Chapter 19

  Under The Cold Gaze Of The Tower

  15 minutes. It had only been 15 minutes since he’d put the headset on and been punted from Earth into one of the worlds of the Black Tower. Yet, Wolf’s skin was already crawling from the feeling of being in a world that didn’t naturally block out every trace of his lupine nature.

  “Alright, all I’ve gotta do is collect enough wolfsbane to form a solid stockpile. Nothing to it, you told her yourself. Of course you also told her that you remembered your parent’s shifting lessons with your siblings. You were never taught how to control and ease into the change… You’re an idiot… You’re an idiot collecting plants for yourself because you lied to her to sound more ready than you are. And why does it smell so musty here? Oh… great, I’m smelling my own sweat… I should probably take a break from yelling at myself and focus on finding those plants.”

  I’m going to miss how being on Earth muted everything that made us few travellers distinct from the humans, Wolf thought as he took a handful of leaves from a low hanging branch, held them to his nose, and took a deep breath in, before letting it out slowly.

  I need to center myself.

  His off-brand hightop shoes with a star logo on them slid, digging out a groove in a patch of wet soil. The knee of his blue jeans thudded right into the muddy streak his shoe had left behind. He would need to gear up with something more local once his initial tasks were taken care of, but the custom headpiece that Lana had given him had brought him here as he was. This was him, just as he was on Earth, but here under the cold gaze of the tower—he was, unfortunately, more.

  The hairs on his arms stood on end. His senses were peaking, screeching at his mind like a microphone too close to the speaker. His head was throbbing with each breeze that rustled leaves and every bird that called in the distance.

  There were too many sounds here, too many smells. It was like the world was trying to blur at the edges and that smudge was working at seeping in towards the center.

  This will be the first thing the wolfsbane will come in handy for, that and for dulling the pain of unpracticed shifting. It’ll be worth it to help her though. She deserves to go home more than I do. I wouldn’t exactly be returning as the person they expected me to grow into, but at least my family might still be out there somewhere. Finally!

  Bending a knee, Wolf hastily pulled a violet blossomed plant up from the dirt, the roots releasing clumps of damp soil to fall to the ground. He shoved a fistful of crumpled leaves and petals into his mouth and forced his jaw to work through the sting and bitter taste.

  “Ugh, it’s like eating a rotted cactus. Why does one of the only things that helps us also have to be so difficult to eat? It couldn’t have been beets, or apples, or literally anything that wasn’t green and floral?”

  It took a few moments for the herb to make its way into his system, but the ease of pressure on his senses was enough to blunt the disorientation he’d felt. It was like rolling the window down in a car with a busted AC in the middle of summer, still impossible to be comfortable, but at least there was a breeze.

  Now, off to do the task Lana assigned to me. Time to go touch some bricks.

  * * *

  Nik was breathing heavily now. If he could sweat, then thick droplets would have beaded and fallen from his brow as he lunged forward in another practice strike.

  If Pearl has our students putting in the same effort, then they’ll be making good progress towards leveling their new skills. Still, this isn’t fast enough. I need a way to speed things up for myself. I need a real fight…

  Nik made his way back over to his friend and their students.

  “How are they doing?”

  “They are learning. Each has had their own progress in different areas more than others, but they have all made progress. None of them has shown any lack of determination.”

  “Do you think they would be up to a fight if one came to them?”

  “They were not up for their last one, but now they could at least offer you support. Beyond that, I do not know that they could hold their own yet. They are better than you were when you threw a spear end over end into an elf’s head, though.”

  “Oh, you saw that? I thought you were stuck behind a tree.”

  Pearl shrugged. “I peeked.”

  A familiar bell rang in his head, and Nik incorrectly thought he’d hidden his reaction well as another notification went off.

  “Did you want to tell me about whatever it is that the system just did?” she asked.

  “An example of why I think that the system knows my thoughts. I have an idea that might help with our clan’s survival, but I’ll need to go get some information. I’ll get back to you in a bit. Have them hold off on spending any more mana for me.’

  “As you wish, Lord Stormclaw,” she said with a wink.

  He rolled his eyes as he turned away from his friend and constant menace. I don’t think I’m going to stop being teased about that particular development for a while.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  He took the steps one at a time towards the outer rings of the room, which in the process of being made into a camp of sorts. Goblins moved about with purpose and intent. Nik nearly tripped a vendor with his tail when they were attempting to set up a stall.

  “Beggin’ your pardon, Lord. I’m just here to barter with some goods you Stormclaws might need on your journey,” said the vendor.

  Nik cut him off with his own apology, and said, “No, I’m sorry. I’ve had it all my life and I still lose track of it sometimes. Oh, by the way, have you happened to see any of my clan elders?”

  “Hmm, I believe I saw some older lookin’ folks headed around the tents over towards the far end by the entrance tunnel, Lord Stormclaw.”

  “Thank you, I’ll speak with you later about what supplies you have on offer,” Nik replied as he turned to the direction the vendor had indicated.

  The encampment somehow had already become a maze despite the natural paths that the seating should have made. He searched the faces of the clan he was still getting to know for the nearest of his new advisors.

  Really any one of the elders should be able to help. Where’d they all go?

  Nik made his way through the mats, cotts, and slanted tents that filled this side of the seating area until he found the full group of them holding a small meeting outside of the hasty shuffling of the camp.

  “Maybe, but he ain’t one of us and we look out for our own kind. Tryin’ out somethin’ like this is only goin’ to end up with our blood waterin’ the earth up top,” said a clearly discontented goblin.

  It was Elder Pliegs’ voice that responded, “That or worse would already be the case if it weren’t for him. Can’t you see it in his eyes? There’s nothin’ but honesty there. I ain’t sure if the boy could even tell a lie if he wanted to, it ain’t in his bones. He’ll treat us fairly and fight for your life, with his between yours and the thing what threatens it, no doubt.”

  They hadn’t seen him arrive until it was too late, he’d already mistakenly overheard at least a bit of the discussion.

  Nik cleared his throat before speaking, “Thank you, Pliegs. Each person’s trust is theirs to give. I will try my best to earn it, but it isn’t my right to expect it. That might not be wrong either. The surface is dangerous, between the adventurers and the beasts. A dragon even made its home in part of the Emberwoods where there’s nothing but ash now.”

  Elder Pliegs bowed and said, “It is a dangerous world indeed.”

  Nik nodded his appreciation and moved his eyes to the other elder, “But Pliegs is right, too. I would die with myself between the danger and our clan. My clan. Like it or not, trust it or not, I am Nik Stormclaw now.”

  “I am sorry that you overheard that, Lord,” said the goblin who didn’t trust him yet.

  “Don’t be, you were only speaking your mind. What is your name, Elder?”

  “I’m called Terk, Lord Nik,” he said.

  “Well Terk, how would you like to help me to improve the odds that our blood won’t wet the soil anytime soon?” he asked, giving a friendly grin to the goblin he might have to try the hardest to win over.

  “I meant you no disrespect, but I care a great deal for this clan. If you’re askin’ me to teach you leadership, you don’t have enough time for a whole lot of that.”

  “That would be helpful, too, but no. I wanted to know if there is any beast down here that is common enough to find and of the right strength for a team of five to hunt it? I need our lowerguard members to be ready to face anything, and they just don’t have a lot of combat experience,” said Nik.

  “Hmm, I suppose there are a couple of things that might be common enough. Strong enough to be challengin’ and weak enough to avoid certain death is more difficult to find.”

  Terk paused in thought, tapping a finger against the side of his forehead.

  “Maybe skitterbugs, unless you run into a matron. If you run into a Matron, you’d be best off runnin’ away,” said Elder Terk.

  Nik did his best to focus on the elder goblin and ignore the sounds of the clan bustling behind him as he asked, “What else can you tell me about them?”

  “Well they travel in small packs of males except for around the matron. It’s like they keep guards on them. If you see high numbers then there is almost guaranteed to be a matron nearby.”

  Before Nik could respond, Terk held up a finger as he remembered some of the more physical details. “Oh, they also have a dozen or so barbed legs, but dependin’ on their age they might have more. However, the venomous stingers on their rears are the real danger with skitterbugs. The healers could help, though, if they get to you in time.”

  “Where should we start our hunt, and what signs do we look for?”

  “Our warriors will be able to show you; I’m sure at least one of them has seen the creatures before. One last thing before you go, though, if I may,” said the elder.

  “Of course, honored elder,” Nik said

  The older goblin looked Nik squarely in the eyes and vowed, “If you can turn this situation around and lead our people well, I will eat my words and name a drink after you.”

  Nik blinked at Terk. “You’ll name a drink after me?”

  “Yes, that was my profession in my younger years. I ran a modest alehouse. Maybe you won’t lead us all to our death and I’ll find an apprentice.”

  Taking a note from Pearl’s book of conversational practices, Nik replied, “I’ll hold you to that,” and then he turned and walked away.

  This clan is relying on me to be the strength they need to survive. My students are going to have to help me to get stronger, too. They just don’t know how much we’re all about to grow, he thought as he pulled up the last message from the system.

  Nik’s hands were shaking slightly, and he couldn’t stop himself from smiling. It’s going to be fun seeing Pearl’s reaction to this one, but it’s going to be even better putting it into use.

  Party System Unlocked!

  Congratulations!

  Welcome to the party?

  Current Party Size 1 of 5

  He selected his students and Pearl from the system’s new menu option.

  Would You Like To Form A Party?

  Nik said the word, “Yes,” aloud as he approached his allies.

  The whole group turned his direction in unison as they received system messages of their own. Pearl, who seemed to grasp an understanding of the situation the fastest, said, “Did you? No…? You did not just send me this… This is unbelievable. It says that party members share a portion of collective experience points, and gain limited access to the system? Nik, if this means what I think it does, then this could change everything?”

  Nik smiled broadly at the entire group, and nodding his head at Pearl, said, “It’s time for the Stormclaws to level up.”