again.
Harold seeing the same result playing out before him, gently places his hand on Zo's shoulder "My last lesson, is to realise the purpose of your actions." Harold says in a softer tone, as to not disturb Zo's focus too much. "Think about what you want to accomplish by what you're doing, and let that guide you." As Harold finishes speaking, Zo's concentration deepens, brow stiffening, teeth gnawing, her hands tightening their grip around the silver pendant.

"I want to fix this world. I want to heal the scars left by it's conflict." Zo thought to herself, deep in her mind, repeating the words and Harold's lessons in her own mind before going lighter, and the strain in her face laxes. An audible exhale echoes through the practice room.
Zo notices, her hands feel warm, like the rays of the sun pouring down directly in her palms. As she opens her eyes, her gaze widens, and is filled with disbelief. In her hands, where the pendant lay, a bright glow of energy slowly plumes from the pendant itself. Zo's disbelief turns into giddy glee, realising what she had accomplished, keeping the divine energy stable, behind her, Harold is beeming with pride.