“Kelli, can you please contact Chief Kai? Ask him to bring the warriors for the Haka down to the cruise ship. Tell my war party and wife and daughters to come down as well.”
Blackbear and Onida started slowly heading down the road to the ship / dungeon. Warriors on foot were jogging past them and glancing up at the Chief as they passed. Some would occasionally raise a weapon and whoop as the went past. Onida saw this and said to Blackbear, “We should hold back about fifty yards from the form up location until all of the warriors pass us and then make an entrance.”
Blackbear eyed the men running past and noticed the light in their eyes as they passed him, their new Chief. He was giving them inspiration it seemed. “Good idea. It seems like we are firing them up just from being here.”
They went down the road about a half mile and stopped pulling off to the side. Blackbear pulled out his all-weapon as a bow and held it. Any warrior who yelped at him as they passed Blackbear would raise the bow and whoop back. The grins he was getting in response made him smile. The line was starting to thin out and he saw his wife and daughters coming.
Sam had a large Lynx padding next to her. Kelli had a smaller one right behind her. Hidden behind them was Carri with hers. Blackbear looked over at Onida and raised an eyebrow. She shrugged. “I didn’t see that coming.” He dismounted and waited for Sam to reach him.
“I see you have a couple of new pets with you?
Sam smiled. “When we came down to The Village they were sitting at the elevator doors waiting for us. Yepa told us what to do. Not pets, companions.
Kelli had kneeled down and was hugging hers. “Not companions, sisters.”
“OK ladies thank you for coming. I am going to have the war haka chanted for the first time and I am going to try my Chief’s buff War Cry. I wanted you ladies to be by my side the first time I try it.”
Jax and Jane joined them and Smitty towered over them from behind. He was smiling from ear to ear. Yepa phased into existence and rubbed her face against his leg. “Happy, pack all here and safe.”
“OK, we’re all here. Let’s do this.” Blackbear led them slowly past the warriors, not saying anything but smiling and nodding at the men as he passed them. He could feel the energy coming off of the crowd. Not nervous, rather confident and eager. As he reached the front he counted about four-hundred men. Chiefs Chu and Kai were waiting for them.
Blackbear approached Chief Chu and was invited into a raid party. He joined it and saw that it was already formed in eleven parties of twenty warriors each. He nodded and turned to Chief Kai. “Is the Haka prepared?
Kai nodded. “It’s a very basic one at this point and we may work on it some more, but it will do.”
Blackbear turned to the warriors. “Our object today is to defeat the dungeon and remove the mermen after that. No one dies and no mercy will be given, those are our rules of engagement today!” The warriors all raised their weapons and started cheering.
Blackbear held up his hand and waited for silence.
“I’m going to be casting the Chief’s War Cry buff for the first time today. It needs to be cast during a Haka, is everyone aware of this?”
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Chief Kai said next to him, “They all know and will all be joining in today.”
Blackbear nodded. “Then let it begin.”
A group of seven men and three women stepped forward. They were dressed in black leathers with white stitching all over it. They had their faces painted in white with black shadow paint making them look like skeletal demons. They had red around their eyes.
They took position facing the crowd and started crouching and stalking about, staring at the warriors and growling. Some made feints with weapons as if they were going to attack. A huge man started beating his chest and thrusting his arms out and shouting as if challenging someone. A woman let out a shriek and shook her head thrusting her tongue out. Someone started to beat on a hand drum and was joined by three others doing the same. The atmosphere started to change. The warriors were starting to sway.
Blackbear could swear it was getting dimmer around his war band. The air felt like it was starting to stir. The warriors and the members performing the Haka were staring at each other with looks of malevolence like they were about to fight. They were pumping up one another. The huge warrior stepped forward and raised his hand to the sky. He called out:
“PREPARE YOURSELVES!”
All four hundred of the warriors screamed back at him.
“PREPARE YOURSELVES!”
The ten warriors stepped next to him and they all started calling the Haka and the warriors shouted back every line that they called out.
“Prepare yourselves
The time has come
The People show
Behind the sun!
The ground felt like it was shaking from the volume.
Our Chief will lead
You need to fear
Here comes the wrath
From Chief Blackbear!
Blackbear could feel a heat coming off of all the bodies.
We CRUSH! We POUND!
We SLASH! We TEAR!
Leave broken bodies
Have no fear!
The air was tingling with electricity from the magic.
Prepare yourselves!
The time has come!
When moon has shown
You will be done!
All four-hundred warriors went into a frenzy as if possessed. Blackbear cast the buff and a dark aura shot out of him in a three-hundred and sixty degree circle passing thru everyone. The men went wilder if that was even possible. Blackbear looked back at his party. They were all going crazy as well, arms raised and screaming at the sky. Only Sam stood still and as he made eye contact with her she raised her left eyebrow and slowly shook her head at him as if to ask “What the hell have you become?”
He grinned and shrugged his shoulders at her. He said, “I know right? I’m just playing my part here.” An icon was flashing in his interface. He focused on it.
War Cry: Duration 1 hour +25% base damage +25% attack speed. Bonus Haka Inspiration: +25% Defense.
Blackbear walked up to Chief Kai. “This buff is one hour, let’s make it count. You will lead 300 warriors up through the levels and finish the Mermen. I expect the final showdown will happen on the top exposed deck. If you can, make an offer to them to jump off so they don’t all die. I know I said no mercy to the men, but I’d rather not wipe them all out if possible.”
He turned to Chu. “We are going to take the remaining warriors below and try to find the boss monster and kill it. If I have my way we won’t destroy the ship. I would like to have this as another dungeon for the warriors to level at. With this place, the city dungeon, and the airport we will be spoiled with a variety of different dungeon styles. After these we can start with an outpost by the park I came from and start on the dungeons there.”
Blackbear walked back to his personal party. “OK guys here’s the deal. We are going to be the lead team into the bowels of the ship. I would like Sam and the girls to stay here with a dozen warriors to clean up whatever trickles outside. I’ll leave Yepa here with you. Just use your bows and stay ranged. Being in this raid will give you a nice chunk of xp.”
He walked over and kissed Sam on the cheek. “I know I sprung this on you with no clue, but I just thought of it this morning. You need some experience and between the girls, the warriors, and the companions nothing should get close to you.”
She looked up and nodded. She quietly said, “OK, but don’t do anything heroic today Bowen!”
He squeezed her shoulders. “I won’t, I promise. I have Onida, Jane, and Smitty looking after me don’t forget.”
Jax piped up, “Hey, what am I chopped liver?”
Brownbear smiled. “I’m not mentioning you right now because you are already in trouble with Samantha for the ridiculously pretty receptionist you picked out for our house!”
Jax stared at him and looked at Sam mouth opening and closing like a goldfish.
Blackbear spoke before Jax could say anything else. “Let’s do this people. We have a lot to accomplish at the moment. I want to knock out this dungeon today and start some expeditions to the outer islands. Let’s go!”
He nodded at Chief Chu and he turned to the warriors. “MOVE OUT!”