Chapter 15 - Betrayal as Expected, Something Lurking behind the Scenes

Floor 2: Goblin Infested Plains

Threat Level: H - H+

To advance to the next floor, defeat a tribe and use their totem in the Chieftains Hut to advance to the next floor.

The ogre that had walked in through the front entrance was the Ogre War Leader, its eyes watching me. "You are here for me right?" asking calmly as I switch my attention between the four ogres and the trio. Something about the trio hadn't sat right from the first time I saw them. The Dark moves around the radius, the ogres and Trio unaware of my capabilities. If my tier calculated properly It would show E, based on abilities alone. Shaking my head "Human dies, or comes with us.. others.." the war leader looks to the trio with a sneer. "Can go free, no hunt them down for sport.." Allen shakes looking at the Ogre. With my attention focused on the Dark and everything within its radius coming naturally to my perception. I frown taking a step forward towards Trils. The moment I get close, my hand snaps into his face, a whistle dropping to the ground from his hand. Standing there to the shocked faces of the Trio I look down at the whistle. [inspect]

Inspected: Ogre War Whistle

A whistle from a Ogre War Leader to their subordinates, signals position for reporting to the War Leader.

"Now I know for a fact you three cleared a dungeon outbreak in the City before coming into the Tower, I was there when it was reported. My only concern now is why are you cooperating with Ogre's attempting to kill me when we never met?" the words coming from me monotone and without care. Trils has a hand to a bloody nose as he stares at me with hate in his eyes. "Orders from on high, filth will be purged from the Tower. The Order of Pyritis will assure of that." vitriol and hate spewing from his mouth. "Have to teach that wench the "Berserker" her place to not interfere. Taking her son, priceless." turning a stare at him the next line of hate seems to die in his throat. Allen decides to speak up, "Its nothing personal no matter what my brother says, we got paid for a job as any Climber could be." Him, Trils turn toward me menacingly. Tills however stands off to the side, her sword dropped to a low point, pointing towards the ground. "Never agreed to this.. You know I won't participate in this foolishness." Trlis looks at her and says, "Fine just stay out of the way." he lifts a hand as a fireball starts to materialize above his palm staring at me. "Death will not be swift for you Nihr.. Too bad we couldn't meet under different circumstances, that shadow you used was quite impressive." shaking my head again, I look towards the sky, "Bunch of fools.." escapes my lips in a sigh. The air in the area coming to a standstill as the Ogre War Leader seethes, "Why talk whelps KILL!" he points at me as he begins a rush towards me. Looking up to the sky the silence that descends my lack of fear or emotion towards them makes the Orges hesitate for a single moment but that was all that was needed.

Turning my head to Alfa, "Since you chose to be no part of this, you alone will be spared. However.." my eyes sharpen as I stare at her, "If you tell anyone what happened, know that I will find you for the inconveniences you cause." the moment these words leave my mouth, Allen gets a grim face, Trils looks spooked and starts to step back, the fireball above his hand flickers. "Wha.. how are you..." Trils voice follows his fireball as it sputters out from his loss in concentration. Dark surges below my feet from my shadow, 'All three of these goblin villages.. excess item drops, has caused you great growth friend.' writhing pulsing around me in a circle before pushing out like a flood barely above our feet. Confusion morphs into clear panic for Allen's and Trils face, even Alfa who had taken a step back to get further away from this confrontation had fear and panic on her face. The ogre's sensing something wrong with the darkness coming at them. Stopped in their mad charge forward, the darkness moving over their feet like water, not stopping or hindering them, the darkness doesn't stop expanding until it reaches the outer edges of the fort. "How are you this powerful YOU JUST STARTED?!" Trils screams towards me, "This much energy, this control! HOW?! All my years studying, the effort I put in WHY?!" his anger at me coming to a crescendo, "The amount of time you put in is nothing in the grand scheme of things.. especially against me. Time is not on your side for this one." Allen finally breaks out of his stupor, "RUN TRILS!" already turning himself. The darkness turns viscous like a liquid, tar, Allens leg catches dropping him to his hands and knees. Trils slams his palms together creating another fireball, the heat generated pushing back at the Dark around him for but a moment. Flinging his hands forward, "DIE!" he screams. The fireball launches forward towards me, burning the air around it, the darkness below it ebbs and flows for a moment then surges up just as the fireball gets within a couple arm lengths from me. Devouring the fireball with not a sound, the sudden loss of the heat and roar of the flames from it leaves Trils shocked. Allen had turned his head to watch. The ogres have stilled were they stood, watching everything play out from a command from the War Leader.

Trils face loses all the redness from anger and becomes pale. "How.. you just started.." turning my head to Alfa, "Some are not always as they appear... no matter the world, time, or place, kindness begets kindness, hate or plans against myself or those I consider family. Death is all that waits." 'Arrogance and ignorance will lead me to death.' "Who sent you and What is this Order of Pyritis haven't heard of them before so I assume a society, You have such hatred for me?" turning my attention to Trils in full force. "And if you went after me I wouldn't have cared as much maybe let you live but you decided to not just poke the bear, you decided to insult the most important woman in this life who raised me, brought me up for 16 years a "wench".. did you not.. Just to take something from her? Your life is already forfeit." Trils shaking intensifies, as Allen keeps trying to push himself up from the tar-like darkness on the ground. I let him stand slowly, he looks at the Ogres then back at me. Seeming to come to a decision, "We were hired by those ogre's they met us in the Forest last night giving us the whistle to signal them if we say you again. My brother as foolish as he is with his misguided society doesn't-" "Enough talk human." the War Leader interrupts, taking a step with ease. "We have been given a mission from the Chief of our Warband. You Nihr, are to die the moment you are found within the Tower, the gnome was right. Orders from on High."

Shaking my head, "Orders from on High huh.. Very well." I raise a hand up slowly, the essence of the Dark starts to writhe again below everyone's feet. "Thank you for your contribution. Goodbye." The ogres faces go into shock, they are higher rank, stronger, faster! As the darkness begins to climb their legs, they begin to fight back thrashing their bodies, the darkness and shadows surging up bands and tendrils wrapping around the three of the ogres bodies, the War Leader surging forward the darkness doing nothing to stop its advance. A smile comes to my face as the "You don't think you aren't being stopped because I can't do you?" the War Leaders face goes savage as it roars in anger as it steps in close to me. Throwing a wide haymaker aimed for my face, the fist slows to a crawl, shadows wrapped around it. The War Leader is standing there bands of shadow and darkness covering it from the neck down. I turn my head to look at the other ogres, each one forced to their knees, "Coffin of Darkness." the darkness surges once more around the three kneeling ogres covering them completely their forms thrashing about attempting to get free. Slowly the forms begin to lose their energy, then the dark forms collapse into the ground the three ogres gone.

Combat Log

Dark devoured Ogre Warrior(Lvl:016), Ogre Warrior(Lvl:014), Ogre Warrior(Lvl:013).

Experience Gained: 1,075

Tower Coins: 300

Drops:

Ogre Warrior has dropped Reinforced Steel Band Club.

"You... Can Not Stop THEM, They are back! NOT AGAIN WILL NOT STOP!!" the War Leader screams as purplish cracks begin to spread along its form, a palpable energy exploding out from it forcing Trils, Allen, and Alfa to the floor, Dark seeps up into my clothes and armor protecting my body with itself. It stops suddenly, its forming stilling unnaturally, no breath escapes it, "So.. this is the form you have taken... How did you get here?.. We didn't leave a trace and yet... here you are." a revolting noise that somehow translates itself to sound and words emits from the quickly deforming form of the War Leader. Shaking my head, the pressure starts to push back the Dark, "Now I don't suppose you are the one who called me to this Tower. No I don't suppose so if you sent the lower dregs to kill me." I frown as I reply to the being standing across from me wearing the malformed appearance of the War Leader Ogre. "You suggesting you know me is interesting.. " 'Sealed portion.. need to gain levels faster. Deal with this before it exerts its influence any more.' "Enough from you for now, but do not worry I will find out as needed." "You do not know? Do not remember?! Oh the irony, the great ???????? brought down, lost his memory, looks as if you didn't come out as unscaved as you thought fool!" my words flow, my mind not processing why they are said almost instinctual, "The chains that are bound always come loose." the being standing across from me it's malformed eyes going wide with terror, fear. "But.. he was.. you aren't.. HOW?! THOSE WORDS WHY USE THOSE WORDS!!" its body jerking back and forth as it takes a step back. I raise my arm back up "Why?" "Because they are MINE TO USE!" the dark bands and tendrils wrapped around the ogre begin shredding the deformed War Leader to pieces. The Dark devouring bit by bit, the malformed being screams. 'Why am i becoming more prone to these outbursts.. [NETWORK]?' ...

Combat Log

You have fatally dismembered Possessed Ogre War Leader(Lvl:#ERoR)

Correction initiated: Ogre War Leader(Lvl:018)

Experience Gained: 1,250

Tower Coins: 323

Drops:

Ogre War Leader Dropped Steel War Sword.

'Nothing, fine then I will find out sooner or later.' Trils and Allen are slowly begin to stir after being slammed into the ground by the pressure from that abhorrent being. 'Something about it felt wrong on a fundamental level. Something or someone used it as a mouthpiece for the sole purpose of being taunting me.'

Turning towards Allen as he pushes himself to his knees. "What are you? That wasn't a ordinary Ogre, it was possessed by something." Trils states as he pushes himself up into a kneel. A frown graces my lips I turn and look at the still "unconscious" Alfa. Her laying in the darkness I can easily tell from her breathing and body tenseness she is awake. "That, was what one would consider a Higher Being. Some call them gods, a common misconception, just beings stronger than mortals." that seems to make Alfa lose all pretense of faking unconscious as she sits up instantly staring at me. "A GOD?!" she yells in disbelief, shaking my head, "Higher being.. strength beyond what you know but so are people like A Rank Climbers. You get high enough in power and you can be viewed as such." Turning my gaze back to Trils who has been silent, pale staring at me with hatred burning in his eyes. "Enough of that." "WAIT!" "PLEASE", Allen shouts and Alfa. I stare down Allen, "You will not speak." his words die in his throat as he turns to look pleadingly at Alfa. "Can you please forgive them, they failed, you are unharmed, I am sure they will give up and not bother you again. They are still my team members I've worked with for a couple years surely-" she says. Her words die out as she sees my eyes, looking at them all. 'Benefits outweigh the letting them live. Especially with this Order of Pyritis.' I put my hand to my chin as I go through a couple thoughts. 'Not worth it.. Nip it in the bud.' my eyes flash and before Allen, Alfa or Trils notice, Allen and Trils have both been yanked through the darkness as if they fell in a lake. Alfa stares at where they were in shock, slowly turning her eyes to just below her where the darkness is flowing calmly. "Wha-.. how.. what is this.." rolling my eyes and turning away from her, I start to walk away.

"Do not take my mercy for granted. There have been times that those in your position that have come against me have met the same fate as them just by acquaintance alone." ~rattle~ a grin slips to my face as I disappear out of the fort, the darkness along the ground receding into nothing leaving a shocked Alfa sitting there.

Combat Log

Dark has devoured Trils A. Bors(Lvl:06), Allen D. Bors(Lvl:07).

Experience Gained: 432

Drops:

Trils A. Bors has dropped a Ring Of Focus.

Allen D. Bors has dropped a Job Request #66 - D1K1.

Once out of range, I let the Dark devour the steel sword and reinforced club. while taking a look at the ring that I got off the stupid gnome, while I pocket the Job Request from Allen.

Ring of Focus

Description: A ring taken from the corpse of a traitorous climber Trils A. Bors on Floor 2 of the Tower of Alabaster. It gives a boost to perception, to focus on the task at hand.

Grade: Uncommon

Defense: 1

Durability: 100/100

Perception: 4

Walking calmly to the forest edge where this Fort was near heading on into the shade of the forest. I recollect where I was, which turns out to be a couple hours away from my campsite from earlier but as I had already planned and succeeded in gaining all I needed, I just need to consolidate my gains, use the totems and advance to the next floor as necessary.

'Totems, totems, totems..' pulling out four totems in total. A goblin statue with a sun overhead the goblin carved out of wood, a goblin warrior statue, a goblins skull that the Goblin Warrior of the second village had carved symbols into turning it into their totem, and lastly a statue of a Goblin King sitting upon a throne. Tossing all four of them in a nice little pile on the ground, hopefully the bonus reward is nice. Heard of everything from experience to stat gains and items.

While I think back to the gains from the ogres, a surge catches me off-guard from the Dark. A pulse from it grips my entire being a feeling of satisfaction emanates from it. "The sacrifices are appreciated."