A hundred pairs of multi-colored orc eyes followed Blake and Ilya across the hall. A special place had apparently already been created for the White Tower—a collection of tables and chairs for kin and clan. They were, for the moment, entirely empty.

But Blake brought several constructs. These clattered and thumped in a steady rhythm behind him, quickly drawing the wide stares of the attending orcs. Blake had convinced Ilya, since she currently had no warriors, a show of strength would be a good idea.

"Welcome, Lady Ambereye," said the same older orc lord who had 'named' Ilya's clan. She smiled politely and took her seat, and Blake sat down beside her hoping it wasn't some terrible cultural blunder. His constructs waited beside him in a line.

"The human," said the young lord of the Blacktusk, red eyes moving over everything with distaste. "Friend though he may be. Is it...appropriate he join a meeting of the tower lords? With…those things?"

Blake gave no expression, knowing he had to give Ilya a chance first to deal with the challenge.

"Perfectly," Ilya said, her tone calm. "I've made him First Wizard, a member of my council. Can we get on with this, please? As you can imagine, I have much to do."

Blake fought his smile, and the older lords snorted or grinned as their younger colleague scowled.

"I realize this is only your second council meeting, Thek," said the elder lord with obvious pleasure. "But how a clan manages its affairs is none of our business. I've asked you all here to discuss a problem delayed by...recent events. But first, perhaps, formal introductions. The lady may not even know us."

“Let’s get on with it,” grumbled a huge orc in red armor, but the elder orc tutted with his tongue and called for patience. Ilya nodded and the older orc smiled as he gestured to himself.

“I am Malik of the Earthsoul clan.” He gestured to the young lord he’d chastised. “Thek of the Blacktusk. The impatient scowler is Kavuk of the Bloodfist. And our other new lord is Ailen Stoneblood, whom I assume you know.”

Again Ilya nodded, as her people were originally from the ‘grey’ tower where the Stonebloods ruled. She thanked the elder Earthsoul lord and introduced herself unnecessarily.

“Good,” called the Bloodfist. “Now we know we are in fact all here and have names. Can we discuss your recent events, Malik?”

Blake assumed 'recent events' meant 'this human wizard in a divine duel against our temporary tyrant orc king'. But since it seemed the orcs were keen to forget the whole episode, Blake was rather happy to join them.

"The ancient mines," continued Malik. "There have been...disturbances. For the past several days."

A palpable wave of nervous energy swept the many other orcs in attendance, meaningful looks swapping between them as some whispering broke out. But no one spoke out, so Malik went on.

"I know my tower isn't alone in this. Word comes to me from the warrens, and from friends and allies. There are...animal attacks. Unexplained deaths. Dark whispers amongst the laborer class."

Welcome to Phase Two, Blake thought.

Apparently it didn't just effect the humans. The orcs went back and forth, arguing about superstitious peons and rumors that went back centuries, never with any merit. Not once was the word 'demon' used, and it went on so long Blake began getting a little bored.

"If I might speak," he finally shouted, waiting for the orcs to notice him and calm down. With a glance at Ilya, who nodded her approval, he stood and smiled. "May I assume you have had no such attacks or reports, Lord Stoneblood?"

The new lord of the Grey Tower had been quiet throughout. He glanced around at his many powerful, curious kin before he met Blake's eyes.

"I have not."

The whispering threatened to start up again so Blake spoke quickly.

"That's because I entered your mine, cleared out the nest of demons, and killed the pit fiend at its end."

You might have heard a pin drop after that. If orcs had pins. Then as if some secret bell had rung, silence became cacophony as a hundred incredulous orcs rose up to call Lord Stoneblood and Blake fools and liars. And possibly pig fuckers.

Lord Earthblood smashed the hard end of his staff into the stone until the room quieted again.

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"Can you prove what you say?" he asked, his tone already sounding defeated, as if he believed, and the news devastated him.

Blake shrugged.

"Where do you think I got the holy stone that built the new tower?"

He gave that a moment to sink in, then remembered the necklace. He wasn't entirely sure he should reveal it at all, but decided unless he meant to hide it permanently, it was better to get the reveal out of the way sooner rather than later. He held it up slightly.

"Oh. And I took this from the demon's corpse."

The orc lords soon demanded an inspection. They sent a gaggle of ancient shamans to poke and prod both the amulet and Blake. They cast some spells. They sniffed him. They shook some charms and their staffs and sometimes made hissing sounds.

About the same time Blake was ready to threaten them with dark magic, they melted away and declared the amulet genuine.

Again the room erupted and took some time to settle. The orcs argued and whispered amongst themselves, the mood far more somber and quiet now.

"You shouldn't wear that accursed thing," hissed the young Blacktusk lord when it was clear the council were ready to speak again.

Blake raised a brow, glancing around the staring orcs.

"No doubt I shouldn't use sorcery, either, or fraternize with orcs. I certainly shouldn't build them a whole new tower. My people would be as scandalized as you. And yet here we are. A dead tyrant. One less demon-infested mine. You’re welcome, I suppose."

It had the desired effect. For their part, the orcs seemed admirably practical and accepting of their current reality. They argued about what was to be done, generally accepting that very few orcs could resist the mind magic employed by powerful demons. One by one the eyes turned back to Blake, and Ilya.

"You destroyed one, human. Could you destroy more?"

A system message flashed before Blake’s eyes, and he couldn’t help but smile.

[Objective gained: Destroy the demon pits and portals within the orc towers. Reward: A potent gift from each lord when their towers are cleansed.]

Blake knew then it was time to go back to Mason and the settlement. Though only God knew what he'd say.

Was he ready to see Mason? To tell him all he'd been through and figure out what happened with Nassau? To see Seul-ki and figure out what he was doing? To ask them to somehow form an alliance with the orcs who'd tried to kill them?

He was a very lucky man, he knew that. And yes clever and growing more powerful all the time. But he had no idea what was in those dungeons.

He'd been exceptionally lucky to survive even the 'Grey Tower' mine, which seemed the least of the dungeons. They would certainly get harder. And he had a feeling the orcs wouldn't or maybe couldn't actually join him to go inside. So it seemed he only had one choice.

He smiled at Ilya, then met the eyes of the Earthblood lord.

"I can. But I’m going to need some help."

* * *

"Can't you just...dreamwalk?" Ilya started fretting the moment they returned to the tower. "Or send one of your statues? It could be this is all some grand scheme to get you to leave. I'm still almost defenceless."

They were standing in Blake's crafting hall, Navi floating nearby, Blake's constructs waiting with a few bags of supplies. The orcs had eventually agreed to allow Blake and a few human champions—under strict supervision—to enter another orc mine and clear out the demons.

Blake held Ilya's face and kissed her.

She was wearing the beautiful furs and robe of her station, a small tiara buried in her dark hair. Silver rings hung tastefully from her ears, and her skin was covered in painted loops and whorls. She looked very much the orc noblewoman she now was, and Blake enjoyed just looking at her, very pleased that she was his. He smiled.

"It's not a scheme, the lords really do need help.” He didn’t bother adding that he’d taken a peek in a few of their minds. “They're not going to give you any trouble."

He shrugged.

"At least until it's over. And no, I can't send my 'statues' or Dreamwalk. This is going to involve somewhat...delicate conversation, with more than one person. I have to go myself."

He could tell she wanted to come with him. But of course she couldn't. With some dismay he realized, as lady of the tower, she may never be able to leave it again, possibly for 'system' reasons that might bend her mind or who knew what.

But then she'd been able to use the teleporter out of the dungeon. Maybe his relationship with her allowed her to break the rules? Behave more like a player? For now, he could only hope.

"I'm coming right back," he promised. "And when I do, I'll have a group of humans as powerful as me." When Ilya's eyes widened, he shrugged. "Almost as powerful. And I can leave you a couple guards," he said as it occurred to him. Though it would make for a somewhat less impressive return to Nassau.

But egotistical reasons aside, Blake knew he'd feel better if Ilya had some of his protection. He stepped back and opened his pet prompts, filling them with a sweeping, generic command to obey Ilya in all things.

As he did, the constructs simply vanished from his profile. His total mana increased as the constructs completely left his control. Ilya's eyes widened.

"They've transferred to the tower!" she almost shouted. "I can see them! It says I have room for...." her eyes widened further. "Forty-eight more?"

Her eyes were a little watery as Blake grinned.

"Well then. Looks like I have considerable work to do when I get back. Though I'm thinking maybe we give the tower a slightly different design. Something a little more obviously 'Clan Ambereye', you know? A new aestheti..."

Ilya practically leapt at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she kissed his face again and again, eventually moving to his lips. It got passionate fast, and Blake chuckled as the orc girl finally pulled back to catch her breath.

"How then should I reward you, First Wizard?" Ilya grinned, leaning forward to nibble his ear. "What gift is sufficient when you return?"

"Oh." Blake looked away as if lost in thought, the teeth on his ear somewhat frighteningly sharp. "I'm sure we'll think of something." He gave her ass a good squeeze, then winked as he turned away.

"But I've things to do. And so do you, my lady," he gave the word the seductive tone it deserved. "Come along, Navi. And you too hired goons."

Of course the verbal commands weren't necessary, but Blake thought his exits should contain as much drama as his entrances. And his control was constantly getting better…

Without another word or glance at Ilya, he lifted himself with Telekinesis, his remaining three minions thudding in his wake. He floated down the tower stairs.