Team Ogres Layers (Alex)
I dive at the pike square, fearless, my Slime tentacle hair a nest of vipers ready to strike the second I'm in range. I'll end this farce in an instant!
When I'm a mere handful of yards from the formation, four huge projectiles come at me, seemingly from nowhere. My defense is on a level where I can shrug off mortal blades. Anything short of magic is going to bounce off my hardened, dark scales. This however... I mean, these are fucking tree trunks!
I dodge, but the number and size of them ensure I get slammed by at least one. Tumbling to the ground with a great weight bearing down on me, I recover swiftly and throw the log aside once I’m back on my feet. My Cancer Armor’s breastplate is cracked, but I simply rip it off and resummon the piece.
Ah, there they are! Our enemy steps forward until we can see the whites of their eyes, allowing us to confirm our suspicions.
Book of Monsters Entry – Ogre Leftenant: Goblinoid monster. 3rd Tier, Average Rank, Tier-Promoted. The left hand of a militaristic Goblinoid monster. An Ogre who is drafted into their superior’s chain-of-command may take this Evolutionary Promotion, elevating their Tier to become as powerful as a Greater Ogre and ten times as intelligent. Unquestioningly loyal to their superior officer, their ability to comprehend orders and command troops makes them a keystone in the Goblinoid army. Often seen wielding a ball mace.
It’s Igrut, Evolved to a higher form. He’s a head taller than before and wearing a mostly intact dress uniform with epaulets. Another oversized javelin is staked in the ground next to him, ready to throw.
Book of Monsters Entry – Ogress Rightenant: Goblinoid monster. 3rd Tier, Average Rank, Tier-Promoted. The right hand of a militaristic Goblinoid monster. An Ogress who is drafted into their superior’s chain-of-command may take this Evolutionary Promotion, elevating their Tier to become as powerful as a Greater Ogress and ten times as intelligent. Unquestioningly loyal to their superior officer, their ability to comprehend orders and command troops makes them a keystone in the Goblinoid army. Often seen wielding a knobbed mace, ribbed for her sadistic pleasure.
Another one, similar to Igrut in size and shape, but female. The General’s ability to Promote his allies’ Ranks and Tiers is truly on another level compared to the Goblin Sheikh!
Then I spot the source of our troubles so far. This is one evolution that we hadn’t anticipated in the enemy’s forces.
Book of Monsters Entry – Ogre Commissary: Goblinoid monster. 3rd Tier, Average Rank, Tier-Promoted. An Ogre appointed by their General to distribute rations and equipment to the troops. In addition to possessing an innate knowledge of the amount and status of their provisions, the Commissary can summon a number of portions per day of Ogre Rations proportional to the potency of the highest monster in their chain of command. The Commissary can summon weapons, armor, and utility equipment of a quantity and quality proportional to the potency of the highest monster in their chain of command.
This Ogre has so many assorted weapons, tools, and random pieces of armor strapped to their person that I can’t see their uniform or identify their gender. Before my eyes, they summon a javelin nearly the size of an ancient human telephone pole to hand.
“Ah, I see the Echidna has finally joined us,” a startlingly cultured-sounding voice says, drawing my attention. It’s Bruke.
Book of Monsters Entry – Ogre General: Goblinoid monster. 3rd Tier, Above-Average Rank, Leader-type advancement of a Greater Ogre. Appears in Goblinoid clans with an abundance of Ogres (in other words, those with access to humans for ‘hunting’). Evolves after winning a large number of duals against other Ogres. The catalyst appears to be ‘getting hit on the head one too many times,’ having the opposite of the expected effect and causing a sudden streak of tactical genius. Superior strength and toughness compared to a Greater Ogre, but it’s their strategic cunning that makes them a terror for others at their Tier to face. Often seen wielding a steel club.
Ogre Generals use their Tier and Rank Promotions to create a rigid chain-of-command, the Evolutionary energy flowing top-down from their Leftenant to the lowliest Private Goblin. When an Ogre General is slain, their subordinates lose their Promotions—including the boosts to intelligence—like a passing dream. Beware their war chant.
He has a scarlet tunic, mutton chops, a bristly mustache, and a bicorn hat with Harpy plumage sticking out the top. A myriad of bottlecap badges from imagined skirmishes adorn his fancy uniform, but the only thing covering his bottom half is a ragged loincloth.
I pause for a brief moment. Nobody is attacking just yet. He seems amiable to talking… and that suits me just fine. “It’s ‘Lady Mayoress,’ but you can just call me Alex, General Bruke.”
The Ogre chuckles, twirling his mustache with a sausage-sized finger as he responds, “Spare me the pleasantries, Echidna. You didn’t come here to chat. I know what happened to that crusty bunny underground, the elderly tree, and the old bird on the mountain. You’ve been absorbing tribes left and right! The wolves and the Goblinoids would be two more feathers in your cap.”
“This isn’t about conquering and domination,” I argue, allowing my passions to bubble to the surface, “My mission is peace! No more predators and prey. No more starvation or Incursions. No rape—only free love! I’m uniting the Region; please, join us in a pact of mutual defense.”
He guffaws. “An Echidna talking about ‘peace’ and ‘love,’ how bloody ironic. Well, I suppose you’re one of those Echidnas rather than the walking disaster one expects. That doesn’t particularly matter, though. I can’t allow you to stand in the way of my ascending to the Fourth Tier before our little Region receives some unfortunate and unwanted external attention. And the only way I can do that is by leading several successful military campaigns. First against the mongrels, then the spiders, and finally—ah, I suppose you delivered yourself to me early, so no harm done.”
This guy… I expect the Harpies to be well-informed with their flight and sharp eyesight, but Bruke is awfully knowledgeable. “If I can’t convince you to join us, then I guess a peaceful resolution just isn’t meant to be. But, seriously, how do you know so much?”
Inhaling sharply, Bruke gives us a crooked grin as he bursts into song,
“~I am the very model of a modern Ogre General,
I've information vegetable, animal, and elemental,
I know the legends of Echidnas, and I quote the fights historical
From ancient humanity to modernity, in order categorical;
I'm very well acquainted, too, with Evolution theoretical,
I understand Attributes, both the basic and hypothetical,
About regional politics I'm teeming with a lot o' news,
With many cheerful facts about new potential rendezvous~!”
That didn’t really answer the question… and what did he mean by that last part? I blink as I notice Bruke’s allies reach up to their heads to each pull out a set of earplugs, allowing them to hear their commanding officer’s voice. So, that’s how this portion of the General’s army overcame Terzetto’s dulcet tones! And now he’s started his supposed ‘war chant.’
Before my eyes, a glow appears around the bodies of the Ogres and the Orcs in the pike square. I’d rather not find out what that does.
“Jonny, quick, counter-song!”
The six-winged statuesque man lands beside me, cracking his stony knuckles as his three Siren faces let out a scintillating note, ““~Lah~!””
I watch the glow on all the Goblinoids gutter out and die. They can’t hear their leader properly anymore. Phew. We may not be able to neutralize the enemy with her Siren song, but at least we don’t have to deal with that mysterious buff.
Both sides fall silent for a beat before we all launch into action. The General glares at Jonny. "I had three more verses prepared, you imbecile!" He definitely doesn’t like being interrupted during his gimmick.
“I thought 'brevity is the soul of wit,' isn't that what you said before, Jonny?" Brenda’s face appears on her human's stone chest. “Remember me, Bruke? This time, it’s your turn to get fucked!”
That’s right, I first met Brenda as a fellow ‘hood ornament’ strapped to Bruke while I was knotted on the Wolf Lord’s cock. How nostalgic, it feels like it’s been years!
“Shatter that pesky golem! Your General commands it!”
The Ogres lurch forward.
I stomp the ground.
“Elder Upheaval!”
Jonny’s wings lift him aloft as the earth shakes. An expanding wave of upturned soil races from the impact site of my heel, throwing the entire pike square off their feet like struck bowling pins. All four Ogres stumble, each reeling on one leg to keep their balance.
Don’t waste this chance! A spark of flame appears in my hand, a seed from Flamestalker Fire Magic that I feed with power to reach the size of a watermelon. Enhance! The flames grow hotter, reaching the Third Tier using Witch Spellcraft. Multiply! Multiply! I use my four Multitasking Focuses to quickly triple the spell, merge them together, and throw it at Bruke.
A huge fireball as big as an ancient human beach ball sails through the air at my foe.
At the same time, Jonny forms a sphere of frozen acidic slush in his hand and tosses it in an arc.
“THUNDER CRASH!!!”
Megan shoots forward at incredible speeds in a straight line that ends in the Leftenant’s chest. The impact propels Igrut backward a dozen feet before he lands in a heap as tiny streaks of lightning ground themselves from his steaming form.
Jonny’s slush ball splats onto the Rightenant’s uniform, eating away at the clothing and making her shiver. Of course, he wants to see them big ol’ Ogress titties. Damn it, Jonny, get your head in the game!
My fireball splashes against the Ogre General himself before exploding in a conflagration that blocks his form from sight entirely. I hope that didn’t kill him outright, but I can’t exactly hold back!
The Denki Nezumi hops to her feet, already bristling with blue energy as she activates her new Electric Ewe static electricity magic to recharge herself. She’s vulnerable at the nadir of her power after using that attack, so she retreats to our backlines as quickly as her enhanced speed can carry her. My little mousy lover’s glowing hair is all poofy! It’s adorable, not to mention deadly effective.
A massive plant monster lumbers up to us, carrying Dura the Ogress and Effie the Nursemaid, thus explaining how Megan got past Gabby’s thorn wall. It’s Isabella the Desert Rose Flower Dryad at the helm, merged with a giant, towering pitcher covered with thorns. She created this Minion-type plant monster by combining her power with that of Mulu and her Pitcher Treefolk subordinates, who are all hitching a ride beside her on the cup lid.
We decided to allow the Pitcher women to participate in the war, mostly due to Isabella’s ability. They’re all elevated out of harm’s way and can control whipping vines to defend against projectiles.
“Dura re’dy to fight!” the Ogress declares as she hops down to the ground.
“Is anyone injured?” the Nurse asks, her arms around two Pitcher women's waists to hold herself steady.
“Actually, I think we’re wrapping this up—” I start to say, then pause as the flames subside.
Bruke the Ogre General is barely singed. Only the feathers on his cap even look toasty. He twirls his mustache and mocks me with a smug glare.
I knew he was on another level from the Goblin Sheikh, but this is ridiculous! Maybe I should’ve expected this given the quantity and quality of his army. A Leader-type monster draws strength from the power of their subordinates. An Ogre is already one of the toughest Second Tier monsters, so a Third Tier Ogre with Leadership buffs makes the Elder Tree’s bark look like paper-mache.
The Ogre Commissary regains their balance, rushes over to the downed Leftenant, and pulls something from their bandolier. Igrut stirs, then sits up. Smelling salts?!? Then the Commissary shoves a handful of something else into the Leftenant’s mouth. Electric burns heal as we stare in shock. It’s theOgre Rations; they have a healer!
Both Ogres right themselves and turn our way with dark expressions.
“Did you really think it would be that easy?” Bruke asks with a smirk.
Just then, a truly monstrous howl rattles the world, ruining my hopes that Suka’s team would make short work of the Wolf Lord.