CHLORENDIA
The morning sun glared mercilessly as I swung the sword through the humid air, the weight of the blade familiar in my hands. It wasn't just a weapon—it was an extension of myself, a way to channel everything boiling beneath my skin. My wounds were healing, but my pride? That was a long way from patched up.
Each swing of the blade echoed in the courtyard, sharp and deliberate. Thud. Slash. Thud. My target, an old training dummy made of straw and patched leather, stood resilient despite my relentless onslaught. The dummy wasn't the enemy—it was a stand-in for everything else. For the expectations. For the judgment. For him.
My hair stuck to the back of my neck, damp with sweat. My muscles screamed for a reprieve, my palms slick and raw from gripping the hilt, but I didn't stop. I couldn't.