The Newt and Demon

Chapter 3.50: Zoot and the Wave

Goblins stumbled through the swamp west of Broken Tusk. Theo stood, flanked on either side by [Lesser Copper Golems] with Alex perched on his shoulder. The gosling was excited to see the oncoming attack, but jumped and nearly lost her footing when the bombs went off. Throk was getting more creative with his defensive artifices, but they hardly seemed to matter. The alchemist stuffed the scared goose into his satchel, leaving enough space for her to poke her little head out if she wanted.

What an appreciable change of pace, Theo said, watching as citizens and adventurers carted the motes around. 8 of his golems were helping with the job, transporting the supply of motes theyd collected to the walls. The first wave we had was a bit of a nightmare.

How Xolsa had instigated a simple wave was beyond the alchemists understanding. Theo wouldnt complain. It gave him a chance to see how well Aarok had drilled the adventurers. There was no misunderstanding between them now. Each unit was drilled to perfection, often leaving the walls for a sortie. The Goblins would have trouble pushing into the range of the turrets, let alone to the walls. He walked the walls, finding his way south to Aaroks command post.

Wooden poles held up a hide awning, shading Luras and Aarok from the sun. Adventurers came in, giving status reports, but most of the commands were given through the tactical interface. Theo checked the interface, finding each adventurer segmented into distinct squads. Some ran to the north, checking on the [Hills Dungeon], others to the east for the [River Dungeon], and so on. There was no activity outside the swamp.

Most towns dont have such a mind for defense, Khahar said, appearing from nowhere.

Thats because most towns dont have to worry about it, Theo said. Weve got 5 dungeons to think about, so weapons were our first concern.

Luras grunted, leveling his gaze at the Khahari leader. How quick could you level this rabble?

In a blink, Khahar said. But then, how would you get stronger?

Theo nodded. He leaned over, trying to stifle a laugh. Hey Yuri, remember that one time you got set up by that lady from the Asia Alliance?

I cant even recall her name, Khahar said, trying and failing not to laugh. Left me out to dry. Why? Because I cheated at her dice game. The nerve.

What? Luras asked.

I tried to go back, Khahar said, ignoring the Half-Ogre. Figured if I could get strong enough, maybe I could turn back time. Save the planet. As I learned, it wasnt our planet that was destroyed. It was the universe.

Bummer, Theo said, watching a Goblin get zapped. Alex twitched at the booming sound of the turret, but everyone else was used to it. Not sure if my current position is much better. I often feel like a puppet.

Because youre short-sighted,, Khahar said. Aarok barked orders to a passing adventurer. Its going to take you a long time to understand this, Spencer. When you arrived, you were a pawn. When you took the soul-bond, the person who pulled the strings lost control. The moment you were out of the Burning Eyes reach, Drogramath betrayed him. Flipped the entire operation on its head.

Then Drogramath is pulling my strings, Theo said.

Wrong. Your realm grows stronger by the moment. If Drogramath cant pull your strings, hell do the next best thing. Make sure no one else can pull your strings, Khahar said. Your heart beats once, and the gods have made a thousand moves in the heavens. Time marches slow down here, but in the adjacent realms? Well, maybe all this information is cheating. But youre making your own decisions now.

Theo never felt as though he was following someone elses plan. The more he thought about it, the more he realized this whole experiment seemed like a failure. Even with 2 Drogramathi cores, the Demon Gods influence seemed miles away. But could the same be said for Fenian Feintleaf? One more cheat.

Does Fenian intend to harm Broken Tusk? Theo asked.

Khahar leveled his gaze at the alchemist, piercing him with the power of the Khahari Desert. Who do you think knocked their plans off course? When hes done with the first stage of his plan, remember that empathy.

Theo looked over the wall again. Yuri wouldnt lie to him. If he said Fenian was on the level, that was the end. Khahar might think the alchemist had some love for the kingdom, but he was wrong. The only thing he felt was disappointment. Unless King Karasan showed he cared about anyone in the south, it would be a good thing if Qavell fell. Especially if they were expecting something big to happen, failing to inform their subjects. At least it was a good example of what not to do when running things.

Khahar remained near the command tent, giving no advice on what they should do for the battle. Both Luras and Aarok seemed to dislike, if not hate, the Khahari leader. But that was Half-Ogres. They trusted authority as much as a rabid Marsh Wolf, and those with power even less. Theo just listened into the reports being given, eventually finding himself running motes for the northern section of the wall. Goblins had slipped past their defenses and were making a run for the section near the farm.

Many of the crates stationed near the farms turrets needed a resupply. Civilians were manning those stations, feeding motes into the turrets as quickly as they could fire. This section of wall wasnt well-defended, but Aarok showed his mettle as a tactician. Theo spotted Tresk in the forest of Ogre Cypress below, weaving her way through the Goblins back ranks with a team of stealthers. To his surprise, the Marshling made an excellent commander. Her group executed hit-and-run tactics expertly, never lingering long enough to draw the mass of seething monsters. They were methodical, leaving poisoned Goblins to writhe in the dirty marsh before moving on to another section of the monster wave.

Theo picked up on chatter from passing adventurers. They spoke of a group of hooded figures in a copse near the river. When they brought it to the alchemists attention, he deferred to Aaroks command. If migrants were on the road to the east, they should be safe from the wave. He made his way to the northern section of the wall, finding none of the crates in need of resupply, and moved on to the eastern wall. The alchemist tracked a path to the harbors wall, trying to see what the fuss was about. He drank a [Potion of Lesser Foresight] just in case there was trouble.

There were no migrant trains visible from the wall, despite it being a clear day. Theo sent a mental signal to his lodestone network, recalling his remaining [Lesser Copper Golem] and standing perched on the wall. The terrain to the north was a gentle slope of land, the road following the rivers path. He spotted the cluster of trees the adventurers spoke of, but couldnt see anything strange. Broken Tusk didnt own the land that far out, so people might have been roaming the area. He walked the perimeter of the harbor, finding nothing suspicious on the other end before meeting with the adventurers who saw the figures.

Bal and his 2 brothers were the ones who saw the people, but none had much to say.

Just a few people, Bal said. Thought wed make the report, cause you never know.

Right, Theo said. Too far out for any detail.

Exactly, Dal said, nodding.

Alright. Keep it up, Theo said, petting Alex within his satchel.

Theo made his way around the eastern part of the wall, spotting nothing unusual on the river-facing section of the town. Even from a distance, he could see Niras smeltery working even under the siege. Gridgen and his people werent in the mines, or they were too deep for the alchemist to hear the ringing of their picks. Tresk sent a few messages, updating him on the situation. This would be their cleanest monster wave, but that was the point. Xolsa was trying to control the conditions of the wave, and he was getting better by the day.

The solitary walk along the wall was relaxing. With Alex nestled in the bag, Theo was left alone with his thoughts. When the sieges came, he couldnt help but feel useless. But it was his hard work that made the defenses possible at all. He set down the groundwork to establish the walls, and the weapons. Without the alchemists funding, no one this would have been possible. One day hed need to face the reality that he was the leader here. Not Aarok, or Alise. While he didnt expect them to challenge his authority, he needed to remind himself of that fact. A wave of encouraging comfort came from Alex, washing away all his doubts.

If they wont respect my authority, theyll respect the goose, Theo said, patting the gosling on the head. She chirped in response.

Theo made his way back to the command tent without haste. Some sections of the wall in the south of town were at such an extreme angle, it was hard to take the steps. Without the constant raining, there was no chance of slipping, but it still paid to be cautious. By the time he made it to the western battlements, his last metal golem caught up with him. A familiar warm wave passed over him as he approached the commanders of the siege. Zarali had joined with Aarok and Luras, casting the alchemist a concerned look. She pulled him to the side.

Did you feel that? she asked.

Reminds me of when you were scanning the town for me, Theo said, chuckling.

Because thats what it was, Zarali said. Another flash of warmth signaled her using her senses to scour the town. But she shook her head. Strange. A priest could be searching for you, so stay sharp.

Theo gestured to his metal bodyguards. They got me covered.

Aarok and Luras had overheard the exchange, giving their opinion of the sensation. If the Goblins had a shaman amongst them, they could direct the attacking forces to target the leader of the town. That was just a theory, but it made as much sense as anything. When Theo directed his intuition on the matter, he got nothing. All theories for the matter fell away when a lumbering troll appeared in the distance. The alchemist groaned. Trolls blood sucked as a reagent. Hed take a water elemental any day over the vile Trolls. A system message accompanied theappearance of the boil-ridden monster.

[Boss Monster] spotted! Plague Lord Gripstink has been sighted. This monster is stronger than regular monsters, use caution.

Like most Trolls, Plague Lord Gripstink was a massive creature. It had a face permanently dumbstruck, mouth hanging agape with beady eyes darting every way, covered in boils that dripped hissing liquid. Unlike most Trolls, Gripstinks sores and boils all dripped that foul liquid. Any place it touched seemed to wither away in an instant.

Its quite important he doesnt reach the wall, Zarali said, all concern for Theo washing away. Have you crafted a [Potion of Cure Plague]?

Nope, Theo said, trying and failing to blink away the image of the disgusting Troll. Do you have the recipe?

I only know of the property from Throneroot, Zarali said, managing a defeated shrug. Aarok, you must instruct your adventurers not to attack this thing directly. Dont touch that foul liquid, and dont engage in close combat.

Aarok didnt hesitate. He sent out a town-wide message advising everyone to steer clear of the boss. Theo searched his memory for the [Cure Plague] property, but found nothing even similar. [Cure Ailment] and [Cleanse] were his closest options, but if this was a specific disease, theyd be in trouble. Since Zarali mentioned it by name, the alchemist assumed that was the case.

Alright, Theo said, gesturing to his metal golem bodyguards. You three are up.

The golems shuffled off without complaint, obeying their master absolutely. Aarok tried to object, but Theo shut him down.

Theyre not intelligent, and they cant get sick, Theo said. Damn, I should have made more before the attack.

Well keep the thing at range, Aarok said.

Get the bomb-throwers in range, Luras said.

Im a bomb-thrower, Theo said, suddenly realizing he could help. Ive got some gear that helps me throw stuff.

Get to the gate.

Theo sprinted off, passing his golems and standing with the other throwers at the western gate. The Troll was lumbering in the distance, still too far away for bombs to be effective. While the alchemist was confident he could land bombs near the monster, the towering Ogre Cypress made getting a direct hit impossible. But his bag of tricks was hardly limited. His inventory was full of utility bombs, meant to get him out of the range of assassins. Luras came over shortly, giving orders on what bombs should be thrown well. He was far more prepared for this scenario than Theo would like to consider, but that gave him a sense of pride.

With a [Freezebomb] modified with [Web] in his hand, Theo prepared to let loose. The pattern for throwing the bombs was the first pattern they established. They would root the boss in place, toss standard [Firebombs] to apply a fire-based DOT effect, then throw another [Firebomb] with the [Surge] modifier to consume the effect and apply massive damage. The important part was to maintain a fire effect at all times, avoiding the Trolls impressive regeneration abilities.

There was no target in the world that deserved a bomb to the face than a Plague Troll. The monster lumbered over a wide expanse of soggy ground, stumbling as often as keeping his feet underneath him. Each plodding step brought him closer to bombardment, but they came slow. Luras placed as many glowing red arrows in the things bulbous body as paces a Marshling would take between the wall and the creatures position. There was nothing Theo could do but wait, anticipating the moment where his bomb would soar through the air. True to his increasing [Dexterity], his aim was true.

Webs of ice launched from the point of impact, binding both the Troll and the surrounding goblins down in a tangle of tendrils. Moments later they were broken by the first [Firebomb], then the next with the [Surge] modifier, and another. The fetid Troll became a funeral pyre on the swamp, representing the death of uncertainty and the proud call of all Broken Tuskers. Those on the wall shouted with delight as the Troll burned. The alchemist kept a mental grip on his improvised bomb, preparing for if things went wrong. But between the rooting effects of the blasts of the [Frost Cone Towers], bombardment of bombs, Luras well-placed arrows, and massive damage of the [Chain Lightning Towers], the boss was reduced to a pile of ash.

It wasnt a slow process. Theo was surprised with how many hits the thing took before it died. The Troll left a trail of slimy goo along its march, plants rotting in its wake. Aarok knew better than to let that trail of filth stay where it was, ordering the bomb-lobbing adventurers to burn the swamp with the alchemists [Firebombs]. But the familiar system message popped up the moment the Plague Lord died.

[Boss Monster] defeated! Plague Lord Gripstink has been slain. Bonus Wave!

[Bonus Wave!] Broken Tusk defeated the monster wave in 3 hours! Bonus wave: [Aerial Attack!].

[Aerial Attack!]

Monster Wave

Duration: Infinite

Pincer Attack!

The [Swamp Dungeon] has generated aerial enemies!

These half-bird half-Elf creatures dont care about your walls! Hope youve invested in ranged attackers, or wall-mounted weapons.

Defeating this wave will result in a greater reward, but the difficulty is increased significantly.

Effects:

1 flying boss monster has spawned from the [Swamp Dungeon]. She leads a group of aerial enemies!

Increased reward for completing the monster wave.

Gain an additional effect for completing the wave within a time limit (24 hours).

Ah, shit, Aarok said, issuing orders to the citizens of Broken Tusk.

Everyone in the town was sent to find refuge indoors. He ordered adventurers to remain with ranged attackers, getting inside if they couldnt find a partner. Most adventurers in town were melee attackers, rendering them obsolete. Theo saw a problem with running motes to the towers while they were bombarded by aerial enemies, but remained at the western gate. Alex let out a concerned chirp.

They got me! Tresk shouted into Theos mind, only to appear beside him a moment later.

Nevermind, Tresk said. They came flooding out of the dungeon. Like a flock of angry birds. They were cussin, too.

The adventurers waited on the wall, spotting the clouds of bird-like monsters after a few minutes. Tresks squad rushed through the open gate, trailed by several others that were trapped out in the open. When the bird-things drew close enough for Theo to see, he recoiled. They looked like Elves twisted into the form of birds. Clawed feet with mottled plumage covering their nude bodies. They had wings where their arms should have been, ending in jagged talons. Even their faces were vile, beaked and chittering as they were.

The first assault saw the air filled with the scent of singed feathers, a smell not unlike burning hair. The [Chain Lightning Tower] fired volleys, joined by their less powerful [Fireball Towers], and [Firebolt Towers]. While the [Frost Cone Towers] froze the monsters in place, forcing them to drop from the sky, the bird-things were smart enough to fly patterns around them. Aarok issued orders frantically, eyes glued to his tactical map as he rearranged adventurers. More than once, he redirected Luras to free a captured adventurer, resulting in a scramble to feed them healing potions from the damage of the fall.

Theo felt his body go weightless as his eyes were glued to a captured adventurer. He fell just as quick as he rose, spotting a bird-person above him. His [Lesser Copper Golems] took the attack personally, snatching the bird from the air and pummeling it on the battlements. Tresk also took this to heart, seeking monsters to graze with her poisonous knives.

The battle went on like this for a while, a wild scramble to reposition the few ranged attackers in town. Xolsa saw the most kills, warping reality around clouds of the beasts and ending the life of the boss. Theo didnt even get to see the boss monster until it plummeted into the center of town. The first part of the monster wave only took 3 hours, but the bonus wave consumed the afternoon. When the system message finally flashed, the defenders of Broken Tusk were tired and wounded. Zarali had established a station for healing in the center of town, right near the fallen corpse of Flight Lady Zoot. The alchemist relished the wave complete message.

[Boss Monster] defeated! Flight Lady Zoot has been slain.

[Monster Wave] completed!

Reward:

50 gold.

[Ring of Terogal]

Theo breathed a sigh of relief after receiving the message. He rushed to his lab, finding Salire shaken, but carrying an armful of healing potions. The alchemist sent her to Zaralis healing station and ran inside to fill his inventory. While the battle was over, there were wounded citizens to attend to.