“You want to fight?” he screeched in his wimpy imp voice. “Fight me.”
Shaking its head as if perplexed that a mere imp could have actually landed a blow, the demon blinked and faced Chen.
“Oh yeah, baby,” Chen said. “I don’t even need a Taunt ability to tank this mofo. Come on, feces breath. You gonna let an imp do that to you?”
Another of the demons had given up on Devon’s Simulacrum to join the fight. As it ran with heavy steps toward the group, Devon cast Downdraft. It didn’t knock the demon back, but it did slow the beast long enough for her to snare it with Phoenix Fire, slowing its advance.
“Owen,” Devon tried again. “You have to take control. We can go back together. Back to the way Relic Online was for you in the beginning. Back to Cynthia.”
At the mention of his girlfriend’s name, Owen froze. Raazel’s presence visibly faded from his eyes.
“Dev?”
“Yes! It’s me, Owen.”
Abruptly, Owen’s head fell back as he howled. “It’s fighting me. I can’t…”
“You can, Owen,” Devon said, renewing her Wall of Ice as she felt hairline cracks mar its surface. “Cynthia has been fighting for you for weeks. But if you don’t keep control long enough to log out and verbally revoke the power of attorney your parents obtained, you may never see her again. There’s too much to explain, but you need to do that. Log out. Wake up. Say you choose Cynthia to speak for you. Tell her to get you DC’d from Zaa.”
Owen blinked and nodded. His eyes went distant as he pulled up his interface.
“And Owen,” Devon said. “I’m sorry. It’s going to be shocking to your system when they pull the plug on the servers that have done this to you. But we’ll be there for you. Hailey and Chen and Jeremy and me. Maya too if we can rescue her from a life as a mermaid queen.”
“Mermaid queen?” Owen mouthed.
“Don’t worry about it. But just remember you’re strong.” Devon threw another Freeze down, buying Chen some space to back out of melee range while she dropped another Blood Mist on him. He wouldn’t hold out for long, but if Owen hurried, they might not need long.
//Pathetic worms! Can you not beat a single demon and her worthless imp?//
Her guildmate grimaced and looked ill as he struggled, no doubt fighting his demon’s response to the god’s command. But moments later, his avatar went motionless.
Empty.
He’d logged out.
“Please hurry,” she said. “Get us the freaking hell out of here.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
EMERSON HAD ONLY taken a couple more sips from his tankard. Or maybe three or four. But he’d deserved a little celebration, right? Hacking into the drones from that cut-rate production company and forcing them to play his awesome holo creation…okay, that had been cool. But the real coup had been gaining control of Birdman’s lighting system. Aviation network security was no joke, even when dealing with a private company rather than a major airfield crawling with FAA alert bots.
It almost made up for his failure to break through the firewalls installed by E-Squared’s IT people when he’d been exiled to Saskatchewan.
Regardless, it was a good excuse to let loose a little. Maybe even join in a few rounds of the dwarves’ drinking song….something about maids and mines and bellies full of ale. The fire warmed Emerson’s face and toes, and he was about to rest his head on Hezbek’s shoulder when his messenger app flashed. The words seemed to swim in front of his face as he tried to read.
Holy shit. Owen just spoke. He asked to be DC’d then went back to sleep. I hope to God you’re not going to tell me that means he wants off life support.
“Wait,” Emerson said aloud. He was way too tipsy to attempt to subvocalize. “Aren’t you handcuffed to the helicopter?”
He’d watched the ambulance people wheel Owen out of the copter and back to the transport before the drones’ security had finally closed the security hole and booted him from their system. Crisis averted, for now. Owen’s return to the hospital had meant Devon would have the time she needed to guide him back to Veia. Which meant Emerson could kick back and enjoy the fire.
“Sorry, what was that?” Hezbek asked.
“Nothing,” he said. “Sorry. Starborn stuff.”
Bolt cutter. Just in time. I guess Owen’s mother doesn’t hate me as much as she used to. She let me hitch a ride back to the hospital in the ambulance. But about this DC shit…
“It means disconnect. Like from a server. Devon must have reached him.” As the notion sank in, Emerson sat straighter. In fact, that meant this whole mess was almost over. Which in turn meant that he had stuff to do. Lots of stuff.
Wait, so he can wake up now?
“If he says he’s ready.”
Then why are you talking to me? Bring him back to me, please.
Cynthia’s icon grayed out, and Emerson felt a grin spread across his face as he blearily searched his interface for the logout button.
“I’ll be back soon,” he said to Hezbek. “Be ready to celebrate.”
Chapter Forty-Nine
Quest Complete: Stop being such a shut-in.
You have regained access to Hezbek’s potions and may now examine the newly available options.
Bonus Objective Complete: Actually talk to people while you’re there. (5/5)
You gain 300000 experience!
Congratulations! You have reached level 23!
“Wait. Three hundred thousand XP for that?” Devon asked.
Hezbek chuckled as she shuffled around her cabin, arranging potions according to some plan only the medicine woman could understand. “Well, seeing as my little mission led to a series of events that nearly left you stranded in the demonic plane, I figured a discretionary bonus was in order.”
“Yeah, but I was going there anyway.”
“You were. But your friend Emerson explained that you’d hoped to execute the plan a bit more gracefully. He also told me you’ve gone a long way toward sparing us great misery, though he wouldn’t elaborate on the details.”
Devon leaned back in her chair and looked at her hands, in particular the Azuresky Band that encircled her finger. It was just one of two pieces of gear she still owned from the time before her transformation. For now, she wore a simple tunic and trousers that offered no more armor than the ragged cloth she’d worn on day one in game. But Gerrald was hard at work on a surprise set of gear. She’d just have to wait.
And in truth, Devon didn’t mind a little downtime. She wanted to catch up on the city’s advancement, and she still hadn’t managed to skill up her Stealth and Unarmed Combat to respectable levels. Plus, she wanted to be free when Tamara logged in for the first time.
Following Owen’s miraculous recovery, Bradley Williams had personally contacted her and asked whether he could do anything to thank her for going above and beyond for E-Squared. Devon had figured it was the perfect opportunity to help out her friend. It sounded like Tamara would be going in for implant surgery within the week.
Of course, she might not be able to undertake the transcontinental mountain bike journey just yet. Devon couldn’t forget what she’d seen on Raazel’s map. She might have deprived Zaa of a general, but the demon horde was still out there. And—more infuriating than anything she’d heard—Bradley Williams had decided that for now, Penelope’s AI could continue to run. It just wouldn’t have access to players’ minds.
Which meant that sooner or later, a new general would take over Raazel’s forces. The invasion would come. She just didn’t know how soon.
“There she be hiding!” Dorden bellowed as he stuck his head through the door. “Don’t worry, friends. She hasn’t turned into a monster again.”
Devon dropped her forehead to the table. She’d had way too many grateful backslaps from the dwarf clan after resurrecting their leader. The Shrine to Veia hadn’t even asked for an item in recompense…probably due to Devon’s escapades in
the demonic plane.
Regardless, it was nice to see her friends so happy and to have learned that Bravlon’s rescue had been successful.
The kegs had been flowing since noon—in-game time—and it was inching toward evening. Better to put in a bit more face time now than when the Stonehaven citizens were even drunker and prone to harder backslaps.
She smiled as she stood. “I suppose I should get back out there, seeing as Hezbek worked so hard to throw this celebration together.” She glanced at the medicine woman. “Mind catching me up on those potions tomorrow? I think I might just forget everything you tell me right now.”
The medicine woman chuckled. “I don’t mind at all, child.”
As she stepped outside, she spotted Torald standing with some players beneath the council tree. The man nodded and flourished his hand in a sort of bow. As far as players went, the man was climbing her very short list of those she could tolerate. But she wasn’t in the mood for much conversation, not after her ordeal. She’d only had time for a cat nap between the time E-Squared had patched her implants, yanking her from Zaa’s council chamber, and the beginning of the flood of phone calls and messenger requests from Emerson and Bradley Williams.
She could have gone back to bed after that, but Emerson had explained that the party was about to start, and that it was Hezbek’s plan. She couldn’t exactly disappoint the medicine woman. So here she was.
Still, sleep tugged at her, even across the boundary between worlds. Intent on making her followers feel appreciated before she crashed, she turned onto a cobblestone path leading to the hamlet’s freshly paved central square.
A woman stepped to block her way. It took Devon a moment to recognize her, but when she did, she sighed.
“Sorry, Shavari,” Devon said. “I haven’t had time to figure out how to prove myself to you yet.”
The woman’s mouth quirked in a faint smile. “Actually, I came to speak to you about that. Over the past few days, I’ve learned enough about you to satisfy my curiosity. Your friend Emerson was the one to finally convince me.”
Quest complete: Prove your worth.
You now have Shavari’s allegiance and whatever help she can offer in your quest to restore Ishildar and defend Veia against the looming darkness.
“Wait, all because Emerson said some nice things?” Devon asked.
Shavari smiled. “As I said, that was the final factor. I’d say your ability to turn one of Zaa’s own generals to Veia played the largest role.”
Okay, well that made a little more sense. Still, Emerson’s name kept coming up. Despite claiming he was a terrible player, he’d certainly accomplished a lot during his short visit to Stonehaven.
“Anyway, I’m pleased to hear it. Not often you gain an ally while absent. I’m heading to the square. Care to join the party?” Devon said as she started walking again.
“You know, it’s not just my spells and wisdom you can now access,” the woman said with a faintly mischievous smirk.
Devon slowed. “Oh?”
“I believe you have been searching for a particular set of relics to aid your quest as Champion of Ishildar.”
“You know where I can find the next one?”
“Actually, I believe I can do better than that,” Shavari said as she pulled something from her pocket. She grabbed Devon’s hand and plopped the item in her palm.
You have received: Ironweight Key
One of the five relics needed to gain ownership of the ancient city of Ishildar, this key was once controlled by the Esh Vassaldom. A reclusive society known to outsiders as the Mistwalkers, the Esh disappeared centuries ago, even before the land once containing their vassaldom was swallowed by a rise of the Noble Sea.
Use: When owner possesses all five Ishildar relics, unlocks Ishildar’s Vault of the Magi.
“Most people assumed the relic was lost beneath the waves, but the order of the Five have kept it safe all these long years. Veia granted my predecessors Seeings that foretold your coming. We’ve protected it for you, and now I’m pleased to find you worthy of taking the burden from us.”
Devon looked down at the key, an intricately forged piece of metal. It felt heavier than it looked. Four relics found. The last would grant her dominion over Ishildar.
“It says it opens the Vault of the Magi? What’s that?”
Shavari shrugged a shoulder. “Veia willing, you’ll soon find out.”
With a swallow, Devon tucked the key into her pants pocket. She wasn’t willing to let it go, though, and kept her hand wrapped around it. The pair had resumed walking and now drew near the square. Devon stopped again, eyes locked on the rather boisterous gathering ahead.
“All I really want to do is protect them,” she said.
“And you’re doing a great job.”
She turned at the unfamiliar man’s voice and saw some sort of wizard character in a ridiculous robe. A quick Combat Assessment showed that the newcomer was a GM.
“Uh, hi?”
“It’s Emerson,” he said, looking somewhat bashful. “I thought I’d come say hello before I have to give this account back to customer support.”
“No way!” Devon grinned. “Well, now that you’ve given the game a look, are you going to roll a character?”
He blinked furiously when she grabbed his arm and started dragging him toward the party.
“I—maybe. Would you be willing to show me around a bit?”
“Of course,” she said as she gave his arm a friendly punch, which—strangely—caused him to blush even deeper. “I mean, I should be able to find time between stints spent fighting off a demon army.”
He swallowed, looking really nervous all of a sudden. “Then I suppose it’s a…” He trailed off, as if unsure what to say.
“What he’s trying to say,” Dorden said as he stomped up to join the small group, “is he figures it’s a date.”
With a laugh, the dwarf slapped her on the back and hurried over to join the party.
Devon stared at his back, finally understanding Emerson’s blush.
Really? A date?
Okay, so she definitely needed to up her Perception score.
“I was really just—I mean…” Emerson’s face was as brightly colored as his outlandish robe.
“Why don’t we start by slaying a few tree vipers,” she said.
He breathed a sigh of relief. “I look forward to it.”
Dear Reader,
Hi! I’m glad to see you here at the end of another book. Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please consider leaving a review here: Citadel of Smoke (Amazon.com link).
I’m already working on Book 5, expecting to release it Winter 2018, so keep an eye out. For news on new releases, you can join my reader group at www.CarrieSummers.com.
If you’d like to connect with other Gamelit/LitRPG readers and author on Facebook, check out this group: Gamelit Society.
Thanks again!
--Carrie
[email protected]
Amazon Author Page
PS. Thank you to Celestian Rince for the expert edit, Jackson Tjota for the amazing cover, and Henry Thiel for suggesting otterpeople. You guys are awesome!
PS. Another great spot to meet other fans is the Facebook LitRPG group.
Citadel of Smoke: A LitRPG and GameLit Adventure (Stonehaven League Book 4) Page 33
