Fabled Origins - Ellyanne

With the sun beginning to emit its orange vibrant hue and falling closer to the Western mountains, all the young knights are winding down their trainings. As most of the students begin to make their way towards the exit of the academy, one young girl continues to swing her wooden sword at the wooden targets with fierce resolve. While this display drew a few looks from the crowd of exiting students, most left without thinking much of it, instead focusing on the vast opportunities and adventures of their upcoming day off.

Upon finishing her hundredth swing, Ellyanne set down her wooden sword and took a seat on a nearby bench. She took a drink of water and took a few deep breaths, letting her body recover from the physical rigor and preparing herself for another round. She closed her eyes for a few moments, and breathed rejuvenating air into her lungs and muscles. As she opened her eyes, she was surprised by the sight of a group of young girls approaching her.

She immediately recognized that the girl in the lead was Acelle, one of the instructors' favourite students. The other girls were Acelle's friends who seemed to accompany her nearly everywhere. Ellyanne tried to avoid eye contact and focus on her own recovery, but her meditation was quickly interrupted as Acelle bluntly challenged her to a duel. Ellyanne quickly refused this challenge, but Acelle was persistent. Acelle and her friends taunted Ellyanne, but she remained resilient. Frustrated by Ellyanne's lack of interest in this duel, Acelle picked up two wooden swords and forced one into Ellyanne's hands. Ellyanne was still uninterested, and began to walk away from Acelle. However, a wave of anger rose within Ellyanne when Acelle shouted out another insult, one that cuts deep into Ellyanne's heart, and Ellyanne turned around to face her challenger.

Ellyanne's complexion was one of fierce anger as she accepted Acelle's challenge, while Acelle smirked victoriously. The two girls faced off in the middle of the training grounds, with Acelle's posse forming an audience away from the two. As soon as the start of the match was announced, Ellyanne propelled herself forward and set herself up for a strong swing. Acelle foresaw this, and thus lifted her sword and planted her feet into the ground to deflect Ellyanne's swing. As Ellyanne's swing impacted, a loud, deafening bang momentarily froze all of the audience members. Acelle was surprised by the power of this swing, but quickly shook off the shock and readied herself for another strike. Ellyanne withdrew her sword quickly, and this time swung at Acelle's legs. Instead of deflecting this strike, Acelle nimbly hopped over the swing and landed to Ellyanne's side. Seeing an opportunity, Acelle quickly swung her sword against Ellyanne's right leg. Not having enough time to recover from her own swing, Ellyanne could not defend herself in time and she felt Acelle's sword impact her right calf, sending a wave of sharp pain into her leg. Ellyanne tried to endure the pain, but was inevitably brought to one knee. The audience gasped, anticipating an escalation of events.

Smelling victory, Acelle quickly capitalized. She dextrously and methodically struck Ellyanne at various points, attempting to disable Ellyanne's base, core, and arms. However, Ellyanne fought through the pain and rolled away from Acelle's barrage. She quickly recomposed herself, and willed herself to stand back up despite the excruciating pain in her right leg. What Acelle said to her was unforgivable, and she was going to make her pay.

Acelle methodically moved towards Ellyanne, anticipating a sudden counter-strike from her. However, Ellyanne remained patient, and calculatingly observed Acelle's movements. Acelle lunged at Ellyanne hoping to catch her off guard, but Ellyanne was prepared. She quickly dodged the strike and returned a strike to Acelle's back. Ellyanne quickly followed that strike with a couple strikes to Acelle's arms and legs, forcing Acelle down to her knees. Acelle's crew was now silent and in shock.

Ellyanne looked Acelle in the eyes with her fierce expression, and demanded an apology from her. Acelle began with her apology, and at that moment, Ellyanne felt a sense of relief enter her as she had just been victorious over one of her most talented peers. However, as Ellyanne lowered her guard, Acelle swept Ellyanne off her feet with her sword. As Ellyanne landed squarely on her back, Acelle dug her wooden sword into Ellyanne's foot, ensuring that she would not be standing up again. Acelle followed up with an assault of strikes onto the now vulnerable Ellyanne. Once the flurry finally subsided, Acelle shouted a few more insults before laughing with her posse and eventually leaving Ellyanne on the training grounds, leaving Ellyanne lying in the dusty grounds.

Battered and bruised, Ellyanne remained on the ground for what seemed to her like an eternity. She was angry and frustrated, she felt humiliated, and she could not help the tears streaking down from her blue eyes down her cheeks. Her unique pink hair had come undone from its braid and now folds over Ellyanne's face messily, covering her tearful eyes. As the tears ran out, she willed herself back up to stand, overcoming the pain from all over her body. She used her sword as a crutch, and slowly limped all the way back to her little shack that she calls a home. She set down her equipment on the side beside the door, and dragged herself onto her bed. For the rest of the night, the only sound that could be heard from this little shack was the sound of Ellyanne's muffled crying.