Chapter 81: The Beginning of the Siege.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake rolled his arms stretching out the muscles that were bing more and more fatigued from the constant fighting he had done over the past two days, preparing himself for yet another. But was stopped as he looked to his status.
<em><span style="font-weight:400">Shit, I’m still running low…</em><span style="font-weight:400"> Drake thought embarrassedly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<em><span style="font-weight:400">Yes, well that certainly happens when you go on a rampage of killing absolutely nothing. Maybe you will learn to vent in a more productive manner next time,” </em><span style="font-weight:400">Natto chidded.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake couldn’t argue with her on that. He had certainly lost his cool, resulting in the situation. Thankfully he did have a small contingent of mana left, and with his Water Endowment he was slowly ticking up. But it would still take him quite a while to fully recover his pool.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Bad news, I blew my loa- mana pool so we are going to have to rely on everyone else for the time being! Hudson, how many of your boys do you have ready?” Drake asked, coughing his near slip.
<span style="font-weight:400">A snicker and cough came from Amir. It would seem the young man had caught Drake’s freudian mishap, but didn’t bring it up and continued to listen.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Got none of the Big Guys made since they take a long time to build ''n all. The stationary ones, I got two made, and can set the rest of them up but it will take a spell,” Hudson said, his mouth moving side to side as he eyed the Outpost walls, chewing on the side of his mouth while he gauged it.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s going to be a problem… How much damage output can your sentries deal to those Lieutenants you think?” Drake asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Hudson mulled over the question for a minute but reluctantly sighed and answered after thinking.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Son, I’m sorry but I haven’t had to go against one yet. These boys will take care of the average Kobold, no sweat, and with how high up we are I don’t think them normal Goblins will be a problem, long as they don’t get a hit on them. Thing is…” Hudson grumbled, looking out at the massive sea of monsters, “I only got so many to go around. Damn near endless bullets don''t help much when you only got four guns to pepper them with,” he finished shrugging his shoulders.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake nodded in understanding.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Right well that helps enough to give us some time if they get close enough. Set up what you can, and start churning out the little guys. We can worry about making the bigger ones when we have some time to spare. Tom!” Drake said pointing, the man jerking at his name being called.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Y-yeah?” Tom answered, doing his best to stand up and not shirk away like before.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Time to show your guts! Your job is to block anythinging in that wants to break those little ones, got it?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Y-yep!” Tom shouted back.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake then looked at Sherry, Amir and ire.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You three, back to the box or you can go down behind the wall, we don’t need more targets on the wall.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Sherry just waved her arm, Amir nodding reluctantly, but ire grumbled and spoke up.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I don’t want to hide! I want to help!” she shouted.
<span style="font-weight:400">“And you will, I know what your buff does and I will need it when I can use arger spell. But until then I need you safe and out of the way. If I have to pay attention to protect you I can’t focus on recovering. I understand your hate and need for revenge, believe me. But you are no help to me until I can cast somethingrge enough to deal with them,” Drake said evenly, looking at her in her blue eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">ire wanted to say something, but bit her lip in frustration, turning to walk back to the makeshift earthen room with the other two.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m going to make them pay… I promised…!” she mumbled under her breath.
<em><span style="font-weight:400">“Strong hearted that one. She will need help to recover her mind in time though… She is hurt in a way only time will heal,”</em><span style="font-weight:400"> Natto said, with sympathy in her voice.
<em><span style="font-weight:400">Wow that was actually very kind of you. I’m proud of you.</em><span style="font-weight:400"> Drake thought, smiling at the back of the woman.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<em><span style="font-weight:400">Silence you ape, it is in to see she is the most hurt among them. Even a blind man could see such,”</em><span style="font-weight:400"> she snapped back.
<em><span style="font-weight:400">I know. I just hope I can give her what she needs to grieve ande to terms with herself. When there is time I’d like to hear what happened..</em><span style="font-weight:400"> Drake replied.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<em><span style="font-weight:400">Pain recognizes pain as they say.”</em>
<em><span style="font-weight:400">Who says that?</em>
<em><span style="font-weight:400">“I do. Now shut up and get to it, those little green boogers in their toy cars are getting closer,”</em><span style="font-weight:400"> Natto pointed out.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake turned over his shoulder and sure enough, the line of Goblins began marching closer.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hudson hurry and set up. Tom, protection. Theo!” Drake yelled.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes my liege!” he answered, nking his cane to the floor.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Set up your illusions to distract them while Hudson sets up what he can, we just need to buy some time for me to recover.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“It would be this one’s utmost pleasure!” Theodore shouted back in reply as he moved to the side and began chanting his ‘Stage y of Illusion’ a ck magic circle forming below him.
<span style="font-weight:400">On the edge of the Outpost’s wall a myriad of monsters began spilling over and charging towards the oing horde, but they would only buy so much time.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Thankfully we still have that other skill Theo has, the AOE fear right?” Drake mused, “Alright now for you three..” Drake said, looking at Jacqueline, Chelsea and Harley.
<span style="font-weight:400">Chelsea and Harley both had a bow in hand, and quivers strapped to their back. The only difference was the jewelry adorning Harley, small gleans of green here and there.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake popped another two rings and earrings into his hand, handing them out to Chelsea.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Here,” Drake offered.
<span style="font-weight:400">Chelsea cocked an eyebrow, “What are these for?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“They''re Dexterity rings. Or would you rather have strength ones?” he asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Chelsea and Jacqueline’s eyes went wide. Chelsea’s hands hesitating to grab the jewelry, but paused as she inspected them.
<span style="font-weight:400">“May I have two strength based ones as well? My skills do scale off dexterity, but my base damage will increase on strength so an extra 20 points will do a whole lot in the long run,” she asked pensively.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake looked over to Harley, her eyes meeting him as she shied away.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ah, so you need them as well Harley? You know you can just ask. I don’t bite…” Drake chuckled, popping four more strength based essories into his hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">Jacqueline looked as well expectantly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Sorry, unfortunately I don''t have anything other than strength and dexterity,” Drake said, putting up his left hand, showing two green rings, “If I did I’d be wearing them. But they are on the list.”
<span style="font-weight:400">She quickly deted, but Drake couldn’t do anything about that at the moment, instead he addressed her again.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Your job is pretty obvious but if anyone gets hit we need you to heal them up. I haven’t had a chance to go over your skills but do you have any bubbles or is it just red healing?” Drake asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Bubbles?” she questioned back.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah.. Like shields or white health? You know what, just shields. Do you have any shielding skills?” Drake said, scratching his cheek.
<span style="font-weight:400">“<em><span style="font-weight:400">Dumb geek..”</em><span style="font-weight:400"> Natto giggled.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake stifled a sheepishugh as Jacqueline answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“No, I’m just able to heal regr vitality.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Still that’s excellent. Then keep an eye on everyone. It''ll be my job to watch you until I can go on the offensive alright? So stay close, but not too close, don''t want you getting any funny ideas,” Drake joked, grinning.
<span style="font-weight:400">Jacqueline scoffed and crossed her arms, a cudgel appearing in one hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Now,” Drake looked back at Harley and Chelsea, “I don’t think either one of you can deal with the catapults so leave that to me for now, it’s going to hinder my recovery a bit but we don''t have a choice. I want both of you to prioritize hitting anythinging too close that might break the gate,” Drake exined, looking out and spottingrge trees being brought up the middle of some of the squads of Goblins, “Things like those rams, or any of the Lieutenants that look extra nasty, I’ll try to help where I can but don’t count on it exclusively. This is something I need you two to do, you are the only ones who can right now.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Both of the women nodded and gripped their bows, then moved to guard towers where they had a better vantage point. They both began knocking their arrows and firing. Each arrow glowing a mix of green and red as they were loosed.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake smiled d that they didn’t argue with him.
<span style="font-weight:400">The sound of the catapults letting loose their cargo into the air forced Drake to turn.
<span style="font-weight:400">“They’re starting kind of early with this?” Drake mumbled, snapping his mask into ce with one hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">Using his other hand to do the same, summoning two circles of crimson red in front of him.
<span style="font-weight:400">The fireballs were smaller in size and did not turn blue due to Drake’sck of mana to fuel them. He wasted no time and fired off the balls of me in the direction of the sparse first volley of boulders.
<span style="font-weight:400">The fireballs collided and exploded with the boulders, but with theirck of power they did not fully disintegrate the rocks into dust, instead the boulders shattered intorger fragments.
<span style="font-weight:400">With their momentum halted they fell downward on top of the Goblins below, squashing and rolling over the soldiers underneath them.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake flinched, recoiling slightly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That is no way to go…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“No more than they deserve, fuck those jackoffs,” Jacqueline spat next to him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That’s fair. War is war after all… How is the experience?” Drake asked, wanting to change the topic.
<span style="font-weight:400">“It’s not bad, nothing monumental though looks like, no levels just yet, but feels pretty brilliant. Think I’m just a tad bit off till I get my next level innit,” Jacqueline said, looking into the distance slightly, most likely looking at some of her screens.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Must be Amir’s buff at work, I can''t imagine ten people sharing experience and not having it be brought down significantly,” Drake said, as he watched the line of monsters slowly encroach closer and closer.
<span style="font-weight:400">Jacqueline nodded, but only looked out, her shoulders slightly shaking.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t worry they will never get close enough,” Drake said, cracking a grin behind his mask, “I’m going to try to speed up my recovery, every time they fire those catapults feel free to hit me to wake me up.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jacqueline smiled, her small shiver evening out.
<span style="font-weight:400">A secondter she smacked him in the side with her cudgel.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Fucking ow! I said wake me up with it, not just hit me!” Drakeined.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I needed to make sure how hard I could hit, ya get me?” she said, keeping her sinister smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I think I might have made a mistake, signing these contracts to not hit back…” Drake sighed, sitting down into a meditative position.
<span style="font-weight:400">What felt like a secondter he was abruptly woken up. Jacqueline pointing upwards with her free hand at the iing boulders.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake nced at his mana bar quickly, simultaneously snapping three red magic circles to life.
<span style="font-weight:400">He had recovered slightly more to 20% but it was still slow going, and he had to increase his number of spells this time to match the increased number of projectiles in the air.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake took out the projectiles and eyed his mana dipping down a bit below 20%. He refocused on the catapults and needed to make a decision to expend his mana to take them out now, or let them slowly chip away and hinder his regeneration.
<span style="font-weight:400">His eyes darted to the iing line of Goblins getting closer and closer to the door, but Theodore’s illusions soon stopped them as they shed with the front of the squads, a secondter the sound of gunfire rang out.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake turned to his right seeing the now erected turrets that looked like small sentry guns out of a sci-fi peppering blue hued bullets into the side of the Goblins from above.
<span style="font-weight:400">There were a total of 5 now and more being produced on the wall of the Outpost.
<span style="font-weight:400">The steady influx of notifications showed the power of the turrets, but that soon stopped when the Lieutenants came to ce their shields in the way of the hail of fire.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake looked down at the steady moving mob, but he was forced to ignore them.
<span style="font-weight:400">The flood of monsters moving forward was slow, and he had time to spare if only barely for them. The bigger problem were the catapults in the back, acting like heavy artillery.
<span style="font-weight:400">He needed to put a stop to them so he could focus on helping with the front.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake grit his teeth as he snapped changing to his Ice Endowment for the increase in spell damage. His earthen arm eroded and disappeared as he summoned five crimson red fireballs in front of himself, all trained for the backline of the Goblin army. Right where the catapults were.
<span style="font-weight:400">He was forced to use his stores of mana in its entirety to send off enough fireballs to strike the catapults down, not being able to make use of his unique spell making skill. But even with that he was not able to get all of the catapults.
<span style="font-weight:400">However, he was able to get enough of them that any further aid from the wooden monstrosities would not be too bothersome.
<span style="font-weight:400">The barrage of spells had exhausted Drake’s mana, forcing his spells to cancel, and his hair to go back to its jet ck color. His tattoo receding as well.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drake wasted no time and dropped to the floor getting into another meditative position, waiting only long enough for his mana to tick up so he could snap his Water spell to life and change to his Water Endowment, his hair cascading to blue once again, his eyes closing as he focused on recovering.
<em><span style="font-weight:400">It’s going to be a long night.</em><span style="font-weight:400"> He thought as he depend into his meditation.