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The Gamers Guide to Freedom
Chapter 11.5: Build-a-base (Takes place around the same time as Ch11)
I knew there would be problems with my capture of this little camp, there was no way a war-like society like the one these orcs and associated creatures have would allow even a small and irrelevant outpost be taken from them, and to make things worse I timed this poorly as they ave a brand new War Cheifess in charge, and the fact that she has lost an outpost to an outside force within a week of her taking over is a big black eye that she needs to fix before she is seen as weak, which would lead to countless challenges and rebellions.
Miza has been highly useful in helping me understand the society I have forcibly inserted myself in. Miza is a scout, and more importantly a thief with zero loyalty towards her own people, and she is smarter than she acts.
There have been several attempts to... test the wards, mostly by goblins likely sent as expendable sacrifices as they enter the ward boundary, necrotic magic immediately assaulting their bodies, assuming they possess the strength to force their way through the repulsion ward, and several rotting corpses lie around the camp but I'm sure this is just the prelude to a full assault and I need to be prepared for what is to come.
I've seen the orcs, hobgoblins, and even dark skinned elves, watching from the edge of the barrier, they even marked out where it starts so they don't accidentally enter it.
I reworked the wards slightly, placing the repulsion ward just around the camp walls since it can only delay people anyway, and I'd rather delay people while they are stuck taking damage from the necrotic ward. It also serves to deflect or at least weaken arrows and other ranged projectiles, something the orcs already know as they tried sending a few arrows at it, watched them hit the invisible barrier and flee before my naga could return fire.
Someone else has tested the limits of my wards, entering just far enough to take damage before they flee and attempt from somewhere else, but they are sneaky enough to avoid my nagas gaze and they flee to fast for me to use the surveillance ward to track them down as they always leave its range. I got a brief glimpse of a cloaked figure heading into the woods, too tall to be a goblin and too slim to be an orc, so they are likely one of these elves, Drow I think they are called.
Sitting at the nice hardwood desk, I look around my 'room' in the camp, a grimoire open in front of me. I definitely need better accommodations, a tent with mismatched furniture doesn't... suit me.
I've grown up twice, once in an extravagant castle and the second in a modern, fairly wealthy, home. I have standards, and this doesn't match them despite the best attempts to make it more liveable.
Beyond just comfort, I need to give off a position of power to keep the goblins in line and intimidate my orcish enemies, and living in a bugbears shitty tent doesn't work.
"M-master? We'z got them bugs ya wanted." a nasally voice says making me turn to the side, looking at the nervous goblin standing in the tent opening holding a wooden pot with a lid on the top.
"Wonderful, place it on my desk please." I say calmly, his nerves increasing at my polite tone. They are used to barked orders and insults, but you catch more flies with honey or something like that and he quickly brings me what I sent a few of them out for, practically fleeing after he places it down next to me.
They aren't used to me yet, but that is fine.
I have more important things to do than spend my time playing nice with the goblins, they fear and respect me and that keeps them in line for the moment.
Opening the container, I reach in and pluck one of the bugs my minions have gathered out of it, closing it as I hold the fairly large ant in my grasp.
The tiny creature struggles in my gentle grip for a moment before I get to work. Do you know how many bugs there are in a forest? I sent a couple of goblins out barely two hours ago to find me some and the pot they brought me has dozens at least.
Of course, as they are now they are beyond useless for me like they are now as anyone could simply step on them and squish them, but that is the whole point of fleshcrafting, taking useless flesh and making it... serviceable.
The ant in my grasp grows still as my magic goes to work, twitching slightly as its brown shell turns black and grows thicker, a purple liquid dripping from its mandibles as I place it back down, smiling at the tiny creature.
It remains perfectly still as it awaits its command, my magic having done its work on the creatures primitive mind.
That was step one, to make a more durable and dangerous ant. All I did was use what I have learnt to make its shell thicker and far, far tougher. I've practiced with my ghouls to make their skin more tough and I have really made some good progress, their skin as hard as steel while keeping its flexibility and allowing them to move freely.
Placing my finger down on the ant, I push down with a fraction of my devil strength and smile as it remains uncrushed, if I put more effort in I'm sure I could crush it but that's were step two comes in.
Lifting the ant, I place it on the floor of my tent, wooden planks I had put down so I wasn't walking on dirt.
Grabbing my Fleshcrafting Grimoire once again, I give the spell I have been studying another read with furrowed brows, before I put it down and look down at my ant once again.
Holding my hand out, I send my magic out once again, smiling as the miniscule creature starts to grow.
The smile is promptly wiped from my face as my test subject explodes into a small burst of purple fluid, a tiny smear on my wooden floor as I sigh.
Next.
- Later -
Stepping back, I watch the ant cautiously, waiting for the inevitable explosion, purple blood covering the floor (and some tent walls unfortunately) as a testement of the last dozen or so attempts.
I can get them to grow, but they always blow up eventually and the bigger they grow the larger the explosion, or implosion in some cases, but as I stare at the large dog sized insect as its mandibles click together, I realise that I have done it.
I have made... Super Ant.
"If you explode, I'm gonna burn every ant hill in this forest." I say after a moment as it looks up at me, tilting its head slightly. I may be slightly fed up with getting covered in purple, sticky and highly poisonous liquid.
Also acidic so I'm going to need to have the wooden planks replaced since they kinda melted.
Spell Learnt
[Mass Growth]
A spell which causes massive and rapid growth in the target, causing it to rapidly grow in size, strength and abilities in flora and fauna, making them far more dangerous.
It worked?
Holy shit it worked.
I need a name for my new creation, and after a moment of careful consideration the perfect name comes to me.
Giant Ant.
Because I'm tired and annoyed and fuck putting any more effort into these bastards than I have had to already.
...and once I've done a few tests to make sure I got it all right, I'm going to need to do it all again for the rest of the little fuckers.
This had better be worth it.
- Much Later -
It turns out that ants are fucking morons, and even if I give them commands they are still just insects, their mind works in strange and frankly baffling ways and they keep getting my orders wrong or to be more exact... they follow my order to the letter regardless of anything else.
If I told them to walk in a direction, they'd keep heading that way even if they hit a wall or there was a pool of lava in their way, throwing themselves into it like lemmings which makes them fairly useless without me babysitting them.
I have twenty of the bastards now, all the size of very large dogs, which has led my goblins to scurry away and hide as I gather them in the middle of the camp, looking over my newest creations.
The answer for how to deal with this particular problem was easy when I thought about it some more. Everyone who knows anything about ants knows they have a Queen Ant that commands the colony, and while I have no idea how to tell a Queen from a regular ant, I could just make a Queen.
Patting the much larger ant next to me on its head, I smile as it clicks its mandibles excitedly.
How did I make this one smart enough to command a colony? I just took a human brain and combined it with the ants, then connected it to the others through a hive mind, nature is both wonderful and scary.
So now I have a horse sized Ant Queen and twenty Giant Ants ready to serve her will, and through her, my will.
"Now then, lets get to work." I say petting the massive Ant Queen as she chitters, the twenty Giant Ants moving in perfect unison as they start digging.
They have their task, they know their duty and the Queen will keep them working on it without needing me to babysit them the entire time.
Which means I can get back to my second goal, solidifying the Goblins loyalty through the simplest method, by making a few Servants to keep them occupied and thinking with their dicks.
While I have thirty two goblins, over twenty five of them are male and that includes Miza and Lezea, and while Shanx has no problems gouging them for coins for the chance to fuck her, she's one of only two female goblins who put out, both prostitutes.
I'm running out of materials, and I'm going to need to get my hands on some more humans, or humanoids soon if I want to continue my experimentation, but the ones I have left aren't good for much other than Servants anyway.
It doesn't take me long to turn some of my prisoners into Servants, the changes are fairly minimal and easy to do, though I make sure to do it where Lezea and Bryria can see to remind them that they don't want me to decide they aren't worth keeping as prisoners.
Before long I have five obedient women standing before me, with varying ages from their mid-teens to middle-aged, all tweaked to make them more appealing, flaws removed and traits enhanced. I've had Aria arrange for some revealing clothing for them, simple silk slave outfits that wouldn't be out of place in a sultans palace, you can't go wrong with the classics after all.
"You called for me, Boss man?" Shanx asks as she enters my tent, making me look up from my Grimoire. I need to practice with the Mummification branch but Fleshcrafting seems more useful for now.
"I did, tell me Shanx... what exactly is your role?" I ask closing my book, making her pause.
"My role? Well, I'm a whore?" Shanx asks as she walks towards me, looking fairly confused. "I figured that was why you called me, or don't you wanna fuck?"
"Hm, maybe later but no that is not why I called you. You see, I've decided to do something about the lack of... entertainment in the camp and provide the camp with some servants, slaves really." I say gesturing to the servants. "And I realised that would put you out of business, more of less, and I've decided to... repurpose you." I say calmly, watching her brows.
"Err... sex is all I really know, Boss?"
"I know, but you strike me as a fairly smart woman, you certainly didn't have any trouble handling your customers unlike your... co-worker, and I've decided your brains are being wasted and as such I've decided to put you in charge of these five and the other goblin prostitute, I'll arrange for a place of business for you later on." I reply calmly, making her eyes widen slightly, before she smiles, a sly look in her eyes.
I noticed when I was observing the goblins under me that Shanx's intelligence was considerably higher than anyone elses, with the exception of Miza, and I'd be a fool not to put her to use.
"So you want me to run a brothel, here?" Shanx asks, staring at me intently. Money is weird here, especially when half the creatures in the forest can drop small bags of coins or gems, and they tend to work on more of a barter system than anything else, and they also leave tribute for their 'boss'.
I've already found coins and some gems left in a small chest outside my tent.
"What's the catch? No-one does anything because they's feeling nice, specially not devils." Shanx asks making me smile back at her.
"The catch is simple, when I get around to making a place of business, I intend to make it both a tavern and a brothel, and if there is anything that makes men loose-lipped, it is sex and booze." I say calmly, making her pause as her eyes widen.
"You want me to spy for you, Boss?" Shanx asks, making me smile wider as her grin grows. "Well... you're the boss man, and you ain't wrong, men can be dumb when pussy is involved, specially goblin men."
"Then congratulations on your promotion, Madame Shanx." I say with a smile as I grab the two glass's of wine I prepared earlier.
As I pass it to her, I frown as Vesra, the leader of my nagas, slithers into my tent, I didn't summon her and she was supposed to be scouting.
"Massster, enemies approach." Vesra hisses as I rise, scowling.
"Celebrations will be delayed, Shanx. Leave us, you can take the glass." I say as she bows awkwardly, fleeing the tent. "Report."
"Green-skins approach fast, many." Vesra hisses as I pause, before I head out of the tent and grow my wings, flying into the sky.
I immediately see what Vesra meant, and realise I need to teach her to be a bit more specific as I watch the approaching horde, hundreds strong.
Through the tree line I can see goblins, orcs and what I can only assume are trolls, occasionally knocking the smaller trees down as they march, loudly, towards my outpost. I can hear the sound of drums growing louder, and they chose the middle of the day to do this for some reason so they don't have the cover of night to hide their approach.
...is that a catapult they are pushing towards me?
Dodging to the side quickly, I watch as an arrow passes the spot I was just occupying and frown, flying back down to the camp.
Well, this is going to be interesting.
- Mazoga -
"Tell me, are you slow?" Iymrae says as she barges into her private quarters, making Mazoga grab her axe quickly as she rises, the arrogant Drow flinching ever so slightly before she hides it. "I said to leave this invading devil to me, that I could put his powers to use for the Horde, and you agreed... so why exactly is there an army heading towards the captured outpost?" she screeches, making Mazoga resist the urge to just cut her down.
It would be fairly easy, she wouldn't be War Chieftess if she wasn't strong but she knew the Drow would have arranged for life to become unpleasant after her death, it was the exact kind of thing she'd enjoy. Plots within schemes, all spun like the web of one of her Goddess's spiders.
Besides, the smug dark-skinned elf had her uses, and there were too many Drow in the capital for her to kill their leader without it causing chaos.
"What in the nine hells are you babbling about?" Mazoga growled, glaring at the Drow. She wished she could say she was surprised, but the fact that one of her underlings had gone on the offensive was no real surprise. "I gave no orders to attack, you were at the damnable council meeting, I told them to stay away for now."
"Great, so you aren't an imbecile, you just can't control your own people." Iymrae scoffed, making Mazoga growl, taking a moment of enjoyment as she faltered in her pacing. "Chief Azuk has lead an army to the outpost, my assassin sent word when they marched passed her hiding place."
Grunting to herself, she took a moment to wish she'd put an axe in her cousins skull when she had the chance. Azuk had served the last War Chief loyally and she'd fought and beaten him during her rebellion, but he had a fairly large clan serving him and killing him would have just kept them fighting so she spared him in exchange for him pulling his clan away from the War Chief so she could challenge him.
He made no attempt to hide his hatred of her, or the humiliation he felt at having a younger woman best him, and she should have seen this coming. The fact that an outpost had been taken from them after she became War Chieftess was seen as a sign of her weakness, and Azuk was likely hoping to get support to become War Chief himself by reclaiming it and bringing the head of the devil who dared attack them.
Worse, it might actually work as several chiefs would rather have him in charge, either because he was weak enough for them to challenge or because they didn't like her, or her decisions. Allowing Ghorza, the Orc Necromancer and Iymrae a place on the council of chiefs had gained much hatred from her kind, who mistrusted mages at the best of times.
"Well, what are you going to do about it?" Iymrae asked making her scoff.
"Prepare. I couldn't catch up with him anyway and he wouldn't listen if I told him to stop, all I can do is hope the Devil eats his soul." Mazoga scoffed.
"I can send a message to Faeryna, have her try and eliminate the brute." Iymrae offered after a moment.
"No. If she gets spotted, even the dumbest goblin would link it back to you, and then me. Still, I might need your assassins later if the bastard actually survives. Besides, if he dies then he'll have proven my caution correct, at the cost of his own life." Mazoga scoffed.
"An ideal outcome, but we must prepare for the worst."
"The ideal outcome is the one where I embed my axe in the dumb bastards skull, but I'll take what I can get."
- Azuk -
Reaching the limits of the strange barrier around the outpost, he glared at the invisible barrier he knew was there, he could even see the dead goblins on the other side that he'd sent in to test it.
Mazoga might be willing to leave orc territory in devil hands, but he wasn't so weak willed.
He could already see the devil, the only human looking one, staring down at him from the walls of the outpost, wearing clothes far too fancy for battle with a strange black hood covering his face, only a pair of glowing pink eyes staring down at him.
"Open fire! Aim for the devil." he barked, watching as his archers took aim and let loose a barrage of arrows at the figures watching them from the walls. As the shield flared to life, most of the arrows simply stopped in place and fell to the floor a few feet in front of the wall, a few getting through, too slow to reach their target as they hit the wall itself instead.
Typical magic trickery.
Gesturing, he smiled as his men pushed the catapults closer, loading them with boulders. The outpost was just that, a tiny outpost, and he'd take the devils head sooner of later.
- Kuro -
Staring from beneath the Shrouded Hood, which I equipped for intimidation purposes, I stare down at the horde gathering at the edge of my wards, the clear leader barking orders at his men as they prepared their siege weapons.
I knew they'd respond sooner or later, I just didn't realise it would be so soon, or such a large force. There must be at least a hundred orcs gathered in preparation and far more goblins, along with a few trolls wielding clubs bigger than me.
Emergency Quest!
[Defend your base!]
Objective: Defend your base from the siege lead by Chief Azuk
Optional Objective: Slay Chief Azuk personally
Reward: ?, ?
Optional Reward: ?
Failure: You lose control of the lands around the Outpost, you lose control of the Goblins
The problem is something I have been worried about since I first took a look at my captured outpost, this place wasn't made for siege, it was made to watch for invaders and warn the other greenskins if anyone showed up, and magic can only help so much.
I need a place I can actually defend, not a shabby camp with wooden walls.
As the first boulder is launched at us, it smashes against the repulsion ward and shatters. That would be a good thing if I didn't have to duck under a rain of rock shards.
When the next one is launched, I act first and take aim, tossing a firebolt out and smirking as it collides with the large rock mid-flight. It doesn't break the rock but the blast is enough to slow the boulder, the ward doing the rest.
"Vesra, return fire. Aim for the orcs on the catapults, and the big fucker in front." I order with a frown as I look over the forces. This is... a bit of a problem.
My necrotic ward isn't perfect, not even close, and the more people it is trying to effect the less it actually does. A single intruder would get killed fairly if they didn't leave the range, their body rotting as Necrotic magic floods through them, but if ten intruders showed up it would take ten times as long.
If they get smart and charge me, it'll be spread out over hundreds of targets and I'd be lucky to manage to rot their little toe before they overwhelmed us.
Sending a mental order out to my creations, I join the fight as my Nagas rain poisoned arrows down on the front line, Vesra picking off the orcs manning catapult with ease as they desperately try to take cover, many orcs returning fire even as my wards protects us.
I know what I need, I have the spell I need to to it... but I don't have the time, or worse, the mana to do it.
[Create Lair] (Active)
Creates a lair in a hidden realm, linking it to the realm you are in. The lair is customisable but it requires more mana and raw materials the more complicated it is.
I need a new lair, but making a couple of rooms is different from making a fortress, and the mana cost would kill me if I tried to make it all in one go.
I have the design in my head, I can use the very land around us as the material cost as the game sees it as my property after I claimed the camp for myself, but the mana cost to make what I want is... extensive.
One hundred thousand mp, extensive.
I have six thousand at the moment.
On the bright side, I can cast it over time and pump all my magic into it as it regens... on the downside it would still take almost two hours to cast.
I was hoping to rely on the orcs not being... reckless to give me enough time to build a fortress from which I could hold them off, but I should have known better. I've gotten used to dealing with devils who think every action over a dozen times and the immediate response caught me off guard.
I'll need to make an abomination capable of scouting better than my naga in the future, maybe some form of harpy to watch from the skies?
Throwing a firebolt down at one of the catapults, I watch as the wooden siege weapon catches fire and smile. At least my opponents aren't the smartest, and I can use that.
A few more firebolts puts the catapults out of commission, but as I start casting the Lair creation spell, I frown as the orcs finally lose their patience.
With a loud battle cry, they start to charge forwards, using iron shields to try and block the arrows raining down on them, I have ten nagas and they have hundreds of goblins and orcs, and even as they pass into the wards range, they aren't going to be enough to stop the horde flowing towards us.
As the orcs leading the charge get within a few meters of the outpost walls, the ground beneath their feet breaks with their weight.
But that might.
Watching as the dozens of the charging orcs fall into the new trench, crushing their brethren before they catch on and stop their charge.
Ants are masters of digging tunnels, and Giant ants dig very, very fast...
All I need to buy is myself the time.
- Azuk -
Barely stopping his charge before he fell into one of the newly opened ditches, he watched as many of his brothers in arms weren't so lucky, the ground beneath them breaking away and dropping them a dozen feet into the dirt.
Damnable devils didn't know how to fight with honour, and as an arrow managed to get passed his shield, he grunted in pain as he grabbed it and ripped it out, staring at the slowly darkening flesh around the wound.
Of course the devil scum's minions used poison, but with a growl he tossed the arrow aside. He wasn't so weak as to be bested so easily by such treachery.
He could also feel the devils strange magic effecting him, combining with the poisoned wound to make the flesh around his bleeding wound grow tainted, the blood leaking out of him turning a unhealthy black, but he wouldn't be defeated so easily.
The first warning he had of the devils true scheme came as the men in the ditch started to scream, drawing his attention just in time to see one of his men, a warrior who had fought by his side against Vampires, High Elves and even Dragonkin, scream in terror as a insect burrowed out of the dirt he was laying against and simply bite his head off before it sprayed a purple mist out at the other men in the ditch before fleeing as his men shrieked in terror and agony, their flesh melting under as the purple liquid covered them.
To make things worse, before he could shout for it to stop one of the trolls joined the doomed fools in the pit, charging forwards determined to attack the walls and simply falling straight to its doom, giant insects setting upon it immediately as it was dragged into the depths.
Glaring up at the wall again, he paused as he noticed something unexpected.
The snake bitches were still there, firing poisoned arrows at them and spitting globs of poison over the wall down onto them, but the devil was nowhere in sight.
- Kuro -
The problem with the necrotic ward was an oversight in its creation, it attempts to hurt everyone trespassing at the same time because of how I set it up, and since I'm stuck unable to cast spells while I'm channelling my lair creation spell I decided I might as well fix that so it can actually fucking do something.
The gate will fall eventually, and while my ghouls are waiting on the other side to hold back the horde I need every advantage I can get, which is why I'm fiddling with the wardstone while we are under attack.
Perhaps not the smartest thing to do, but the ant tunnels have given the orcs pause and they are hesitant to continue charging, fearing another trap. Also, giant bugs scare everyone.
Changing a few runes here and there, I smile as the Necrotic ward comes back online, its mechanics altered enough so that it can actually help out again.
The change is simple, instead of targetting every trespasser it simply picks one and hard targets them, before moving onto the next. I don't have time to stop and set up a smart targetting system so right now it is simple, picking its targets simply by how long they have been under the ward.
Returning to the walls, I have to admit I feel rather useless just sat here watching but any spell I cast would interrupt my casting and delay my victory condition, which while annoying means I have to be content just watching the chaos.
I've given the goblins bows as well and had them fire down at them, but without the naga poison their plain iron arrows are fairly ineffective, but every little helps right?
I'll look into... upgrading the goblins later.
Still, I have something I can do to speed this whole mess up.
Kuro Dantalion, the Lord of House Dantalion
Race – Devil
Level – 32 (21%)
Alignment – Neutral Evil
Mentor – Izan Dantalion (Wardcrafting)
Apprentice – None
HP – 2000 [400 regen per five minutes]
MP – 6000 [800 regen per minute]
SP – 2000 [400 regen per minute]
STR – 20 (x10) = 200
END – 20 (x10) = 200
DEX – 20 (x10) = 200
INT – 60 (x10) = 600
WIS – 40 (x10) = 400
CHA – 30 (x20) = 600
LCK – 20 (x15) = 300
Stats – 20
Every kill my minions do counts as mine, and my exp has been slowly increasing as the invaders have fallen, and these are in much greater numbers than last time. Honestly, they are doing me a favour. Right now my problem is mp regen, which means as much as I don't want to... all my stats are going into Wisdom.
[Mana Surge] – WIS [50]
Once per day you can cause the mana within you to surge, regenerating at five times the usual speed for five minutes, however after the surge is finished you will not regenerate mana for thirty minutes
Well hello there, aren't you interesting?
Obviously I can't use it immediately but quickly doing the maths in my head, I smirk as I realise that with my new mp regen rate and this skill I can regen 30k mp in five minutes, which if I do a the end will cut off a lot of the wait time.
The debuff is a problem but I shouldn't need to cast for a while if my plan comes to fruition.
With this, I just need to hold out for roughly forty-five minutes, and as I fly back up to the walls, watching the orcs trying to pull their brothers and sisters out of my ants tunnel, all while trying to swipe at the hungry insects, I smile.
My ants have shells harder than steel, their iron weapons are no real threat and only the leader is even able to hurt them, slashing at one of them and cutting off its mandible making it screech in pain, spitting acidic blood all over the fool.
Despite the acidic liquid burning into him, it doesn't stop him from charging forwards and embedding his axe in the ants skull, ripping it out with a roar as it falls dead making me frown to myself.
...his weapon is made of something far stronger than the others, and he is the biggest threat, though as a troll grabs one of the ants and drags it from the dirt, smashing its head with its club I have to admit, they are doing better than I thought.
I underestimated their strength, and they regenerate fairly quickly as its melted flesh regrows. It'll be interesting to study them and learn how to steal and improve that for my abominations.
Should I be worried that I'm starting to see people and creatures by what I could make with them? Possibly, but as one of the trolls climbs the pit and reaches the wall I realise that I might be in a bit of a situation.
Even as my nagas rain arrows and poison down on it, it brings its club down on the frankly shitty wooden doors with a thunderous crash, making me wince as the doors visibly buckle and crack beneath it, making the clearly dumb creature cheer to itself as it continues beating on the door.
When I rule this realm, I'm going to have words with whoever it was that decided that outposts didn't need to be defensible, but for now I can just watch as another troll joins them and the gate gives way quickly.
On the bright side, those two seem to be the last of the trolls as there was only a few and my ants ambushed the other three, even if it cost me a couple of them, but on the dark side...
"Push forwards, men! WAAAAGH!"
As the leader lets out a uncomfortably loud warcry, he also manages to pull himself out of the dirt pit, injured as he might be, and charges towards the open gate, the trolls lumbering in through the gates.
I still have over half an hour to go before I can finish my spell... but I have a back-up plan.
"Get moving, quickly." I bark at the goblins and nagas as I fly down, landing behind my ghouls as they quickly move, following the emergency plan I laid out before the battle started.
I just need to buy a little time for now.
"Finally done hiding, devil scum?!" the orc, Azuk presumably, bellows as he charges at me, my ghouls letting him pass making him hesitate for a moment before he continues rushing towards me.
My ghouls form ranks back up after he passes, cutting him off from his men and getting to work trying to slay the trolls and the other orcs that have made their way across the pit, which can only delay them now as I smirk.
I'm glad he is a lead from the front kind of man, it makes this far easier.
Make no mistake, this is a dangerous situation since I can't use my magic at the moment but I still have an ace up my sleeve.
"I was never hiding, I simply didn't feel like coming down to meet someone as irrelevant as you." I say calmly, a iron sword resting in my hand, the best one I could get in this crappy outpost. I need a blacksmith, and soon.
It turns out that when retreating is the goal, goblins are remarkably fast... and my naga never waste time as I feel Vesra pass the boundary of the Necrotic ward... which means everything I needed to keep alive has now left the camp.
Do you know how easy it is to make something fireproof? Especially something as tough as my ghouls? They aren't undead, but they are close enough that I was worried about the traditional weaknesses of fire and light, and while I couldn't do anything about the (possible) light weakness I could certainly give them a massive resistance to fire.
Like for instance the fire that breaks out setting the wooden walls alight, the fire starting from several spots at once as the ghouls lying in wait obey my mental command, the outpost clearing growing increasingly hot as the flames spread faster and faster.
Grog, the greenskins favourite drink, is highly flammable, and it does the job in an emergency, and I knew this outpost was never going to hold against a determined siege... so if I'm going to lose it either way, I'll be doing it on my terms.
I had the ant queen working on digging an escape route for the goblins, servants and nagas this entire time, which has now been collapsed on this end to prevent anyone from joining them. It just leads out into the forest, on the the side of the camp from the battle.
And, unsurprisingly, the orcs are less eager to enter the open gates of the burning camp. The trolls panic as the nearby walls are set alight, and my ghouls, showing neither fear or caution don't hesitate to take advantage of the opening.
"You- what insanity is this?! You'd burn the forest down and kill us all?!" Azuk roars as he rushes me, making me chuckle as I take flight again, flying away from his enraged swing.
"Kill us all? Don't be so dramatic, I'm just going to kill you all. I'll be fine." I say, amused by his rage. Devils aren't fireproof, but we are fire-resistant... at least to regular non-magical fire.
I tested.
There was something I underestimated though... only you can prevent forest fires, but I sure as fuck didn't. I can see several trees alight in the distance, behind the fighting, and as my exp rises I realise that the fire spread quite a bit faster than I expected.
Whoops.
Sending an order to Vesra to lead the evacuated goblins and servants further away from the fires, I take a moment to appreciate the power of fire.
Because holy fuck is that a lot of screaming.
...all is fair in love and war, and if they didn't want to get caught in a forest fire they shouldn't have entered a forest.
Flying back towards Azuk, I swing my sword at him with a frankly clumsy strike, the orc easily deflecting it with his own, headbutting me and making me take a step back, one hand rubbing my nose slightly.
It didn't really do any damage... but ow.
"Rude."
"R-rude? You steal our outpost, poison us, set my men on fire, set giant bugs on us and I'm rude?!" Azuk shouts, staring at my in disbelief as I pause, thinking about it.
"Very well, we are both in the wrong." I say graciously, my smirk hidden by my hood as he lets out an enraged roar and charges me again.
A part of me wants to fight him, to prove... something? Or maybe I just like the thrill of the fight, but without my magic I am at a massive disadvantage against a pure melee warrior with far more skill with a weapon than me, I just wanted to lure him in... and get the optional objective naturally.
But I just says I need to slay him, doesn't say that I have to do all the work and sending out a mental command I smile as the ghouls responsible for our little fire charge into the clearing, rushing the orc as I take flight again.
I can stay in the air without an issue because his archers are... preoccupied.
I mean on fire.
I'm going to lose ghouls, but the only one I have a real attachment to is the first I ever made, and I sent him with the others.
Losing the rest is a minor problem, but I can replace any that die and the orcs are more concerned with the whole burning thing than trying to invade my outpost and the goblins have predictably ran for the hills.
Trying to get over a large, deep, ditch in the ground, while hungry ants the size of Great Danes try and eat you, is a problem. Trying to do it while on fire is considerably more so, and my ants aren't really flammable... I think?
And once again, all I need to do is buy time.
Setting my opponents on fire is certainly one way of doing so.
The orc puts up a fight, and bellows several insults at me as I fly around above the outpost, frowning slightly at the uncomfortable heat, but as his men fall to the flames, my ants and my ghouls, he finds himself... overwhelmed.
Smashing one of my ghouls in the face with his shield, he lunges forwards and plunges his blade deep into its stomach with a triumphant roar, which is quickly replaced with confusion as the ghoul simply grabs him in a tight grip, unconcerned with the blade sticking in its guts.
It's not like ghouls need most of their internal organs after all, and what would have been a fatal blow to an orc or human is just an uncomfortable inconvenience to the ghoul as it pins the man in place, its brethren taking the chance to claw and bite at the restrained orc.
My level continues rising as the fires consume the horde, and as I watch over the 'battle' I take a moment to praise myself for realising that everything is easier to deal with when it is on fire and half-eaten by ants.
Go me.
It's still unpleasantly hot though.
Realising I have reached the required time, I focus inwardly and activate my mana surge,, my eyes widening slightly at the rush of power, not unlike an adrenaline rush but on a different level, all the mana being funnelled into my spell as it nears completion.
Landing on the ground again, I smile as my ghouls grab the orcs arms and force him to his knees, it takes several of them to do it, one for each arm and one behind him with its claws at his throat but as I walk towards him his struggles are for naught.
"I'd have fought you fairly, but I have this feeling that I would have lost." I admit as I stop in front of him, my honest praise making him blink in confusion.
As he goes to respond, I stab my sword forwards and stick it through his neck, pulling it out as he coughs up blood, collapsing to the ground as he is released.
Emergency Quest Complete
[Defend your base!]
Objective Complete: Defend your base from the siege lead by Chief Azuk (Technically? The quest didn't exactly anticipate you burning the outpost down, Master)
Optional Objective: Slay Chief Azuk personally (You're good at this technicality thing, huh?)
Reward: Random Rare Useable Equipment, Random Rare Useable Consumable
Optional Reward: Random Epic Useable Equipment
Failure: You lose control of the lands around the Outpost, you lose control of the Goblins
[Ring of (Somewhat) Mighty Magic] – Rare
The ring of a long dead mage, heavily enchanted to boost his meagre magic and allow him to compete with his rivals. Obviously it didn't work that well since he's long dead but maybe you'll make better use of it.
Spells are 5% more effective, 5% cheaper, and the user takes 5% less magic damage.
[The Wine of Damnation] - Rare
A bottle of the most delicious wine, to die for in fact. Quite literally as it is poisoned with an deadly slow acting undetectable poison which will take effect anywhere from three days to two weeks after being drunk.
[Shadow-Touched Dragon Hide Arcane Warrior's Armour] – Epic
The armour of the Shadow branch of a order of Arcane Warriors, Battle Mages most at home on the front lines, blade in one hand and a spell in the other. Made from the hide of a black dragon, it is highly resistant to most form of damage but its true power lies in the heavy enchantments cast upon it, allowing the wearer to fade into the shadows, becoming nigh-invisible, and empowering spells connected to the Shadows.
...equipping my new outfit without even thinking about it, I feel my smile grow as the unpleasant heat fades immediately as my body is covered in black leather, far more comfortable than it has any right to be.
Looking over myself, I take in the black and silver outfit. It almost resembles the uniform worn by the assassins from the assassins creed series, only without the hood and almost completely black, with silver accents.
The long coat goes down to my ankles at the back while being open at the front, preventing it from interfering with my manoeuvrability, and while there are metal parts (on my shoulders, waist, gloves and boots mostly) they are all positioned in places that won't slow me down in a fight. It goes well with my shrouded hood, and while the hood is pulled up there isn't a single bit of skin exposed of visible.
I have to say... I kinda like it. I do kinda feel like I need a half-cloak to go with it though.
My new ring slides over my covered finger and I feel its effect take hold, the silver ring sitting nicely on my ring finger with a small purple gem sitting on it.
Well, 5% less mana cost means I can cast my spell immediately, and I have no reason to hesitate. I do need a new home now that I've burnt my shitty tent down after all.
- Mazoga -
"I... what?" Mazoga asked, staring through her bedroom window at the black tower that just... appeared in the distance.
"I do believe this means we can safely say Azuk will not be returning." Iymrae said after a moment as they started at the intimidating structure standing proudly where she was sure the outpost should have been.
They'd seen the flames from here, as a forest fire of that size was hard to miss even from this far away, they could smell the smoke from the capital.
It was just a small outpost, barely important in the grand scheme of things... and yet the tower sitting on the horizon almost mockingly was anything but small.
The imposing tower of twisted black metal and stone stood as a middle finger to her, the devil making himself truly at home in her lands, with thick black walls towering over the trees surrounding it, it was a challenge, an insult laughing in their face.
They tried and failed to remove him, and now he was mocking them. It was the devil holding out his arms and saying 'come and try again if you dare'.
And now she'd see it every time she looked out of her bedroom window, everyone in the capital would see it anytime they looked to the south, a permanent symbol of her failure.
She would celebrate Azuk's death later, pissing on whatever grave his clan gave him, assuming any of them survived, but now she had a much bigger problem to deal with.
The devil wanted to challenge her? So be it.
- Kuro -
Cackling to myself, I wrap myself in the quilts of my new bed in the master bedroom of my Dark Lord Towertm, it worked for Sauron and it will work for me. Well, it didn't work for Sauron, he died, and he kinda was the tower but you get what I mean.
Is it original? No. Am I an architect, or otherwise willing to put in the effort to design a new lair while also being attacked by assholes, also No. I moved my fleshcrafting lab and prisons into the tower as well, as the dungeon technically counts as a separate realm that is at least partially under my control.
I need to send a message, and the message is fuck off and leave me alone, and what better way to do that than have a massive imposing black tower, covered in spikes? Who would look at this and think 'Oh yeah, I can take him'.
And even if they are that stupid, I have walls inside my walls, layers of security and now all I need to do is make enough minions to actually fill this place.
I made the goblins a cave system with simple building beneath the tower, it turns out they actually like being underground and it has plenty of room to expand when I get more of the fuckers.
I'll need more servants to keep the place nice and tidy, and I'll need to find a way to feed the place... especially since I kinda burnt down everything nearby. The flames spread a lot further than I expected and now everything in a few mile radius is... burnt to ashes. Whoops.
It was a shit forest anyway.
I'm more concerned about the sudden cold that caused the flames to die out, it was definitely some kind of magic but whoever did it was both powerful and not actually attacking me, they just put out the fire and left as far as I can tell.
But right now, I'm just too happy to have a proper bedroom in this place instead of a fucking tent.
Oh... and then there's this.
Kuro Dantalion, the Lord of House Dantalion
Race – Devil
Level – 41 (78%)
Alignment – Neutral Evil
Mentor – Izan Dantalion (Wardcrafting)
Apprentice – None
HP – 2000 [400 regen per five minutes]
MP – 6000 [1200 regen per minute]
SP – 2000 [400 regen per minute]
STR – 20 (x10) = 200
END – 20 (x10) = 200
DEX – 20 (x10) = 200
INT – 60 (x10) = 600
WIS – 60 (x10) = 600
CHA – 30 (x20) = 600
LCK – 20 (x15) = 300
Stats – 45
Nothing like burning down a few miles of forest filled with orcs, goblins and probably magical creatures to power level, since they were all technically my kills.
Technically. I do love that word.
Giving it some thought, I put my points in and take a moment to enjoy the rush of power as I become... better, in almost every way, my mind sharper, my muscles stronger, my reflexes faster.
STR – 25 (x10) = 250
END – 25 (x10) = 250
DEX – 35 (x10) = 350
INT – 70 (x10) = 700
WIS – 60 (x10) = 600
CHA – 30 (x20) = 600
LCK – 30 (x15) = 450
Honestly, forest fires are pretty fucking useful. I should burn more stuff often.
...maybe later, I don't want to move right now.
Authors Note: Despite the best efforts of Thunder, Cardi and Bean, I have finished the chapter. Every Kuro needs a big ass tower to hide inside and avoid his responsibilities.
Next Update: New Game Plus (or Slippery Slope, kinda wanna do another of that)