World Tree Online- the Endless Savanna- 3rd Dive
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Spell: Holy Imbuement
Rank: Beginner
Level: 18
Experience: 52.63%
Description: Temporarily imbue a weapon or shield with Holy energy.
Spell Duration: 10-minutes
Spell Cast Speed: Instant
Range: 25-yards
Spell Effect (Active): Imbued weapon strikes for an additional -133-134-HP Holy damage. Successfully blocking with an imbued shield causes -134-135-HP Holy damage to attacker.
Mana Cost: -100-MP
I ended up recasting them a few times before we finally got to the end of the path, which ended at a sheer wall. It was really strange though. If I looked to the left and right, I could see the same curving rocks going up to meet in the middle. The fact that there was a wall filling that ring was unnatural.
“Someone put this wall here,” Tikka said, her voice barely a whisper. One hand running over the unnaturally smooth surface.
“Slavers,” Gofi hissed, surprisingly keeping his voice low.
On the right side of the path was another offshoot, this one much steeper and much, much deeper. The only light that made it down the path was from where other meteors carved through the rock above it. It really was a great place to hide. I didn’t know many NPC’s that would be willing to venture into such a dark place without a really good reason.
“Lodanis, were there any other guards?” I asked, scanning the slope ahead of us.
“We only saw four. Shukra and I killed one while we were trying to escape. The other three died when I caught up with the rest of you,” Lodanis answered. “However, that does not mean they will not have sent out reinforcements by now.”
“Slow and quiet,” Twilled ordered softly, being the first to step onto the new path. “And be mindful of loose rocks. A tumble down this path could be deadlier than any guards.”
On the way down we found Shukra’s remains. We also found the remains of six more Slavers, their bodies slightly hidden behind rock formations. They seemed to have died with several stab wounds . . . but they could have been from the teeth of something extremely big. I hoped their deaths were the work of Sooty and Nahid and not some World Class monster that I just knew called this place home.
Torches were the first signs we saw of the fortress. Two torches that hung from either side of a large black gate and torches being carried along the ramparts by Slavers. I don’t know if it was just the poor lighting or if the stone was really that dark, but the fortress appeared to be made entirely of light absorbing stone. There was also a deep moat running the length of the front of the fortress, terminating against sheer rock walls on either side of the fortress, once again looking unnatural. As to the moat, I unfortunately couldn’t see if there was any water in it from our position.
Quest Alert: Rescue Operation 3 (Recommended Level 25-30) – Completed!
You have gathered a sizable force to attack the Bandaka Slavers. You now have the location of the Bandaka Slaver’s base of operation. Find the hidden fortress.
Reward: +25,000-Experience
“Well that place is going to provide nightmare fuel for the next month,” Baby commented.
“I know,” Rose said, then grinning she added. “Isn’t it awesome?”
Quest Alert: Rescue Operation 4 (Recommended Level 25-30)
The Bandaka Slaver’s Fortress is built like . . . well, a fortress. You have several options available to rescue your friends. However, each plan carries its own risks.
Reward: Dependent on choice and outcome
What will you do?
Storm the Front Gates
Sneak Inside
“So, what’s your plan, Jack,” Rose asked before I could choose our course of action.
“We wait,” I said. I didn’t want to leave the quest pending but I didn’t have a plan yet for either option. Plus, that ‘Dependent on choice and outcome’ line for the rewards did not set me at ease.
“Wait for what?” Rose asked. I could tell she was eager to accept the quest.
“Vision,” I said. Vision’s sight would help me determine the best path forward.
“What are you looking for?” Lodanis asked.
“Storming the Front Gates might be the fastest way to end this and we might have the forces to do it, but we will lose people if we do. I’d rather not risk that if we can avoid it,” I explained. “This kind of place always has some kind of weakness. An unguarded secret entrance, or a way we can break in unnoticed.”
“Like a locked sewer grate,” Lodanis said.
“Exactly,” I said. “Vision should be able to spot something like that easily.”
“No, I mean, there is a locked sewer grate near that corner of the fortress at the bottom of the moat,” Lodanis said, pointing to the eastern corner of the fortress. “However, there are also three guards watching it from the ramparts.”
I only knew it was the eastern corner because of my ‘Cartography’ subskill ‘Inner Compass’. Anyway, I could see exactly what Lodanis was talking about. I even saw a sluice on the rampart directly over it for them to pour boiling oil. If they had that sort of thing, and for as well organized as these Slavers seemed to be, I would bet they did.
“Then we create a distraction,” Sooty said, appearing out of nowhere and scaring most of us nearly to death.
Once I felt my heart start to beat again, I addressed my stealthy friend, “Sooty, glad to see you made it. Is Nahid okay?”
“Nahid is . . . unsettled. She said she picked up a familiar scent,” Sooty answered.
With everything that had been going on, Nahid’s sister was a distant memory at this point. As far as I knew, her sister was still in Root City. But, if anyone was going to unsettle Nahid, who was nearly unflappable from what I’d seen of the young Catgirl, it would be her sister. The question was, was Najah working with the Slavers? Or was she made a slave by them? The only way to find out would be to head inside and find out for ourselves.
“What did you have in mind for a distraction?” Twill asked, looking to Sooty.
“I am not sure,” Sooty said. “I do not have the right equipment to make a proper distraction myself. I was hoping Bye-bye or one of the others would have something in mind.”
“My distraction is already on the way,” I said, grinning and accepting the ‘Sneak Inside’ option for the quest. “Why do you think I was waiting for Vision to catch up?”
Baby giggled. “Because if Vision is here, that means Titan is in place on the other side.”
“Jack, I know I don’t say it very often. You might be the best boyfriend ever,” Rose said, kissing me out of nowhere. “You really do bring me the nicest quest chains.”
“So, for now, we wait,” Twill said.
I hoped Vision would arrive soon. As time ticked by, I began to question my plan. Should I have told Titan to give Vision more time? Should I have told Titan to attack right away and just dealt with the consequences afterward? So many concerns, but none of it mattered once I heard a resounding boom followed by a ton of dust billowing out of the fortress from the back gates.
Knowing I didn’t have a lot of time, I started quickly restating orders. “Tikka, tell your people the priority is to get any slaves out first. Fight if you must but save as many as you can.”
“You may count on the Cheetahmen Tribe,” Tikka promised.
“Taj, when the Cheetahmen start coming out with slaves, can you and your riders give them cover with your javelins?” I asked.
“It would be our honor,” Taj said, saluting with a fist over his heart.
“Twill, half your Hunters are staying here to help the Meerkatmen. Half are coming inside to help fight it out,” I said.
“As agreed,” Twill replied.
I didn’t like going inside without Vision, but I really didn’t have a choice. “Alright, then it’s time to go,” I said, moving quickly toward the grate while the guards that were up on the wall were gone.
“Gofi, ram that grate,” I said, giving t
he Rhinoman his opportunity to make as much noise as he wanted.
“It would be my pleasure,” Gofi cheered, rapidly picking up speed, his armored and weaponized horn leading his charge. I just hoped the grate didn’t have a magic lock.
Turned out, it didn’t matter if it had a magic lock. The stone masonry surrounding the grate definitely did not. When Gofi charged down the slope of the moat and the through the ankle-deep water to ram into the grate. He hit so hard, the grate and the masonry at the points the grate was secured came free in one solid piece.
“It’s not exactly sneaking in,” Rose commented.
“No one has come to investigate, I think we’re in the clear,” I replied, helping Gofi brush off the masonry dust. “Unfortunately, when the guards do return, they might notice what we’ve done here. So, I suggest we move quickly.”
As if to prove my point, the quest completion popped.
Quest Alert: Rescue Operation 4 (Recommended Level 25-30) – Completed!
The Bandaka Slaver’s Fortress is built like . . . well, a fortress. You have several options available to rescue your friends. However, each plan carries its own risks.
Reward: +50,000-Experience
I smirked.
“Not one word,” Rose warned me.
I didn’t have to say anything that my smirk didn’t already.
Quest Alert: Rescue Operation 5 (Recommended Level 25-30)
Now that you have successfully infiltrated the Slaver’s Fortress, it is time to actually rescue someone. Find the slaves without being discovered or raising an alarm and liberate them.
Reward: Experience, Bonus per liberated Slave
Do you accept this Quest?
Yes
No
I accepted the quest. After all, it was why we were there.
Not needing to be told twice, Rose was the first one into the sewer system. Just because there were no toilets, didn’t mean there wasn’t waste. Uneaten food, unfinished drinks, and a surprising number of body parts floated past us as we worked our way inside. It appeared the sewer system was a simple square that ran just inside and under the walls.
“Which way do we go?” Rose asked at the first fork, barely ten feet past the wall.
“Where are the slaves kept?” I asked in reply.
“How should I know?” Rose retorted.
“Exactly, its why I hoped Vision would have been back by now,” I said.
“We have no time to fight among ourselves,” Twill said. “I will lead my Hunters and some of the Cheetahmen down the left path. You take the rest straight ahead.”
Rose nodded and went straight with Baby, Gofi, Tikka, Sooty, and me, along with ten Cheetahmen Warriors. I also assumed Nahid was with us but as I was unable to see her, she might have stayed outside.
“Got a ladder,” Rose said softly.
“I will take a look,” Sooty said before I could.
The stealthy Dwarf moved into the shallow alcove with the ladder and activated his ‘Stealth’ skill before climbing up. He reappeared a moment later, “Courtyard, not a good place to come up.”
“On to the next,” Rose said, moving ahead.
“What did you see up there?” I asked Sooty as we ran.
“I saw a stable in the direction Huntmaster Twill went. There is a large square building in the direction we are going now. In the far corner is another building, three floors tall and flying a banner. My guess is that is where Khan is,” Sooty said.
“Then the slaves are either ahead of us or in their main building,” I said.
“There is a good chance this is their barracks ahead of us,” Sooty said.
I nodded and ran ahead to warn Rose. If this was their barracks ahead of us, then we could have one nightmare of a fight on our hands. But, attacking the Slavers in their own beds, a place where their guard is generally going to be down. We might not get a better chance to take them out unnoticed.
About two hundred yards from the first ladder, we found a door instead of another ladder.
“How far underground are we?” I asked, looking to Sooty. I didn’t bother to look up the first ladder to check and I didn’t pay attention to how deep the moat was either.
“At least two floors down,” Sooty answered, frowning as he looked at the bottom of the door.
At the bottom of the door was a grate paralleled by stone. Under that grate, chunks of food flowed out with water and wine. At least, I tried to tell myself the red coloration was wine and that the clawed hand was uneaten food.
Sooty moved quickly to the lock and started working on it. He may not have been as good as Heath when it came to ‘Lockpicking’ but he was better than I was.
A minute later, there was a soft click and the door opened ever so slightly.
“We take no prisoners,” Gofi said.
“That is not how we do things,” I tried to say.
“No, the brute is correct. Death now or death later, these Slavers will be put to death,” Tikka insisted.
I frowned. I didn’t like it. I wanted to say there was a chance they would be sent to the Deep Dark, but I knew better. I knew the laws. I knew the animosity these people felt for the Slavers. No, they would die one way or the other.
“Fine,” I said. “Let’s go. Rose, you’re through first. Sooty, don’t let anyone reach the stairs or sound an alarm. Same for you and your people, Tikka.” I didn’t bother with giving Gofi orders. That idiot was going to do whatever he wanted no matter what I said. Thankfully, no one argued.
Rose gently pushed the door open. I was so thankful when it opened without a sound.
Inside were cages. Cages packed full of Beastkin of all sorts. Many of them weren’t even from the Tribes that called the Savanna home. The men and women trapped in those cages were beaten, some of them gravely injured. There were even small children. It made me sick to my stomach.
I’m not sure if I should have been glad when I was distracted from these unfortunates by a man yelling, “Where are your friends?” Which was followed by a loud ‘wump’ of something impacting flesh.
“Go . . . to . . . hell,” came the reply. It was a voice I knew. It was Harrison.
Another loud ‘wump’, this time the sound included a crunching, cracking sound.
Harrison groaned in pain but didn’t yell out. “My sister . . . hits . . . harder . . . than that.”
Another hit.
“So does . . . your . . . sister,” Harrison added, not sounding good.
“Go,” I whispered to Rose, telling her to start her attack.
“Baby, put a ‘Sage’s Ward’ on Harrison as soon as Rose introduces herself,” I said, rebuffing myself and my friends.
Baby nodded and Rose vanished.
I ran in just after her with Tikka and the other Cheetahmen right behind me. I assumed Sooty was already ahead of us, moving in ‘Stealth’.
The
Unfortunately, Rose’s attack failed to stun him, though it did plenty to get his attention.
It only took a second for the Slave Trainer to get back to his feet, and shout almost gleefully, “What a surprise! What a glorious surprise! Do you see this? It appears we did not need you after all, beast.”
The Slaver was large, taller than me but not quite as tall as Olaf. He was also rotund with distinctly Asian features, wearing pants and an apron. “I am Möngke, the Slave Trainer. Khan will be so pleased when I deliver all of you to him. He will be even more pleased when he finds out I have captured some more beasts from the Bazaar to sell to our clients.”
“Bye-bye, get them free, I’ll keep Monkey busy,” Rose said, her eyes glancing to the wall where Olaf and Micaela were chained up.
The Slave Trainer yelled angrily, “My name is Möngke, not Monkey!”
“Whatever you say, Monkey-boy,” Rose taunted.
“Do not ever compare me to o
ne of those filthy animals. I am a proud Human, not some lowly scum who fornicated with animals to produce abominations and monsters,” Möngke raged. “I will kill you for even suggesting it!”
I heard Möngke’s monologue in the background, but I was more focused on my friends. Olaf and Micaela. In addition to being chained to the wall, they both had muzzles fitted over their mouths. Micaela clearly had tears in her eyes and the red glow in Olaf’s eyes had me a little worried.
Olaf suddenly strained hard against the chains, trying to break free in his berserker state, only for a bright blue electric current to flare to life and course through him. Olaf’s red eyes dimmed almost instantly as he fell limp, hanging from his wrists where he was shackled to the wall.
“We’ll make sure no one warns the upstairs,” Tikka said, rushing ahead with her Cheetahmen and Sooty.
“We need the key,” I said, checking their shackles but knowing well enough after watching what just happened to Olaf that if I tried to pick these locks, I would be lucky to survive the shock that followed.
“He has got the key,” Harrison said, looking a lot better after a few healing spells from Baby.
“Okay, then we take him out,” I said, joining the fray. Hitting him immediately with ‘Holy Shock’ then stabbing him with a ‘Justice Strike’. I was about to use ‘Holy Blast’ when he moved in too close to Rose. If I used the spell, she would have been hit by the cone of damage as well.
The Slave Trainer smacked Rose’s shields with his own round shield, knocking her back. He followed up with a whip he unfurled from around his waist. He struck quickly at her, the whip snapping and retreating from between her shields, leaving a red line of damage across her torso where her chainmail armor had been cut through. Worse though, Rose stumbled, her eyes blinking. I barely had time to see the negative status effect ‘Muddled’ on her when the Slave Trainer turned on me.