by John Nest
"Yes, I'm sure," answered Smoke. "All of them share the same hatred you have for the Orks."
With their strategy ascertained, Cynar and Blaise's OrkElf army calmly marched towards the resting UrukHai.
Their advance picked up dust-clouds, alerting the Orks of their presence. At once, the UrukHai responded as anticipated. All of them blindly charged towards Smoke and the rest of the OrkElves.
Smoke then signaled everybody to stop and hold their ground. All of them were lined up in a wide formation. Smoke's men were on the left side, while Cynar and Blaise's were on the other.
With his Digger's Wand at the ready, Smoke pointed it at the Orks. Patiently, he waited for them to be nearer before unleashing his powers on them.
"Waaarraaaaah!" cried out the mounted Orks, charging at them on top of their dirus wolves.
Yet, before the savage Orks could attack, Smoke dug up a deep trench right under the wolves' feet. Instantly, hundreds of the leading UrukHai and their mounts fell in.
The Orks right after them, stopped dead on their tracks.
"Dabalutir, kim aldabul!" yelled one of the Orks in Orkish.
"What did he say?" Smoke asked Cynar and Blaise.
"He said to leave you alive," answered Cynar.
"It also means that they plan to torture you, instead of killing you," added Blaise.
"That makes sense," said Smoke, nodding his head.
"But what bothers me is that I don't see Wertlosvati anywhere," pointed out Cynar.
"Maybe he's just out in the back?" suggested Blaise.
Then, the Orks charged from both opposite ends of the trench. Yet, not all of the UrukHai started running. Some of them remained and tried to help out the ones who fell in.
As the charging Orks on the left were still huddled. Smoke dug up another trench on the left side, dropping at least four-hundred Orks into his second pit.
Smoke's troops of one-thousand-two-hundred OrkElves faced off against three-hundred UrukHai.
Whereas, Cynar and Blaise's mounted army of almost three-thousand OrkElves clashed with one-thousand-five-hundred Orks. The angered Orks braved the long-spears of the mounted OrkElves. Three to four wooden poles instantly shattered against the green bodies of the mighty UrukHai, as they focused their attacks.
Yet, their broken weapons served their purpose. Thanks to their combined efforts, Cynar and Blaise's men killed at least four-hundred Orks in the initial encounter alone. They drew out their short-swords and braved the melee battle against the UrukHai.
On the opposite side, Smoke kept yelling out commands. "Alpha, cobra strike formation. Bravo, support Alpha with rattler defense. Charlie, engage the Orks on the left wing with viper venom. Delta, hold your boomslang formation."
Smoke had named their battle formations after snakes, as he coated all of their long-spears and short-swords with poison pellets.
The numerous OrkElves scattered like a swarm of flies, but always reformed their formation in less than ten seconds. Their strange movements confused the Orks, allowing them those precious seconds to deliver their deadly strikes.
Despite having entire platoons out to attack, Smoke still designated special OrkElves to play the roles of defenders. Due to this, they were equipped with poison coated short-swords and clay-shields made with his Earth Manipulation.
Smoke's personally trained OrkElves struggled at first, but his constant commands and well-timed supportive earth spikes, helped them get into the groove of fighting with the UrukHai.
The Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta battalions worked independently, but at the same time, also as a whole. Smoke's commands coupled with the OrkElves snappy response to execute, dealt killing blows on the UrukHai in a most efficient manner.
By the time the trapped UrukHais climbed out of the trenches, Smoke's army were barely injured and had finished off their first wave of Orks.
Now, with their boosted morale, gained from the experience of surviving against the UrukHai. They readily welcomed the emerging Orks from the trench. From a safe distance, they stabbed the surfacing Orks with their long-spears, forcing the green monsters to fall back into the deep trench.
After ten minutes, Smoke's OrkElves finished on the Orks on their end and went to support Cynar and Blaise's troops.
The two OrkElf leaders had lost a fourth of their men, and were struggling against the UrukHai.
Mounted on top of his dirus wolf, Smoke led his troops towards Blaise and Cynar.
"Alpha, queue up next to Bravo and take the Orks on the left. Charlie and Delta, do the same on the right side," suddenly yelled out Smoke.
All four platoons executed Smoke's order in less than thirty-seconds.
"Now! Execute Black Mamba!" commanded Smoke.
The shield-bearers of Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta were in the lead, while the long-spear wielders attacked from behind them. This simultaneous strike from all four directions huddled the UrukHai into a tight formation.
Smoke then concentrated all of his mana into creating a large dome. It was almost as large as the one Ledur made when they trapped Horrabelle. He encased more than four-hundred Orks inside the air-tight dome.
"Cynar, order your troops to surround the trench. Blaise, have your men finish off the Orks I wasn't able to catch," yelled out Smoke. "Cynar, don't let the Orks climb out."
"Who are you to order us a—" began Blaise, but was quickly interrupted by Cynar.
"Blaise, let's do what he says," reasoned out Cynar.
Smoke nodded at Cynar, silently thanking him for backing him up.
"My dome should hold the ones trapped inside for a while, but I'll make sure that they won't get out," explained Smoke.
He leapt off his dirus wolf, climbed on top of his earth-dome and opened a small hole. He then crushed poison pellets with his hand and dropped them into the dome, sealing it once more.
"Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta, run to the trench and finish off the Orks," commanded Smoke from on top of his dome.
Before the Orks could climb out, they were mercilessly met with long-spears. Smoke observed from above, searching for a place to aid.
Yet, it was clear that the Orks were done for. He then spotted the Ork Commander who let out an order to leave him alive.
Smoke leapt down next to him and bound his legs with earth-shackles. Two thin earth-pillars protruded out from the ground and shackled the Ork's hands as well.
"Where do you think you're going?" asked a grinning Smoke. "I thought you planned to torture me?"
Suddenly, Cynar rode up next to them on his dirus wolf.
"Don't kill him, Faux," ordered Cynar. He then leapt off his mount and choked the Ork with his bare hands.
"Askar Wertlosvati? Dalikar Ishulti Dawon," vehemently said Cynar.
"Ha! Wertlosvati Nakadaganar," answered the Ork. "Walti kawnaw makardakup niyar."
"No!" shouted Cynar and released his hold on the Ork Commander.
With one swift motion, Cynar got out his knife and slit the Ork's throat.
"What happened?" asked a surprised Smoke.
"Wertlosvati already left two days ago," explained Cynar. "He said that my worthless father had been called to some kind of Ork summit."
Smoke and Cynar left the bleeding Ork to die, and rejoined their troops in finishing off the surviving Orks.
After twenty-minutes the field turned red with blood. Smoke canceled out his earth-dome, revealing the items dropped by the trapped UrukHai.
The OrkElves hurriedly began gathering the loot.
While a mounted Smoke was grinning from ear to ear, staring at a pleasant window notification.
+ Level UP!
You have 10 stat points ready for distribution.
Your HP has increased by 6,000.
Your MANA has increased by 6,000.
Fame has increased by 1.
Smoke was now level 110, but he still could not decide what to do with his unused stat points.
"Status Window," called out Smoke.
Level: 110
Job: Beggar
Race: DarkElf
Alignment: Neutral Evil - 100
Money: 50,000,000 zecs
Fame: 1,112
Titles: (+ to all stats)
Condortl Savior (+2)
5th Swordsman to Knight Champ (+1)
King of Maneators (+4)
Pet: None
Life: 228,858 HP
Mana: 305,726 MP
DEX: 605(+62)
STR: 145(+55)
AGI: 60 (+617)
VIT: 10 (+104)
INT: 140(+213)
Wisdom: 110 (+37)
Leadership: 143 (+7)
Charisma: 32 (+7)
Luck: 999
Atk Speed:25(+71)
Move Speed:65(+15)
Defense:2,513(1/4)
Unused Stats: 20
Weapons:
Power Chainsaw Bow: 135-148(1/4)
Attack: 7,888-8,548 (1/4)
Twin Lightning Rods: 206-220(1/4)
Attack: 13,135-14,348 (1/4)
Elemental Resistance:
Elemental Affinity:
Fire: 90%
Dark: 60%
Poison: 44%
Wind: 20%
Water: 20%
Earth: 40%
Lightining: 22%
Fire: 90%
Earth: 80%
Lightning: 55%
Poison: 53%
Wind: 25%
Equipment Effects: (1/4)
*Hooded Cape of Cologus
+20% Earth Affinity
+20% Wind Affinity
+20 Strength
+20 Dexterity
*Claws of Chiropterra
+15% Earth Affinity
*Heart of ReenTe
+30 Vitality
*Sable Wizard's Surcoat
+510 Defense
+10% All Resistance
+15% Bonus Exp
* Lunar Gravity Boots
+15 Movement Speed
* Wise Ring of the Dire Fox
+30 Intelligence
+30 Wisdom
* Horse Ring of Domination
+50 Intelligence
+30% Earth Affinity
* Berserker's Ring of Flames
+50 Intelligence
+30% Fire Affinity
*Beggar Belt [1 stone]
Skill Effects:
* Agility of the Horned Rabbit (Agility + 510)
* Cooking (Vitality + 67)
* Dual Wield (Attack Speed + 71)
* Knife Mastery (Knife Damage + 66%)
* Bow Mastery (Bow Damage + 84%)
'Maybe I should raise Int?' he wondered to himself, since he was mainly using his Earth Manipulation.
"Faux, Faux," called out Blaise, from on top of his dirus wolf. "There's your share of the loot," he said pointing out to a large pile of mauls, axes, hammers, and other various Ork items.
"Give it to my troops," said Smoke. "This will be my last campaign with you and Cynar, and most of our success is due to their hard-work."
"But didn't you hear what Cynar said? Wertlosvati isn't here," reasoned out Blaise. "You can't leave now."
"Wait, I thought you wanted me gone?" Smoke asked Blaise.
"I never said that," replied the Flame Knight. "I just said that I didn't like you pretending to take Ayert's place."
"Well, regardless, I've already spent too much time here. I must continue on my search for the Magietrois," Smoke explained to Blaise. "I'll just find another way to enter the tournament."
Just then, Cynar rode up next to the two of them.
Smoke carefully dismounted and offered the reins of his mount to Cynar.
"What's this?" asked a confused Cynar.
"Well, I'm leaving," began Smoke. "I'm sorry that we didn't catch Wertlosvati, but I really have to complete my own quest."
Cynar looked disheartened and intensely stared at Smoke.
"I can't let you do that," Cynar said with finality.
"I'm sorry, but I can't stay any longer," reasoned out Smoke. He readied himself to fight all of the OrkElves and escape. He had an inclination that something like this would happen.
"Before you go, take this," said Cynar, searching for a parchment inside his armor. He then gave it to Smoke.
+ Received: Doctored Magi Gagnant Tournament Document!
"It's a document that should allow you to take part in the Magi Gagnant Tournament," explained Cynar.
"I'll really be able to join the tournament with these paper?" eagerly asked Smoke.
"Also, take that dirus wolf with you. I think it has grown accustomed to you," said Cynar, giving the reins back to Smoke.
+ Received: Dirus Wolf Mount: Freifahrt!
'It's name is Freifahrt? What kind of name is that?' thought a surprised Smoke.
He then turned to Cynar and shook his head.
"Sorry, but I can't take him," refused Smoke, handing the reins back to Cynar. "You need it more than me."
"No, I insist," said Cynar. "From the loot we gathered today, we can afford to spare this one mount."
"Well, if you say so," said Smoke, and got up on his dirus wolf once more.
"I guess this is it, then," Smoke said to Cynar and Blaise.
"I may not like you, but you've earned my respect, Faux," suddenly blurted out Blaise.
"Til our paths cross again, Faux," said Cynar.
With that, Smoke rode his newly acquired dirus wolf and headed for Votl City.
After riding some distance away from Cynar and Blaise, Smoke let out Igniz from his metallic orb.
"Hey there," greeted Smoke.
Igniz excitedly orbited around him with tremendous speed.
"Sorry about keeping you in there for most of the time, but I think you might be in it for a lot longer," explained Smoke.
At once, Igniz's purple flames dimmed.
"Oh, come on. Don't be like that," cheered Smoke. "At least we finally rescued the children. We're headed to them now."
Grasping a clay mold with an imprint of an iron-key, Smoke remembered his conversation with Jack; before Blaise, Cynar, and himself went out to hunt Wertlosvati.
* * * * * *
"Faux? Is it time?" eagerly asked an imprisoned Jack.
"Yeah, you ready?" urgently asked Smoke. He opened the young aristocrat's dungeon using the duplicate key he crafted. He secured a copy by imprinting Cynar's iron-key with a clay when the masked Assassin dropped it before.
"Take this," said Smoke, handing over the duplicate key to Jack. "You remember the plan, right?"
A conceited and excited Jack energetically nodded. "Of course!"
"Good, but remember not to bother with the OrkElf children. I think they're contented here," quickly added Smoke. "Despite making them work, I've seen that Cynar treats them well."
He then handed Jack a bag of dried up mandragora flowers, five specialized gas-masks, and an earth-mold of a large feet.
His supply of the mandragora flowers were extremely limited, but he did not hesitate to use them for the children's escape.
After observing Jack's conceited expression, Smoke decided to do a brief review. "Run the plan by me again," he said to the boy.
"First, I burn the mandragora flowers, and then wait until the entire den is filled with its smoke," began Jack.
"No, no, first you wear the mask before you burn the leaves," reminded Smoke, waving the mask in front of the boy. "Otherwise you'd fall victim to the mandragora's hallucinations."
"Right, right. Wear the mask, then burn the leaves," confirmed Jack.
"Alright, what's next?" queried Smoke.
"After that, I'll go looking for the other captured children and put the masks on them," continued Jack. "Next, I take them back to your special-room, and go to the corner where there is an entrance to a tunnel that will lead us to safety."
"That's right, but you're missing one important part," sternly reprimanded Smoke. "You forgot to use the Ork's feet
that I made. You have to imprint that everywhere, and scream Ork Attack! Ork Attack! Especially near the cave's entrance. Cynar and Blaise have to think that it was the Orks that abducted you."