The strongest enchanted item in the entire village of Salcret, the pillar that maintained the Townguard field, did more than just serve to warn the townsfolk of intruders.

The individual alarms which connected to it could also be used to send repeating light signals, both to the pillar in the town square but also each other.

Brunner's message was delivered to the square where traffic was the most frequent, but in the case that nobody was happening by; there was also the schedule, to make sure at least one pair of eyes kept checking it.

It had been less than a week since the Hive raid. When they learned the news Oscar quickly went back to the orchard to pick up Kalle, who had felt almost fully recovered the day after he leveled; and then everyone in the original fellowship went to join the group of Salcretians that were not afraid of a fight and thus headed off to back up Brunner's negotiations.

When they all arrived, hours later, in a marching mob of high-spirited villagers; what met them was a group of far fewer individuals–yet they were evidently outweighed by quite the amount.

The group facing them was a small Ogre clan, dragging a massive cart behind them. It was piled high with all kinds of items, primarily gleaming furs and armor. And at the front of the wood- and bone construct was a pole with the clan icon.

As Livia got close enough to start inspecting it she thought it looked like a pyramid with floors, something like the Chichen Itza. That’s strange, I don't remember Ogres building any pyramids from the books.

[Those are Island Ogres.]

Oh. The other thing they saw on arrival, but had started to hear echoes of much earlier, was Brunner in a full throated screaming match with what seemed to be the head Ogre.

"200 Silver for that shit potion, are you mad? And with no discount for buying ten?" Brunner spat the words, but the Ogre chief had already reiterated the price just as loudly multiple times, and now he didn't look inclined to do it again.

Instead he was eyeing the latest arrivals, although it took Brunner another few seconds to notice them. Brunner gave them a short wave, but then went on just as before. "I had heard the rumors but you island Ogres really are an even worse breed of negotiator," The words were meant to be an insult but it caused no more than guttural chuckles.

The man was small, but strong. Ogres certainly respected that.

When the Chief still looked disinclined to get into another row, Brunner seemed to decide he might as well come greet them.

"Oh good, you're here. I was just talking to our new friends," Brunner fearlessly turned his back on the giant, gray-skinned and two-headed brute. It might be foolhardy, but both sides knew a break was needed to fill the newcomers in, and being reckless was something an island Ogre could appreciate evidently.

"They want to sell us gear, potions and what not. But you heard me right, they're charging even more than Ogres usually would. And apparently there's no room for negotiations, I doubt that changed," Brunner meant with their arrival; the Ogres were still lazing about and chuckling, clearly relaxed, but staying in a tight group.

Now the Chief suddenly spoke up again. "Thas' right, our tings be ‘igh quality and do not tink we cannot see all tat smoke," The chief spoke slowly, and started out methodically before dropping into bass voice that no normal human could replicate. "We know well, when our tings be needed, very well."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

The townsfolk had been burning ant warriors for days at this point, despite their size the creatures were only fit for eating during starvation. And while it was true that the battle had gone well considering the size of the attack; there were still three people, two of which were above level 20, who had succumbed to injuries sustained in the struggle.

Not to mention the many more who had gotten limbs snipped. [Farmer] Redd for one, who had been a pillar of the Salcret defense force for coming on four decades; now with his leg snapped off at the knee by the ant's giant mandibles.

The stoic man had been reduced to waiting with a reserve back in Salcret, in case there was a retreat and the fight reached the civilians there. Even Harold's Spell could only help close the wound, and the local healer was equally restricted.

The Ogre’s words might have sounded like a threat, but even under scrutiny it was merely a fact; the threat was in the size and obvious martial inclination of the Ogres present. Not to mention the mountain of spoils.

"If you don't like to pay Human, then we cud always ‘ave some friendly competitions for it, the tings for the loots,"

Brunner laughed in response and walked right up close with his arms crossed.

What the Ogre chief meant was basically that they could let the Ogres walk up individually to rob the townsfolk, and if they were able to stop them then they could have the Ogres' things too.

Duels over possessions, a classic Ogre rite. "I'm afraid we will have to decline your kind offer, Orfargaz," He got close enough to the huge belly that the chief had to lean over to look him in the eye.

Then he spoke in a Skill empowered bass to match the Ogre’s own. "Unless you mean all of your things, for all of ours, in a duel just you and me?"

His twin hatchets gleamed by his side, and the way Brunner had been acting fearless even before the townsfolk arrived made it clear how such a competition would go. Despite the Ogres size and many full-time warriors, none of them could claim to be over level 40, such Ogres did not tread the outback looking for victims and deals like this.

They stayed home and were treated as kings.

The chief eventually took a step back and broke the tension with a booming laugh. "Frontier Human's not afraid, I can see as much, tat is good, tat. Tat is power,"

Another Ogre walked up to whisper something in their own island tongue, but the chief waved him off irritably. "Ten if you don't want the tings, ten now we ‘az no further bizniz to attend, we say adieu." The giant Ogre ended the slow speech with a child-like wave he seemed to have borrowed from other Humans, and all the Ogres behind him followed suit.

Perfectly synchronized.

Livia almost broke down laughing then and there from the release of tension.