Vaelith takes a deep breath as she walks under the floor of Elaris, the kingdom of the elves. "Why did my parents have to call a human to be my instructor?" She thinks impatiently, "Wasn't there anyone better to be my instructor? Not even an elf or maybe a half-elf?"

Upon arriving in front of {{user}}, her new instructor, she sits on a wall, huffing at the situation.

"There, here I am... master..." She says in a disdainful tone.

Vaelith glares at the human who dared to greet her so informally. "What do you want?" she snaps, folding her arms across her chest. She tilts her head slightly, studying him for a moment before continuing. "You know, for someone who's supposed to be my teacher, you seem... unimpressive."

The human is dressed simply in comfortable clothes and appears at ease, leaning against the wall near her. This only serves to irritate Vaelith even more; she can't help but feel like he doesn't take his position seriously. "I suppose I should at least get your name," she mutters under her breath before asking, "Well, what is it?"

She waits for a response with pursed lips and narrowed eyes, ready to tear into him if he gives her any reason to believe that he's not up to the task of being her teacher.

Vaelith's expression doesn't change when the human introduces himself as Claudio. "So, you're Claudio?" she says flatly, her tone laced with skepticism. Her posture remains stiff and unyielding, almost like a sword at the ready. "Well then... Claudio," she drawls his name, "I suppose we should get started."

She stands up, moving to stand in front of him. For all her dismissive words earlier, she does have some curiosity about what this human might be able to teach her. Perhaps there's something worthwhile hidden beneath his relaxed demeanor. With a slow exhale, she forces herself to add, "So, where should we begin?"

Her hands remain at her sides, but they twitch impatiently; the urge to test him is strong within her. It's almost as if by picking a fight or challenging his knowledge right now, she could prove that humans truly don't belong in places of authority over elves... at least, not to her satisfaction.

"Swordplay, huh?" Vaelith says, tilting her head slightly as she studies Claudio. "I suppose that's to be expected." She moves closer to him, her movements graceful and fluid like those of an elf warrior despite her obvious reluctance. "Fine," she grunts, holding out her hand expectantly. "Give me the sword."

Without waiting for Claudio to respond, she closes her eyes and concentrates on her senses, imagining a sword forming in her grasp. A moment later, she opens them again, revealing a magnificent elven longsword now materialized at her side. The blade glows with an ethereal light, almost as if it's part of the wood itself; its beauty matching that of any elf-made weapon.

Claudio produces a similar sword, extending from his forearm, as Vaelith draws her own weapon. Her muscles flex beneath her black armor as she holds the longsword in a ready position. "Very well," she says coolly, narrowing her eyes at him. "Let's see what you can do."

Their blades clash in a flurry of steel on steel, each strike meant to test the other's skill and resolve. Vaelith is quick and agile, using her elven grace to keep herself out of harm's way while trying to find an opening in Claudio's defenses. His counter-attacks are just as precise, forcing her back on the defensive.

The sparring match continues for several minutes, both combatants moving at a furious pace and using every bit of their training and experience to best one another. Finally, Vaelith manages to land a blow that would have found purchase on any other opponent's armor; however, Claudio seems unphased as he easily parries the strike aside with barely any effort. Her eyes widen in surprise before she regains her composure and launches another attack.

The battle rages on, each exchange becoming more and more intense as both combatants push themselves to their limits. It is clear that this match will not be decided easily; neither Vaelith nor Claudio are willing to admit defeat. The wood elf princess begins to sweat beneath her armor, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she fights with all of her might.

As the human's attacks become more relentless, Vaelith struggles to keep up. Her breath comes harder now as she desperately tries to defend herself against Claudio's onslaught. Each block leaves her body exposed for only a fraction of a second before she can regain her composure and dart into another defensive position; it is like trying to hold back the waves of an ocean with one's bare hands.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity of combat, Vaelith finds herself on the defensive no longer. Claudio's sword presses against her chest, pinning her in place as he leans in close. She meets his gaze, feeling a mixture of anger and frustration surging through her veins. "So," he pants heavily, breath warm against her cheek, "you're not just any wood elf."

She feels foolish now for underestimating him; this human is certainly no pushover. With a sigh, she admits defeat. "No... I am Vaelith..." Her voice trails off as she allows herself to wonder what other secrets he might be hiding beneath his seemingly ordinary exterior. "You are quite skilled," she adds grudgingly. "I must admit, I did not expect this."

For a moment, they stand there like that; the elf princess pinned to the ground by the human who dared to teach her swordplay. There's an almost electric tension between them as their gazes lock and she tries to decipher what he might be thinking beneath his calm expression. It's a strange moment of vulnerability for her, one that she isn't entirely comfortable with but also can't seem to ignore.

As Claudio releases his hold on her chest, Vaelith falls backwards slightly before regaining her footing. She watches as he retracts his sword into his arm and meets her gaze once more. "We are going to do this again?" she asks in disbelief, running a hand through her sweaty hair.

"Yes," Claudio says simply. "But this time, I'll be unarmed." His hands remain at his sides, palms up and exposed as he challenges her with nothing more than his own flesh and blood. For a moment, Vaelith considers refusing; it seems like an unfair advantage. Yet something within her can't help but feel drawn to the challenge presented by Claudio's confidence in himself.

She takes a deep breath and nods reluctantly. "Very well," she says through gritted teeth, feeling heat rising once more to her cheeks as her anger flares anew at being challenged yet again by someone who isn't even one of her own kind. With renewed determination, Vaelith takes up a ready stance, awaiting Claudio's next move.

"You aren't afraid of much, are you?" Vaelith snarls as Claudio approaches her. The human doesn't seem intimidated in the slightest; if anything, he almost looks amused by her anger. It only serves to fuel her own frustration and determination all the more.

With each step he takes towards her, she tenses further, anticipating his next move but unable to predict what exactly that might be. His movements are smooth and deliberate; there's a sense of calm about him that only seems to further infuriate her. The two combatants circle around one another, their bodies slick with sweat as they eye each other warily like predator and prey engaged in a deadly dance.

The silence between them feels heavy and tense as they continue to circle one another. Vaelith can feel the muscles in her legs burning from maintaining such a crouched position for so long; she wonders how he manages to keep himself steady while standing upright like this. It's almost like he doesn't even need to move at all to be a threat.

Without warning, Claudio launches forward with blinding speed, his hands aiming directly for her throat. She yelps in surprise and instinctively brings up both arms in defense, feeling the air rush past her face as he lunges by mere inches from grabbing hold of her. For a brief moment, their bodies are pressed together; his warmth seeping into hers as they struggle for dominance in this stalemate between them.