Amalie was born in Bifaris, a state known for its harsh laws and penalties for breaking them. Her mother was absent for as long as Amalie can remember. When she was young, she often escaped to the city's sole lake to sing among nature in peace. It was here that she met her first flame, a boy named Teraz. Teraz showed Amalie to Shelyn's church (which his parents led) and that's when Amalie found her faith.
Her father noticed Amalie's increasing disappearances when Amalie was about sixteen and forced her to join the city guard (of which he was the captain) so he could keep an eye on her. Amalie took incredibly well to her guard training and her physical strength blossomed during this period, even outclassing most of her fellow guard.
Amalie was still meeting with Teraz when she had time- which was rarely- and the two started to make a plan to escape together. Amalie trained him how to fight using her guard's weapons. The two finally decided on a day to escape- and tried- and failed. Amalie, being the best guard in the city, got off easy. Teraz did not. The boy was sentenced to death, and Amalie couldn't save him. He died one week later to an executioner's axe.
Amalie wept and prayed, and her father, angry that she wasn't fulfilling her duties, said that if she wouldn't rejoin the guard, she'd die too. Amalie knew what she had to do, and resumed her position.
On her third shift after Teraz's death, Amalie was positioned on the city wall. The next watch came on to find no one there- Amalie had vanished and her partner was dead- by a heavy piercing weapon.
Amalie fled the city after the deed. She made it an hour into the woods before apologizing to Shelyn for her murder and begging for forgiveness. Shelyn forgave her, and it was then she officially became her champion, and became blessed with a fragment of Shelyn's divine power.
And thus Amalie, being chased by her former friends, was forced to escape into the New World.