Mark of the Fool

Chapter 228: Heading to The Grand Battle

Theresa beamed, standing atop the podium with Thundarwho was pumping his fists in the airand a grinning Grimloch who spread his hands in a come on gesture.

The crowd roared, chanting their names: Grimloch! Grimloch! Grimloch! Thereeeesaaa! Thereeeesaaa! Thereeeessaaa! Thundar! Thundar! Thundar!

Their names echoed throughout the stadium. Alex could almost feel the energy in the air as their gold medals were hung around their necks.

Grimloch had to get down on both knees to receive his.

And now, for their next prize! the announcer cried. Twenty four hundred gold! Our mighty champions of The Grand Melee will be taking home the handsome sum of eight hundred gold a piece! Enough to have some fine weapons or chainmail custom crafted for themselves. He looked at the shark man and laughed. Though from Grimlochs stature, I think his might be a bit more pricey! He kept laughing for a while, clearly enjoying his own joke. The shark man stared at him.

Now, as I was saying. The announcer snapped his fingers; three long slips of parchment appeared in his hand. But, not only will they share in twenty four hundred gold, theyll each receive a voucher to Starks Armoury and Weapons, home of the finest smiths and enchanters in all of Generasi! Each slip represents the price of one enchanted weapon, or one piece of enchanted armour! We will have our champions properly equipped!

The cheering swelled to almost deafening heights, with Alex and his ecstatic group screaming with pride.

This was glorious! Khalik roared. Like a battle out of legends!

Ill say! Mr. Lu shouted over the noise. Did you see our Theresa? She threw that lightning sword like she was throwing a dart! Scar the Bandit King would be shaking in his boots if he saw her!

She Mrs. Lu blinked, watching her daughter with a somewhat lost expression. Shes grown so much in the year shes been away from us.

Were she a dryad, we would exalt her for her skills, Sinope watched the young huntress closely. Alex noticed she was leaning toward Khalik; her body language was very comfortable. It takes deeds such as hers to qualify someone for the autumn council in our wood.

Whats the autumn council? Selina asked.

Our war council, it assembles during times of hardship, Sinope said. That is why it is named after the autumn season, for autumn brings hardship to all forest life.

Rightbecause fall means that winters coming. Selina looked up at the dryads willow-branch-like hair. And winters hard for everyone.

Yes, indeed, Sinope said. Though, winter is not so bad in Generasi.

Its a lot warmer here than where were from, Selina said then turned to Isolde. So, Theresa, Thundar and Grimloch won the Grand Melee, Khalik and Najyah won the Lightweight Duel by Proxy and he did really well in the spell joust-

The sun blinded me, the prince said sullenly. Sinope put her hand on his arm.

-Grimloch won the Great Water Hunt, and Alex and Claygon won the Super Heavyweight Duel by Proxy. So, do you think you guys will win the Grand Battle?

Hmmm, Isolde mused. It is still difficult to say.

Really? Mrs. Lu asked. Even with what you saw today?

Indeed. Isolde pursed her lips in thought. The Outcasts of the Divine Wind did not enter this contestlikely to keep themselves fresh for tomorrow. Indrajit Hanuman is a competent wizard, but he was not able to bring the full brunt of his spellcasting to bear, which he will be allowed to do under the rules of tomorrows contest. Tyris Goldtooth will face us not only with a team, but with her full power, a grudge to repay, and that monstrous familiar of hers. And look there.

She pointed down at the field.

Competitors whod been knocked out of the melee were watching the three gold medalists, then looking up at Alex and the others as if appraising them.

We are being watched, Isolde said. And come tomorrow, we shall be targeted.

Oh Selina said. Well, maybe you can pound them like Theresa, Grimloch, and Thundar just did.

Hopefully. Hopefully, Isolde said.

Alex watched their watchers.

As soon as The Grand Melee began, warriors had focused on two teams: Theresa, Thundar and Grimlochs, and Hanumans group. It was a smart tactic. Eliminate major threats fast, especially if they could catch them off guard. Now because of their victories, Alex and his friends had become one of those major threats. Theyd probably be targeted from all sides tomorrow; it was like Baelin said: power attracted attention and that attention was often malicious.

Attention

Power

Thinking about attention and power and The Grand Battle, reminded him that The Games would be coming to an end and the expedition would be startingthat is if the demon summoner was ever caught. Maybe hed be back in Thameland soon, and in closer proximity to the other four Heroes.

Im glad therere only four for me to avoid. He thought.

He had no idea if Uldar could just mark as many Heroes as he felt like. It seemed like having an army of Heroes might be better than only having five, but Alex had learned that divine power had limits.

The priests used to teach the people of Alric that Uldar was this benevolent, unbeatable, force whose Heroes would always win out over The Ravener. Yet Baelin talked about gods like they were ordinaryjust more powerfulmortals. Not above judgement. Not above death. Alex remembered Oreca: he was a demigod, but hed been killed by a mortal warrior whod wielded steel as well as magic.

And hed been killed because hed been denied worship.

Worship that hed needed.

Uldars power was probably limited too; otherwise, he could have squashed The Ravener like a bug any time he wanted to. Soif he had limits to his strengthmaybe he could have marked more Heroes, just made them weaker instead of creating five powerful ones. Alex was considering the possibilities since the Grand Melee had really shown him that having a few elites as a team could be better than having a large force.

Numbers helped on an open fielda large group of warriors surrounding Hanuman had proved thatbut high numbers wouldnt necessarily workin a tight dungeon. Also, a massive group of weaker Heroes would have to split up to deal with multiple dungeons at once.

Which meant the divided groups would be less powerfulnot as much of a threatso The Ravener and the dungeon cores wouldnt have to use as many resources against them. Monster hordes could be sent to more places: farms, cities, towns, churches, or ports to increase the damage it wanted to cause, maybe even wreck the countryside, or even the capitol.

But making four really powerful Heroesand one Foolchanged that scenario.

Alex remembered how Cedric had crushed those Silence Spiders. Wherever The Heroes went, dungeon cores wouldnt last for long, and since they were a small team, their mobility was fluid.

If they had a Sage that was powerful enough to use teleportation spells, they could move to any part of the realm they wanted. They could reinforce the army in one area, then teleport and instantly be in another part of the kingdom, cleaning out another dungeon. They could accomplish a lot in one day.

A small force of elites would not only be hard to track, but they'd be devastating to The Raveners forces. So, the dungeon cores would need to put a tight focus on eliminating Uldars five Heroes.

And any monsters attacking them would mean less monsters attacking anything else, Alex thought.

They were Uldars champions who drew The Raveners eye each cycle, and the ultimate tools of its destruction.

I wonder what thatll mean for our expedition? he thought. Our cabals gotten pretty strong and pretty resourceful, and well be with a bunch of experienced wizards. Somelike Professor Juleswho can fight. Which means well also be a threat to it, especially when we start taking dungeon cores.

He imagined the expedition's castle standing tall, not only as a place for research, but also as a threat that would draw The Raveners armies. Maybe he was being paranoid, but if people started looking into the mysteries of the dungeon coresand maybe learned how to hijack them

If I were The Ravener, Id use a lot ofresources to remove that threat from off the map.

He sighed.

There was so much he didnt know.

There was so much to learn. He was determined to do just that.

Once the Grand Battle was over, then only the demon summoner stood between them and the start of the expedition.

He took a deep breath and exhaled.

And one of those events would be resolved tomorrow.

The rest of the evening was spent in a small celebration for Theresa, Thundar and Grimlochs victories, but everyone kept themselves well under control. With The Grand Battle coming up the next morning, they had to be fresh and free of lingering effects of too much celebrating, if they wanted to perform well.

Alex doubted that most of them would be able to sleep anyway. They were way too excited.

# # #

The next morning dawned on the final day of The Games of Roal.

The air was filled with tension: Alex could feel it as soon as he got out of bed. The demon summoner hadnt attacked during The Games, so he began to wonder if theyd make a move before they ended.

Then again, he thought. The event is a celebration of the defeat of a demigod. Maybe theyll just sit back and enjoy it, like everyone else.

It seemed he was the only one feeling tense about the demon summoner. Orif the others werethey were more focused on other things.

Well, today is the day, Khalik said as Alex, Theresa, Claygon, Brutus and Selina met him in the hall of the insula. Najyah perched on his arm. Is everyone ready?

As ready as Ill ever be, Alex said.

I dont think we could do any more to prepare, Theresa said. Now, all we can do is bring our best to the fight.

Mhm. Khalik let out a breath. It seems the shadow of cowardice stalks only me, then.

Oh no, Im nervous too, Theresa said.

Me three, Alex said.

Hah! That makes me feel better! Khalik laughed. Let us see if these nerves have infected everyone else!

It seemed they had in a way.

They met Theresas parents down the hall andas they emerged from the insula and met the rest of their friendsthe tension increased. They were all nervous, but ready. Alex looked at the body language of folks passing by. He didnt see any of the signs that some displayed when they were afraid: they werent turning their head every which way like they expected to be attacked at any second, they werent looking like they were closed off and needed to protect themselves, and their steps were leisurely, not quick like someone hurrying away from danger.

There was a relaxedness to their movements, though some were a bit breathless, but Alex thought that could be from the anticipation of the big event.

The Grand Battle had everyoneparticipants and spectators alikeexcited.

The only ones who seemed tense about the demon summoner were the authorities.

The team of trackers who usually followed him and his friendsthe plainclothes officerswere gone. No matter how hard Alex looked, he couldnt find a trace of them as he walked from the insula to the tournament grounds and central stadium. If the tail had been replaced, he couldnt tell who they were.

The stadium loomed ahead and crowds streamed in from throughout campus, the city, and beyond. The rest of the festival grounds were fairly quiet; vendors had even begun packing up their wares, winding up four very busy, and no doubt very profitable, days. Nearby, Alex suddenly saw familiar plainclothes officers moving through the mob. Some of his usual tails were following other people. Watchers of Roal hovered on their flying disks, surveilling from above.

Most eyes must be on the Grand Battle, he thought. It makes sense that theyd be putting much of their resources here. Not that Im complaining.

No other events besides The Grand Battle, Khalik said. It looks like all eyes will be focused here today.

Yeah Thundar agreed, as he watched a food vendor dismantle his cart. its kinda sad. These last few days have been crazy. So much to see and do. The foodits too bad its all gonna be gone tomorrow.

Nothing lasts for all time, Isolde said. We should enjoy ourselves while we can. After The Games, we shall have the expedition to prepare for in earnestand any battle in Thameland shall not provide us with foes who have spells blunting their attacks, or spell-marks that can whisk us away at a moments trouble.

Oh? Mrs. Lu looked at her. Those things cant magic you away from danger in Thameland?

I fear not, Isolde said. The spellcraft required involves a sixth-tier spell.

Is that high?

Very, Isolde said. To cast it on a large group would require an extremely powerful wizard, or a large group of powerful wizards working in tandem, or the use of incredibly expensive magical machinery, which is what the Watchers use during The Games. Such machinery cannot draw power from the mana vents at such a great distance and the vents only exist here in Generasi. Further, there is a range limit upon those spells: a long range, but a range nonetheless. Were Baelin to cast it upon us, he would have to remain fairly close for the entirety of the time we explore, and otherwise engage in the expedition. I am sure there shall be some days when we can expect such a luxurybut others...

She let it hang.

Alex winced, half-expecting Mrs. Lu to object to their involvement in the expedition, but she was just quiet.

I see, she said, then a look passed between her and Mr. Lu.

Well, we shall not always be able to hide behind our chancellors robes, Khalik said. Becoming dependent on combat when safety is mostly guaranteed can only train poor habits. Instincts would dull. One would be trained to take more risks from becoming used to feeling safe. That creates a false sense of safety. Should anyone expect that safety net in the real world

Monsters would kill you, Selina said, reaching up and patting Claygon on the arm.

There was a pause.

Part of Alex wanted to reassure his little sisterbut that would be a lie. She was right.

Yeah, he said. And that would kinda defeat the point of learning to deal with the worlds dangers.

Mr. Lu gave him a lookbut it didnt seem like a disapproving one.

They reached the stadium together, facing two separate doorways: one for the audience and one for the competitors.

Well, todays safe, Selina said. So itll be exciting watching you guys fight. She looked up at Alex. Make sure you win.

Well try, he said.

Assuming nothing goes wrong, he glanced at the plainclothes officersand Watchers of Roalsurveying the crowd as theymoved through it.

He thought about Mr. Lus story about Scar the Bandit King.

The man had stayed hidden for his own self-interestsuntil something so tempting and challenging had come along that he just couldnt resist going after it.

Hopefully nothing like that happens, Alex thought, feeling like he was tempting fate. But if it doeswell be together.

He looked at Selina, Mr. and Mrs. Lu, Nua-Oge and Sinope. Sinope and Nua-Oge were skilled fighters: if anything happened, theyd be right there.

Just stay hiding, demon summoner, he thought. Just keep hiding.

The time of hiding is over, Kybas whispered, peering around a tent at the crowds streaming into the stadium. Most of The Watchers were focused on the crowd.

Hed seen some patrolling campus, but fewer than thered been in past days. Grinning, he turned and patted Harmless on the side.

Come, lets get our harvest before any of these sharp-eyed folks think to look away from the big show.