[Beastborne: Tower of Blight] (Book 6) Chapter 11

More people than a single party could hold wanted to go, and Hal was the one who had to make the final decision. Obviously Noth was his first choice. Not only because she was exceptionally skilled, but because she would probably kill him if he passed her over again for something like this.

There was no excuse Hal could think of to keep her out of harm’s way, and he realized with a start that he shouldn’t want to. She was supposed to be his Queen, going into Dungeons and terrible places by his side. He wanted to make more memories with her, which included ones during fighting and adventuring.

Besides, her Dark Knight Class had pseudo healing powers that would be useful.

That left 4 more people to choose.

Durvin was a strong choice. Now that he had his soul fragment back, he had regained his many Warrior Levels, making him quite the powerhouse.

Angram would provide much needed ranged support, and he had been busy working with and leading the Rangers all this time, so he was far from out of practice. Though Hal still wasn’t sure about his inclusion.

Ashera’s Royal Guard had seen a rise in Levels since she received it, and though Hal hadn’t much chance to see the Class up close and personal, Ashera assured him that it would bring much needed defenses to the group.

Between herself and Durvin, they would bring an anchoring defensive prowess that the party would sorely need. Which made sense since they were both Royal Knight Commanders and protection was their primary duty.

With Durvin and Ashera providing defense for the party, and Hal and Noth providing the bulk of the offensive power, they needed just 2 more to round out the group.

Mira looked ready to skewer Hal right then and there if he didn’t agree to take her, but there were more people than her to consider. Angram’s co-leader of the Rangers, Yesel, also wanted to go. As did Elora, Lootlox, Elaise, and even the ex-Kinslayers.

Far too many for the 2 slots remaining.

Hal was wary of taking either Val or Dale. Not necessarily because he didn’t trust them, but because it seemed like a poor thing to do to new allies.

Unfortunately, they were both incredibly insistent.

Lootlox was easier to dismiss, her Levels were too low, and she was an important member of the Council. As Treasurer (and part-time secretary), she would be needed to count all the loot they would be taking from the Tower.

Not that Hal expected there to be any, but it was believable enough that the tiny koblin was happy with the new assignment.

That left one more koblin. The most concerning of all: Lurklox.

Unlike Lootlox, Lurklox was fairly strong and, as Hal’s Shadow, she argued that she deserved to come most of all. Even Hal’s normal go-to of telling her defending the town of Brightsong was more important didn’t seem to work.

“Hey,” Komachi whispered, suddenly by Hal’s ear. “Just thought you should know, soul aeder don’t count on the party member limit restriction. At least, soul aeder like me. Maybe Kow does…”

“Familiars don’t seem to count,” Hal said, giving Komachi a meaningful look. If they did, then Vorax, Komachi, and Kow would be half the party themselves.

At first, Komachi didn’t pick up on his meaning. Her eyes slowly drifted apart in what was colloquially called, “lamb face”.

Finally, she got it. “I gotta act like Elora’s familiar, don’t I? Else the Shard might gib me da boot.”

Things only got worse when two shadows darkened Hal’s group and spiraled toward the snowy ground. They morphed into their human forms before touching down lightly.

“Then again,” Komachi continued, entirely unaware of the dragons’ arrival. “If Elora acts like my familiar…”

Mortified, the Wildsmaster turned red.

“Komachi, not now,” Hal scolded. He forced his way through the knot of powerful adventurers and stood before his teachers.

They bowed to one another as equals among dragonkind. Fists pressed together, knuckles interlocked.

“It would appear you have a parasite,” Naitese said, tossing her glittering snow-white hair over one shoulder. “It would be good training to see just what this Shadesblight can do.”

Hal realized with a sinking feeling that Naitese had, in her own mind, already invited herself along.

“I am aware you have many people to aid you in this,” Orrittam said smoothly, “but it would be a good idea if you brought the strongest of your allies first. To assess the threat properly. I do not deign to assume you will choose us out of hand, but where one dragon might falter, three will surely prevail.”

Dressed in sleek combat robes that hugged his tan and lithe frame, Orrittam looked every bit the golden king with his regal and haughty daughter as princess beside him.

Hal wasn’t sure who would take it worse if he turned them down. Komachi getting her revenge on him for leaving her and Elora out, or Naitese picking up her old grudge against him again.

He didn’t think Naitese would be so bold to do something horrible to him during the night, but Komachi very well might. She could sneak into everyone’s abode. Most of the time, people actually let her in.

Hal had heard talks about Komachi Doors being installed. They were small and low to the ground with a lock so the pobul (who would no doubt have the only key) could let herself in whenever she wanted.

Then there was Val, his fellow Beastborne, who hadn’t spoken much yet. Considering what she recently went through, he didn’t want to ask her to go into another life-threatening situation so soon. Since Val was leaning on Dale for support, she seemed to still be on the mend, which was understandable.

She very nearly died, after all.

But this was about more than asking people to put their lives on the line.

Though the Tower of Blight posed a dire threat to Brightsong, their only home and place of safety in all the wilderness, it was foremost an opportunity. One that offered a potential source of Experience points, loot, and untold rewards.

Anyone who went in could grow dramatically stronger. And they were all in serious need of more Levels.

He couldn’t say that about the dragons, even though the father and daughter pair were more than likely the strongest among the present company.

He had to remind himself that the Tower was larger than it seemed. It would take multiple forays to fully clear. And there was no telling how difficult the dangers within were.

Which was part of the problem. What if the monsters within were higher level than even he was? He could play on the safe side and take one of the dragons with him, thereby ensuring things would go smoothly.

However, that might reduce everyone’s overall experience gain, including his own. He was trying not to put himself first, but he wanted to push his Beastborne Class to even higher Levels. He could tell that he was just barely tapping into the emerging potential of his Monster Core. It didn’t just need to be a higher Rank, but his Class needed to be higher Level too.

Technically, Hal would be able to reap the greatest rewards from this circumstance, since he would be venturing inside of the Tower every time.

I suppose that’s one of the few perks of being a Founder with a Manatree’s blessing, Hal thought to himself.

This was a predicament Hal wasn’t used to.

Typically, he had to assign people to different duties across Brightsong to make sure the settlement could function and operate without falling apart under the Shiversglades’ brutal conditions.

He felt like a kid again, watching the leaders pick who should get to go on the team during gym class.

Except this time Hal was the leader, and the majority would be left out until the next attempt to climb the Tower.

His Shadow shuffled closer, likely making herself visible for his benefit. He didn’t have the heart to say no to Lurklox again. He had done that enough already.

Despite the freezing cold, Hal began to sweat beneath his armor. There has to be a way out of this without falling on a bunch of landmines…

This wasn’t just a tactical decision, but a political one. No matter which choice he made, somebody was going to feel left out.

Either an old friend who had been with him since the beginning, or somebody who was newer but had done much for Brightsong. It didn’t matter what his choice actually was, it would set a precedent among the people.

In her mittens, Lurklox held up his salvation.

Dice.

He smiled at her thoughtfulness, but he knelt and gently closed her mitt over the dice. Leaving the choice to chance would be the easy way out.

Hal had a better idea.

“I’m not surprised so many people are willing to rise up to defend Brightsong,” Hal told them, arms folded behind his back. “However, for the first set of groups, I’m going to go based on seniority. I know it might not seem fair, but the people who have been here longest deserve to have priority. They have shed blood and sweat and tears for Brightsong. It is only fair their sacrifices are acknowledged.”

“And that’s who, precisely?” Mira asked, narrowing her eyes at him. “Because as I see it, you were with Elora and Ashera before pretty much anybody.”

Hal nodded. He stepped to the side, away from the rest of the group. His meaning was clear. “Elora saved me. Without her, I wouldn’t be here. Brightsong would not stand, and none of this would have come to pass. Therefore, if she wants to come, she will be welcomed.”

Elora squeezed Komachi and stepped over to Hal’s side, beaming more proudly than Hal had ever seen.

“Ashera, Angram, Yesel, and every one of the Rangers. Each of you has been with me since the beginning. But it was you three that taught me the most about this world before I knew what I was, and you guided me when I was vulnerable and easily manipulated.”

The trio joined him, making 5.

Hal knelt beside Lurklox. “Though we were captives together, you fought beside me to save your clan and your family. You owed nothing to me and could have fled the goblin cave at any point. You stayed by my side and fought with me. Without you, I would never have become a Beastborne.”

Lurklox gasped, putting a mittened hand to her masked muzzle, and took her rightful spot by Hal’s side.

That made 6. A full party.

And yet… Hal didn’t stop there.

He rose and turned to Mira. “Mira, you introduced me to Rondo, helped me get equipped for my first foray into a dangerous place, and were an annoying but stalwart friend. You have been nothing but kind to me since I met you, even if you enjoy poking fun a little too much at times.”

Confused, but clearly proud, Mira puffed out her sizable chest and stood beside Hal.

More than one person began to do the mental math and, just to be sure, counted again. Komachi’s eyes started to drift apart again.

Hal turned and smiled at Noth. “Though you had wanted to reap my soul when we first met… you stood by me when you could have fled. You helped me to defeat Shae’kathoth. And without you, my life wouldn’t be much worth living besides.”

Noth squeezed his arm, looping hers around his.

This was, in effect, the OG group that Hal had adventured with since the very beginning. He wanted to honor that instead of feeling like he took them for granted.

This wasn’t just about the Tower. Not really.

It was about seeing who the Founder would pick. To see if the Founder would, as so many had before him, forget about the people who helped him to get where he was.

There were people among this group who were far more powerful and talented than those he picked to go with him first into the Tower. But they had not been with him when he needed to be protected.

They didn’t help him break out of Rinbast’s prison. And they did not hide and shelter him when he would have been so easily discovered and placed in shackles once more.

“Wait a durned second,” Durvin said, counting on his sausage-thick fingers. “That’s more than a full party!”

“Right you are,” Hal told him. “Then we come to you, Durvin, and all of your dwarven clan. The Boulderguts were our first allies outside of Murkmire. Without you, I doubt we would have made it to Brightsong, much less built it into the place it is today. You are, of course, welcome to join.”

Durvin and a few of the dwarves looked at each other, but joined Hal’s side all the same.

One by one, Hal told of the virtues of his other friends and allies. From the various dwarves who helped get them to Brightsong to the first structures placed, thanks to Athagan and Bardan.

There were the karaks, who had been oddly eager to go into the spooky Tower, and the Ebon Star tribesmen, along with their interim leader, Elaise. Without the support of the Ebon Star, they would never have founded Brightsong.

It was through their guidance that they found this place and were able to establish themselves. Without the narrow pass to funnel the countless monsters that assailed them, they would never have survived their first month in the Shiverglades.

And then there were the dragons and finally, Val and Dale. Even Fenrir got an honorable mention, despite not being there. Due to his injury, Hal wouldn’t have been able to allow him to go, but he didn’t want anybody to feel left out.

After much counting on fingers and glaring at each other, one of the dwarves cleared his gravelly throat.

“Everybody is going, ain’t they?” Athagan asked.

Hal smiled. “My Oathforger Class allows me to create an alliance. Up to 3 separate parties may be formed, with my own party having the leadership. Now, since we’re all going,” Hal said with a grin, “we can split ourselves up into groups that best compliment one another’s talents.”

There was always a way, if you were willing to look for it.