We walked down the middle of the street as we approached the bridge. The smell of smoke was overwhelming. Even with the wet rags Mike had suggested all of us were coughing regularly. At this point, sometime around five hours after we were here last, there weren't many open flames left but embers still glowed and smoke would sometimes billow out of the collapsed remains of the buildings around us.

I had managed to convince Sam that we needed information. I had wanted to gear up everyone except for a few guards and come over here to clear out the ogres but Sam wouldn't go for it. After we ate breakfast I had even cooled down enough that I mostly agreed with him. Taking so many in against a group of ogres when we knew nothing was the next best thing to suicide. Even if we could match them with teamwork we would still end up losing people. For all we knew there were dozens of them and they had machine gun nests set up.

I didn't expect any machine guns but when Sam brought it up I didn't really have a reason they couldn't have them.

The fire had turned out to not be as bad as I had thought. There were still entire streets that were smoking ruins but here and there we would find a street were only one or two houses were completely burned to the ground. I guess even with the hot weather there was still a bit of moisture in the trees and they helped slow the spread of the fire enough so that it went out before it could spread through the whole city.

We made our way through this desolate landscape, street to street, for close to two hours before we found the ogre's lair. Or possibly den. 

The destruction was more complete in the residential area that was on the north slope of the Willamete, south side of the built up area. Walking down Edison Street we were passing Cathedral Park when Terrance saw something.

"Hey guys. The ground in the park is really torn up. Think it's them?" Terrance asked.

Cathedral Park used to be a dump until a few locals started  fundraising and got enough money to turn it into a park. What that meant was while it was nice and green with trees and bushes surrounding it the slope was enough to feel your legs burn when you walked up it. It was also more of a green space surrounded by bushes running under the St. Johns bridge.

What Terrance had spotted was several paths that had been torn in the grass by heavy boot prints. They all lead down towards Crawford St. which split the park in two. 

Everyone agreed that giant stone ogres might make tracks like that.

Following the edge of the park we moved as quietly through the bushes as we could. It might have even been quiet enough once Stew finally picked up [Sneak]. That happened sometime after just about everyone else got two levels in it. Every place that a path passed through the bushes had torn and trampled them to make an opening about four feet wide. We stopped at the first and studied the prints. The best we could figure was they were big feet that made the tracks. Until Terrance gasped.

"Dude, I just got a tracking skill!" Terrance was squirming in delight.

"Can you tell us anything about this?" I motioned to the tracks on the ground.

Terrance got a serious look on his face and nodded at me. He studied the tracks for a few moments before he answered,

"Alright, so the ground is pretty dry, meaning whatever made these is really heavy. They are shaped like big feet and if you look at the grass here, it's torn but the torn end is still a little green so it hasn't been in the sun much since it happened. All the tracks I see on top are pointing back that way." Terrance pointed down the slope where all the paths joined together. "That's all I can figure out."

"I'd say we're all pretty impressed with just that much." Stew said. The rest of us nodded in agreement.

Terrance blushed and shrugged. "I like westerns is all."

"We're going in the right direction then. Let's move on down towards the next street then. Keep quiet and under cover." I followed my own instructions and started off.

We found it in the cable attachment building that sat at the bottom of one of the bridge supports right across Crawford. The building was 25 feet tall at its lowest point and was at least twice that in length and width. It looked a little like a concrete castle because of the turrets on the corners. The door had been normal sized and covered with a metal grating. It was now a dirt passage leading further down with the grate torn and ripped off the concrete structure.

We gathered behind the bushes that ran along the boundry of the park. We were thirty feet away and ten feet above the concrete building with the street and some parking between us and it.

"So we think this is where they went?" I asked.

"Lots of drag marks and heavy footprints going into the creepy cave? I'm leaning towards, yes." Stew said.

I had seen the same stuff as everyone else but I sighed and rubbed my eyes. "What if these are just Gremoblins or something? We can't track anything over pavement so we can't know these are what kidnapped all those people this morning."

"What's a Gremoblin?" Meagan asked.

"I don't know," I replied. "A gremlin and a mob combined? I'm just saying we need to know more. I'm thinking I need to sneak in. I can't sense anything so that is probably a dungeon. All I need to do is get inside and I'll know a lot more."

"Dave, that isn't a good idea." Mike said.

"They kidnapped a crapton of people last night and they are only a twenty minute walk from the only safe place we know of. It might not be a good idea but I think it's the right thing to do." I said.

No one argued with me.

"Let's look around first," Mike looked uncomfortable, "At least finish checking out these bushes. That should give us a better exit if we need it."

"Good point. Stew keep an eye on that hole with Gilberto and the rest of us can sneak through the bushes and check them out. Just down to the next street over. Mike want to come this way with me? Meagan can you get the other direction with Terrance?" Once everyone nodded we moved out.

There was nothing except torn bushes and some cast off clothing. When we gathered back up I set up as much of a plan as I could. I would sneak over and stick my head in the passage and try to figure out what was in there. If anything happened Meagan would be our runner and go back to notify Sam about it while Mike was in charge of the rest.

Once everyone was clear on the plan I focused on sneaky thoughts as I moved through the bushes. While I crossed the grassy slope towards the passage I kept my eyes open. There were a few cars in the parking area ahead so I moved to them and waited to see if anything happened. Standing with my back against an SUV I searched the bushes for my friends. I gave them a thumbs up and made my way the final few feet to the opening.

I couldn't feel anything from my shadow sense but I did get a confused feeling from my gut. The floor sloped down and curved around but it felt like I was looking down a steep slope instead of the gentle slope I could see. Each step made the feeling worse until I felt like I was on the edge of a cliff. I gave one last thumbs up to everyone as I took a final step forward and crossed an invisible line where the cliff feeling disappeared and I finally entered the dungeon.

‡ Welcome to The Ogres' Den. Level 12 Dungeon. ‡

‡ Quest: Defeat the Ogres before they can start their Ranch. ‡ ‡ Reward: One Shiny Gold Coin per combatant. ‡ ‡ Failure: Ogres love some eatin'. Mostly they love eating you. ‡

There were seven level nine ogres and one a bit stronger. If I was feeling more comfortable with my Shadow Sense I would say a level twelve.

Just a bit further and I would be able to see what was going on and maybe even use Analyze on them. Just to be sure what we were getting into.

The light coming into the passage faded the further in I went. I put my hand on the wall to keep myself oriented and felt a sticky, almost ribbed, sensation. I needed to give my eyes a bit more time to adjust to this darkness from the bright morning above.

Trying to stay close to the wall I stuck my head around the corner and my mind went blank. What I saw was so far out of my expectations. I had found the kidnapped people.

The room was about the size of a football field and lit by smokey torches. A throne made of body parts sat at the far end. The near end was covered in piles of dead bodies. They were being drug down to the far end, one by one, where the limbs were torn off and separated into different piles. They then tore the hearts out and handed it to the more powerful ogre sitting on the throne. He ate them like apples.

After that they broke the rib cages open and lay them down in stacks. Another ogre took the ribs to the wall and mashed them onto the walls with the skin side to the dirt.

It was some twisted abattoir where everything was torn apart with brute strength rather than cut.

My knees landed on the floor with a squelching noise. I looked down and saw blood was flowing down from the wall, creating a sticky mud were it mixed with the dirt. My hands were red from where I'd been touching the rib cages that were pressed into the passage wall. I vomited on the ground.

I looked up in time to see the ogre on his throne wave his hand at me dismissively. "More cattle. Bring it." It spoke in a gravely voice similar to the one in the high school.

I lurched to my feet as they rest of the ogres began a pounding run towards me. I slipped my way back through the mud until I got traction and picked up speed. I passed through the dungeon's barrier and continued up the passage. I ran out into the light and started yelling for my friends to run. Before I had gotten more than ten feet from the entrance I sensed something rocketing down from above and right towards me.

I dodged and lost my momentum as an ogre landed on the gravel in front of me. It had been hiding on the underside of the bridge and had jumped down to stop me from getting away. I guess they have a different idea about what guards were supposed to do than I did.

Damn. If I had sensed it earlier I wouldn't be here now. Looked like my Shadow Sense wasn't quite as awesome as I thought.

Four ogres came out of the open passage behind me and I was surrounded. I scrambled to my feet and readied my weapons. I turned and tried to keep as many in sight as I could. 

Stew hit the ogre from the bridge with his club. I heard it grunt then a shotgun blast and a heavy thump as it hit the ground. Stew and Terrance must have both reacted as soon as the ogre had started falling.

I tried to dart for the opening and ended up having to smack a hand away as the two nearest ogres moved in to block me. One of them turned to menace Stew and Terrance. I struck one of the stony hands reaching for me while dodging the rest. The ogre growled as a finger cracked and fell off.

Another ogre swiped at me and I tried to smack it. I saw the feint too late as it switched from stone and absorbed the blow from my hammer with its dense flesh. It wrapped it's fingers around the hammer head.

I managed to cut it with my axe before it turned to stone and yanked my hammer away. The loop I had made for my hammer caught on my hand and I felt a pop in my wrist as it exploded in pain.

Stew and Terrance together took out another with a few shattering blows and a well timed shotgun blast. The one that had pulled away my hammer grabbed me by the throat and began pulling me back towards the passage entrance. I scrambled to keep up, I suspected if I fell it would be happy to let me suffocate or even break my neck from the award angle. Suddenly a ball of ice struck it in the back of the head hard enough that I that I felt icy shrapnel on the back of my head. The ogre frowned as it turned.

I saw Meagan standing beyond the bushes ready to run while she obviously wanted to get into the fight. Gilberto was getting another ice ball ready as Mike worked to keep his feet under him and descend the slope.

Stew and Terrance tried to block the two remaining ogres while Mike circled and came at the ogre holding me. Just before Mike got there Gilberto shot his ice ball at the ogre. I saw it strike the ogre in the shoulder, Mike struck in the same place with the back of his machete. A large piece of stone about the size of a golf ball chipped off.

The ogre whipped its free arm around and grabbed Mike.

Without slowing it tossed Mike at Stew and Terrance and knocked them all down. The toss had been accompanied by a grinding noise. When it dropped its arm to its side the whole thing broke at the shoulder and fell to the ground.

I started yelling as loud as I could. "Run! Meagan, Gilberto! Run!"

The ogre decided I shouldn't yell and shook me until I stopped. I could see Gilberto running away, Meagan pacing him and glancing back. One ogre had grabbed both Terrance and Stew, one in each hand, while the last took of in a pounding run. It might catch Gilberto at that speed but never Meagan.

One of the other ogres pulled Terrance towards the one holding me and shoved his unconscious body under its arm. It settled Terrance in the crook of its arm and forced me into a stooped posture. I scrambled as it took us down into the ogre's lair. Stew was forced ahead of the other ogre while it dragged a screaming Mike by his arm. 

We were thrown onto the muddy ground in front of the ogres leader on its macabre throne. I could tell it was level twelve now. I'd be happier to know I was right if I wasn't currently covered in a mixture of dirt and blood with my friends in front of an evil creature of darkness.

In a voice like grinding rocks it spoke. "Where are the rest of you?"

The one armed ogre answered. "One chased off some rats. The rest are dead."

Mike was curled around his left arm whimpering while I gasped for air. Stew and Terrance were both bruised and battered though I could see Stew trying to get up. I still had my axe, the loop around my wrist, but none of the stony ogres seemed to care.

"They weren't worthy to be servants. Now process the cattle. I want the lair ready when our brother returns with the last of the essence we need. Perhaps one of you will finally earn your name." The Ogre Leader said. That sounded familiar, like an orb.

I shouted as they reached for us. "Wait! Stop! Your brother brother isn't coming back."

They ignored me.

We were all grabbed by different ogres and pulled to our feet. Terrance dangled while the rest of us started yelling. They only stopped when I started babbling about my suspicions.

"We killed him! He was in the goblin dungeon and we were trying to clear it. Before he died he did something with some kind of orb. We can tell you more!"

When the Ogre Leader waved the rest of the ogres away I saw I had been too late. Mike was screaming and sobbing on the floor. His broken arm had been torn off just below his elbow leaving him with a bleeding stump. When I heard something hit the floor behind me I turned around. Terrance was laying on the floor while an ogre stood above him and ate his decapitated head like a gory apple. Why do I always think of apples?

I realized I was on my knees dry heaving when an ogre knocked my back onto my ass.

"Tell me all you know about it." The Ogre Leader was sitting forward on his throne glaring at me.

I could see Mike on the ground again, this time holding a stump instead of a shattered arm. I tried to move to him when I was thrown back.

"He's going to die!" I yelled at them.

"I won't tell you again. Tell me what I want to know."

"Stop the bleeding or I won't tell you anything." I tried bargaining with them. Mike couldn't last long like that.

"I think you will." The Leader grinned revealing teeth like broken tombstones in his pale splotchy face. "Either that or someone else will." He waved to his subordinates. The one eating Mike's hand, finger by finger, casually reached down and crushed his arm up to the elbow. The one closest to Stew stepped forward and stepped on his knee.

Stew started screaming while Mike made a couple abortive attempts to pull away from the ogre before he gave up and just sobbed in pain.

"Stop! I'll tell you." I shrieked at them.

This was too much for me. My mind had gone blank, we needed out of this and we had to stay alive to do it. They wanted something from us but I didn't have any leverage to force them to work with us.. Maybe I could give Gilberto and Meagan enough time if I gave the ogres what they wanted as slowly as I could.

"We met an ogre and we had to kill him. After we finished the Goblin quest he did something with an orb and attacked us." I said. Shit, I didn't have much and that didn't take nearly long enough.

"That's all you have? You killed one of my ogres? Hardly worth the effort of not killing you."

I could hear Mike whimpering where he was being forced to kneel. How long for Gilberto and Meagan to get back? Ten minutes? They should be telling Sam what happened by now. How long would reinforcements take? We need time.

"We took the orb. It's somewhere safe. We could trade it though. All we wanted was to know what was around us." I said. That wasn't all I wanted. These ogres would pay. I just need a bit more time.

"We'll just take it." The Ogre Leader waved dismissively.

The ogre standing over Stew reached down and pulled off his crushed leg.

"Nooo!" I yelled while Mike and Stew both started screaming.

The rest of the ogres began to close in around us. I fell down on my side, away from the nearest ogre. I grabbed my axe and swung it at the sneering ogre as it reached down to grab me. I struck it in the palm. [Shattering Blow] wouldn't work with an axe but maybe I could directly control my Stamina to create a shock wave.

‡ Shattering Blow has evolved into Shatter. ‡

‡ Shatter - An attack that creates a shock wave designed to break brittle substances. ‡

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

I didn't manage to control it as well as the skill did. My axe was propelled away because I didn't limit the shock wave. The ogre didn't notice that part because everything below it's wrist turned to gravel.

I rolled back onto my knees and struck again. A hole the size of a basketball formed in it's chest and rained gravel.

I'd done it. I had suspected that Shattering Blow did more than just feed Stamina into the weapon when I couldn't make it work with a club. It created a bubble of force then applied it to the striking surface while making a shield to direct the force. The shield had to be created specifically for the shape of each weapon that used it.

I leapt up and struck at the one holding Mike. That ogre hadn't turned back to stone but even without being stone my blow to its head made it wobble and let go of Mike. Another stone one got into my reach and I shattered it's arm.