Spire of Blood: A Cultivation Gamelit Adventure (Spellheart Book 7), page 12
The zeal was resistant to me, as death zeal had always been. But my will was far stronger now, and such a minuscule quantity of zeal couldn’t hope to oppose me. Soon it was mine to command.
“What are you doing, father?” Pelise asked me as I focused on the zeal I’d just taken in and made it my own.
“Casting my first spell as a necromancer,” I said as I let the death zeal flow out of my fingertips. It wasn’t any structured spell, just a little nudge like that gust of wind I’d made earlier. This burst of zeal caused no physical change in my surroundings, but it did influence the death zeal around my son, nudging and twisting it a little.
“You’re... using death zeal? Did you take a third spellheart while you were away?” Sava asked.
“Father’s a necromancer too now?” Pelise asked in wonder.
“No, I just took in a little death zeal a moment ago and used it.” I shrugged. “It’s not a hard trick.”
“Wow.” Pelise gasped. “I did not know you could cast spells without even needing a spellheart of that aspect! That’s incredible! I have so much more to learn!”
Sava rubbed her chin in thought. She must have picked that motion up from me. “Apparently I have a lot left to learn as well.”
I rubbed Sava on the shoulder fondly. “I didn’t figure out how to do it until you gave me that potion of yours. So I suppose you deserve some of the credit.” I blew Sava a kiss, and the beaming smile she sent in reply suggested the gesture would have led to a lot more than a kiss had my daughter and son not been present with us.
I took several more breaths to nudge the death zeal hovering around Segolas again, but I soon became frustrated at how slow and inefficient this was.
“I suppose I should be grateful Segolas’ body gives off so little death zeal.” I sighed. “It means he’s living, though not healthy. That curse of his is stingy though.”
“We could go visit the dragon corpse,” Sava suggested. “There should be plenty of death zeal there.”
I shook my head. “I’m sure Xoreda and her bunch drained all they could the last time they were here. It will take some time for the chamber to become filled with death zeal again. No, I have a better source closer to hand.” I reached into my Dimensional Storage and withdrew the massive wizard-realm death aspect spellheart I picked up in the treasury of the Sunspire Kingdom.
“What is that?” Pelise gasped, crawling backward with the weight of the malevolent spirit lurking within the massive spellheart.
“It’s a powerful death spellheart,” I explained. “I know it didn’t come from anything nice, considering the feeling it's giving off to me even after death. So you girls should steer clear of it, especially if it starts whispering in your head.”
“Is it dangerous?” Sava asked. "Or rather, is it dangerous enough for me to scrap it for parts?" Her fingers were creeping closer, and she looked like she wanted to hold the massive spellheart in her own hands, where it would no doubt become fodder for some half-baked experiment.
“Probably,” I said. “But I imagine I can peel a little power away from it and use it for my own purposes.”
[Power...] The spirit inside the stone wasted no time repeating her earlier offer.
“That was exactly what I pulled you out for,” I muttered. I stretched out my hand and tapped on the top of the spellheart. My tap projected a tiny bit of earth zeal into the stone, which interfered with the spellheart’s internal structure. A massive amount of death zeal spilled out of the stone and into the surrounding air.
The evil tempting spirit inside the spellheart screamed in pain, and I siphoned off the power it released and took it into my lungs, where I made the power my own.
One breath of air with so much death zeal in it gave me more than huffing the few scant particles available in this room. I quickly put the power to work performing the operation I had determined would expose the hex’s self-maintenance features. With great difficulty, I could uncoil the mass of death zeal.
Truthfully, working with the zeal I’d stolen from the spirit in the stone was even easier than using mind zeal from my spirit art. The power I’d taken had been at the wizard realm, and it behaved itself like a well-trained dog, ready to fetch and chase at the slightest command.
[Why... you so... mean...] The evil spirit said to me, sounding much like a pouting child all of a sudden. How curious. I’d never had a monster attempt to gain my sympathy before.
“I have something that might help,” Sava said as she reached into her bag of holding. She withdrew a shriveled round eye from her pouch, and I recognized it as the mutant rat eye I’d retrieved with Melise on our trip through the dungeon.
“That little thing!” I said as I remembered where it had come from. “Did you find a use for it?”
“I did,” Sava said. “It should increase your control over death zeal, especially now that it’s been soaked in a few potions meant to enhance its abilities. Just hang onto it.”
I touched the shriveled eye. It felt cold, wet, and clammy on my skin. Despite the disturbing sensation, I kept my fingers wrapped around it and found my control over death zeal was enhanced. The zeal I’d stolen jumped even more readily at my command, and it flowed through my body as though I cultivated death zeal instead of just imitating someone who did.
“A remarkable creation. Thank you, Sava.” I nodded in appreciation at the unexpected gift.
“It was originally going to be a gift from us to Segolas.” Sava sighed. “It would have been if my first potion had worked.”
I planted a kiss on Sava’s cheek, though that was as much attention as I could spare from the task at hand. “I promise we’ll have something even better for him when he’s healthy again.”
Sava nodded and put her faith in me. I completed as much of the procedure as I could. Uncovering the self-maintenance functions of the spell gave me an entirely new layer of features to observe, and Sava carefully recorded everything in great detail.
“I’m going to need to do some research on this sort of design. I’ll find everything there is to know on hex self-maintenance mechanisms.” Sava said.
“That would be the wisest move.” I agreed. “As nice as it would be to get our son back sooner, we need to do this carefully and intelligently. If nothing else, the work we did today to disrupt the spell will increase its decay rate. I’ll search the clan libraries for any information that could be relevant.”
“The only question, in that case, is whether Segolas will outlive the spell,” Pelise said. “As a mage acolyte, he should be able to live for about a hundred and fifty years. The spell might decay or it might carry over into his wisp and manifest again when he makes a new body. There’s no telling what might happen with it then.”
“A hundred and fifty years is a long time to suffer.” I sighed. “I don’t plan to let that happen.”
When I’d done all I could for my son, I left him to Sava and Pelise’s care. I tucked the giant death spellheart back into my Dimensional Storage, much to its protests, along with the mutant rat eye Sava had given me.
“Mac,” I whispered aloud, “Found anything relevant to Segolas’ condition in the clan libraries?”
[I was wondering when you’d ask that.] Mac sighed. [You know, I got a bit excited at the thought of you trying to sift through a mountain of books on your own. It was an amusing thought. But yes, I discovered a few passages that might be useful. I’m compiling a special volume now. I’ll send a copy to Sava and one to you. I’ll drop it off in your Dimensional Storage.]
“Thank you,” I said. “Is Yorik ready to leave?”
[Ready? I think not. But she’s willing to put up with a fear of flying if it means she gets to help you lead an orc horde.]
“Perfect. Tell her to meet me at the top of Castle Mac. We’re leaving now.”
Chapter 13
My newly acquired spirit sight did not fade over the next few days, and I slowly began to realize that the potion Sava created meant for temporary enhancement had instead unlocked a permanent change within me.
She theorized that this was something my body had been ready for all along, and I just needed the chance to use it to make the change permanent. It wasn't so much as a groundbreaking achievement as a restoration of an advantage I'd had when I first started cultivating.
I unlocked mage sight long before true mage, granting me an advantage in learning magic over elves of the equivalent level. I'd lost that advantage after reaching true mage myself, but now my human origins had tilted the scales in my favor once again. I would have to leverage this new ability to enhance both my body and spirit cultivation with even greater speed.
The flight to Moonbow City was smooth and easy, though Yorik didn’t agree with that sentiment. Her face was greener than usual by the time we landed, and we stopped outside the city and entered on foot so she could steady herself before entering.
Yorik snorted at the trees spread around the city walls and the buildings sprawling among their branches. “Elves living in trees.”
“The previous governor of the city was having walls constructed,” I said as I pointed to the walls hidden behind the trees. “I’ve continued those efforts, so this place is a bit more defensible than your average elf city."
“Should cut down these trees too,” Yorik said. “Otherwise, you can knock one over and scale the walls with the trunk. Or build ladders and towers.”
Yorik carefully picked apart the city’s defenses as we approached, and I made careful note of her good ideas.
I changed into what I usually wore when appearing as Chief Blackgorge, then straightened my back and replaced my usual friendly smile with a proud and fierce glare. The orcs seemed to respect that more. Then we entered Moonbow City.
“Chief Blackgorge has returned!” An orc shouted. Soon that cry was taken up throughout the city.
I expected it to be mostly deserted after Meldrik and I took fifty thousand orcs out of the city west to the Sunspire Kingdom. But the city was more packed than ever. There were orcs by the thousands lining the streets, and the elven populace seemed to have doubled as well.
The elves were keeping the city running, while the orcs celebrated and rejoiced over their pilgrimage and the successful raids.
Most of the elves were naked as they worked cooking food and making potions for the orcs to buy, and both male and female orcs took full advantage of the elves’ naked states to touch and grab however they pleased. For their part, the elves moaned in delight every time rough orcish hands ran over their bare skin, or when an orcish customer groped a handful of elven rear shortly after paying for their lunch.
There were also many elves reserved for an orc’s personal use on display. They clung tight to their orcish master’s side, either decorated in revealing outfits of leather or naked beside a leashed collar. I even saw one elf wearing what looked like rabbit ears while her master wore a wolf pelt over his head.
“My kind of city!” Yorik grinned as she gazed at our surroundings.
“I’m glad you like it,” I said. “Because it belongs to the Blackgorge Tribe, and that means it belongs to us.”
Yorik wrapped her arms around my shoulders and gave me a wet, warm kiss.
“Ay!” an orc woman interrupted our moment of intimacy. “You’re getting it on with Chief Blackgorge!”
“And?” Yorik growled as she pulled away from me.
“That was our plan!” The orc woman protested. “You’ll have to get in line or fight us!”
Sure enough, behind the orc woman were three other female orcs. Several were topless, but they all wore weapons on their hips. By their fierce and hungry glares, it seemed like they wanted to eat me instead of getting it on with me. But orcish mating rituals were just as much a battle for dominance as they were passionate lovemaking.
As I watched, the orc women cracked their knuckles while glaring at me, as though they couldn’t wait to pounce.
“Sorry, ladies.” I chuckled. “But Yorik has been at my side for a long time now. You’re not cutting in front of her.”
But Yorik didn’t need my help to get rid of these orc women. She answered their demands with her fist. The orcess who’d just spoken went flying into a nearby building as Yorik’s hand collided with her jaw.
The others scrambled to take up defensive postures, but Yorik grabbed one by the arm and tossed her into the other. Then she head-butted the last one. In moments, all the orc women challengers landed in a helpless heap.
They rubbed their heads and stared up at Yorik with newfound respect in their eyes.
Yorik snorted when they didn’t stand back up to keep fighting. “You need to train more.” She said as she looked down at them. Then Yorik wrapped her arms back around my shoulders and gave me another deep and passionate kiss, in full view of her defeated would-be rivals.
I gave Yorik’s firm rear a squeeze and flashed the defeated orcs a wink. “Better luck next time, ladies.” Then I led Yorik back to the governor’s residence.
On our way there, we saw further evidence of the massive increase in the city’s population. If anything, there were three times as many orcs now as there were when I’d left the city last. I looked around the residential districts and realized many of them had recent additions of new floors up above, meaning the city had been expanding upward to accommodate the increased population.
“Plenty of new warriors to fight for you,” Yorik said.
“I suppose Meldrik’s messages have gotten through already. Either that or tales of my recent victories have been spreading.”
I examined the elves around the city and noticed many of them had the hair and complexions I’d seen in the Sunspire Kingdom and the Ancient Tree Temple. They must have made their way here to the open portals in Moonbow City after being captured in battle. I wondered how many of the orcs present here today had fought by my side already.
I knew the orcs were fond of bartering and swapping captured elves in the hopes that an elf might find an orc she would become a thrall for, so I wondered how many of these elves made their way here after being traded through a dozen trainers or more.
Eventually, we made it to the center of the city, where the governor’s residence was. The Blackgorge Tribe was managing the city from there with the help of the Moonbow Clan, who’d ruled the city in their own name before their matriarch surrendered her clan to the orcs.
We were greeted by a pair of Moonbow Clan elves. They were dressed in the plain brown robes I’d seen many elves in the Blackgorge Tribe wear after living among orcs for several generations, so this pair had probably already been trained all the way to the rank of concubine.
“Greetings, Master Blackgorge.” The Moonbow elves greeted me. I sensed both of them were peak true mages and had probably been influential figures before the orc takeover.
“Greetings to the two of you. Who from the Blackgorge Tribe is running the city in my absence?”
“That would be the third elder, Meldrik’s second.” The elf replied. “He’s in the governor’s residence now.”
Yorik and I met with the orc managing the city on behalf of the Blackgorge Tribe, and he greeted both of us warmly.
“Chief! And Yorik! We’ve expected your arrival ever since receiving word from Meldrik that you wanted to start a second horde.” He glanced at Yorik. “Our chief is certainly an ambitious man. He wants to start a second horde while the first one hasn’t even finished raiding and plundering yet.”
“There are more battles to be won, and more lands to seize,” I said. “I hardly plan to sit around and wait for Stone Skin orcs to sack every minor village and town. Not while there are cities and countries to take!”
“Tales of your bravery and power have already spread far and wide. Most chiefs who assemble a horde only ever raid those villages and towns you can’t be bothered with. Many a chief now doubts their own courage thanks to you. Very few chiefs are left to attack our original target of Deania with how many of our brothers and sisters in arms you’ve directed towards the Sunspire Kingdom and the Ancient Tree Temple.”
I felt a smirk climb the side of my face. “You noticed that? I suppose the fact that I have a stake in Deania isn’t a very well-kept secret.”
“There are some rumors that you possess a clan of elves.” The elder nodded. “Some see it as a conflict of interest. But for most, your strength gives you the right to do as you please. And if you’re willing to conqueror some lands and not others, that is a choice you have the power to make.”
Yorik and I saw the elder had the city well in hand. There was much to do for both of us, so we divided up the tasks at hand.
Yorik would begin organizing the orcs in the city to see who was really coming with us, recruit more orcs, and have them ready to march on the Auqualian Trade Union. I could admit that Yorik was more suited to that job than I was, and I had more practical concerns for the horde.
The Auqualian Trade Union was made of a series of islands just south of the Myriad Monsters Sea. Getting to those islands would require going over water. While orcs could swim quite far and fast, they couldn’t do so while carrying a couple dozen bound elf captives and a mountain of loot and weapons.
Bags of holding would compensate for some of that, and a fair number of the orcs could fly. But not all of them. We needed boats or at least rafts that we could row to the various islands.
So that’s what I set to work doing. There was plenty of wood around Moonbow City, and just about every tree was straight and tall. With the help of the skilled craftswomen of the Moonbow and the Whitewood Clan, I’d have a fleet of working ships in mere days.
“Wearing clothes again feels strange, master.” Yavilla Whitewood complained after I pulled a brown cloak over her and her sister.
“You’ll have to bear with it until we get back to the manor,” I chuckled. “You and your clan belong to me, and I don’t want any other man cast covetous eyes upon what is mine. Now, please help me with these plans.”
I unfurled a scroll containing a drawing of a boat. The keel was one large log, and the hull was made of wood shaped into an arc. I’d seen the Riverweed Tribe grow wood in such a shape before, and I was hoping the Whitewood Clan could do the same but on a larger scale.
