*The background story of Elleine Retherlence, my High Elf Slayer.*
*It's a little (okay a lot) longer than I intended it to be. So feed the cats, defrost that dinner, sit back, strap in and read on at your leisure. : )*
Elleine bent over the yellowing pages of her priestly texts, the chants and hymns continuing line after line, no end in sight. The young high elf woman slowly rubbed her blue-green eyes with a delicate, fair-skinned palm. The room she stayed within was not much, yet like the other buildings of the elven city of Allemantheia, it was finely crafted down to the last detail. Her father's years in the army and subsequent Valkyon Federation as a mid-ranking officer saw that the modest dwelling that she called home was more than accommodating. Her father had since retired, but her elder brother had gone to follow in his footsteps over one year ago as most of the males had done in her family before that.
The silence in the house would have been overwhelming to some, but Elleine did not mind, already accustomed to the meditative atmosphere over the months since her brother's departure. Elleine gave a small sigh and stared out the window to her right, which provided a wonderful view of the elegant city streets and towering heights beyond. Elleine's mother had been wracked with pain since contracting an incurable disease and passed on when Elleine was only a child. Her father hadn't let the events depress him, but his growing solitude had led him to take up reading quietly in his study most of his days. Thus the quiet had become the norm.
It was raining today, heavily, and the streets were unusually empty as a result, so the activity of daily routines taking place down below could not entertain her as they typically did, offering an often sought-after distraction from her studies. Why she chose to become a priestess she couldn't exactly say, but she'd put up little resistance when the idea was presented to her, a decision she'd begun to regret soon after. But what else should she do? She stood up from the desk, the chair lightly scratching against the floor as she moved, and she stepped to the window for a better look. The clouds were dark and covered the sky like a thick blanket. The rain pounded the ground outside, making for a wonderfully soothing ambiance for her ears to listen to. She fiddled with the light-blue earpiece on her left, just a normal piece of jewelry she'd grown fond of over time.
The hustle of shadows down below caught her attention, and she squinted to see what it was, brushing long strawberry-blonde hair away from her eyes. They were obscured by brown cloaks, but even so, she saw they were clad in the unmistakeable armor of the Valkyon Federation. There were three of them of various sizes, and the largest one was carefully cradling a large and long bundled object. She was caught off guard when they stopped in front of her family's door. With an iron fist, one of them gave it a stiff series of quick knocks. When Elleine reached the door a floor below, her father was already letting the strangers inside. They removed their hoods, and water from their soaked clothing dripped from their bodies, but they didn't seem to notice.
There was surprising diversity among the group, especially for the homogenous city of Allemantheia. A tall, strong-looking human male with short hair and a scar across his left eye seemed to lead the group. There was also a hulking, wide Baraka as well, and this was the first time Elleine had seen one of these giants so close. A lance and shield was strapped to his back. Lastly, there was a shorter, thin woman, and it was clear by her striking eyes and black horns that she hailed from Castanica. She wore white robes beneath the dull linen cloak. For a moment the groups simply stared at one another, and it was at this moment that Elleine felt an icy chill run through her body from head to toe.
Finally, the Baraka soldier stepped forward with the wrapped item in hand, and as he unwrapped it the human male announced, “We of the Valkyon Federation's 23rd Infantry Division wish to express our deepest sorrows to the Retherlence family of Allemantheia...â€
The shock hit her like a stone wall. An announcement of a deceased soldier... there was no doubting it. The now visible item only confirmed the worst. Her brother's greatsword, the one he had taken with him when he left to join the Federation, was returned to its source. Elleine's father did not at first speak, but he took the sword with a solemn face, understanding what it meant. The group turned to leave, but before they could, her father asked, “How?â€
“A scouting expedition to a newly discovered island between Arun and Shara,†the human replied somewhat coldly. “His small unit was waylaid by unknown forces. I cannot say more.†Elleine's father nodded.
“He fought until his last breath,†the castanic woman assured the two elves. “Only after taking many foes did he fall. That much is evident by the scene we discovered.†And just like that, as quickly as they had come, they were gone.
Elleine's father shut the door to the rainy outside. He turned to his daughter and gave her a hug. Elleine merely stood in place, her shocked demeanor masked by a veil of nonchalance. Then he moved to a wall of the room, placing the fallen son's blade back on its original, ceremonial shelf. The line of males in the Retherlence family had so far ended with him. There would not be another to wield it.
Before leaving back to his study, he put a large hand on his daughter's right shoulder and said, “All that happens is done for a reason. Those that come from the earth one day return to it. However, if you need a shoulder...â€
He held back his own tears with a wavering voice. Then he left, returning to his study to be with his own thoughts. Elleine just stood in the now empty room, still bewildered by what had come to pass.
Later that night, when she was sure that her father was soundly asleep, Elleine crept downstairs, returning once more to the room where she'd heard the terrible news only hours ago. She didn't at first know why she had come down here into this dark, hollow shell other than because she could not find sleep. Her gaze fell upon the lonely outline of the giant weapon that was propped carefully on the wall, now a testament to her brother's devotion to honor and the blade. The rain was falling even harder now, audible even through the thick house walls.
Suddenly, a feeling swelled up inside her. It came quickly and unexpectedly, and in her anger she reached up and pulled the heirloom weapon off the wall and into her own hands. But her arms sank under its massive weight, and it crashed to the hard floor below. Emotionally exhausted, Elleine sank to her knees and let the her palms touch the cold exterior of the blade.
With wide eyes hidden behind long strands of strawberry-blonde hair, her resolve hardened. She now knew what she needed to do. But even with the thoughts of her lost brother flooding back into her mind, no tears were shed. There was no need. Her soul was already weeping.
*It's a little (okay a lot) longer than I intended it to be. So feed the cats, defrost that dinner, sit back, strap in and read on at your leisure. : )*
Elleine bent over the yellowing pages of her priestly texts, the chants and hymns continuing line after line, no end in sight. The young high elf woman slowly rubbed her blue-green eyes with a delicate, fair-skinned palm. The room she stayed within was not much, yet like the other buildings of the elven city of Allemantheia, it was finely crafted down to the last detail. Her father's years in the army and subsequent Valkyon Federation as a mid-ranking officer saw that the modest dwelling that she called home was more than accommodating. Her father had since retired, but her elder brother had gone to follow in his footsteps over one year ago as most of the males had done in her family before that.
The silence in the house would have been overwhelming to some, but Elleine did not mind, already accustomed to the meditative atmosphere over the months since her brother's departure. Elleine gave a small sigh and stared out the window to her right, which provided a wonderful view of the elegant city streets and towering heights beyond. Elleine's mother had been wracked with pain since contracting an incurable disease and passed on when Elleine was only a child. Her father hadn't let the events depress him, but his growing solitude had led him to take up reading quietly in his study most of his days. Thus the quiet had become the norm.
It was raining today, heavily, and the streets were unusually empty as a result, so the activity of daily routines taking place down below could not entertain her as they typically did, offering an often sought-after distraction from her studies. Why she chose to become a priestess she couldn't exactly say, but she'd put up little resistance when the idea was presented to her, a decision she'd begun to regret soon after. But what else should she do? She stood up from the desk, the chair lightly scratching against the floor as she moved, and she stepped to the window for a better look. The clouds were dark and covered the sky like a thick blanket. The rain pounded the ground outside, making for a wonderfully soothing ambiance for her ears to listen to. She fiddled with the light-blue earpiece on her left, just a normal piece of jewelry she'd grown fond of over time.
The hustle of shadows down below caught her attention, and she squinted to see what it was, brushing long strawberry-blonde hair away from her eyes. They were obscured by brown cloaks, but even so, she saw they were clad in the unmistakeable armor of the Valkyon Federation. There were three of them of various sizes, and the largest one was carefully cradling a large and long bundled object. She was caught off guard when they stopped in front of her family's door. With an iron fist, one of them gave it a stiff series of quick knocks. When Elleine reached the door a floor below, her father was already letting the strangers inside. They removed their hoods, and water from their soaked clothing dripped from their bodies, but they didn't seem to notice.
There was surprising diversity among the group, especially for the homogenous city of Allemantheia. A tall, strong-looking human male with short hair and a scar across his left eye seemed to lead the group. There was also a hulking, wide Baraka as well, and this was the first time Elleine had seen one of these giants so close. A lance and shield was strapped to his back. Lastly, there was a shorter, thin woman, and it was clear by her striking eyes and black horns that she hailed from Castanica. She wore white robes beneath the dull linen cloak. For a moment the groups simply stared at one another, and it was at this moment that Elleine felt an icy chill run through her body from head to toe.
Finally, the Baraka soldier stepped forward with the wrapped item in hand, and as he unwrapped it the human male announced, “We of the Valkyon Federation's 23rd Infantry Division wish to express our deepest sorrows to the Retherlence family of Allemantheia...â€
The shock hit her like a stone wall. An announcement of a deceased soldier... there was no doubting it. The now visible item only confirmed the worst. Her brother's greatsword, the one he had taken with him when he left to join the Federation, was returned to its source. Elleine's father did not at first speak, but he took the sword with a solemn face, understanding what it meant. The group turned to leave, but before they could, her father asked, “How?â€
“A scouting expedition to a newly discovered island between Arun and Shara,†the human replied somewhat coldly. “His small unit was waylaid by unknown forces. I cannot say more.†Elleine's father nodded.
“He fought until his last breath,†the castanic woman assured the two elves. “Only after taking many foes did he fall. That much is evident by the scene we discovered.†And just like that, as quickly as they had come, they were gone.
Elleine's father shut the door to the rainy outside. He turned to his daughter and gave her a hug. Elleine merely stood in place, her shocked demeanor masked by a veil of nonchalance. Then he moved to a wall of the room, placing the fallen son's blade back on its original, ceremonial shelf. The line of males in the Retherlence family had so far ended with him. There would not be another to wield it.
Before leaving back to his study, he put a large hand on his daughter's right shoulder and said, “All that happens is done for a reason. Those that come from the earth one day return to it. However, if you need a shoulder...â€
He held back his own tears with a wavering voice. Then he left, returning to his study to be with his own thoughts. Elleine just stood in the now empty room, still bewildered by what had come to pass.
Later that night, when she was sure that her father was soundly asleep, Elleine crept downstairs, returning once more to the room where she'd heard the terrible news only hours ago. She didn't at first know why she had come down here into this dark, hollow shell other than because she could not find sleep. Her gaze fell upon the lonely outline of the giant weapon that was propped carefully on the wall, now a testament to her brother's devotion to honor and the blade. The rain was falling even harder now, audible even through the thick house walls.
Suddenly, a feeling swelled up inside her. It came quickly and unexpectedly, and in her anger she reached up and pulled the heirloom weapon off the wall and into her own hands. But her arms sank under its massive weight, and it crashed to the hard floor below. Emotionally exhausted, Elleine sank to her knees and let the her palms touch the cold exterior of the blade.
With wide eyes hidden behind long strands of strawberry-blonde hair, her resolve hardened. She now knew what she needed to do. But even with the thoughts of her lost brother flooding back into her mind, no tears were shed. There was no need. Her soul was already weeping.
Edited by: neotokyoduo
about 1 year ago
- Reason: Added an image!
