"Everybody stop!!" Tom screamed, yanking one guy off his feet before he could attack a nearby orc.
It was close, too close. Tom looked around, finding that nobody had done anything stupid yet. He let out a sign as the notification popped up.
DING!!!
You are under the effects of [Parlay]
[Parlay] - Ancient: When activated, all sentient forces are forced into a temporary armistice. If one side attacks another during this time, the attacking side will receive a 30% debuff to all stats, and combat will resume.
All people caught in [Parlay] may not recover their resources.
Parlay will allow the leaders of multiple armies to meet and discuss. This ability may be used to negotiate a surrender, offer terms, or even just have a chat. Should negotiations break down, both sides will return to their forces before battle resumes.
Tom shuddered as he considered how utterly fucked they would have been if they had attacked the orc. While [Parlay] was supposed to be used for peaceful negotiations, it was just as often used as a mass debuff ability. At a 30% loss in stats, they would have suffered a party wipe, and from the disappointed look on the orc's faces, they knew it as well.
Tom relaxed a little as he caught sight of the illusionary doves circling the two groups overhead. He didn't know exactly why, but for some reason, the system decided that anything related to peace must have doves circling overhead, so now they had a bunch of illusionary doves. It was weird, but it did look nice.
"No one attacks anything unless the doves disappear," Tom said as he walked up towards the orcs. The massive orc leader moved up to meet him. His body was peppered with Lichtenberg figure scars, evidence that Alex had been peppering him while Tom had been on the ground. The guy had a massive bow in his hands and two short swords at his belt.
"I greet you, Lord of my enemy," the enemy orc commander said in accented English. May I know the foe I faced today?"
Tom wasn't sure what he was expecting; the game had always been in English. But it still felt weird.
"I am Thomas Bruner, Guild Leader of Awoken Myths, Beta-tester, and First," Tom said, reciting his titles as was customary in Noralon.
"I am Rog Bone Splitter of Clan Bone Splitter, Mercenary Captain of the Bone Splitter Clan, Faithful of Hilda, Outworlder and First," Rog proclaimed in an accent that Tom could only call somewhere between Russian and German.
Tom also double-checked the orc's status with [Thirst for Knowledge].
DING!!!
Name: Rog Bone Splitter
Title: Bone Splitter clan, Mercenary Captain of the Bone Splitter Clan, Faithful of Hilda God of Justice, Outworlder, First
Race: Orc
Type: Humanoid / Goblinoid
Languages: Orcish, Gobish, English
Levels: 20 (Crippled)
Bloodline: None
Classes: Mercenary 20 / Warmonger 9
Personal Perks: Tireless, Darkvision,
Mercenary Skills: Dragoon, Chivalry, Eternal Vigil, Jackpot, Evasion, Legendary Strength, Golden Opportunity, Deadly Aim, Solid Contract, Infused Powershot, Parlay
Warmonger Skills: Warband Leader, War Map, Supply Chain, Aura of Intimidation
Tom looked around, examining the last ten orcs and the few remaining wargs. Yep, all the ones still living were level 19, with their actual levels being in the upper 30s, which means they were basically pushing level 40. They would already be dead if not for their crippled souls. They could still beat them. It would be costly.
Worse, these guys could also see Tom's status as he hadn't bought anything to block it. Even if he hadn't been knocked out of the air, he would still have lost the …. Wait a minute.
"Did you shoot me out of the sky, Captain?!" Tom asked suddenly.
"Ha, yes, my lord, I thought you would crack your skull on your way down. But you impressed me."
"I always aim to impress," Tom said sarcastically. "So what are we parlaying for?"
Rog pulled himself up to his full seven-foot height.
"We have lost this encounter, my lord, " Rog said with mock sadness.
Tom snorted. They both knew what was happening. Rog had lost this fight, true, but if they attacked him during [Parlay], Rog would crush him. And even if they didn't win this fight, they would most likely be able to get out of it without further consequences. This was just one of the many benefits of [Parlay].
"As the losers, I would like to discuss our surrender and retreat from this unfortunate encounter as dictated by the forms of battle."
"Unfortunate?!" Joey shouted in outrage, spittle flying from his lips. "These… people, if you can call them that, had killed my people, and now you're standing here speaking about the forms of battle?"
Tom didn’t know when, but Joey had walked up next to him, his rifle in hand. Joey was shaking. His rifle vibrated in his grasp. He took a step forward, and Tom pushed him back, shaking his head in what he thought was a clear indication that he should step back. But then Rog had to open his mouth.
“We are only hired soldiers,” Rog said sternly. He clearly liked how Joey looked, as if he was about to lose it. “We have also surrendered, and according to Lady Hilda's forms of battle require you to-”
“Fuck your rules!” Joey screamed.
"Enough!! Stand down, Joey," Tom ordered, placing a hand on the man's shoulder.
"Bullshit," Joey spat, shaking him off as he started stalking towards Rog.
Tom didn't even hesitate; he had never stashed his iron sword, and Joey was already at death's door. The man didn't even have time to react as Tom smoothly moved behind him, grabbed his head and slit his throat all in one fluid motion.
"Gah," Joey gurgled. He stared up at him in utter shock as his strength left him, and he hit the ground.
Joey collapsed between Rog and Tom, his blood staining the snow red.
"I'm sorry for the display, Captain," Tom said coldly. However, if you continue to goad my men into attacking you, I will be forced to demand further compensation."
"Understandable, my lord," Rog said with new respect, perhaps even caution in his eyes.
The rest of Tom's people had a completely different reaction. Lt. Thorn looked guarded, and Gareth's eyes widened in fear. Even Rog's own Orcs seemed ill at ease after witnessing Tom's execution. Only Alex looked relieved. Unlike the noobs, she actually knew what would have happened if Joey had broken the [Parlay]. Tom could tell he was going to have problems when he got back to Hopkins.
But those were tomorrow's problems. He had today problems.
“Allow me to apologize for my behaviour. On behalf of the Bone Splitter Clan, I formally absolve any of the forces here today from blood debts. Further, I extend to you the token of my clan. It entitles you to one audience with our leaders. While we might have been enemies today, tomorrow is a mystery, and with what's coming, you may need all of the friends you can get."
With that ominous pronouncement, the Orc reached into a small pouch at his waist. Tom didn't make any moves to stop Rog as he pulled out and tossed a token to him. Tom caught it with a deft movement. The token was a white bone disk with a creature Tom recognized as a Bone --- carved on one side and a battle axe on the other.
Scrimshaw Bone Token of the Bonesplitter Clan
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Rarity: Uncommon
Quality: Above Average
Durability: 32/32
This token grants the owner one meeting with the Chief of the Bone Splitter Clan. Display this token to any member of the clan, and they will take you safely to the Bonesplitter clan leader.
The protection will not extend further than that.
It has been enchanted with a magical signature that cannot be replicated.
Would you like to soul bind this item Y/N?
This wasn't compensation. It was an advertisement. Rog wanted Tom to hire them, maybe not for this fight, but in the future. Unfortunately, Hopkins didn't really have anything of value at the moment. Sure, the rooms were impressive, but that was potential, not currency.
"I accept your token of apology in the same vein in which it is given. Now, let's move on to the ransoms, shall we, Captain?" Tom said.
"Is that truly necessary, my lord?" Rog asked. After all, in the spirit of our new age, should we not let bygones be bygones?"
"Unfortunately, we can not do that, as you have said yourself, according to the war Goddess Lady Hilda. The forms of battle require you to pay a life debt to the victor in exchange for your life," Tom stated, smiling back at him.
Rog, too, was smiling, but probably for a different reason.
They were finally getting back into familiar territory. Now, it was all about negotiating. Tom had no doubt that this was not the first time Rog had been on the losing side of a battle and needed to use words, not blades, to ensure his survival. Hell, it wasn't even Tom's first time at the negotiation table.
"Of course, my lord, as is Lady Hilda's will," Rog said with false piety as he straightened. “We will also pay the Arms Price to be allowed to leave with our arms and armour and relinquish the possessions of our dead. If you agree to assist us, we will even be willing to pay the death price as well.”
Gareth had walked up during the conversation. He didn't pick a fight despite that he held his spear at the ready.
“Life price?” Gareth asked.
"Lady Hilda is the Goddess of Fire, War, Alcohol, Truth, and Justice. As such, she is also the god in charge of dictating the terms of war. One of those terms is that If a person is captured or surrenders in war, a price can be paid for each soldier to be allowed to leave the field, which is called a life price. An Arms Price is for taking their equipment with them, and a death price is paid when you want your enemy to resurrect you." Alex explained.
"Oh," Gareth said, frowning.
"Will standard work?" Rog asked.
"Yes, ten cores of the equivalent level to the person. However, I will demand that you tell us everything you know about the goblins and why they were here.”
Gareth looked like he wanted to argue, but he didn't say anything.
"Will you be buying the information with the life price?" Rog asked
"Yes," Tom confirmed. "Would you like that in a Contract?"
"Preferably," Rog said.
From there, the discussion devolved into the minutia of the [Contract]. Rogs [Contract] was more based on the wording, while Toms was based on the spirit. It didn't leave either of them with much wiggle room to try and screw over the other without getting hit with the backlash. Alex didn't join in on his haggling. Instead, she just kept her staff ready as she watched the orcs with a wary eye.
The first thing both of them did was extend the parlay for the next hour. Neither side wanted to agree to anything, only to be immediately shafted by the other. Tom also got them to agree to another meeting with their chief tomorrow. Rog ended up paying 110 Uncommon rarity cores for the life price and 300 common rarity cores for the arms price. The standard rate was ten cores of the user's same level. It was enough to be painful but not enough to ruin a person.
Despite his generosity, Rog did not immediately pay the death price. Instead, they would be paid tomorrow at the meeting when Tom would resurrect the fallen. Rog also hinted that they might have other people who died and would be willing to pay additional death prices to bring them back in monster cores, which was what they needed the most right now.
Afterwards, Tom turned to what he really needed: information.
"Now, what can you tell me about the goblins to the west?" Tom asked.
"They are the Blood Teeth Clan. They recently contacted my clan. They said they had a way to bring us all to a new world and wanted to hire us and our warg riders. To help pave the way forward. My clan, the Bone Splitter, had been recently pushed out of our ancestral territory by the Tarpit Orc Clan, so we used this as an opportunity to migrate to a new hunting ground. Our most recent contract had us coming out here to support the Blood Teeth Clan." Rog explained.
"Should I be expecting this to be a regular thing?" Tom asked.
"No," Rog stated. Our contract with The Blood Teeth Clan is over. We have fulfilled the contract and will be moving on from this area. Your people attacked us."
"Does the Blood Teeth clan know we're here?" Tom asked.
"If they do, they haven't told us," Rog stated.
Tom looked over to Alex. She gave him a shrug. They hadn't gotten around to putting up proper wards to protect Hopkins. There had always been something more important to deal with. Now, that would have to be a priority.
"What's up with all of the soul crippling?" Tom asked. "You have it. I've heard at least two other Blood Teeth also have it. I'm wondering if there's a pattern."
Rog smiled. "It's quite simple. The portal the Blood Teeth created to come to this world only allows those under level 10 to come here. So those of us at a higher level needed to cripple ourselves to get here."
"The portal created with a bloodstone?" Tom asked.
"Powered by the bloodstone. Not created." Rog said.
"A different mechanism for the portal. interesting."
"Why is he telling us this?" Gareth asked.
"Because this one wants to hire us," Rog said, gesturing to Tom.
"True," Tom said. Those goblins are going to be a problem. Ideally, we need to shut the portal down. But at this point, I think simply eliminating the bloodstone should be enough.
"Why are you telling these guys our plans then?" Gareth asked.
Tom rolled his eyes.
"Do you plan to inform the goblins of us?" Tom asked pointedly.
"No." the orc said.
"And we believe them?" Gareth asked.
"They're the faithful of Hilda, the god of war, truth and justice," Tom said. "Lying to us would insult their goddess, and being in her good graces is more important than screwing us over."
Rog smiled, his massive tusks on full display. "You know, human, I think I'm starting to like you."
You may skip to the next chapter.
Name: Alexandra Ling
Race: Solalfar
Type: Humanoid / Unlife
LVL: 21
SubRace: Sun Elf
Age 18
Health: 840
Stamina: 1470
Mana: 2760
Health Regen: 12.6 per hour
Stamina Regen: 20.6 per min
Mana Regen: 29.1 per min
Titles: Beta-Tester, First, Awoken Myths
Immune
None
Resistances
Mind
Weakness
Vitality
Bane
Manslayer, Corpseslayer
Classes: Wizard 20, Witch 1
Total
STR: 42
AGIL: 42
DEX: 42
CON: 42
END: 84
PER: 42
INT: 138
WILL: 207
SPIRIT: 84
EGO: 105
CHA: 126
LCK: 42
Base
STR: 42
AGIL: 42
DEX: 42
CON: 42
END: 84
PER: 42
INT: 126 +10%
WILL: 189 +10%
SPIRIT: 84
EGO: 105
CHA: 126
LCK: 42
Personal: +4 INT +4 WILL +3 EGO +3 CHA
Racial: +3 WILL +2 END +2 SPIRIT +1 CHA
Level Bonus: +2 to all Stats
Bloodline:
[Bloodline of the Spector] - Epic: This bloodline endows its bearer with an ethereal connection to the spirit world, blending the boundary between life and death. Those who possess this bloodline gain ghostly abilities, allowing them to move unseen and untouched through the physical realm.
* [Haunting Presence] - Level 21 >> Level 25
* [Ethereal Form] - Level 11 >> Level 14
* [Invisibility] - Level 19 >> Level 20
* [Steal Life] - Level 1
* [Undying Focus] - Level 25 >> Level 28
Skill Slots: 15/60: Skill Points: 1
Personal Skills
* [Solar Metabolism] - Level 30 >> Level 32
* [Stable Chanting] - Level 23 >> Level 26
* [Storage] - Level 17 >> Level 19
* [Mapping] - Level 15 >> Level 17
* [Mana Supersession (System)] - Level 20
* [Flyte] - Level 1 >> Level 6
Wizard 11/11
* [Arcane Awakening] - Level 30 >> Level 31
* [Arcane Shell] - Level 26 >> Level 27
* [Charged Attack Ⅰ] - Level 15 >> Level 17
* [Multi-Cast Ⅰ] - Level 15 >> Level 16
* [Synchronized Chanting] - Level 24
* Capstone: [Grimoire] - Level 39 >> Level 40
* [Mana Sight] - Level 24 >> Level 28
* [Mana Manipulation] - Level 19 >> Level 20
* [Arcane Insight] - Level 4 >> Level 8
* [Persistent Casting] - Level 3
* Capstone: [Meta-Magic] - Level 1 >> Level 9
Witch 01/6
* [Flying Broomstick] - Level 1 >> Level 8