Forming the Company (Alpha World Book 2)

by Daniel Schinhofen

  Fluffball nodded as she reached them, “I think I am ready.”

  Something seemed a little off about Fluff so Alburet asked her gently, “You okay?”

  Shaking her head as though clearing it of some lingering thoughts, she gave him a small smile, “Yes, sorry. My talk with Lilith last night wasn't what I expected and it’s had me thinking ever since. She asked me to come speak with her again tonight once we’re done hunting.”

  “Ma' be able to be helpin' ya, then?”

  “Yes, Stacia. I didn't expect what she did but it is helping me, I think. After tonight hopefully I will have a better idea of how and why.”

  “Glad to hear it,” Alburet said before motioning towards the door, “shall we go?”

  They all stepped into the room and onto the rune on the floor there. They found themselves at the gates of a fort slightly larger than the one in the orc lands. The four guards at the gates nodded to them in greeting.

  “The two-souled finally made it out here again, it’s been awhile,” one of them muttered.

  “We might not be able to handle the monsters here yet, but we are here to give it a try,” Karen replied to the mutterer. “Does the sergeant on duty have the quests for this area?”

  The mutterer stood up straight, “Yes, ma'am.”

  “Thank you,” Karen replied as the group walked into the fort.

  This fort had four buildings in the courtyard. At the smithy, a female elf was hammering a sword into shape. Another building had a sign declaring it a provisions store. Next was a place called the Gnoll's Head, which looked like a small inn. Last was a stable, where a one-armed man was grooming a horse.

  Alburet whistled in appreciation, “Looks like they start getting a little more self-sufficient. The inn will make it possible to stay out of the city longer when you reach high level areas.”

  “That was the idea,” Fluff added. “Though, if this was reality you would think the inverse would really be true. The further out you went the smaller the defensive locations and fewer frills.”

  “Yeah, like forward base camps going towards enemy territory,” Karen mused. “Alpha World being what it is, though, means it makes more sense this way.”

  “We sold everything we needed to before leaving town. You two got free bag space?” Alburet asked.

  They both assured him they did. With that out of the way, the party trooped into the main fort building. The first big room held a single desk with a sergeant behind it. The blonde haired human female looked up at them as they approached. Alburet noted the touch of grey to her hair as well as the numerous small scars on her hands and face.

  “The two-souled finally make their way back to us,” her voice was a bell touched with a hint of husk, like a long-time smoker. “You looking for the quests I can give you?”

  “Yes, ma'am,” Alburet said, snapping a salute to her. “We are Alpha Company, ma'am. We are here to help as much as we can.”

  The sergeant glanced at the emblems they each wore on their left breast. “You formed a guild? Well, maybe you won't be a complete loss then if you can think ahead. Clear out fifty gnolls for one of my tasks, clear five encampments for another and if you’re really suicidal, kill their Head Shaman in the cave system in their territory.”

  Quest: Kill fifty gnolls

  Reward: Twenty gold and increased rep with Stormguard guards

  Quest: Clear five encampments of gnolls

  Reward: Thirty gold and increased rep with Stormguard guards

  Quest: Kill the Head Shaman of the gnolls

  Reward: Fifty gold and an item from the Quartermaster stores.

  Alburet smiled, “We will gladly do the first two right away, but for the last we shall have to enlist some aid. We’ll complete all of them as soon as we can, ma'am.”

  The sergeant nodded, “Dismissed then, Alpha Company.”

  Alburet and Karen snapped off salutes, followed a beat later by Fluffball and Stacia. Turning, they walked out of the fort. “Well, she seems like an old warhorse, doesn't she?” Karen chuckled.

  “Someone who came up the ranks, I would say,” Alburet agreed. “Probably loved and feared by her men.”

  As they walked out the gates, Alburet looked at the trees growing in the distance. “I take it they live out there?”

  “Yes,” one of the guards said. “Gnolls love their trees and caves.”

  “Okay, then,” Alburet said with pursed lips as he studied the trees for a second. “Guess we get this show on the road.” He summoned Tiny and Bob to his side, noting the guards tensing slightly as the demons appeared. “Gnolls today guys. You ready for it?”

  “Yes, master,” Tiny rumbled.

  Bob just nodded his head, “Sure thing, master.”

  Karen chuckled, “So excited today, Bob. Can ya say that any more monotone?”

  Bob swiveled his head to meet Karen's eyes, “Sure thing, sexy.” The words came out flat and lifeless.

  Snorting, Alburet shook his head, “Wow. Okay then. Let's get moving, shall we?”

  The group set off at a trot towards the tree line. Once they reached it Alburet had Stacia shift into her demon form then copied her. “Okay. We have the band all together, let's see what we can do. Karen, let's start with a solo gnoll first, okay?”

  Karen sighed deeply, “Fine, we can play it safe.” She led the group to the area she could remember from beta. They walked for a few minutes before coming to an obvious trail. Karen nodded. “Okay, this should be one of the paths. We just hunker down here and wait for a Gnoll Wanderer to come by. I'll be up in the tree waiting to ambush it. Try to stay back a bit so you don't get spotted right away.”

  The others fell back a few feet, hiding behind the trees and waited. It was a bit boring until they heard something coming. Alburet peeked out from behind his tree to see what gnolls were like in this game. He blinked at the creature he saw coming down the path. It wasn’t quite what he’d thought it would be.

  The Gnoll Wanderer looked like a weird cross between a hyena and a Lunari, with what looked like green fur and tentacles coming off its back. It was hyena like in facial structure, with the snout and fur markings associated with the animal but stood hunched over on its hind feet and had sharp claws at the ends of its fingers. As it got closer, Alburet saw that the tentacles and green fur were actually plants, a green fuzz like mold and vines that waved gently as it walked, growing in the dirt and mud plastered on the beast’s back. Even hunched over, the beast was over six feet tall.

  Still trying to wrap his mind around what he was seeing, he failed to notice the guild icon blinking. He was surprised when the gnoll grunted and went to one knee as Karen appeared with her blades gashing its scalp as she ambushed it.

  A second later the others rushed out to join her in attacking the level 20 Gnoll Wanderer, currently at 1300/1600 health thanks to Karen’s attack. Just as the others were about to reach it, it spoke in a guttural tongue. Alburet started forward to join his friends, when they were suddenly held in place by vines that shot out of the ground to entangle their feet.

  The gnoll let out a barking laugh, exactly like a hyena, as it backed away from Karen and began to speak again. Seeing that the creature was a caster, Alburet stopped just outside the area of entanglement and began to cast his Fire Blast.

  “The entanglement lasts for about ten seconds and he can recast it five seconds after that, so be ready to rush him again,” Karen shouted as she strained at the vines. “It takes a high strength to break these fuckers otherwise.”

  Fluffball strained at the vines holding her as well, the vines flexing but not breaking as she tried to break free. “I think I'm just short of the requirement to break them,” Fluff said as she eased off straining against them, waiting to rush forward as the Fire Blast from Alburet hit the patch holding her right leg.

  The vines withered and fell away as the fire hit them, “Bob, aim for the vines.” Alburet called out as he prepared another attack.

  “Can't,” Bob said, caus
ing Alburet to take stock of his imp. Bob was completely wrapped, his short body was only leg high to the rest of them after all.

  “Wow, that sucks,” Alburet noted before tossing his next Fire Blast onto the vines holding Fluff's other leg. “Go get him, Fluff.”

  Fluff let out a growl as she ran at the gnoll, who had just finished another spell. A dark cloud rose up in the area where the group was held by the vines. Alburet heard his friends start to cough as their health bars began to dip from the AoE attack. Fluff came out of the cloud coughing a few feet away from the gnoll, who began to back up again.

  Silently cursing, Alburet started around the area of the cloud as Fluff wiped her eyes clear. “Fluff, looks like you and me for a few. You are the tank.”

  Fluff nodded once as she targeted the Gnoll Wanderer and charged as it began to speak again. Alburet rushed forward, skirting the area affected by the spell. Fluff launched herself the last few feet, letting out a leonine roar as she brought her axes around at the gnoll. The gnoll froze in terror, which interrupted its spell. Fluffball’s axes hit it, carving off some of its life but also canceling the fear effect on it.

  Alburet was aware of his friends in the cloud beginning to move out of it while coughing as he closed the distance to help Fluff. “We’ll need a new plan for the next one we attack,” he called out as he rushed to Fluff's aid.

  Fluff hacked at the gnoll, but it turned so her blades mostly hit the dirt and plants on its back. A burst of green filled the air around her, making Fluffball retch as she inhaled the pollen. The gnoll laughed again as it retreated further down the path.

  The others had recovered from the coughing fit and the cloud had vanished, allowing them to start moving towards the target. Alburet passed by Fluff, hoping she would be okay as she vomited and her life dropped some. He closed on the gnoll, bringing his axe around on it.

  The gnoll turned its back fully to the attack. Alburet held his breath and closed his eyes as the axe struck. He heard a howl of pain as he sidestepped, hoping to clear the green burst he expected.

  He opened his eyes after a few feet, and not seeing any cloud, he took a deep breath as the gnoll backed away from him with a snarl on its face.

  “No cloud from your hit, it seems the fire on your axe burned off the spores,” Karen said as she went by Alburet.

  “Ah, cool,” he muttered as he joined in as the group all reached the gnoll who was casting another spell.

  “Entanglement coming in,” Tiny rumbled as he dropped his shield and axe and grabbed at the gnoll. Vines shot up out of the ground wrapping around their legs as Tiny wrapped his arms around the gnoll. “Got him, master.” Tiny's arms were straining to hold the gnoll in place as it thrashed in his grasp.

  “I'll free you all,” Bob said from outside the entanglement area as he began to cast Fire Blasts at the vines holding their legs, starting with Tiny. “Tiny, drag it over to Karen.”

  Fluff came to a stop next to Bob, her eyes red, “I want to kill that thing for making me throw up in here. That was just wrong.”

  Bob cackled as he tossed another bolt, freeing Tiny, “Have to wait for the vines to go away first.”

  It took a bit for Bob to free them, while the gnoll bit at Tiny's shoulder, causing him to lose a little life with each bite. It was over shortly after though, the gnoll got sliced apart by Karen just as the entanglement faded.

  The group let out a sigh of relief as they gathered around the corpse. “Okay, I don't remember them being that hard,” Karen said a little sheepishly.

  “Glad we didn't go for an encampment right away now,” Alburet chuckled.

  “Yeah,” Fluff muttered as she wiped at her mouth again.

  Alburet handed her some tea, “Here Fluff. Rinse and spit.”

  Fluff did that as Karen looted the corpse, “Huh. It gave me a spring vine as loot. Maybe for an alchemist?”

  “Probably,” Alburet replied, “Need to see about getting some health potions anyway. We can check when we get back to the city, I guess.”

  “Okay,” Karen said as she put the vine away. “So, what plan did you want to go with next time?”

  Alburet let his lips curl up into an evil smile, “I'm glad you asked.”

  A bit later the group was crouched further down the trail, waiting for the next Gnoll Wanderer to come by. After a bit of waiting the sound of another mob could be heard. Alburet could feel his excitement of the coming attack building as another minute went by before he heard Stacia begin her wordless song. The others piled out of the trees to find the Wanderer standing there in a daze while Stacia stepped towards the gnoll slowly, singing as she did.

  Tiny put away his shield and axe as he came up on the gnoll’s side. Alburet and Bob started their Fire Blasts in tandem. Once they were ready they tossed them in unison as well. Both fires hit the gnoll in the back, setting the green moss and vines on its back aflame. The damage broke the daze effect, but as the gnoll let out a howl Tiny wrapped it in his arms and held it in place. As soon as Tiny had it Karen and Fluffball laid into it with their weapons, taking small chunks of its life away with each hit. Alburet went forward to join them with his axe and shortly afterward the gnoll died.

  “That certainly cheeses the fights,” Alburet chuckled. “Daze plus holding it in place. It might have been able to use the spores on its back to break the hold if we hadn’t killed them first.”

  Fluffball snorted, “Those things sucked, I’m glad they burned.”

  “Glad I noticed them igniting from Alburet’s weapon last time and then they didn’t go off on me after he’d hit the gnoll in the back. Or it would have been worse, am I right?” Karen added.

  “I haven’t hit anything yet,” Tiny rumbled.

  “I don’t recall these things having the black cloud of coughing or the spore attack. I wonder what else has changed in the encampments,” Karen murmured with a thoughtful expression.

  “We know we can easily take the singles if we cheese them like we just did. Let’s go look at an encampment and see what that’ll entail for us.” Alburet suggested to the others, who looked a little apprehensive before agreeing.

  They set off down the trail that Karen thought would led them to an encampment. A few minutes later the trees started to thin and a couple of tents could be seen just off the trail ahead. Stepping off the trail and into the tree line, the group gathered together. “Okay, so before, there would have been a healer, a spell casting damage dealer and two melee in these camps with occasional wanderers adding in. Since they changed the abilities of the Wanderers we don’t know what these guys might have. Before, the Gnoll Spiritualist healed and removed debuffs, the Soul Render did straight up dark damage as well as having a damage over time spell that could stack up damage, and the Claws applied a bleed as well as being able to stun.” Karen looked at the others, “Now though, that might all have changed.”

  “We have two succubi,” Alburet smirked at Stacia and her double, “so we can lock down two of whatever’s in the camp. I think we should kill the melee first while Stacia keeps the potential difficult ones controlled.”

  “What if a Wanderer comes into the camp?” Fluff asked.

  “If that happens, Stacia will drop the Soul Render and daze the Wanderer instead. Anyone else have questions or concerns?”

  “How good was round two last night?” Bob asked with a snicker, “Who won, Karen or Stacia?”

  Shaking his head, Alburet bopped Bob on the head, “Bad imp.” Looking over at Fluff to apologize, he was a little puzzled to see that she was only a very light shade of pink. “Sorry about Bob’s comments, Fluff.”

  “No, it’s okay,” Fluff replied shaking her head slightly, her brow furrowed. “I don’t seem as embarrassed about it. Weird.”

  “Ah, it means Ma’ really is able to help ya,” Stacia said, one of her bodies giving Fluff a pat on the back. “Means ya might well be makin’ head way on ya issues.”

  Karen and Alburet exchanged a glance before looking back at the still th
oughtful Lunari. “Anyway,” Alburet finally said, “since no other pertinent questions are forthcoming let’s do this thing.”

  “It was pertinent,” Bob muttered, “I really wanted to know, so it was pertinent to me.”

  “I guess we can set the tents on fire and see what comes out,” Alburet suggested, ignoring Bob’s reply. The others didn’t have any better ideas and the only other option was to walk into the encampment.

  Alburet studied the set up for a moment longer, two tents with a fire pit between them. The tents were hide lashed to poles, more teepee than tent. The trail ran right into the camp and then out the other side. Alburet nodded to Bob and they began casting their Fire Bolts in tandem then tossed them onto a tent each. The sound of the gnolls yammering in excitement started up almost instantly as the hides caught fire. Two gnolls came rushing out each tent, two Gnoll Claws from one and a Gnoll Spiritualist and Gnoll Soul Render out of the other.