Triple Strength

59. Army: Wiremu

One of the kill zones that was setup was at the exit where I met the Canine Queens. They were using the town Kulle as a supply base and had set up fortifications around the exit. Two shamans above ground were unusual, so the logic was that this would be a major exit for the goblins. Guards were being stationed down there and then the contract went out to the mercenaries to be stationed at Kulle and to run patrols from there and be on call for the kill zone. Skavt got us a month-long contract stationed at Kulle. The coin wasn’t great, but it was all expenses paid, including accommodation, food, mount care, and access to the Guard weapon and armour repairs. We all considered it as us doing our bit to help the district.

We left two weeks after getting back from the village contract. I was seeing Tabitha less and less. She would often not be home for several days. I tried to get her to come with us, even for just a couple of weeks to give her a break. She claimed she couldn’t leave for that long and there was always some issue that needed her. I couldn’t even guilt her into it over neglect of Dusk. Apparently there was some unrest between the crime organisations and some internal people that needed watching. I was quite concerned as I am sure she was understating her issues and I couldn’t really help. It was a grey overcast day when we rode out from Jern and then the first snow started to fall.

The three days' travel to Kulle were uneventful except for Tāoke the traitor. It turned out he much preferred to travel snuggled up in the fur on Oske’s back than with me. The snow continued the whole trip and there was a good covering on the ground by the time we arrived in Kulle. The morning snow baths bumped my cold resistance to 25 and that was only because of the weakness of Snakeskin to the cold. This would be straight out miserable without Cold Resistance. It was still wet and there were grumblings from the other team members about not yet having nice fancy DRY cloaks like mine. Instead of waiting to hunt for the hides I might try buying some from a merchant and make them cloaks. There will be an influx of merchants passing through Kulle.

Kulle had changed. The was a contingent of the Royal Kirghiz Army up from Hrothgar. They were manning the Kill Zone. Apparently they had accounted for several hundred goblins so far and another two shamans. The army camp was closer to the Kill Zone and there was a new road leading up there. Kulle had several merchant wagons, army supply personnel and off duty soldiers present in addition to the normal residents.

We reported to the Jern Guard house as our contract was with them, not the army. We were told to find some empty bunks in one of the new longhouses built for the purpose. These were outside the village walls as there was no room inside them. There were also new stables set up by the longhouses. We were to report back here in the morning and we would be assigned a patrol route. Patrol routes were normally about a three day circuit, then we would have one day off and then be assigned another route or to re-run the circuit. We were very definitely told that we were not there to fight goblins, but to get word back here, or to the army camp, whichever was closer. If the big bell outside rang then there was a major sighting and we were to form up in the muster area outside the walls and wait for orders. It may not be the army calling for help, it may be one of the patrols or villages.

We stabled our mounts and found some bunks. We then familiarised ourselves with the place, particularly the cookhouse. We had the afternoon off so I went into the village to check out the merchants and maybe the tavern. I figured the merchants would be charging a premium, but it was worth a look. The army personnel were a mixture of Orc, Dwarf and Human, and mostly male, but not exclusively. There were more female Orcs than females of any of the other races in army uniform.

The merchants did have hides as they were buying them cheap from the local hunters and incoming patrols to take on their return journey. I found a brown bear pelt and three wolf pelts that looked up to standard. It felt really wrong to be paying for them rather than hunting them for free. However, they were cured already and I could just make the cloaks. The merchant was really pleased with the sale from which I gathered that I paid too much.

As I was leaving I had to step aside for four mounted soldiers. Three were obviously guarding the fourth, a human. When I asked the merchant about them I was told that she was one of two people with the army that had an Affinity. She was Lieutenant Kelda and she had a Fire Affinity. There was also an Orc Captain called Tor who had an earth Affinity. I really wanted to talk with them, but there was no way I wanted to be conscripted into the Army. I headed out to spend the rest of the afternoon making cloaks.

I worked late and everybody had a cloak for the patrol. They were not lined like mine yet, but they would keep the rain and snow off. Darksight was a very good perception Skill for working at night. Our first three day patrol ranged south of Kulle and the kill zone. It was generally uneventful, which is what you want. On the way back to Kulle I hunted a Bighorn sheep which we took back to the cooks. I started the curing process on the hide and after we get back from the next patrol I can line some of their cloaks.

The second patrol was north and east. We were riding along a ridge and I saw an army watchtower on a distant hill. I assumed it was above the camp or the kill zone. I waved and got a wave back. Najprej asked who I was waving to and I pointed out the watchtower. She could barely see the tower, let alone the soldiers. Farsight had its advantages. Two patrols down and we were a quarter of the way through our contract. When we got back there was some excitement as apparently the army had defeated two more Shamans.

Our third patrol was a repeat of our first route and just as exciting, yes including the Bighorn sheep. Our fourth patrol was into the hills on the other side of the kill zone. It was early on Day 2 when we saw the group of goblins in the valley. Then there was another and another and then there was a constant stream of them and I counted four Shamans.

Skavt said, “Wiremu, you are the fastest rider. Can you make it to the Army camp?” I nodded. The camp was between us and Kulle. “Go.” she commanded.

Rocky and I took off. Tāoke was still on Oske so he was staying with them. We gave the estimated positions of the goblins a wide berth and went as fast as the terrain allowed. It was going to take a good four hours of hard riding. It was difficult terrain.

The watchtower saw me when I was about a half hour out and alerted the gate that something was up. A Lieutenant was waiting for me when I arrived with a fully armed squad and there were signs of more getting prepared.

“A thousand Goblins and four Shamans about four hours ride west!” I yelled. The Lieutenant nodded and a soldier took off running and the bell started ringing.

“OK, rider, come and show me on the map.” The Lieutenant seemed to be in charge.

I knew the Kingdom had ten person squads in their army but I didn’t know much more. Apparently there are twenty squads to a platoon under a Lieutenant and there were three platoons here under Captain Tor. There was always one platoon on shift at the Kill Site and one ready for backup here at camp with one off duty, but on call at the ringing of the bell. There were only two affinity users and the Captain was on duty at the Kill Site. The Ready Platoon was mounting up and the off duty Platoon became the ready Platoon. Lieutenant Kelda would be coming with us and she came with her own squad. Lieutenant Aaren was in charge.

We were underway in less than half an hour which I thought was pretty impressive. We left at a more measured pace toward what we hoped was an intercept position. On the way the two Lieutenants quizzed me again on what I had seen. We would be intercepting them at around dusk at best, night at worst. Goblins could obviously see in the dark, but not all the army could and the horses would be hampered. With our master level Animal Bond I was getting a good sense of where Tāoke was and I assumed they would be tracking the horde. I was able to give good directions and when I was asked how I knew, the answer of my Animal Bond was accepted. Then one of the army Scouts came back and confirmed the horde's position and speed. The scout led us to a ravine and we dismounted. Those without a form of Dark Sight would make camp and guard the horses and be ready for the injured. That was about a quarter of the soldiers. We would advance on foot from here.

I could sense Tāoke was on the other side of the horde. I was told to stay with the ranged soldiers as I had my bow with me. I did have one of my shorter spears with me. As we advanced we occasionally stepped over dead goblins, I assume it was the army’s stealth units giving us the best chance at a surprise attack. There was a signal given that I missed and all of a sudden the front line was charging forward. The soldiers could carve through the goblins as easily as my team could. Lieutenant Kelda’s job was to take out the Sharmans and to save her energy for that. I was constantly using my bow now and fortunately the army had spare quivers I could use. I noticed the archer next to me would occasionally use Triple Shot to get more than one goblin at a time. I watched her carefully using my Sense Spiritual Skill to try to sense how she was doing it. Then I would try to replicate it. I knew it was supposed to mainly use Spiritual Agility and Identify was telling me I had enough attributes if only I could trigger it. It took many tries, but I finally managed it. Sense Spiritual went to Apprentice level too, giving me a point in Spiritual Perception.

Triple shot created two additional arrows alongside the physical one. In Novice they were very narrow spread, basically tripling the damage. As the skill levelled I could be more flexible with the spread. My neighbour could take two goblins with one triple shot. At Apprentice I could vary the type of arrows, i.e. I would be able to use Venom Arrow with it. At Journeyman level I could vary the arrows more. For example, have them trail the physical arrow to get a target behind the first target. For now triple the damage was overkill on goblins that would go down in one shot, however, I wanted to level it.

Then the fire balls started lighting up the mountain. I hoped to hell that was our Lieutenant and not a goblin Shaman. It was, but it was not without a response. The ground shook and water was splashing everywhere, and that was making things dangerous as it was freezing on hitting the ground and making ice patches. My shoes developed stone spikes under them so I was not in as much danger as others. I saw both soldiers and goblins slip on the ice, but mainly soldiers as goblins had claws on their hands and feet. The front line was breaking up a bit but they were well trained, closing gaps and getting the wounded to the back.

I think the Lieutenant was having some trouble against the two Sharmans she had engaged, and there were at least two more out there somewhere. I kept getting a glimpse of one of the shamans as he ducked in and out of trees to avoid the fireballs. I didn’t grab an arrow this time but formed a Venom Arrow. I had to time this right as there would be quite a flight time for the arrow. My first two missed, but my third got him with a full load of venom in the back. That slowed him down and he caught a fireball in the face. I now also have Longbow 1. I am not as excited about that as I am with Triple shot but we will take it and use it.

Goblin Shit. I think the Lieutenant has all three Shamans on her and she has been throwing a lot of energy around. I started working my way up the line toward her. When I could finally see, the soldiers around her were a torn up mess and that included her special protection squad. She had a shield she was using and ducking among the trees the same as the shamans. Most of the soldiers around her were injured or dead and she was getting more isolated from the platoon.

She clipped a Shaman who went down at least temporarily, but she still had the Water Shaman and it looked like a Death Shaman, as the ground around him wilted and died as he walked. The Death Shaman was throwing small globs of something, maybe disease? Where they landed things were shriveling up and dying too. The Lieutenants' fireballs were getting less frequent and weaker. Surely, she has more attack skills than just fireballs?

I snapped an arrow at the Death Shaman, missing but making him duck for cover. I shot a venom arrow at the water shaman remembering the other water shaman and the effectiveness of the venom. I think I might have clipped him. The Lieutenant was distracted looking at me, stupid fool girl, as the Third Shaman she had clipped was lining up a stone spear at her back. He had a stone Affinity like me, probably why he was still moving after taking a fireball. I was at a full sprint across the battlefield at this point and yelled a warning, but I was too late and she took the spear in the shoulder. She did manage to return a fireball and it clipped him again. That was impressive with a spear in her.

The other Lieutenant and a soldier were behind me as well, coming as fast as they could. I shot a Venom Arrow into the Death Shaman and I am pretty sure it didn’t do anything. Maybe poison was his thing. I discarded my bow and grabbed my spear and created a shield. I charged in for a power strike with the shield on the Death Shaman. He bounced back but not before getting one of those globs on me. Fortunately it was on my armour and while it was not doing nice things to it, this was Troll Hide armour. I was blasted off my feet by water. I threw my spear at the Water Shaman and it penetrated, but he did that watery shield thing, so only the Imbued Venom stuck. It would all count. The other Lieutenant and the soldier had reached the Fire girl. But I could do with some help here.

My Granite Sense warned me about an incoming rock spear. That was new and I managed to dive out of the way, grabbing a knife. All three Shamans were focused on me, I couldn’t keep this up. Where was the bloody Army when you needed them? I knew Tāoke could sense I was in trouble and was coming as fast as he could. I hoped he was still on Oske as I could do with the power of the bull… Shit, I got caught in a water blast. I rolled as fast as I could and then the Fire Girl was back and the Water Shaman took a firebolt, it was only weak but it sizzled him badly. While I rolled I was trying to spike the Rock Shaman who kept avoiding it, then I realised what an idiot I was and spiked the Death / Poison Shaman who couldn’t sense it coming. A Granite Spike in the foot slowed him down.

The Fire Girl had the attention of the Water Shaman so that only left me two. I had to keep moving or Rock Shaman would spike me as I batted a spear away with my shield and took another poison glob. Some splashed on my hand this time. I could feel it eating through the Snakeskin. Where is that Water Shaman when you need him for a wash down? I closed the gap with the Death Shaman slowing him with a spike in his other foot, and then a Power shield strike and my stone knife decapitated him. I took a spear through the thigh, and it bounced off the bone.

Then Tāoke was there to save the day and the Shaman was strangled by a two metre long Venom Serpent and was then injected with a full dose of venom. I looked for Fire Girl and Water Shaman. The Water Shaman was definitely worse for wear, but had blasted the Fire Girl and the two soldiers and I think she was dead or unconscious. The other Lieutenant was trying to get his shield up. I looked for my bow, or any bow would do. I threw a knife and it added to the Poison stacking in him, but it was going to be too slow, Tāoke saved the day again. Getting hit by a two metre long snake from the side was enough to throw him off balance and he went down and Tāoke gave him the final injection.

The Lieutenant Aron? Arren? Aaren. That's it. He was looking like he would attack Tāoke so I yelled, “Stop! That’s my bond!”

He looked at me as if I was crazy, and Tāoke did look huge! A two metre long snake is a big snake. He was longer than I was tall. His mouth was open showing his impressive fangs and dripping blood and venom. Tāoke came over to me and watched as I pulled the spear and bound my leg as tight as I could. I used the Shaman’s spear as a crutch to get back to my feet. Tāoke only had to deal with two goblins during that time.

I had just got to my feet and the ground started to shake again. Was there another Shaman? No it was just Oske chasing goblins with a grinning Skavt on him. The crazy woman. Better yet, following them were Ört and Kryddor with Najprej and Drugič. They formed up around me. Ört wanted to look at my leg, but I pointed to Fire Girl first. Why the hell can’t I remember her name? Ört went and spoke to Lieutenant Aaren and then looked at the girl and the unmoving soldier next to her. I leaned on Drugič and we made our way over. I was feeling hot and sweaty. I remember getting some of that Death Poison on me. I ended up collapsing next to Fire Girl and passed out.