Deeper Down: A Monster MC LitRPG (Kobold's Quest Book 2)

by MJ Kaltenbrunner

  “Hello,” she said.

  “Hi there. I’m Kek,” he said.

  “I’m Makoto. I remember I had a different owner before, but I can’t seem to put my finger on who. What am I doing here? And why am I dressed like this?” she inquired.

  “Well, the guy who took care of you before liked to dress you up like this. But I’m not into that. I’m here to help you out,” he said.

  “How so?” she asked.

  “Simply put, if you’re down to help, we’d like you to join us. The people here aren't good, and I think it’s better to try to get out of here,” he said.

  “They’re...not?” the robot said.

  “No, sweetie, they manipulated you to destroy us,” Faye added, shocking the girl.

  “I'm sorry,” she muttered.

  “It’s okay. I mean, you weren't in the most calm of mindsets. I’m not going to get pissed off for something you couldn’t control,” Kek added.

  “Thank you. What’s your name?” she asked.

  “Kek. And these are my friends.”

  They all came forward, most of them looking at the girl with a wry glance. Kek felt bad that they seemed unable to really accept the situation yet. However, after it was all said and done, the girl nodded.

  “Thank you.”

  There was a small angry cry, and when Kek looked in the distance, he saw it was the guys from before.

  “Shit, more soldiers,” he muttered.

  “Let’s get out of here,” Bre said.

  The party ran for their lives. They got out in the nick of time, and when Kek heard the cries from the men, he felt triumphant. They got to the desert once more, headed to the door in the distance. They had to make it. It was obvious that this was going to be interesting, and when they got to the door, another challenge awaited them.

  20

  Kek looked at the giant door ahead of them, frustration growing within him.

  “Why is this here?” he asked. He had no idea what it was. His wisdom wasn't high enough, and he didn’t have the intelligence to figure out the code.

  “I don’t know either. This seems...strange,” Bre said. She didn’t understand it.

  For Lily, she first tried to pick the lock with the little hairpin she made last night, but nothing happened.

  “Nothing is working,” she said.

  “Maybe we should force it,” Kek said.

  Then, there was a scoff. He turned to Faye.

  “What are you, stupid? There’s no way we are forcing this. It’s obvious that it’s a puzzle you nitwit,” she told them.

  “Well how do you solve it then?” Bre asked.

  Val looked at it, confused as well. The only one who didn’t seem confused was Alina, and as she looked at the door, she began to sigh.

  “I think I know what it is. The door looks to be in ancient Elvish. No doubt Sephy’s work,” she said.

  “How do you know this?” Lily asked.

  “I'm a witch. That’s all I'm getting into currently, but it seems like, to open this, we need to have a certain key, and the only way to get the key is to leave one of us behind. That is the sacrifice,” she said.

  “So we’re going to have to leave someone?” Bre said.

  “Perhaps. But maybe we can trick the system. I’m going to try a couple of things,” she said.

  Alina walked to the door, touching the letters. She then moved her hands to the tablet, reading it.

  “It seems like one of the people in our party isn’t fit to go through this door. That’s why it isn’t opening,” she said.

  But who was it? They looked around, and then, Makoto spoke.

  “It’s gotta be him,” she said.

  “Him? What the devil was she talking about?” Bre asked.

  “I think it’s the guardian of this place,” Alina said.

  Kek and company turned to her.

  “The door here is actually guarded by a guardian, and the one person who is newest and the most distrusted by the party is to prove their worth by taking down the guardian. That’s what I'm getting from the language. It isn’t that there are too many people, it's that the one that is here needs to prove their worth,” she explained.

  The party turned to Makoto, who sighed.

  “I figured it would come to this. When Prate brought me to life...he entrusted me to a task whenever I did survive. That was to defeat the desert guardian. I know where he is, and I can take you guys, but it will be dangerous,” she said.

  “I know it’s going to be. That’s why I want to go,” Kek said.

  “Don’t we get a say in this?” Faye said.

  “What is there to say? We have to defeat it,” Val added.

  The group looked to Makoto, who gestured to the East.

  “That way is where it is. But, I think we should rest up before we go,” she said.

  The group walked that way, defeating small mobs of enemies right away. It soon became obvious to Kek that things were only going to get harder from here. When they made camp that night, Makoto stayed up, and Kek turned to her.

  “You alright?”

  “I’ve been better. It’s just...strange. I’m finally doing something for myself. I want to help you Kek,” she told him.

  “I want you to help me as well,” he added.

  “Good. I think that settles it then,” she said.

  He sat next to her, and she placed her head on his shoulder.

  “Prate told me that one day, I'd meet an asshole named Kek. That I was to kill him. But...I’m glad that I didn’t. You’re a good man, Kek, and I know that deep down, you do care a lot about me. I know that you’re worried,” she said.

  “I am. You’re a comrade. I’m just...happy I could save you,” he said.

  She leaned in, giving him a small kiss.

  “I am too.”

  That night, the two of them slept near each other, and the next morning, when Kek got up, everyone seemed raring to go. He looked in the distance at a pool full of sand, and when he stared at it, Makoto spoke.

  “That's him. That’s where he is,” she said.

  “The guardian?”

  “Yeah. I’m going to defeat him, Kek. For all of us,” she told him.

  Kek nodded, watching as she got up, heading over there. The party made their way to the doorway, and when they saw the creature, they knew they were in for a hell of a fight.

  Kek also had a feeling that Makoto wasn’t going to make it out alive, but he wasn’t totally sure yet.

  21

  The guardian looked like a combination of a troll and a dragon. He was a reddish-brown, with big blue eyes, and a dragon snout. He had a very strong body, and he seemed to have small wings. When Kek looked at it, he realized it was even bigger than the snake.

  “This is just...wow,” he said.

  “We have to formulate a plan,” Alina said.

  “Yeah, let’s do it,” Val added.

  As they got closer, Makoto stopped them. She looked at them and shook her head.

  “This isn’t your fight,” she said.

  “But why not? You can’t do this on your own, you selfish bitch,” Faye said. She didn’t mean harm to her words, but Makoto sighed.

  “It isn’t that I don’t want you guys, but this fight is only for those who have been chosen to fight the guardian. You haven’t, so you must stay outside,” Makoto said.

  “So it’s magic,” Alina said.

  “Correct. Let me fight the monster. I'll do it for you,” she added.

  She was about to leave, when Alina said some words, causing a little trail of purple fog to come out from her fingertips.

  “Use this. It’s what I can provide,” she told Makoto.

  Makoto smiled, feeling the power. It was a buffing spell that increased both her attack and defense by 5. “Thank you.”

  “It’s the last gift I can provide. Now, go knock him dead.”

  Makoto stepped forward, looking at the creature there. The creature then came forward, growling at hi
m and lightly tapping his body. Kek adjusted his HUD to see the stats.

  Name: Desert Guardian

  Race: ????

  Stats:

  STR: 35, DEX: 20, CON: 28, WIS: 10, INT: 17, CHA: 23, LCK: 25

  Drops: Gate key

  Holy shit. This guy was strong. But, when Kek looked at Makoto, he noticed that all her stats had increased by about five or so. Why? What was the meaning behind it?

  He honestly didn’t know, and he wanted answers as soon as possible.

  The monster attacked, and Makoto dodged out of the way. Its giant club smashed the spot where she had been. The monster relentlessly attacked the place, hitting the ground and causing shockwaves to ripple through the area.

  Kek stayed strong. He watched as Makoto started to attack using her laser beams. The monster tried to dodge, but she hit his arm, causing it to burn off.

  The monster screamed at her, and resumed attacking, its claws coming out. Makoto didn’t have the dexterity to move out of the way, so the monster knocked her down. Strange yellow fluid gushed out of her torso, and Kek felt his eyes begin to brim with tears.

  “Come on, Makoto, make it,” he said to the unconscious form. The monster moved over to her, looking about to unleash a devastating fire attack, when Kek noticed a beam of light. He looked at Makoto, who was getting up. She glared at the monster, and although she was puking up the yellow fluid, she began to move.

  “I’ll defeat you!” she screamed out.

  She had her weapon in her hands, and when she looked at Kek, she spoke.

  “I need energy,” she said.

  Kek nodded and turned to the others, and they focused their power on her. She was able to buff up her attack by ten, and her defense by five.

  “Thanks everyone! I have one last special move I can try. The Star Hammer!” she cried out.

  She grasped her hammer, imbuing it with the star power, and soon, she whacked the dragon in the chest, sending the creature flying.

  She watched as he fell to the ground with a thud. She then came over, her hand also holding a giant beam. She then glared at the monster before speaking.

  “This is the end,” she said.

  With one last huff, she raised her arms, and the beam of light hit the creature in the torso, creating a giant hole in the middle of his body. The barrier came down, and a key fell out of his mouth, hitting the sand.

  The group immediately raced over to there, looking at both Makoto, and the guardian there. Makoto was down on one knee, huffing hard.

  “Are you okay?” Kek asked.

  “I've...been better honestly. This is rough,” she said.

  She puked up more of the yellow fluid. Kek realized she had sacrificed her life to help them.

  “But why? Why did you do this?” he asked.

  “Because I can tell you’re a good person. You’re not someone that will hurt others. You’ve got a good heart. I may not have a heart myself, and I may be a bucket of bolts but...I know you’re good,” she said.

  Kek felt tears prick at his eyes, and as he looked at her, he wanted to help her.

  “Don’t leave!” he cried out.

  “I have to, Kek. This is the end for both of us. You’re better off without me. I’m going to be okay. I did what I wanted to do. I’m not going to die with any regrets,” she said.

  As she began to stumble and fall, she fumbled for the key, and gave it to Kek.

  “Help this world. We got rid of Prate. It sounds like the rest of the world is in shambles, and I know you can fix it. I trust you,” she said.

  “But--”

  Before she could say anything else, her eyes closed, and the electrical sparks sizzling out. The dead robot made Kek feel upset, more than he had in the past. He didn’t even know why. It’s not like she was alive, right?

  He looked at her, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

  “I know it was a short experience, but I'm glad to have met you,” he said.

  Kek turned to the rest of the party, looking at them and nodding.

  “We have to go through the door. I can sense that’s where we have to go. Makoto did this for you, me, for all of us. I mean, she didn't really know the circumstances. Or maybe she did. Maybe she was sent here to help us, but I'm not totally sure,” he said.

  They all nodded, each of them following Kek to the door. The next adventure was through here, and Kek knew for a fact that whatever happened next would determine the future of their world.

  22

  When they got to the door again, Alina stared at it until she saw the indentation for the key.

  “That’s right. There has to be a sacrifice for the indentation for the key to show up. I see,” she said.

  “How do you know this?” Faye asked.

  “I can roughly translate this. But it seems like the door was waiting for the right moment. For someone to die,” Alina muttered.

  The entire place fell silent, and Kek felt really discomforted by this whole thing. Val then pushed the door softly, looking out, and she immediately gasped as it opened with ease.

  “We did it!” she said.

  They all began to walk in, but Kek noticed Bre was near the back. She seemed a bit confused, and Kek wondered why.

  “Everything okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah. Just wondering where this will take us. All of this,” she said.

  “To the end. You want that, right?” he asked.

  “Yeah, I do. But...what if we don’t win? What if it turns out that Sephy is too much, and we have to fight off most of the kobolds on our own?” she asked.

  He paused. He looked to Bre and then spoke.

  “Whatever happens, we’ll find a way in,” he said.

  They walked up the steps to where the dungeon was again. The mysterious, foreboding place called out to him, and when Kek stared at the space, he felt a chill down his spine.

  “Something the matter?” Alina asked.

  “I don’t know why but...I feel like there is an air of betrayal here. I can't put my fingers on it,” he said.

  The door closed behind him, and when he turned, he saw Lily near the walls. She tensed up, looking at all of them.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  “Sorry for what?” Kek asked.

  “For what I’m about to do next. The truth is, I didn't want to do this, but it was either this, or die. I spoke with Sephy and our leader, and...he wanted me to lead you here,” she said.

  “Wait, so you’re saying you're a fucking traitor,” Bre said, immediately getting on all fours. She growled at Lily, who looked pale.

  “No, they told me they could bring back my mom if I brought you here. I was just trying to do the job,” she said.

  “So you led us here,” Kek said.

  “This is the only way in, and I did help but...I don't hate you!” she cried out.

  “Then why did you do it?” Alina said, the dark presence growing in her body.

  “Because if I didn’t…I would’ve died,” she said.

  Alina looked ready to send a shower of lightning down on the woman, and Bre was ready to gore the young thief, but then, as she stepped back, her hands hit the switch.

  Suddenly, there was blackness on the ground, and the party fell through the hole. They all screamed as they started to fall to their doom, hitting the very bottom, and Kek immediately realized what had happened.

  He thought he could trust her, but he was betrayed.

  23

  The group sat in darkness, with Faye trying her best to get a ball of light going.

  “What the hell was that?” she asked.

  “She...betrayed us,” Kek muttered, his eyes wide with shock.

  “Well yeah, thanks for the obvious response,” she said.

  “I don’t think she meant to. I looked at her body, and I think she was being controlled. Something tells me that she was implanted with something, which forced her to have to listen to the demands of the user. It’s a tool that Sephy used,” Alina said.<
br />
  “I thought you were blinded by the hate,” Val said.

  “I thought so too. But...I was able to sense something within her. I mean, this doesn’t excuse what happened, but I’m glad that I was able to figure it out. The problem is though, we have to get out of here. Something feels wrong,” she said to them.

  Suddenly, there was a shaking over the ceiling. Kek managed to sense it in the nick of time.

  “Holy shit, the ceiling is coming down on us! We gotta run,” he said.

  The party ran through the hallway. Despite Val’s huge ax, she was one of the faster runners, with Faye and Bre both taking the spots behind her. Kek ran too, but he noticed that Alina was weak, and she wasn’t able to catch up.

  “Come on,” he said.

  “I can’t! I don’t...have physical prowess,” she said.

  Kek looked at the ceiling, and then at her. He could just leave her, but deep down, he didn’t want to do that. He needed to save her.

  He reached over, picking her up and carrying her bridal style out of there. It was an awkward position, but he didn’t have time to change it.

  “You’re faster on all fours, right? Get down. I'll hold on,” she said.

  Kek listened to her, quickly getting on all fours. She climbed onto his back, and he ran as quickly as he could out of there. He could tell the ceiling was getting lower and lower, and he could feel the anxiety of the moment start to overwhelm him. When he finally saw that he was near the end, he sprinted out of there, bolting to the other side. When the area closed behind him with a thud, he turned to Alina, who had her eyes closed.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah. I just...thank you,” she said to Kek.

  Kek watched as she moved off of his back, and he was able to go right-side up. She kissed him again, and then smiled.

  “When we get the hell out of here, I’m going to make it worth your while,” she said.

  Kek nodded, smiling.

  “Works for me,” he said.

  The two made it over to where the group was.

  “Uh guys, maybe we are out of the frying pan and into the fire,” Bre said.