Finding a Body (The Dark Herbalist Book #4) LitRPG series

by Michael Atamanov

  “But Amra, that outcome is inevitable!” the Ogre shouted, not hiding his pessimism. “Sooner or later, there will be enough players to take down whatever army of mobs this world can muster. And your army, Amra, will also be destroyed sooner or later. Our mission is only to push back the moment of defeat and make the players work hard for it, so the Dark Sovereign event is big, memorable and fun. And if we pull it off, leadership will congratulate us on a job well done.”

  The naiad supported the ogre’s opinion, and even the mavka agreed. I had to admit, I really didn’t like my friends’ state of gloom, so I tried to convince them otherwise and bolster their enthusiasm:

  “You’re looking at this all wrong. When there are NPC’s in your army, you can’t just fight as if they’re players! Don’t step into a bear trap, wasting your forces and best soldiers. First build up a strong base with developed industry and supply. Then get everyone equipped with decent weapons and armor. Next arrange for newcomers to be trained, build strong fortifications at choke points, and scout out nearby territories so we can detect threats before they get out of control. And then it’s very possible to hold out! Take for example the Land of Gloom. It has held out a long time already, despite all the undying attacks. That proves that victory is possible!”

  Leon and Max started arguing, but my sister froze motionless. Either Valeria’s game client had frozen, which was unlikely, or the Wood Nymph currently had a guide open and was searching for something. And it was probably information on the Land of Gloom, which I had just used as an example. Well crap... I had already realized what would happen twenty seconds before it did. As soon as my sister opened the page on the ruler of the Land of Gloom, she noticed that the Harpy Queen Kirra’ellita Huntress of the Night was the spitting image of my girlfriend Kira. And as soon as Valerianna Quickfoot started moving, I heard peevishness in my sister’s voice:

  “Timothy, how could you lie to me?! And Kira too! Just wow! Owns a boutique my ass... At Inessa Tyle’s funeral, I was surprised to see that she was the vice-president’s own granddaughter yet didn’t work for the Boundless Realm Corporation!”

  Leon and Max Sochnier asked what she was talking about and what had her so upset. I was afraid and was about to send my sister a private message asking her to hold her tongue. But Val was smart enough and dropped the slippery subject. My sister had always been a clever girl, and now she quickly realized that Kira had good reason to hide her virtual identity.

  To course-correct the awkward situation, I tried to quickly change topic. I asked the Ogre Fortifier to start building defensive structures first around the castle of the Dark Sovereign, then the whole way here from the Styx through narrow gorges, dangerous mountain paths, and even over glaciers.

  “Valerianna Quickfoot has high enough Cartographer and Engineer skills. After studying the area, the mavka will show you what to build and where so any attackers will have a real hard time. Shrekson, you can have as many workers as you need! Ogres, trolls, mountain titans, I can even get cyclopes to help with construction. Mainly, I want the enemy to encounter deadly traps and strong defenses at every choke point. I want the players to respawn again and again and lose their valuable experience, waste their time and rue the day they decided to campaign against the Dark Sovereign! We’ll make it so... Hey, what’s going on?!”

  I had to break off my impassioned speech, because I heard a noise from the corridor and many excited voices. Soon a big group of high-level rougarou and minotaur burst into the throne room, many of whom were agitated and in a very aggressive mood. My orcs and the rougarou of the Clan of the White Lily tried to stop the incursion, but they weren’t doing a very good job.

  “Sovereign, we refuse to obey this young whelp!!!” a tall rougarou walked out in front with coal black fur, a huge clawed paw pointing at Chai-nee Shu as she pressed her ears back in fear.

  The crowd gave a fearful gasp then fell silent, shocked at the rougarou’s impudence. In the silence that took hold, the rude fellow’s next words sounded especially biting:

  “And we also refuse to obey you, little goblin! You’re nothing like the fearsome ruler we came here to follow!”

  Miar-Ahn-Rhu

  Elder Chieftain of the Clan of the Laughing Otter

  Level-133 Rougarou Hunter

  Silence fell and I came up closer, looking unfazed and staring at the rebel. I even walked an unhurried circle around the stock-still dog-man. My opponent was two times taller than my Goblin Herbalist and three times broader at the shoulder. His huge muscles rippled with every movement of his body. His giant muscular body must have looked very impressive and respectable compared to my modest Amra. But I kept up my act as the very embodiment of calm:

  “And who is this ‘we?’“ I clarified, as my rival looked me from top to bottom in agitation. I explained: “I must know who precisely dares challenge me, and who will need to be punished.”

  “‘We’ is me and my little brother Ahn,” the chieftain said, pointing to another tall rougarou baring his teeth threateningly. “And the whole proud and numerous Clan of the Laughing Otter!”

  Ahn-See-Rhu

  Younger Chieftain of the Clan of the Laughing Otter

  Level-118 Rougarou Scout

  “I’ll deal with your clan later. But now I have to teach a lesson to you two furry twits. This is what happens to those who behave boorishly to my face. You know, I just so happen to need something soft to cover the seat of my throne. I imagine your pelts will do just fine!”

  “Sovereign, allow me to punish these scoundrels for you!” Regent Uvari-Dor-Shu stepped forward, covered in scars. But I stopped my advisor with a gesture.

  First of all, I was in no way confident the level-124 Druid could handle a level-133 Hunter, especially with his younger brother. Second, to avoid more uprisings in the future, I had to make a show of power and completely uproot the very concept of opposing me. Third, my Sating the Thirst bar was down at 2/24, so I would have to quench my Thirst for Blood in the next few hours no matter what. And finally, though I already had rougarou blood in my vampiric collection, I had not yet killed such a creature with a Vampire Bite. That would give a +1% bonus to melee damage, which would come quite in handy for the future. As would the experience from killing two opponents, each of whom were more than fifty levels stronger than Amra.

  “Everyone, form a big circle!” I roared, and we instantly had a dueling floor.

  Great! There was plenty of space to use the goddess Hel’s Hair Whip. Even my throne fell inside the circle. I noticed that and chuckled to myself, because there were quite a few intriguing ways I could use the toxic object in battle.

  Was I worried? Maybe a tiny bit, but I had no doubt in my victory. Just few days ago, the duel with Uvari-Dor-Shu was a big headache that nearly ended in my defeat. But lots had changed since then. I was stronger now and had five objects from Fenrir’s Cursed Regalia, including the fur armor which raised my Strength and Constitution by two hundred fifty points and gave me great defense against physical damage.

  “Let’s begin!” I shouted, and simultaneously both enemies went on the attack.

  The brothers were not able to turn into animals because they did not have Druid abilities, but they each had their own strong sides, which they used to devastating effect. A deadly bow and arrow instantly appeared in the Hunter’s paws. I had to quickly somersault away to dodge his first shot.

  Acrobatics skill increased to level 27!

  Dodge skill increased to level 37!

  The Scout then went invisible, because the gloom of the throne room was plenty for him to use Stealth. Then he charged, trying to stab me in the back. What naivety! I was a vampire, and my Night Vision and Search for Life easily kept him in view, even in total darkness. Here’s what your stupid self-confidence gets you! A crack of my whip hurtled my opponent from invisibility, while my next blow knocked the rougarou’s legs out from under him.

  Exotic Weapons skill increased to level 26!

  I had to dodge ano
ther loosed arrow before I ran up to the fallen Rougarou Scout, writhing in agony. He barely had any hitpoints, his life bar was practically empty. But that wasn’t enough for me. I sunk my teeth into the throat of my injured enemy!

  Damage dealt: 3105 (4002 Vampire Bite — 897 armor)

  Experience received: 325000 Exp.

  Objects received: Rougarou blood (alchemy ingredient) * 3, Rougarou Chieftain Pelt.

  Level sixty-six!

  Level sixty-seven!

  Level sixty-eight!

  Racial ability improved: Taste for Blood (Gives +1% to all damage dealt for each unique creature killed with Vampire Bite. Current bonus: +32%)

  The older brother cried out so deafeningly an echo rang through the castle several times. After that, the enraged rougarou threw down his worthless bow, got down on all fours and charged me. He even managed to knock my meager goblin off his feet and onto his back. But while falling I managed to draw in my legs, then sharply extended them and sent my enemy reeling back toward the poison throne. The thud of his impact coincided with a scream that quickly stopped short...

  Acrobatics skill increased to level 28!

  Experience received: 330000 Exp.

  Objects received: Rougarou blood (alchemy ingredient) * 3, Rougarou Chieftain Pelt

  Level sixty-nine!

  Level seventy!

  Attention! You have reached level 70

  You may now improve your character’s survival by choosing a modification

  I wiped the blood off my face with the back of my hand, straightened up and unhurriedly turned toward the large crowd:

  “Anyone else feel like challenging me?”

  The crowd stepped back in fear. And with them was a character I had not seen before the fast-paced scuffle:

  Demon of Avarice

  Storekeeper for the Dark Sovereign (indestructible)

  He cut a massive ash-gray figure. His feet were cloven hooves. On his head there was a set of horns. His yellow eyes were split by vertical pupils. His mouth was packed with sharp pointy teeth... The being before me was clearly a demon. And he was wearing an unkempt leather vest and very patchy pants that must have been through a lot. Even the lowliest bum would be ashamed to dress like that, which meant this was either a poor scamp, or a creature of extreme greed. It seemed made to play on that ambiguity... Although maybe this was exactly how a storekeeper was supposed to look.

  “Don’t you doubt it, master,” the demon said in a deep bass, as if reading my thoughts. “I have vast experience in these matters. Under various guises, I spent one hundred fifty years as mayor of Gabrovo [1] , whose stingy natives have been the subject of many humorous tales. We even charged mice admission to our grain barns! And never once did a mouse sneak in past us! So Sovereign, don’t you worry about your precious stores! By the way... Sovereign, why do you need two rougarou pelts? Put one on the throne to pad your bony backside, but the second might as well go right into storage!”

  I guffawed. This strange new NPC was pretty great! Sure he was a demon by race, but you’d never find a more ideal storekeeper! By the way, speaking of demons... I still didn’t have that kind of blood in my vampiric collection. And actually, of all the varieties of demonic creature, Amra had only ever sampled the blood of a succubus, and that was way back in the Cursed House. So I’d have to think over how to level Taste Tester with the Storekeeper, an exceedingly rare demonic creature. Of course, the Demon of Avarice was not likely to agree to give up a sample of his blood for free. I’d have to discuss paying for it somehow.

  At any rate, I’d handle that later. Now was time for more important matters. For example, wrapping up the rougarou uprising. I searched the crowd for another member of the Clan of the Laughing Otter, and I found a gray-haired level-120 Shaman. I bade him to come over:

  “The chieftain brothers, now slain for their ignominy, claimed the entire Clan of the Laughing Otter was rising up against the Dark Sovereign. And neither you nor any other rougarou from your clan objected, which lent credence to their words. And now I have to think up a fitting punishment. So tell me, Shaman, what size is your Clan of the Laughing Otter?”

  The gray-haired shaman lowered his head and replied softly:

  “Sovereign, the Clan of the Laughing Otter brought four hundred of its strongest warriors to your summons. Back home on the banks of the river of death, fifteen hundred rougarou remain including the young and elderly.”

  “Okay…” I crossed my hands behind my back and paced the throne room in thought.

  Four hundred powerful warriors... Not bad, not bad at all! That would be a great use to my army, so I was in no mind to kill all these rougarou, even though the temptation was strong. I mean, I stood to get a whole sea of experience if I did. Nevertheless, I couldn’t just pump the brakes and forgive the rebels, otherwise what kind of Dark Sovereign was I?! My reputation as a fearsome and terrible ruler would come crashing down, then I could no longer reasonably expect obedience and respect from the horrifying monsters under my command. So what could I do?

  Finally, I decided:

  “I have decided the Clan of the Laughing Otter’s punishment for taking part in the rebellion against the Dark Sovereign! I will be taking your thirty strongest warriors! Shaman, you will select them yourself, give them the chance to say farewell to their friends, and by morning bring them here to me in the throne room!”

  With a low bow, the shaman lowered his head even further, closed his eyes for a few seconds and answered barely audibly in a quavering voice:

  “My lord is very magnanimous! Sovereign, I will carry out your order, but am I allowed to be among those warriors?”

  “No, shaman! I only want young and strong warriors. They will serve as bodyguards for my ward Chai-nee Shu. These thirty rougarou’s lives will now revolve around accompanying my adopted daughter everywhere, protecting her and keeping her safe from any danger. They are already the best in their clan, and after Vaash and Valerianna Quickfoot give them combat and tactics training, these thirty rougarou will be the best in the land! After this training, these warriors will wear only bright red clothing and armor to represent their elite status and symbolize that their high rank was earned with spilled blood!”

  Diplomat skill increased to level 21!

  Warchief skill increased to level 21!

  Foreman skill increased to level 70!

  “Now, I hope no one will say that the Clan of the Laughing Otter disrespected the Dark Sovereign or his ward! With that I consider this incident settled!”

  Based on how I was speaking, the expression of obedience and despair on the face of the gray-haired shaman changed first to surprise and timid hope, then to gratitude and elation. When I finished my speech, the shaman fell to his knees and the overpowering emotions made him try to kiss my Goblin Herbalist’s boots:

  “Sovereign, you’ll never find more loyal servants and soldiers than the rougarou of the Clan of the Laughing Otter! Your adopted daughter Chai-nee Shu will have the most loyal guards in all Boundless Realm !”

  You have used 2 Direct Intervention Points

  You have 127 points remaining

  Rougarou opinion of you has increased by +3

  I didn’t realize right away what I had just spent two of the invaluable Direct Intervention Points on. I looked from side to side and didn’t see any changes. Well, except that two of the toxic-wood rougarou skulls on the back of my throne were now adorned with the real skulls of the two foolhardy brothers, which were writhing in dismay. Two heads cost two points, was that it? After that I discovered that there was now a golden marker in my immediate vicinity on the mini-map. A unique creature?! I shuddered and tried to line up the golden marker’s position with a character in the throne room. Seemingly, it was the rougarou princess. Yes, that was right! And yes, some serious changes had been made to Chai-nee Shu’s description:

  Chai-nee Shu

  Adopted Daughter of the Dark Sovereign

  Level-91 Hunter (unique creature)

/>   So that was it! I called the charming young rougarou girl my adopted daughter a few times, and now the Boundless Realm algorithms had adjusted her status in the game, making the princess a unique creature, the daughter of the Dark Sovereign himself. Whether that was good or bad, I could not say. For the princess, that new status meant not only irrefutable authority with my NPC servants, but also unwanted attention from the undying. For every unique creature, there were always plenty of people lining up to kill it.

  And that was a clear illustration of the fact that, now that I was Dark Sovereign, I needed to carefully think over my words, because they had the tendency to manifest as reality.

  * * *

  WE STARTED discussing the Naiad Trader’s work after all the hustle and bustle of the loud group of mobs had left the throne room. Leon had also left by that point — it was after eight and our friend had to go pick up his youngest daughter from music school.

  “Max, I see a great opportunity for you to go back to our old plan and start a seafood trading business,” suggested my sister, who now also had some changes in her game profile:

  Valerianna Quickfoot

  Sister of the Dark Sovereign

  Level-102 Beast Master