Mark of the Fool

Chapter 722: An Argument for Departure

Evening had fallen, and for most folk outside the Heroes tent, the camp was still bustling with activity.

Soldiers were busy with defences and logistics. Thameish priests healed the wounded, while strategists poured over maps, planning for the next day. Men and women drank. Some shared a meal. Some spoke of the battle theyd just been through. While others were already tucked in their sleeping rolls, looking for any peace they could get before another attack came.

Outside the Heroes tent, the air was bustling, yet restrained.

Though inside, one could hear even the smallest pop and crackle of brazier fires illuminating it.

No one spoke.

It was as though every breath had stopped.

All eyes were on Alexander Roth, the Fool of Thameland, and behind those eyes was the same question; what in the world was he saying?

The best move is for me to search for it alone.

With a single statement, hed declared hed be leaving them behind, going out on his own to likely face another ambush by the church, the ferocity and divinity of the First Apostle, and all other dangers he found himself caught in within the Irtyshenan Empire.

He said nothing after that, only staying quiet again, eyes unfocused and forehead furrowed in thought.

Theresa broke the silence.

Have you lost your damn mind? she shouted.

Others joined her, the abrupt uproar shattered the stillness.

The blood loss must have drained away your brains! Thundar shouted. Im not letting you go back there by yourself. Whatre you thinking?

FatherIm hereto protect you Claygon said. I cantlet youdo this by yourselfif the ambush had happened when you wereon your ownyou would be dead

Exactly! Theresa pointed at Alex with her sword. What are you even talking about? Listen, after you went to the Hells, we talked about this! she snapped. Im not made of glass, you dont have to leave me behind in case I get hurt. We face the enemy together.

He shook his head. I know, I know. And I wont lie and say that Im not worried about that, but, you were burning, Theresa. Tears welled up in his eyes. Just like my parents. Ifif youd diedif youd died like thatby the Traveller, there wouldnt be much left of me. But, this isnt about me trying to protect you. Its about Selina, Alex said. As well as your parents, brothers and Brutus.

He looked at her grimly, then turned to Claygon. Listen, we dont know how the hidden church tracked me. We have no information or any hope of getting any unless we somehow capture one of them. I might be able to guess how they found meand how they got to the Empire as fast as the did

Ill bet you they used the fae roads, Drestra said, smoke rising behind her veil. If the Gui She caught herself. if that faes leading them, then theyre probably using the fae roads to travel on. Theyll be able to move fast, but thankfully, not as fast as you.

How did they know where we were? Theresa asked.

Alex shook his head. Thats the thing, I dont know. Maybe theyre following us somehow, invisibly. Maybe the Guild tipped them offI just dont know. We know nothing, and thats the very reason why we need you back in Generasi. Theres a chance they could go after Selinaor others that we love. Theyll need protection.

He pointed to his right shoulder. At the same time, we cant stop searching for Keldas sanctum; the sooner we find it, the better.

Alex looked at Cedric. Ravener-spawn attacks have gotten worse, havent they?

Aye, Cedric said. What yous saw today? That there was a light bloody tap compared twhats been goin on. Theyve been gettin a whole lot worse lately.

Things are escalating, Tyris said. Thats why Ive been coming here more often to help out.

Same, Thundar admitted. Isolde and Khalik have been here a lot more too.

I have a feeling that the Ravener is building to something, Merzhin said. With what we learned from Uldars Rise, the Ravener will wish to keep the cycle going, and the hidden church is trying to ensure that the cycle does not come to an end.

But now, the cycles destabilising, Drestra said. Uldars Rise has been taken away from the hidden church, we have a fledgling demigoddess emerging in her power, and certain people can control dungeon cores, all of thats a threat to it

...so it makes sense that the Raveners not just going to sit there, Alex said. Time is passing, and theres something coming. I cant just go back to Generasi and not find Keldas sanctum. So, we have to divide and conquer. Everyone thats here is needed here. We need people looking out for those we love at home.

He pointed to his chest. Which means Im the one that has to go find Keldas sanctum, it needs to be my complete focus. The faster we find it, the better, so Ill have to stay in the Empire until its found.

Alexs jaw clenched. I dont want toI dont want to disappear from Selinas life for who knows how long, I dont want to stop my studies with professor Mangal, I dont want to stop building golems and helping the expedition. I dont want to stop going to school and I dont want to be away from my friendsbut its only temporary, and it has to happen.

His teeth loudly ground in his jaws. They wanted to kill me. They focused on me. If I go back to Generasi, thats just going to tell them hey, come to where I am and kill my family to get to me! If I stay in the Empire, thatll keep them there, with any hope. Meanwhile, Theresa, Claygon and Brutus will be able to protect the people we care about back home. Or at least, give them a better chance.

Thats a noble thought, Alex, Birger said. And its none of my business, but they nearly killed you all today; do you really think that Claygon, Theresa and Brutus will be enough to protect who you love back in your city?

Itsits better than letting them attack Selina when shes alone, Alex said. And again, if Im in the north, leading them around the Empire, that gives them a target thats faraway from my familyAnd maybe the safest place for them to be right now, is back in the insula. I doubt the church and their fae ally would be insane enough to attack the campus, andUldar help them if they did, which he cant. Hobb and the Watchers will be right there. If they attack campus they risk harming students and the school. And I dont think theyd like what Hobb would do to them if that happened.

Alex shuddered, then turned to Theresa. But this meansyou, Selina, Claygon, Brutus, your parents and brothers, will have to leave our new home for a while, but He paused, words failing him. It has to be done. Youll need to stay on campus to protect Selina and the rest of our family. If the church tries anything, Hobb and the Watchers will have time to react. Hobb cant be everywhere at once, or Minervus would still be alive, and we wouldnt have lost anyone in the demon attacks. But, with the three of you there as extra protection from an ambush in Generasi, our family will be safer. The church needs a target thats far away from my family. And Im that target.

Silence hung over the tent.

Tears welled in Theresas eyes. Thisare you sure?

Alex shook his head, smiling sadly. If you didnt think I was right, then youd still be telling me not to do it. This has to be the way, until the church is stoppedbut once I find Keldas sanctum

Anger surged in him. Theyre going to regret ever touching us.

He stood, looking at Theresa, Claygon and Brutus. Come on, its time to take you back home.

Hey! Thundar jumped up, and crossing the tent, he caught Alex in a bear hug. Im gonna miss you, man. Hurry up and find that damn sanctum.

The young wizard hugged him back, lifting the minotaur off his feet. Im gonna find it, I promiseand Ill be bringing back the First Apostles head afterward.

Cedric caught both the minotaur and Fool from the side, hoisting them off the ground in an even tighter hug.

Ugh! Alex squawked. Cedricyoure crushingus

Aye, been workin at it, the Chosen laughed. Ybetter hurry it up, alright? I dont wanna hear nothin bout ynot comin back for years or anythin like it.

Drestra touched Alexs shoulder. I wish I could help you; I still owe you for all you did for my people. The best I can do is study, grow more powerful and defend our homeland while youre gone.

Well keep the realm safe, Hart said. And you save some of that First Apostle for me. He owes me his skin. All them hidden church bastards do.

Id just settle for them being dead, no matter what it takes, Tyris said.

Imay you do whats best for Thameland, Merzhin said, a haunted look in his eyes.

Birger and Bjorgrund were looking at each other until Alex caught their eye.

He knew they had a lot to talk about.

###

Im not leaving my home, Birger growled, glowering at Alex under the late evening light. Youll have to drag me from my cottage in a corpse-collectors cart.

Listen, you need to stay in my city for a while, Alex said. We dont know what our enemies know; they could have already found your home, and its my fault that you got dragged into thiswell, actually, its their fault for being bastards, but its me that theyre hunting. The point is that I have to take responsibility for you being involved in this; Im not going to leave you two out in the forest by yourselves.

You had no idea they could find you in the Empire, Theresa said. Dont beat yourself up about thisits hard enough as it is.

Something stung in the young wizards chest.

Birger shook his head. Wouldve been nice to know that a death squad was coming after you, I wont lie. My son nearly died because of themand now they owe us a blood-debt. We should go back to collect.

Alex shook his head. Out of the quest

You cant tell us what to do, young man. Youre not our chief, and we only met you a short time ago. Birger frowned. Drop us off at home, Bjorgrund and I will stay in our ward and deal with them. If you really want to help, ward our home against them.

You saw how powerful they are, Alex pointed out. I dont know how powerful of a ward wed need to keep them out.

Too bad, then, I

Father, listen to Alex, Bjorgrund suddenly cut in. You should stay far away from our home. Ill go with Alex and help him as much as I can.

Alex, Theresa and Birger looked at the young giant in dismay.

Son, youve lost your mind! the firbolg shouted.

Birgers right, theres no way, Alex insisted.

We nearly died, and youre so young, Theresa said. We cant let you do that.

Bjorgrunds face turned bright red. My fathers old, but Im young. Im strong. Im a warrior. He looked at Birger and Alex, his jaw clenching. Both of you would be dead if it wasnt for me. I defended and bled for all of us. Im not some scared child who should stay home, but you are old, father. Youve grown so frail in the last while.

The young giants lips tightened to a flat line. Why should you die with your guts out in the snow somewhere? You should be at home, by a fire with a blanket

Son, you dont like it when I treat you like a child, do not treat me like one, Birger snapped. And what kind of parent would I be if I waited at home with a blanket by the hearth while my own sonnot even fully grownwas out in the world, wandering the wilderness while assassins stalked his companions. No, it will not happen.

The firbolg looked at Alex. You wish to take responsibility, you say?

Yes, the young wizard said.

Then, its true, we probably wont be safe at home. Not anymore. Pain lay in Birgers words. Not until those holier-than-thou bastards are dead and buried. So, perhaps we should come with you.

Alex scoffed. Then youd be at even greater risk.

But wed be beside you, and you teleported us out of there, Birger said. Wed all be dead if you didnt use Keldas power the way you did.

I Alex paused, frowning. Look, I dont know why I was able to beat the interdictionsomething about it didnt feel complete, like there were gaps in its defences. Our enemies arent stupid; theyre going to figure out that there was a flaw in that interdiction and theyre going to do their best to fix it. I wont be so lucky next time.

Better than being in our cottage just waiting like trapped prey to be slaughtered, Birger said. And besides, I am a free man, as is my son. You do not command me, Alex. If you put us in Generasi, we could leave whenever we wanted. It would take time, but wed find our way back to the Empire. I want to go with you, I want to see Keldas sanctum with my own eyes. I need that, andI know theres no way my son will listen to me if I tell him to stay behind.

No way. Bjorgrund shook his head, thick arms crossing his broad chest.

Agh, stop being so stubborn! Alex snapped. Im trying to protect

He paused, the words dying on his lips.

What was he trying to do?

Protect them?

Tell them what to do?

Who exactly was he to do that? Was he no better than the church, demanding that the Fool of Uldar sit back and play their foul role? He had no right to tell either Birger and Bjorgrund what they should and should not do.

Andtheir words were true.

Bjorgrund had protected him and Birger from a gruesome fate.

And am I so confident I could survive another attack from the hidden church by myself? he considered. That ambush nearly killed all of us, and that was with Claygon theremaybe theyre right. And since when have I acted like the First Apostle; they dont have family to protect. They are family, and if theyre choosing to come with me, then so be it. Baelin let me take risks, and I sure as all hells want to be more like Baelin than Uldar.

Alex sighed in defeat. Are you both sure you want to do this?

Father and son looked at each other, then Birger nodded. Yes, well come with you.

Alright, Alex said, hearing a deep sigh from Theresa.

He glanced at her.

Was thatrelief?

She caught his eye, but said nothing.

Then, with that settled, lets get you, Brutus and Claygon back to Generasi, Alex said, thinking of his sister. The faster were back in the Empire, the less chance of me putting my family in harms way.

Ill have to say goodbye to Selina, for a while, though.

He took a deep breath. Thats not going to be easy.