He screeched, “Youz is boss, youz is Elder.”

  I stepped over and slapped him. As I had learned, a slap was more shameful to ogres than a closed fist strike. It was a way of saying that he wasn’t strong enough for me to bother with a proper punch. He got the message and fell to his knees pleading for me to release him.

  The ogre I had punched was coming to and realized what was going on. His eyes got wide when he saw his companion’s predicament. I looked down at him, “What about you? Do you need me to finish this lesson?”

  “No, youz is boss.”

  I nodded then dropped the vines. As they recoiled into the earth, I cast a Regeneration spell which targeted both of them. I didn’t care about fully Healing him, just about showing that I could both cause pain and take it away.

  Without another word, I kept walking towards the village. Violet and Ainsley followed me. Once we were out of earshot, Violet said, “Now that was what I was expecting from an ogre.”

  Chapter 13- Ogre Whoopie Drive

  A short time later we made it back to the village. It was bustling with activity at a level I had never seen. Timber for more than a hundred yards around the village had been cleared. Seeing with my own eyes the number of new buildings, as well as those partially constructed, was significantly different than seeing it on the interface.

  There were stacks of lumber, mounds of rock and ore, and piles of furs. The builders were moving around with a sense of purpose. Oh, there were still strong indicators of ogre laziness, but Isaw the solution to that. Tulbat and a dozen warriors were walking around with weapons drawn. When I assessed the head warrior, I realized that his level had increased to twenty-eight. Maybe, I had been away for too long if he had made that much progress without me.

  Then he saw me and called out at the top of his lungs. “The Elder is back. Find the Chief and the Alchemist.” The ogre came strolling right over to me. Based on our history, I started to charge mana into a Frostburn spell. If he was going to challenge me, I would need to put him down hard.

  Instead, as he reached me, he tossed his big hammer down and grabbed me in a massive hug. “Tulbat so gladz see Ooglie one. Ooglie one makez ogres strong.”

  He let go of me and I reluctantly let go of the mana I had been holding onto. “Uh, hello. What’s been going on?”

  I heard Kerkek’s voice as an answer from behind me. “Me Chief. Me makez plan for Ghazban. Ooglie, one have good plan. Chief make mez plan.”

  “What plan is that?”

  Then I heard the voice of the third village elder, my former teacher and the one to first start calling me ugly. “You getz stooped when youz gone? Youz tell tribe build, chopz wood, digz rocks. We are getting ready for warz. Youz make us strong.”

  I knew that, after they all respawned, they had been much more accommodating, but it seemed like they were getting even more accommodating. Then Kerkek asked, “Whoz them?” as he pointed at Violet and Ainsley.

  “These are my friends and new members of the tribe to help make us stronger. Violet here can teach us how to make fire sticks.” I grinned and then looked at her, “Why don’t you show them?”

  Part of why Violet was so much fun was that she didn’t even hesitate but immediately started pulling her blunderbuss out of storage. “Sounds like fun.”

  I made all the ogres move to one side so she could shoot the weapon in a safe direction. Her boots anchored her down. I plugged my ears, because I knew what to expect, and then boom! it fired with explosive force. Violet was left rocking like an oversized bobble-head, and the shot went into a tree stump, shredding the wood.

  The ogres all started to howl and hold their ears. Some called to crush it, but once I got the other elders to see the stump, they wanted more demonstrations. Violet ended up showing it three more times, but she wouldn’t agree to let any of the ogres try it, claiming their fingers were too fat and clumsy. Understandably, the elders were impressed and immediately welcomed Violet. She got along with them splendidly, as she was every bit as rough and tumble as they were.

  Then Tulbat pointed at Ainsley. “Whatz bout herz? She make go boom?”

  Ainsley seemed strangely intimidated by everyone staring at her and moved to stand right next to me. I hadn’t yet figured out if this was some act she was putting on, or just part of her default as an NPC. She had to serve a purpose, but I couldn’t figure out what it was yet. Sometimes her behavior seemed impossibly complex, so that it stretched my belief that she was an NPC to the point of incredulity; but other times she seemed like a perfect little plot tool.

  “She is a powerful shaman of sorts.”

  “Showz us, showz us,” the watching ogres started to chant.

  Something rose within me. I was getting angry for no reason. I felt ogre rage threatening to take over me. “Let her be. I said she is a powerful caster. If you need to see some magic, then I can show you mine. Does anyone need another demonstration?”

  I started chest bumping up against some of the ogres, challenging them to call me on it. “Back off, I’m the Elder. Or do you all want to challenge me?”

  The ogres all started backing up. I was 10-20 levels higher than all of them but the big three. Shemi started ordering the others back to work. I felt the rage in me struggling to break free. The worst part was that I didn’t know what was going on.

  I heard Violet ask, “I got your back, but are you feeling okay, big guy?”

  “If Master wants to make them all dead, they will make lovely pretties for me.”

  I shook my head. I couldn’t shake the feeling quite so easily, but I tried. When I finally felt okay to speak again, I looked down at Violet. “Something’s wrong with me, but I don’t know what it is.”

  “Let us know if we can do something,” Violet offered, placing her much smaller hand on top of mine. It was strangely reassuring.

  On the other side, Ainsley pressed up against me and was trembling. “Release the kraken. Yes, yes, release the kraken.”

  Something didn’t seem right about that, but I was barely holding my own with the struggle inside my own head. I looked around, and all the ogres had left except for Kerkek, Tulbat and Shemi. I forced a deep breath and tried to push the energy through my body just like I did when I was cultivating. The problem was I didn’t have anything to draw on, so there was no new energy to infuse into my body. The process still felt relaxing, sorta like counting to ten to allow your anger to dispel.

  After a minute Shemi said, “Whatz wrong?”

  That was the million dollar question. I had been feeling strange urges ever since I got stuck in LoS. I had felt like I learned to control them until I tried manipulating my base code. Then whatever I had dinged seemed to be having an adverse effect on me. Without thinking I said, “You tried taking the village from me. This is my village. You told me you need me to build it up, and you do. All of you are stupid without me.”

  Kerkek and Tulbat stared at me. Their eyes narrowed. I knew they were stronger than any of the other ogres here, but I still felt I could take both of them, and that was even without Violet and Ainsley at my back. Besides, I didn’t want control of the village, I wanted to be free to live with players.

  Then it looked like a lightbulb went off in Shemi’s mind. “Mez getz it. Youz angry wez made more ogres without youz. True youz make best ogres. Better than Chief better than head warrior. Ogres you make get higher level faster and have more casters. But spirits say keep making more ogres. Soon time to make more again, but has big problem tooz.”

  Sadly, I was happy when she said there was a problem. I needed something to focus my mind on. For whatever reason, I seemed to only be able to function well under pressure. “What problem?”

  “Youz want make more ogre now or talk bout problem?” Shemi asked.

  Every time she said ‘make more ogres’ I felt a very different kind of rush surge up within me. It was all I could do to grip my fists together and not say anything right away. A notification popped up. Normally, I hated being interrupted, but anything to focus my mind on now was a good thing.

  Newly added ogre impulse: Ogre Whoopie Drive.

  You have only partially resisted Ogre Whoopie Drive. C’mon, her eyes are up here.

  It was the freaking AI messing with me again. For all I knew it had nothing to do with the modifications I had made to my base code. Maybe this was just the AI getting back at me, or trying to force me into the role it picked out for me. Then another notification popped up.

  81 partners available

  36 optimal partners: 35 ogre, 1 kobold/gray elf hybrid

  Diversity is the spice of life, and the building block for a grand new nation.

  Whoa! Now that was a new one. All I could do was shake my head. I grit my teeth and then looked at Shemi, “Tell me about the problem first. The spirits can wait a bit for more ogres.”

  “Okay if youz want but spirits say be good if get 500 ogres in village.”

  No sooner had Shemi said that than another notification popped up. I knew I was going to regret it, but I looked at it.

  More details now available regarding special building options available as bonus quest reward for investigating the previous breach.

  Arcane Brewery:What’s more fundamental to enjoying life than a cold brew? After a long day of butt-scratching, clubbing small animals, and otherwise doing ogre things, it would hit the spot.

  Better yet, with this building you gain one master brewer and four assistants without having to spend any further XP or Village Energy.

  The building comes with the following boons.

  1) Automatic upgrade to the morale status of village and +20% energy production.

  2) Base 20% chance that any batch brewed will have a magical effect. These effects can come in Enchanted, Unique, Epic, or Mythic levels with a decreasing chance for each higher level.

  3) Production rate for non-magical brews is increased by 200%

  Scribbler’s Den: Just want ogres wanted, a way to learn how to write. But don’t knock it.

  This building will come with the following benefits.

  1) All ogres in the village will gain +25 to their Mind Stat. It will be gained at a rate of 5 points per month for those already spawned, and instantly for any created after the building is in existence. The bonus will double for village elders.

  2) +2000 faction for the village with all civilized factions, and a 50% increase in all faction-gaining actions, along with a 50% reduction in all faction-losing action.

  3) A master spell scribe will be assigned without any XP or Village Energy cost. If supplied with the appropriate materials, they will be able to create spell scrolls, both for learning new spells or for use in battle.

  Smiths’ Assembly: What’s better than one sword? Why, one hundred swords, of course. This building can be used by smiths or potentially artificers to mass-produce simple components.

  This building comes with the following benefits:

  1) The XP or energy cost for creating new smiths is reduced by 20%, and all smiths or artificers gain skill levels 20% faster.

  2) Once a smith masters the production of any item, it may be input into the Assembly as a recipe. Then if the appropriate materials are provided, the Assembly can mass produce those items. The complexity of items available can be leveled up.

  3) All ogres in the village gain a bonus to all physical damage resistances of +10. Village elders double that bonus.

  Trader’s Oasis: When you can’t find that perfect pair of slippers, don’t scream because ogres have fat fingers and make horrible tailors. Instead go shopping.

  This building comes with the following benefits:

  1) 150% increased chance that trade caravans or other traveling merchants will stop at Ghazban village. (Just remember not to eat them.)

  2) A minimum of 10 exotic items will be available for distance purchase in the Oasis each week.

  3) The quality of all non-combat goods produced by citizens of Ghazban village are increased in quality by 20% and have a 1% chance of being magical, even if they wouldn’t have been otherwise, or increasing by a rank if they would have been magical.

  The complexity of the choices actually worked in my favor and against whatever manipulation the AI was trying work on me. I needed time to think about these options, as well as to run them by Violet, and hopefully Elgar and the others, if they ever showed up.

  I told Shemi, “No, I’m sure. The spirits can wait just a bit longer. Now, what is this problem.”

  She nodded and said, “Wez have been forced to keep working further north. The forests to the south are becoming filled with stronger monsters whoz wez can’t defeat.”

  “Does anyone know why?”

  “Hunters say big monster chasing other monsters this wayz.”

  Hmm, a big monster. That sounded just like what I needed to take my mind off my problems. “Okay, I want to inspect the rest of the village, and then tomorrow morning I will head to the south.” I didn’t add that I was waiting because I hoped that Elgar, Tauri, and Robert would show up, or even Gregor. It was good, though. Something to focus on.

  Chapter 14- Team Tension

  The rest of the tour was very simple. Despite the progress they had made, they were still ogres, so there wasn’t much to see. One issue struck me. Violet could just log out, but Ainsley was an NPC. I didn’t know if she would be safe sleeping in one of the long houses. Then again, I didn’t like sleeping around the other ogres, either.

  If you got too many of them in one room, it sounded like the percussion section of a band. At least, that’s what it sounded like until you got a whiff of the place. The long houses definitely needed windows. If it was just me, I’d sleep outside. I guess Ainsley could sleep outside too, but I did worry a bit about the fact there were stronger monsters here now. Then there was the fact that I didn’t need much sleep, but NPC’s seemed to sleep for their predesignated time.

  Eventually, I decided it was best if I ask her. She might be an NPC, but it was wrong of me to rob her of the choice. I couldn’t shake that there was something different about her. Maybe she was a trap set by the system, and maybe she was just a variant. Either way, I would take her at face value, for the moment, while still keeping an eye open.

  “It will be dark in a few hours. I want to meet with the other ogre shamans and see how far they have progressed. I should probably meet with the cooks, too. After that, we will have to find a place to sleep. I never spend the night in the longhouses.”

  “Why’s that?” Ainsley asked.

  I chuckled. “Ogres stink. They aren’t pleasant to be around.”

  The kobold hybrid seemed very confused at that. “But, you’re an ogre.”

  “Yeah, but it doesn’t mean I like them. I am working to get free from this village.”

  “At least they treat you with respect. You have no idea what it was like when I first found the kobold village. They hated me because I’m only half-kobold. Then when I choose necromancy, they thought I was a heretic. It got even worse when I refused to worship their dragon god,” Ainsley said.

  “Then why didn’t you leave?”

  “Every time I tried, something got in the way. That is, until you showed up. That is why you are the Master, and that is why I’m going wherever you go. I already sleep next to one stinky ogre, so if you wanted to sleep by others, I would stay with you. If you want to leave the ogres and follow humans and elves around, then I’m with you. I owe you my freedom, Master,” Ainsley said.

  “Okay, this is too sweet. I’m gonna get a cavity soon. Either get a room, or -- no forget that. Just wait till I log out,” Violet said while pretending to vomit.

  I chuckled. Ainsley looked at me and then at Violet and back again. “You know what she means?”

  Before I could answer, Ainsley dropped to her knees. Her hands shot up to squeeze her temples and she let out a low groan of pain. She was mumbling under her breath, “I’ll be good. I’ll be good.”

  Things just kept getting more confusing. I waved my hand and cast Regeneration, hoping it would stop whatever was happening. The expression on her face softened. I didn’t know if the spell had helped or not, but she sighed and finally stood up.

  “What was up with that? Are you glitchy or something?” Violet asked sarcastically.

  “Look, just ‘cause you can come and go from some magical world doesn’t make you anything special, you pint-sized little turd,” Ainsley barked as she got in Violet’s face.

  The gnome’s face progressively grew three shades darker. I waited for her to start screaming at the kobold, but that wasn’t really Violet’s style. Her fist came up and then was launched into Ainsley’s face. Violet hit her so hard that not only did she send her spinning, but it looked like Ainsley’s head turned half-way around in a most unnatural way.