Avery was almost shaking with excitement, or was that anxiety? She couldn't figure that one out. Only once a year this opportunity came at her doorstep just like the others who also shared the passion of a victorious feat over physical trials. She was eager to show what she could do with all of her hard training and effort and show to her mortal comrades that she could be just as powerful without her little magic tricks to be worthy of an opponent. Especially after the loss of the last competition of last year, which left her in shambles about the whole thing for months, maybe even the whole year if she was being truthful to herself.
Regardless of her overwhelming dread and nervousness she was confident that her and Tai could really rattle the cage of victory this time. Determination was building up deep inside Avery, this was a long and awaited competition that was well-known and gossiped about through out the year. For the villagers it was the best time to enjoy their mead and rejoice the power and health their hometown had possessed. It has surely grown since in the last few years and the spirit of the town could not be any brighter. This was not just a festival to rough-house and jester their fun, but to prove the blood lines in this village were prepared and skilled for the world outside them.
There are plentiful amount of books inside their hometown, many lined on the shelves of their library or hidden away inside homes passed down from generation. These great books were binded with storys and legends of the outside world and held many great intriguing facts that left children in awe. Avery grew up adoring these storys and maybe even folklores, she found most of the secrets of magic were in it, and outside the walls of their great prospering town.
The mercenary snatched her cowhide leather gauntlets up, sliding them over her hands and squeezing to assure a tight fit. She thought to herself;
"This is it, gotta make it big this time. We are more than this town can be." She had love for her village just like many others, but deep inside she felt she was worth more than this and the world was too great to be waiting. Little did she know what would be awaiting them if this challenge played out right.
Avery grabbed her favored barrette from a leather pouch that was sewn into her woven leather belt. The clip was a sturdy metal and embellished with silver adornments, polished with stones of various quartz. Making her way outside she rested the barrette in her mouth while grabbing her hair up and around to updo her fair silver hair into a sloppy but tight half-bun and pin it with the clip.
Her eyes lit up peering down her front yard,
"Tai!" she made a small smile to show her glee.
"It's almost time." It was relieving to be able to say that. These brothers surely weren't gonna have a chance this year.
