Huts were made mostly from stacked stones, with wood being rarer. Bone was another common material, and given the size of the local wildlife, Sam wasn't surprised.
It looked normal. At least, normal in the sense that it matched images and videos he'd seen of primitive human tribes. There was no obvious outward aggression, no row of skulls spiked by the gate. The children looked happy. It was a complete contrast to the thirst for violence he'd come to expect from the ogres.
He sighed and scampered back down the rocks, returning to the hollow where they'd made their camp. Siel tended to Molly’s armour, repairing the leather on one of the straps.
“I counted at least sixty,” Sam said as he settled in beside her.
“We cannot fight sixty,” Siel replied, pursing her lip.
“And it gets worse.”
“Worse?” She shook her head. “Why not? Gods know we’re used to worse.”
Sam chuckled. “Well, I guess it could be better depending on your perspective. There are some larger ogres among the tribe, [Elites], if I had to guess. Others appear to be active magic users, likely some form of Shaman. While I'm sure they'll be harder to kill, they should be worth more spira.”
“And we do need that.”
“And we do need that,” Sam replied, letting out a long exhale. Despite weeks pushing into Bronze territory, they simply weren't finding enough monsters to fight.
In spite of Zetos’ promise to increase the number of enemies, they spent far more time looking for their next combat than they spent actually fighting. It was as if the beasts all magically cleared out hours before they arrived. They found just enough to keep themselves occupied, but never enough to get ahead.
It had gotten to the point where Sam was convinced they were the victims of foul play. He’d even yelled up at the sky, asking the Arbiter directly if it was something they allowed.
Unsurprisingly, he didn't get an answer and was left feeling foolish and bitter.
The penultimate Memoria had happened as they'd climbed the cliffs the previous day, and while neither of them was on the list, they weren't far off. Others had invested more than they had, yet they seemed happy and confident as they battled hordes of monsters.
Sam had little doubt the frontrunners would accrue enough to make the gate toll, probably with some to spare. Arther was just as confused as they were, recalling his own climb and the seemingly endless bands of roving beasts that should have patrolled the high cliffs.
I hate to say it, but you may be right, lad. While accusing Zetos outright does nothing, it does feel like the kind of petty tactic he would employ. If he can't kill you directly, he’ll just starve you out. Let the purge do his dirty work for him.
I don't have any advice other than to try to find an uncleared Dungeon. A few of them. He should have no control over those, and the ones in Bronze are often a literal goldmine.
As much as I hate to say it, you're going to have to take more risks. This is why we did what we did early. You're strong, Sam. Strong enough. It's time to see what you can really do.
- Arther
Sam had read and re-read the message as they'd climbed. It wasn't even that he wasn't comfortable taking risks; it's that there hadn't been any opportunities to do so. The village presented their first real shot at making a dent in the nearly seventy-five thousand spira that remained.
“We need to draw them out,” he said at last. “We can't wait for them to send out hunting parties and pick them off one at a time. We need to lure as many of the fighters as we can, kill them, then move on.”
“Will it be that simple?” Siel asked. “Would they not just hide behind their walls? Why would they chase us?”
“I don't think they function like that,” Sam said. “They're a warrior culture, right? It's clear that they establish their social hierarchy through combat. As peaceful as that village looks, something tells me they wouldn't hesitate to send out a group to hunt us down.”
Siel nodded slowly, summoning an arrow. She began creating a rough map in the dirt, outlining their location.
“So the village is here, at the end of the valley. And we’re here, by the cliff entrance. We need to find a place where we can easily defend, while still giving ourselves room to retreat.”
“Without giving them too many options to flank us.”
“That too.” She frowned, sketching a series of paths they'd spotted directly behind the village, burrowing into the rock. “It's possible one of these caves could be a good point of defence, but we won't know until we explore them.”
Sam shrugged. “No matter what we decide, they're going to have the advantage in terms of terrain. They don't look like they were just dropped here for the War. This looks like a permanent settlement. They're going to know the area. We need to get in, hit them hard, pull back, and kill em’ fast before they have time to come up with any kind of strategy.”
“I must say, I don't love how loose our own strategy is,” Siel muttered, dismissing the arrow.
“What choice do we have?” Sam growled. “We’re running out of time. The longer we spend sitting around planning, the less time we have to grind. Arther said we need to take risks. This is one of those risks!”
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“There is risk, and then there's stupidity,” Siel hissed. “I don't want to throw away my life because you have a grudge against these creatures.”
“What life?” Sam bellowed. “The life that will be gone if we don't get enough Spira? It's a quick death or a slow one. That's how they want it. They want to force us into a corner and make us squirm.”
Siel sat back on her haunches, face flat. “You think I don't know that? You think I don't know how behind we are? Remember whose fault it is, if you truly are cursed as you say.”
Sam recoiled as if he'd been slapped. “No one is forcing you to stay. If you really think I'm holding you back, I won't stop you. Leave, if you want.”
Siel let out a breath, then sagged, her normally perfect posture collapsing.
“I'm sorry,” she said quietly. “I didn't mean that. I just hate feeling like we don't have any control. We’ve done everything right, and we’re still behind.”
“Yeah.” He rubbed his eyes, trying to force away the fatigue. “This is what they want, though. They want us stressed. They want us at each other's throats. I know it's not ideal, but we need to just keep moving forward. Either we die fighting, or we die in the purge. I'd rather at least attempt to go out on our own terms.”
“I know,” she said at last, her normally stoic persona completely gone. She suddenly seemed very young, despite her being older than he was. She looked as lost as he felt, and that scared him more than the ogres. He’d grown accustomed to her quiet confidence. It shook him to see her second-guessing herself.
“How about this: we go scout those caves, find a good place to defend, then I'll go see if I can't bait us some ogres.”
“I should be the one to lure them. They're more likely to find me an easy target.”
“Maybe,” Sam said, “but I need you in position to cover me. And I'm faster.”
“I am not convinced of that,” she said with a smirk, a kernel of humour returning.
“What, are you suggesting we have a race?”
Siel sighed and shook her head, stretching as she got to her feet. “That won't be necessary. If you're volunteering, I won't stop you.”
“Look,” he said, standing, reaching out to lightly touch her arm. “I know this isn't easy. I'm fucking scared, I'll admit it. I'm scared we’ll run out of time, and there's nothing we can do about it. I'm scared all this will have been for nothing.”
She laid a hand on top of his and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You can't let your fear cloud your judgement, any more than you would anger. We still have time. We need to be smart about this.”
“I need you to accept that we might reach a point where we have to do something stupid.”
She let out a bright laugh. “Well, when that time comes, there's no one I'd rather do it with.”
“What, are you saying I'm stupid?” he said with a grin.
“No, far from it. I'm just saying, you have a knack for doing things others might consider…unorthodox and surviving. I don't think it's luck. You just seem to have a talent for it.”
“I guess there are worse skills to have.”
“Better ones, too,” she added. “But for now, let's try to make plans and stick to them.”
“We can certainly try…”
The caves, as it turned out, were a series of twisting warrens carved into the cliff face overlooking the village. Various paths led to and from, but they seemed completely devoid of life.
“I wonder why these are deserted?” Sam whispered after returning from the fifth empty cavern.
“I agree, it makes little sense,” Siel said, face scrunched. “These are good, defensible positions, and there is plenty of protection from the elements.” She gestured at the runes carved into the walls. “I wonder if they hold a spiritual significance to the ogres?”
“I guess it's possible. All the ones we’ve encountered so far worship Orcus, but I don't know anything about him.”
“Neither do I,” she said, peering into the darkness at the back of the cave. Thick cobwebs covered the wall, but they looked as though they hadn't been disturbed in years.
“This looks like as good a spot as any. There's a narrow passage in the back we can escape into, and probably collapse if we need to. And this cave is wide enough to take on a few at a time without getting overwhelmed.”
“I wonder if they'll continue to send more when the first few don't return,” Siel muttered as she set about laying traps.
“I can always try insulting their mothers if it comes to it,” Sam said wryly.
“I'd be careful. Knowing our luck, their mothers will be the [Elites].”
“Look, at this point, we need all the spira we can get. I say bring em’ on. Even if they're stronger than the last three we faced, it shouldn't be a problem.”
Siel shrugged and summoned Mjolna from her storage. The boar landed with a crunch on the uneven stone.
Mai was perched on her back and lifted a lazy eyelid to survey the scene. “Well, don't let it be said you never take me anywhere nice.”
Sam let out a snort as he prepared to leave the cave. The sphinx had been more chatty since their fight with the ogre scouting party, but most of her comments were sardonic at best, and outright scathing at worst.
“Are you ready?” Sam asked as he did the customary check of his armour.
“Yes. I still don't love this plan, but I can't think of a better one.”
“We could try infiltrating the village when it gets dark, but if they discover us, we’re screwed. This gives us the best chance at picking them off a few at a time.”
Siel nodded and reached out a tentative hand, resting it on his wrist. “Be careful. Remember, you're trying to look like easy prey, not a threat to the whole village.”
He smiled, feeling his face go flush. “Please, I'm just a human, right? I don't think they'd consider it a threat unless there were ten of me.”
“Fair enough. Dull your aura just to be safe.”
“Good thinking,” Sam said, activating [Apostate] and letting it settle over him in a thin film. “Here I go.” He tried to make the words as cheery as possible, but they both could hear the slight tremble in his voice.
Without a second look, he took off into the bright morning sunshine and began scrambling clumsily down the rocks, kicking up as much dirt as he could manage.
He didn't have to descend far before he heard the first shout rising up from the village.
The call sounded like a child’s, but it was soon taken up by many as a chorus of yells assaulted his ears. A few seconds later, a horn sounded.
His heart pounded in his chest as he reversed course and began climbing back up the rock towards the caves. Below him, the voices changed from those of taunts and mocking laughter to those of surprise and panic. He didn't stop to see why, as massive arrows began springing from the rocks all around him.
A few came dangerously close, diverted at the last second by his pauldron’s passive effect. He cleared the last few meters and made a beeline for the cave. Behind him, the voices had taken on a frenzied cadence, and they were soon joined by the pounding of dozens of armoured feet.
Sam took a moment to spare a glimpse over his shoulder, and his stomach dropped.
The gates to the village had been thrown open, and every single ogre had taken up the charge. Children and the elderly trailed behind, but even those clutched bone knives and cudgels.
“Oh shit—” Sam’s voice was cut off as Siel grabbed him and yanked him back into the cave, narrowly avoiding a spear that had been launched from one of the larger ogres at the front of the pack.
“Bring em’ on, right?” she yelled, voice cracking. “What are we going to do?”
“Get Molly working on widening that opening!” he yelled, pointing to the back of the cave. “Prop the roof up with vines and be ready to drop them when I give the signal.”
“What are you going to do?” she gasped, eyes desperate.
“What do you think?” he replied, voice like iron. “I'm going to buy you some time.”