The man quickly explained his situation and his apparent.... proposition to Ava. The townsfolk relaxed a bit, but still were not trusting. Though the invitation to join this group made Ava's eyes light up. It was her chance! A chance to finally escape this infuriatingly boring and monotonous life of hers! No more paper routes, no more practicing magic in secret, and she gets to stick it to the bastards that forced her into this life anyway. However, before Ava could answer, the village leader once again stepped between the two. "I believe that question is best for her father, stranger. Follow me."
The group consisting of the stranger, Ava, and the village leader made there way a bit to the outskirts of the town, closer to mountains. There was a definite tense silence among them. Ava's mind was racing with all the possibilities this opportunity could provide, but she was anxious, worried even. She knew her father, and knew he would not agree to such a thing. Her only hope was her mother, potentially....
They arrived at a small cottage at the edge of a field. A simple home, with a middle aged woman outside, doing laundry. Her eyes widened at the site of the approaching group and she quickly ran up to them. "Ava! What did you do?!" She yelled before anyone could speak up. The village leader held up his hand. "Please, Mary, your daughter isn't in trouble. But this stranger here has an odd request of her that you as her parent should here.
They were led inside the house and sat around a kitchen table. Ava sat across from her mother and father next to the village leader, who kept a wary eye on the stranger. In the den near by, dozed her grandfather, seemingly uninterested in the situation. The stranger once again explain his position.
At first, it was silent, when suddenly the father slammed his fist against the table, shaking. "You.... I don't care if your enemy are those bastards in the church, I will NOT have you take our only child away on some crazed, half ass adventure! So what if you captured one these so called "Paragons"? What does that have to do with my daughter? Why come here, of all places, for her?! Our family has suffered enough through the generations, and I won't just send my daughter on some wild magical goose chase across the world, risking her life for some group that I've never heard of till now!" He finished loudly. Ava was taken back by her father's reaction. He always such a quiet, level headed man.
She stared at the table, dreams crushed. He was right... what was she thinking? Magical adventures? Powerful, ancient artifacts? Why would some group like that call upon some isolated freak of magic high up in the Alps? Her father was about to dismiss the man, when suddenly her grandfather spoke up.
"David. Your heart, as ever, is in the right place." The old man rose from his chair. His wings were tattered and grey, obviously had seen great use in his once youthful past. Slowly, he approached the table, placing a hand on Ava's shoulder. "You know it David, I know it, and this stranger here knows it. Ava possess an immense amount of power, just below the surface." Ava looked up at her grandfather, confused. This was the first she was hearing this. "A power that her ancestor, the one who cursed our bloodline, carried. The same curse that made me abandon my own mother and siblings, fleeing to this wonderful place. She has a power that could influence much more than a mere gust of wind. I understand your place, David, and like I said, its healthy and natural to not want to let go of your precious daughter, my granddaughter. But look at her. Like it or not, she has grown up. Every day that power within her awakens a bit more, and it is only a matter of time before you can contain it. Then the church will come for us all, and we could never fight them."
The Grandfather paced around the room, now resting a hand on Ava's father, David, with a tired smile. "You will worry, but you shouldn't, she's a Kurier! And if there's one thing we've proven, its that we're damn hard to snuff out. Now its time to prove we do not just flee." his eyes now finally rested on Ava. "Ava, my sweet granddaughter. You ultimately have the choice. " Ava's father sighed, face in his hands. Her mother gave her a pained smile, but nodded. For the first time in her life Ava had a freedom of choice. Something that may influence her life forever.
Turning to the stranger, eyes radiating stern confidence, she nodded. "I'll go with you. I want to get back a the church for what they did to me and my family. If it means keeping them from getting these Paragons, then I'll do it!"
