Chapter 9
The smell of bacon filled the morning air, rousing Pierce from his slumber. As he blinked open his eyes, a scene of morning activity unfolded before him.
Evolon was gracefully flowing through a series of yoga poses, her movements as smooth as the river's current. Flint, the burly man, was hunched over a cast-iron skillet, the sizzle of bacon filling the air as he flipped the fatty slices. Ignis, the Wizard, was shadow boxing with a furious intensity, flames dancing and crackling with each powerful punch.
Grok, the towering orc, was nowhere to be seen. "Where's our green-skinned friend?" Pierce inquired, his voice thick with sleep.
"She's gone for a morning dip in the stream," Flint replied, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. "Insisted we all needed a wash. I think her nose is more sensitive than a bloodhound's." He chuckled, oblivious to the grease smudging his boots.
"Bacon?" Pierce asked, his stomach rumbling in anticipation.
"Coming right up," Flint said, sliding two crispy slices onto a paper plate. "Enjoy."
Pierce savored the crispy bacon, the grease slicking his fingers as he tore into it. He headed towards the gurgling stream, the sound of rushing water a welcome respite from the morning’s tranquility. As he approached, he spotted Grok, her long, black hair tied in a neat bun atop her head. Clad in a simple leather skirt and top, she exuded both strength and a surprising grace.
With a nod of acknowledgment, Pierce continued on his way, eager to cleanse himself of the blood and sweat of yesterday’s battles. After a refreshing dip in the cool water, he returned to camp, his body feeling invigorated. “Next!” he called out as he emerged from the woods, signaling his turn had ended.
Thirty minutes later, as the sun began its ascent, the group gathered to discuss their next move. “What’s on the menu today, Boss?” Flint inquired, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Pierce, rolling up his sleeping bag and stowing it away, replied, “I need to have a chat with Grok first, but I have a rough plan in mind.”
"First, are you okay with riding Bromli and scouting for us today? Second, how many beasts can you control? Third, can you only control Drakes? Fourth, do you have any offensive skills or spells? Fifth, how long does your control last on the beasts?" Pierce asked, ticking off each question on his fingers.
Grok, her brow furrowed in concentration, responded in a series of short, concise statements. "As long as the skies are clear, Grok will scout for the Donner Party. Grok can control her level in beasts, currently four, including Bromli. Grok can control any non-sentient beast, but why would Grok control anything but Drake? Grok is a Trainer, not a Combat Rider... Grok can control beasts and talk in head. Once Grok establishes dominance, control is permanent until the death of either Grok or the Beast."
Pierce's eyes widened in confusion. "Wait, explain, talk in head?"
Suddenly, a voice echoed in everyone's mind, a direct line of communication bypassing the need for spoken words. "Grok talk in Head," Grok's telepathic message resounded.
Flint, ever the vocal one, couldn't contain his astonishment. "WHAT THE FRANK JUST HAPPENED?!" his mental shout echoed through the minds of his companions.
"Ahh, I understand," Evolon said aloud to the group, "Our Orc friend here can create a Telepathic Group Chat for the party. What is the range, and how many can you add?"
Grok, speaking telepathically, replied, "Grok communicates with the minds of the group, also the minds of beasts. No mix the two, as beasts confuse your brains and make your brain bleed. Range is 5 kilometers, Grok talk to level times two, so eight right now"
"Telepathic mental attack, got it!" Ignis added, his thoughts echoing in the minds of the group.
"Ok, I think I have the hang of this now..." Evolon began, her thoughts turning into a song, "NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP, NEVER GONNA LET YOU DOWN!"
Groans filled the mental chat, a collective sigh of annoyance from three of the five members.
"Lady has voice of angel, Grok would like to hear more of this song!" Grok added, her thoughts filled with a strange mix of amusement and confusion.
"BABY SHARK DO DO DO DO DO DO," Evolon's mental singing continued, a relentless tune that threatened to drive the group mad.
"Can you mute someone from this?" Pierce asked Grok out loud, a hint of desperation in his voice.
"Grok can, but Grok loves this Child Shark that will never give Grok up!" Grok replied, twirling around with a childlike glee.
"Seriously, I think I have a plan," Pierce announced in the mental chat. "Grok, call Bromli and circle above, scouting and alerting us to anything important. Guys, mount up, we've got to pick something up."
"Where to, Boss?" Flint asked, taking the lead position with his Captain America shield mounted on his handlebars.
"Do you guys remember that show we watched during the pandemic?" Pierce asked mentally.
"Yes, but I'm not sure teaching Grok how to play Chess is going to help us," Flint replied, a puzzled expression on his face.
"Not that one, the other one... Grok is going to be the Tiger Queen," Pierce said with a mental grin.
"OHHHH, that makes so much more sense," Evolon replied, "I was thinking we were going to make a British Soccer club, teaching her life lessons and overcoming obstacles with the power of positivity."
"Here I thought we were somehow going to Paris with a woman named Emily," Ignis added to the running joke.
Switching from the dirt mountain bike trails to the concrete, 12-foot-wide Greenway, the group headed east, parallel to a road littered with abandoned and wrecked cars. The Greenway in this section was punctuated by various obstacles - jumps of different sizes, ramps, and drops. The group, skilled in mountain biking, effortlessly navigated these features, their bikes soaring through the air as they made their way towards a large sign by I-49: "Drive Through Safari" it read in huge, bold letters.
"Grok, what do your Orc eyes see?" Pierce asked mentally.
"Large open area, many fences, many strange animals, no Humans," Grok communicates telepathically.
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The four riders sped down the large, open pathways, following the painted tiger paw prints. Pierce signaled for the Drake to land near a set of aluminum bleachers and a large open field, enclosed by a tall fence.
"Choose three and get to work Dominating," Pierce instructed Grok.
"So These are Tigers, They are no Drake, but I guess I could use some large House Pets for now," Grok muttered, her gaze fixed on three majestic tigers. With a focused concentration, she cast her spell, her eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. The Drake, sensing its master's intent, soared above the fence and gently plucked each tiger from the ground, setting them down on the walkway outside.
"Umm... Grok, they aren't going to eat us, are they?" Ignis asked nervously, taking a cautious step back.
"No, Grok tell them Humans are friends not food. No one eats the Donner Party!" Grok reassured the group, stroking the large male tiger.
The four humans erupted in laughter.
"What is funny about tigers not eating humans?" Grok asked, her expression puzzled.
"I'll explain it to you later, let's get moving," Pierce said, chuckling.
"When the battle starts, have one Tiger protect Evolon, one protect Ignis, and the big boy with Flint up front. I will keep them healed up," Pierce instructed the group mentally.
With that, the unusual party set off. Three tigers, four humans on mountain bikes, and an Orc riding a Drake took to the road, their destination: the Walmart Home Office.
"I do have a few questions for you, Grok, if you don't mind," Evolon asked in the mental chat.
"Grok can scout and talk at same time," Grok replied, “Grok not dumb child!”
"How do you speak English, and you said there is a second portal, why are there two?" the woman asked the Orc, her curiosity piqued.
"Grok has family heirloom that allows communicate in all language, makes it easy to talk Beast and person," Grok explained. "Invasion has two portals. Both one way. Large Army portal, and small portal back to take food and captives for information, food, and slaves."
A heavy silence fell over the group as they contemplated the grim fate of their fellow humans and the innocent animals caught in the crossfire.
As they approached an intersection, Grok alerted the group to a large band of Orcs, at least fifty strong, marching from the open field towards the park. Pierce, assessing the situation, signaled for the group to dismount and began strategizing the ambush. He mentally outlined their positions and roles, preparing for the impending confrontation.
Perched atop a towering sculpture of twisted metal car bumpers welded into the form of a spool of thread, Evolon drew her bow, her keen eyes fixed on the lead Orc. With a swift release, the arrow arced through the air, finding its mark. As quickly as she'd fired the first, she drew another, her movements fluid and precise.
To her right, a spectacular display unfolded. Four massive hay bales, ignited by Ignis's fiery magic, erupted into flames, blocking the Orcs' advance. From the shadows of a colossal brick and concrete seashell sculpture, Flint stood as he and the large male tiger leaped into the fray. The dwarf's shield flashed with arcane energy, his war cry echoing across the battlefield. Evolon, remembering the strange magical rules of this world, cast a Pierce spell on the tigers, hoping to enhance their natural weapons. A cool breeze washed over her, the work of Pierce's healing magic.
Flint, a whirlwind of titanium and fury, bashed the first Orc aside with his circular shield, the creature crumpling to the ground. The massive tiger, a blur of tawny fur, sank its teeth into its neck, a swift and deadly blow. With a powerful swing of his hammer, Flint crushed the skull of the next opponent, the weapon sinking into the flesh like butter. The third Orc, overconfident, swung his crude sword high, leaving himself vulnerable. Flint seized the opportunity, dipping under the sword, striking upwards with his hammer, the blow connecting with the Orc's chin and sending him flying into his comrades. The startled Orcs were quickly overwhelmed by the tiger's relentless assault ripping and tearing their flesh as Flint wipes blood from his face.
On the right flank, a group of five Orcs, seeing Ignis as an easy target, charged forward. But their attack was thwarted by a sudden, ferocious counterattack. A tiger, leaping from the shadows, tore into the Orcs, its claws and teeth a deadly blur. Ignis, seizing the moment, unleashed a torrent of flame, engulfing the remaining Orcs and sending them screaming into oblivion.
A dozen Orcs, their eyes filled with a feral intensity, advanced towards Evolon. She quickly switched arrow types, opting for the piercing variety. As the Orcs foolishly lined up, she took advantage of their predictable tactics. The first arrow tore through the first Orc, embedding deep within the second. The next arrow, a bolt of deadly precision, pierced the eye of one Orc and continued its trajectory, lodging itself in the neck of the one behind.
Seeing their comrades fall with such devastating efficiency, the remaining eight Orcs panicked and retreated, fleeing back towards their base. Pierce, sensing the opportunity, signaled Grok to unleash her tiger pets, ordering them to hunt down the fleeing Orcs and finish the job.
After the battle, the group gathered to assess their victory and draw lessons from the encounter. "Okay, what did we learn?" Pierce asked, his voice filled with curiosity.
"These guys are falling like dominos," Evolon chuckled, a hint of satisfaction in her tone.
"I like this overwhelming force thing we got going on," Ignis added, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Tigers kill good, not as good as Drake, but still good. Their fangs are much more effective than I thought," Grok commented, her voice filled with a newfound respect for her feline companions.
"That would be Evolon's Pierce spell," Pierce explained, "It allows weapons to easily pierce through armor."
"Grok likes this, can you cast on Drake Claws?" Grok asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
With a nod, Evolon cast the spell, imbuing the Drake's claws with a newfound sharpness.
"The sun is barely up and I'm covered in blood!" Flint exclaimed, pulling a bucket of water from his inventory and dousing himself.
"Levels?" Pierce inquired.
"Grok got level, choice five. Grok chose roar buff for Beast that increases movement and attack speed 30%, and decreases movement and attack speed of enemies that can hear by 30%," Grok announced.
"HOLY BALLS, THAT IS INSANE!" Flint shouted, his voice filled with excitement. "I wonder if it stacks with my Challenge?"
"Grok Beast Master class perk allows for each Beast to use Roar, though do not stack with each other, should work with your Challenge," Grok explained.
"I got Shield Bash - Bashing an enemy with a shield can cause a shockwave in a frontal arc with a chance to throw enemies off balance. And a class perk that increases my armor by 20% when protecting a party member in combat," Flint explained.
"I got Piercer, which allows arrows to easily pierce through one enemy when a second enemy is directly behind them. I also got a perk that makes bleeding from my arrows harder to stop and bleed damage is doubled," Evolon added.
"I got Iceblast, which sends a large shard of ice damage at my target and freezes the area around them, causing the terrain to become frozen. My class perk is that myself and my allies gain increased resistance to the last spell type I cast for ten minutes," Ignis said with a maniacal laugh. “Magic is Awesome!”
"I want to try something," Ignis announced, unleashing a torrent of flames towards the open field. A moment later, a massive spear of ice shot forth, extinguishing the flames and freezing the surrounding area.
"Check your buffs," Ignis said with a cocky grin.
"Fire resistance +20% and Ice resistance +20%. Nice!" Evolon exclaimed. "I do wonder how using those spells back to back over and over works with hot steam, or making metals brittle. So many questions on the science behind all of this." Looking down with a frown she says “And all I got is Bow girl shoot more good”
"Bow girl shoot good not burn down house when have bad dreams," Grok offered, trying to cheer Evolon up.
"Don't go there," Pierce warned, poking at Ignis, "We don't need him burning down another orphanage."
"Save dozens of people and no one calls you a hero, BUT YOU BURN DOWN ONE ORPHANAGE!" Ignis laughed, referencing the classic D&D joke.
Grok looked at Ignis with newfound respect. "You burn Human Children, why does the smoke improve taste?"
"NO EATING HUMAN CHILDREN!" the four party members shouted in unison.
"Grok no eat Human Children, but what about Tigers?" Grok asked, her curiosity piqued.
Evolon summoned a dozen stripped Orc corpses. "Here, have them go to town on these guys. I already grabbed the loot."
"This is a decent time for a break," Pierce announced, passing out bags of trail mix and bottles of beer.