"Well?" 

Vol had placed the invitation on the wooden table and explained the situation to Nadia, who had also been awoken by the sudden trumpet blast. After his exposition, there had been nothing but silence between the two of them, Vol occupying his gaze with the note. It was only upon Nadia's question that he looked up. 

"Well, what?" 
"Are you going?" 
"I...I don't know. This must be some mistake, right?"
"It's got your name on it, right?"
"Nadia, I'm not a warrior! I can barely use a sickle in the fields and that's on a good day."
"This..." Nadia pointed at the invitation before reaching up and planting her hands on her brother's shoulders.
"This is our way out, brother. If you can even finish with a bronze medal or in third place or whatever isn't first, there's probably money involved. Money that can get us away from Jiago and this way of life. We can actually start living the lives WE want to live." Vol looked down at his sister, his hazel irises filled with the swirling emotions that occupied his mind.
"Brother, haven't you always wanted to live in Nuvansa? Haven't you always wanted to have that cottage that has the carpenter's workshop in the back and a place for you to have a room?"
"Well, you stole mine."
"That's besides the point." Nadia patted her brother's shoulders.
"This tournament...they won't have you fighting to the death and BESIDES, you're HUGE. Remember when you took on that group of bandits a few weeks ago that were trying to raid Jiago's wheat field?"
"Yeah, yeah..."
"Remember how you BROKE ONE OF THEIR ARMS LIKE A TWIG?!" Vol blew out a sigh.
"Just because I can thrash a few bandits doesn't mean that I can go against trained, fully armored knights."
"You can train somehow, can't you? You've got a few days and Nuvansa is only a day's journey by wagon. Get there and try your best."
"And if I don't succeed?" She shrugged.
"That's not an option." 

__________________

A day and a carriage ride later, Vol found himself at the gates of Nuvansa, an expansive walled city that covered at least two miles. The interior of the city held massive stone and metal structures that seemed to scrape the sky, inhabitants bustling about between market stalls and buildings. The streets were wide enough for two horses to pass, the cobbled roads holding themselves together just barely underneath the foot traffic. While the city was walled in a loose square, the interior was built somewhat like a divided circle, the innermost circle playing host to the glistening walls of the palace. He figured if someone knew anything about the tournament, they would be there. 
"Right then..."