Matthew ducked as the axe blow nearly took of his head, giving the man a swift kick he rolled out of the way of a mage throwing a fire towards him. "I love this festival!" He shouted returning to the fray. Matthew had spent the night in the inn and come out the following morning to a shallow pit, this ring was home to a first blood tournament of fighting where four combatants hopped in and one came out unscathed. 

His current fight was between a blonde well studied boy of a mage, a large axe wielding idiot with a mop of mud caked brown hair, and a auburn haired mercenary girl who was cahrge right at him. Drawing his blade he parried and drew his spell book, throwing a spell between her and the mage. She managed to roll free yet the mage became slightly burnt, thus the bouncers near the edge pulled him out. 

The brute with the axe went for the girl next which gave him a perfect opening on his blind spot. One sword blow across the back later he was crying like a babe as they hauled him out. Now it came down to the the girl with the sword and him. She smirked and pressed the attack, he had to drop his spell book just to keep up blocking. However he crumpled to a knee and that's when he saw the opening, rolling around her he cut the back of her leg lightly and got up, exhausted. 

He collected his spell book and then a cheering crowd pulled him out, some booed while others whine as they forked over money they had lost in bets. Yet Matthew just smiled as the man in charge handed him a bag of gold. "eight-hundred-fifty gold pieces young man, that fight has seen some of the heaviest betting in years! You were the wild card in that match ey lad, but you made me quite a rich man." The bookie laughed as Matthew nodded and walked away, waving goodbye to the man.

His mind moved back to the fight as he walked northward these guys were good, better than the bandits back home in sleepy Valm. People there had grown soft and happy, here war had ended only a few years back and they were still sharp, still tough. He smiled as he walked back towards the center of town, the next fight wouldn't be for a few hours. So he could see the sites and visit the shops in this amazing little town, he loved Ylisse what he had seen so far at least, the people here were friendly enough and they loved to hear his stories or a song or two.

As he neared the stalls he stopped just outside the crowd that was admiring the Wyvern Rider, he stopped watching it himself. Tying the bag of gold on to his belt he watched smiling, it reminded him Rosanne, of home. It was impressive to see tricks like this on a Wyvern as they were more stubborn than pegasi. He smiled and clapped as it did tricks, when the crowd dispersed he would go tip the man.