Chapter 198: Fighting a Zealot

Ivory Armistice

+ 15 Strength

+20 Resistance

+35 Focus

Active Ability: Armistice, 50 Charges, 5 charges per hour to maintain.

Wielder raises the white flag, and as long as those affected are not attacked, they may not attack, leave, or change the state of the battlefield until the flag is lowered. Healing and negotiation are exempt.

“How much you want for that?” Will asked, pointing at the ivory spear.

The massive paladin gave a hearty guffaw as he took off his helmet, spitting out a mouthful of blood before drinking a potion.

The picture of indomitable power that Will had been clashing against for months looked…normal. A bit round in the cheeks but not fat, with a short beard and an almost jolly demeanor.

He didn’t look nearly as cunning as he’d demonstrated himself to be. Popping into Will’s camp alone had been a huge gamble that he could raise the flag before Alicia could stop his heart.

A gamble he’d won.

In response to Will’s flippant request, the paladin glanced up at his spear. “Sorry, kid, it’s not for sale. I have to give it back to the church when I’m done here.” Caddock said, sighing in relief as the holes in his chest sealed themselves.

When he’s done killing me, huh? Will thought, glancing at the horizon with Phantom Eye.

The first blush of daybreak was beginning to appear in the east.

How many hours until the week is up?

“How come you’re not huge anymore?” Caddock asked.

“Thought it would be easier to hide if you were looking for a giant.” Will replied.

“Hmm.”

Beside him, Loth was watching the paladin’s men clearing Loth’s traps with earth-Abilities, clearing a larger arena for more people to arrive. Her expression was…displeased, to put it lightly.

“Oh, come on, how is that not changing the state of the battlefield?” Will asked.

Caddock glanced over and cleared the last of the sticky blood and potion out of his throat with a rumbling cough.

“They weren’t quite here when the Ability went off.” he said. “Those guys got caught in it, though.” He said, pointing to three Climbers who were watching them like hawks.

“How’d you find me, anyway?” Will asked.

The paladin sat on a nearby rock with an old-man groan.

“You’d be surprised at what you can do when you’re willing to abandon your responsibilities as a leader, snag the best of the best and just go for it.”

“So everyone else is still-“

“Running around like chickens with their heads cut off, yes. Starving. Probably tearing each other apart over the stunt your girlfriend pulled. It’s the end of the Caddock Lordship, that’s for sure.”

“But that was never my goal,” Caddock said, staring into Will’s eyes with an intensity that didn’t match his jovial appearance.

“just killing me, huh.” Will said, crossing his arms and frowning.

“Oh don’t pout, plenty of people get killed who don’t deserve it.”

“I think that justifies a bit of pouting.”

Caddock chuckled.

“You know, even though I have you in checkmate right here in front of me, I get the feeling I’m not going to win.” He said, leaning on his palm and studying Will with intense focus.

“Oh?” Will asked.

“It’s as if The Tower itself has a plan for you and will stop at nothing to see it through, and all my effort to kill you is spitting into a hurricane.”

“Must be frustrating.”

“Oh it is. But fret not, young man. I’m old. I’ve been frustrated many times before, and learned to take half-victories as they present themselves to me…I’ve taken measure to ensure that you never leave this Floor, regardless of which of us dies.”

“Sounds ominous,” Will replied.

“Eh.” Caddock waggled his hand and shrugged. “Not for you, anyway.” The paladin kicked his feet out and relaxed on the rock.

“…My god, I wish you could have been my successor.” Caddock said. “Even being half-snake wouldn’t have stopped me from recruiting you. It’s just the little problem of…”

“Me causing the end of the Coil?” Will asked.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Caddock sighed.

“Yeah…Your Build is amazing, it can do just about anything. Not quite as good as a specialist, but pretty damn good. Do you know the phrase, ‘jack of all trades, master of none?’”

“Yeah, it’s all about how a jack of all trades is worthless when compared to a specialist in their own field.”

“Not always” Caddock said with a smile. “The saying continues: Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”

“Eh?” That was not how Will had heard it his entire life.

“The saying itself is an interesting litmus test of a society.” Caddock said. “Do you know why?”

Will frowned as he thought about it, his lessons with Loth rising to the surface.

“Because the way it’s presented reflects what the society places value on? The generalist or the specialist.”

“Yes. It reflects how stable a society is. If a roofer can expect regular work and wake up at the same time every day and know that there will be a demand for his labor, he can consistently put in a good day’s work and over time become a master of his craft who can make a water-tight roof that lasts years longer than the generalist.”