Legend of Ransera

5th of Searing, Year 120, A.o.S

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⌘ Rhea had been up early that day, taking time to prepare her body for the training she had planned to do. Stretching may not have been the most exciting part of her training routine, but she came to find that doing so is just as important for a well-rounded warrior. She found that incorporating some stretches before her training would help her improve her flexibility, reduce the tightness of her muscles and body from previous sessions, and ultimately, make it more efficient.

Stepping outside she figured it would be more invigorating to stretch out in the sun, the heat of the season really baring down on her. Out in her bare skin, the warrior stood with her feet spread apart, turning her left foot inward and right foot out away from herself. With a gentle grunt of sorts, she reached her arms out as far as she could.

Leaning to her right, she bent her right knee so that her left leg was now a straight line. Touching her right elbow to the right thigh, she lifted her left arm as far as it could go above her head before it felt as if it would come out the socket if she continued. Returning to her starting position she repeated the process for the other side.

Once done loosening herself up, she got dressed and went to a popular training ground within the family estate. The walk there was normal, the eyes of curiosity, the murmurs, and whispers, but none brave enough to challenge her. And who would, in all honesty, Rhea was the quiet one of Iulide, so there was no need to bother her, at least that's what she always believed. Once at the training grounds, she surveyed the area, trying to determine whether she would train alone, or with a partner.

Among those present, she found one such person that stood out. It was her brother, Hellig. He was giving a grand show with his trusted sword and she admired him for his talent, him being the reason she chose a sword to pair with her shield instead of a mace. She ran up to him, to which he smiled and hugged his sister.

"If you are here that means you have come to train with your big brother huh, Rhea? Its been far too long since we sparred together." he suggested, a fat smile plastering onto his face at the thought.

Walking from her to a spot where they could fight unhindered he turned and pointed his own blade at her. "Come, let's see how much work is ahead of me." he requested, brandishing the blade at her, beckoning her presence in the wring with him. It didn't take too long for her to have her own weapon in her hand as she came charging at him.

She knew to face him was outrageous but it was worth the experience she knew she would gain from fighting him. Her blade clashing against his rang throughout the training hall. Fighting Hellig was both enjoyable and pain at the same time. She had to maintain her composure and focus just to keep up with him.

She was giving it her all but in less than ten moves he had already disarmed her. With a loud clang, her sword slid across the training hall floor. "That's no good Rhea, you know better." he chastised, going to pick up her sword, handing it back to her. "What was the first thing I taught you when we first started training?"

His eyes glared right into her as his arms folded under his chest, his sword clasped tightly in his grasp. "Fight as if your enemy looks better dead than you do." she whispered. "Exactly, you were holding back, you know better than to do that remember." she adverted her eyes rolling them at his scolding, "I know, I know" she took her sword from him, taking a few steps back to get ready to go again.

"You have to fight as if it's your final battle. You never hesitate no matter who your opponent is. Friends can become foes at a moment's notice." he added, flourishing his blade. "Now let's go again Rhea." he suggested, entering his fighting stance. By this time the entire of the Training hall was watching them. It was always something seeing Hellig fight, but especially when training his little sister. All of the eyes on her were beginning to make her nervous, almost regretting coming here in the first place. ⌘

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"Common Tongue"
"Kokalath Tongue"
"Analine Dialogue"
"Hellig Dialogue"

5th of Searing, Year 120, A.o.S

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⌘ Wasting no time Rhea went at her brother again, but this time something in her changed, the shy and quiet Rhea no longer present. It happened whenever she fought on the battlefield, this change in persona, and it was one of the main reasons she was left alone in the clan. Whenever she fought an enemy it was if something took over her body and mind, becoming fierce.

Knowing she couldnt let her brother down, she took a moment after the initial exchange of blows to calm herself, remembering her first lesson with her father & brother. Rhea took what she learned at that moment of her life, and applied it to this fight. First came some easy moves against her brother, first swinging her blade from right to left, which would allow her to be able to hit enemies from behind her and to the left of herself, a move she practiced often and one Hellig was able to parry effortlessly.

Applying some much-needed force into her strikes, she began swinging her sword in more pressured attacks. Hellig was fired up seeing his sister in this state, her demeanor changed and focused, her sword clashing against his own with a solid downward slam of the blade. In that same motion, she would uppercut the blade vertically in hopes of disarming him, before slamming the blade back down again in order to bisect her brother, though he lept back in order to gain some distance from her.

Rhea was impressed, to say the least as she was going up against Hellig, awestruck in his skill. She was doing her best just to keep up with the man, but with each strike of her own, her brother was outmatching her with his. There weren't many that Rhea could say truly intimidated him, but Hellig, someone she looked up to and respected highly, was different. The two were engaged in more than just a simple sparring match, declaring their intentions through words unspoken.

The Atinorin warrior was impressive, and his younger sister was unsure if she could keep up with such seasoned skill, but she knew wouldn't falter, she had come far from where she began to start giving up now. Their next few exchanges were fierce, neither one wanting to give the other a chance to breathe. It was clear to anyone who knew Hellig's skill, more so that he was going easy on her, but not enough to not push her limits.

Rhea, wanting to prove her strength to herself and her brother pressed him further, a flurry of swings, each one easily parried by Hellig. "That's it, little sis, come at me like you are going to kill me!" he taunted, seeing her resolve burning like a wild flame. Her wild assault was impressive if not futile but there was more skill with her strikes than when she first began her training, and Hellig could see that.

"Envision the one person you hate and unleash all that rage in this battle!" he roared, taunting her one more time to really bring her past her limit. It worked, as she could see him, his sneering face which only made her angry. The image of this monster replacing Hellig, Rhea put everything into this, unloading a torrent of attacks, unrefined, though still impressive for someone still learning such as herself, upon her brother. She was seeing red and wasn't going to hesitate in killing the man she was envisioning, not after everything that has lead to this moment.

Being fueled by determination and resolve along with anger and spite, Rhea slashed at his neck, then his torso, then at a leg and arm. If she could take a limb she would, no matter how much her body began to scream in pain from the amount of effort she had expended, the memory of her movements being etched into her very being. She slid to his left and swiped at his calf, then to his right to slash at his back. She was like a cornered beast with a sword, taking every chance she could to kill that man.

Even in the middle of her assaults she couldnt help but admire the effortless and fluidity in Hellig's deflections of her attacks. With each strike came a flawless, breathless parry, something only a skilled swordsman could accomplish. Rhea could feel her arms ache from the exertion, however, and she knew she'd have to finish her attack and hopefully land a scratch on her brother. Unfortunately, she couldn't, Hellig disarming her with beautiful precision. As her sword hand was relieved of her blade, she found herself collapsing to the floor.

Cradled in her brother's arms, he brushed aside the hair that shielded her face, revealing tears in her eyes. "Dont beat yourself up Rhea, you were excellent, everyone thinks so, see" he whispered, pointing to the many clansmen that were applauding the grand show between the siblings. "I am curious who you were seeing though, If I wasn't careful, you would have severely wounded me had we continued." he nudged, obviously lying to boost her ego as she still had a long way to go.

"That's a conversation for a later time Hellig" ⌘

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"Common Tongue"
"Kokalath Tongue"
"Analine Dialogue"
"Hellig Dialogue"