The Stonehearted Knight-Chapter 463: The calm outrage

At the base / 18:00 SS (Since Start)

"What do you think they decide?" Dollaire whispered in Sterling’s ear, both looking at the furious debate raging on top of the raised leaf. The Wrixian Elders seemed livid.

"I don’t know," Sterling replied, equally concerned. Injuries and death were to be expected in a everything goes competition. He, however, hadn’t expected his team to not only kill but also dispose of the bodies in ways that even he believed to be cruel.

"Why couldn’t they kill Althea? Or those cold bitches from the north? Why did he have to kill two teams, both belonging to the host nation?" Sterling cursed for the umpteenth time since the representative took the stage.

The representative was another bastard he swore to deal with some other day. That guy didn’t only declare Hex as the winner, he also rubbed the wounded pride of the Elders by describing each death in detail, especially gloating at the failures of Wrixian participants.

One of the Elders nearly decapitated him, if not for the others butting in, to Sterling’s disappointment. If they had killed the guy, they wouldn’t have to listen to his irritating jabs and gloating voice, plus it might have served as an outlet for the fury inside the old hearts.

"They can’t eliminate him," Ella said. She stood not far from them. Sterling snorted, while hoping she was right.

"They can’t," she repeated. "It will breach the rules of this tournament and affect the benefits they stand to gain. This is all but a show for the public. And even if they have planned anything in the dark, they won’t have the time to act on it."

"What do you mean?" Sterling asked, eying her closely. He thought he knew what she implied but he could never be sure with her. Too many daggers in the back and too many masks on that beautiful face made it hard for him to trust her motives.

She replied with a smile and walked away, which just increased his suspicion against her. Her alluring smile often put tears on the faces of others, if they even had faces left once she was done with them.

He shook his head and watched the Elders and the banners fluttering in the night wind.

1. Heaven’s Army - 48 points

2. Alliance of Cursed Ones - 45 points

3. Eye in the Sky - 42 points

4. Divine Servants - 33 points

The others had found the flags on the twelfth branch. Points mattered a little at this stage. Only four teams were left, qualifying each of them for the next round. But pride mattered. Neither team wished to forfeit the race.

Only the thirteenth branch remained, and the treasures they found so far were worth millions, if even found on the market.

’I hope you make it to the thirteenth branch in time, my friend.’ Sterling knew Hex needed something on the highest point. But the chances of him reaching it in time seemed low.

...

"These outsiders have no respect for us."

"I don’t know what the Elder Council is up to. They should just throw all these people into prison." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"This is a competition. People will suffer. You guys wouldn’t be up our asses if one of you killed one of ours, would you?"

Discussions and debates flared up in every bar, betting shop, and plaza. Some even resulted in physical altercations, forcing the Guardians to interfere. Tension rose as the night proceeded.

"Sir, should we enforce a curfew after eight?"

Jonathan stood in the middle of the plaza, tasting some nicely-sauced skewers, and relishing the liveliness of the crowd.

"Are you sure you wish to fight every person in here, lad?" Jonathan asked, laughing at the sight of his underlings lowering their heads. He didn’t mind the people turning a little rowdy. Good for business.

"As long as people keep wagging their tongues with some bruises here and there, leave it be. By tomorrow everyone will come around. If we butt in, we might cause the situation to escalate beyond repair. So be alert but without alerting anyone."

His underlings bowed and spread out, quickly becoming one with the crowd. Jonathan swallowed the last bite and looked around. This had been his entire life. Hundreds of years spent overlooking plazas and people, breathing in the fresh Wrixian air, and feeling part of the bigger whole.

That’s why he stayed longer than planned. Soon he would miss all this.

...

"Elize, my dear," Tectonic chirruped, welcoming her in his usual jovial manner. "What brings you to this old man?"

Elize greeted the man standing on his desk with a slight bow and took a seat.

"You should know why I am here...Sir." She added the last bit after a hesitant pause. Despite the difference in power between her and the man before her, she seldom went out of her way to give someone extra respect. A known fact, judging by the ’o’ shape look on the Tectonic’s face.

"I do know why you and many High Elders have paid me a visit these last couple of days," Tectonic sighed and lowered himself back into his raised seat. "Normally I would enjoy the attention – none of you came around to chat with this old man – if not for the thing waiting to happen."

"How much time do we have left?" Elize ignored the accusatory jab at her lack of social visits to the old man in the past. She had little reason to come here. Even though the man before her ranked in the top five powers of Wrixia, she held little interest and patience to listen about rocks and theories about their formation.

Tectonic sat still before allowing himself to sigh again.

"The best case estimate is a month–"

"And the worst case?" Elize interrupted. Best cases rarely occurred.

"Two weeks." Tectonic groaned, not liking his own answer at all.

Elize, in contrast to the Sage, didn’t experience a change in her emotions. She knew about the Crack’s fading over the time ever since the process started. She thanked Tectonic and walked before the old man could bring out some rock to describe till the beginning of dawn.

She had better things to do. Like checking the progress of her plans.