THE MATCH
What does it feel like to look into an opponent’s eyes, living eyes,
and thrust 2 feet of Goblin forged obsidian into their body?
What does it feel like to look into those sparkling blue eyes, a friend’s eyes, a friend that you love, and watch the light go dim then fade to gray?
These aren't questions you ask a 17-year-old girl often. I was there and I did it without hesitation. It was what my training had been about for the last 4 years. Even before that, I was being taught to stalk silently, training with a bow to shoot fast and straight, training to kill…animals.
This was different though. The one I killed was not an animal. This time it was a classmate and a friend. The healers were there but could not help. They tried but these things happen from time to time in training.
My name is Alea Lierin. I am a Ruddy of the Burning Lands, and this is my story.
INTRODUCTIONS
We, Ruddy, are stuck between the Efreets, some call them humans and the Cinder Elves. The Efreets and the Cinder Elves are noble and are magic users, so they are highly respected in The Burning Lands. The Ruddy race was born of a union between a male Cinder Elf and a female Efreet which makes the Ruddy an abomination in the eyes of the nobility here.
There are strict laws about the production of offspring between the different races and death, or at the very least exile, would be the penalty if discovered.
Fortunately we Ruddy are phenomenal hunters and as a result, we are badass when it comes to fighting in the arena. I mean, I don’t want to brag, but we are frickin’ awesome at fighting. We still train all the time to “sharpen our edge”, so to speak, but we are naturals in the art of combat. We are allowed to stay in The Burning Lands because of our skills in that one area.
Being the lowest of the low caste, barely above the Kobold slave miners, doesn’t get much respect and is discouraging if I dwell upon it. No matter how well I perform in life, I will always be a secondary citizen. The Ruddy are being penalized for something that our ancestors did long ago.
I have learned to accept it, but wish things were different.
Kobold Miner image above.
Here’s a fun fact if you are not familiar with the Ruddy. Cinder Elves have grayish skin with a hint of red. The Ruddy over the years turned more reddish in color. I think Ruddy are much more attractive than the Cinder Elves.
If we can’t have the respect of the royalty then I am down with having the good looks.
I remember when I first met Tye. It was around the time of the death of Elias Roule, one of our esteemed Efreets. It may seem like I am casual about the subject of death, but you have to understand that between the climate, the volcanoes, the wild beasties, and other dangers, death is an everyday occurrence here in The Burning Lands.
Elias had lived for many years. When he died, as is the custom here, the people erected an altar of Obsidian and carefully laid his body upon it. For a lesser citizen, an altar of rock would have been made, but in the case of Elias Roule, the nicer obsidian was used. For 3 days the people mourned. There were no tears, but people from all around did stop by and pay last respects. At the end of 3 days, his body was set on fire and his ashes were deposited in the nearest volcano.
That memory stuck in my mind. That altar was special and Elias will be missed.
It wasn’t long after that I met, Tye, the blue-eyed boy I grew to love.
I was on a hunt in the Smoldering Forest and was being very quiet and still. Sometimes if I just wait and watch, an animal will appear. A young Ruddy boy, about my age, appeared instead.
He was far enough away that he didn’t notice me but I surely noticed him! The boy was VERY handsome, so I didn’t mind taking a break from my hunt and watching him for a while. Later I would learn his name was Tye.
He was very intent on something and was not paying attention to his surroundings.
The boy did not see it, but I did. An Ogre appeared from behind the lad.
At 9 feet tall and 650 pounds Ogres are not the most graceful or quiet monsters in the forest. Only thing I can figure, is that someone or something, most likely a Dark Eternal, enchanted the Ogre with a sneak spell.
Why anyone would try to stir up that kind of trouble defies understanding, but that is the path some choose to follow.
The Ogre, covered in nasty looking hair, raised up a large club, that may have been a carved bone from some long forgotten animal. Clearly, that vile Ogre intended to clobber and eat my boy.
The Ogre prepared to swing his club, felt a very sharp stab in his left hip and stopped. It took the lout a second to realize what happened. He became aware that my obsidian tipped arrow was lodged in his haunches. He let out a loud grunt which alerted the Tye, the hottie.
That’s when I yelled, “Hey There Big Boy! Mind if I join the party?” My request was directed at the Ogre, but both he and Tye were looking at me in surprise with mouths wide open. I was really enjoying the attention. It felt like I was on a stage and I sauntered toward the two.
The dimwitted, brute of an Ogre, was angry and started to raise the club again. Tye, staring at me, was still in danger.
Admittedly, I was showing off just a little for Tye's benefit.
Still walking closer, I yelled once more “Hey stinky let's call this arrow a going away present….now GO AWAY!”
If you have ever had dealings with ogres, you know that they are slow to process complex things, like….words. The ogre may not have even spoken Ferexian with its alphabet of 12 letters and no vowels.
Mr. Ogre raised his club a third time. That was enough for me and I put an arrow through his left eye. A second arrow followed before he had time to die.
I practically ran to Tye and hugged him tightly. I was trying not to overdo it, but it was so exciting rescuing him. He seemed excited as well, about having a strange Ruddy girl run out of the woods and hug him.
He had the bluest eyes I have ever seen a Ruddy have. Those eyes pierced me when he looked into my golden eyes.
I said “You could have been killed”
Tye smiled in a way that made me turn three shades darker red and he said, “I smolder but you Burn Bright”.
In The Burning Lands, burning bright is a compliment. No boy had ever told me that before.
Tye and I began training together at the Ruddy Institute, which is under the Molten Mountain. There was plenty of time to meet on our own and practice as well. This “private practice” allowed us to learn some new skills, but most of the “Training” we did was an excuse to get close to one another and touch our bodies together. Tye would always say to me with his blue eyes sparkling "You, Alea, Burn brighter than any Ruddy in The Burning Lands".
The Molten Mountain
A big Tournament was coming up in ΛZMΛRE, our neighbor to the North. The Giant arena in Ninhelm was there. It is said that the Summoners there could practice in the most awe-inspiring scale imaginable at Ninhelm.
We would not be competing against the more experienced competitors but instead would be doing some exhibition matches while the "professionals" warmed up. Tye and I worked hard to be prepared.
Arena fighting is not what most think it is. There is not a great deal of weapon clanking. Our instructors teach us "One strike one kill" which means to use as little effort as possible and exploit our opponent's weakness. After years of training, arena fighting is more like a reflex for me. One moves without thought. Arena fighting is poetry in motion because done right it is beautiful to watch.
When I was younger, my instructors would bark commands at me saying "You hesitate in your thrust!! Strike hard and the healers will sort it out after!!"
Now I am graceful like a dancer when I fight and am hard to beat.
Travel
There is a long crack that circles the continent of The Burning Lands. It is filled with lava and cannot be crossed by foot except in one area. In the Ashlands there is a Great Obsidian Bridge that crosses the great fissure. Tye and I hopped on a merchant boat and headed for ΛZMΛRE. How exciting it was to be leaving my country for the first time, unchaperoned with a blue-eyed, handsome boy that I loved. We arrived in the Anenon shipyards, boarded a small goblin craft and went up to the river, then got on a larger ship and sailed to Ninhelm.
To say the Arena at Ninhelm was enormous was an understatement. Monsters of unfathomable sizes were there. Just as soon as I thought I had seen the largest one possible, I would see another that could swallow the first whole.
I noticed a young Khymerian boy checking me out. I did not appreciate it very much at all and gave him a mean look. I said, "Go dip yourself in water boy", which is a huge insult where I come from. Of course, he didn't understand me. Dumb Boy!
Boys are always staring at me wherever I go and it makes me angry!
All the Ferxians picked up mana cards that showed the rules of each match. We watched the youth from other splinters compete against one another. Eventually, we would be matched against other splinters, but for now, all of our matches were against Ferexia only.
It was almost time and we were waiting to be called. I heard Alea Lierin called and walked to the arena center. I didn't hear the second name but I was ready to get started.
I saw Tye walking down the ramp into the center of the arena and realized that he was coming to compete against me. My heart jumped a little at the thought of the of us competing in Ninhelm. We would have so much to talk about afterward.
The match began. I feigned a thrust one way. I had done it hundreds of times before and knew how Tye would react. He moved away from my feign. I stepped into his movement and thrust hard with my razor sharp Goblin blade. I thought he would block the thrust, but he did not. The obsidian blade easily penetrated Tye's armor.
What had I done? His blue eyes were already fading and losing their life. He looked at me and smiled the best he could, and said "I smolder......You burn bright" then he died.
The healers tried but they could not fix what I had done.
There were more matches to be fought. Goblins came to move Tye's body out of the way.
I threw myself down and wept.
Everything was still and quiet, unnaturally so.
Bright light flooded the arena and I heard a melodic voice say "Stop weeping"
I looked up and could not see through the bright light coming from above the arena.
"Stop Weeping", the voice said again "Your love is not wasted".
"The Angel of light is here?" I thought.
I sensed movement beside me. It was Tye. "Lets, get out of here, I need something to eat," said my beloved Tye from beside me.
His blue eyes made me blush 3 shades darker.
All images and artwork created by the SPLINTERLANDS TEAM.
Want more LORE? Visit https://www.splinterlore.com/
Special thanks: 
If you stopped by and took the time to hang out thank you so much! This is my third big Steemmonmsters post. The first 2 are about ΛZMΛRE, The Water Splinter
Please take a look at:
https://steemit.com/splinterlands/@naltedtirt/splinterlands-lore-a-drine-fisherman-and-a-naga
https://steemit.com/splinterlands/@naltedtirt/the-frost-giant-and-other-lzmlre-characters
@Blockurator
@Swolesome
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