Short: Stubborn Courage

Determination, Courage in the face of fear

Kalia is already a skilled Leathersmith at her young age, paying rapt attention to the teachings of her instructor. She is eager to complete her military training now that she is of age for the lessons. The story begins as she departs her apprenticeship to attend her once a week training, after already attending for several months. She is wearing armor she crafted herself.   Smirnyal's Captain at Arms has already recognized her skills and aptitudes, as well as the way she utilizes her Leathersmithing knowledge during combat, and encourages her as she passes by.   This makes one of her older classmates jealous, as he was top of the class prior to her birthday and he does not appreciate the competition. Their shared competitive nature's flare.

The training instructor encourages the animosity between the two star pupils, pushing them both to perfect their skills for his own benefit and recognition. Kalia and her classmate rise to the taunts, pushing the limits of their training to best the other. Kalia's competitor is favored by the instructor, as he is the son of a relative.   Today they begin their training in Pyromancy. Kalia questions the instructor as they have not yet learned Hydromancy as a class. Instructor brushes off the fear, stating her attitude is why he prefers the other student.

After practicing the mere basics of Pyromancy Kalia's competitor instigated a fight. Instructor encourages the confrontation rather than breaking it up, so Kalia retaliates. Competitor taps into pyromancy and accidentally taps into his emotions to set the right arm of her leather armor ablaze. Instructor panics, causing competitor to panic, which triggers the explosive nature of Pyromancy. Kalia loses consciousness.

Kalia Furstek awakens to the murmuring of her parents to a Healer tending to her. She fades in and out throughout process, in part from pain as well as the healer's efforts.   When she awakens she discovers her whole right side is bandaged. She cannot feel her legs and cannot move her right arm, which is still in great pain. Her parents inform her that the healers say she will never walk again, and they are doing what they can to obtain support for her to live a full life, even though it will be a different one from what she imagined.

Kalia experiences depression and a crisis of her faith in herself. Her Leathersmith teacher drops her as an apprentice, voicing his regrets because he liked her as a person and will miss her talent, but stating he needs someone who will be able to perform the fine detailed work required for the task. She elicits a promise from him that he will adopt her as his apprentice again should she prove herself able to perform the work.   Meanwhile her parents continue to pressure the city council and call in favors from their friends to locate assistance for Kalia, but to no avail.

Kalia pushes herself to regain her abilities in the hope of obtaining her Leathersmithing apprenticeship. She slowly regains partial control of her right arm, and pushes the Healers for painful experimental procedures to regain feeling in her legs. Progress is very slow, but it's there. Still, she has a persistent tremor in her right hand that grows the more abilities she regains, leading her to conclude her Leathersmithing days are over.   She debates giving up, but her parents emerge from their tireless efforts, presenting her with three thick leather-bound tomes on Arcturian history and politics, as well as a Communication Token linking to Arcturia's record keeper at the capital of Leavara, who has agreed to tutor her in the evenings after his work for King Durkot Stormwild IV. She sets a new goal, and her work begins.

Kalie is determined, confident, stubborn, and success-driven. She has a fear of being viewed as a failure.

Kalia Furstek, in her early teens. She is young, fit, and already a skilled Leathersmith.

Kalia's parents stand by her and advocate for her against the town and instructor after her accident. Due to her stubborn pride and competitive nature Kalia did not have many friends.

Kalia's classmates see the tension developing but those who are not antagonistic are generally just observers. Most do not have a preference for either of the two star pupils and therefore little interest on stakes in what they view as personal matters.   Smirnyal's Captain at Arms is also fairly neutral in the whole affair, as per his opinion the War of Generations has claimed many lives and caused many injuries, and training accidents are just one more important lesson. The city council agrees, rather than to admit fault and pay any consequences.

One of Kalia's fellow classmates (name TBD) is competitive to the point of trouble.

Kalia's instructor does not like her attitude and encourages her competitor to defeat Kalia at all costs.