Mark of the Fool

Chapter 438: The Heroes' Paths are Not the Same

and then I came here, and you punched me in the face, the Fool finished his tale. And thats it. Thats the whole story, and I swear Id rather box a behemoth than tell it again.

Fatheryou cannot punch a behemoth. It would squash you, unless I protected you. His golems voice echoed in his mind.

Figure of speech, Claygon, Alex thought. Figure of speech.

Aye, slong story in truth. Cedric hovered in midair with his arms and legs crossed, Drestras flight spell levitating him several feet above the snow. As a group, theyd relocated and were now further away from the castle floating above the ground behind a large hill. Alex told his tale to Cedric and Hart, keeping their full attention. The pair were enthralled, listening quietly, their silence only broken by a loud grinding noise as the Chosens teeth clenched and unclenched between his jaws.

On occasion, Alex paused to ask Theresa for her perspectives on things shed been present for, but apart from that, no one else said a word.

By the time the telling was done, it appeared to be well past midnight judging from the position of the moon, yet Alex was still wide awake and watching the Chosen again; especially any movement of his hands.

The pain from that fist connecting to his face had finally faded after a little application of Mana to Life, and he wasnt too eager to be the audienceand subjectof a repeat performance.

That was a long story, Hart grunted. I like the part where you blew up that windmill.

Thats what ygot out of it? Cedric looked at the Champion, his expression utterly incredulous. You only got a windmill blowin up?

Well, I was kinda disappointed when that Generasi nobles granary didnt blow up, so yeah. I was waiting for that. Whatd you get out of it?

That Ive been wastin mbloody time, an spirit wit worry! Cedric growled, whirling on Alex. You bloody bastard. Ygot any idea what's been goin through here all these months? He tapped his temple. All dis bloody time, Ive been picturin some poor fool

Literally, a Fool, Alexs mind added unhelpfully, and he wisely chose not to voice those words.

dead in a cave somewhere or all swallowed up by some great, dirty Ravener-spawn an crapped out in a forest for the worms an flies tfeast on! He snorted. I been worryin about it. Feelin guilty sometimes. An there youve been off somewherealive an wellan didnt even breathe a word tanybody. Sbloody selfish, thats what it is!

Selfish? Theresa scoffed. Cedric, I like you, but youre out of your damned mind. Did you even listen to the story? Alexs been trying to solve all of this while he was in Generasi. We all have. Even Khalik, Isolde, Thundarwhove got nothing to do with thisare putting in a lot of work to see the Ravener dead. And that it stays dead. How is that selfish? And look! He even came back!

Aye, he did, an then we met im. Cedric glared at Alex. An whatd ydo? Ydidnt say a bloody word. Even when we was in the damned Crymlyn an we learned that every bloody person under the sun's been hidin things or lyin tus, whatd ydo? Did ycome clean wit it? No, yjust kept it to yourself like a bloody sneak.

Cedric, Cedric Alex said, jumping in, keeping his voice soft. The Chosen was working himself up, and they didnt need him to lose his head and start throwing punches and agitating Claygon again. I get it, Id be mad if I were in your position, as I said. Youve been worrying about the Fool being somewhere out there, dead, and now you find out Ive been with you this whole time so you feel like all that worry was a waste.

Damned right, it was a bloody waste! The Chosen snapped. Yknow, I liked you from the first time we met back in Coille Forest. I liked both o yous His eyes scanned Theresas face. and that little sister o yours, Alex, an Brutus too. Thought you was all damned brave for facin down a silence spider wit nothin fancy, just a pair o swords an some magic.

He scoffed. Little did I bloody know, you was runnin off.

Thats not fair, Alex said. I got this on my shoulder He pointed to the Fool. an...what was supposed to happen to me? Do you remember what I looked like back then? I was a skinny bakers assistant who knew one spell. Forceball. And the Mark stopped me from casting that fast, or even very well.

Aye, but ycould cast it, couldnt ya? Cedric said. Ytalked about learnin how tcompensate for the Marks limitationsan...yknow, before I go any further let me just say that I think those limits are a complete load o shite. Youve got me sympathies, Alex. He shook his head. I dont have any way o knowin what was goin through Uldars head when he made that Mark. If what Hart said had come tpass an Id gotten the Mark o the Fool, I most likely woulda lost mbloody mind by now.

Yeah, thanks for that. Alexs jaw hardened. Memories of some difficult days came back to him andfor a momenthe could taste that early bitterness on his tongue. Itit was rough.

Aye, I imagine that it was, the Chosen nodded, his voice a bit softer. But the point is, ystarted to figure out ways around it the very night ygot Marked. Skinny bakers assistant or not, ycouldve come wit us. I said I was gonna protect the Fool when I found found em, didnt I? Yreally trusted me that little?

Alexs breathing paused in surprise.

There was an emotion that had slipped into Cedrics voice and flitted across his facetoo quick for most to notice.

Hurt.

The Chosen was hurt.

And out of all the reactions Alex expected from Cedric, that was the last one.

He sighed. Look, maybe if I knew you better back then. But, wed just bloody met. I was on the runterrified that some priest was gonna snatch me up and throw me to some Ravener-spawn at any momentand then you came walking out of the woods. No offence, but you were the very last person I wanted to meet. Im not gonna lie, I liked you too, mate. But just because I started to get around the Mark doesnt mean I wouldve been any good in a fight. Look.

He pressed a hand to his chest. Back then, I wouldve been absolute dead weight on all of you

Thats not true, Theresa interrupted him, a defensive note in her voice. We wouldve been dead in the Cave of the Traveller if it werent for that brain of yours, Alex.

Yeah, maybe, but that was a lot of luck too. He nodded to Claygons fire-gems. The Travellers defences saved us twice; if she didnt have those statues in her temple, we wouldve been Silence-spider food. If it werent for your wits and those strong arms, we mightve been Hive-queen food.

Fatherthese saved you? Claygon pointed to his fire-gems.

Yeah, buddy, a part of you has been protecting all of us since before you were born, Alex thought. And Ill never stop being grateful.

Right, ysee? Ycouldve helped us an we couldve protected yous, Cedrics fingers left impressions on his crossed arms. No need tbloody run off wit all them secrets an lies. No need t risk your lives goin through that cave by your lonesomes.

Cedric, consider it this way, Alex said. Back then you wiped out an entire horde of Silence-spiders all by yourself, and that was when youd first gotten your power. And that was against a bunch of the soldier spiders. We nearly died to a swarm of workers. Drestras told me about your adventures here: I wouldve either been dead meat, or one of you wouldve gotten hurt trying to protect me. If not one of you, then some of the soldiers following us. And this thing

He tapped his shoulder.

our people hate it. Have you ever read Galloways book on us? On the Heroes?

Cedric frowned. Cant say I have. Think I remember seein it at the clans church, but never felt no reason tread it before I got marked. Then after getting my Markwell, whats some dead mans book gonna tell me about the Chosen that I wouldnt learn in the capital or on the battlefield.

Well, its not bloody kind to people like me, Alexs tone was sharp. Theres lots of talk about how wonderful the Chosen is, the wisdom and power of past Sages, the holy might of the Saint, the unstoppable force of the Champion. But me? The Fool? He basically says Im shit. And youve heard how the priests talk about past Fools.

His eyes scanned the entire group. How would you actually react? This skinny, weak guy joins up with you in a fight for life and death. A fight for the kingdom. And all he can do is bloody bake? Sure, he can learn new things, but they dont apply real well when the main thing you need on your side is: blow up Ravener-spawn right now. So, now you have this deadweight with you who you have to protect. Tell me, how would you really react?

Silence hung over the group.

I mightve hated you, Drestra said, with a note in her voice that was as black as pitch. No, I definitely would have hated you. Those times were hard enough, and theres no way I wouldve appreciated having to protect someone else while we were facing everything we had been.

I dont think I wouldve cared. Hart shrugged. Lots of people follow a mercenary band onto a battlefield. You need cooks. You need smiths. You need stablehands. But some of those knights? The priests? A lot of them already thinking the worst about you? Yeah, I can see that not going well.

I wouldve protected ya, Cedric insisted. I said I wouldve done it when I first met yous, an I meant it then, and I still mean it. Im not some fairweather friend or stupid bastard who believes all that cruel shite.

Yes, Alex said, looking Cedric directly in his eyes. I believe you. But you also said to me when we first met that, in your eyes, every Hero has a role, duty and purpose.

Aye, thats so.

So, you would have brought me to the priests, Alex said. You would have protected me, sure, but I wouldnt want to just sit on a battlefield somewhere and be protected, Cedric. Id want to contribute to the fight, to my family, and to the world. And I couldnt do that if you were there acting as my nursemaid while I was desperately trying not to die every fight.

Well, ylearned how tfight down in that big school o yours, didnt ya? If ydid it there, you couldve done it by our side, the Chosens voice dropped. His hand shot up, raking his long hair. I woulda seen to it that ywoulda learned.

No, man. Alex shook his head. Ive only gotten to where I am because of the people I met. Cedric, youre a good manand I mean thatbut, no offence, youre not Khalik. Youre not Thundar. Youre not Isolde

Cedric flinched at her name.

youre not Vernia Jules. Youre not Baelin. Youre not ValRok. Youre not Kybas. Youre not Gel-Dor and Fan-Dor. Youre not Shiani. Youre not Professor Ram. Youre not Professor Mangal, Hak or Salinger. Youre not Claygon. And youre certainly not Theresa. All of those people helped me get to where I am today, and listen; the real lie I could tell you is that I got here all on my own. It took a lot of time, a lot of resources, and a lot of people to get me to where I am. To get me to the point where I could at least keep up with all of you, in my own way.

He made a motion like he was gripping an invisible sphere. And without the universitys resources? We never wouldve figured out any of the dungeon cores secrets. We never wouldve figured out the truth behind Uldar or the church. None of it.

Drestra couldve taught you more about magic, Cedric said, though his voice had less conviction.

No. The Sage shook her head. Ive had enough asked of me. You wanted me to play teacher too, on the battlefield? No. No! I would have flown back to the Crymlyn and burned anyone that stepped foot in it after me.

Another silence took the group.

...Aye, a lots been asked oyou already, Cedric grunted. I still think we mightve been better off ifn ywere at our side. Look, ysay you woulda been dead weight but the three of us get along a lot better wit you about. Maybe things wouldve been easier beforebut, then again, maybe not.

His nostrils flared, revealing misting breath. Yknow, when this thing appeared on me chest. He tapped the symbol of the Chosen. I thought it was the best day of mlife. I actually did a jig. I screamed so loud it brought da out from the smithy tsee if Id been mauled by a bear or somethin.

He chuckled at the distant memory. Everyone in the clan was all a roarin an laughin. Kegs oale got tapped. Heaps ofood was brung out. He laughed even harder, tapping the morphic weapon that had shaped itself into a gauntlet on his arm. The clan leaders even granted me M-chumadhthe most prized weapon in all the clanand sent me off to do the ancestors proud. And thats what I set out to do too.

His smile faded, and he looked at Alex. Might be that I imagined it was the same fer all of us. Same for youan if it wasnt, I thought I could make it that way.

And thats why youre the perfect person to get the Mark of the Chosen, Cedric, Alex said. Listen, Im telling the truth when I say that theres no person Ive ever met from Thameland that Id rather have that Mark than you. But this? He tapped his own Mark. You alone couldnt make this better for me, or make the me from back then fit better with all of you. I needed to do that in my own way and take care of my family while doing it. I get your anger, man. I get your hurt. You wanted to do right by everyone and I kept this a secret from you. Makes you wonder who to believe. But thats the thing, Cedric.

Alex spread his hands. You might have broad shoulders, friend, but theyre not going to carry the whole world. And they shouldnt have to.

Aye, maybe youre rightah shite, now I feel like a complete ass for punchin ya, sorry about that, man, the Chosen apologised.

Well, Im sorry we couldnt have this talk sooner, Alex said. Weve had it now, though. And it didnt come out in some stupid misunderstanding that wouldve seen us try to kill each other.

Claygon tried to kill me.

And hes sorry about that.

I am not, father.

Well talk later, Claygon, Alex thought.

Well, now that all of our cards are on the table, Hart cut in. Are we all good with each other?

Aye, I am. An...glad that were all together. The Chosen grinned, revealing his gold tooth.

Hart stared at the tooth for a moment, then at Cedrics hair, then shuddered and looked away.

I am too, Alex said. And nowI think we should take the next step.

Oh? An whats that? Cedric asked.

Me and Baelin go kill Ezaliel and find out whats happening with the Traveller, Alex said. You all try to catch one of thoseclawed creatures and find out what the hells going on with our church.