Chapter 128: Shaman Slayer

Chapter 128: Shaman Slayer

The element of surprise proved exceptionally effective for Blake's mind controlled orcs. While their fellows were still staring in something like disbelief, his minions crossed the room or threw axes or knives, splattering blood and causing a chorus of wounded shrieks.

Blake just watched from the safety of his flesh shield, focusing on the occasional orc to give a quiet cheer. Blades and broken chairs stabbed and crashed as bodies fell. Roars of outrage and mortal battle filled the previously peaceful eating hall.

It seemed many of the orcs weren’t warriors. Through something like sheer luck Blake had mind controlled a table of real fighters, and they mostly hacked their way through the riffraff with ease save for a few exceptions. Plenty of orcs just turned and ran from the room, and Blake didn’t bother trying to stop them.

Then all was strangely silent. Blake's minions had slaughtered their brethren in reasonably short order, and with only a few losses.

[Fifteen Stoneblood Clan Labourers killed. Experience gained.]

[Three Stoneblood Clan Warriors killed. Experience gained.]

[You have reached level 7!]

Blake practically sagged with relief, then pulled up his profile to deal with his level right away. Of course he also had the slightly pesky problem of eight surviving Mind Controlled orcs currently surveying the damage they'd done.

"I knew young Torlak all my life," said one of the orcs with a voice full of emotion. "I cannot believe he turned traitor."

"Nor me," said another. "Brack there was my cousin. A proud warrior with a proud name."

Blake winced, unsure exactly how the magic worked but knowing it wasn't all powerful or consuming. Just like Mental Influence or indeed naturally convincing someone with words, if questioned or considered too deeply the story could fail.

Blake Nimitz

Level: 7

Class: Psion

Strength: 3

Dexterity: 3

Vitality: 3

Intellect: 8

Will: 6

Presence: 12

Luck: 43

Titles: Alpha01, Alpha Tester, Patron, Killer, Puppet Master, Orc Whisperer, Phase Jumper

Powers: Mental Influence (enhanced), Telekinesis, Meditation, Mind Control, Arcane Affinity, Arcane Blast, Dream Walk

He quickly scanned the list of new level options, then froze. It wasn’t a power. It wasn’t any kind of choice at all. His vision blurred and spotted as some kind of warmth seemed to move up and down his body like a wave.

[Anomaly discovered. Escalating analysis tier. Referral to Admin subsystem. Error. Admin subsystem attention denied. Standing by... ... ... Standing by... ... ...]

Mason could hit them with another blast of lightning, but he needed the timing to be right to break their morale. At least he hoped he could break their morale. And anyway he suspected the green glow from the shaman's spell would protect them, especially since it had been the one enemy Violet killed in their first encounter.

Wait, Violet...she’d done it once, could she do it again?

He needed that shaman dead, but he was hidden behind a wall of shields. Mason hacked at another orc’s shield and stepped back, pleased for once when the creatures didn’t follow. He activated Speak with Nature and touched the ground.

[Violet - I need you to kill that shaman, but don't linger, he's well protected, just get the hell out of there.]

The worm couldn't answer him underground, so Mason just stood and watched. The orcs stared back at him with wary, obvious fear, and didn't approach unless he attacked. He swung his Claws back and forth and grinned.

"Ready for another round?"

The answer was a very unhappy, resigned no, at least judging by the orcs expressions. But Mason charged and started hacking.

Two of the four that met him had less than half their shields left. Still, they used these with surprising skill, able to block everything Mason swung at them except a well-aimed Predator's Strike. He used this and got inside one's reach, splitting the lightly armored gap in his armor at the shoulder joint, dancing away from the spears that counter-attacked.

The orc roared and fell back, and another took his place.

"Come on," Mason muttered, trying to step around the orcs but always finding another line in his path.

With his ever-increasing senses he focused on his friends, hearing Rebecca panting and maybe muttering she needed to rest. But it could have been his imagination. Anyway they had Alex, too. Plenty of players. Mason trusted the others to hold.

He kept the pressure on the orcs before him, trying to distract as much as possible. Then he felt the ground tremble, and grinned.

Dirt sprayed behind the orc line. Shouts of surprise and alarm followed, and a desperate thrashing and burst of movement. Mason stepped back and lifted his arm. He focused on near every scrap of mana he had left, aiming at the largest cluster of orcs.

He counted, trusting Violet, needing Violet, to do her work and escape. His power had almost finished, but he couldn’t stop it now.

Come on, damnit, come on!

The green aura dropped almost exactly as Mason released.

The now familiar crash of thunder echoed and boomed off the tower walls as the flash of lightning smashed into the orc line. Mason opened his eyes and smiled at the sight of a dozen of the creatures off their feet, writhing in agony, their formation blasted to ragged pieces.

Mason charged straight into the gap at the orcs facing his friends. Before he'd even arrived, Carl blinked there first, turning and slashing the creatures from behind in methodic brutality. Then Mason was on the other side, both tier 1 players cutting into the unprotected rear of their enemy.

The creatures realized their peril. Some turned, getting chopped down by the others. Most broke and ran.

The orcs at the gate were way ahead of them, already fleeing back behind their walls and running towards the portals beyond screaming about magic and a dead shaman. Mason didn't let them go peacefully.

He and the previously trapped Streak chased with a vicious growl, using all their speed to bring down fleeing orc after fleeing orc, taking mostly legs so they'd fall and could be dealt with by the others.

They chased every orc back to their tower. Mason turned to find Violet still un-earthed, wounded several times by spears and swords. He put his hand to her and activated Speak with Nature, and the worm stared with its black eyes and warbled.

[I am alright, patron. But I must rest in the earth for a day again to heal.]

"Go." He smiled. "We're going to have to start calling you Shaman Slayer." He pat Streak. "And Ankle-Biter."

He looked back at the others, momentarily filled with pride until he remembered Blake was trapped in the tower alone. He grit his teeth and looked at the inside of the next tower, speaking mostly to himself.

"There has to be another way inside."