Chapter 196
Part 27
The time it took for each team’s y was noted by some in attendance, and they ranged from three to
twelve seconds, with one exception; when Mark was called, he stood on the stage for almost sixteen
minutes.
Though they were forbidden to discuss their y, it was often apparent from a team leader’s
expression and bearing whether they thought they had done well or poorly. Many were obviously
displeased with their result. The duration of their y seemed to bear no rtion to their opinion of
their performance. Mark seemed satisfied but no more than that, despite the extraordinary duration of
his turn.
The most interesting turn for those observing was that of Zarkog, who yed seventy-first. About
halfway through the nine-second duration of his turn, every god in attendance, whether old or new,
suddenly became aware that he had joined them in divinity.
He and the organizers refused to discuss it, and he seemed to show no emotional reaction at all after
his turn.
In just less than an hour the tournament wasplete, and thousands began arriving in the hall to
spectate the announcement of the winners.
“You think you did well?” Fire asked her father as servers began circting among the contestants with
trays of snacks and beverages.
“I think so. And you?” he responded with a smile and an affectionate squeeze of her shoulder.
“We did okay. The demons… Sorry. Can’t talk about it yet.” she finished in irritation, and flew off in
search of a server with snacks that she liked.
Karz assumed his elven Simcrum and took off after her.
Six and Val stood holding hands, thinking over their turn, as Mark stood with his wives in his arms and
waited patiently.
Finally Pakdag took to the stage again, and a huge Revealing of him was cast above him. He had
everyone’s attention almost immediately.
“This has been a great and momentous asion, as you will soon see. In many ways, the y of each
team in The Tournament of Governors was very simr to the full-participation military exercises that
have been held recently. The crucial difference being that everyone in the tournament scenarios were
convinced that it was reality.
“The behavior of many people in a given situation in an exercise was essentially the same as their
behavior in a simr situation that they thought was real. But many other people behaved quite
differently. Some had less true courage than they’d shown in exercises. Almost everyone was less
willing to sacrifice for victory, and less willing to sacrifice the safety of their families and friends in
particr, when they thought the danger was real.
“But in some cases, those who were faced with all the horror and intensity of true warfare transcended
themselves. They exhibited new levels of valor and honor andpassion and ability, even beyond the
best they had shown in the exercises. This is true of the members of the twelve teams who were most
sessful today.”
He paused for a moment to indulge in a slight smile of deep satisfaction, then continued. “The
challenge posed in this tournament was a worthy one, and not easy. Every team who took part was
limiting our losses to eptable levels. Two out of every three teams sufferedplete defeat, which
in this case entails the loss of every Kerani and Triax life without exception. The remainder, some
eight teams, defeated the demons but lost the majority of our poptions and property, including the
destruction of most of the surface and seas of Keran.
“Though we will assign no numerical ranking to the result of any but the best twelve, the records of
each team’s performance will be publicly avable. By makingparisons between the various
records, which will be studied in detail in theing days, we will be able to identify specific practices
as being more or less effective, and our overall ability will be greatly increased thereby.
“Now, to the results.
“Thus far the tournament has been spectacr to those who have participated as organizers and
contestants, while being quite uninteresting to those who have been spectating. Now all will see some
of what has urred.
The giant Revealing above him split into two, with the top half showing a diagram of the void around
their sun out to as far as the demons’ rock, with Keran and the demons’ rock highlighted, and the
bottom half showing various views of what he was describing.
“In twelfth ce, the team led by Overlord Senchasi of Kletiuk andposed of twenty-six of the elite
of his race, including his father Senchak of the new gods who consulted withoutmanding, and
fourteen members from other races.”
Pakdag waited a few moments while every dwarf in attendance cheered and congratted each other
with fierce back-pping hugs amidst enthusiastic apuse from everyone else, and Senchasi made
his way to the stage with a huge grin on his bearded face, waving his ornate battle-axe in the air and
pumping his fist in triumph. Above him the Revealing showed Senchasi making speeches to vast
gatherings, then other vast gatherings celebrating victory over the demons.
“Let it be known;” Pakdag stated to Senchasi as the dwarf joined him on the stage. “Though your team
ced twelfth, yours was still a valiant and victorious effort, and we know that even if every other
leader on Keran were to perish, you and your team would still provide us with admirable and effective
leadership. The fact that your magnificent y only gave you the twelfth ce is a tribute to the depth
of our leadership resources on Keran.
Pakdag turned back to the audience as he continued speaking. “The y of Senchasi’s team was an
interesting experiment in what Keran would be like if dwarves ran the world. Their race’s inherent
exuberance was infective throughout the popce under their leadership, and contributed to a high
state of morale in trying times.
“Their team’s military aggression was rated as moderate.”
Above him the diagram of the void showed the travel of the demons toward Keran as thes
revolved around the sun, then the locations of battles, while personal views of those battles were
shown below it.
“They waited almost two years, until the demons were well within the inners, before they
attacked. They made good use of the time. Most significantly, by the time they attacked the demons,
most of those who have received The Transformation of Hilsith hadpleted Valentia’s Magic
Education, and were qualified Journeyman ss wizards at least. This provided them some advantage
in theter stages of the war when demons were attacking Keran, over those teams who were more
aggressive.”
Pakdag spent ten minutes in total in presenting and discussing Senchasi’s team’s performance, and
allowing Senchasi a few moments to acknowledge and thank his team members for their contribution to
their achievement. He spent the same amount of time with each of the other top-twelve teams, so the
entire presentation of the results of the tournamentsted a few minutes more than two hours.
“In eleventh ce; the team led by King Wosea of the gnome kingdom of Enj and Emperor Baltar of the
giant Empire of Eskangir!” Pakdag announced, and when those worthies had made their way to the
stage, he said; “King Wosea, though your team was officially led by yourself and Emperor Baltar, I think
you would both agree that at every important moment of your contest, you were the true leader of your
team. And, though there were other teams led by both gnomes and giants, as well as a team led by
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gnomes exclusively, we who have judged this tournament agree that you disyed the best of gnomen
leadership, and showed the rest of us what is great about your race. The gnomes have always been
secretive and opaque to the other races, but you showed the world their true nature, and even some of
us of the old gods learned much of value of the fundamentals of gnomen character and behavior from
your performance.
“Because of your small size and meager physical strength as individuals, yours is a race that only
seeds throughplete co-operation, and through a fierce solidarity. You inspired all of Keran
with those qualities, and it stood us in good stead under your leadership.
“Your team was judged to be the second-least aggressive in the tournament...”