Chapter 199 (1/2)

It was more a trance than anything, else, Randidly reflected, as the time trickled past. The weight grew to a dull pounding, but was possible to support, as Randidly quickly managed to find an equilibrium with Meditation, Mana Strengthening, Empower, and Rejection in the face of the weight.

That almost dreaded PP came and went, and Randidly was sorely tempted to just finish the path, but he knew that his wild anger he had within him, due to the long nature of the challenge, was just prodding him towards dumb decisions. So he resisted that urge, and instead just doubled down on the task at hand. The weight was not growing in a literal sense, but it did seem like Randidly’s strength and the weight were on a teeter totter, and as one went up, the other went down.

If his will waivered, if he allowed his shoulders to drop, it became that much easier to let it fall another inch, and it was almost impossible to press upwards, returning to the previous equilibrium.

Although his competitive spirit was definitely roused by the presence of Orangey, Orangey himself was a pretty dull opponent. After their initial acknowledgement, Orangey settled into a stance and stuck to it.

He was even drooling a little.

After a brief grimace, Randidly closed his eyes and attempted to do the same. After all, no matter what happened, it would be a long night.

*****

Helen sat very still. After a while, as the male spear attendant chatted with the old man from the Steel Feather Style, she had realized that the situation had devolved into a strange drinking match that more and more people were joining, and her intervention wasn’t necessary. Although Claptrap and the brewer had wild eyes and nervous twitches as more and more people approached, demanding to be served, Helen didn’t make any effort to assist either.

After all, their pockets were heavy with coins. If there was any lesson that her mother taught Helen that she actually valued, it was that money had an influence independent of power. Because in a way, money was much more versatile.

It was very difficult to both create a merchant empire and to reach even the Artisan level with the spear. But for an individual at the helm of a merchant empire, even Pontiff level spear users could be swayed by the offer of rare materials and equipment. They would be fine as they stumbled haphazardly into their newfound wealth.

Instead, Helen’s attention was focused on the Tassles. A few hours after it had begun, one of the 6 had fallen. It was neither the Ghosthound’s, or the Tassle that still remained on his same group. Still, it was disappointing for that individual, for that was considered a loss.

They were forced to gamble with their opportunity to pass this stage. Discovering wealth came with a cost, just as Claptrap was learning.

The world seemed to slow as Helen stared intently at the Tassles. She was so focused on it that her hands were grinding away at the material of the seats, almost instinctively. Was it because they had slept together that she felt this attachment? Was it due to their relationship, as his spear attendant? Was it something more, some inexplicable connection?

Either way, it was fucking annoying.

But Helen couldn’t bring herself to look away. She told herself that it was just because she was thankful for the strange boost of Aether that he had provided, and perhaps there was a thread of truth in that, but she sensed it was a lie. She was here for a large and strange reason that she refused to examine too closely. Better to just experience this without having to face some parts of herself that she might not like.

Parts of her that filled her will fear.

Time continued to pass, and the drinking began to grow more raucous at first, and then less as some people were finally unable to continue, even with their extremely high Vitality and Endurance stats. That or they had drunk all of the alcohol brewed by that woman, leaving her nothing but gold and empty casks.

The Tassles were at the the 19th pole, the 14th pole, the 13th, the 9th, and then finally the 2 at the 7th. It was around 7 hours into the 24 hour period that Tassle on the 14th pole fell. It was the most excitement that had happened for a while, so it inspired another fit of revelry. Another brewer was called. In addition, the people who had passed the first half of the preliminary were mostly recovered at that point, and came back to watch those foolish people who attempted to persist.

Claptrap was forced to send out for more ingredients. It would be a long night for him, as he had established his small stall as the place to be around the stands. Very quickly the high level sects and merchants began to jockey for position at the tables Claptrap had set up. The Steel Feather Style old man had claimed the most central and convenient table for viewing, and around him the social strata eventually worked themselves out.

For those who arrived late, unless they had a high level of prestige, it was almost impossible to approach those central tables. Instead they could only eat surreptitiously at the fringes, looking around at the strange set up in wonder.