by James Hunter
The Warden gave me a respectful tightlipped smile, then turned and headed from the forge and into the city. Loxo and I followed, though moving at a much more leisurely pace. We walked down the cobblestone boulevard, the clicking of our feet complemented by the distant crash of ocean waves. Loxo kept stealing sidelong glances at me, but said nothing as we headed toward the dilapidated southern gate. A moment later, a huge blue-furred panther ghosted past us—Asteria.
The shifter paused a few paces ahead of us and shot a playful glance at Loxo with her great golden eyes before swishing her tail. Catch me if you can, she seemed to say to the Huntress, and then she was gone. A flash of fur and muscled limbs.
“With your leave, War God,” Loxo said, eyes tracking the panther.
“Hey, go have fun,” I said, waving a hand through the air.
The Huntress gave me a brilliant smile—my heart raced a little—then nodded and took off at a sprint toward the panther. Asteria was ridiculously fast, but Loxo was gaining on her. And, curiously, as the Huntress ran, she seemed to find every bit of shade, which made her body fade in and out of sight, like a shimmering mirage on the horizon.
By the time I made it to the southern gate—home to the terrible but tasty arachnaswine—I found the whole crew assembled and waiting for me. Asteria and Loxo frolicked just beyond the busted gates, sparring with one another in an amazing display of speed and grace and skill. Meanwhile, Myrina waited by the inner wall, the lightning javelin stuck in her quiver along with several of the upgraded ones. Her gleaming short sword was at her side, and she had her shield—though not the Medusa shield from Stheno’s cave.
Absently, I wondered why she hadn’t brought it, but didn’t care enough to ask. Anything could set the lady off, so it was best just to let it go.
Milling not far off was Antiope—one of the new Battle Wardens—and Euryleia, a Beastiamancer sitting on top of an oversized grizzly with golden fur. The Warden was a short, thick warrior with a spear, a shield, and a katana in a scabbard on her back. So, Phoebe had started making katanas! Cool. Seeing the Greek warrior with a Japanese sword was a little surreal, but I knew she would be deadly with such a sharp weapon. Antiope had a faux-hawk with a ponytail tied behind her head.
The Beastiamancer, Euryleia, looked like Antiope’s polar opposite.
She was tall and willowy with long dark hair, worked into a meticulous braid, and dark skin that wouldn’t have been out of place in New Delhi. And instead of wearing thick armor like Antiope, she wore supple leathers, better for speed and agility. She wielded a long spear with a short sword as a backup, but in her hands was an English longbow. Leave it to Phoebe to jump on new tech. My head Rune-Caster also had created a saddle that fit well on the huge bear.
Tearing my eyes away from my raiding crew, I focused on the derelict gate lying broken on the ground. I removed the last of our Thymos Crystals—a jagged stone the size of my skull—from my bag and held it up, letting the afternoon light bounce off the beautiful blue rock. I pulled up my interface, accessing my MANAGE ISLAND tab, then scrolled down until I found an option called Defensive Structures. Here too, there were a bunch of different choices—some classic Greek, others more in line with medieval siege warfare—plus an OTHER tab, though all the options were grayed out and unavailable.
For now, at least.
I selected “Fortified Gate” in the Defensive Structures menu and noted the price. Two pounds of Thymos Crystals and sixty-five Divine Essence Points. I had just enough. I raised my hand higher, focusing the raw energy flowing through me into the stone. Power surged from the godstone and up into the crystal, which flashed brilliantly. The huge wooden gate, shattered millennia ago, lifted into the air, lazily twirling like a slow-moving twister. Shards of wood smashed into each other, sealing huge gaps in the grain.
In a minute, the twenty-foot-tall doors were whole. With another effort of will, the doors shifted and slid into place. Giant iron fittings sprouted from the walls like vines, anchoring the massive gate in place. I sagged, my face covered in sweat, as the miracle finished. Voila, we had our southeast gate repaired. Our northeast gate was still in tatters, but hey, if an army attacked while we were gone, they would have to go through the one entrance into the city. But how likely was an attack while we were gone?
“Most impressive, War God,” Euryleia said in approval as she guided her death-bear through the opening.
“Thanks,” I wheezed, giving her a sidelong glance as I edged away from her massive mount. I was sure the animal was trustworthy, but it was also a supernaturally enormous bear. A guy could never be too careful.
Euryleia, however, seemed to pick up on my hesitation right away. “Jacob Merely, after such a marvel of strength, I do not know why you gaze upon me so. Do I not please you?”
There was that phrase again. I couldn’t help but take it in a sexual way, though I would never tell my Amazons that. It was just an old-school term, and I needed to change my thinking about it.
“No, yeah. Everything’s fine, Euryleia. And yes, you do please me. I was just thinking how utterly terrifying that bear of yours is. He’s like really big. His paw is bigger than a sewer lid.”
Euryleia grinned and traced her fingers through the bear’s thick fur. The creature looked at me with deep brown eyes, then raised one of those massive paws, all tipped with hooked claws. Then the bear opened its jaws, revealing a mouth stuffed full of razor-sharp teeth. Yep, terrifying—which was actually a good thing. My Beastiamancers were going to be deadly in combat, no doubt. “Never fear, War God. Buttercup would never seek your harm.” Euryleia paused and ruffled the bear’s huge noggin. “She is a sweet girl, though she will also eviscerate your foes.”
Yeah, that actually wasn’t as reassuring as she probably assumed.
But before I could reply, the Beastiamancer smiled and urged her mount on.
The rest of the crew—Myrina, Asteria, Loxo, and Antiope—waited patiently on the other side. Myrina caught my eye, then gave me a curt nod of approval as she glanced at the gate. I’d win her over yet.
Hippolyta and some other Wardens came to close the gates behind us. I turned. “Keep the city safe, Hippolyta,” I said, singling out the woman I’d spent extra points upgrading.
“I shall,” she replied, deadly serious. “Go forth, Jacob Merely, you are magnificent in your battle gear. I feel honored to serve you and love you, God of War.” That last bit was delivered with a straight face too.
I didn’t know how to respond, so instead I made the heavy metal sign and said, “Righteous!”
TWENTY-THREE
Grind Session
The squeal of full-grown spider pigs cut through the air as we made our way up the worn stone steps and into the dense jungle beyond.
When I rounded the corner, I found a full-scale skirmish already unfolding.
It appeared the baby spiderlings had grown into full-size monsters in the span of a few days. Already, they’d started spinning their webs, cluttering the path and nearby jungle with silver gossamer strands. Loxo danced among the creatures, moving as gracefully as oil over water, a short sword in one hand and a wicked hooked dagger in the other. She deflected a set of incoming fangs with her sword, before leaping into the air like an acrobat, hurling her dagger with the flick of a wrist—ending the attacker in an instant.
Super badass.
Meanwhile, Antiope and Myrina engaged several of the spider pigs in combat at once. The pair of Battle Wardens fought back-to-back, weapons constantly flashing out, preventing the spiders from flanking them. Antiope used the razor-sharp katana with both hands, chopping down through a head, then skewering a spider pig that lunged forward, fangs outthrust. Myrina kept her shield up and ready, using her xiphos to lop off a tusk and split a skull in a single blow.
Asteria swooped down from above, transforming from eagle form, talons tearing, to bear form. She hit the ground like an asteroid and broke into a lumbering run to help Euryleia and her mount wreak havoc on the monsters. Butter
cup the bear—never was there a more inappropriately named creature—lashed out with snapping teeth and flesh-rending claws. And Euryleia was just as effective, impaling encroaching monsters with a wicked spear.
Watching these women work was like watching a well-oiled factory machine in action. Each instinctively knew their role—where they fit—and they fought with flawless, brutal efficiency. In moments, the skirmish was over and the arachnaswine were dead.
And me? I hadn’t lifted a finger.
Using the gaming messaging system, I let Phoebe know we had fresh meat near the gate, which we could salt and keep in storage. I’d eaten a lot of spider pork lately, but as our army grew I knew we would need all the rations we could get our hands on.
On it, Boss-man, the Rune-Caster sent in reply. We’re pretty swamped, my dude, but I’ll dispatch Brontia and Steropia over to collect and process it as soon as I can. Those Rune-Casters were a godsend, but I was already running the trio ragged, and truthfully, I really needed them crafting weapons, armor, and siege equipment—not running kitchen errands. Although I was part of the Marine Corps Air Wing, I’d done my time at OCS like everyone else, and I knew the key to good leadership was delegating work appropriately and not overtaxing the troops.
Once we got more clay, I would create a couple Amazons dedicated to managing the supplies and fields. Maybe some of those Forest-Witches, the Dasikí Mágissa. They’d probably be a perfect fit.
Myrina wheeled on me while I was still deep in thought. “Jacob Merely, you cannot skulk in the background while we do all of the fighting. Did you get any experience points from this battle?”
I gulped and shifted uncomfortably. Uh oh, I was in trouble. “Nope,” I replied with a shake of my head. “Sorry, Myrina.”
“There is no sorry. Only survival. And we will not survive if you do not …” She paused, searching for the right phrase. “Level Up,” she finally finished. “So, for now, you will go first, War God.” The words were sharp, leaving no room for discussion. “If you have trouble, then we can aid you.”
Antiope raised an eyebrow at me. “You are the god of war, and yet you did not rush into combat. Why is this?”
“Well,” I said quickly, “I didn’t want to hog all of the glory. Get it? Hog? I didn’t want to hog anything because you were fighting hogs.”
Myrina sighed, folded her arms, and frowned at me. I was getting used to her.
Antiope’s lips fell into a crooked smile. “I see. Word play. Clever.”
Asteria turned human long enough to giggle, and then she was an azure-coated lioness rushing forward only to leap into the air; huge wings erupted from her sides and suddenly she was soaring through the air on outstretched eagle’s wings.
“Seriously,” I said to Antiope, “I’m still learning how to be a god. And you guys are tough. You didn’t need me. In the end, I think I’ll be a better tactical coordinator than a hands-on warrior.”
Antiope frowned and raised her hands. No offense intended, the gesture said. “I do not mean to disagree, War God, but in the last battle, I think we will win the day with your sword, and your sword alone.”
I shrugged, one hand running over the pommel of the War Blade. “I think Ares thought the same thing. And look what happened? I’m going to play this differently. My way of doing things might seem a little counterintuitive, but it’ll work in the long run. For now, we’re going to do some major damage and keep the sigil safe until I level up enough to close the rift permanently.”
Myrina had been listening, and she gave me an odd look. Then she pointed her bloody sword to the trail ahead. “Regardless, today you fight.”
“Yeah, yeah, you got it,” I said, raising my hands in defeat. Some battles were worth fighting—this wasn’t one of them.
We soldiered on, following the familiar cobblestone trail until Loxo darted around a squat boulder covered in green moss and into the underbrush. Just off the trail was a rough dirt pathway I never would’ve noticed in the tangle. It hugged the cliff edges, working its way south. Keeping my sword at my side, I let my shield dangle from a strap and took hold of my spear with both hands. Tall palm trees swayed above me.
Asteria’s voice appeared in my mind, the words clear and bold. The winds and the sun, sea and green. I see naga in front of you. Two of them approach.
Myrina was included in the chat. Forward, Jacob Merely. Cast your spear and then engage them with your sword—use miracles only as a last resort.
Sweat gushed down my face, and my heart pounded. This was it. Real-life combat against not one but two snake men. I knew my Amazons had my back, but a well-timed sword thrust could end me forever—and damn the world in the process. The dirt trail jogged down and to the right, eventually connecting to a few rough-hewn stairs etched into the sloping hill. Twenty feet below, the stairs reconnected with a worn stone trail, which continued to follow the coastline. The cliffs plunged precipitously to my right, while a sharp incline, dotted with swaying palm trees, was to my left.
If I met the snake men at the stairs, I’d have the higher ground. Just ask Anakin Skywalker how important that was.
Hurrying forward, I got to the top of the steps just as the nagas slithered around a sharp bend and into view. They faltered, serpent eyes fixating on me as they hissed. One had a bow, and the other was armed with a curved, jaggedly bladed sword and spiked buckler. I acted on instinct before fear could get ahold of me, and hurled my spear into the chest of the archer. The creature hissed as the weapon pierced his heart. For a moment, it swayed stupidly on its tail, dark eyes going glassy as sludgy blood drooled from its lips. Then, the naga dropped to the dusty stones.
Dead.
The other snake man didn’t miss a beat.
It charged up the crude stairs, tail pumping, cruel sword raised and ready for battle. I had a moment where I could’ve just blasted the creature with a Lightning Lance, but Myrina was right—best to save my Essence Points for when I really needed them. Instead, I drew the War Blade from its sheath; the breath caught in my throat as the weapon came free. A surge of power radiated up from the sword, and the blade burned with a blue glow. The faint scent of ozone emanated from the blade.
Holy crap, that was right. I was level seven now, which meant the War Blade’s first ability was now available to me. Lightning Edge.
I felt like cackling at how cool this was. But I didn’t because I still had a scaly freak to deal with.
The naga shot in low, chopping at my legs. I bashed his curved sharktoothed blade aside with my shield, then thrust my glowing blade toward his serpentine face. Sadly, the snake was quicker than he looked, and somehow managed to catch my attack on his buckler, turning it aside. He dipped and swiped again, this time going for my ankles. With a little fancy footwork and preternatural speed, I avoided the strike, though only just.
By this time, Myrina and the rest of our raiding party had come down to watch. Asteria circled us high above, observing. You can do this, wingless one, she sent, fierce pride burning behind the words. I grinned in spite of the awful situation.
The naga couldn’t turn away, and I couldn’t lose my focus despite the audience. It was time to prove myself. Dude, I was the god of war, I should be able to kill a low-level henchman one-on-one.
My resolve hardened like steel. I retreated a few steps, letting him slide forward, and then launched a fresh assault. This time, I darted in, feinting right like I was going for his head. He raised his buckler to protect his skull, which is when I juked left and attacked, shearing his shield arm clean off at the bicep. A hot spray of fetid blood splashed onto my thigh. Instead of retreating, however, the naga’s sword licked up and jabbed me. Thankfully, the linen armor of my skirt turned the blade.
And even better? The desperate move left the naga wide open.
Backhanded, I lashed out with my blade, desperately hoping to sever his head. Instead, the creature shifted and ducked, and the blade lodged in his shoulder.
Still, the blow was enough to knock him
off balance.
Already bleeding out, the snake man teetered on the edge of the cliff, his tail frantically writhing to keep him from tumbling down to the ocean-swept rocks below. Time to put an end to that. I yanked the sword free with a roar, then lunged forward with a scowl on my face. Instead of jabbing him with the blade, I planted a foot hard into his chest. Part of me wanted to shout, “This is Sparta!” as the naga’s remaining arm pinwheeled.
I resisted, though, because I totally knew Myrina would judge the hell out of me.
I grinned as the naga finally lost its balance and toppled back. Trying to act cool, I inched up to the edge, compelled by a morbid fascination to see the snake man go splat on the rocks below.
That didn’t happen.
Asteria caught the creature in her talons, ripped him apart like a sack of flour, then cruised over the ocean, depositing both halves into the drink. But not before tearing her beak through the naga’s belly and gulping down a few strands of entrails. It was a testament to Asteria’s gorgeousness that even after watching her eat snake entrails as an eagle, I still kind of wanted to make out with her.
Myrina stepped to the top of the stairs. She nodded at me. “You have defeated your opponents, Jacob Merely. I am assuming you have gotten more of your gaming credits to use for the benefit of your warriors.”
I nodded in reply, still breathing hard and sweating in the noonday sun. I pulled up my interface and found that I scored EXP, not only for defeating the two sons of Cecrops, but also for repairing the gate and for healing Loxo back in the forge.
Hot damn, I was within spitting distance of being an eighth-level god of war.
Asteria swooped around and cannonballed from the sky as she shifted midair into her panther form and landed on soft pads. Immediately, she raced up to me and nuzzled my face with her soft fur. So proud. Man fight well. Mark you as good. You good. Mark you as mine. Mine.
I grinned but pushed her huge feline head away. She was awesome, but such a giant weirdo.
