Erm, Im not being flippant, its just He gestured to the custors standing in line. these people are buying breakfast before they have to get to work; a lot of them dont have extra ti, so I was simply thinking that we could stop interrupting their morning.
There.
A reminder that many of his custors were on their way to work, and didnt have ti to waste on religious zealots taking up their morning, making them late for work, or having to leave without getting sothing to eat.
More irritated looks drilled into the Uldarites.
Holy FoolEr, Alex. One of the Campus for Uldar mbers stepped forward. Youre talking about soones day being interrupted while Uldars people struggle and die back ho? Look at this place! You live in comfort while the other Heroes risk their lives every day! His voice began to rise. Youre a coward and
Hold on. Alex raised a hand. Youre going to scare my sister with all that yelling, and we also have other children waiting in line here for their breakfast He glanced at the custors, so of whom had their families with them. so could you
He kept his voice steady and even, choosing two of his next words on purpose.
Not to defuse, but to infuriate.
...please calm down? he finished, using words he knew never to use during an argunt. There were few phrases lesslikely to calm soone down than demanding that soone calm down.
Predictably, the Campus for Uldar mber did not calm down.
Youre not taking this seriously at all! he shouted. Our people fight and die, while you live here in luxury!
No, he doesnt! Selinas voice stopped him. Fire burned in her eyes. I hardly see Alex anymore. Hes always working on magic and golems and stuff to help our ho and people like you!
The young girl pointed at the university student, who took a step back in surprise.
Shed taken everyone by surprise with her forceful words.
Hes always away on the expedition back to Thaland, fighting Ravener-spawn! she cried. Him, and our friends are always there, fighting for everyone! Every ti he leaves, I get so worried that hes not going to co back. Hes not living in comfort here! Hes fighting hard for all of us!
Alex looked down at Selina, bursting with pride.
The old priestess eyes rested on the young girl and she smiled sadly. My child, you know little of what you speak. Uldars plan says that the Fool must fight alongside the Heroes
He has been, Theresa took over from where Selina left off, looking at the priestess closely. He, Claygon, and I have been fighting alongside the Heroes for months. Weve been making sure that the army has fewer dungeons to deal with, and less Ravener-spawn in the fields and forests of our holand. Alex, Cedric, Drestra, Hart and rzhin have fought together. Ive been there beside them. Ive seen it.
Good job, Selina and Theresa! Alex wanted to shout.
A number of Uldarites were looking at each other, their discomfort plain as they whispered to one another, suddenly faced with a revelation that now shook their assumptionsone that made their point seem less about life and death, and more about their allegiance to what they thought they knew.
Alex was close to smiling, but stifled it. They must have learned about from rumours going around Generasi, not from the secret church. Seems they dont have much information and just showed up here without a plan. This is getting better and better.
I dont know what kind of twisted truth youre telling, but theres only one thing that matters: you should not be here, said a Campus for Uldar mber who stood next to the priestess. She was a young blonde with harsh grey eyes and a vicious sneer. If what you say is true, then you should be even more ashad of yourself. Fighting alongside the Heroes should be your life; they dont get to co back to a comfortable bakery. I imagine that theyre out in the wilderness right now, living rough, constantly at risk of Ravener-spawn attacks! You get to co back here to a comfortable bed andand
The young womans harsh expression crumbled as tears sprang to her eyes.
She pointed a shaking finger at Alex. While youre here, good people like Carey London die at the claws of Ravener-spawn! I was at her funeral, She sobbed, ...and I saw you thereyou should be ashad of yourself for even attending her service while you were here in Generasi cowering and running from your holy duties!
Thats right! cried another Campus for Uldar mber, Alex recognised him from his magic lore class. Ive seen you on campus, but I didnt take you for a coward, pushing your duties on others! You slink around campus laughing, drinking, taking classeswhile people like Carey give their lives!
The rage was back, slamming into Alex like a demons burning hamr.
Laughing? Drinking? he thought. Who do you think has been trying to preserve Careys mory. And you're dead wrong if you think Ravener-spawn were what killed Carey! No, it was the sa bloody church shed dedicated most of her life to! A life shed spent on the very thing that killed her!
Alex seethed, fighting to keep his mouth from blurting out the truth, from spilling every secret hed vowed to keep.
But, Claygon spoke first.
You wereat Careys funeral his voice changed to that of a kindly woman. It was a voice well suited to a priestess of Uldar. I saw youthereI was there too
Exactly! the teary-eyed Campus for Uldar mber sobbed. I
Yesbut wherewere you? Where were youwhen Carey needed you?
From the silence that followed, it seed as though everyone had stopped breathing. In that stillness, Uldarites seed to shrink, casting their eyes down, exchanging guilty or confused looks. Custors were also exchanging glances. So glared in annoyance, while others smirked at what had gone from being a quick stop to grab a al, to high drama; entertainnt that was spicing up their morning and feeding the daily gossip.
What do you an? the crying woman demanded. I said I was there, at the funeral! Uldar should strike you down for
No, the golem cut her off. That isnot what I ant. Careywas deadat the funeralthats not when she needed youshe needed everyone when she was alive. But you all shunned her. When she was riskingher lifeI wastherewhen she fought ourenemies. Yourenemies. I was therefightingbeside her. I was almost destroyed byour enemies. I was therehelping herI was thereand Theresa was therewe were therewhen she died
Claygon took a step forward. Andso was father. Fatheralmost died trying to save her too. He was therebut itsodd. You said you were there when Carey needed youbut I do not rember seeing you at her side when she was fightingI do not rember seeing you there when she diedwhere were you?
Dead silence.
With every word, the Uldarites visibly shrank further, growing paler as Claygon spoke.
Could you leave? a custor suddenly said, an older man with a receding hairline. Listen, this bakerys had enough problems; first soone tries to sabotage it on the day it opens, and now this? Look, all of this has been fine gossip. It made my morning, but now its getting irritating. Coward? Fool? I dont know whats going on, but what I do know is that Alexander Roth fought on Orecas Fall, and he and his team saved a lot of lives. They helped people in the countryside when they were attacked, and theyre even helping your own countryn apparently. Why dont you all either buy sothing or go ho. And if youre going to buy sothing, get to the back of the line, which is outside!
He pointed at the door.
Cheers of agreent rose from the other custors; the majority looked as though they wanted the confrontation to just end, and for these troublemakers to vanish.
The old priestess looked around the room, her expression growing darker and darker.
Should I call the guards? Troy suddenly called, sticking his head around the kitchen door. Alex wondered how long hed been listening.
Thats not necessary, the priestess nearly spat. We will return; the Fool must fulfil his duty, butobviously this is not the ti.
Oh, before you go! Alex said, teleporting to his room, grabbing his staff, and teleporting beside the old woman.
Those in the dining area startled at his sudden disappearance and reappearance.
Let just do one thing, he said, looking at her solemnly and raising the aeld staff.
He began channelling his mana.
What are you doing? the old priestess demanded, her eyes bulging as the aelds crystalline blooms flared with both power and light.
She backed away, wobbling on her cane, several Uldarites cried out in alarm. Soone call the guard! Hes attacking her!
But Alex paid their hysterics no mind, drawing on the magic of
Mana to Life.
Pointing his staff at the priestess, he transford his mana into life force, pouring it into the old womans body, watching as vigour washed over her.
What? Whats happened to my pain is gone she murmured.
Those poultices youre wearing are to stop pain and help with healing arent they? Alex asked her.
Howhow did you know that? she said slowly.
I can sll them. I recognise so of the herbs from magical botany. Alex said. I dont know why you havent healed yourself with your miracles, or asked Uldar to heal you, but I couldnt just let soone of your age keep suffering in pain. Even if you did co here to see put in chains.
His voice was calm, but firm.
Youthis minor injury was not worthy of Uldars attention, she snapped. I was fine. I had no reason to waste one of his precious miracles on so minor a thing.
Thats up to you, Alex said. But, Im glad I spent my mana on sothing, that was apparently, beneath Uldar.
He let a hint of his contempt for the dead god slip into his voice.
She glared at him, but the damage to her cause wascomplete.
He had healed her with his own powera woman who had, by her deeds, declared herself his enemyyet hed shown her kindness in the process.
It was the final nail in the Uldarites coffin.
In the end, hed appeared calm, brave and kindall the things theyd claid that he wasnt.
Bored children in line began making rude noises, making it obvious that the waiting Generasians were now done with the show.
I say, if soone doesnt call the guards, then I will! cried a custor with thick mutton chops. Out, out I say, and let good, honest people go about their day! Save your preaching for your church!
The Uldarites began slinking away like lurking serpents suddenly exposed in tall grass. The priestess eyes narrowed. This is not over, Holy Fool. I will see that the city knows a fugitive of Thaland hides within its walls.
I committed no cri, so go talk to them if thats what you feel you need to do, Alex said simply.
The cri is against Uldar himself, the priestess cried. And he will have you.
Youd be surprised, he thought.
Turning her back on him, she walked through her crowd of followers as they moved aside to let her pass. So threw Alex nasty looksthough others looked almost apologetic. As one, they left the Roth Family Bakery, its door slamming behind them.
Bastards, Theresa whispered.
Alex turned to the crowd of custors and gave them an apologetic smile.
Im sorry. His hands were spread helplessly. Youve all been very patient, and I thank you for that. For everyone whos been waiting in line? Well be throwing in a complintary croissant with your order, and my best wishes and hopes that the rest of your day is less exciting than mines been so far. He laughed modestly.
Folk thanked him, so offered their sympathies, while others asked what in the world a Fool was.
With help from the Mark, he answered, giving them an abridged version of a very complex story, carefully worded to avoid certain details, like Uldar being dead. In a turn of irony, as the Mark was helping Alex tell his story in the most sympathetic way, it was also letting people see the Fool as valuable, not as so useless nace like the Uldarites had claid.
Just happy no one punched in the face this ti, he thought, rubbing his jaw at a mory.
Cedric had a pretty an hook!
Reviews
All reviews (0)