"There is one I believe," answered Jola. "And as it is the last, I will choose crate #1 now."
A despondent Dante stepped forward and he sprang his final trap, "For my final riddle I have prepared this..."
Ah. Here was a final attempt at treachery. For it was not a riddle at all, but some sort of alphabetic substitution as Jola quickly realized. The crowd sensed a final victory and they could not restain whispers of encouragement and advice. Jola tried to shut out the babble and focused on the task at hand.
She prided herself as somewhat of an expert on cyphers and had used them for many years to exchange secret messages with her brother Cino. Messages that had to remain secret at all costs to protect the lives of herself and her kin. So she worked through the process confident of the final outcome. Z becomes C, skipping A and B. C becomes F, skipping D and E. F becomes I, skipping G and H. And so, L skips M and N to become O. Moreover there is only one creature on Atys whose name begins with an O.
A triumphant Jola surveyed the crowd, so many faithful supporters of the 4 nations. It warmed her heart. She glanced at the Marauders. They seemed somehow diminished, unimportant, already defeated at their own game. She smiled gently and said, "Ah... surely this is easy. It is a simple alphabetic substitution. You skip 2 letters with each progression. And so, L would become O. The answer must be...
Dante would not accept this final defeat gracefully. He shouted, "Yes, you got it.. but I wonder how many of these riddles you could have gotten without help? I protest this whole affair!"
Jola was taken aback. Admittedly the crowd was a bit of a rabble. But what did the Marauders expect? They had set the venue and manner of the contest. Moreover, most of the time the advice of the crowd was confused and disorienting... just as likely to be wrong as right. Jola suspected there might even be secret agents of the Marauders among the crowd to whisper false answers and increase the chaos. Regardless, she had done her best to focus on the task as hand and conduct an honorable contest. She could not control the crowd any more than she could rectify Dante's ignorance about lore.
An angry Jola shouted back, "Well, if you had listened carefully, you would remembered that misinformation was freely uttered too. Perhaps this false chatter would be from your secret agents?"
Dante countered, "What chatter? Of all the homin standing around you giving you the answers? I say you are a cheater!"
Jola continued, "Cheater? Well, I did NOT encourage their outspoken participation. YOU designed this contest. YOU choose the venue. YOU allowed a public forum. What did you expect from the citizens of the 4 nations? Perhaps you should have provided sound proof chambers if we were to duel wits undisturbed."
The crowd roared their approval of Jola's defense and glared at Aesan as if daring him to side with Dante:
The Marauder crates were all exhaused and pitiful Dante had not manage to answer a single one of Jola's riddles. Technically Jola should now give her 6th and final riddle, but Aesan could sense that would result in only more humiliation. Besides the contest was lost regardless. Aesan felt compelled to award victory to the 4 nations; no profit could be extracted by protracting this further.
Aesan reluctantly conceded, "Ok Jola.. You won 3 to 0."
Immediately Lathay shouted his approval,
The crowd responded with a spontaneous victory celebration:
Jola turned and addressed the crowd, "Thank you all for this wonderful show of solidarity. I see homins of all 4 nations here today. My heart soars with joy! Against the marauders we have a common cause. Know that I endeavor to support all who face marauder wrath."
Dante was livid. He continued to sputter, rant and rave at the assembled crowd throughout all congratulations.
Once Dante could make himself heard again above the din of crowd, he yelled, "So be it! We will play another game then, and we will not be so polite!!"
Aesan interjected, "Yes, yes... we demand a rematch!"
Aesan stormed over to Armageddons' Twintops Outpost banner and definantly tacked up a parchment. As the parchment fluttered in a fitful breeze, the crowd pressed forward to read what it said. The two infamous Marauders took advantage of this opportunity to slip away undetected. This was undoubtedly a wise move on their part lest they be ripped apart by a vicious mob, for the notice read thusly:
Many in the crowd were astounded; almost all were furious. But Jola calmly commented, "Ah... so they have declared war on Twintops. They do not disappoint." She did not have the heart to point out that the parchment had obviously been prepared before the contest had even started, for the ink was long since dry.
A despondent Dante stepped forward and he sprang his final trap, "For my final riddle I have prepared this..."
If all Zerx are Clopper;
and all Clopper are Frahar;
and all Frahar are Izams.
What does that make Lumpers?
Ah. Here was a final attempt at treachery. For it was not a riddle at all, but some sort of alphabetic substitution as Jola quickly realized. The crowd sensed a final victory and they could not restain whispers of encouragement and advice. Jola tried to shut out the babble and focused on the task at hand.
She prided herself as somewhat of an expert on cyphers and had used them for many years to exchange secret messages with her brother Cino. Messages that had to remain secret at all costs to protect the lives of herself and her kin. So she worked through the process confident of the final outcome. Z becomes C, skipping A and B. C becomes F, skipping D and E. F becomes I, skipping G and H. And so, L skips M and N to become O. Moreover there is only one creature on Atys whose name begins with an O.
A triumphant Jola surveyed the crowd, so many faithful supporters of the 4 nations. It warmed her heart. She glanced at the Marauders. They seemed somehow diminished, unimportant, already defeated at their own game. She smiled gently and said, "Ah... surely this is easy. It is a simple alphabetic substitution. You skip 2 letters with each progression. And so, L would become O. The answer must be...
>>>> Ocyx!"
Dante would not accept this final defeat gracefully. He shouted, "Yes, you got it.. but I wonder how many of these riddles you could have gotten without help? I protest this whole affair!"
Jola was taken aback. Admittedly the crowd was a bit of a rabble. But what did the Marauders expect? They had set the venue and manner of the contest. Moreover, most of the time the advice of the crowd was confused and disorienting... just as likely to be wrong as right. Jola suspected there might even be secret agents of the Marauders among the crowd to whisper false answers and increase the chaos. Regardless, she had done her best to focus on the task as hand and conduct an honorable contest. She could not control the crowd any more than she could rectify Dante's ignorance about lore.
An angry Jola shouted back, "Well, if you had listened carefully, you would remembered that misinformation was freely uttered too. Perhaps this false chatter would be from your secret agents?"
Dante countered, "What chatter? Of all the homin standing around you giving you the answers? I say you are a cheater!"
Jola continued, "Cheater? Well, I did NOT encourage their outspoken participation. YOU designed this contest. YOU choose the venue. YOU allowed a public forum. What did you expect from the citizens of the 4 nations? Perhaps you should have provided sound proof chambers if we were to duel wits undisturbed."
The crowd roared their approval of Jola's defense and glared at Aesan as if daring him to side with Dante:
Hechicera cheers Jola on. Go Jola!
Legalizhurb cheers Jola on. Go Jola!
Katla is extremely proud of Jola
Sabreshadow cheers Jola on. Go Jola!
Hellrond cheers Jola on. Go Jola!
Erando cheers Jola on. Go Jola!
Alassea is so proud of Jola.
Legalizhurb cheers Jola on. Go Jola!
Katla is extremely proud of Jola
Sabreshadow cheers Jola on. Go Jola!
Hellrond cheers Jola on. Go Jola!
Erando cheers Jola on. Go Jola!
Alassea is so proud of Jola.
The Marauder crates were all exhaused and pitiful Dante had not manage to answer a single one of Jola's riddles. Technically Jola should now give her 6th and final riddle, but Aesan could sense that would result in only more humiliation. Besides the contest was lost regardless. Aesan felt compelled to award victory to the 4 nations; no profit could be extracted by protracting this further.
Aesan reluctantly conceded, "Ok Jola.. You won 3 to 0."
Immediately Lathay shouted his approval,
"Aesan has been quite fair-minded and fair-spoken so far, even if his champion is a loser. I salute him."
Bitttymacod continued with, "Three cheers for Jola! Hip, Hip Hooray!"
Bitttymacod continued with, "Three cheers for Jola! Hip, Hip Hooray!"
The crowd responded with a spontaneous victory celebration:
Entendu cheers Jola on. Go Jola!
Magisto cheers Jola on. Go Jola!
Katla shouted, "Very well done Jola indeed!"
Elvanae cheers Jola on. Go Jola!
Zorach claims Jola is a hero.
Sabreshadow is so proud of Jola.
Eknowledge shouted, "Congratulations on the win Jola!"
Magisto cheers Jola on. Go Jola!
Katla shouted, "Very well done Jola indeed!"
Elvanae cheers Jola on. Go Jola!
Zorach claims Jola is a hero.
Sabreshadow is so proud of Jola.
Eknowledge shouted, "Congratulations on the win Jola!"
Jola turned and addressed the crowd, "Thank you all for this wonderful show of solidarity. I see homins of all 4 nations here today. My heart soars with joy! Against the marauders we have a common cause. Know that I endeavor to support all who face marauder wrath."
Dante was livid. He continued to sputter, rant and rave at the assembled crowd throughout all congratulations.
Once Dante could make himself heard again above the din of crowd, he yelled, "So be it! We will play another game then, and we will not be so polite!!"
Aesan interjected, "Yes, yes... we demand a rematch!"
Gryshnozk cheers Dante and Aesan on. Go Dante the Teaser! Go Aesan Be'Lauer!
Aesan stormed over to Armageddons' Twintops Outpost banner and definantly tacked up a parchment. As the parchment fluttered in a fitful breeze, the crowd pressed forward to read what it said. The two infamous Marauders took advantage of this opportunity to slip away undetected. This was undoubtedly a wise move on their part lest they be ripped apart by a vicious mob, for the notice read thusly:
Declaration of War
I, Aesan Be'Lauer, challenged the Armageddons to a friendly contest of wit. The Armageddons courageously accepted the challenge and won. Your "prize" for winning is a new challenge set before you on 0h - Dua, Frutor 20, 1st AC 2560 at the Twintops Workshop.
Prepare yourselves now, because what happens next is NOT a game!
Aesan Be'Lauer, Leader of the Cynics of Liberty
Many in the crowd were astounded; almost all were furious. But Jola calmly commented, "Ah... so they have declared war on Twintops. They do not disappoint." She did not have the heart to point out that the parchment had obviously been prepared before the contest had even started, for the ink was long since dry.