[Falconwing Square]
Farstrider Academy Passage Ceremony
Ryna Farblade had been waiting for this day for what seemed to be her whole life. The youngest daughter of the Farblade family who were well respected soldiers and who served with distinction in Silvermoon’s various militias. They had been paladins, war mages, archers and even a necromancer, Ryna was the first who undertook training as a Scout. Her reasons for choosing this vocation had never been clear, scouts were only respected by the Farstriders and to some were nothing more than somewhat trustworthy Rogues sharing many of their skill set and a penchant for stabbing.
Still while the family may not have entirely approved they did not stop her in quest to serve in her own unique way. Indeed with the depth of fighting ability within the family they taught her how to deal with opponents of different fighting styles and even taught her some skills no other scout would even think to learn.
Her mother Dahla had always said “Child the classes and styles we cling so fiercely to only highlight our weaknesses to our enemy. Understand that and perhaps one day you will be back here training the generation after yours.”
She had trained relentlessly for this and now she was finally about to graduate to become a Scout she would have to serve an evaluation but it was the start of striking out on her own, to proving herself indeed proving to herself that she was worthy of the title of “Far Blade” of the Blood.
“Today is the first day of your Glorious service to the Horde. Many questioned the inclusion of the Blood Elves to the Horde but I who have served alongside your Champions have no doubt of your worth to us. I have high expectations of you recruits. Lok’tar O’gar!”
Garnash was a trusted officer of the Horde and had been serving in the Eastern Kingdoms and was the main link between the Blood Elf forces and the rest of the Horde helping to coordinate the battle against the Scourge. He was here as a VIP of sorts for the graduating recruits.
The Inclusion of Blood Elves into the New Horde was still a recent event which had been somewhat placed in jeopardy by the realisation that Prince Kael’Thas Sunstrider was serving his own master. The people of Quel’Thalas have experienced a lot of change recently and it was hoped that events like this one would help them to accept their new place in the world.
Ryna twitched a little as she stood in formation with the others, rangers, swordsmen and swordswomen, knights and even a few priests, mages and warlocks. She didn’t know why the tremor that started somewhere in her ribcage and fled upwards to her head and eventually to her whole body which garnered her some side glances from those stood closest to her. It happened from time to time probably a build up of nervous tension but somehow this felt different and she darted her eyes over every shadow and dark corner wondering if something was amiss.
Her answer came half an hour later into the ceremony when she was at the point of hanging off the non-existent ceiling. It was a blur to her eyes and concentrating on where it was moving was giving her a serious headache but as it moved towards the stage a feeling of dread spread over her and she knew something was incredibly wrong. A second later out of what seemed to be so much smoke dark robes began to coalesce and move with speed towards the dignitaries.
Ryna’s reaction to that little magic trick would later scare her a little though she wouldn’t admit it to herself let alone anyone else. As the shrouded attacker moved closer to the dignitaries the sounds of the crowd, of the now shouting and onrushing guards were blotted out in Ryna’s ears by the sound of her own blood rushing and her site taking on a brief greenish hue. Her whole body resonated now and she felt all her muscles strengthen and twitch as she suddenly realised she had activated Sprint and was on a rapid course that would take her between the attacker and his prey.
Ryna was always particularly proud of her ability to sprint, it was an often underestimated skill but she took it to extremes in her ongoing quest to live up to her name. Sprint which was a skill learned by scouts, rogues and rangers allow them to briefly travel at unimaginable speeds 2 or 3 times the rate of a top blood elf athlete trained for short duration sprinting. Ryna had mastered it to the point where she could blur out of sight before reappearing at her destination.
As Ryna vaulted up until the platform reappearing in front of the stunned dignitaries she roared and drew her twin Cobra Strike Daggers and adopted a one high and one low attacking stance before striking fast at the mystery assailant. He motioned with one hand and Ryna felt a solid wall stop her advance and flick her aside like she was nothing.
Ryna wasn’t an idiot she knew she was just a neophyte and it was unlikely any of her attacks would land but she also knew the assailant was depending on the element of surprise to mount this attack and she had cost him valuable seconds and she was about to cost him a few more. She usually hated this part tapping into her essence as a blood elf; it was very different from drawing on energy to use her sprint for instance. She was tapping into the arcane the veritable centre of all blood elves whether they were willing to admit it or not.
She could feel it now the thirst pouring through her being as she concentrated arcane forces into her daggers and shifting her body into position even as she flew through the air after being discarded by the assailant. She threw her daggers now and any of the other assembled graduates, guards and onlookers would have seen them glowing the same eerie green as the energy leeching out of her eyes.
Ryna had used her own preciously guarded technique Negative Magic where she imbued her daggers or any other weapon she had her hands on with pure unstable arcane energy which reacted with any magic fields that it came in contact with.
The assailant had raised his hand and instantly a ball of flame began to grow above it as he loomed over a scared looking Lady Alana an important noblewoman and land owner. He obviously didn’t regard her as a threat and perhaps realised his mistake as the daggers plunged into his thigh and just above his hip causing his body to convulse and the orb of flame to immediately dissipate.
He had lost the advantage now and although his face was covered Ryna could tell he was angry, which was then confirmed a moment later when arcing blue light slammed into her side and she began to smell burning flesh. She hit the ground hard and began to immediately feel sick and dizzy; the last thing she saw was Garnash complete with glowing red eyes streaking towards the mystery assailant as he pulled her daggers from his body, then she lost consciousness.
[2 Weeks Later]
Undercity, Lordaeron
“Ryna is it? I am Ambassador Sunsorrow, I see your wounds are mending. Had her Highness not been on a mission I am sure she herself would have presented to you this special honour. We believe that your selflessness and battle awareness like yours is beyond your years as a neophyte as such we have a task that you might be interested in.
I understand that you may well be wishing to join your comrades in the home defence of Quel’Thalas but we believe that you would excel in this placement so please take some time to make your decision.”
The Ambassador fixed her with an intense but relatively friendly stare taking his time and stalling on her wound like he was a surgeon inspecting his work or an artist admiring a masterpiece.
“The wound he can sense it I guess.” Ryna was thinking, “Makes sense he is a powerful wizard from what I know.” She then realised that it would be rude if she did not give an answer.
“Thank you Ambassador I am honoured but really I do not deserve an honour I barely even touched the assassin he threw me away like trash and nearly killed me with a wave of his hands.” She said this and wincing indicated her side which under her armour was wrapped and treated with various mystical and herbal medicines. Magical wounds where the worst even for Blood Elves who were somewhat resistant to magic, whoever the attacker was he was powerful.
She fixed him with a look that she hoped suggested confidence and continued. “I accept sir whatever the mission is I would like to try I owe it myself and I owe it to our people.”
“Excellent Ryna you will be serving in Northrend under the direct command of Colonel Faerdawn. You will serve in his squad who are deployed as needed by our forces, he has also been instructed to train you in the ancient ways of the Dark Rangers.” He smiled at the look of wonder in her eyes. “We prize our heritage Ryna and despite the rumours I can assure you that Dark Rangers still exist and should you excel in training then you shall attain that rank and all its privileges. Please report to the Zeppelin next week I think you could use a little more time to heal so check in with Priestess Aladanna today or tomorrow she has particular expertise with that kind of wound.
The Ambassador stretched out his hand, “Welcome to the Service of our Nation Ryna Farblade. Do not disappoint us.”
Ryna Shook the Ambassador’s hand and began her adventure.
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