Fighting an elf in melee was a death sentence.
A human swordsman could dedicate his entire life to the blade, mastering its every nuance, refining his technique until he stood among the greatest.
A warrior with fifty years of unbroken discipline and battlefield experience was the stuff of legend. How terrifyingly skilled he must be, he would be acknowledged and respected by all.
Even against a master of thirty years, one would hesitate before issuing a challenge, regardless of if the challenger was similarly skilled.
But what were fifty years to an elf?
Most elves devoted themselves to magic, yet even those who barely considered martial combat still accumulated a century of experience. And in most cases, far more.
A 'casual' swordsman among elves had likely spent a hundred years merely 'brushing' over the art, wielding a blade with an ever-youthful body that never dulled and never slowed.
