Shattered

Varan scowled. Half breed, like she hadn't been called worse before, by both human and elf alike, as if it were somehow her fault an elf bedded a human. Not being accepted by either made the ice-half-elf resilient, impervious to the jabs and taunts of entitled elves. It made the ice-half-elf fierce, tenacious. During the struggle for the staff, Varan refused to let go.

"I found this staff discarded on the ground. Discarded. I picked it up, as if it chose me. If it's as powerful as you say, why would you have neglectfully thrown it away?" She scoffed. "Surely you can't be trusted with its power if you are so careless, therefore, I think even the staff knows that it’s better off in my custody. Now back off!” She concentrated all her power to keep the staff in her possession, however, the two contesting magical energies had an unexpected side effect and the would-be owners vied for ownership of the staff. The ice turned black as pitch that seemed to be sucking in light and absorbing Luna's shadows. The Staff started to vibrate between the two yet both refuse to back down in spite of their hands growing numb. The vibration grew in intensity and something had to give leading to the staff inevitably and violently exploding in splinters. The shadow protected Luna from the splinters as they rebounded back into Varan.

Shockingly Varan found her self alive and uninjured. The places where the splinters had supposedly penetrated her let off wisps of black smoke. She had fully absorbed the staff and it’s magic!

“You attacked me without provocation,” Varan snarled. “You tried to rob me.I was willing to barter for MY staff, but now that it’s destroyed, it’s neither here nor there. They’re coming. The ice giants. Do you want to be boiled into soup? Roasted on a spit? I survived the cook pots once, I’ll not press my luck again! Do you hear them? Feel them beneath your feet?. If you’re not prepared to fight them over me, stand aside, and when I’m done avenging my kin, if there is breath left in my body and skin left on my bones, you and I shall battle. I’ll show you what a half-breed is capable of.” Varan felt powerful, more powerful than she’d ever felt before. The Ice Giants killed her brethren. First and foremost, Varan was a giant slayer. And they were coming.

Varan eyes flicked over Luna shoulder seeing the distraught human closed the distance and raised his sword over Luna.

The half elf swallowed a lump in her throat, preparing for the giants, extending shadowy ice claws from her hands, muttering softly under her breath. “Face me Giant scum, devourers of elves and humans. No matter the size, if it bleeds, it dies."