AlphaWyvernGold

Born on the border of Sutica and the Talus Grove as a human to a mother with great skill as a weaver, and a father who owned a small market stall, from which to sell his wife’s produce. Even at a young age, her pure heart and inquisitive mind was evident, spending her time helping out around the village or annoying the adults with questions.

As she grew older though, she became aware of the state of the rest of the world. Of the suffering that people go through and, still being young, knowing that she couldn’t do anything. To make things worse, the small town was starting to feel confining, as if there was nothing left to do or experience, yet too young to go anywhere on her own.

Starting ask darker and darker questions, feeling worthless, she began to spiral. However, she refused to let others in the village, including her own parents realise what was happening to her, for fear of ruining their happy lives and optimistic views of the world. Instead, the nearby forest was her sanctuary. A place to let her tears flow, surrounding by only a brief glimpse of what might lie beyond.

Once, after drying her eyes in her favourite riverbed, she noticed a baby bird had fallen from its nest, crying for its mother who had gone hunting. Using a large leaf from a plant nearby and located the nest from which it had fallen, she carefully scooped up the small creature, checking gently for any injuries. Satisfied, she placed the hapless creature back into the safety of its nest. Little did she know, however, that eyes were watching her.

Days turned to weeks, weeks to months, and those same eyes that found her on that seemingly innocuous day followed her, seeing her woes, her longing, sense of captivity, but also her soul, her helping of creatures that others would not have noticed, and even her strength when helping in the village. Eventually, it was time for a test.

Weary from a long day of work, she was walking along the forest path when she got to her riverbed, as moved to sit, she heard a scream for help from down-river. Running to the source she noticed what appeared to be an old women hanging on to a rock, having fallen into the rapids. She grabbed a vine nearby, knowing fully that it was only strong enough to hold one of them. As she ran to the women, she reasoned:

 She couldn’t do anything for this world, there was no one to teach her, and if there were, why choose her over anyone else. Furthermore she didn’t have the skills necessary or the strength to go look at the world on her own, seeing only others she couldn’t help. At least this old woman had some experience and women to share, and likely a far larger family to go back to than she.

So as she dove into the freezing river, the tied the vine to the old woman and pushed the woman towards the shore, finding solace in being able to save at least one life before the left hers.

Cold….Wet…Land?

She opened her eyes, the woman from the river leaning over her, but the woman wasn’t a human, as she had thought… no, an elf!?!

‘Relax child, you did well. Few in Arcas would have risked their life as you did. It was quire brave’ the woman consoled.

‘Not brave’ She tiredly retorted. ‘Just worthwhile. You have more to give to this world than I do’

‘Perhaps, but I may be able to help with that. You have great potential, and a kind heart. This was only a test to see if you would be a worthy apprentice. My name is Elina, and I can teach you, give you the strength to help others, and to gain the experiences you crave. I have seen you fill an entire river with your tears, it is time such a thing was stopped’.

She was stunned. There was no way the Aenguls would bestow such a gift on her… if they were even real.

‘How did you get me out of the river’ She asked, skeptical.

‘Magic, I know a little’ Elina responded.

‘Can… Can I sleep on it?’ She inquired?

‘Always the forward thinker, very well. I will meet you at your house tomorrow’.

As it happened, she took up the offer, saying goodbye to her parents and going with Elina to her monastery in the Talus grove, where she chose to train in the way of dual wielding and archery. In between, in her spare time, she researched many things, building experiences, gaining small amounts of knowledge in many areas, but having found magic and science to be particularly interesting. Other apprentices came and went, sent by nobles who hoped for their children to learn combat, but she stayed later than all of them, determined to perfect her skill, to face any threat. Eventually Elina had to send her away. As a human, there was only so much she could learn before her time was over, and so, with a heavy head, and a questioning of her mortality, she left the monastery, to experience, to protect and to help the others of the world who could not defend themselves.

Years passed, and she had saved many lives, and she was in the process of saving more. Having found a strange portal at the bottom of deep river, she knew she had to close it, lest it release untold horrors onto the peoples of the surrounding area, and so she once again accepted her own mortality. Though she was hardly 50 and had many years more she could give to this world, she jumped into the deepest part of the water, directly above the portal that needed closing. Down she went, the water pressure bursting her eardrums, pain wracking her body, knowing her arrows were useless in water, she drew her duel blades, smashing their handles on the frame of the portal until her last breath escaped her.

Nothingness… except a voice, growing louder until it could be heard.

‘I am the Aengul, Gazardiel. I and the other Aenguls have seen your selflessness in the realm of Arcas, and we see your desire for more, so we are here to reverse your untimely demise… in a way. There is, as always, a sacrifice that needs to be made for such a gift. You will lack your memories, remembering only the most important figures in your life, such as your parents and your mentor. Further more, your knowledge, experience and skills will, for the most part, be removed, only having a basic knowledge of the sword and bow. In return, we will infuse you with the blood of an elf, so that you may learn what you couldn’t before, and bring hope to those who have lost it, as we have seen in your nature. Such is the way of new beginnings. Do you accept?’

And so… Sapientae was born.