The Petal and Thorn Games
The city was more alive than it had felt all season. Every corner of every Burho was decorated with a rainbow of different flowers, even the Ghost Burho saw a rise in flora. The tunawa who usually resided within the Tree Burho had been working tirelessly through the night to decorate the whole of the lands. While it wasn't apparent beyond the walls the massive city had been transformed into a verdant paradise. It would never last. Flowers didn't live long in Yaralon but for one trial, for one celebration, they would endure.
In the early breaks of the trial, just after dawn, Yari filled the streets to participate. A large group gathered at the base of the Tree Burho in preparation and one face among them pulled droves of focus. Liandra Haze had come to participate. She'd come alone. No Death Nel Raider's at her back. It was strange. A seemingly elderly tunawa emerged from his home in the Tree Burho and called for the attention of the gathered so he could give the introductory speech. As with every arc, the elder explained how the games would work. It was necessary given that there were entirely new faces in the mass that had gathered. All throughout the city, in every single burho, tunawa had gone into hiding. Each hidden tunawa had a special flower with them. Once found, the tunawa would give their flower to whoever discovered them and join them along the journey.
Everyone had from sunrise to sundown to assemble their flower crown and whoever had the most flowers in their crown by the end of the trial would be crowned the Flower King (or Queen) for the arc. While this was mostly an honorary title, no one could deny that the Flower King or Queen always seemed to find themselves a little more fortunate for the arc of their reign. Dueling during the celebration was frowned upon but not unheard of. This arc the challenge had been raised by introducing the city's verdant makeover and that was sure to cause some strife if anyone attempted to cheat.
Regardless, with the elder's speech given and the tunawa dispatched into the city, the Petal and Thorn Games had begun.
Unbeknownst to the placated masses within the city, a large vessel had been seen moving through the skies and settled over Maiden's Refuge. It was just far enough into the distance that those manning the walls might have mistaken it for a storm cloud. Lacking a central governing power, Yaralon offered no official response to this mysterious arrival. That didn't mean there wasn't a response being issued.
In the early breaks of the trial, just after dawn, Yari filled the streets to participate. A large group gathered at the base of the Tree Burho in preparation and one face among them pulled droves of focus. Liandra Haze had come to participate. She'd come alone. No Death Nel Raider's at her back. It was strange. A seemingly elderly tunawa emerged from his home in the Tree Burho and called for the attention of the gathered so he could give the introductory speech. As with every arc, the elder explained how the games would work. It was necessary given that there were entirely new faces in the mass that had gathered. All throughout the city, in every single burho, tunawa had gone into hiding. Each hidden tunawa had a special flower with them. Once found, the tunawa would give their flower to whoever discovered them and join them along the journey.
Everyone had from sunrise to sundown to assemble their flower crown and whoever had the most flowers in their crown by the end of the trial would be crowned the Flower King (or Queen) for the arc. While this was mostly an honorary title, no one could deny that the Flower King or Queen always seemed to find themselves a little more fortunate for the arc of their reign. Dueling during the celebration was frowned upon but not unheard of. This arc the challenge had been raised by introducing the city's verdant makeover and that was sure to cause some strife if anyone attempted to cheat.
Regardless, with the elder's speech given and the tunawa dispatched into the city, the Petal and Thorn Games had begun.
Unbeknownst to the placated masses within the city, a large vessel had been seen moving through the skies and settled over Maiden's Refuge. It was just far enough into the distance that those manning the walls might have mistaken it for a storm cloud. Lacking a central governing power, Yaralon offered no official response to this mysterious arrival. That didn't mean there wasn't a response being issued.