Second Skin: Unified: A litRPG Adventure (Second Skin Book 3)

by M Damon Baker

“I’m going to cut her,” he goaded as he slid the blade across Tási’s neck, “And you’re going to watch her bleed out on the floor before I kill you too.”

  His motion was not designed to kill or pierce her skin, it was only meant to taunt me even further. Despite my best efforts, his ploy was successful, and I was forced to bottle up my rage in a dark orb of anger and hate so that I would not be overcome by it and take some rash action. So, I held my anger at bay by channeling it into an ever-larger ball of dark energy roiling inside my chest.

  “I haven’t got all night, so say goodbye to your little friend,” the bastard finally said.

  The thought of him slicing into her throat while I simply watched impotently was too much for me to handle. Up until that moment, I had been able to contain my growing rage, but when the filthy murderer began to make good on his threats, the silent storm of raging thunder that had been building up inside me let loose in a torrent of hate and fury. My rage flew into an unrestrained frenzy, and the room flared in a viridian glow as my irises flashed with the bright green light of my anger.

  The sudden flash startled him for a second, but even so, the assassin was well beyond my reach. Still, I desperately lurched towards him as something within me, something I never felt before, urged me into action. I flung my arm forward, and with its motion my hand extended and the ball of angry, dark energy that I had been carefully holding at bay hurled out from between my fingertips.

  The wicked, spiked ball of pure wrath struck the assassin’s forearm just as his blade began to draw blood from Tási’s neck. The power of its dark energy immediately withered the bastard’s entire limb, and he fell to the floor screaming tortured cries of anguish. I pulled Tási away from his crumpled body as his screams echoed in the air and dragged her over to where our gear lay in neatly folded piles.

  As soon as I could reach my Cloak, I fumbled for the pocket that held my healing crystals and yanked one out as quickly as I could. Fearing the worst, I hadn’t dared to look at her wound until I had the crystal in hand, but I turned to look at her then. Tási held her hand over her throat, but there was barely a trickle of blood seeping out from between her fingers. Her actions seemed almost rote, and she was clearly in shock, so I peeled her hand away and took a closer look at the damage that had been done.

  The wound was only a shallow gash, barely cutting through beyond her skin, as the assassin had failed to cut any deeper before my dark energy had destroyed his arm. Even though it was a minor wound, I pressed the crystal against her skin anyway, just to be safe.

  “Tási,” I tried to rouse her from her fugue. “We need to get dressed, he might not be alone.”

  My words shook her from her stupor, but before we could move to put on our gear, the door flew open and several figures rushed into the room.

  “What happened?” Stel’s voice called out from among the shadowy forms. “We heard screaming, are you alright?”

  “Assassin,” I hurriedly explained. “We killed him, but there may be more.”

  “Venna, Broda, stay with them while they get their equipment on,” Stel shouted. “Khorim and I will watch the door. Grab anything else of value, and then we’re getting out of here.”

  The two men stepped outside while Tási and I quickly threw our gear together. Everything important to me was either on my back, or in the pockets of my Cloak, so I was ready to go the second I had my equipment on, and Tási only had to grab hold of her backpack before she was ready to leave as well. I spared just a quick glance at our would-be assassin on our way out the door, but beneath the cover of his concealing outfit I could only make out the thin trails of smoke that wafted off his shattered corpse.

  Sintári, are you hurt? Bane’s voice suddenly registered in my mind.

  I immediately realized that he had been calling to me for some time, but the residue of my unleashed anger had prevented his thoughts from registering. The loss of control I had suffered obviously came with some unintended consequences, something I needed to remember in the future.

  ‘We are fine now, Bane. I’m sorry if I caused you to worry. There was an assassin. Take to the air and see if there is anyone else lurking around.’

  If there is, I will find them and end them, Sintári, his voice came back to me filled with white-hot anger.

  Bane’s threat was far from idle. He outweighed most fully-grown men, and with his vicious teeth and rending claws, was more than a match for even a heavily armed warrior, but these were no amateurs we faced, these were professional killers, so I urged him to be cautious and only attack if he could catch them unawares.

  As soon as my companions gathered their few precious items, we left our house and Stel led us through the forest. He took a wandering path, stopping randomly to check for any sign of pursuit, and we were relieved to find no indications that we were being followed. Bane swooped down to join us when we took a brief rest, and I stroked his scales and reassured him that I was fine before he took off into the sky again.

  When we finally reached the outer walls of the fortress, I thought Stel intended to lead us to the Garrison, but instead of heading through the gate that would take us to the canyon, Stel passed through the entryway into the fortress before leading us on to the Palace itself.

  “Where are we going?” I finally asked him. “Wouldn’t we be safer in the Garrison?”

  “Perhaps, if we made it there,” Stel answered. “But your attackers may have planned for that possibility and could be waiting to ambush us in the canyon. We will be safer here for tonight.”

  He had a point, even though it might have been a thin one. Once we failed to find anyone else in or around our home, I thought it most likely that the assassin acted alone. But it wasn’t only my life that would be in jeopardy if we ignored even that slight risk, so I didn’t object as Stel led us farther into the grand Palace.

  I wasn’t sure where he intended to take us, but once we began descending the stairs, I realized what his destination was—the vaults. Stel intended to lock us inside the safety of one of the sealed chambers for the night. While that would certainly keep us safe, with a sudden start, I realized that it would do nothing to prevent any harm from being inflicted on my citizens.

  “We need to get word out to the Garrison,” I stopped dead in my tracks as I spoke. “They have to be warned so that we can protect our people.”

  “It’s already been taken care of, Sintári,” Stel assured me. “Venna gave Bane a note to deliver to the First Marshal when we stopped. They should already be on high alert.”

  “You’re far sneakier than I gave you credit for, Venna,” I said as I glanced sideways at her. “I didn’t even notice you near him.”

  She only smiled at me slyly in return and flashed me a quick wink when no one else was looking. I would definitely have to keep a closer eye on her; she was becoming far too slippery for my liking.

  Once we reached the vaults, I opened my private chamber and locked the door behind us when we were safely inside. The room was designed for storage, not habitation, so all we had was the rough stone floor to rest upon. While I had only thought to take my Cloak and the precious items that were held in its many pockets, Stel and the others had the foresight to grab their packs, so they were fortunate enough to have all their camping gear with them.

  So, while Stel and Venna and Broda and Khorim wrapped themselves up comfortably for the night, Tási and I wriggled together atop her bedroll. It could have been uncomfortable, but after the close call we had, I cherished her closeness. Having been so near to losing her only brought my deep feelings for Tási to the surface, and I held her tightly as we bundled ourselves together beneath the blankets.

  Even with the added comfort that my companions had, none of us managed to get any more sleep that night. The events were simply too traumatic, and what they heralded was even worse. Our realm had become the focus of someone’s ire. Someone powerful or at least wealthy enough to send paid assassins to try and kill me, and we were under no illusions that
I would be the only target of any future attacks. My companions and even my citizens might very well be the focus of the next attack. Our long period of relative complacency had come to a sudden and nearly catastrophic end. Even the knowledge that I could have restored Tási with Death’s Embrace if she had fallen offered me little comfort. Her death, even if it had only been a temporary thing, would have been extremely traumatic for both of us.

  Heavy thoughts weighed on all our minds until morning finally came. With the dawn, we left the safety of the vault and cautiously ventured to the Garrison.

  A full score of our soldiers awaited us when we reached the fortress’ outer gateway. The troops immediately fell into an escort around us and guarded our flanks as we walked through the narrow canyon towards the Garrison. I looked towards Venna as we made our way down the path, and she smiled at me awkwardly as she spoke.

  “I may have given the First Marshal a few more instructions than Stel indicated,” she admitted.

  “Just tell me if there’s anything else I need to know,” I said as I rolled my eyes at her.

  “That should be it,” Venna replied. “Anything else will be the First Marshal’s own doing.”

  When we arrived at the Garrison, the entire Army was on full alert. Every position was manned, and patrols were being organized to search the valley for any additional threats. Evans met us as soon as we drew close.

  “I’m glad to see that none of you were injured,” the First Marshal said with obvious relief. “I know that this is a difficult time for you, but we need to discuss additional security measures. Immediately.”

  “Yes,” Stel concurred. “Even though you may return from it, your death would have a catastrophic effect on our people, Sintári. We cannot afford to have them demoralized like that. It is time for us to take your safety more seriously.”

  Reluctantly, I had to admit that he was right. The highly informal nature of our security procedures left us vulnerable in many ways; not just to personal attacks, but sabotage and other forms of harassment. With the bullseye that had been painted on our backs, we could no longer afford to be so complacent with our safety.

  “Let’s retire to your offices and talk this over for a while,” Stel concluded. “There is much we need to discuss.”

  Once we were seated around the table, Stel and Evans began to inform me of the plans they had to ensure my safety. It was immediately apparent that this was not the first time they had discussed the issue, as their ideas seemed to have been well thought out in advance.

  The two of them insisted that it was time for me to take up residence in the Palace, since the solid stone building was far more secure than the house I had been living in. Not only that, but they were also assigning me a personal guard that would watch over me at all times. Once they laid out their terms, the two sat back and braced themselves for my response, obviously expecting a vigorous objection. My acquiescence caught them completely off guard.

  “I agree with your assessment,” I replied. “But the changes you propose only address my own personal security. The events of last night have made it clear that it’s time for me to deal with a great many other things as well.”

  They all turned to me with various looks of confusion on their faces, as my cryptic words left them wondering just what I intended. I had not let my mind lay completely idle during the past few months, and although I was reluctant to assume the role that fate had given me, it was obvious that I could no longer avoid the responsibilities—responsibilities that were far too much for any one person, Sintári or not, to handle. So, once I let Evans and Stel dictate the need to protect my Realm’s leadership, I began to divide up those roles among my companions.

  “First Marshal,” I started. “Your duties are relatively clear, but you will also be called on to offer your aid and counsel on matters of internal and external security from now on.”

  “Stel,” I said as he turned to me clearly surprised to hear his name. “It is time for my Realm to have a Minister of Finance. That title, and the responsibilities that go with it, are yours, and you will tend to the financial affairs of my Realm from this day forward.”

  As I spoke, I slid him the keystone that unlocked the treasury vault in the Palace depositories. He picked it up from the table and stared at it for just a second before nodding his assent.

  “Aye, she got you good, my friend,” Khorim said with a chuckle.

  “Did you think you were going to leave this room without a similar assignment, master dwarf?” I asked him pointedly.

  Khorim’s laughter came to a sudden halt, and he stared at me wide-eyed, as I continued.

  “Due to your unique talents, I am naming you Minister of Intelligence,” I informed him as I held his gaze. “You will be responsible for rooting out our enemies among us and, to be blunt, spying on them outside our borders.”

  “It seems I’m not the only one,” Stel retorted with a smirk.

  “Broda,” I continued without waiting for Khorim to respond. “I need you to be my Ambassador. You will lead our efforts to build goodwill among our neighbors, and eventually, bring them under our control. I think you may find your husband’s duties helpful in those regards.”

  “He might be of some use,” Broda smiled. “Finally.”

  “Venna, your role is most critical,” I said as I faced her. “You will be my Chief Minister. I need you to tend to the affairs of state and keep me apprised of any important developments. You are free to deal with any lesser issues as you see fit, but anything of real importance must be brought to my attention.”

  “I understand, Dreya Sintári,” she replied solemnly. “I am honored by the trust you have placed in me.”

  “There is one position more to fill, Tási, and it is yours,” I began. “Our relationship makes you the perfect choice to head up the personal guard that Stel and the First Marshal have so kindly assigned to me. In addition to that role, you will also oversee Palace security and have overall command of the fortress.”

  Tási smiled back at me, knowing that I had not only given her a very important role, but also one that would keep her closest to me.

  “I accept,” she replied, barely able to contain her happy smile.

  “Oh, there is one small additional responsibility, Tási,” I added with a wry grin. “You must also assign a head of security and guard details for each of my Ministers and Ambassador Broda as well—their safety is of critical importance to my Realm.”

  They had almost come to terms with the roles I had given to them when I dropped that little extra bit on them. Stel recognized the trap I had set instantly, and smirked as he commented on it.

  “Well done, Sintári,” he complimented me. “You’ve snared us in our own web, and we cannot escape.”

  “No, you cannot,” I said with a grin. “I expect you all to not only set up your official offices in the Palace, but to take up residence there as well. After all, as you said, it’s much more secure there.”

  “It appears that we have a lot of work to do,” Venna remarked with a sigh. “I think I’d better get started.”

  The rest agreed with her assessment, even if it was reluctantly so—especially in Khorim’s case. Once they’d all departed I turned to Tási, who had remained with me.

  “I need to ask you a favor, and you’re not going to like it,” I began hesitantly. “You have to include Ella in my guard detail... There’s no other way I can continue to heal her without drawing attention.”

  “I have a brain you know,” Tási replied dismissively. “I realized that the moment Stel and the First Marshal brought up your personal guard.”

  “I’m very lucky to have you, Tási,” I replied sincerely as I let the matter go. She had it under control, and there was no need to discuss the awkward topic any farther.

  “Yes, you are,” Tási smirked back at me.

  “So modest too,” I quipped back. “Now, if you can contain your ego for a few minutes, I need to check my notifications.”

 
I didn’t wait for her response, and she faded into a blur as I pulled up the messages that had been waiting for me since the previous night. I had completely forgotten to check them with all that had happened, but the icon that had popped up just a few minutes before reminded me that they were still there.

  Experience gained – You have gained 770 XP.

  Quest, The Uniter, Advancing – You have successfully thwarted the first assassination attempt against you. Truly, you didn’t think this was going to be easy, did you? You have been rewarded with 2200 XP.

  Sintári Quest, Control, Advancing – You have gained the ability to inflict the effects of your emotions at range. This is a powerful talent, and one that you must use with great restraint. It also marks the beginning of true mastery over your powers. 5,500 XP.

  Quest, The Uniter, Advancing – You have formed a government for your Realm. A very momentous event indeed! You have been rewarded with 1,100 XP.

  Who the hell was writing these things? I wondered. The Uniter quest in particular was getting a bit… cheeky. It was yet another mystery I could only file away with all the rest—between the XP rewards and the note about my control improving, I decided to take a quick peek at my sheet, focusing on how close I was to my next level, and the gains that I had made in my control.

  Dreya Dae

  Sintári Female

  Title: Sintári

  Level - 32

  442969/461200

  Health - 341/341 Aura - 647/847 Endurance - 341/341

  Sintári Abilities

  Natural Affinity – The Sintári’s unique connection with the natural world may manifest itself in random ways at times. While these effects are generally beneficial they are also typically outside the direct control of the Sintári. Modifier – Charisma.

  Control – Effect varies, applies to all Sintári Abilities. – 51%

  The XP gain was decent—and very welcome—as I hadn’t been able to do very much to advance myself while trying to run my Realm, but what really stood out to me was the gain I had achieved in my control. I was finally over 50%. Not only that, but I could now channel my emotions at targets beyond my reach, and I felt the corners of my mouth curl up in a mischievous grin as I closed the window.