Ogre Tyrant

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 80 – Wolves among sheep – Part Two

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 80 - Wolves among sheep - Part Two

The posturing and boasting of the Hong clan’s Cultivators had abruptly ended after their spokesman was yanked from his flying sword and driven face-first into the street. Exercising my Earth Affinity and indulging Kwan’s request had felt good in the moment, but it had also given me cause to reflect on my sudden recklessness.

While I was fairly certain my Heart Demons had not been given sufficient time to aggregate to dangerous levels, I decided that visiting the temple at the next available opportunity would still be a good idea.

“You dare?!” The Hong clansmen cried in near unison. Each man reached for a sword carried on their waist.

“I do,” I replied calmly, remotely seizing control over jade pendants and stone beads carried by the clansmen and slamming them to the ground alongside the primary representative.

If they were revealed to be Yi Gim’s allies, I was prepared to apologise and make amends. However, their behaviour thus far led me to believe that they were driven by opportunism rather than loyalty. Which made their allegiances almost beside the point.

I had felt them casting out their senses. Felt them judging me and my subordinates, convinced we possessed inferior Cultivation and eager to abuse the perceived difference in power.

“I represent the interests of my Monarch,” I repeated coldly. “And I will not tolerate such disrespect.”

“As is your right!” Yi Gim called out loudly from down the street. He was making his approach on foot and affecting a calm and unhurried demeanour.

“M-Monarch!” The Hong spokesman sputtered, straining his neck to face Yi Gim. “These mercenaries have insulted my Hong family and openly spat upon the rule of your auspicious dynasty!”

The other Hong clansmen swore fervently in agreement. All the while smiling maliciously and staring at me from the corner of their eyes. It was obvious that they thought they had me trapped.

“Swear upon your Dantian!” Yi Gim replied coldly, his smoke-stained face hard and uncompromising.

“M-Monarch! That is too much!” The Hong Spokesman cried with a hint of fear masked by intense incredulity. “As an honoured elder of the Hong clan, I swear upon the name of my Hong family that my words are true! This should be enough!”

Yi Gim stopped a dozen feet away from the prone Hong clansmen and scowled. “And if I say it is not?” He replied in a deadly calm tone.

The Hong spokesman cringed.

The airship began to adjust its course and was now headed in our direction. Its angle of approach would cut past the breach entirely, so I was not immediately concerned for my subordinates' safety.

Using my mana, I erected five pillars concealed within the nearby buildings. Using the pillars as a foundation, I then expended a small amount of Chi to form a temporary Formation before investing more of my Chi.

Yi Gim didn’t appear to be aware of the approaching airship but my activities had managed to catch his notice.

The Hong clan’s spokesman began to laugh. It was a weird and unhinged laugh that sounded like it belonged in a movie. “I will not debase myself before you any longer!” He barked savagely. “This is the hour of our ascension!”

An incandescent sequence of rotating scripts formed before the prow of the ship.

“Surrender!” The Hong spokesman demanded with a snarl. “Surrender and we might allow your women a place in the Patriarch’s harem!”

Yi Gim’s disgust matched my own. Before he could bring his sword to bear, I had used the Hong spokesman’s beads to crush his own throat. Yi Gim removed his head outright with a single smooth strike from his sword less than a second later.

No longer held by his will, the Chi and internal energy flooded out of the spokesman’s body and into the Formation, bolstering its reserves.

The cries of fear from the other Hong clansmen were lost as a torrent of superheated plasma ignited the air and rolled over a shimmering orange barrier above our heads.

As I had hoped, the Fire Affinity within my Chi was absorbing the attack and leaching away its strength. Unfortunately, the lack of oxygen in the vicinity presented a different and equally pressing danger.

After five seconds the stream of fire guttered and died.

Several dozen smaller projected formations sprang into being along the portside as the airship came about. Streams of pressurised air, water and fire raked across the barrier, searching for weakness. Except for the air-based attacks, the majority unintentionally strengthened the barrier instead of depleting its energy.

“As I thought!” Yi Gim growled bitterly. “Nothing but cowards!”

“Mercy!” Cried one of the Hong clansmen.

“I had nothing to do with this!” Cried another.

“That your elders would so willingly sacrifice you to forward their schemes is not surprising,” Yi Gim observed dryly. “However...Sacrificing a fellow elder...Now we can see the depth of their commitment.”

“Is the airship valuable?” I asked without taking my eyes off of the airship. If I could get my hands on three or four of them, my counterattack against the beetlemen would require a far smaller force than I had initially anticipated.

Yi Gim was taken by surprise and took a couple of moments to regain his composure. “Several fortunes...” He replied hesitantly.

I reflected on the fact that I hadn’t seen other airships since my arrival. “Unfortunate...” I muttered with disappointment and turned to my champions gathered in the ramparts. “Champions! Clear the ship!” I ordered, tethering a Breach in their midst and above the deck of the airship.

Already low on MP I had to tap into my reserves to maintain the connection so all my champions could pass through to the airship.

The salvos from the airship came to a scattered halt and bodies began rolling and flying off of the deck. Most fell to the ground but a few individuals appeared to be fleeing the ship atop more of the overly large flying swords.

I terminated the Spatial Breach to conserve what remained of my MP.

“Do you have people who can capture it?” I asked, directing my attention back toward Yi Gim. “Or someone that can bring it down without destroying it?”

“No...But there should be a control Formation somewhere on the deck,” Yi Gim replied hurriedly. “The precise form varies depending upon the maker of the vessel. I should be able to locate it,” he offered but then winced as he considered the Hong clansmen’s flying swords on the ground.

Recalling that he had made his approach on foot, I could only assume Yi Gim wasn’t in a fit state to fly on a sword of his own.

Considering the Hong clansmen for a few moments, I made a decision.

Their superiors had attacked me with the intent to kill and seen the four surviving men as acceptable collateral damage.

I had no reason not to kill them and just be done with it. However, I decided not to. Even if it was just to prove to myself that I was capable of making that decision.

After choking them out with a length of chain, I offered Yi Gim one of my human-sized stone machetes.

“I’ll fly you up there with my Affinity,” I explained handing over the machete.

“I will just need to hold on I suppose,” Yi Gim replied with a strained smile.

I shrugged. “I would have offered something...larger, but I have others to consider,” I made a point of looking over at the monkeys draped in chains by the wall. Yi Gim didn’t know that I held only a token degree of control over three of the monkeys, and I wasn’t inclined to explain myself at this particular moment.

Yi Gim’s smile faded and he became deeply concerned. “Why have you taken those Beasts prisoner?” He asked in hushed whispers.

“Because we aren’t so different,” I replied calmly. “Because taking four prisoners removed thousands of combatants from the battlefield.” I stared Yi Gim down. “Because I am more than a simple-minded brute...”

“I...It was never my intention to...Ahem...” Yi Gim closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I apologise. You have been an exemplary ally during these trying times and I failed to show you the respect you have earned.” He bowed solemnly and then turned his attention back toward the airship, which was now drifting over the city.

Satisfied, I invested my Chi into the machete and used my Earth Affinity to pull Yi Gim into the air and toward the airship.

He looked far more heroic and dignified flying through the air than I had expected he would.

“It’s strange seeing this side of you...” Nadine commented distractedly while dabbing an alcohol swab onto the small puncture wounds on the female monkey’s neck. With the potential infection sites sterilised, she moved on to smearing a clotting and rejuvenating paste that would accelerate the healing process. “Tim...” Nadine set down the jar and stared down at the crate of supplies.  “Do you hate us?...”

The suddenness of the question caught me off guard.

“No...” I slowly shook my head. It was something I had given a considerable degree of thought, on and off for quite some time. “I never hated you...”

Nadine looked up at me in shock. It was not the answer she had been expecting.

“I hated myself...I hated living...” I explained quietly. “Long before I met any of you...I wanted to die...I wanted everything to be over...I didn’t want to feel or to think!” I took a deep breath to try and calm myself down, to try and regain control. “But I couldn’t bring myself to end it and I couldn’t make the changes I needed so the pain would stop...When they killed me, I thought that was going to be it. I thought everything was going to be over. When it wasn’t...I gave up. I convinced myself that what was happening was my punishment and that I deserved it...It was just so much easier to do whatever I was told to do.”

My old self would have been mortified by confessing as much aloud, let alone in front of an audience. Somewhere along the way, I had stopped caring about such things. There were better places to have this conversation. That was a fact. However, the less-than-ideal circumstances also made the cathartic release that much more powerful.

I had spoken of such things with Lash and even Hana in private. Although not nearly as succinctly as I had done in this particular moment. Of course, it was only through talking it out on those occasions that I had gained the insight to piece everything together.

“I...I’m sorry...” Nadine apologised and looked thoroughly ashamed of herself, unable to even raise her head let alone meet my eye. “Even after I realised you were hurting, I didn’t stop it...I just kept pushing you...” She covered her eyes with one hand and shook her head regretfully. “Even though I knew it was hurting you, I kept pushing you-”

“You did,” I agreed. “And so did Emelia and Clarice.”

Nadine cringed and wrapped her arms defensively over her abdomen and chest.

“You also treated me with far more kindness than you had to.” It was an indisputable fact. After freeing so many Slaves and listening to their stories of abuse and torment, it would have been pretentious of me to in any way suggest our experiences were on the same level. “I had heard what you said about the Willpower stat. I knew how to break free from the beginning.”

Nadine stiffened like a rabbit caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. “Y-You knew?...” She croaked. Perhaps reflecting upon just how much danger they might have been in if circumstances had been different. If I had been someone different.

“Even if you had ulterior motives for doing so, it doesn’t change how you treated me.” I let out a nervous chuckle and shook my head. “As fucked up as it may be to hear, that was the kindest and most considerate anyone had behaved toward me since my Mum passed away...”

Cheeks wet with tears, Nadine stopped staring at the ground and looked up at me. “That...That is pretty fucked up,” she agreed, hiccuping slightly as she smiled seemingly despite herself.

I might have shed a few tears of my own if the dry air hadn’t already stripped a dangerous amount of moisture from my skin already. Then again, perhaps not. While the subject made me feel melancholic, it almost felt as if I was talking about events that had happened to someone else. Who I was back then and who I was now were two very different people.

“I’m sorry for springing this on you,” Nadine apologised awkwardly. “It’s just...After learning what happened to Fesk, to his sister...It’s all I seemed able to think about...”

I hadn’t known Fesk had a sister, but just from the context, and the fact that the Thralls had been the Vampyrs' Slaves, it wasn’t difficult to make educated guesses as to what may have happened to her.

“It’s...It’s why he won’t let Ophelia heal his scar...” Nadine reached for her throat but didn’t seem to be aware of what she was doing until after her fingers made contact. “I-I shouldn’t be talking about that!” She pulled her hand back and looked away. “It’s Fesk’s story to tell, not mine...”

Fesk’s choice was not as uncommon as Nadine might like to think. 

Working in concert with one another, Ophelia and Sebet were capable of reversing just about any injury in under a minute. Sebet, in particular, excelled in removing scarrified tissue. However, the problem lay within the patients themselves. Not everyone wanted to put the past behind them. Viewing the erasure of the physical evidence of what was done to them as a betrayal of their core selves. A betrayal of lives long since lost.

It was a complex issue and one I preferred not to think about given its inherently depressing nature.

At a glance, I could tell that Kang and the smaller monkeys had been following our conversation. At least, my half of the conversation anyway. Another reminder of how strange the translation functions of the Labyrinths and their supporting systems functioned.

If Kang had doubted my word before, and he most assuredly had, then he now appeared somewhat open to the possibility that I might be telling the truth.

All it had taken was spilling my guts over a deeply personal subject in public...

The abrupt shift in the airship’s heading served as good an excuse as any to end my conversation with Nadine and redirect my focus toward the ongoing siege of the city.

The walls were holding. However, more Beasts were arriving on the horizon with each passing minute. Worse still, their average strength appeared to be increasing as well.

I now understood why Yi Gim had been so afraid of triggering a Beast Tide. It would only be a matter of time before the defenders became exhausted and were overrun. As strong as my Bodyguards were, they would eventually tire as well.

Evacuating the city made the most sense but I was uncertain whether Yi Gim had the capabilities of doing so. 

And if he did, how many people would be left behind or otherwise lost in the chaos?

Of course, there was another way. Abusing the Supremacy Challenge to remove the city from the path of the Beast Tide. However, I doubted Yi Gim would agree to it. As trusting as he had been thus far, my proposal would undoubtedly push him past his limits. 

Summoning additional forces carried greater risks but it was also an opportunity to expose my untested army to a large-scale engagement in a relatively controlled setting.

Removing the separated segments of a second banner from my Storage Ring, I aligned the threads and twisted the two halves of the long iron stave together. With the Beacon activated, I planted the banner into the street at my side and waited.

I didn’t have to wait long before a grizzled Human in his mid-fifties appeared before the banner. A dark surcoat bearing a fanged grinning face hanging over his magical plate and mail. “My Majesty!” Despite his advanced age, Lord Garrick wasted no time in falling to one knee and bowing his head, taking only the time needed to angle his scabbard to allow for the motion.

“I am calling my army to a full mobilisation in defence of this city,” I explained and motioned toward the breached wall.

“Understood, Majesty!” Lord Garick’s face appeared to shed twenty years as a fervent grin of anticipation settled onto his lips. “I will summon my senior staff at once so we may begin the briefing!” Rising to his feet, he removed a half-foot-long rod with a threaded tail and moved to the back of the banner. Aligning the tail with the matching hole, he screwed the rod into the back of the banner and activated a second Beacon that was powered by the MP supply of the first.

A little over two dozen men and women, the majority in their late forties to early sixties, appeared one by one as they answered the call of the Beacon. Only a third of their number wore armour, but all wore surcoats or uniforms bearing my sigil.

“This city belongs to my ally, Yi Gim. Its defences have been compromised by betrayal and sabotage. Leaving it vulnerable to the crisis taking place at this very moment.” The intensity of the gathered men and women’s collective gaze created a pressure that I was unused to dealing with and I had to pause so I could gather my thoughts again before moving on. “A relentless horde of Beasts, what the locals call a Beast Tide, is assaulting the city. Civilians have retreated deeper into the city and taken refuge where they can-” Or so I assumed since I had not seen signs of any civilians in the past half hour, “-and those who can bear arms have taken to the walls and streets in defence of their home. Your orders are to break the siege. I leave the means and methods at your discretion!”

“Understood, Majesty!” The assembled officers cried.

Lord Garrick spun on his heel to address his officers and began barking orders. Commandeering an empty nearby building to serve as his base of field operations.

Smaller Beacons were activated.

A flock of Harpies took to the sky with bows in hand and began engaging the flying Beasts in their own element. Intercepting them before they had a chance to make it to the defenders atop the wall. Serving not only as interceptors but scouts, select members of each flock made frequent trips back and forth between the battle in the sky and the officers on the ground. 

Packs of Gnolls began scaling the walls, and under mundane banners bearing my sigil, took the place of the battle-weary defenders. Not that the local defenders abandoned their posts. Understandably, they remained nearby and kept a suspicious eye on those who had come to relieve them.

Thralls began appearing in their hundreds, establishing a screening formation around our position in the city. More organised and better trained in traditional military tactics and discipline, they were largely left to their own devices with little direct intervention from the senior staff and Human officers.

The return of my champions heralded the return of Yi Gim himself.

Despite donning a new helmet, it was obvious from what little I could see of his face that he was confused. “The situation in which we find ourselves is indeed most dire. However, while I must stress that I appreciate your assistance and the spirit in which it is so readily given...I find it troubling that so many mortals would be pressed into service...”

Mortals. It was a term Cultivators used when referring to those who lacked what they determined was a minimum acceptable level of Cultivation.

Outright admitting that my forces used a different system would no doubt cause problems. So I opted for a white lie.

“They bear treasures that compensate for their lack of Cultivation and have natural advantages besides,” I explained without going into further details.

Yi Gim’s eyes widened in surprise and he stiffly followed the movements of a Thrall patrol. “You don’t mean...Surely not all of them bear such treasures...” He whispered hoarsely.

“Not high-grade treasures,” I replied, avoiding the heart of the subject. “We have spoken of these treasures before. They are not as valuable as you believe them to be.” This was an outright lie. The more I learned about the Cultivators, the more I came to realise that treasures, magical items, were exceedingly rare. “We could make a deal for a consignment of weapons if you are interested?” I offered, eager to recruit Alchemists to support Jin’s production of Cultivation resources.

“I owe you much already...” Yi Gim sighed disappointedly, “And with the restorations to be made-” He motioned to the city at large. “-I am sorry, but I cannot justify such an expense...”

“You misunderstand,” I interjected calmly. “I am more interested in making the exchange for another favour.”

Yi Gim perked up immediately but took a moment to calm himself. “What form would this favour take?” He asked, trying not to sound overly eager.

“I want to recruit Alchemists who can prepare Cultivation materials,” I explained. “The Alchemists I have already can’t meet the increasing demand. I have the raw resources already and would prefer to export complete products rather than paying someone else for the privilege of selling those same materials back to me at a criminal markup.”

“Ah...” Yi Gim nodded to show he understood but didn’t seem particularly supportive. “Recruiting a clan or sect on the verge of collapse or financial ruin is one thing. However, dealing with the Alchemists and their guilds is another thing entirely...Alchemy requires a special mind and a substantial degree of training. The guilds hold a monopoly over the Alchemists themselves because they are the ones that identify the future Alchemists at a young age and bring them into the fold. Binding them with Oaths and the wealth and prestige their profession commands...” He smiled apologetically. “While there are some rogue Alchemists, their products are quite often inferior and even dangerous. I could not, in good conscience, recommend recruiting such individuals.”

“What about the guilds?” I pressed.  “Would it be possible to tempt a guild to relocate?”

Yi Gim shook his head and was about to reply but stopped himself and appeared to reconsider. “If anyone else were to ask, I would tell them it is impossible...However...Alchemists have a weakness I believe you are well positioned to exploit...” Yi Gim Chuckled dryly and shook his head. “It is your resources. Specifically, those of extreme rarity and high quality. Alchemists are always searching for such materials to fuel their research.” He made a stalling gesture. “The larger guilds are too firmly rooted in their respective areas of influence and jealousy would not allow them to permit their branches to take up such an offer. However, smaller guilds may be tempted to relocate, provided you are willing to...to...” Yi Gim staggered backward a handful of steps as the first platoon of Ogre infantry materialised in the street.

Just like the Gnolls and Harpies, the Ogres were wild recruits who had accepted a contract of military service in exchange for full rights and citizenship.

“Apologies...I had not realised how great your stature was amongst your own people...” Yi Gim commented with awe.

The largest of the Ogres were half my height and close to twice Yi Gim’s, striking a stark contrast as they marched past our position and toward the wall.

“Tha’s Tyrant!” One of the smaller Ogres exclaimed in a bad excuse for a whisper.

“Is big!...” Another Ogre rumbled in awe.

“Biggest!” Yet another Ogre agreed excitedly.

“QUIET!” Bellowed the largest Ogre, swatting an Ogre over the back of the head who had remained silent throughout. “You make Ugs boys look bad!” The Ogre, Ugs, growled angrily. “Look front! March!” He spared a nervous glance in my direction before determinedly fixing his gaze on the breach and ramparts.

Another platoon of Ogres appeared and the same scene played out more or less the same as the first had done.

“They hold you in such reverence...” Yi Gim observed quietly.

It wasn't how I had interpreted their actions, but I could understand why Yi Gim might have come to that conclusion. Most notably, because he didn’t understand what they were saying.

“It’s a cultural thing,” I explained. “It is similar with my wife’s people as well.”

“Oh,” Yi Gim politely signalled for me to elaborate.

“Size...height and bulk, are a societal virtue,” I motioned to Lurr and the Orcs over at the Ramparts. “My Bodyguards are a peak specimen in that regard, and I suppose I am for mine.”

“You suppose?” Yi Gim asked curiously. “I don’t understand. Are they not your people?” He nodded to another group of new arrivals.

“No...” I replied a little too quickly. “I mean...It’s complicated...”

Yi Gim said nothing and waited patiently for me to continue.

“They are my subjects, and you could say we share common ancestry...” I was trying to be careful not to say something I shouldn’t. So far as I was aware, Yi Gim still, somehow, believed I was fundamentally human. Mutated or altered, but otherwise human. “When I was reborn, reincarnated, I was alone.”

“Ah,” Yi Gim nodded in understanding. “I had thought your differences were related to your Bloodline or perhaps a Cultivation Inheritance,” he admitted sheepishly.

“It’s not entirely unrelated,” I lied, capitalising on Yi Gim’s uncertainties. “My children bear a stronger resemblance to me and their mother than them.”

“Which is to be expected,” Yi Gim agreed distractedly as he watched another group of Ogres pass by. “What are they preparing to do?” He asked. “Their bulk is too great to fight in the confines of the breach alongside the others...So why are they forming ranks-”

“If I were to guess, I would say that they intend to take the fight beyond the wall,” I observed neutrally while casting a glance toward the small group of senior officers coaching a handful of Ogre Sergeants, and one Mountain Orc Captain, through what I assumed to be some sort of battleplan.

“You are serious...” Yi Gim commented and made a self-deprecating snort while shaking his head. “Of course you are serious...Do your men not fear death?”

It was a good question. There were times when I had serious doubts. Then again, I was little better myself.

“From what I have experienced thus far, They will be in little danger,” I replied calmly. “As stronger Beasts take the field, that will no doubt change. However, at least for now, they will make a bigger difference fighting outside the walls rather than behind them.”

A lengthy silence passed between us.

“I will see what can be done to recruit the Alchemists you have asked for...” Yi Gim stated firmly. “However, I do not know how I am to repay you for your intervention in this crisis...”

I hadn’t intervened under the expectation of being compensated. So it took me a few moments to think of something Yi gim might have or perhaps have access to, that I would want.

Territory was always useful and presumably Yi Gim would be willing to part with some of the territories he had recently gained from the death of the Demon of the Fog.

Then again, perhaps it was better not to ask for anything at all. Generating further goodwill could have a significantly greater payoff in the long run. Especially given the basis of our formal alliance.

Then again, there was a potential transaction that could prove mutually beneficial to us both.

“This Hong clan and their fellow conspirators...I presume you wouldn’t feel put out if they were taken off of your hands?” I asked while doing my best to keep my voice even and steady.

“That would very much depend upon what you intended to do with them,” Yi Gim replied somewhat hesitantly while looking down at the four unconscious prisoners bound at our feet.

“Those directly involved in this-” I motioned to the city at large, “-will face a punishment fitting for their crimes. As for the rest...They will be given a second chance in a new environment.”

“A city for a city?” Yi Gim mused aloud, not sounding at all adverse to the idea.

“I didn’t say that,” I observed neutrally.

“And yet, it is what will most likely prove necessary...” Yi Gim replied wearily. “The measure of influence the Hong clan has within their sphere of political influence is only possible through the cooperation and obedience of dozens of lesser clans...” He sighed and made as if to rub at his temples before remembering he was wearing a helmet.

“So you would prefer to give up an entire city full of people outright?” I was surprised by Yi Gim’s conviction. All previous exchanges of territory had been made after evacuating and migrating the occupants. If we followed through on this proposal, it would mark a dramatic change in what was implicitly allowed in trade.

“I lack your means of uncovering traitors,” Yi Gim stated matter of factly. “And it is very likely that the city will soon declare itself in open rebellion. Assuming it has not done so already...” He chuckled mirthlessly. “Of course, I would be grateful for any leads your subordinates uncover regarding other traitors remaining within my Realm.”

“I would be willing to agree to that condition,” I agreed.

“You might think my choice to be cruel,” Yi Gim commented dryly. “However, putting down this rebellion would cost far more lives than a single city. The new territories on the northern border of my Realm have not yet been occupied, let alone pacified. In the time it would take to chase down the Hong clan’s leadership and mete out the smallest shred of justice, the north would fall into chaos...”

I could see where Yi Gim was coming from and couldn’t fault him for his logic. As brutal as it was to consider, sometimes, amputation was the only way to prevent a deadly infection from spreading.

With a payment all but formalised, Yi Gim and I engaged in the shortest Supremacy Challenge I had experienced thus far. Ending the Challenge a handful of seconds after it was initiated. Any fears I had regarding potential safeguards in the system against abuse were swept aside as I returned to Yi Gim’s Realm in the same place I had occupied moments before.

To maintain morale and provide an official narrative of events, Yi Gim excused himself so he could make his presence known and take control of the loyalist defence of the city.

Nadine’s projection had depleted the last of its MP during our conversation, leaving me alone with the four giant monkeys.

I levelled my gaze on Kang, the largest of the four monkeys. “I’m going to allow you to prove your loyalty and commitment. A chance to earn additional resources to aid in the resettlement of your people.”

Kang stared back at me for several long moments in silence and then averted his gaze. “Kang obey...” He replied, relaxing his body and releasing the tension in his muscles.

His capitulation had an immediate effect on the others. Causing them to become subdued and docile. However, it didn’t stop them from sneaking wary glances in my direction.

“Send children away?” Kang asked submissively, eyes still firmly locked on the ground as he motioned his head toward the three other monkeys.

“If that is what you want,” I agreed, more than happy to remove the dangerous variables they represented.

Kang nodded eagerly, his thick expressive features broadcasting extreme relief.

Opening a Spatial Breach, I pushed the three Monkeys through with my Earth Affinity and then severed the connection. With MP costs directly linked to the mass of individuals travelling through the Breach, I was brought uncomfortably low on MP yet again. However, I considered the exchange to be firmly in my favour overall.

With his children functionally serving as hostages to ensure his good behaviour, I would be able to lend Kang more trust than I would have otherwise been able to justify in the circumstances. It also allowed me to show Kang that I was willing to cooperate with reasonable requests and that I wasn’t everything he no doubt feared me to be.

Offering Kang his staff, I dropped the chains from his arms and shoulders and returned them to my Storage Ring. 

Kang accepted his staff and made a quiet series of ook noises while bobbing his head, gaze still determinedly averted from my own. Had he not spoken less than a minute earlier, I would have thought Kang was a trained animal from a Hollywood movie set.

Turning my back on Kang, there was a tense moment where I expected him to strike me from behind in an opportunistic ambush. Glancing over my shoulder, I found Kang had moved but only so he could fall in line behind me.

The idle ‘whispers’ and chatter amongst the Ogres multiplied tenfold as I passed through their ranks. Even a few of the Sergeants joined in before the Mountain Orc Captain began hollering for order.

Armed with clubs, morningstars, maces and hammers, the Ogres wore magical heavy plate armour over padded gambesons. The armour had the effect of increasing the Ogre’s bulk, and a few of the smaller Ogres seemed to have stuffed their breastplates in an attempt to appear bigger than they actually were, with sleeves and corners of loose bedding hanging from the gaps.

Tempting as it was to explore the absurdities of Ogre fashion and the weirdly specific insecurities serving as its motivating force. I had more important things to be getting on with.

The ramparts were a bloody mess.

Mounds of mangled corpses were piled atop the rubble and impaled upon the stone spikes. Many more lay around in the surrounding area,

If left to continue as things were, the ramparts would be overrun within the next couple of hours. The trail of bodies that served as a record of my Bodyguards’ gradual retreat was proof of that undeniable fact.

Surveying the assembled Ogres from the top of the ramparts, I realised that I hadn’t appreciated just how many of them there were until that moment. There were hundreds of them and more were arriving with every few minutes that passed.

It occurred to me that the recruiters must have been far more proactive than I had anticipated, and I wasn’t sure how I should feel about that.

On the one hand, I had a pressing need for an army that could fight toe to toe with powerful monsters without suffering catastrophic casualties. On the other, there would be far more wild Ogres that would need to be integrated into Semenovian society than I had expected. There was also the lingering issue of whether they constituted a slave army in all but name.

Join me or die, was something I could justify when the intention was to return autonomy within a matter of hours or even minutes. Requiring thousands of service hours before extending the same was a grey area that became decidedly uncomfortable when individuals were being actively recruited en masse.

Citizenship through service had been an initiative so I wouldn’t have to butcher prisoners or maintain massive internment camps. It was a convenient means of assuaging my morals without compromising my responsibilities.

My attention was drawn to a group of new arrivals as an entirely different set of drum beats drowned out those coming from the centre of the city. An Ogre just a hair shorter than the Sergeants was striking a pair of padded clubs against a massive hide drum strapped to his gut. Despite sharing the same face as all the other Ogres around him, the childlike joy in his eyes and the tongue pressed firmly between his teeth in an exaggerated show of concentration made him stand out like a chicken amongst geese.

What came as an even greater surprise was the effect the drums had on the other Ogres. Within seconds of the drummer's arrival, the other Ogres had begun stamping their feet in time with the beating of the drum, amplifying the sound and causing the ground to tremble.

Then, they began to chant...

***** Mud ~ Yi Gim’s Interdimensional Plane ~ Bay of Tranquility *****

Thinking had always been a chore that Mud loathed. Not only was it difficult, but it almost always went unrewarded. Often seeing Mud punished for having made the effort. Whenever possible, Mud made it a point not to think at all, sitting and doing nothing until deeply rooted instincts roused him to act in self-preservation.

That all changed when Mud was told about ‘the Tyrant’, an Ogre so huge he could snatch the sun and moon right out of the sky if he wanted. The Tyrant was so big even humans and other monsters worshipped his bigness.

Spindly and short, humans were weak and made bad warriors. But their small brains were always running around. Always on the move. Always...thinking...

So the humans started thinking for them.

Mud had never been so happy.

Doing what the humans said was much easier than thinking. It also let Mud relax without the need to worry if a many-toothed thing would be trying to eat him when he tried thinking again. Because if there was a many-toothed thing, the humans would just tell him what to do.

Standing in the presence of the Tyrant himself, everything just made sense.

Mud could feel the Tyrant’s mind moving about, thinking such huge thoughts that Mud could even hear some of them inside his head.

Mud could tell by the way all the other Ogres looked at the Tyrant that they could hear him thinking too. 

“Tyrant! Tyrant! Tyrant!” The chorus of Ogre voices chanting in time with the drums was hypnotic, drawing Mud in and pressing the Tyrant’s thoughts into his head.

<Battle approaches...> From the top of the spike-covered hill, the Tyrant raised one massive arm.

A near absolute silence descended as Mud and the other Ogres became deathly still, following the Tyrant’s unspoken command.

“I have sworn to defend this city and its people from the Beasts beyond these walls!” The Tyrant rumbled, his voice like crashing boulders rolling down a mountainside.

A quest box appeared in front of Mud’s eyes but disappeared before he could say the words like the humans had taught him to do.

“Fight in my name! Prove to me your worth!” The Tyrant commanded. “Drive them back from the walls! KILL THEM ALL!!!” He roared, raising his spiked club high and splitting the spiked hill in two as he charged into the space that lay beyond.

Mud’s savage warcry joined the chorus of his brothers and his feet and legs began moving on their own. There was no need to think, only to act. The Tyrant had done the hard part for them already and now all they had to do was obey.

Mud was one of the first to pass through the broken wall and follow the Tyrant. One of the first to witness his raw power and savagery with his own eyes.

Beasts too numerous to count were pressing in all around them and the Tyrant was felling as many as Mud had fingers on his hand with each swing.

The awe Mud felt for his Tyrant’s might was quickly overtaken by primal rage as one of the Beasts DARED to strike at the Tyrant’s back.

Gripping his club so tight his bones ached, Mud slammed head first into the strange hissing thing and drove it back into the seething tide of fur, fangs and flesh. Trusting in the Tyrant to do all the thinking for him, Mud released a savage roar and lashed out with his fist and club at anything that moved and wasn’t identified as a follower of the Tyrant.

On each side of him, Mud’s brothers crashed into the living wall of Beasts with bone-shattering force, throwing the Beasts back through sheer weight and fury.

Afraid of being left behind, Mud pushed forward, savagely beating down a horned thing with too many teeth that managed to leap over his brothers’ heads and was preparing to attack them from behind. More of his brothers rushed past to join the charge, but others lingered, joining Mud in killing the Beast.

“FOR TYRANT!!!” Roared a Sarge, raising his flag high with one hand and caving in the skull of a slithering Beast with his hammer held in the other.

“FOR TYRANT!!!” Mud roared, joining his voice to his brothers’ and pressing forward as a surge of new strength spread through his body.

Surrounded by his brothers, Mud impatiently waited for the enemy to reappear. All the while, he watched the Tyrant relentlessly pushing forward ahead of them.

The charge had slowed and Mud was glad to hear that he was getting closer to the enemy. Little by little, the brothers around him were spreading out and making room, bringing the enemy closer to brothers like Mud who were stuck behind them.

Face to face with the enemy again, Mud pressed one arm into the Beast’s mouth to keep its teeth busy and pulped its spine with his club.

Another Beast tried to use the opening to sink its claws into Mud’s face but a Sarge caught it by the neck, crushing the bones between his fingers and making it go limp.

“No hurt!” The Sarge growled angrily, dropping the dead Beast and slamming his fist down on the head of another. “Hurt, no good!”

Mud nodded vigorously in agreement, bashing his club into the thick meaty leg of another Beast.

“Tyrant says, protect little ones!” The Sarge cried, reaching down a Beast’s throat and ripping out a trail of its organs.

Mud continued nodding and swinging his club. It made perfect sense to him that they should protect the humans. They were so small and easily hurt.

“Protect you!” The Sarge insisted, smashing his fist into the snout of a tusked Beast trying to gore Mud’s belly.

You?

Several long moments passed while Mud continued clubbing the Beasts.

With so many things already being thought on his behalf, Mud had a surprising amount of mental energy to spare. Without meaning to, he began puzzling over what the Sarge had said.

Cracking the skull of another Beast, Mud knew he should have felt proud for doing as the Tyrant wanted, and he did. However, it didn’t feel as good as he expected it to.

An uncomfortable pressure had begun building in Mud’s head as the incomplete thought demanded more of his attention and energy.

The Tyrant roared and Beasts’ bellies exploded from the strength of his swings, ripping and tearing their bodies apart and sending blood, bones and organs flying over the nearby Beasts, blinding them.

Mud looked back at the Sarge and couldn’t help but notice how small he was when compared against the Tyrant.

“Sarge big...Sarge small too...” Mud muttered, his head already too full to continue his thought in silence. The pressure reached an almost painful intensity and Mud was so surprised that he stopped attacking.

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 80 - Wolves among sheep - Part Two

The posturing and boasting of the Hong clan’s Cultivators had abruptly ended after their spokesman was yanked from his flying sword and driven face-first into the street. Exercising my Earth Affinity and indulging Kwan’s request had felt good in the moment, but it had also given me cause to reflect on my sudden recklessness.

While I was fairly certain my Heart Demons had not been given sufficient time to aggregate to dangerous levels, I decided that visiting the temple at the next available opportunity would still be a good idea.

“You dare?!” The Hong clansmen cried in near unison. Each man reached for a sword carried on their waist.

“I do,” I replied calmly, remotely seizing control over jade pendants and stone beads carried by the clansmen and slamming them to the ground alongside the primary representative.

If they were revealed to be Yi Gim’s allies, I was prepared to apologise and make amends. However, their behaviour thus far led me to believe that they were driven by opportunism rather than loyalty. Which made their allegiances almost beside the point.

I had felt them casting out their senses. Felt them judging me and my subordinates, convinced we possessed inferior Cultivation and eager to abuse the perceived difference in power.

“I represent the interests of my Monarch,” I repeated coldly. “And I will not tolerate such disrespect.”

“As is your right!” Yi Gim called out loudly from down the street. He was making his approach on foot and affecting a calm and unhurried demeanour.

“M-Monarch!” The Hong spokesman sputtered, straining his neck to face Yi Gim. “These mercenaries have insulted my Hong family and openly spat upon the rule of your auspicious dynasty!”

The other Hong clansmen swore fervently in agreement. All the while smiling maliciously and staring at me from the corner of their eyes. It was obvious that they thought they had me trapped.

“Swear upon your Dantian!” Yi Gim replied coldly, his smoke-stained face hard and uncompromising.

“M-Monarch! That is too much!” The Hong Spokesman cried with a hint of fear masked by intense incredulity. “As an honoured elder of the Hong clan, I swear upon the name of my Hong family that my words are true! This should be enough!”

Yi Gim stopped a dozen feet away from the prone Hong clansmen and scowled. “And if I say it is not?” He replied in a deadly calm tone.

The Hong spokesman cringed.

The airship began to adjust its course and was now headed in our direction. Its angle of approach would cut past the breach entirely, so I was not immediately concerned for my subordinates' safety.

Using my mana, I erected five pillars concealed within the nearby buildings. Using the pillars as a foundation, I then expended a small amount of Chi to form a temporary Formation before investing more of my Chi.

Yi Gim didn’t appear to be aware of the approaching airship but my activities had managed to catch his notice.

The Hong clan’s spokesman began to laugh. It was a weird and unhinged laugh that sounded like it belonged in a movie. “I will not debase myself before you any longer!” He barked savagely. “This is the hour of our ascension!”

An incandescent sequence of rotating scripts formed before the prow of the ship.

“Surrender!” The Hong spokesman demanded with a snarl. “Surrender and we might allow your women a place in the Patriarch’s harem!”

Yi Gim’s disgust matched my own. Before he could bring his sword to bear, I had used the Hong spokesman’s beads to crush his own throat. Yi Gim removed his head outright with a single smooth strike from his sword less than a second later.

No longer held by his will, the Chi and internal energy flooded out of the spokesman’s body and into the Formation, bolstering its reserves.

The cries of fear from the other Hong clansmen were lost as a torrent of superheated plasma ignited the air and rolled over a shimmering orange barrier above our heads.

As I had hoped, the Fire Affinity within my Chi was absorbing the attack and leaching away its strength. Unfortunately, the lack of oxygen in the vicinity presented a different and equally pressing danger.

After five seconds the stream of fire guttered and died.

Several dozen smaller projected formations sprang into being along the portside as the airship came about. Streams of pressurised air, water and fire raked across the barrier, searching for weakness. Except for the air-based attacks, the majority unintentionally strengthened the barrier instead of depleting its energy.

“As I thought!” Yi Gim growled bitterly. “Nothing but cowards!”

“Mercy!” Cried one of the Hong clansmen.

“I had nothing to do with this!” Cried another.

“That your elders would so willingly sacrifice you to forward their schemes is not surprising,” Yi Gim observed dryly. “However...Sacrificing a fellow elder...Now we can see the depth of their commitment.”

“Is the airship valuable?” I asked without taking my eyes off of the airship. If I could get my hands on three or four of them, my counterattack against the beetlemen would require a far smaller force than I had initially anticipated.

Yi Gim was taken by surprise and took a couple of moments to regain his composure. “Several fortunes...” He replied hesitantly.

I reflected on the fact that I hadn’t seen other airships since my arrival. “Unfortunate...” I muttered with disappointment and turned to my champions gathered in the ramparts. “Champions! Clear the ship!” I ordered, tethering a Breach in their midst and above the deck of the airship.

Already low on MP I had to tap into my reserves to maintain the connection so all my champions could pass through to the airship.

The salvos from the airship came to a scattered halt and bodies began rolling and flying off of the deck. Most fell to the ground but a few individuals appeared to be fleeing the ship atop more of the overly large flying swords.

I terminated the Spatial Breach to conserve what remained of my MP.

“Do you have people who can capture it?” I asked, directing my attention back toward Yi Gim. “Or someone that can bring it down without destroying it?”

“No...But there should be a control Formation somewhere on the deck,” Yi Gim replied hurriedly. “The precise form varies depending upon the maker of the vessel. I should be able to locate it,” he offered but then winced as he considered the Hong clansmen’s flying swords on the ground.

Recalling that he had made his approach on foot, I could only assume Yi Gim wasn’t in a fit state to fly on a sword of his own.

Considering the Hong clansmen for a few moments, I made a decision.

Their superiors had attacked me with the intent to kill and seen the four surviving men as acceptable collateral damage.

I had no reason not to kill them and just be done with it. However, I decided not to. Even if it was just to prove to myself that I was capable of making that decision.

After choking them out with a length of chain, I offered Yi Gim one of my human-sized stone machetes.

“I’ll fly you up there with my Affinity,” I explained handing over the machete.

“I will just need to hold on I suppose,” Yi Gim replied with a strained smile.

I shrugged. “I would have offered something...larger, but I have others to consider,” I made a point of looking over at the monkeys draped in chains by the wall. Yi Gim didn’t know that I held only a token degree of control over three of the monkeys, and I wasn’t inclined to explain myself at this particular moment.

Yi Gim’s smile faded and he became deeply concerned. “Why have you taken those Beasts prisoner?” He asked in hushed whispers.

“Because we aren’t so different,” I replied calmly. “Because taking four prisoners removed thousands of combatants from the battlefield.” I stared Yi Gim down. “Because I am more than a simple-minded brute...”

“I...It was never my intention to...Ahem...” Yi Gim closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I apologise. You have been an exemplary ally during these trying times and I failed to show you the respect you have earned.” He bowed solemnly and then turned his attention back toward the airship, which was now drifting over the city.

Satisfied, I invested my Chi into the machete and used my Earth Affinity to pull Yi Gim into the air and toward the airship.

He looked far more heroic and dignified flying through the air than I had expected he would.

“It’s strange seeing this side of you...” Nadine commented distractedly while dabbing an alcohol swab onto the small puncture wounds on the female monkey’s neck. With the potential infection sites sterilised, she moved on to smearing a clotting and rejuvenating paste that would accelerate the healing process. “Tim...” Nadine set down the jar and stared down at the crate of supplies.  “Do you hate us?...”

The suddenness of the question caught me off guard.

“No...” I slowly shook my head. It was something I had given a considerable degree of thought, on and off for quite some time. “I never hated you...”

Nadine looked up at me in shock. It was not the answer she had been expecting.

“I hated myself...I hated living...” I explained quietly. “Long before I met any of you...I wanted to die...I wanted everything to be over...I didn’t want to feel or to think!” I took a deep breath to try and calm myself down, to try and regain control. “But I couldn’t bring myself to end it and I couldn’t make the changes I needed so the pain would stop...When they killed me, I thought that was going to be it. I thought everything was going to be over. When it wasn’t...I gave up. I convinced myself that what was happening was my punishment and that I deserved it...It was just so much easier to do whatever I was told to do.”

My old self would have been mortified by confessing as much aloud, let alone in front of an audience. Somewhere along the way, I had stopped caring about such things. There were better places to have this conversation. That was a fact. However, the less-than-ideal circumstances also made the cathartic release that much more powerful.

I had spoken of such things with Lash and even Hana in private. Although not nearly as succinctly as I had done in this particular moment. Of course, it was only through talking it out on those occasions that I had gained the insight to piece everything together.

“I...I’m sorry...” Nadine apologised and looked thoroughly ashamed of herself, unable to even raise her head let alone meet my eye. “Even after I realised you were hurting, I didn’t stop it...I just kept pushing you...” She covered her eyes with one hand and shook her head regretfully. “Even though I knew it was hurting you, I kept pushing you-”

“You did,” I agreed. “And so did Emelia and Clarice.”

Nadine cringed and wrapped her arms defensively over her abdomen and chest.

“You also treated me with far more kindness than you had to.” It was an indisputable fact. After freeing so many Slaves and listening to their stories of abuse and torment, it would have been pretentious of me to in any way suggest our experiences were on the same level. “I had heard what you said about the Willpower stat. I knew how to break free from the beginning.”

Nadine stiffened like a rabbit caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. “Y-You knew?...” She croaked. Perhaps reflecting upon just how much danger they might have been in if circumstances had been different. If I had been someone different.

“Even if you had ulterior motives for doing so, it doesn’t change how you treated me.” I let out a nervous chuckle and shook my head. “As fucked up as it may be to hear, that was the kindest and most considerate anyone had behaved toward me since my Mum passed away...”

Cheeks wet with tears, Nadine stopped staring at the ground and looked up at me. “That...That is pretty fucked up,” she agreed, hiccuping slightly as she smiled seemingly despite herself.

I might have shed a few tears of my own if the dry air hadn’t already stripped a dangerous amount of moisture from my skin already. Then again, perhaps not. While the subject made me feel melancholic, it almost felt as if I was talking about events that had happened to someone else. Who I was back then and who I was now were two very different people.

“I’m sorry for springing this on you,” Nadine apologised awkwardly. “It’s just...After learning what happened to Fesk, to his sister...It’s all I seemed able to think about...”

I hadn’t known Fesk had a sister, but just from the context, and the fact that the Thralls had been the Vampyrs' Slaves, it wasn’t difficult to make educated guesses as to what may have happened to her.

“It’s...It’s why he won’t let Ophelia heal his scar...” Nadine reached for her throat but didn’t seem to be aware of what she was doing until after her fingers made contact. “I-I shouldn’t be talking about that!” She pulled her hand back and looked away. “It’s Fesk’s story to tell, not mine...”

Fesk’s choice was not as uncommon as Nadine might like to think. 

Working in concert with one another, Ophelia and Sebet were capable of reversing just about any injury in under a minute. Sebet, in particular, excelled in removing scarrified tissue. However, the problem lay within the patients themselves. Not everyone wanted to put the past behind them. Viewing the erasure of the physical evidence of what was done to them as a betrayal of their core selves. A betrayal of lives long since lost.

It was a complex issue and one I preferred not to think about given its inherently depressing nature.

At a glance, I could tell that Kang and the smaller monkeys had been following our conversation. At least, my half of the conversation anyway. Another reminder of how strange the translation functions of the Labyrinths and their supporting systems functioned.

If Kang had doubted my word before, and he most assuredly had, then he now appeared somewhat open to the possibility that I might be telling the truth.

All it had taken was spilling my guts over a deeply personal subject in public...

The abrupt shift in the airship’s heading served as good an excuse as any to end my conversation with Nadine and redirect my focus toward the ongoing siege of the city.

The walls were holding. However, more Beasts were arriving on the horizon with each passing minute. Worse still, their average strength appeared to be increasing as well.

I now understood why Yi Gim had been so afraid of triggering a Beast Tide. It would only be a matter of time before the defenders became exhausted and were overrun. As strong as my Bodyguards were, they would eventually tire as well.

Evacuating the city made the most sense but I was uncertain whether Yi Gim had the capabilities of doing so. 

And if he did, how many people would be left behind or otherwise lost in the chaos?

Of course, there was another way. Abusing the Supremacy Challenge to remove the city from the path of the Beast Tide. However, I doubted Yi Gim would agree to it. As trusting as he had been thus far, my proposal would undoubtedly push him past his limits. 

Summoning additional forces carried greater risks but it was also an opportunity to expose my untested army to a large-scale engagement in a relatively controlled setting.

Removing the separated segments of a second banner from my Storage Ring, I aligned the threads and twisted the two halves of the long iron stave together. With the Beacon activated, I planted the banner into the street at my side and waited.

I didn’t have to wait long before a grizzled Human in his mid-fifties appeared before the banner. A dark surcoat bearing a fanged grinning face hanging over his magical plate and mail. “My Majesty!” Despite his advanced age, Lord Garrick wasted no time in falling to one knee and bowing his head, taking only the time needed to angle his scabbard to allow for the motion.

“I am calling my army to a full mobilisation in defence of this city,” I explained and motioned toward the breached wall.

“Understood, Majesty!” Lord Garick’s face appeared to shed twenty years as a fervent grin of anticipation settled onto his lips. “I will summon my senior staff at once so we may begin the briefing!” Rising to his feet, he removed a half-foot-long rod with a threaded tail and moved to the back of the banner. Aligning the tail with the matching hole, he screwed the rod into the back of the banner and activated a second Beacon that was powered by the MP supply of the first.

A little over two dozen men and women, the majority in their late forties to early sixties, appeared one by one as they answered the call of the Beacon. Only a third of their number wore armour, but all wore surcoats or uniforms bearing my sigil.

“This city belongs to my ally, Yi Gim. Its defences have been compromised by betrayal and sabotage. Leaving it vulnerable to the crisis taking place at this very moment.” The intensity of the gathered men and women’s collective gaze created a pressure that I was unused to dealing with and I had to pause so I could gather my thoughts again before moving on. “A relentless horde of Beasts, what the locals call a Beast Tide, is assaulting the city. Civilians have retreated deeper into the city and taken refuge where they can-” Or so I assumed since I had not seen signs of any civilians in the past half hour, “-and those who can bear arms have taken to the walls and streets in defence of their home. Your orders are to break the siege. I leave the means and methods at your discretion!”

“Understood, Majesty!” The assembled officers cried.

Lord Garrick spun on his heel to address his officers and began barking orders. Commandeering an empty nearby building to serve as his base of field operations.

Smaller Beacons were activated.

A flock of Harpies took to the sky with bows in hand and began engaging the flying Beasts in their own element. Intercepting them before they had a chance to make it to the defenders atop the wall. Serving not only as interceptors but scouts, select members of each flock made frequent trips back and forth between the battle in the sky and the officers on the ground. 

Packs of Gnolls began scaling the walls, and under mundane banners bearing my sigil, took the place of the battle-weary defenders. Not that the local defenders abandoned their posts. Understandably, they remained nearby and kept a suspicious eye on those who had come to relieve them.

Thralls began appearing in their hundreds, establishing a screening formation around our position in the city. More organised and better trained in traditional military tactics and discipline, they were largely left to their own devices with little direct intervention from the senior staff and Human officers.

The return of my champions heralded the return of Yi Gim himself.

Despite donning a new helmet, it was obvious from what little I could see of his face that he was confused. “The situation in which we find ourselves is indeed most dire. However, while I must stress that I appreciate your assistance and the spirit in which it is so readily given...I find it troubling that so many mortals would be pressed into service...”

Mortals. It was a term Cultivators used when referring to those who lacked what they determined was a minimum acceptable level of Cultivation.

Outright admitting that my forces used a different system would no doubt cause problems. So I opted for a white lie.

“They bear treasures that compensate for their lack of Cultivation and have natural advantages besides,” I explained without going into further details.

Yi Gim’s eyes widened in surprise and he stiffly followed the movements of a Thrall patrol. “You don’t mean...Surely not all of them bear such treasures...” He whispered hoarsely.

“Not high-grade treasures,” I replied, avoiding the heart of the subject. “We have spoken of these treasures before. They are not as valuable as you believe them to be.” This was an outright lie. The more I learned about the Cultivators, the more I came to realise that treasures, magical items, were exceedingly rare. “We could make a deal for a consignment of weapons if you are interested?” I offered, eager to recruit Alchemists to support Jin’s production of Cultivation resources.

“I owe you much already...” Yi Gim sighed disappointedly, “And with the restorations to be made-” He motioned to the city at large. “-I am sorry, but I cannot justify such an expense...”

“You misunderstand,” I interjected calmly. “I am more interested in making the exchange for another favour.”

Yi Gim perked up immediately but took a moment to calm himself. “What form would this favour take?” He asked, trying not to sound overly eager.

“I want to recruit Alchemists who can prepare Cultivation materials,” I explained. “The Alchemists I have already can’t meet the increasing demand. I have the raw resources already and would prefer to export complete products rather than paying someone else for the privilege of selling those same materials back to me at a criminal markup.”

“Ah...” Yi Gim nodded to show he understood but didn’t seem particularly supportive. “Recruiting a clan or sect on the verge of collapse or financial ruin is one thing. However, dealing with the Alchemists and their guilds is another thing entirely...Alchemy requires a special mind and a substantial degree of training. The guilds hold a monopoly over the Alchemists themselves because they are the ones that identify the future Alchemists at a young age and bring them into the fold. Binding them with Oaths and the wealth and prestige their profession commands...” He smiled apologetically. “While there are some rogue Alchemists, their products are quite often inferior and even dangerous. I could not, in good conscience, recommend recruiting such individuals.”

“What about the guilds?” I pressed.  “Would it be possible to tempt a guild to relocate?”

Yi Gim shook his head and was about to reply but stopped himself and appeared to reconsider. “If anyone else were to ask, I would tell them it is impossible...However...Alchemists have a weakness I believe you are well positioned to exploit...” Yi Gim Chuckled dryly and shook his head. “It is your resources. Specifically, those of extreme rarity and high quality. Alchemists are always searching for such materials to fuel their research.” He made a stalling gesture. “The larger guilds are too firmly rooted in their respective areas of influence and jealousy would not allow them to permit their branches to take up such an offer. However, smaller guilds may be tempted to relocate, provided you are willing to...to...” Yi Gim staggered backward a handful of steps as the first platoon of Ogre infantry materialised in the street.

Just like the Gnolls and Harpies, the Ogres were wild recruits who had accepted a contract of military service in exchange for full rights and citizenship.

“Apologies...I had not realised how great your stature was amongst your own people...” Yi Gim commented with awe.

The largest of the Ogres were half my height and close to twice Yi Gim’s, striking a stark contrast as they marched past our position and toward the wall.

“Tha’s Tyrant!” One of the smaller Ogres exclaimed in a bad excuse for a whisper.

“Is big!...” Another Ogre rumbled in awe.

“Biggest!” Yet another Ogre agreed excitedly.

“QUIET!” Bellowed the largest Ogre, swatting an Ogre over the back of the head who had remained silent throughout. “You make Ugs boys look bad!” The Ogre, Ugs, growled angrily. “Look front! March!” He spared a nervous glance in my direction before determinedly fixing his gaze on the breach and ramparts.

Another platoon of Ogres appeared and the same scene played out more or less the same as the first had done.

“They hold you in such reverence...” Yi Gim observed quietly.

It wasn't how I had interpreted their actions, but I could understand why Yi Gim might have come to that conclusion. Most notably, because he didn’t understand what they were saying.

“It’s a cultural thing,” I explained. “It is similar with my wife’s people as well.”

“Oh,” Yi Gim politely signalled for me to elaborate.

“Size...height and bulk, are a societal virtue,” I motioned to Lurr and the Orcs over at the Ramparts. “My Bodyguards are a peak specimen in that regard, and I suppose I am for mine.”

“You suppose?” Yi Gim asked curiously. “I don’t understand. Are they not your people?” He nodded to another group of new arrivals.

“No...” I replied a little too quickly. “I mean...It’s complicated...”

Yi Gim said nothing and waited patiently for me to continue.

“They are my subjects, and you could say we share common ancestry...” I was trying to be careful not to say something I shouldn’t. So far as I was aware, Yi Gim still, somehow, believed I was fundamentally human. Mutated or altered, but otherwise human. “When I was reborn, reincarnated, I was alone.”

“Ah,” Yi Gim nodded in understanding. “I had thought your differences were related to your Bloodline or perhaps a Cultivation Inheritance,” he admitted sheepishly.

“It’s not entirely unrelated,” I lied, capitalising on Yi Gim’s uncertainties. “My children bear a stronger resemblance to me and their mother than them.”

“Which is to be expected,” Yi Gim agreed distractedly as he watched another group of Ogres pass by. “What are they preparing to do?” He asked. “Their bulk is too great to fight in the confines of the breach alongside the others...So why are they forming ranks-”

“If I were to guess, I would say that they intend to take the fight beyond the wall,” I observed neutrally while casting a glance toward the small group of senior officers coaching a handful of Ogre Sergeants, and one Mountain Orc Captain, through what I assumed to be some sort of battleplan.

“You are serious...” Yi Gim commented and made a self-deprecating snort while shaking his head. “Of course you are serious...Do your men not fear death?”

It was a good question. There were times when I had serious doubts. Then again, I was little better myself.

“From what I have experienced thus far, They will be in little danger,” I replied calmly. “As stronger Beasts take the field, that will no doubt change. However, at least for now, they will make a bigger difference fighting outside the walls rather than behind them.”

A lengthy silence passed between us.

“I will see what can be done to recruit the Alchemists you have asked for...” Yi Gim stated firmly. “However, I do not know how I am to repay you for your intervention in this crisis...”

I hadn’t intervened under the expectation of being compensated. So it took me a few moments to think of something Yi gim might have or perhaps have access to, that I would want.

Territory was always useful and presumably Yi Gim would be willing to part with some of the territories he had recently gained from the death of the Demon of the Fog.

Then again, perhaps it was better not to ask for anything at all. Generating further goodwill could have a significantly greater payoff in the long run. Especially given the basis of our formal alliance.

Then again, there was a potential transaction that could prove mutually beneficial to us both.

“This Hong clan and their fellow conspirators...I presume you wouldn’t feel put out if they were taken off of your hands?” I asked while doing my best to keep my voice even and steady.

“That would very much depend upon what you intended to do with them,” Yi Gim replied somewhat hesitantly while looking down at the four unconscious prisoners bound at our feet.

“Those directly involved in this-” I motioned to the city at large, “-will face a punishment fitting for their crimes. As for the rest...They will be given a second chance in a new environment.”

“A city for a city?” Yi Gim mused aloud, not sounding at all adverse to the idea.

“I didn’t say that,” I observed neutrally.

“And yet, it is what will most likely prove necessary...” Yi Gim replied wearily. “The measure of influence the Hong clan has within their sphere of political influence is only possible through the cooperation and obedience of dozens of lesser clans...” He sighed and made as if to rub at his temples before remembering he was wearing a helmet.

“So you would prefer to give up an entire city full of people outright?” I was surprised by Yi Gim’s conviction. All previous exchanges of territory had been made after evacuating and migrating the occupants. If we followed through on this proposal, it would mark a dramatic change in what was implicitly allowed in trade.

“I lack your means of uncovering traitors,” Yi Gim stated matter of factly. “And it is very likely that the city will soon declare itself in open rebellion. Assuming it has not done so already...” He chuckled mirthlessly. “Of course, I would be grateful for any leads your subordinates uncover regarding other traitors remaining within my Realm.”

“I would be willing to agree to that condition,” I agreed.

“You might think my choice to be cruel,” Yi Gim commented dryly. “However, putting down this rebellion would cost far more lives than a single city. The new territories on the northern border of my Realm have not yet been occupied, let alone pacified. In the time it would take to chase down the Hong clan’s leadership and mete out the smallest shred of justice, the north would fall into chaos...”

I could see where Yi Gim was coming from and couldn’t fault him for his logic. As brutal as it was to consider, sometimes, amputation was the only way to prevent a deadly infection from spreading.

With a payment all but formalised, Yi Gim and I engaged in the shortest Supremacy Challenge I had experienced thus far. Ending the Challenge a handful of seconds after it was initiated. Any fears I had regarding potential safeguards in the system against abuse were swept aside as I returned to Yi Gim’s Realm in the same place I had occupied moments before.

To maintain morale and provide an official narrative of events, Yi Gim excused himself so he could make his presence known and take control of the loyalist defence of the city.

Nadine’s projection had depleted the last of its MP during our conversation, leaving me alone with the four giant monkeys.

I levelled my gaze on Kang, the largest of the four monkeys. “I’m going to allow you to prove your loyalty and commitment. A chance to earn additional resources to aid in the resettlement of your people.”

Kang stared back at me for several long moments in silence and then averted his gaze. “Kang obey...” He replied, relaxing his body and releasing the tension in his muscles.

His capitulation had an immediate effect on the others. Causing them to become subdued and docile. However, it didn’t stop them from sneaking wary glances in my direction.

“Send children away?” Kang asked submissively, eyes still firmly locked on the ground as he motioned his head toward the three other monkeys.

“If that is what you want,” I agreed, more than happy to remove the dangerous variables they represented.

Kang nodded eagerly, his thick expressive features broadcasting extreme relief.

Opening a Spatial Breach, I pushed the three Monkeys through with my Earth Affinity and then severed the connection. With MP costs directly linked to the mass of individuals travelling through the Breach, I was brought uncomfortably low on MP yet again. However, I considered the exchange to be firmly in my favour overall.

With his children functionally serving as hostages to ensure his good behaviour, I would be able to lend Kang more trust than I would have otherwise been able to justify in the circumstances. It also allowed me to show Kang that I was willing to cooperate with reasonable requests and that I wasn’t everything he no doubt feared me to be.

Offering Kang his staff, I dropped the chains from his arms and shoulders and returned them to my Storage Ring. 

Kang accepted his staff and made a quiet series of ook noises while bobbing his head, gaze still determinedly averted from my own. Had he not spoken less than a minute earlier, I would have thought Kang was a trained animal from a Hollywood movie set.

Turning my back on Kang, there was a tense moment where I expected him to strike me from behind in an opportunistic ambush. Glancing over my shoulder, I found Kang had moved but only so he could fall in line behind me.

The idle ‘whispers’ and chatter amongst the Ogres multiplied tenfold as I passed through their ranks. Even a few of the Sergeants joined in before the Mountain Orc Captain began hollering for order.

Armed with clubs, morningstars, maces and hammers, the Ogres wore magical heavy plate armour over padded gambesons. The armour had the effect of increasing the Ogre’s bulk, and a few of the smaller Ogres seemed to have stuffed their breastplates in an attempt to appear bigger than they actually were, with sleeves and corners of loose bedding hanging from the gaps.

Tempting as it was to explore the absurdities of Ogre fashion and the weirdly specific insecurities serving as its motivating force. I had more important things to be getting on with.

The ramparts were a bloody mess.

Mounds of mangled corpses were piled atop the rubble and impaled upon the stone spikes. Many more lay around in the surrounding area,

If left to continue as things were, the ramparts would be overrun within the next couple of hours. The trail of bodies that served as a record of my Bodyguards’ gradual retreat was proof of that undeniable fact.

Surveying the assembled Ogres from the top of the ramparts, I realised that I hadn’t appreciated just how many of them there were until that moment. There were hundreds of them and more were arriving with every few minutes that passed.

It occurred to me that the recruiters must have been far more proactive than I had anticipated, and I wasn’t sure how I should feel about that.

On the one hand, I had a pressing need for an army that could fight toe to toe with powerful monsters without suffering catastrophic casualties. On the other, there would be far more wild Ogres that would need to be integrated into Semenovian society than I had expected. There was also the lingering issue of whether they constituted a slave army in all but name.

Join me or die, was something I could justify when the intention was to return autonomy within a matter of hours or even minutes. Requiring thousands of service hours before extending the same was a grey area that became decidedly uncomfortable when individuals were being actively recruited en masse.

Citizenship through service had been an initiative so I wouldn’t have to butcher prisoners or maintain massive internment camps. It was a convenient means of assuaging my morals without compromising my responsibilities.

My attention was drawn to a group of new arrivals as an entirely different set of drum beats drowned out those coming from the centre of the city. An Ogre just a hair shorter than the Sergeants was striking a pair of padded clubs against a massive hide drum strapped to his gut. Despite sharing the same face as all the other Ogres around him, the childlike joy in his eyes and the tongue pressed firmly between his teeth in an exaggerated show of concentration made him stand out like a chicken amongst geese.

What came as an even greater surprise was the effect the drums had on the other Ogres. Within seconds of the drummer's arrival, the other Ogres had begun stamping their feet in time with the beating of the drum, amplifying the sound and causing the ground to tremble.

Then, they began to chant...

***** Mud ~ Yi Gim’s Interdimensional Plane ~ Bay of Tranquility *****

Thinking had always been a chore that Mud loathed. Not only was it difficult, but it almost always went unrewarded. Often seeing Mud punished for having made the effort. Whenever possible, Mud made it a point not to think at all, sitting and doing nothing until deeply rooted instincts roused him to act in self-preservation.

That all changed when Mud was told about ‘the Tyrant’, an Ogre so huge he could snatch the sun and moon right out of the sky if he wanted. The Tyrant was so big even humans and other monsters worshipped his bigness.

Spindly and short, humans were weak and made bad warriors. But their small brains were always running around. Always on the move. Always...thinking...

So the humans started thinking for them.

Mud had never been so happy.

Doing what the humans said was much easier than thinking. It also let Mud relax without the need to worry if a many-toothed thing would be trying to eat him when he tried thinking again. Because if there was a many-toothed thing, the humans would just tell him what to do.

Standing in the presence of the Tyrant himself, everything just made sense.

Mud could feel the Tyrant’s mind moving about, thinking such huge thoughts that Mud could even hear some of them inside his head.

Mud could tell by the way all the other Ogres looked at the Tyrant that they could hear him thinking too. 

“Tyrant! Tyrant! Tyrant!” The chorus of Ogre voices chanting in time with the drums was hypnotic, drawing Mud in and pressing the Tyrant’s thoughts into his head.

<Battle approaches...> From the top of the spike-covered hill, the Tyrant raised one massive arm.

A near absolute silence descended as Mud and the other Ogres became deathly still, following the Tyrant’s unspoken command.

“I have sworn to defend this city and its people from the Beasts beyond these walls!” The Tyrant rumbled, his voice like crashing boulders rolling down a mountainside.

A quest box appeared in front of Mud’s eyes but disappeared before he could say the words like the humans had taught him to do.

“Fight in my name! Prove to me your worth!” The Tyrant commanded. “Drive them back from the walls! KILL THEM ALL!!!” He roared, raising his spiked club high and splitting the spiked hill in two as he charged into the space that lay beyond.

Mud’s savage warcry joined the chorus of his brothers and his feet and legs began moving on their own. There was no need to think, only to act. The Tyrant had done the hard part for them already and now all they had to do was obey.

Mud was one of the first to pass through the broken wall and follow the Tyrant. One of the first to witness his raw power and savagery with his own eyes.

Beasts too numerous to count were pressing in all around them and the Tyrant was felling as many as Mud had fingers on his hand with each swing.

The awe Mud felt for his Tyrant’s might was quickly overtaken by primal rage as one of the Beasts DARED to strike at the Tyrant’s back.

Gripping his club so tight his bones ached, Mud slammed head first into the strange hissing thing and drove it back into the seething tide of fur, fangs and flesh. Trusting in the Tyrant to do all the thinking for him, Mud released a savage roar and lashed out with his fist and club at anything that moved and wasn’t identified as a follower of the Tyrant.

On each side of him, Mud’s brothers crashed into the living wall of Beasts with bone-shattering force, throwing the Beasts back through sheer weight and fury.

Afraid of being left behind, Mud pushed forward, savagely beating down a horned thing with too many teeth that managed to leap over his brothers’ heads and was preparing to attack them from behind. More of his brothers rushed past to join the charge, but others lingered, joining Mud in killing the Beast.

“FOR TYRANT!!!” Roared a Sarge, raising his flag high with one hand and caving in the skull of a slithering Beast with his hammer held in the other.

“FOR TYRANT!!!” Mud roared, joining his voice to his brothers’ and pressing forward as a surge of new strength spread through his body.

Surrounded by his brothers, Mud impatiently waited for the enemy to reappear. All the while, he watched the Tyrant relentlessly pushing forward ahead of them.

The charge had slowed and Mud was glad to hear that he was getting closer to the enemy. Little by little, the brothers around him were spreading out and making room, bringing the enemy closer to brothers like Mud who were stuck behind them.

Face to face with the enemy again, Mud pressed one arm into the Beast’s mouth to keep its teeth busy and pulped its spine with his club.

Another Beast tried to use the opening to sink its claws into Mud’s face but a Sarge caught it by the neck, crushing the bones between his fingers and making it go limp.

“No hurt!” The Sarge growled angrily, dropping the dead Beast and slamming his fist down on the head of another. “Hurt, no good!”

Mud nodded vigorously in agreement, bashing his club into the thick meaty leg of another Beast.

“Tyrant says, protect little ones!” The Sarge cried, reaching down a Beast’s throat and ripping out a trail of its organs.

Mud continued nodding and swinging his club. It made perfect sense to him that they should protect the humans. They were so small and easily hurt.

“Protect you!” The Sarge insisted, smashing his fist into the snout of a tusked Beast trying to gore Mud’s belly.

You?

Several long moments passed while Mud continued clubbing the Beasts.

With so many things already being thought on his behalf, Mud had a surprising amount of mental energy to spare. Without meaning to, he began puzzling over what the Sarge had said.

Cracking the skull of another Beast, Mud knew he should have felt proud for doing as the Tyrant wanted, and he did. However, it didn’t feel as good as he expected it to.

An uncomfortable pressure had begun building in Mud’s head as the incomplete thought demanded more of his attention and energy.

The Tyrant roared and Beasts’ bellies exploded from the strength of his swings, ripping and tearing their bodies apart and sending blood, bones and organs flying over the nearby Beasts, blinding them.

Mud looked back at the Sarge and couldn’t help but notice how small he was when compared against the Tyrant.

“Sarge big...Sarge small too...” Mud muttered, his head already too full to continue his thought in silence. The pressure reached an almost painful intensity and Mud was so surprised that he stopped attacking.

The Sarge had been talking about him!

Enraged, Mud pushed forward.

If there was one thing Mud was certain of, he was not small, and he was going to prove it!

The Sarge had been talking about him!

Enraged, Mud pushed forward.

If there was one thing Mud was certain of, he was not small, and he was going to prove it!

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