The silence in the cramped, foul-smelling hut was broken only by the ragged, wet breathing of the orc chained to the post. Ray "Thorzen" Silver stood over him, his changeling features impassive. The creature was a pitiful sight—bruised, bloody, and broken, a far cry from the formidable raider he must have once been. But pity was a luxury Ray couldn't afford. This thing was a link to the monsters who had destroyed his goblin home, the first life he'd known in this world. It was a source of information, a source of power, and a debt to be collected.
"Analyze!" Ray commanded, his voice flat.
A translucent screen materialized before his eyes, displaying the orc's grim statistics.
Orc Warrior - Torac
Level: 10
HP: 1/87
MP: 10/10
Class: Warrior
Strength: 43
Constitution: 43
Dexterity: 21
Wisdom: 20
Intelligence: 16
Charisma: 19
Abilities: Darkvision
Skills: Intimidation, Slash
"Very good," Ray murmured, a cold smile touching his lips. The orc was on the brink of death, its life force a guttering candle. Perfect.
The orc's one good eye fluttered open, glaring up at Ray with a mixture of hatred and primal fear. It tried to speak, to curse, but only a bloody gurgle escaped its lips.
"You don't have to tell me anything," Ray said, his tone conversational, almost gentle. He reached down and placed his hand firmly on the orc's broad, green-skinned forehead. The creature flinched, a weak struggle passing through its massive frame. "I'll get all the information I need. Assimilate!"
The now-familiar sensation of absorption flowed from his palm. The orc's head seemed to lose its solidity first, becoming a shimmering, liquid mass that flowed into Ray's hand. The process was swift and merciless. A progress bar ticked steadily in Ray's mind: 11%... 22%... The orc's body followed, dissolving from the top down, its physical and spiritual essence unraveling into streams of green and grey energy. ...88%... 100%. Assimilation Complete.
The heavy iron chains that had bound the massive orc clattered uselessly to the dirt floor. A soft chime sounded in Ray's mind.
+190 XP Received.
A flood of memories, sensations, and knowledge that wasn't his own crashed into his consciousness. He saw through Torac's eyes: the grimy orc town of Grull's Maw, the brutish chieftain Tormuek bellowing orders, the cunning shaman Veldrak whispering poisonous counsel. He felt the thrill of the raid, the crunch of goblin bone under his axe, the panic as the cave system confused them, and the despair of being captured and tortured by the kobolds. Fifteen orcs had entered the caves. Five, including Torac, had found and destroyed the goblin village. Four others were dead, lost to the caverns' dangers. The remaining ten, including Chieftain Tormuek and Shaman Veldrak, had retreated back to their town.
"Hmm, interesting," Ray thought, sifting through the memories. He focused, and his body rippled, expanding, his skin taking on a green hue, his features coarsening into the unmistakable visage of an orc warrior. He was Torac now, in form and in memory. "Well, at least this orc has a name: Torac."
The borrowed form felt strong, packed with raw, brutal power. But it was a hollow strength compared to his own. He willed the change back, his body shrinking and smoothing back into his natural, hairless changeling form. The grief and rage of the goblin memories were now his own, a cold ember of vengeance in his heart. Grull's Maw and its leaders were now marked.
He left the hut, stepping out into the central kobold cavern. The scene had transformed from one of grim survival to raucous celebration. Dozens of kobolds were gathered around cooking fires, feasting on roasted fish and fungi, their chattering voices raised in relieved excitement. As they saw him emerge, the celebration faltered. Weapons were set down, and snouts were lowered in a wave of respectful bows.
Ray raised his voice, projecting warmth and authority. "Continue celebrating!" The command was met with a renewed, even louder wave of cheers and chattering. "THORZEN! CHIEF THORZEN!"
A towering presence loomed to the side. Prime, too massive to fit into any of the kobold structures, stood vigil near the longhouse entrance, his metallic stone form a silent promise of their new chief's power.
"Prime, stay here," Ray commanded telepathically.
"Yes, Thorzen," the deep, synthetic voice responded instantly in his mind.
Ray entered the longhouse. The air inside was thick with the smell of smoke, cooked meat, and unwashed reptilian bodies. The celebration was in full swing here as well, but Ray's eyes were drawn to a quieter corner. The four troglodyte children—Wak, Web, Wag, and Waj—were huddled together, picking at their food, their small, scaly faces etched with confusion and fear. They were orphans in the camp of their parents' killers. It was a problem he would have to address, and soon.
Zek, the reliable kobold scout, noticed his entrance immediately and hurried over, weaving through the revelers.
"Chief! Come, eat with us!" Zek said, his voice eager.
Ray shook his head, offering a small, reassuring smile. "No, no, I only came to check up on the celebration. Besides, it's not that late; I want to head back into the cavern and assimilate more resources."
"Would you like me to come with you, Chief?" Zek asked, his loyalty evident.
"No. I want you to stay and get the clan ready for departure tomorrow, after the celebration," Ray instructed. "I do want you to pick a reliable kobold to accompany me. Oh, and make sure our young clan members are treated well." He gestured subtly towards the troglodyte children.
A flicker of understanding passed over Zek's face. "Yes, Chief. I will see to it." He turned and scanned the room, his eyes landing on a lean, green-scaled kobold who was watching the proceedings with sharp, intelligent eyes. Zek gestured him over.
The green-scaled kobold approached swiftly, bowing his head low before Ray. "Chief, you want me to go with you?"
"Yes, let's go," Ray said. "And bring a large container or a sack. We'll be gathering materials."
The kobold nodded and quickly fetched a large, sturdy wooden container that could be strapped to his back. Ray led the way out of the longhouse, Prime's glowing eyes tracking their progress. Once they were a good distance away from the noise and light of the settlement, Ray stopped and transformed back into his kobold disguise. He then turned to his new companion.
"What's your name?" Ray asked.
The kobold looked down, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I don't have a name, Chief."
Ray sighed inwardly. The lack of individual identity among the kobolds was a symptom of the harsh, survivalist culture Gugu had fostered. "No name, ok. From now on, your name is Zel."
The kobold's head snapped up, his slitted eyes wide with disbelief, then shining with a emotion Ray could only interpret as profound gratitude. "Thank you, Chief! Thank you for giving me a name!"
"Yeah, no problem," Ray said, a genuine warmth entering his voice. "When we return to our village, I need to name all my clan members. It's just wrong not to have a name."
"Our village, Chief?" Zel asked, his voice full of wonder.
"Yes," Ray said, his gaze turning towards the distant tunnel that led to the surface, to his land, his lake, his home. "I am building a village outside of the caves. A real home, with sturdy walls and clean water."
"All of us... get to live with you in the village?" Zel's voice was barely a whisper.
"Yes," Ray affirmed. "That will be our home. We have a lot of work to do, so let's get going."
A brilliant, toothy smile spread across Zel's reptilian face. Ray smiled back, feeling the rightness of his decision. He was building more than a base; he was building a community.
They moved with purpose, heading deeper into the cavern system, towards the area where he had first encountered the Violet Fungi. The journey was made in comfortable silence, Zel following his new chief with unwavering devotion. When they reached the grove of pulsating, malignant-looking fungi, Ray pointed.
"That's the fungus I want to assimilate."
Zel recoiled slightly. "That's bad fungus, Chief! Its touch will kill you!"
"Don't worry, Zel. I'll be fine; just stand back," Ray said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
He approached the nearest Violet Fungus. It stood about three feet tall, its cap a sickly violet color, its gills emitting a faint, phosphorescent glow. He knew the risk. According to his analysis, its Rotting Touch was potent. But the potential reward—a new form, new immunities, a devastating new skill—was worth the calculated risk. His Constitution was 125; he could take the hit.
He placed his palm directly on the fungus's cool, spongy cap. "Assimilate!"
The reaction was immediate and violent. A wave of necrotic energy flared from the fungus, searing up his arm. A sickly grey discoloration spread across his skin where he made contact.
-18 HP!
Rotting Touch: 10 damage per second for 10 seconds.
Ray gritted his teeth, ignoring the searing pain and the creeping decay. He focused all his will on the assimilation process, pushing through the damage. The progress bar in his mind began its slow climb.
10%... 20%. -10 HP!
30%... 40%. -10 HP!
50%... 60%. -10 HP!
70%... 80%. -10 HP!
90%... 100%. Assimilation Complete!
The violet fungus dissolved into a stream of purple and black particles, flowing into his void. The rotting sensation vanished, the damage ceasing as the source was incorporated. He let out a sharp breath, checking his HP. He'd taken 68 points of damage. A significant chunk, but nothing his body and the Slumber ability couldn't handle with a bit of rest.
New Abilities Acquired:
Immunities: Blinded, Deafened, Frightened.
Senses: Blindsight (30ft radius).
New Skill Acquired:
Rotting Touch (Level 1): Causes 18 rotting damage on hit. Deals 10 damage per second for 10 seconds.
"Damn," Ray muttered, flexing his hand. The skin was already smoothing back to its normal, unblemished state. "That was dangerous, but worth it."
"Chief, you ok?" Zel called out, his voice tight with worry.
"Yes, I'm fine, Zel," Ray assured him, turning to face the kobold. "But your caution was wise. This fungus is deadly. Be careful around any others you see." He gestured to the glowing blue moss clinging to the nearby boulders. "Alright, Zel. I want you to gather that blue moss. It has alchemical properties. But be careful—don't take all of it from any one boulder. We want the moss to grow back for future harvests."
"Ok, Chief!" Zel said, immediately setting to work with practiced efficiency, carefully scraping the bioluminescent moss into his wooden container.
While Zel harvested, Ray began his own work in earnest. He moved from one Violet Fungus to another, assimilating them one by one. Each one cost him HP, but the pain was a fleeting thing, and the gains were permanent. After the first, he gained no new abilities, but he could feel the Violet Fungus transformation pattern solidifying within him, and his void stockpile of biological matter grew.
When he wasn't absorbing fungi, he was mining. He placed his hands on the cavern walls, focusing his will on the veins of iron and copper ore he could sense within the stone. "Assimilate!" Huge chunks of rock, ore, and raw stone vanished into his void, categorized neatly by the system. He was a one-man mining operation, stripping the cavern of its resources with impossible speed.
He worked until he hit his new, immense capacity of 64,200 pounds. The feeling of his void being full was a strange, heavy sensation, like a mental muscle that had been flexed to its limit.
"Zel, let's rest for an hour," Ray said, finding a relatively flat rock to sit on.
"Of course, Chief." Zel sat nearby, keeping a watchful eye on the shadows.
Ray allowed his body to relax. He didn't need to transform into his bear form; his innate changeling physiology, combined with the minor regenerative properties of his high Constitution, began to knit him back together. The hour passed in silence, the only sounds the distant drip of water and Zel's steady breathing. When the hour was up, Ray felt refreshed, his HP nearly fully restored. His assimilation capacity had reset.
"Back to work," he declared, and they continued their systematic harvesting for another seven hours. By the time they were done, Ray had assimilated ten more Violet Fungi and thousands of pounds of stone and metal. The accumulated XP from the dangerous fungi added up.
+50 XP (Violet Fungus) x 10 = 500 XP Received.
Finally, satisfied with their haul, they made their way back to the kobold base. The cavern was much quieter now, the celebrations having died down into the deep, exhausted sleep of a people who had known their first true safety in generations.
"Let's take the moss to the longhouse," Ray told Zel.
As they approached, Prime's head turned, his blue eyes glowing softly in the dim light. "Thorzen, most of the kobolds are asleep," the guardian reported telepathically.
"Zel, leave the moss with Prime," Ray instructed. "He can guard it."
"Yes, Chief." Zel carefully unstrapped the container, now filled to the brim with glowing blue moss, and set it at Prime's massive feet.
Ray and Zel entered the longhouse. The air was filled with the soft sounds of kobold snoring. A few figures were still awake, sitting around a low-burning fire. Zek was among them, speaking in low tones with a few other warriors. In the corner, the troglodyte children were asleep on a pile of hides, looking slightly more at peace than before. Zek stood as they entered.
"Welcome back, Chief," he said, his voice respectful. The other kobolds followed suit, bowing their heads.
"Sit, everybody," Ray said, waving a hand. He found a spot by the fire, and Zel sat beside him. "What are you talking about?"
"Chief, we are talking about the move tomorrow," Zek replied. "The clan is excited, but also... nervous. The world above is unknown to us."
"Understandable," Ray nodded. "But it is a good unknown. We will be busy tomorrow. We have to build at least one barracks and some houses. It will be hard work, but it will be our work, for our home." He looked around at the attentive faces. "Get a good rest. We leave at first light."
He stood, and the kobolds all rose with him, bowing in unison. "Yes, Chief!"
Thorzen headed out of the longhouse. He paused beside Prime, placing a hand on the guardian's cool, stone leg. "Guard us well tonight, Prime."
"Yes, Thorzen. I will not fail you," the construct responded, its mental voice a pillar of certainty in the dark.
Satisfied, Ray headed to the former chief's hut. It was spartan and reeked of Gugu, but it was private. As he lay down on the rough pallet, his mind was not on the orcs of Grull's Maw or the gods watching from on high. It was on blueprints and building materials, on barracks and houses, on the faces of kobolds who now had names and a future. The ember of vengeance still glowed, but for now, it was banked, waiting. Tomorrow, the foundation of his reign would truly begin.
---
Stats Update for Chapter 10 Conclusion:
Name: Ray "Thorzen" Silver
Age: 16
Level: 10
HP: 932/1000 (Regenerating)
MP: 275/275
Race: Changeling (Unique)
Class: None
Job: None
XP: 10,305 / 64,000
Gold: 5,300
Skill Points: 8
Attribute Points: 0
Attributes:
· Strength: 125
· Constitution: 125
· Dexterity: 125
· Intelligence: 125
· Wisdom: 125
· Charisma: 125
New Transformations:
· Orc (Torac)
New Abilities:
· Immunities: Blinded, Deafened, Frightened.
· Senses: Blindsight (30ft radius).
New Skill:
· Rotting Touch (Level 1)
Void Storage (Notable Additions):
· Violet Fungus Biomass
· Moss Lichen (High Quality)
· Stone (Massive Quantity)
· Iron Ore (Refined)
· Copper Ore (Refined)
· Orc Life Seed (Torac)
· Kobold Life Seed (Zog)