Chapter 795 (1/2)

Randidly shook his head. “I can’t stay for the same reason that you need to stay. You have more to do in the tournament. I do not.”

“I’m not fucking- Jesus, I get it. Wight are everywhere. Sorry. It’s not about the tournament. That's not why I came to talk to you.” Helen shook her head. She was wearing casual leathers right now, but she was still attracting the gazes of many of Randidly’s newfound converts. While ostensibly making preparations for the upcoming departure, there were so many people that many had nothing to do. They clustered just a little bit away from the two, so there was an illusion of privacy. They were just far enough away that it was possible that the listeners couldn’t overhear the conversation.

Randidly snorted and glared. At this point, just a focused gaze was enough to send the group scattering. They still remembered clearly the pressure they had been under during the tests. Just the suggestion of such a weight brought back unpleasant memories.

After a second of watching the surrounding spear users scatter from Randidly’s glare, Helen said quietly,” It’s not… not the tournament. It’s Skarch.”

Randidly looked up with a frown.

“She’s weakening,” Helen whispered. “That last strike… it did something. Hurt something inside of her, permanent. I don’t regret attacking, but-”

“Are you asking me to heal her?” Randidly asked. Honestly, he hadn’t realized that Skarch was doing so poorly that it would be brought to Helen’s attention. Not that Tellus was particularly emotional, but this under 25 Tournament was a friendly endeavor. It still hurt to see a spear user injured when the Wight problem was looming.

There hadn’t been anything particularly special about Helen’s last strike, it was simply timely. In a fit of rage, she had broken the platform on which Skarch had been based. It wasn’t a spear which struck down Skarch, it was a scavenger of the Blood Sea.

Which, Randidly reflected, was perhaps the problem. Was Skarch afflicted with something like what he had dealt with after facing Aegiant? Some part of that battle had fractured one of Skarch’s core Skills? It didn’t seem likely, but it was possible. He had certainly sensed a disturbance in Aether in the wake of that fight…

Randidly had just figured that it was Tellus slowly settling on the image of what it would be. But perhaps-

“No, she doesn’t need healing.” Helen shook her head. “I was wondering if… I don’t know. She just… won’t leave the bed. And she won’t see me. I just figured since something similar happened to Drak-”

Helen looked at Randidly expectantly. Immediately he felt awkward. With a shake of his head, Randidly said. “...I’m not sure what you’ve heard. I left right after my match against Drak. Since being back, I’ve heard he was reduced to a vegetable, but I have not seen him. Or attempted to. It was made known to me that Aegiant still held a grudge. Right now, I have no wish of clashing with a Master level spear user.”

“Oh,” Helen said. “He’s not a vegetable, just…”

“Just what?” Randidly asked. Some part of him immediately was disappointed in himself that he hadn’t investigated someone who he had clearly injured. Another wanted him to go immediately. Both were quickly snuffed out by an overarching sense of practicality. Randidly could not spare the time. Already, he was wasting enough time speaking with Helen.

Honestly, if he hadn’t suddenly found himself burdened by the thousands of people who had passed his tests, Randidly likely would have disembarked already. Alone, if he had to.

“Just, he refuses to allow spears anywhere near himself. Just bringing one into his sick room sends him into a fit.” Helen grimaced. “Luckily Skarch isn’t that bad. If she was… fuck, I’m not sure how I would handle it…”

Randidly gave her a sour look. Helen laughed mirthlessly and shrugged.

Then she offered Randidly a hand. “Good luck.”

“I won’t need it as much as you. Keep it. I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful. Well… I guess I’ll say this.” Randidly bit his lip and remembered lashing out with his Skills an accidentally injuring many people in the past. As he had escaped from the prison on Tellus, all those guards… “There are costs to power. But times like these are just chances to reaffirm to yourself that you are willing to pay them, albeit intelligently. Dwelling on them for too long won’t help the people you’ve already hurt. Ignoring them won’t help shape your actions going forward. Only with both can you balance yourself out.”

Helen’s hand was tight around Randidly’s. She nodded without speaking.