Building harem town 5, p.24
Building Harem Town 5, page 24
Once again, the Wrath of Jack cut through the mortal weapon like bread, and the gnome’s sword was chopped in half.
We both stopped and looked down at the broken metal, and the gnome rubbed his chin.
“I reckon that’s going to happen against any of our swords,” he chuckled. “Well, I know we make good weapons, but maybe not quite on the level of a god’s!”
“It seems so.” I nodded as I studied my shining blade. “Sorry about that, but thanks for helping.”
“Not a worry.” He shrugged. “Like I said, it’s an old one. Not sure we should try with any of our newer builds?”
“No,” I said. “I think it’s pretty clear that the same thing will happen.”
It was clear that I would fuck up every mortal weapon I came in contact with. I studied the blade and wondered if it was meant for something more. Could my new weapon be the key to destroying Luke? Was I holding a sword capable of killing a god?
The women rushed over and grinned as they looked down at the chopped-up piece of metal.
“That was amazing,” Celeste laughed.
“You look sooo handsome,” Penelope cooed as she gripped onto my bicep.
“What are you going to do with the rest of your time?” Aleia asked, and I snapped out of my own thoughts.
“I think I’ll take a walk around the groups,” I said. “It’s good to be down here encouraging my people in my physical form for a while. Clearly, I don’t need too much practice with the sword.”
“Okay,” Aleia pouted a bit. “I suppose we should go back to practicing, I just never want to miss a chance to give you a kiss!”
The fairy hovered up and planted her soft lips on mine, and I squeezed her hand before she hurried back to her group. The other women did the same, and they all shot me loving glances before they strode back to continue their practice.
I walked from group to group and gave encouraging words to everyone as they fought. Everything I said was the truth, and even though the fortress gnomes needed a bit of practice, it wasn’t long before they were keeping up with my convent group.
I really did have a powerful army on my side, and I smiled as I watched Celeste fight while I began to fade away. The harpy shot me a flirty smile as she spun around with her sword, and then I was back in my god form.
The day went by quickly, and only a few short food breaks were taken. The gnomes made sure to swap watchtower shifts throughout the afternoon, and the sun began to set.
“Okay,” I announced as I glanced up at the darkening sky. “You all did incredibly well today, and I don’t want you to be too exhausted for tomorrow. I think we should call it a day and be proud of ourselves for what we’ve achieved here.”
The group nodded and yawned as they began to pack up their weapons. The elves brought out some bread and cakes for a late snack, and jugs of water were passed around.
“That was a great day,” Celeste sighed happily as Myra handed her a cake.
“It really was!” Penelope agreed. “We got to brush up on our skills, and we got to see Jack again!”
Everyone took a seat to enjoy their snacks and chatter about the day’s fights filled the fortress.
But as the group spoke, I had a weird eerie feeling, like I had just shivered. Then I glanced up at the sky, and my non-existent stomach dropped as I noticed a tiny hint of amber amongst the inky blue.
Shit. Was Ethan about to unleash a surprise attack of Squall Sprites? I didn’t want to alarm anyone, so I decided to ask Celeste privately to help out.
“Hey,” I said to the harpy. “Would you excuse yourself to go and stretch your wings? There’s something outside I want to have a look at.”
Celeste nodded as she took her last bite of cake, and she brushed crumbs from her legs as she stood up.
“I’m going to stretch out my wings,” she said. “All that movement today has made them feel stiff!”
“Be careful,” Penelope said with a smile.
“I’ll go with her,” I promised. “We’ll be back in a moment.”
The priestesses gave Celeste questioning looks, but they didn’t say anything. I would fill them in once we returned, but there was no point in causing panic amongst the fortress for no reason. The harpy strode out of the metal entrance, and she gave a wave up to the gnomes in the watchtower as she walked past.
“Where are we going?” she asked quietly.
“I want you to look over at Ethan’s mountains,” I said. “I thought I could see some orange in the sky, and I want to make sure the storm isn’t on the move.”
Celeste nodded and unfolded her scarlet feathers before she soared up into the sky. She sped past the emerald treetops and hovered high above the gleaming fortress as she faced the far off hills.
“Fuck,” she hissed as we took in the sight before us.
The storm seemed angrier somehow. It was a much darker shade of orange, and there were several whirlwinds spinning around inside. Even from a distance, I could hear the far off shriek of sprites, and I could tell the clouds had spread. They had edged closer to the deep forest, and I knew it wouldn’t take long to reach the fortress.
“He’s coming,” Celeste breathed. “Isn’t he?”
I watched as the orange clouds rolled over the sky, and I knew that she was right.
There was more than one god in this land who wanted to fight me, but I was ready for them.
Chapter 17
Everyone slept soundly that night, but I had an overwhelming sense of drive and adrenaline, and I kept checking the fortress perimeter for signs of an ambush. We had taken one day for training, and I wondered if Luke had done the same.
The storm was moving further into the forest, and I needed to be ready for anything.
I had only mentioned the approaching storm to the priestesses as they got into bed, but I imagined the watchtower gnomes would spot it soon enough.
As the night went on, I wondered where we would even find Luke to battle him. What if his followers were spread out all over the deep forest?
I knew that the Wrath of Jack was what I would need to use against Luke, and I figured he would need to come down into his physical form for it to work. Then I wondered if all gods even had that ability. It certainly seemed like we all had different powers, but surely I couldn’t stab someone if they were still in their god form?
I had a million questions, and I was the only one who could figure them out.
The sun hadn’t even begun to rise when the fortress stirred with life. A few gnomes came out into the square just as the moon had started to fall.
“Couldn’t sleep?” I asked, and the gnomes shrugged.
“I got a fair bit of rest,” one of the men said. “Decided we might as well get started with breakfast before we go and find this god.”
They began to set up the fire for cooking, and a few more residents yawned as they came out to join in.
It only took a couple more minutes for the sun to start to come up, and I checked in with the priestesses to find them already awake.
They were propped up against the headboard in deep discussion, and I had a feeling I knew what they were talking about.
“Morning,” I said. “It seems that everyone’s up early today.”
“Good morning,” Aleia said. “Yes, we were just discussing the storm. Do you think Ethan is going to help Luke fight us?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “The only thing I know for sure is that we’re going to destroy Luke, Reaper of Skulzzz, and free everyone who has had their lives ruined by the fucker.”
“Yes!” Nicola cheered. “Let’s go and destroy an army!”
“I suppose the orcs didn’t choose us,” Penelope sighed as they climbed out of bed. “What a pity. I really thought they would make the right choice, my lord.”
“There’s still time,” I said. “Let’s make sure you all get something to eat before we get organized for battle. I’ll check in with the Orcs if we haven’t heard from them in a couple hours.”
“I don’t know if I can eat,” Celeste said. “I’m so excited, and nervous, too.”
“We’ll need our strength sister,” Penelope said. “Even if it’s just a bit of fruit!”
“She’s in motherly mode again.” Nicola grinned. “You better do as she says.”
The women finished getting dressed, and they headed down the stairs with determined looks. They had all of their weapons slung over their shoulders and attached to their waists.
There was an excited buzz in the square, and the priestesses hurried over to the rest of the group to grab some breakfast.
“Good morning,” I said to the group as bowls of eggs and fruit were passed out. “I know today is going to be tough, but each and every one of you are capable of great things. We’re going to work as a team, and we’re going to fight like the army of warriors I know you all are.”
“Where are we going to go?” Allam asked as he bit into an apple. “The orcs’ cave?”
“No,” I said. “I still think we have a chance of winning them over. I know that if we find a clearing in the deep forest, Luke’s ego won’t be able to resist bringing the battle right to us.”
“Should we take the horses?” Myra asked.
“Some,” I replied. “Enough to carry extra weapons, but not enough for it to be a problem if they get in the firing line. Besides, Layla is coming, too.”
Everyone turned to look at the three-headed bear, and she glanced up as she happily chomped on a small rabbit.
“We’re going to destroy them!” Grez cheered. “Luke doesn’t stand a chance. Well, his followers don’t. We can’t actually kill a god… can we?”
The yellow-haired elf scratched his head, and everyone else exchanged confused glances.
“You can’t,” I said. “But I believe I can. So what I need from you is to mow down everyone he will use to continue his reign of terror.”
“I’m not excited about fighting orcs,” a young gnome man said. “They’re huge. I know we’re all good fighters, but they might outnumber us.”
“We can take on anything,” I assured him. “Besides, there’s still time for the orcs to come around. They really seemed to be listening to the priestesses, and I know that some of them were questioning their beliefs.”
I quickly checked my armies tab on the interface, but there was no tab for orcs. I had to admit, I was kind of disappointed that they hadn’t appeared yet. They’d seemed pissed off at Luke, and they were clearly impressed by what I had done for my people.
Regardless of the orcs, I had to focus on the team I had at hand now. Even without any extra members, I believed fully in my people.
“So the next thing--” I began, and then stopped as there was a sharp knock on the fortress entranceway.
I immediately used my God Vision and was shocked to find we had visitors. There were around twenty male orcs armed with axes and swords, along with two imps who seemed less sure about their choice. Before I reported back to the others, I quickly checked my devotional map. There were deep orange marks for almost all of the orcs, and a couple of yellow ones for the imps.
I felt a rush of relief and excitement.
I had done it. I had stolen Luke’s followers.
The gnomes in the watchtower didn’t seem as excited, and they kept their crossbows aimed down through the thin window.
“We are here for Jack!” Lurk called from the front of the group, and the rest of the orcs grunted in agreement.
“They’re safe,” I said to the lookouts. “Trust me, they want to fight with us.”
“My lord,” one of the gnomes said slowly. “I truly worship you, but I’m not sure these orcs can be trusted. They’re… orcs!”
“I know,” I replied. “But I have my ways of knowing if their intentions are true or not. Don’t shoot.”
The gnomes glanced at each other and frowned, but they lowered their weapons with a sigh.
I joined my followers back inside and found they were all on their feet staring at the entrance.
“It’s the orcs,” I said. “And a couple of imps. They’re here to fight with us.”
“They are?” Penelope clapped. “Oh, my lord! How wonderful! You did it.”
“We all did,” I corrected. “I know you gnomes don’t really have a history of getting along too well with the orcs, but I want you to let them in.”
“Orcs?” Jemmy squeaked. “Inside our fortress? Jack, please! They’re worse than the volcano monsters!”
“I forgot about those,” I muttered. “Listen, I know this is going to be weird. Maybe a bit uncomfortable, but I need you to trust me. Do you trust me?”
“Of course, we do!” Grez said. “Let’s show our new friends in!”
“Maybe we should let the gnomes do it,” I said quickly. “As a sign of peace.”
“Alright!” Grez said, and his cheery smile didn’t waver even once as he sat back down.
The gnomes all exchanged glances, and I could tell that they were still unsure. I didn’t blame them. The orcs were pretty fucking terrifying, especially since they were three feet bigger than the gnomes.
I could see that the gnomes from my convent were not as nervous as the others, but they didn’t step forward to open the door. I knew they believed it was the fortress group’s choice, and I agreed.
The priestesses gave the gnomes encouraging smiles, and eventually, Jemmy sighed.
“Okay,” she said. “I trust you, Jack. I’ll let them in.”
The priestesses and elves cheered, and Jemmy strode over to the metal doorway. I had to hand it to the orcs, too, they had been pretty polite. They hadn’t banged on the doorway or tried to smash through the various locks. They were certainly big and strong enough to have done some serious damage to the steel, but I figured they were showing respect.
When the blonde gnome reached the doorway, she took a breath before she swung it open to reveal the orcs and imps.
There was a tense moment of silence as both groups stared at each other, and then Lurk gave a swift bow and nod. The rest of the orcs copied, and they smacked the imps over the head until they did the same.
“Hello,” Jemmy said. “Welcome to our fortress.”
She stood back and gestured for the new arrivals to enter.
“I can’t believe it worked!” Aleia hissed to the other women. “We did it!”
“We are just too charming,” Nicola said with a flick of her hair. “There was no way they were going to say no.”
The orcs strode into the square, and Layla walked over to stand behind Nicola. I couldn’t help but chuckle as even Lurk gave the animal a wary glance, and the group came to a halt in the middle of the fortress.
“We have come to fight by your side,” Lurk announced. “I know our people have not always seen eye to eye, but we want to fight against the god Luke.”
“Then we have the same goal.” Allam nodded.
“He has stripped this forest of its powers,” Lurk spat. “He has humiliated us, starved us, and tried to take us over with fear. Last night, he left a message on our pregnant women’s walls. He will pay.”
At that point, everyone started calling out their opinions on Luke, and the orcs and gnomes complained to each other about the asshole deity. I gave them a moment to enjoy their bonding, and then I asked Celeste to welcome them on my behalf.
The harpy spread her scarlet wings and flew slightly above everyone’s heads, and it grabbed attention like always.
“Jack welcomes you all,” Celeste announced. “We are going to put a stop to Luke’s reign of terror and take back everything that belongs to the deep forest.”
There was a cheer from everyone in the fortress, and it felt good to hear the screams of so many different species all for the same cause.
I looked down at my new, upgraded army and felt a phantom smirk as the orcs sharpened their axes. I would have almost felt sorry for Luke, if he wasn’t such an evil piece of shit.
“Okay,” I said. “We need to get the horses loaded up with their saddlebags. Any weapons we can’t carry go inside. We’re not traveling light here. We bring anything that could kill whatever monsters Luke has on standby. In fact, ask the imps and orcs if they have any idea what we might be up against.”
“Load up the horses,” Celeste called out. “Every weapon we have goes with us. Jack wants to ask the orcs and imps if they could shed any light on the kind of species we’ll be fighting?”
Lurk scratched his chin, and a few other orcs shrugged.
“We never really cared enough to ask,” the leader orc replied. “He always bragged about the creatures he had on his side, but it pissed me off so much that I ignored him on purpose.”
I snorted with laughter. I was really starting to like our new orc allies.
“What about the imps?” Celeste asked. “Do you have any idea what we need to prepare for?”
The imps looked shocked that they were being addressed directly, and the pair almost fell over as they took a few hurried steps backward from the harpy.
“Uh,” Celeste said. “Are you both alright?”
“Yes!” the shorter imp squeaked. “We just aren’t used to our god asking us something politely. Um, Luke never told us anything other than what would happen to us if we didn’t obey his every wish.”
“Sounds about right,” Celeste sighed. “Well, Jack just wants to know anything that could help us in battle.”
“He does have more imps,” the taller one said. “Quite a lot of them. About thirty? But other than that, I don’t really know for sure.”
“Okay,” I said. “Let’s get those horses loaded up, and we’ll head out into the forest. Any ideas from the orcs for a good place to declare our war?”
Celeste passed on the question, and there was a murmur of discussion.
“I know a spot.” Lurk nodded. “Up past Misty Hill, there’s good flat ground with a nearby lake. We can get people up high on the hill, and there’s not too dense of a tree line, so we shouldn’t be snuck up on easily.”
