Raze ~ 25!

~ Twenty-five ~

“Awaken, Humans.” Joe’s eyes snapped open, and he was perfectly awake. Awake like when a foghorn went off near your ear, without the pain or flinching.

“What did you do to us?” Poppy snarled as he launched out of bed. “How did you get around sending us to our spawn room when you knocked us out?”

The Wolfman that would be their guide for the remainder of the day snorted through his elongated snout and declined to answer. There was something shifty afoot, but they wouldn’t be finding out from this Scout. The Wolfman gestured for them to come along, and the confused and somewhat salty Humans followed him. Joe scratched at his side, then Cleansed himself and his team. No need to remain salty when he was a walking shower.

“I bring. You see. You take quest.” The Scout didn't seem to have the same linguistic range as the others that the group had interacted with, but after a moment was having a conversation with Jaxon in the Wolfman tongue as they walked.

“What happened while we were all doing our own thing?” Joe asked the others, getting nods of understanding as they watched Jaxon lashed out and pound on the Wolfman for ten seconds. Then, again strangely, the Wolfman stood tall and handed over a bag of something. Jaxon looked inside, nodded, and the walk continued. “Jaxon, what is…”

“Cured ham.”

Joe had no words, but luckily they arrived at their destination only a moment later. The only way that he knew they were there was the glass sparkling in the sun. The building itself was clear glass, and Joe could see that the place was stuffed with greenery. They walked into the building, and it was like going from having a stuffed nose to being able to smell everything. The Scout with them started sneezing, and even had to cover his snout after a short while. The air was potent with flavor and rich aromas. Joe’s stomach growled, and he wasn't alone. From what they could see, there was enough food to feed dozens of people for weeks, and this was just the entrance of the building.

“Is greenhouse. Many functions. You see? Good.” The Scout waved them backward, and they were forced out of the building. “To The O’Baba.”

Passing through the door again seemed to pull away all the scents that they had been marinating in only moments ago. It must be a function of the building, and Joe was itching to make a blueprint and create his own version. He had only been able to see a small area in the greenhouse, but it seemed to be massive on a scale that he was having trouble understanding. Such a huge building shouldn’t be able to exist in hiding, but then again… it hadn't seemed that huge from the outside. Perhaps there were some tricks to it like the spatial magic of the Mage’s college? That was the only thing that Joe could think of. Was this another Artifact building? Higher? Would he even be able to build it elsewhere even if he had the blueprint?

His thoughts were tumultuous as he walked, and he was on full autopilot mode until they arrived back to O’Baba. She saw his faraway gaze and nodded, “You have questions, I have a few answers. Not too many, until you complete my task. Then you may ask about the building as much as you like.”

“Fair enough.” Joe took a steadying breath and looked her in the eye. “Does that building use spatial magic? What tier is it?”

“Yes, it is larger than it should be. It is classified as a ‘Special Unique’.” O’Baba showed teeth. “You wonder why the ranking is so low for such a potent building, I can see. The high cost to create it, and the… downsides that come with the building lower the perceived value. Not everything can be the best in the world, Architect of Artifacts.”

Joe flinched, but decided that it was foolish of him to think that the current leader of a nation wouldn't have a way to look at his titles at the very least. “Well, that’s good. I don't have the resources I’d need to make a bunch of Artifacts or better. Can you tell me more about the greenhouse?”

“No, I don’t think I will,” came the disappointing answer. “Just know that there are downsides, large issues with the building, that reduce the rarity to where it is. You’ll get your food, but you are still going to need to devote yourself or others to securing the food. Let’s talk about the need The People have.”

“Please.” Joe looked to his team, getting affirmative responses from them as well. They all knew how this ‘game’ worked. Nothing for free, but rewards were enforced to a scary degree.

“There is an infestation of humans in a temple near us.” O’Baba waited for a reaction, and her eyes twinkled approvingly as Joe said nothing. “To be fair, they are not like you and yours. They are… wrong. Broken. Their minds are in a different way. But they are dangerous, in a way that you will simply need to learn for yourself. Telling you, well. Just observe them for a short while before you decide to charge in. You’ll see.”

“Do we only have one chance at this? If we die, it could be that we never find our way back to you.” Poppy stated the obvious, and O’Baba’s ears flattened.

A hulking Warrior stepped forward threateningly. “Silence! You have not earned the right to speak in the O’Baba’s presence!”

“Where I come from, we do not conform to a caste system. I have every right to talk to anyone I care to.” Poppy’s words were as pointed as his rapier. “Joe alone does not speak for all of us. He is leader by virtue of his position, but he has made it clear that he wants and values our input. Understand that our cultures differ greatly.”

“Your mother differs greatly.” The Warrior snarled at him, but The O’Baba made a whistling sound and the Warrior reluctantly stepped back.

O’Baba looked at Poppy with her ears remaining flat. “Swordsman, did you not just tell him to understand that our cultures differ? Perhaps you should look into your own actions before telling another to take heed of your own. Let me tell you something, Swordsman. I smell youngling on you. You have a child, yes?”

Poppy reached for the hilt of his weapon. “If you even try to threaten my family, I will hunt you all to extinction no matter how long it takes.”

O’Baba once more whistled down the bristling guards. “As you can see, we are rather on edge here. Your attitude is not conducive to good relations. Tell me, Swordsman. Do you know why we have come to this terrible place, this forest full of death and gloom? The last respite for our people? Do you know what it means to become a shattered race? I think only your Jaxon has seen the true danger of becoming as such.”

Joe had no idea what to do to calm the mounting tensions. He looked around at the group helplessly, his gaze eventually landing on Jaxon. The Chiropractor seemed confused, and stepped forward to say as much. “Hello! I do enjoy being included, but I have to admit that I have no idea what’s going on. What do you mean?”

“Jaxon, you met me for the first time as someone was hunting us in a forest. Did you not wonder why I, the greatest Shaman of The People, was scurrying away instead of standing to decimate the attacking Humans?” O’Baba stared at the stressed face Jaxon was pulling, and tilted her head to the side. “Do you remember how you found us?”

“Of course!” Jaxon brightened instantly. “I heard someone running away from me, so I skipped after them to see what was the matter! It was just one of your pups, so I tried to leave but you got attacked.”

“Correct, Jaxon.” The O’Baba turned to Poppy with hard eyes. “As you put it so threateningly, a Shattered race can go extinct. Have you seen other children out and about? No? Just the protected area? It sure is hard to make a race go extinct when the children are safe, don't you think?”

Poppy paled as he made the connection that O’Baba was drawing for him. “Now you see. I was taking our future to this location. To a place so dangerous that the armies of your Kingdom cannot easily find us. Forgive us, that we are on edge around a group that has a vested interest in slaying or enslaving us. Perhaps you prove to us that you are a good people, instead of hurling insults and threats because you were forced to get a good night’s rest?”

Poppy hung his head in shame, nodding slightly to show that he had understood the issue. O’Baba looked back to Joe, “Now. Let’s get back to the quest.”

Quest alert! The Cult of the Burning Mind. The O’Baba has told you of an area that is too dangerous to leave alone. An infestation of ‘not right’ humans have taken control of a place of power in the Forest of Chlorophyll Chaos, and are expanding their influence in the area. Defeat them, ensure they cannot challenge the Wolfmen, and you shall have your reward. Reward: +1,000 reputation with The People. +10,000 experience. Blueprint for ‘Evergrowth Greenhouse’. Failure: The place of power remains in control of the Cult for two weeks. -1,000 reputation with The People. Lose chance at gaining blueprint. Caution! Minimum recommendation for this quest is level 25! Accept? Yes/ No

“Yikes.” Joe shared the information with his team, and all of them paled as he had. This was a quest designed for people ten levels above Joe. Not all of them were even level fifteen yet, and frankly this was outside of their range. They shook their heads, and Joe turned to O’Baba to refuse the quest as politely as possible. 

“I will gift you a beacon, that will allow you to get here consistently whenever you enter the forest.” O’Baba spoke before Joe could. “I will tell you right now, refusing the quest is the same as failing it in my eyes. You will not be allowed to return here peacefully.”

Joe bit his words off, and reluctantly accepted the quest. O’Baba nodded once and gestured at the door. “Show them the path, as many times as it is needed. Bring them here when they want to return. Show them the respect we would give those on a quest to join The People. Good luck, team of Joe. I know I ask too much, but this is what is needed.”