He punched the wall, creating a hole in it as he threw a grenade into the hole he had made.
Erik grabbed his rifle and moved around the wall. The grenade went off, dust shooting out of the hole he had made in the wall.
He turned to see Yao Meng and Lucinda flow into the door that had been blasted open by the explosion.
There was the sound of shooting. Erik made it into the room, smoke and dust in his vision, as well as tombstones. Orcs lay around the room, they had been getting their armor on when Erik saw them.
Now they were just more tombstones.
One quick sweep showed there were none left.
“Move it!” Erik said, pushing forward instead of acknowledging the destruction that filled the room.
The fights were sporadic but no one had injuries that needed Erik to act.
The hogs population had been decimated by the attacks, but the ones that were remaining were much stronger than when they had started. They had grown in size turning from small horses to small elephants.
They ate on the dead. Their power growing as Lucinda had to use her horns to keep them under control and had used a number of taming scrolls on the strongest among them to make sure that all of the hogs couldn’t rush off if they wanted to, creating a command structure among the alphas in the herd.
The hogs started to take on different appearances, growing armor of stone and metal, their tusks changing as they increased in level.
Erik lowered his rifle slightly, the castle was cleared of orcs. Hogs could be heard squealing and eating. He looked away from it as he stared at the cave that had been protected by the castle.
It was a large tunnel that could fit two carriages through it.
“Yuli, Yao Meng, Lucinda, dig in facing the tunnel. Rugrat, what about those cages?”
“No prisoners, but I think I’ve found something.”
***
Rugrat stepped into the cages, looking around.
==========
Quest Update: From Orc Jaws
==========
It seems that the Orcs wanted to use the humans for something more than food and sport.
==========
Requirements:
Investigate the dungeon core
Find out the motivations of the Orcs
==========
Rewards:
Unknown
Wandering Hero Title
EXP
==========
The Ten Realms create these quests to keep things balanced. It looks like saving people is secondary to finding out just what the orcs are doing. Seems the Ten Realms system doesn’t like what’s happening.
Rugrat waved the updated quest away.
“What do you think that the orcs were doing?” Erik asked.
“I’m not sure, but they weren’t using these people for sport or eating them. There has to be something more to this all.” Rugrat said.
“How long do yo think it was since the people were moved from here?”
“A day or two I would think.” Rugrat said.
“Alright, lets check everything that we have, get loaded up and we’ll head deeper, we’re close.”
“Got it,” Rugrat nodded.
Erik moved to some rubble and sat down. He pulled out his notifications.
==========
45,948,136/56,900,000 EXP till you reach Level 58
==========
Skills:
==========
Skill: Stealth
==========
Level: 49 (Apprentice)
==========
When in stealth, your senses are sharpened by 5%
==========
==========
Skill: Hand-to-Hand
==========
Level: 61 (Journeyman)
==========
Attacks cost 20% less Stamina. Agility is increased by 10%.
==========
==========
Skill: Throwables
==========
Level: 46 (Apprentice)
==========
Your throws gain 5% power
==========
==========
Do you wish to:
Take command of the Stronghold
Destroy the Stronghold
==========
Erik put his finger on Destroy Stronghold and a new screen appeared.
==========
Destroy Stronghold: Volzig
==========
You will receive:
7289x Sandstone blocks
1x Common Mortal-Grade Dungeon Core
23x Thunder Mines
14x Teleportation Crystals
232x Thorium
1x Shield Spell Formation
534x Soul Manacles
1x Mortal-Grade Mana Cornerstone
==========
Do you wish to destroy this Dungeon?
YES/NO
==========
Chapter: Water Floor
Glosil found Yui sitting by himself in the cafeteria. He was reading a book as he absently ate his food.
“You look well prepared for the fight tomorrow,” Glosil said as he sat down opposite.
“I haven’t read a damn page. I was getting scared that someone might notice, pretty hard to eat with only one hand,” Yui chuckled nervously.
“Just can’t let them see you sweat,” Glosil said.
“Are you sure about staying up here?” Yui asked.
“Instead of going down with you? Yes. You’re the one that has trained everyone in fighting on water, you have the experience and you have the people. I have been working on different projects. I know some things, but I don’t know them all. Also, this is your operation, I made the mission and you are completing it,” Glosil said putting a forkful of food into his mouth.
Yui leaned forward and pitched his voice low as he sat. “But I know how much you want to go on it.”
Glosil drank from his glass, seeing images of the fights that they had been in before. For the last few years, there might not have been constant fights, but every single one they had been in was on the edge of a blade.
“I want to. I won’t deny it, not because I like fighting or winning or any of that. You know it, that feeling that if I am not there then the worst thing will happen. When I was starting out to build the military, Erik and Rugrat came to me. They told me that I would be the commander of Alva’s military operations. Said that I would be in charge of them. You know how terrifying that is? The two lords of Alva under my command,” Glosil shook his head but there was a smile on his face. “They told me that they had been stifling me, said that I needed to be a commander, without their support. I had everything resting on my shoulders. It wasn’t easy but I got used to it. If I am there, then I undermine your ability to lead. You know what to do, why would I be there? I need to show my trust in your ability to lead and you need to lead without me there to support you.”
Yui nodded slowly.
“It's one hell of a weight to carry,” Yui said.
“Good, if it wasn’t so heavy it was crushing, then you are in the wrong position, the lives of your people rest on your shoulders, don’t fuck it up,” Glosil said pointing his fork and Yui and eating.
The two of them fell quiet.
“Once we clear the floor, then what?” Yui asked.
“Well, then you’re on training duty,” Glosil smiled.
“Great,” Yui grumbled.
“Well, the training has taken longer than anticipated. It’s only fair. Also, Domonos’ unit is quickly reaching regiment size while you are still at the battalion size. You’ll get some new transfers into the unit to balance it out better, get you some new blood.”
“Got to love training,” Yui said.
“So, what is your plan one more time?” Glosil asked.
“We will enter via the teleportation array, from there we will head at our greatest speed across the Water floor, passing the different islands to reach the central comma
nd island. We will have Egbert and Davin, his Fire Imp companion, to assist. On the water, Davin will be helped by Egbert, since high water affinity suppresses his power. Once on the main island we will have Davin melt the ice on the command formation. Once it has been cleared, Egbert and the engineers will begin repairing the formation and then powering it up.”
“Sounds simple,” Glosil said.
“You always said that the simplest plans are the best plans, less to go wrong,” Yui said.
“So you are learning,” Glosil smiled. “Stick to the plan, look out for your people, you’ll do fine.”
Yui looked at his food.
“Eat up, the troops are watching,” Glosil said.
***
“I don’t want to~” There was no more noise as Yui looked over to Egbert and a missing Fire Imp, looking at the burn marks on the deck of the ship.
“He just needs some time, not very good with cramped spaces despite his size,” Egbert said.
“Just how did you get a Fire Imp in here?” Yui asked.
“Well, when making the Fire floor, the Gnomes needed to get some materials to kick start off the whole fire floor thing. We went off on an expedition into the heart of a volcanic mountain range. We were gathering materials and capturing beasts, when we came across a little fire imp, his parents were dead, killed by a Purple-flame Gryphon. We scared off the Gryphon and found the youngster, just a few weeks old, crying his little magma tears out. The Gnomes feel for other small races and they had me look after him, bringing him back to the Fire floor. It became his domain, he looked after it, becoming the floor guardian. With time he gained the ability to learn, speak and his power grew rapdily. The Gnomes treated him well and he was friends with them, thinking of the older generation like a group of grandparents, the younger ones as his little brothers and sisters. He protected the gnomes that were on the floor with him when he was cut off from the others. Though there was no way for them to return and the environment was poisoning them with Fire mana.” Egbert shook his head. “He remodeled the Fire floor so that they could live a little longer, they did, but none of them had children. So when they died off, there was only Davin left behind on the floor. With the Fire mana, he was able to grow to his current strength and maintain the floor.”
Yui thought about the trickster little Fire Imp, about finding him in Old Wang’s noodle shop.
“He’s a strange one.”
“Oh undoubtedly, but he means well,” Egbert said. “Looks like we’re almost ready!”
Yui looked at the assembled groups, A complete Battalion's worth of soldiers, nearly two thousand in total. It was over twenty times the force that had held onto Vuzgal.
Seeing them all prepare he couldn’t help but feel proud. They had come so far in such a short period of time. Alva and Vuzgal had undergone an explosive growth period.
Yui turned back to his four Captains.
Captain Sun Li had been there since the beginning. Long Da was a strong woman with a fierce temperament, her ability with her spear was only second by her ability to command. Du Su was a quiet man but in the heat of battle, he came alive. Gazi was a larger darker man with a big personality to go along with his size, one of the more recent recruits, he had sought out a future for himself and his family, going to Vuzgal and joining Alva, his family lived in Alva as well with his three sons and five daughters and one harried but strict wife.
Yui looked to his side where his second in command, Major Selena Carvallo was standing. She was a shorter woman but she had a fierce personality. She was organized, direct and blunt. She didn’t take shit from anyone, could poke holes in most ideas and plans and had become the other half of Yui’s brain in the past couple of months. She had passed through training like a fish to water. She made it into the close protection detail and applied to be an officer.
She wanted to become a member of the Special teams but there were limited spots and there was plenty she could do as a leader.
She took the time to work with her different groups, her natural talent giving rise to her position. Yui had wanted Sun Li as his second-in-command, but Sun Li didn’t accept, telling Yui he would be an idiot to not make use of Selena.
She needed time to mature but she listened and she learned at an incredible rate.
“How are we looking?” Yui asked, moving in his armor, rolling his shoulders with it.
“All ready and waiting,” Selena said.
Yui looked at the Captains.
“Alrighty, this is it, what we’ve been training for these last couple of months. Today we take the Water floor, the last floor of the dungeon. Our key element will be speed. We are fighting on water. It is not our environment, so once we are all on the Water floor we will proceed directly to the target. Anything that stands in our way we will attack without holding anything back. If you have anything to say or need to let me know, this is it.” Yui looked at the men and women around him, the core of his Battalion, they were younger and older than him, he commanded people that were twice his age and they believed in his orders and abilities.
There were no questions in those eyes, there were no smiles, just grim faces filled with determination.
“Okay, Sun Li you’re up first, Selena will go with Long Da and Second company. I will be with Du Su in third company. Gazi, you will bring up the rear. Let’s get this done Tiger Battalion.”
The group fell apart and went back to their companies.
Yui looked at the soldiers. They were all wearing the same camouflage uniforms, helmets and carriers. Each of them were loaded for bear with backpacks filled with gear: medical pouches on their sides, grenades, magazines, their rifles slung over their necks. Everyone was ready, broken into their groups. The Medics had their bright red crosses on their shoulders, Artillery had a black mortar tube, Riflemen had one rifle, while Sharpshooters had two crossed rifles, Engineers had a magical staff crossed with a hammer. The mages had a thunderbolt slash while the Close Protection Detail had a simple CPD stenciled on their shoulders.
Yui looked over to Sergeant Niemm, he and his Special team were there. He had fourteen people with him. They had modified their gear further, on their shoulders they had a laughing skull. Some of them had modified their masks to look like skulls, painting them.
Yui pulled his helmet out of his storage ring and pulled it down over his face, the issued mask covered his entire neck, head, and face. With their helmets on, they all looked like ominous iron golems, unfeeling and uncaring..
Yui secured his mask to his face and checked his rifle.
The first two Platoons moved onto the teleportation array, the next group moved up to the ready position, the other groups marching up.
“Launch!” Sun Li yelled.
A flash of light and the array was clear. The next group rushed forward and into position. Egbert monitored the array below and the array on the main floor.
Another flash and the second half of the combat company were away and the first two platoons of the second company stepped onto the array.
They marched forward, the people of Alva watching them as they disappeared into the unknown.
Finally, it was Yui and the two platoons he was with, turn.
The light flashed and the Living floor disappeared instead a world bathed in blues and freezing cold appeared.
The platoons rushed off of the array toward people that had been set up to guide them into their positions.
“Report!” Yui ordered Selena who had gone ahead.
“No hostiles, we found a supporting formation. The engineers are working on it now, we have a point to launch from.”
Yui changed it to a leadership channel.
“First Company hold defensive positions. Second Company deploy your ships and begin boarding then push off and protect the launch sight. Third and Fourth platoon will follow deploying and embarking on their ships, First will board last.”
“Understood!” The Captains said at the same time.
Gazi arrived, Sel
ena, passing on Yui’s orders to him. Egbert arrived with the last group.
“Egbert help out the engineers working on the secondary formation,” Yui ordered.
“On it,” Egbert flew across the ice-covered ground. The Engineers had used mages to melt off the ice and snow and were trying to bring it back online.
Bravo Company used specially acquired massive storage rings used to hold siege equipment to deploy their ships.
Once the boats were out of their storage rings, the platoons quickly started to load up. The people at the helm activated the drive formations as soon as they could, pushing the ships away from the shore. They had practiced If not hundreds, then dozens of times.
Weapons were loaded and readied, barrels and eyes scanned the water as did formations and spells.
Charlie Company was next, the warship was dropped from a storage ring, hitting the water and bobbing as people secured lines to it, planks were laid down and people charged across into the boat.
As it moved out of the alcove, the second warship was pulled in and planks dropped. Yui ran across the boards with the others, they were lined up according to their stations, moving to their weapon systems, checking them and preparing to fight.
Yui moved to the command deck of the ship, it had more formations to control the flow of information and give him a clear view of the battlefield to command and control.
“Formation is active,” Sun Li reported.
The map that was displayed on the wall changed as information filled it.
“Shit,” one of the platoon lieutenants said seeing the moving blips on the map. “They’re all underneath us.”
“Delta is boarded, Alpha will be boarded momentarily,” Selena said in Yui’s ear.
“Bravo Company, keep a watch for hidden ice and obstacles, charge towards the objective,” Yui said.
“Yes, sir! “ Long Da said.
Her two ships that were patrolling the area turned as their formations glowed with a deep blue light, illuminating the dark water around them and creating a halo effect.
The ships surged forwards, charging into the waves.
“Charlie follow behind, keep your spacing,” Yui said, checking his securing line and holding onto some handholds.
He looked down from his command center, seeing the gunners, their assistants and mages watching through their portholes, the water splashed against their clothes and their masks as they rode the waves.
Sixth Realm Page 43
