Large gashes opened in the mass before me and immediately began to close, the flesh knitting together. However, the Stalker was becoming visibly smaller as its wounds healed. Once it stopped bleeding, it was only about as tall as Malkyr.
“Hold on, Chief! Help is on the way,” Malkyr bellowed behind me. He lifted his glowing axe and cleaved the last zombie neatly in half. The mastiffs pulled at its hands and legs, ripping it all the way apart, finally bringing it down.
Hoshisu was already running at the lone Pyrolith. “I’ll distract the snake, you guys take down that Stalker.”
Malkyr and the hounds ran toward me, but I ordered two of the mastiffs to stay back and help the woman. In front of me, the Stalker prepared for another lunge attack. I was doing pretty well with over 500 mana at my disposal and 200 health, but I wasn’t looking forward to being perforated again. Instead, I drew in my mana and prepared to cast Shadow Teleport. I waited for the very last instant, just as the first spear contacted my shield, then finished the casting, appearing on the other side of the monster.
To my surprise, I found that my shield was left behind. I managed to see the other ten or so spikes puncture the shield, breaking it into magical vapors just in time for Malkyr and the hounds to close in on the creature. Apparently, Malkyr had managed to intercept another fireball, as his axe was glowing again. He struck hard, breaking spears and tearing flesh. My mastiffs leapt at the creature, but for once their innate immunity failed them. The wicked spears of the greater demon tore through them, and their shadowy bodies dissipated into black smoke.
The Stalker’s wounds had already closed, but it was now the size of a normal Stalker. We had already killed plenty of those. A few more strikes from Malkyr, coupled with drilling arrows, finished it off.
“Haaa-ya!” came a yell from behind me.
I turned to look at the scene beyond the gate. My two remaining hounds were pulling at the Pyrolith’s tail, preventing it from moving while Hoshisu rode on its back, repeatedly stabbing her dagger into the side of its neck.
I was impressed. That was some display of combat acrobatics.
A few more strikes finished the creature, and it collapsed to the ground, Hoshisu rode him all the way down then nimbly rolled onto her feet.
Show-off.
He got me there.
“Oh, man.” Malkyr sounded disappointed. “I wanted to juice up this baby with a few more fireballs.” He held up his axe.
With a deft movement, Hoshisu flicked the blood off her daggers and put them back in her belt. “You snooze, you lose.”
Level up! You have reached Character Level 24. You have 1 ability point to allocate.
Blood Wrath skill level increased to 31.
Heal Followers skill level increased to 11.
I frowned. Something didn’t make sense.
How come during the fight I received some notifications as they happened, but I only see these ones now? I asked my cloaked companion.
I sighed, rolling my eyes.
I wasn’t really upset by his answer. We were gaining good XP and raising our skill levels quickly. The challenges were a bit high for our level, but good teamwork made up for the difference. Fighting and winning against creatures of a higher level was very rewarding. The twins were both level 27 now and Bek had reached level 15. Since everyone else was a higher level than him, he only received a small share of the XP. Still, it was enough to make him the second highest-level creature in my clan after Rhynorn. I chuckled, remembering the small goblin’s humble starting point. The strings of fate worked mysteriously.
I looked into the now empty room and didn’t sense any more enemies, but I did sense another presence. “There’s something still in there,” I cautioned. “Don’t let your guard down.”
I didn’t recast Mana Shield, as I had to remain mobile. We moved in at a tight formation. We passed a stack of boxes and came to an abrupt halt, gaping at what lay beyond.
A cage.
Thick metal bars sectioned off a part of the room. And it was filled with prisoners. All of them dwarves. They looked to be in a bad shape. Some of them were sitting against the bars, but most were lying on the ground. They smelled of decay and fecal matter. Their faces were hollow, their clothes hanging loose.
Unexpectedly, I felt a sudden surge of rage. Dwarves! This accursed race hunts my people at every chance they get. It’s a sport to them! They even –
“Hey, are you guys alright?” Malkyr put his hands on the bars and looked inside, his face full of concern.
Oh, right. They’re prisoners, we’re travelers. This means we should probably help them.
I could sense Vic’s unease in my mind like it was a tangible thing, but for once, he didn’t voice his opinion.
“Who you be?” demanded one of the dwarves, squinting. He seemed to be in better shape than his friends. It made sense, as he had the highest level among them. Analyze.
Kuzai BoulderBelly, Dwarf Priest of Durang
Level: 28
HP: 68/185, MP: 0/210
Attributes: P: 10; M: 13; S: 5
Skills: Mace 25, Shield 25, Weaponsmith 25, Bless 18, Heal 18, Banish Evil 18
Traits: Dwarf (+5 max racial skills cap), Spiritual (grants divine spells)
Resistances: Physical 25%, Magic 20%
Description: Kuzai ‘War-priest’ is a decorated veteran priest of the BoulderBelly clan. Famed for his toughness in close quarters fighting, his mere presence is enough to bestow Durang’s divine blessing on his comrades, strengthening them. Kuzai is often chosen to lead explorations of new mining locations.
“A Goblin!” the dwarf uttered, finally getting a good look at us. His fists clenched, his body became rigid, and his lips peeled back in contempt.
I felt myself snarling back before I could even register the action. Well, he was a dirty, stinking dwarf. Literally.
“Wooah, wooah there!” Malkyr lifted his large hands reassuringly. “We’re not your enemies, buddy.”
The dwarf gave him a questioning gaze, then recoiled, almost stumbling back. “There’s some green blood in ya boy! I can smell it, and that wench got it too!” He pointed at Hoshisu. “Yer all be stinkin’ goblin half breeds.”
Hoshisu grimaced. “Well, they did warn us that the ‘normal’ races would automatically consider us as enemies. I think that’s why he’s acting like that.
Turning back to the riled-up dwarf, Malkyr tried again. “Listen, buddy, we aren’t your enemies. We just killed a bunch of demons who were guarding this room. Doesn’t that prove we’re on the same side?”
Kuzai gave him a hard look. “Trying the old, ‘The enemy of me enemy’ thing on me, eh? Ye probably only went through them ter get ter us.” He looked bitterly at his malnourished people. “Well, do yer worst, greenskins. What else we got ter lose?”
Hoshisu shook her head. “It’s no use, Malkyr, he won’t listen to reason. Their default reputation toward us is set on hatred and … what are you doing?” she snapped at me.
Almost without meaning to, I’d conjured a trio of drilling arrows that hovered above my palm. Almost.
“Erm, nothing.” I hastily reabsorbed the mana, and the arrows disappeared. Stinking Dwarves.
I suddenly felt like a fog was lifted, and I could think clearly again. I stared at my green goblin hand and shuddered. I had almost attacked those poor wretches. I took a steadying breath. My name is Oren, I’m a human Totem playing NEO … I need to reach boss tier 4 …
“Anyway,” Hoshisu said, eyeing me skeptically, “I don’t think we can persuade them with mere words. We need to find a way to show them we only want to help.”
“The dwarf’s a priest,” I point
ed out. “But he’s out of juice. Do you have a mana potion to give him?” I didn’t have any, since, as a dark priest, I could always use void crystals to replenish my own reserves.
The twins shook their heads.
“We can try to offer them some food, or maybe healing?” Malkyr suggested.
Hoshisu shook her head. ”There’s no way they’ll accept a healing spell from a goblin, and as things stand, if we offered any food, they would probably assume we’re trying to poison them. I think the only way we can show them we mean well is to set them free.”
“Gotcha, I’m on it,” her brother said. He grabbed hold of the cell’s single gate and pulled the bars. His muscles and veins bulged as he heaved and pulled, but as hard as he tried, the door wouldn't budge. “Damn,” he said, letting go of the bars. “Maybe if I take the Ogre potions …“
“Save it.” His sister waved him away and approached the locked gate. Bending to her knees, she eyed the lock, then withdrew some tools from her inventory and started prodding it with them.
Malkyr looked at the caged dwarves, then at me, his face troubled. “Damn, man. I used to play a dwarf for a long time, even before NEO. The way they look at us … it doesn’t feel right. I mean, I knew we’d be getting the goblinoid template and be generally despised by the other races, but to suddenly experience it firsthand …” He shook his head. “Doesn’t feel too good.”
“Darn!” Hoshisu spat, getting to her feet. “It doesn’t take a key. It’s another puzzle. We have to solve a complex equation to open the door. It’s that dungeon mess all over again.”
“Let me have a look,” Malkyr offered.
“No.” She shook her head. “Probability problems are my thing.” Taking another deep breath, she again muttered, “Damn,” and returned to face the lock.
Malkyr sighed. “This might take a while. Some equations can take days to solve, sometimes even months.”
“We should check the bodies for loot in the meantime,” I said. “We kinda skipped that part.”
Malkyr nodded. “Good idea.”
We went through the remains. Each of the Pyrolith left behind five scales, which we split between us. The Ogres had dropped two more potions of Ogre’s Might and four more Viridium ingots. As before, I let Malkyr have the potions and claimed the violet metal for myself. The Stalker left behind two ‘Giant Stalker Pins.’ Those would fit Rhynorn nicely. I could sense their high Runecraft viability and began to plan how to imbue them with more power.
Altogether, the monsters dropped nearly a thousand gold coins, which we split three ways. We even rummaged through the stacked boxes and torn sacks, but they all contained spoiled foodstuff.
“How’s it going, sis?” Malkyr asked as we returned to the dwarves’ cage.
She gave him an irritated look. “Slowly. You two might as well log off while I work on this. Come back in an hour or two.”
Damn, that means 12 to 24 hours. I hated being away from my clan for so long. Our defenses were still too weak. This was a delay I could do without.
“So, like … you’re staying?” Malkyr asked me.
“Yeah, I have a few things to take care of while we wait. Feel free to log off for a few.”
“Alright, I’ll do that. I rarely have the apartment to myself. I’ll have a beer and watch a game in my underwear.”
“You do that almost every day!” Hoshisu somehow heard him from across the room.
“Yeah, but now at least I won’t have you badgering me about it,” he shouted back at her. He gave me a boyish grin. “Later, man.” Then he faded away, disappearing back into the real world.
I got comfortable on top of a large sack filled with something mushy. Well, as long as we’re taking a break …
I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.
14 – A Totem’s Best Friend
“Kaedric?” Blearily, I opened my eyes.
Ignoring Vic’s protest, my seneschal continued speaking with an even tone.
Alright. I yawned, rubbing my eyes. Let’s hear it.
At least that was some good news. Due to the distance, I couldn’t access the Settlement Interface directly.
I closed my eyes, trying to remember the list of available buildings for construction. I needed to select a simple project, one that the new builders were qualified to build.
What are the novice buildings again? A woodcutter hut that increased logging yield, a quarry that increased stone production … was there something that increased our food yield?
I gulped. I didn’t intend to communicate my inner thoughts like that. I could no longer ignore the fact that Kaedric was able to read my thoughts.
“Just what I needed,” I muttered. “A shapeshifting loon and a brain-eating seneschal running wild in my mind.”
Vic said casually.
I closed my eyes for a moment. That’s a good idea, Kaedric. Have them build the gardener’s hut. I should have done that sooner. With a bit of luck, this will be enough to raise the builders to Apprentice rank, then they’ll be able to pitch in on the high-priority buildings.
He had a point there. Players could be a demanding, whiny bunch. Especially if they didn’t get what they wanted fast enough. I didn’t like the thought of our smithy or warehouse getting ransacked by impatient players. That gave me an idea.
We’ve accumulated some crude weapons and armor by now, right?
That sounded like a business opportunity to me. Here’s what we’ll do. Make sure all arms and armor are stored in the warehouse. Have two hob soldiers guard the place day and night. Then offer to sell the equipment to the travelers. Allow them to commission items that will be made especially for them. Vrick can make armor, and we have a small host of goblin smiths that I’m sure can produce acceptable weapons, even without their own smithies.
I frowned. What?
Damn, he was right. It would do no good to have someone inexperienced handling the business.
Are you able to operate the Breeder’s Den, Kaedric?
Alright. I grant you permission to access the Breeder’s Den controls. Have Gandork cook the required food and summon a goblin merchant to manage trade with travelers.
I agree. I hesitated for a moment. I also grant you permission to access the energy controls in order to increase the new guy’s level.
Is Rhynorn behaving himself?
Good, keep an eye on him as well. If necessary, remind him ‘who is the boss’.
Is there something else?
I could feel his hesitation over our telepathic link. Kaedric?
What’s her name? I asked, getting comfortable and feeling myself becoming drowsy again.
***
A shout pierced the room, waking me from my slumber.
“I did it!”
I glanced around, blinking, trying to get my bearings.
Hoshisu came running, looking excited. “I did it! I solved the riddle!”
“Eh?”
“Look!” She pointed at the dwarves’ cage. The gate was wide open.
Vic chuckled.
As I looked, a single dwarf moved. Kuzai swayed as he tried not to step on any of his weakened kin lying on the floor. He opened the gate and stepped outside.
+1 reputation with the BoulderBelly clan.
New rank: Despised
Points to next rank (Unfriendly): 4,000
“That’s fantastic!”
Apparently, Hoshisu received the same notification.
She beamed. “It means they’ll be willing to listen to us.” For a moment, she didn’t look like a cold-hearted killer, but a young, impressionable woman. How strange.
That indeed was a revelation. It probably meant that all other playable races were a single reputation point away from the ‘despised’ reputation as well. Just a single act of kindness would be enough to prevent attack on sight and open a channel of communication.
Life Reset: EvP (Environment vs. Player) (New Era Online Book 2) Page 22