Personal History

       Although her exact age is unknown, Natasia is generally considered the oldest warrior among the militia. She certainly acts the part, fond of loudly lecturing others—even Princess Wanalet. By her own account, while she may not be of the direct Hatuk royal lineage, she is an elder to the princess and was among the very first warriors to pledge their protection to her.

       Having long lived in the most barren and isolated depths of the Hatuk Valley, the petite Natasia can nimbly scale mountains and traverse ravines like a mountain goat, weaving through rocky crevices and vanishing from sight. People say that even the restless Princess Wanalet eventually tires herself out, yet no one has ever seen Natasia out of breath. No matter how impassable a place might seem, Natasia might suddenly emerge from it—appearing out of nowhere to lecture slackers from behind or fire a lethal shot at an unsuspecting enemy.

       Natasia's lectures are not only old-fashioned but also incredibly loud; whenever the youngsters are scolded for "standing or sitting improperly," "deviating from ancient EGO training methods," "eating too much ice cream," or "spending money recklessly," their heads are left ringing from the volume. However, everyone knows she speaks this way because she is hard of hearing. Consequently, the younger generation usually tolerates the elder with an awkward, good-natured smile.

       Her hearing impairment causes Natasia plenty of inconvenience. For instance, during a march, if a sudden ambush breaks out and gunfire erupts, most people scatter to take cover by the roadside; Natasia, however, simply keeps walking, oblivious to the sound of the shots. Her poor hearing also makes using communication devices difficult; when she holds an earpiece to her ear, she struggles to make out what the other person is saying—or even to tell if they are speaking at all. Perhaps for this very reason, Natasia views any modern invention brought by "outsiders" with suspicion; bolt-action firearms and optical scopes seem to be the absolute limit of what she is willing to accept.

       Of course, her hearing impairment isn't entirely without its perks: occasionally, the younger generation retorts sharply to her lectures. Though Natasia flushes crimson—even the tips of her ears burning hot—she can still stammer out a cover-up: "W-what? ...I'm old, you know; I can't hear a thing!"

       Natasia once lived in long-term seclusion within a cave dwelling in the valley, a site said to have once been a magnificent summer villa for the Hatuk royal family, though most of its rooms have since collapsed. Her immediate family had long since been lost or passed away, and her interactions with the villagers had dwindled as blood ties grew distant. Like many elderly Hatuk people, Natasia had contracted Giardiasis disease, which severely compromised her E.G.O. abilities—a source of great indignity for an elder who held tradition so dear. For decades, she rarely initiated contact with the villagers; her severe hearing loss made listening to others an exhausting, taxing ordeal.

       During Vanalet's childhood—spent constantly on the run to evade capture—Natasia's secluded home served as one of her primary hideouts. Perhaps the princess’s vitality rubbed off on the reclusive old woman; to the villagers' surprise, Natasia began appearing in public again. Shedding her former reticent persona, she became known for her loud, incessant chatter and outspoken opinions. When Vanalet raised the banner of rebellion against Mazdak, Natasia naturally counted herself among the very first to pledge her loyalty to the cause.

       Sometimes, it seems as though she does so to lend weight to her own lectures. Natasia would tell the young ones about "witnessing the Ruvilian Knights pouring through the pass en masse"—yet according to the knights themselves, their ancestors had invaded the Zarab and Ruvilian plains from the distant East a full thousand years ago... It was hard to believe Natasia could truly be of such an age. However, her accounts of the Ruvilian Knights were just as disjointed and fragmentary as the other legends and proverbs she constantly recited; it was difficult to imagine them as firsthand experiences. Perhaps Natasia had simply heard these stories from her own elders.