Chapter 677 (1/2)

This trip into Hastam was much more expedient, although the mood in the city had soured. There was still a long line of arrogant men and women wearing expensive clothes, but the sound of their talk had changed. It became less light and sneering and more snapping.

With their Soulstones denoting them as members of the under Level 25 tournament, they passed easily through the gates and into the city proper. As they did so, Randidly turned to Skarth and Azriel.

“Where does the other tournament take place? The under 50?”

Skarch smiled widely at Randidly. “Currently, the Spear School has the honor of hosting the greater of the two tournaments. Still, of all the Schools the Spear have experienced the least amount of invasion on the part of the Wights. Our equipment gives us a natural advantage. As such, we have maintained our lines much more easily than the others.”

“I am glad we are here. We have sharpened our Skills immensely on the front lines.” Azriel interjected.

Orangey shook his head in disgust. “From what I hear, the front lines were a meat grinder. Were you three all truly out there, fighting against the Wights? I know they exaggerate, but they say you killed thousands…”

Azriel just smiled, and Randidly was amused to see Orangey shiver. Azriel had a way to get under his skin.

“I mean… you might have passed the preliminaries back then,” Orangey continued with a sharp look at Azriel. “But… we were equal. I can’t believe that so much has changed. How different… we are now.”

“As I said,” Azriel said. “We have sharpened our Skills immensely. You do not grow as we do away from the chance of death.”

‘Not just our deaths, too,’ Randidly thought sadly as he remembered the graves he had dug. He still remembered the smell of the river and the feeling of the wooden shaft of the shovel in his hands. Whenever he felt tired, or annoyed, or frustrated, Randidly knew that he would remember those feelings to push himself forward.

A spear always advances.

The group followed Azriel’s lead deeper into the richer portions of Hastam. Slowly, the storefronts were replaced by walled courtyards. The people that remained on the strength carried heavy spears and considered the group with hard eyes. But inevitably, they nodded grudgingly. Randidly inclined his head in return.

But abruptly, Azriel took them from the rich streets into a side thoroughfare that was almost an alley. Very soon, the alley led to a doorway with two torches. Randidly was slightly surprised that there were no guards or guides. It all felt rather… poorly arranged.

Perhaps the Central Domain was finally taking the threat of the Wights seriously, which was a good sign.

The group pushed through the unguarded wooden door and found themselves in a wide antechamber. A wave of heat and noise stopped Randidly dead. His eyes quickly located the veritable troupe of minstrels along the wall, playing at violins and harps. Almost 300 people were packed into what could only be a ballroom. There was a lavish spread of food laid out in the center of the room on a long table. Roast ducks and huge haunches of mutton steamed appetizingly.

Men and women in dresses held flutes of a dark orange liquid and laughed as they gathered around several men and women dressed up in battle gear that didn’t seem to have seen even a lick of use on the frontlines. Their leathers were pristine, their steel shoulder pads shining.

In a split second, Randidly could see that there were several large groups among the fancy dressed individuals. Likely, these were the supporters of those members of the tournament that grew up in Hastam. But to think that so many would come and have a party here before the tournament really even started… the preliminary results weren’t even yet in.

Azriel finally broke the silence, stating Randidly’s thoughts exactly. “This is the rumored Hall of Stances? Pah, perhaps I don’t wish to be here as badly as I thought. Why not commission a bronze statue in front of a C Corporation burger joint.”

“Well, this should just be the gathering antechamber,” Skarch said with a frown. But she too seemed disappointed. None of them had actually been to the Hall of Stances before, but Skarch had spent the most time between them in Hastam as she had come here early for the tournament.