Fifteen Journey - Chapter 4

Rick couldn’t believe in what his eyes were seeing. The ceremony was HUGE!!!
He had already his sword with him, which made him more comfortable in the middle of that huge crowd.
“Francisco, where are you son?”
“Good sodas, only for 3£!”
“When is this ceremony thing is like…going to start, dude?”
The people were impatient. Rick wanted to come closer to the stage and see whenever it was starting but the crowd was too dense. He then saw it: the statue would certainly help him to see something. He was tall, still, but not tall enough.
“Hey, sir, could you help me to see the games?”
“Sure!”
Rick put the little kid on his back. It made he remember of his sister. She was younger than him and, when Rick said her he was leaving she was reluctantly to let him go. His mother had died a long time ago, so Rick did not get to know his mother that well. Their father had pulled through the death some years later after it had happened. And they had been very happy until Rick was selected to take part of Tourch.
“Look sir! They’re preparing the flags!”
Rick couldn’t stand doing nothing. He crossed through the crowd and watched the stage with the help of Sir Henry III’s statue.
“It’s… it’s…”
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
In fact, it was. The round stage was full of colours, it seemed alive…There was a big space inside it where, Rick supposed, would be announced the candidates.
“I wish I could be a candidate and be a hero to my city…” The youngster replied.
Rick put the younger in the floor.
“What is your name?”
“Sirumis, sir.”
“Look, Sirumis, being a candidate isn’t easy. But if you have faith in your own skills you will be for sure a candidate of Tourch.”
“Really?!”
“Really.”
“Wow, thank you sir. Sorry, but I’ve got to look for my parents.”
Rick just waved his hand. Children were dreamers… But he acted just that way when he was a boy. He giggled remembering the stupid things he had done with his friends as a child.
“Please, we would like to start the ceremony.”
Everybody clapped and whistled. Then, the public silenced so that the speaking tube could talk.
“As you all may know, the ceremony will take all this day.” Everybody clapped interrupting the professional. “Therefore, it is my duty to tell you the rules of Tourch.”
When finishing this phrase, everybody disagreed showing their disagreement with vegetables and things of that sort. The police, predicting that accident, was already in action. The crowd finally calmed down as the speaking tube was telling the rules. They seemed to be preparing their seats like knowing he was going to talk for a log time…
“First Article: the aim of Tourch is to defeat physically the opponent. Each village has his own representative, which makes fifteen. Tourch finishes when 14 candidates are defeated.”
Nothing new.
“Second Article: a battle is over when a player gives up or dies. For defence or attack, there can be used different arts chosen in this day. When declaring defeat, the candidate can never turn back and the candidate who defeated him is the one who will choose the loser’s destiny but the loser can never kill the winner not even for revenge.”
“Third article: for an efficient organisation, this year, every candidate will be parked with a scientific innovation that can tell the referee the location of every candidate.”
“Ohhhhhhhhh!…” the crowd exclaimed.
“That is just a way to cheat!” a voice said in the middle of the crowd.
The speaking tube tried to ignore the voice.
“Hum, hum…Fourth article: the players cannot receive any help from other people, except if those people are his tool and art for attack or defence. In that case, only one helper can be chosen. If any candidate receives help, he or she will be disqualified and the citizen will be severely punished.”
Everybody yawned. He had finally finished..
“Fifth article:…”
“What? Tourch only has 3 rules! And that innovation thing isn’t that bad!” Rick heard behind him.
The professional stopped for a little.
“Excuse me, may I have you attention, please?”
The crowd finally silenced.
“This year, the referee decided to make a new rule. The referee decided it was the best decision to do and, besides having a great controversy…”
“Spill it already!” a citizen ordered.
And the speaking tube obeyed gasping the population.
“Magic will be permitted.”

To be continued

Next Chapter:
The ceremony isn’t over…