Espil was bursting to the seams from the congregation of all the citizens rushing jump into the celebrations. It felt as if the earth was constantly shaking from the constant buzzing of footsteps. More than a few aromas reached my nose as people of all shapes and sizes clashed with the vibrant colors and decorations in the markets as vendors tried to capitalize on the influx of population. Among the crowds I stood with a full belly and a matching smile.
I still feel lost way more often than not, but instead of an empty map I felt as if it was starting to show color.
I still found it hard to branch out and really lose myself in this world, it was hard to approach those whom I had no interaction with previously but the confidence built from sword skills and the soft but consistent from Eva and Mango had lead me here. For it was at this esteemed New Years celebration that houses the Rite Of Heroes, the test that can make or break a wannabe hero. For it's here that one can see if you have an affinity for magic as well as the strength of skill for accumulating focus. Focus is required to use magic so the better your skill the more you ways you can use it as well as increasing the length you find yourself using it. Most attendees of the ceremony were confident in themselves as they had already showed signs of ability. All they lacked was control and a teacher, others, like Kas, were there hoping that this rite would unlock a hidden talent. Mango had pushed me to attend the rite so persistently it took me by surprise. Throughout the past months, I had a lot of positive memories. With that being said I couldn't emit even a minuscule amount of magic, it made me feel ashamed to betray all the hope Mango put into me as I could see he even though he let me train as a merchants assistant, he expected me to be a great adventurer. I had no clue where it came from or what made these desires surfaced but I couldn't ever build up the courage to tell him I actually had zero inclination of ever doing so. I'd been on the verge of of flat out declining his wish of me attending the Rite Of Heores when I had felt a soft but warm touch meet my cheek. Face burning I look over to see an equally red Eva as she retreated slightly after surprising me with a kiss. "You'll do great Kas, I believe in you." For some reason I didn't mind that nickname when she said it. It was all I could do to nervously stammer "T-t-thanks Eva, I'll do my best, you know I always do!" Mango couldn't help but roll his eyes but inside he was beaming. Over this year the boy had turned into a man that made him proud beyond a doubt and he hadn't seen his daughter be at such ease with someone since her mom passed. It was pure bliss seeing them finally begin to admit their feelings for each other. Yet that aside, he could tell Kas was resisting his pushes to attend the rite. But Mango persisted because he truly believed Kas had to be magically blessed, the kid was the very meaning of a natural in terms of combat. Kas couldn't have seen the progression himself, but initially Mango held back a lot of his strength and just practiced the basics. By the end though, magic usage aside, Mango was going all out and Kas was thwarting him seemingly with no effort. Kas probably just assumed Mango was holding back like always but the truth was just the opposite.
Now Eva was about to embark on a quick trip delivering a shipment to a nearby village for the festival but she promised she'd be back before the fireworks ceremony scheduled for tonight. The three of them decided after the Rite and the delivery they'd regroup and enjoy a family picnic in the yard and watch the beautiful fireworks, rumored to be the best in a decade. So after seeing Eva off with a deep breath, Kasper took his first step towards the venue for the Rite Of Heroes, freely donning a smirk along the way as he reflected on the feeling of that kiss Eva had given him. Maybe I can steal another one during the fireworks, hopefully with good news to match.