Bella had gotten over her initial excitement to be airborne and was enjoying the fresh wind. I noticed she had pulled out a larger more detailed map of the area and was using a pencil to notate things. I was distracted with the conversation so I was glad she was doing it. I saw we were still at least a half hour south of outpost Straddleback.
“Dina, this question may sound odd. But did the gods create you or did you evolve?” I asked with curiosity.
“We are all created by the gods. That is a mystery for us as a species, which god created us and why. The recent theory is that the why was for the Horde. We think someone knew they were coming but could not guide us to prepare, only bring us to life. In the end, it remains a mystery.”
I let the conversation die off while I watched the view. I saw more signs of small orc settlements. A few goblins checking the river, and the odd troll walking down a beaten path. The air was clear and the day was bright.
I noticed the outpost from a distance, recognizing its basic outline. I told Dina to fly over it. The outline followed the same basic pattern as Fernlan. The main difference was instead of the village up on an incline and the fields below, everything was flat here. The buildings, which were few in number, were empty. I wanted to test the barrier but we had the monox and Bella with us. So after the slow flyby, I had Dina continue north.
For another hour plus we flew north along the river until we came to the dam section close to Fernlan. The entire blockade was gone, washed down the creek. A team of at least eight goblins, were doing their best to find rocks and toss them at the inlet. I looked for their overseer and saw the ogre that dominated the area. He relaxed on a large rock and confidently eyed us as we flew by. The look he gave me was one of a challenge.
I guessed it was a he because the ogre was shirtless and the pecs were heavily muscled. His skin was a dark shade of brown and gray. It was smooth and I saw no scarring across his body. The beast wore a kilt, and that was it. A large club rested by the rock. The ogre showed no signs of fear or worry. I estimated he was fifteen feet tall but with him sitting I found it hard to judge. He watched over his goblins as they hauled small rocks to cut off our water supply. Well, that was no good.
“Hey Dina, you killed ogres before, what should I do to take that one down? We can’t keep fighting over that water supply point.” I asked as I subconsciously scratched at my ever growing itchy beard.
“Ogres are like most other beasts just bigger, stronger, and harder to kill. Pierce the brain or heart will do. Next is you can bleed them and that was always a favorite tactic of mine. They can heal better than most creature of the Horde, it takes rest though. They tend to run away if hurt so if you do wound one follow it. They are horrid line soldiers against griffins. We would strafe them first with claws extended. Our intent was to hurt them and then they would trample friendly troops close to them. You can also set a trap, none are extremely effective and most are time consuming. They are an elite but that one is small and I doubt it is battle hardened.
“I recommend you range attack it. If it charges run back into the barrier, you are faster. A normal human is almost even to one that size. If you wound it bad enough, let it run, kill its goblins and fight it while it tries to recover. Either way, if you do not keep the water flowing, the griffins who are landing here will have to detour to Cern for water. Which is only one of the things that will start to go downhill without a fresh water source.”
She was right, the well of Fernlan was not enough, especially with the large influx of new people. I had to do something. The tingle of the barrier notified me that we were back in Fernlan. I saw the half shed loaded to the brim with supplies. People stood around everywhere. There were some things getting done but it seemed a lot of my new hires were without orders. Dina landed us by the fire pit in an open spot next to stacked supplies. I got off the mighty griffin and helped Bella down.
Since I was one of many flights arriving that morning, no one noticed me. I went over to the half shed and leaped onto the roof. Good, it was a nice spot for everyone to see me.
“Listen up!” Most stopped. “Over here!” Okay, that did it and I had everyone's attention. “Greetings, I am Earl Gryff. Sent to turn this village into a war camp. There is so much to be done and little time to do it. If you are an earth mage or builder this is what I need you to do. See this ramp.” I said point at the incline from the western fields to the village. “I need caves dug out all along this incline, we need enough space to sort and house these supplies. One cave every twenty feet, each large enough for a wagon to back into, deep enough for plenty of storage. Organization in these will be easier than having everything clumped below me in this single half shed. Keep making these dugouts until you run out of incline, we can also use them as temporary shelters if needed. The Inn, our local inn slash pub and town center are being converted into sleeping quarters for tonight and the foreseeable future. I need every extra table, chair, bench, and odd items taking up room inside these buildings moved into the cart storage lot. I need the cart storage lot emptied and the carts are to be used on an as needed basis. I will be buying them and you will be using them to help get work completed faster. If you are unsure of what to do or find your workspace too crowded, I need all the old buildings in the village torn down and the wood piled over here to help support the caverns. If there is no space or you finish that, every pine inside the barrier needs to come down. If you already have an assigned task continue with that. I need Donnie and any adventurers ready to battle to meet me on the western trees where the barrier meets the creek.” I said to the attentive group.
There were loggers with axes, builders with tools, and assorted workers. Most wore common clothing meant for utility over looks. It was good to see that our money had hired so many. There probably was a shortage of work across the empire and I hoped to capitalize on that.
I hopped off the roof and made my way to the tool shed. My greataxe and three pikes were there off to the side. I quickly loaded them up and jogged over to the barrier. Some people tried to get my attention including Velia and Elan, but I waved and kept going. I wanted to make sure I slew the ogre while he was out in the open.
Donnie, Jak, and three men with bows and short swords waited for me at the barrier. I needed to name this spot... western gate, yeah that would work. Donnie had his sword and shield with my javelins on his back.
“Alright gents, we are in a hurry. Here is the plan. We will go up the creek toward the river. I am sure the goblins will smell us or the ogre will see us from his height advantage. I want you to send two volleys of ranged weapons and then retreat. It is not far from here so we will hit and run. If we land some good strikes and the ogre flees then we run down the goblins. If the ogre chases us we run to safety then step out and attack. If he gets close to you step back in, make sure not to attack him from inside the barrier. Jak you are going to be my extra weapon carrier.”
I got some nods, and welcome back greetings from Jak and Donnie. We stepped through the barrier and took off at a light jog. A few minutes along the creek we heard a mighty loud and long roar.
The ogre was easy to see once he stood. Club in hand he charged toward us, the chatter of encouraging goblin speak followed his challenge. I pulled my pike back and let it launch. Beside me, the archers let loose. My pike only scored a graze going too far to the right and hitting a bicep. I turned and grabbed my next pike from Jak when Dina soared right over us moving fast on a collision course with the ogre.
She screamed out a war cry and got to within feet of the charging ogre. The griffin caused the ogre to skid his feet and halt his momentum. He raised his hands over his face defensively. She broke off her attack run before any contact was made. The ogre was stunned with shock. I knew this was a perfect opportunity. I broke into a short run for extra power and launched for the neck. This pike inserted below the ogre’s chin and violently exited out in a spray of gore.
The ogre staggered and fell to a knee in a strugg
le to stay upright. A spurt of blood erupted from his neck and splashed onto the ground. I went to grab my third pike from Jak but he was gone. My greataxe and last pike were on the ground. The adventurers and Donnie held steady and rained projectiles into the ogre.
The ogre roared again this time communicating with the goblins to attack. He got to his feet with a lurch, gave us an angry look, and fled. I had the third pike soaring at him before he managed a few steps. It sunk into his right calf and caused him to crash with a resounding smack. I grabbed the greataxe and charged.
As I got close I saw the goblins pumping weapons into the air angrily at me and my group. Two who had bows and arrows launched at us. The arrows missed, falling short of us. I wondered if they had ever practiced with those weapons.
“I got the ogre, run the goblins down, fight as one! If the ogre targets you outrun it, it is injured and slow!” I said as I built up speed toward my target that was rolling in pain.
“For the empire!” The men screamed as they charged the left flank of goblins.
The ogre was seated on his ass now. My pike from his calf was in his hand. He flung it at me with blinding speed. I dove face first into the grass in a slide. I felt the pike pass over me. My face burned as the impact of the mud and gravel tore at my skin. I was alive and my cheeks bled slowly where the impact had peeled some flesh away, but the damn ogre was limping away in a trail of blood. He had used the time with the pike attack to flee.
I chased after him and he saw me getting close over his shoulder. A backhanded desperate swing forced him to put weight on his bad calf and he fell. The ground shook with his impact. The swing was weak and his movements were slowed which allowed me to easily dodge.
I raced in for the kill when a large goblin ambushed me from my right. A pike thrust pierced into my right butt cheek as I turned trying to avoid the sudden attack. My greataxe curved around and got stuck in the goblin’s torso.
The ogre used the distraction to club me across my left side. There were stars in my vision and no ground below me for a few moments. I landed and felt my left shoulder pop on impact. My left arm and a few ribs snapped. The only thing that saved me was he was weakened from blood loss. I managed to regain my feet with blinding pain.
We stared each other down. He was on his hands and knees, blood still pumped from his neck in spurts. I blared a challenge at him. He dared me to get closer with a roar far weaker than before. One of the adventurers had used our shouting match as a distraction.
I watched as the man charged from the side of the ogre. He thrust the short sword deep into the tiny ear on the massive head. The ogre turned his head in confusion, flinging the brave man into the air who had failed to release his grip. That was the last action of the mighty beast. The sword that pierced his brain caused the ogre to fall flat onto the ground with open eyes. It died with that shocked expression on its face.
I went to the man who had a rough landing and saw he was stunned but okay. Donnie and the two others were cleaning up dead goblins. We had won the day.
“Gryff,” I said to the man who killed the ogre in introduction.
“Nate of Lakeland, well done Earl. That throw that hit his neck, it was mortal. If you would have been more patient we could have tracked him to where he bled out. Oh well. He is dead, the goblins too. Lots of money these ogres.” Nate introduced himself. The man was short and stout, with bushy eyebrows and a wide nose. His hair was tight against his head and his brown eyes spoke of a hard life.
“Lots of money and lots of meat. Do me a favor, go run down Jak and haul his ass back here. I got a bleeding butt and broken bones. Donnie and new guys, great work! Donnie get some people and get me some carts over here, or better yet the wagon. New guys come to me, we can collect loot after I am healed. Watch over me until Jak gets me mended.” I ordered the two new guys since they were meandering around the remnants of the battlefield picking out loot.
Donnie ever the eager achiever was gone in a run. The two men walked to me.
“Frank of Lakeland and this is Carl of Two Peaks. Now that was fun, how often do you get to slaughter goblins out here? I knew signing up on the frontier would be eventful, but a first day combat. I don't know if I am merely super happy, or it is the adrenaline running through me. Maybe both. My wives will be ecstatic when I send home our share of the ten percent of loot. Well met Gryff, thanks for the contract.” Frank said.
I was not aware the contract had a loot share for party members but that made sense. Ten percent was low, but Fernlan needed the money and if it was the going rate I was happy with it for now. We could always give a bonus later if we had enough excess gold.
Both men were about five foot ten in woodland green leather outfits. Frank had red hair with freckles and a scarred face. Carl had brown eyes with brown hair, he looked fairly young. They both had experience fighting based on how easily they killed the goblins. It was good to have backup. Finding my armor was high on my priority list after this fight. I was sure I would hear some reminders about how fighting without armor is bad.
I went to sit but my side screamed in pain at the attempt. Then I realized if I did sit my wounded ass cheek would make me stand. There was no comfortable way to rest as I waited for Jak. Luckily I saw him approaching at a run with Nate.
“You said to retreat when two shots were fired. So I ran, wasn't a coward.” Jak said. He probably had a long winded response to say planned out, but I stopped him.
“Shut up and heal me. You were right to run, they got two arrows off fast and you took off. You did exactly what I said. By the seven hells, this hurts. I can't sit and standing is awful.”
Jak pressed a hand on my shoulder and aura flowed to heal me. His aura lasted long enough to fix me before he staggered to his knees, then fell face first into the grass. Redeemed. The guy went to the end of his aura and passed out.
“Carl, toss him over your shoulder, run him back to the barrier. Dump him inside then race back here. Nate and Frank, shit is about to get messy. Suck it up. I am going to cleave the ogre apart. I will leave the finer work of tendons and sockets for us to do as a team after you get the goblins piled. I want bodies here, weapons there, and then we turn this ogre into pieces. At least they never got the inlet plugged.” I told them.
I hefted my greataxe onto my shoulder and neared the ogre body. Three griffins buzzed overhead and spread out on the lookout for us. They didn't say anything but I figured they would if they needed to warn us. The ogre was surprisingly clean, its odor not too horrid. Heck, the villagers of Fernlan smelled worse than this did when I first met them. I was conflicted on where to start... A foot, guess that will work.
I sliced off the foot at the ankle. It was much easier than I anticipated until I got to the bone. I worked around the ankle joint and smashed away at it. I really needed my short sword so I moved to the knee. I had peeled back the skin and ligaments around the knee when Donnie showed up with a few carts and more people. With the griffins scouting and watching over us, unarmed noncombatants felt they could help speed up the process. The barrier never flared red with more than twelve people across telling me we were okay.
The butchering of the ogre went fairly quick with numerous people on it after the goblins had been carted off. We made sure to not ruin any of the parts. The head took four of us to lift and was a dripping bloody mess. By the time the carts were loaded, the only thing left on the ground was blood soaked grass and bits of gore from cleaving the ogre into movable chunks. We were disgusting, and I took the creek home. I swam the ten foot wide ditch and scrubbed as I went. Good thing I was still in the shirt Bella had ruined earlier because it got a whole lot worse.
Speaking of Bella, she was on the creek's edge working the fishnet. She was on one end while Velia was on the other end of the net. They were lifting the bottom to collapse the net and pull up the haul. I saw them with friendly smiles chatting away. I got out of the water and left them both to it since they were busy. There was so muc
h to do and so many people I needed to talk to. I tossed the ruined blood stained shirt onto the fire pit when I arrived.
“Ah, you were made an Earl congratulations,” Elan said. I liked Elan, he had been nothing but kind and helpful since I got to Vin, his only downside was that the man was cheap. People prized possessions, it was human nature. Right now I needed his stuff.
“Yes, it was a surprise to me also! It was that damned crown, which is with King Horus right now and will be with the Emperor soon. Who may visit.” This got Elan's eyes wide, his brain calculating what it would take to prepare for the highest noble in the land. Then a smile when he realized it was me who was in charge. I continued. “Let us make a deal. You have the knowledge and knowhow of running Fernlan. I will make you a knight of the realm as soon as I can send a request for it to the Duke. I have to pen him a report tonight anyway. So you get to be a knight, and with two years’ service of excellence, I will make you a Baron. The excellence will be defined in a contract of not bringing dishonor, deceit, or dereliction of duty to your Earl, me. In return, you do what I say and I take your advice. Starting with selling me the carts… at a fair price. Open up the town center besides your private office and private quarters. We will start with that and then go forward.”
He had his hand out to shake on the deal the moment I said Baron. He could probably do his two years of more hardship then go to the capital and live in a small apartment with prestige.
“I have to admit I was going to complain and whine about you doing stuff before consulting me. My property is still mine by realm law, but I am more than willing to sell you my carts at a great price. I will get with Velia for handling the deal. I look forward to working with you Earl Gryff. The town center is your property now minus the office of the mayor and the mayor's room. I will go aid in making the rest of the building presentable. Good day, sir, I look forward to signing my contract.” The man said and limped away.
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