Now that Death Touch is done with, it's back to business as usual in the World of Comalan. So, here's the first part of a sports-themed series written for the season of Summer! FFFL is the story of two men with very different backgrounds, one a naive rookie and the other a standoffish veteran, who battle for the championship in Resta's premier league for regulated mock combat.
Simona
I never imagined Audrey could have known someone famous. How many renowned people can you meet growing up in Fares, a town so small it can't be found on a map? As it turns out, the most respected name in professional freeform fencing is also from there. Who knew?
I love freeform fencing. Since I was 10, I've played with wooden swords, dreaming of one day walking into a FFFL arena. The skill and ferocity of the league's competitors has always been a thrilling sight to see. Tales are always abound of freeform fencers who can hold their own against some of Resta's true warriors. To be one of those guys was the only thing more important to me than my girlfriend. Audrey never watched the games with me, though. She never liked sports. But one day, that changed.
It started on the first morning of the turn of the Gytal star. The opening of the FFFL season was officially a month away. I had been dreaming of Elliott Hawke, the current league champion. In my dream, we were dueling, and were evenly matched. I was deaf to all as our padded weapons struck each other repeatedly. Finally, I heard a disembodied voice shout, "Killing blow!"
Entranced, I gazed at my opponent. His chest had met the very tip of my sword. For a moment, the cold stare for which everybody had come to know him was replaced by a cold smile. He whispered something to me that I couldn't hear over the deafening cheers of the spectators. The arena then echoed with the gasps of the crowd as Elliott Hawke, the silent slayer, fell before me.
The first thing I noticed when I woke up was that Audrey wasn't with me. I rolled out of bed with a sigh, but I didn't feel as tired as I usually do when I wake up. The euphoria from my dream was still fresh in my mind, I realized. What a crazy dream it was! To think that I could beat Hawke! Yeah right, I thought. The hair on his head would be gray before I reached his level!
I began to rummage through my dresser for something to wear when I remembered that Audrey's brother Scott would be coming over today. I think he hates me. He rarely talks to me and when he and Audrey are together, its like I'm not even in the room.
I decided I wasn't in the mood for that. Not today. Knowing that Audrey would stop me from leaving, I scrawled a quick note about going for a run while she catches up with her brother. Not very subtle. I knew I would pay for that later. I hurriedly donned a red cotton shirt and a pair of gildweave shorts, then snuck out of my house.
I was running before Audrey and Scott could say a word about me opening the door. I never have any destination in mind when I go out for these runs. I just like to run. As I sprint through the streets of Resta City, I tend to come across many fun distractions. Weaving through crowds, rolling under obstacles, and bounding over fences were all a part of my daily routine.
Today, many more people than usual strolled the city's stone streets and toured its marble buildings. One glance at any of the lemon-colored posters prominently displayed in each of the windows along my run through Helm Street would offer a simple explanation. I stopped at the corner where the street intersected with Blade Road to examine one of them.
FFFL
Open Tryouts
On Gytal the 1st, the Free Form Fencing League will hold its first open tryouts for the coming season. Interested sword arms should present themselves at the Flamespire Gymnasium in Resta City for consideration. The tryouts will be held all day.
The Flamespire Gymnasium
621 Blade Road
Ragos District
I scoffed as I continued my jog around the corner. Had I not decided to skip the tryout this year, this would have been my fifth time. I wasn't ready to give up, but I hadn't been able to practice much since last year. The judge I partnered with that day wasn't content to send me home in failure. He sent me to the infirmary.
That was when I met Audrey, I reflected just then. After my embarrassing attempt at besting that asshole judge, I was laid up in the hospital for a week. The first night I was there, she was the nurse who cared for me. Right away, I found myself flirting with her. Our conversation went perfectly until she asked how I ended up there. When I told her about the tryout, she just scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Oh. You're one of those guys," she grumbled.
I raised my eyebrows as I asked, "What guys?"
"Toy swordsmen," she responded with a smirk. "I have never understood why anyone would want to fight with sticks in front of the whole kingdom."
That was easy enough for me to explain. "Freeform fencing is a noble sport! The league was founded originally as a way to gather the realm's finest swordsmen to compete for knighthood."
"But we don't have knights anymore, so what's the point?"
Technically, this was only half true. In the modern age, spellwarriors and templars alike were given the very same honorifics as the knights of old. Instead of pointing this out, I replied, "You never know when the land will need good swordsmen."
She only laughed and rolled her eyes. Why not? If I wanted to be a true swordsman, I should have gone to Hem Academy or the Blackstone Monastery. Instead, I was training to fight for sport with padded rods. She quite agreed when I mumbled to her that perhaps I had been wasting my time.
Yet, here I was, jogging along a road I knew would lead me to the tryouts. I knew it was too late to get in; I would have needed to started camping out near the gym the night before. But who knew? Perhaps I could run into my friend Dalenth, waiting in line as the two of us had every year.
In my hope to see my elven friend, I was not disappointed. He stood close to the end of the line, his spiky black hair gleaming in the morning light of the Kilg. His round green eyes widened with delight when he caught sight of me and I stopped beside him, ignoring the dirty looks if the others in line."
"Simon! I knew you wouldn't miss the tryout!"
I sighed and shook my head. "I'm not here for that. I'm just out for my run."
Dalenth's pale face sagged into a disappointed frown as he mumbled. "Oh. Well I wouldn't blame you, but I was hoping you would bounce back from last year."
The line moved just then, bringing something unusual to my notice.
"The line seems shorter this year."
The elf chuckled and shrugged. "Well, you know a lot of the usual crowd joined the army King Baldus put together for the Mennon campaign. I guess freeform fencing isn't as interesting when there us an actual war going on."
Three weeks ago, all of the world leaders united in declaration of war against the fish people of Mennon, a world of endless water far from Comalan. I would have liked to enlist, but when the ships left, I was still recovering from my wounds.
"I should be out there with them! I can't fence for the crowd, and I can't fight for real. David Crabtree has ruined my fucking year!" I roared.
"He's back this year. Today could be your chance to pay him back," my friend replied with a smirk.
That line did look short.
Meet Elliott in Part 2!
Simona
I never imagined Audrey could have known someone famous. How many renowned people can you meet growing up in Fares, a town so small it can't be found on a map? As it turns out, the most respected name in professional freeform fencing is also from there. Who knew?
I love freeform fencing. Since I was 10, I've played with wooden swords, dreaming of one day walking into a FFFL arena. The skill and ferocity of the league's competitors has always been a thrilling sight to see. Tales are always abound of freeform fencers who can hold their own against some of Resta's true warriors. To be one of those guys was the only thing more important to me than my girlfriend. Audrey never watched the games with me, though. She never liked sports. But one day, that changed.
It started on the first morning of the turn of the Gytal star. The opening of the FFFL season was officially a month away. I had been dreaming of Elliott Hawke, the current league champion. In my dream, we were dueling, and were evenly matched. I was deaf to all as our padded weapons struck each other repeatedly. Finally, I heard a disembodied voice shout, "Killing blow!"
Entranced, I gazed at my opponent. His chest had met the very tip of my sword. For a moment, the cold stare for which everybody had come to know him was replaced by a cold smile. He whispered something to me that I couldn't hear over the deafening cheers of the spectators. The arena then echoed with the gasps of the crowd as Elliott Hawke, the silent slayer, fell before me.
The first thing I noticed when I woke up was that Audrey wasn't with me. I rolled out of bed with a sigh, but I didn't feel as tired as I usually do when I wake up. The euphoria from my dream was still fresh in my mind, I realized. What a crazy dream it was! To think that I could beat Hawke! Yeah right, I thought. The hair on his head would be gray before I reached his level!
I began to rummage through my dresser for something to wear when I remembered that Audrey's brother Scott would be coming over today. I think he hates me. He rarely talks to me and when he and Audrey are together, its like I'm not even in the room.
I decided I wasn't in the mood for that. Not today. Knowing that Audrey would stop me from leaving, I scrawled a quick note about going for a run while she catches up with her brother. Not very subtle. I knew I would pay for that later. I hurriedly donned a red cotton shirt and a pair of gildweave shorts, then snuck out of my house.
I was running before Audrey and Scott could say a word about me opening the door. I never have any destination in mind when I go out for these runs. I just like to run. As I sprint through the streets of Resta City, I tend to come across many fun distractions. Weaving through crowds, rolling under obstacles, and bounding over fences were all a part of my daily routine.
Today, many more people than usual strolled the city's stone streets and toured its marble buildings. One glance at any of the lemon-colored posters prominently displayed in each of the windows along my run through Helm Street would offer a simple explanation. I stopped at the corner where the street intersected with Blade Road to examine one of them.
FFFL
Open Tryouts
On Gytal the 1st, the Free Form Fencing League will hold its first open tryouts for the coming season. Interested sword arms should present themselves at the Flamespire Gymnasium in Resta City for consideration. The tryouts will be held all day.
The Flamespire Gymnasium
621 Blade Road
Ragos District
I scoffed as I continued my jog around the corner. Had I not decided to skip the tryout this year, this would have been my fifth time. I wasn't ready to give up, but I hadn't been able to practice much since last year. The judge I partnered with that day wasn't content to send me home in failure. He sent me to the infirmary.
That was when I met Audrey, I reflected just then. After my embarrassing attempt at besting that asshole judge, I was laid up in the hospital for a week. The first night I was there, she was the nurse who cared for me. Right away, I found myself flirting with her. Our conversation went perfectly until she asked how I ended up there. When I told her about the tryout, she just scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Oh. You're one of those guys," she grumbled.
I raised my eyebrows as I asked, "What guys?"
"Toy swordsmen," she responded with a smirk. "I have never understood why anyone would want to fight with sticks in front of the whole kingdom."
That was easy enough for me to explain. "Freeform fencing is a noble sport! The league was founded originally as a way to gather the realm's finest swordsmen to compete for knighthood."
"But we don't have knights anymore, so what's the point?"
Technically, this was only half true. In the modern age, spellwarriors and templars alike were given the very same honorifics as the knights of old. Instead of pointing this out, I replied, "You never know when the land will need good swordsmen."
She only laughed and rolled her eyes. Why not? If I wanted to be a true swordsman, I should have gone to Hem Academy or the Blackstone Monastery. Instead, I was training to fight for sport with padded rods. She quite agreed when I mumbled to her that perhaps I had been wasting my time.
Yet, here I was, jogging along a road I knew would lead me to the tryouts. I knew it was too late to get in; I would have needed to started camping out near the gym the night before. But who knew? Perhaps I could run into my friend Dalenth, waiting in line as the two of us had every year.
In my hope to see my elven friend, I was not disappointed. He stood close to the end of the line, his spiky black hair gleaming in the morning light of the Kilg. His round green eyes widened with delight when he caught sight of me and I stopped beside him, ignoring the dirty looks if the others in line."
"Simon! I knew you wouldn't miss the tryout!"
I sighed and shook my head. "I'm not here for that. I'm just out for my run."
Dalenth's pale face sagged into a disappointed frown as he mumbled. "Oh. Well I wouldn't blame you, but I was hoping you would bounce back from last year."
The line moved just then, bringing something unusual to my notice.
"The line seems shorter this year."
The elf chuckled and shrugged. "Well, you know a lot of the usual crowd joined the army King Baldus put together for the Mennon campaign. I guess freeform fencing isn't as interesting when there us an actual war going on."
Three weeks ago, all of the world leaders united in declaration of war against the fish people of Mennon, a world of endless water far from Comalan. I would have liked to enlist, but when the ships left, I was still recovering from my wounds.
"I should be out there with them! I can't fence for the crowd, and I can't fight for real. David Crabtree has ruined my fucking year!" I roared.
"He's back this year. Today could be your chance to pay him back," my friend replied with a smirk.
That line did look short.
Meet Elliott in Part 2!
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