Quoted By:
The hottest day of the year- and your ordeal.
The ordeal is to climb a sacred mountain. Two or more boys compete to see who may reach the top first. Brun has never climbed this mountain before- and neither have you. It must be a thing unknown to all of those who compete. The way up is a mystery for each; this is about strength, endurance, and raw climbing skill- something that all Jaxtians value. You'd just feel a little more home in a tree then a steep incline of rocks...
Brun seems a little less competitive then his usual self as you drive out to the mountain- only beginning your ordeal when the sun is in the highest spot in the sky.
<span class="mu-r">”Usually, three measures are used to determine who will be the next chief. An ordeal, a test of mind, and the duel.”</span>
<span class="mu-b">”I see. So if you win two out of three, you're the champion?”</span>
<span class="mu-r">”Not so much- it just makes you look better.”</span>
<span class="mu-b">”Is this the part where I say “May the best man win”, and then you respond by saying “I intend to?””</span>
<span class="mu-r">”I won't if you don't start it.”</span>
<span class="mu-b">”Alright. When do you want to start the race? Nobody else is here... there is no judge or adjudicator? How do you make sure nobody cheats?”</span>
<span class="mu-r">”Any man weak enough to be cheated and not stop it deserves it at this stage. Besides; while only one of the Chief's sons gets to be the next chief, they're all supposed to be friends afterwards. After all, if I'm the chief, and you're the warleader, and our hypothetical youngest brother becomes the medicine-man... makes sense that we have to agree who wins instead of fight over it and resent it for years. Right?”</span>
<span class="mu-b">”...Yeah, I guess so.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">”Look- my shadow is about to disappear under my foot. Let's go.”</span>
