So I gave him the option. Be a court squire or a battle squire. He picked the court option and I told him he was to immediately report to earth mage Strin. I informed him of the situation here and that he would be the eyes and ears for his father and me. This was the newest conquest for King Horus, and what better way for him to be recognized in his father's eyes. It would look really good to help establish, and rule a new city. He took off running to go help Strin rebuild the court of Malvia, and good for him.
I still needed two things, runners, and combat healers. I told Donnie and Nate to quit standing around and to meet me on the plateau. Bella frowned at me as she tried to catch my attention. I thought I heard something about his daughters will come next. That was the last thing I needed to worry about.
Since being on Vin I had more sex than ever before and it was all amazing... besides that Lyna incident, I was duped on that one. The rest were really incredible and... I had zoned out again. The griffin ordered me to hurry and get off his back.
The camp from last night was slowly waking up. It was a little early but people trickled in. I laid Smasha against a pile of downed pines and went to work moving bodies. I focused on the ones that were directly in my way of more killing. It took twenty minutes and I had a good sweat going in the early morning sun but I cleared enough space.
There were far more people up here than before, only my trusted men had weapons and eight griffins pulled overwatch today. We were taking fewer risks and more precautions. Nate told me simply knowing new nobility would be looking after the city would tamper down on distress. That once Strin was a Baron there would be someone to complain to and officially take orders from. Still, we were a bit on edge about a potential attempt on my life from all the new workers that moved golem body parts.
I had killed only a dozen when the sky went overcast. I did not slow my work, nor did anyone else. It was still bright enough out that we could see fine. Then the rain started coming down. It started with a trickle and turned into a mild downpour. It affected the collection of the goo from the golems. I called a break until some tents were set up to create a rain-free zone to remove the hearts and goo. The mages decided this was a good idea too and went down to the city to get tents for their workspaces also.
I knew I had to wait for them to get the chain functioning again before I could keep the slaughter going. The delay allowed the extra personnel to catch up on the backup and get the shells piled off to the side. Nate told me they were ready for more when I called up Joey and Kyle. It was taking me a tad longer to pull them and I needed to kill more in a shorter amount of time. I sent Joey and Kyle into the rocky terrain to pull the beasts to the dirt that was quickly turning to mud.
I had a feeling the golems would hate the mud more than the dirt and I was right. The second they stepped in the mud they acted as if they were hurt. The substance coated on their clubbed feet had to be immediately removed. Some even backed up, sat on the start of the black dried lava and swatted the mud off. It was as if I had ceased to exist and the killing had never been easier.
I increased my runners by adding Donnie and Marcus. They joined the other two in collecting rocks and luring golems our way. Every half hour or so the bodies would back up and there would be no more mud to use. So we helped the process along for a few minutes and then went back to killing. We did this in the rain for hours and hours.
I had swung Smasha so many times my arms were numb and my count number was long since forgotten. I propped the massive club against the rocky outcrop and went to work. I blended in with the other people moving parts and became another drone in the effort to clear space. The moment I would move a pile of shelled body parts more would be placed there. I spent another hour on the back end of our production chain until Nate found me.
“We are caught up, it is two hours until dinner meal. We can keep going or break early. We started at one per every two minutes until you added more people to run them to us. We are processing about one a minute right now. We should have killed around nine hundred today, but when you figure in the breaks from pile up and the hour you spent back here I would guess over seven hundred. Donnie told me... how about we let him tell you,” Nate said and Donnie was waved over from chatting with a fire mage. “Donnie tell Gryff how far you had to go to bring the last ones in.”
“Of course, so Gryff, we had to go hunting for them toward the end there. They got thickest as we got closer to the lava, I even saw a few burst golem sacks with an entry hole that fit the description of a vole. Then I saw a few of the small rodents. They were really fast and blended in with the terrain, I recommend traps for them. We can trap them with golem sacks, they are everywhere close to the lava.
“Can we stop for the day, I am exhausted? Mina should have arrived here in Malvia, she wrote she was trying to make her way to Lady Bella. She is a handmaiden of hers and got left behind at the sudden departure when you got hurt. I am excited to see her.” Donnie said.
I thought about his trap idea and dismissed it. It would only work if the voles stayed in one place and the golems did not return. I agreed with his taking a break.
“I bet you are Donnie, well I get to make you look good then... For today at least.” I cupped my hands around my mouth so my voice would carry over the light rain. “Donnie here has a lovely lady he needs to see. He has convinced me to break early. Between everyone's hard work today, and his lustful excitement I could do nothing short of saying the workday is over! Make your way to the griffin area and return for the day.”
This got some cheers and a few pats on Donnie's back. The reality was my aura was exhausted. I even left Smasha up here, because no one could steal it with the griffins around and if they did they would have to take it to the Horde or brave the wild lands with it. I was almost certain it was safe. I stopped Nate before he could take off to go down into Malvia.
“Nate tonight I need some vine nets built or bought, we will catch the voles that way. Unless you can think of another way?” I said as I scratched my head in thought.
“Traps will take too long to make, set, maintain, and catch too few. We cannot adjust the ground to help with a pit trap. I doubt we could poison their food source. I guess a fishnet works the best. Chase the smart ones onto it and lift it up. Then stab the ones that think they are hidden well enough. It may go easier than you think. These voles are used to hiding from dumb golems and maybe bird predators. Not crafty humans. There were some ladies looking for work that no longer clean noble houses, I could hire them to make some nets. We can always come up with a different plan if this one does not work tomorrow.” Nate said.
We discussed the next day's plans and came to a general understanding. We were on one of the last flights down, only the crafters kept going on the plateau.
As I landed at the manor, a handsome one armed man I knew arrived on Lord Nova.
“Earl Gryff you look like shit, is my daughter not feeding you?” Duke Riza said besides Lady Ona. Both were soaking wet in their riding outfits. A few more griffins landed with their entourage. I saw one of the sacks moving and heard a yipping of wolves. That reminded me that Count Conway said he kept them for defense in his room. I needed to do that too. I wondered how Deb and my critters were doing back at home.
“My Duke, I am fresh off the killing fields... You know what, let us go, and kill some golems.” This made all the men I had given the rest of the day off to freeze. All eyes shot to the Duke in hopes he would decline.
“Tomorrow morning I will join you,” a collective sigh of relief escaped the men and they found a way to disappear quickly, in case the Duke changed his mind. “I need to figure out the numbers of this city and then go over some things with the commoner you are making a Baron... Before you give some excuses, fret not. I have ruled for long enough to know that locals make the best leaders for their cities. Oh, and before I forget, Una had great things to say about you... which is rare. She is happy fighting and gets to tell me war stories as I once tol
d her. It makes me feel old and missing combat a tad.”
“Tomorrow we will make some new stories. For now, I am off to find some fresh clothes and then a nap, I overexerted myself... oh and nine plates of food.” I said and was super serious.
I saw Pipi holding a plate under the cover of the manor's main doors. She knew I would be hungry, and that made my day. My wife waited for me after enduring the suck with a steaming plate of yumminess.
∞∞∞
We prepared on the plateau in the early morning sun. The clouds had been driven off by a strong eastern wind. There were more people up here than the previous two days. The Duke was in his armor, his four wolves by his side. Behind him stood three of his guards. Nate was talking to him and showed the Duke the hastily made nets. I left them to their discussion to give orders to Donnie, Joey, Marcus, and Kyle.
The four men took off running with rocks in hand, the day's hunt had officially begun. I waited in the muddy area as golems roared out at the runners. It went the same as yesterday. They would follow one of the men, end up in the mud, and then become occupied with removing the offensive wet dirt. I killed over fifty when Donnie mentioned we had cleared a space big enough to begin vole hunting.
“Nate, you are up. Traz will hover over an area where he sees voles. Run like seven hells if you get golem aggression that I cannot handle. I will provide protection while you work. If we kill a few this far out, we can always harvest the hearts and leave the rest.” I said to Nate and his assembled team.
The Duke joined the group with his four wolves as they left the barrier following Traz on the rough terrain. I trailed them by a few dozen feet on the lookout for golems. Traz quickly located a hiding spot for the voles. From my distance, I saw Nate and another mercenary preparing to toss the net. Right before they threw the wolves howled.
The four animals darted to the hiding spot Traz flew over. There was growling, and furious head shaking. I could not see clearly what they were doing but I got the idea. They were hunting the voles. The wolves trotted back and four voles were laid at the Duke's feet.
He cheered them on and gave them all lots of praise. Then they each got a treat and the Duke asked for more voles by picking a dead one up and sticking it in front of each animal's nose. That was all it took. They were gone and back with four more dead voles. They would wait for their treat, then go get more.
Nate, his team, and even Traz were shocked. Hours of planning for catching the voles and all it took was a trained hunting wolf. We circled around the Duke deciding to provide support giving ourselves a new purpose. We let the wolves do their work and they were cunning in their hunting. A few smarter voles realized staying still was a doomed tactic. The wolves caught on that their prey was fleeing and would send one to push, while the others waited in ambush low to the ground ready to pounce. It was interesting and I knew I had some work to do when I got home to train my own wolves.
I realized two things while I watched. The first was I needed to send someone to get more treats for the wolves. The second was, I was done here in Malvia and I could finally go home. Within an hour the wolves had collected over a hundred voles.
“My Duke, I am thoroughly impressed. Your animals are prime examples of well-trained companions. If I may I would like to run a few voles for testing by the fire mages. There is little information on how potent these voles are. We need to confirm or deny some rumors.” I said.
“Oh please, this is your hunt, take them all. How about twenty percent of all profits for compensation. That should let me feed the remaining wolves nicely in Lakeland. Maybe even start my own underground expansion.” Duke Riza offered.
I accepted his more than generous offer. Nate scooped up five dead voles, handed them to Donnie and told him to run to the fire mages back at base camp. I saw the wolves making further and further trips. The last trip by the wolves included a pull of four golems. It took Nate's help but we got them down. I did not want to risk the Duke. I could come back out here any time, and clear this area again and send in my own wolves.
I congratulated Riza and told him that we had a nice hunt. I asked him if we could call it a day. After the golem charge, he was amenable to my request.
“A nice tea with Bella sounded lovely,”
“You seem to be knowledgeable about the peace accords. I know the griffins cannot pick up or drop items in the wild lands. What happens if they poo while flying, does that count?” I asked.
We were making our way back to the barrier with the nice breeze cooling us from the lava heat.
“Well yes, it was specifically written in. One of the lead female griffin riders at the time, Lady Canda was insistent that it be included. Else the roosts would be a cesspool in no time. Did you not notice the griffins taking off in the morning, and no extreme foul odor by where they slept? They were dropping griffin poo bombs outside the barrier. Perfectly fine as long as it is natural from them. Well within the rules of the accords.” Duke Riza informed me.
“I think the Horde negotiators may have made a large mistake we can exploit then,” I said with a grin. This caught Traz's attention and he listened intently while he hovered beside us. We felt the tingle of the barrier crossing and Traz landed to walk with us. “Well… some know that griffins can do magic, what most do not know is how powerful it can be. Also how limited their knowledge is on it. How about before tea with Bella you join me for a demonstration?”
“Of course, lead the way.” Duke Riza said.
∞∞∞
Drix was holding a vole heart in his hand and told everyone to close their eyes. He infused the heart with some magic which ramped up in intensity until it was too much. I, of course, am an idiot who watched him and never closed my eyes. I was blinded. Even in the sunny daylight, the illumination was too much. I covered my eyes in pain, stomped my feet, and used many curses at my stupidity.
When it eventually wore off. I saw I was not the only one recovering. Drix proclaimed that it was indeed a vole heart that battle mage used in his story, evident by the test. Which meant a few of those anchored into the ceiling of Dais and I had daylight. I would need to develop a way to cover them for the night but I figured that would be easy enough.
All around me people smiled with the news, this was a giant leap in the lighting needs for humanity. You could light dark city slums and reduce crime, light mines for mineral digging, and so many other applications. This was more than enough raw materials, and even King Horus would have his needs meet for his underground capital. We had killed more than enough golems and voles by this point.
What I really wanted to know was the vole blood a catalyst for fire spells? I walked over to the vials and found one of the golem goo. I figured we would start our testing with the less potent catalyst first. I walked over to Traz with three containers.
“Alright Traz, we will start small. Listen to what Krix tells you and then you will attempt to launch a fireball. Aim it for these trees inside the barrier please.” I said.
“You sure you want that wild griffin testing around all these people?” Lord Nova questioned. “I could do it.”
“Donnie grab three vials of this goo and bring it to Lord Nova, we will have two griffins testing,” I said hoping to placate the big griffin. Donnie did as ordered.
Krix stood on one of the tables used for sorting hearts into torches. He turned to face a dozen griffins on the plateau. In one hand he held a vial between his thumb and index finger.
“The glass of these containers is a conductor, to use the catalyst have one side touch your body to mix with your aura. If you place this vial into a leather pouch that will negate the catalyst as the leather is a great insulator. That is why you see all of us fire mages with spare belts on our bodies. We pull a vial out to use it, and that one alone. If we pull too many vials or do not have an insulator against our flesh we can over-catalyze the spell. The best mages can control the amount of catalyst consumed while most new mages have the amount limited to
prevent overdraw. This is bad for a few reasons, but for now, we will avoid the chance of that happening. When I normally train an apprentice I insure they start slow. A fraction of this vial is all that is needed for a small fireball. So bring me back those vials, and mage Willis will give you some smaller amounts.” Krix waved for Willis to go to me.
I swapped out full containers for low amount ones with Willis. Once Donnie and I were back to our respective griffins Krix continued. Before he talked again I handed Traz his first vial.
“For a human, we find our aura in our core. It is under our chest and above our stomachs. It takes time to master how much you summon for each spell. I extract an amount that I have grown accustomed to throwing a fireball. I drain the catalyst into my aura and then channel the spell. When I feel the spell is properly channeled...” Krix paused and ducked as a large fireball arched over his head.
So my idea to hand Traz a vial early was probably a poor decision. The griffin launched a ten foot wide and five foot long ball of flame over Krix. It burst into the pines and a fire broke out. Not to be outdone Lord Nova pried the three vials from Donnie and threw a fireball at least five times greater. This one burned so hot the trees vaporized to ash.
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