Chapter 65 The Battle Festival.
A certain event was to take place in the Tuvalon Kingdom today, they call it 'The Battle Festival'. Now, this wasn't the only festival that does take place in the Tuvalon Kingdom, other festivals do take place as well.
The festival was done after certain years passes. It was just like a certain amount of time must pass before they pay tributes to the two kingdoms they do pay tributes to, so it was for their festivals.
This 'Battle Festival' was just like a tournament where two people possessing different power elements battle each other. It consisted of martial arts, making use of weapons, and making use of their powers.
Now, it wasn't a battle to death, it wasn't a battle where one must have to kill one to be victorious, no. It was a battle of defeat, one must have to defeat one to be victorious. They must make sure not to injure each other.
That's why the weapons they'll make use of would be fake, they would be made of wood...and it's most likely swords. When making use of their martial arts skills, they have to do it in a way that they wouldn't injure each other.
Yeah, they'll hit each other, but they mustn't hurt each other that much. When making use of their powers, they'll have to be very careful not to harm each other that much.
It would get to a point whereby the main overseer of the tournament would have to put a halt to making use of their powers when he sees that things are getting out of hand.
Maybe two people are battling each other, anger is already embedded in their hearts, they want to defeat each other badly, they are already making use of their powers without following the rules, the overseer would have to put a halt to making use of their powers.
..They'll only be able to use their fake weapons and martial arts until one defeats one.
And that would only apply to them, once another group of people comes to battle each other, they'll be able to make use of their powers while following the rules. But once the overseer sees they aren't following the rules anymore, he put a halt to making use of their powers.
The people that battle each other can refer to themselves as warriors 'cause they went to the academies specialized in training benders, they learned to wield mana, they learned martial arts, and so on...so they are warriors.
..They battling each other is entertainment for others, as far as no one gets hurt badly.
That was the purpose of 'The Battle Festival', to entertain people, and it also signified something else. Now, not everyone in the whole of the Tuvalon Kingdom would be able to attend this festival.
The tournament would be held in an open space, a large one. Now, the open space was just like a stadium. There was a sandy field in the middle, that's where the battles would take place. And glancing around, chairs were arranged in six rows...chairs that could contain a lot of people.
They were arranged in form of a circle and the field was in the middle of them just like a stadium. Now, there was a place meant for the officials, that's where they'll stay while watching the tournament. People like the king, the nobles, and the chiefs.
..It doesn't matter what rank they are in, they'll all stay in the same place with their families while watching the tournament.
Now, that place was large enough to contain them all. It was arranged just as the other place was arranged, the chairs were arranged the same way.
One of the previous kings that ruled over the Tuvalon Kingdom in the past was the one that established this place and some other open spaces. He established them mainly for festivals.
Now, as said, not everyone in the Tuvalon Kingdom would be able to attend the festival, it matters what time you arrive. The festival was gonna begin at a certain time, if you come too late and all the chairs have been occupied, you'll have to go back home...too bad, right?
..But that's how it was being done.
So for people that want to attend the festival, you have to prepare on time and head over to the open space. If your house isn't close to the open space, you have to prepare very early and begin journeying to the place if you're eager to attend the festival.
But as for the officials, they have a special place secured for them. So there was nothing like reaching the place where the festival was to take place and going back home due to the chairs being occupied already.
..There were enough chairs for them and their families no matter what time they arrive at the open space.
And some people are never interested in attending festivals. So when people are preparing to get to the festival on time, they'll be at home engaging in other activities.
Whenever a festival was to be held on a certain day, no activities were to take place for that day. It doesn't matter if you'll get to attend the festival or not...no activity must take place.
No one was to go to work, all academies apart from academies for benders would be shut down. That means, no students would go to school for that day, no teachers would go to school for that day.
No buying and selling, and all that. So before the day of the festival, you have to buy all that you need. That was the rule, and everyone must have to follow it.
Aiden remembered when his dad and mum attended this same festival about 4 years ago, he was still 3 years old at that time. He heard of the festival and wasn't interested in going at all, and so was Hazel.
So Ethan and Emma told the maids to look after their children and went to the festival alone. There were some other festivals they've attended in the past that Aiden didn't bother to go to.
..But as for this one that was gonna take place today, 'The Battle Festival', everyone in the Dankworth family was going apart from, Lydia.
She was gonna stay and watch over the house, that was Ethan's instruction. And even without that, she didn't feel like going.
The time for the festival to begin hadn't arrived yet, there were still some hours left, so the Dankworth family hadn't started preparing yet. And remember, Ethan was an average-ranked chief, he was an official, so he and his family were gonna be sitting in that special place secured for officials.
..They wouldn't be sitting in the same place as the natives of the Tuvalon Kingdom.
So they wouldn't have to rush too much while preparing. Definitely, they wanted to get to the place on time, but they wouldn't have to rush too much. And luckily for them, their house wasn't too far from the open space.
It was morning currently, and Aiden was in the living room with his dad and Hazel. Their dad was telling them some things about the festival, and they were understanding. Then he said something they weren't expecting to hear,
"I remember the time when I was part of the people that does entertain the people watching. I hadn't become a chief by that time, but I was already a warrior. Before I got married to your mum, I do engage in the battles, and even after I got married to your mum, I still engaged in them,
I remember coming out victorious most of the time, and I received lots of rewards".
The moment he finished making that utterance, Emma strolled into the living room with a tray in her hands and plates on top of it. They were about to eat breakfast, they were eating it a little late today 'cause today wasn't like every other day.
They didn't need to wake that early today 'cause they were gonna be attending a festival that didn't need them to wake early. Ethan is definitely not going to work, and Aiden and Hazel aren't going to school.
Apart from the festival, Aiden and Hazel wouldn't be going to their different academies today. Students wouldn't be going to school for a whole week? They have two free days for a whole week to rest.
The moment Emma sauntered to the living room while strolling toward the dining table to drop the tray, she voiced out,
"What your dad said is true, he was among the people that does engage in the battles back then, he does engage in the tournaments. And he was good, he does come out victorious most of the time".
..Aiden and Hazel nodded their heads in understanding at that moment...this was confirmation for them.