salene
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Ravinia breathed in the cold morning air, letting it wash over her like a wave. She had been traveling for nearly a week now, moving over rough terrain, in order to finally reach the town of Bren. Her feet ached, her back was sore, and she was in desperate need of some clean clothes. However, none of this stopped her. If anything, it only spurred her on. Her mind was set, and she was ready. Ravinia stood from where she had been sitting, her legs sore and bruised from falling on a large rock earlier in her journey. Bren was so close now, so close she could see it in the distance. Ravinia sighed, pulling out two small pieces of gold from her pocket. She hoped this would be enough to buy some fresh food before entering the arena, otherwise an empty stomach would be another thing to add to her list of problems. “Look on the bright side” She said, wincing as she wrapped a thick bandage around a cut on her ankle. “At least I’m doing this of my own volition. Im sure not everyone is as fortunate as me when it comes to something like this.” She realized the irony of her statement directly after the words left her mouth. Fortune had never been something she’d had. Fortune was for the rich, for those who could afford to have people like her haul their goods out of the murk river. The closest Ravinia would ever get to fortune, would be her surviving the arena. Winning wasn’t even a conceivable option. It took perhaps an hour for Ravinia to reach the outskirts of Bren. Her excitement at seeing civilization had inspired her to move quicker, and even though she had made good time, her haste had rewarded her with two more cuts, both on her left arm. The pain was inconsequential, and the sight of a small tavern warmed her stomach with the promise of a cup of ale and a fresh loaf of bread. Her stomach echoed her outward smile, as it rumbled slightly in anticipation, earning strange looks from the farmers that stood to either side of her. “Im sure your stomach rumbles just as loudly as mine” She muttered, her mood considerably soured by the undue attention. The tavern was small and boxy, probably 15 feet tall, and 20 feet wide. It seemed to be made from a thick wood, probably cut from the trees that stood to either side of its wide entrance. The tavern had only one door, made from the hide of some unfortunate animal, that was bent slightly off of its hinges, as if someone had been pushed into it. Hanging above the door was a single sign, about the length of her forearm. It read; “Welcome weary traveler, to the Bar Fight! Brens most infamous tavern!” Ravinia nodded her appreciation of the taverns name. Honesty was something that Ravinia valued pretty highly. As Ravinia stepped through the broken door, her nose was immediately assaulted by the smell of sweat and ale. Ravinia turned away quickly, swallowing the bile that began to rise in her throat. After she had gotten past the smell, and her eyes had stopped watering, she allowed herself to look around. The inside of the tavern was just as lackluster as the outside had been. Everything seemed to have been thrown, probably at someone else, at some point. The tables and chairs had obviously been broken multiple times, the bar in the back had a large crack running down the center, and the floor itself was littered with discarded food and even a few broken teeth. Ravinia assumed that this was probably where farmers came to let off some steam after a tough day in the fields. Behind the bar, a large board hung, with fliers attached to it with small iron nails. Most of the fliers were for relatively ordinary things, the only ones of interest being a wanted sign for some women named “Medusa”, and a large advertisement for the Elemental Championships. The one thing that Ravinia was not expecting however, was how crowded the Bar Fight was. Every seat was occupied, with some people even sitting on the floor. Young server girls flitted around the room, carrying wooden mugs of ale, and small plates of unknown meats, constantly moving from one table to another, their loose ponytails swinging wildly behind their heads. Ravinia now stood in front of the inverted fountain, its gates open, as if waiting for her. She smelled something, something that made her hesitant. She couldn’t quite place her finger on it, but it smelled… powerful. She would certainly have to be wary, as this was sure to be an obstacle she was unaccustomed too. Ravinia felt her feet move, one step at a team. She heard the sound of electricity, and the faint sound of… water. Ravinia quickened her pace, jogging until she was directly in front of the arena’s large gate. This was it, this was her time to shine. She did a quick last minute check of all her equipment, took a deep breath, and then stepped forward. The minute she stepped through, she immediately noticed someone directly to her right. Pulling her Bagh Naka out, Ravinia stepped forward. “You smell like fish…”
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