The Fourth Secret: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Divine Apostasy Book 4)

by A F Kay

  Stop that. You are the Overlord, Ruwen. It isn’t another person, just you, with no fear. And you without fear is a little terrifying.

  The Naktos Priest stopped thirty feet from Ruwen. Before the Priest could start, Ruwen spoke in a loud voice, his maxed Hey You ability translating his thoughts fluently. He wanted to cause confusion and doubt in the Priest. Using the memories of Valora, he touched his chest, mouth, and forehead with a fist. “Blessed am I, a child of stone, unworthy of his grace.”

  Whatever control the Priest had on the horse wavered, and it turned to the side. The Dust Reverend struggled for a few seconds to get it back under control. He studied Ruwen, his face full of confusion. Finally, he responded. “Blessed be you, child of stone, who are unworthy of his grace.”

  The horse backed up three feet before the Dust Reverend stopped it. Leaning forward, he spoke. “How do I address you, Child of Uru, armored in the blood of Izac, and reciting our most holy rites?”

  Ruwen used more of Valora’s memories. “I am a messenger.”

  The horse reared up and the Dust Reverend held tightly to the neck. It took fifteen seconds for the Priest to regain control. “What blasphemy is this?”

  Ruwen could see the doubt on the Priest’s face, and he answered the previous question to increase the confusion. “Some call me Overlord.”

  The horse no longer stood still, but pranced in place, as if preparing to gallop away. “Surrender now and live, Overlord. Resist us and die, forever trapping yourself in limbo. This temple falls today.”

  “Leave this land, child of stone, or we will grind you to dust.”

  The Dust Reverend nodded. “Our merciful lord has offered you grace, and you have turned away. Darkness awaits you.”

  The Dust Reverend, with considerable effort, turned the horse and galloped away. Ruwen guided Whiskers toward the city, and the fifteen-foot metal gate rose high enough to let him back in. He jumped off Whiskers and sent him to scout around the city. The large panther transformed into a small cat and dashed off.

  Elder Vachyl spoke to Ruwen using Chat. Approximately eight thousand moving toward the city.

  They hadn’t even waited for the Priest to get back to the camp. Ruwen stood back as Stone Mages moved to the base of the wall. Half had their hands on the ground, and the others on the wall. They would counteract any stone or ground manipulation by Naktos Mages.

  The newly revived citizens of New Eiru had lived their entire lives at war, and when notified of the advancing army, moved to their attack positions without being told. Workers on the battlements tossed down magic rope generated by Climb and moved people up the rope in three heartbeats with a surge of Energy. In moments, Ruwen’s entire team of Bands lined the battlements, preparing for long-range bombardment of the oncoming enemy.

  Ruwen found his group near the gate.

  “I thought you were watching from up top?” Hamma asked.

  “I decided to come down,” Ruwen said, not mentioning how.

  The thousands of troops scattered around the city all moved toward the gate, preparing to chase the enemy once they fled.

  “That army never even rested,” Lylan said. “They are really in a hurry to get here.”

  Hamma frowned. “Elder Gabryel just told me in Chat you jumped off the wall.”

  Ruwen tried his best to look innocent.

  Sift patted Ruwen’s shoulder. “There are better ways to deal with depression.”

  “I’m not depressed,” Ruwen said.

  “A knife through the eye,” Sift offered.

  “That already happened to me,” Ruwen said. “Are you actually giving me advice on how to kill myself?”

  “Lylan says I need to be more supportive,” Sift said.

  Lylan glared at Sift, and he stopped smiling.

  “Fine,” Sift said. “If you need to talk, Xav is a great listener. Right, Xav?”

  The Celestial Remnant, still in his hooded robe, floated a few inches off the ground, and remained silent.

  After a few seconds, Sift turned back to Ruwen. “See, he never interrupts.”

  “Knock it off, you two,” Hamma said. “We’re about to fight an army. You should be more serious.”

  Ruwen wanted to argue with Sift, but realized Hamma had a good point. “I’m using the same Warlord Banner buffs I did for the attack in the cavern. I’ll stay in front, Xavier you’re behind me. If you can use that Energy shield to protect those behind you, that’d be great. Hamma try to stay behind Xavier and me. Lylan comes next and Sift you protect our backs.”

  Ruwen cast his Warlord Banner buffs, which only benefited his Primary Group.

  Renew – Healing received 30% more effective

  Havoc – Damage increased by 25%

  Unrelenting – Regeneration rates increased by 30%

  Indestructible – Armor Class increased by 25%

  Advanced – Attributes increased by 20%

  Then Ruwen cast his Commander buffs, which benefited everyone in the groups under him as well.

  Relentless - Energy Regeneration increased by 25%

  Quartermaster’s Yell - 50% reduced spell cost, potions 50% more effective

  Emissary’s Shout - Perception 10%, Speed 10%

  Warlord’s Roar - 50% damage, 50% Armor Class

  This time, with so much danger, he placed the Bodyguard spell on Sift. If the worst happened and Hamma or Lylan died, they would revive at the temple and be back with the group in less than an hour. Sift would stay dead, and Ruwen absorbing sixty percent of his friend’s damage might make the difference between life and death.

  Hamma gave them all Blessed Communion Wafers and Wine and then offered them potions she’d taken from temple vault. She forced Sift to take Health potions, and Lylan took Health, Mana, and Attribute ones. Xavier took nothing and Ruwen finally relented and took five Health and Mana vials.

  Tring!

  Uru has blessed you…

  Name: Major Health Vial

  Quality: Uncommon

  Quantity: 5

  Weight: 0.3 lbs.

  Effect (Contact): Heal 300 Health on contact.

  Effect (Ingested): Heal 500 Health and 30 Health per second for 10 seconds when ingested.

  Effect: Halve all Bleed effects.

  Description: Sweet red liquid.

  Tring!

  Uru has blessed you…

  Name: Major Mana Vial

  Quality: Uncommon

  Quantity: 5

  Weight: 0.3 lbs.

  Effect (Contact): Regain 200 Mana on contact.

  Effect (Ingested): Regain 300 Mana and 20 Mana per second for 10 seconds when ingested.

  Effect: Double Mana Regeneration for 30 seconds.

  Description: Refreshing blue liquid.

  By adding a point in Draft, Ruwen had increased the size of every group but his primary one to ten. He had added his parents, Tremine, and Bliz to the War Council group so he could stay in contact with them.

  Clarysa spoke to him in Chat. We’re finished in the temple and headed your way.

  I assumed you were staying in the city, Ruwen said.

  With my baby leading the charge? Not a chance.

  I’m not a baby.

  I know. I’m proud of the man you’ve become. But there’s no way you’re keeping me away.

  Ruwen caught sight of his parents, Tremine, and Bliz. Clarysa wore leather armor, but the color seemed to shift, matching the surroundings like camouflage. She carried a short bow, had a dagger filled vest, and a small crossbow on her hip. Colyn wore blue tinged plate armor and a tower shield hung on his back. A long sword hung from his hip and a dagger from the other.

  Tremine didn’t wear a robe, but some type of hardened cloth. The sun glinted off an Energy shield that surrounded him. He didn’t appear to have any weapons, but Ruwen knew from experience the Chaos Mage, who had Specialized in Void magic, could summon one at will.

  The changes to Bliz were more subtle. He still wore leather, but it looked hardened and well
used. When he saw Ruwen he smiled and an instant later a bandball shot upward, arcing toward Ruwen from a hundred feet away.

  Ruwen grinned under his hood, and not moving his arm, opened his Void Band six inches. The bandball dropped into the middle of the portal and Ruwen immediately fired it back.

  Bliz increased the size of his Void Band to a foot, and Ruwen’s return shot disappeared into the Crew Chief’s band.

  “Good shot,” Sift said.

  “Are you two ever serious?” Lylan asked.

  “Bandball is very serious,” Ruwen said.

  It appeared Bliz had recovered from transporting the terium to the temple. Ruwen spoke to him using Chat. It’s good to see you smile.

  Bliz responded right away. Even someone my age occasionally needs time to process life’s brutal realities. I’ve seen enough here to recognize the necessity of what happened.

  I understand. I’m still dealing with it myself. We all are.

  Ruwen and his group strode toward the old folk, and he hugged everyone when they met.

  “That armor makes you look creepy,” Clarysa said. “Can you even see out of that hood?”

  Colyn tapped the Overseer’s Tunic of Faith with a gauntleted hand. “That is nice scale.”

  “Fitting armor for a day like today,” Tremine said.

  “You’ve been practicing your bandball,” Bliz said approvingly.

  Ruwen practiced whenever time allowed. Bliz had given Ruwen the quest, A Wasted Youth, to compete in a bandball competition with the Crew Chief, and Ruwen didn’t plan on losing. “I’ll be ready to play soon.”

  Hamma looked up at the top of the wall. “I don’t want to be in the way, but I’d really like to see what’s coming.”

  Lylan nodded in agreement.

  “There’s room up there for all of us,” Ruwen said. “Let’s go see what we’re up against.”

  Chapter 69

  At a thousand feet, the Bands released their first volley at the approaching army. A hundred sixty-eight objects arced through the air: stones, hardened stakes the size of small trees, and metal bars. Mages in the Naktos army raised their arms, and the falling objects dissolved or were redirected to the sides. Not a single item struck the army. Ruwen became the Overlord and the fear of the approaching battle faded.

  Bliz looked back and forth down the battlements. “It seems impossible that there are so many of us. The Bands back at the Dizzy Judge will never believe me.”

  Tremine held out his arms and violet light flashed in his hands. A new one-hour Buff appeared.

  Void Horizon: +5 Mana per second

  “Wow,” Hamma whispered. “Thank you.”

  The buff reminded Ruwen of the three Coiled Lightning Rings that sat in his Inventory. He turned to Bliz. “I can return three Coiled Lightning Rings the Deepwell Worker’s Lodge loaned me.”

  Bliz looked at Ruwen. “You don’t need them?”

  “Some better ones dropped into my lap,” Ruwen said.

  Sift groaned, Lylan shook her head, and Xavier hissed a single word. “Inappropriate.”

  Ruwen retrieved the three rings and handed them to Bliz. As he’d suspected, the Crew Chief replaced three of his current rings. The gear Ruwen had acquired far surpassed what even successful adventures had gained with decades of effort. It was easy to forget that most people didn’t come close to matching his gear.

  The wall shook and Ruwen returned his focus to the oncoming army. Waves of stone traveled across the ground, striking the city wall as if crashing into a beach. Two hundred calvary separated from the main body, the horses galloping northwest, two riders on each.

  Elder Vachyl’s voice echoed inside the walls of New Eiru, amplified by an Air Mage. “Sector three, inbound Mages on horseback.”

  Thunder cracked above their heads, and Ruwen squinted at the harsh light above them. Lightning raced across a bubble of invisible Energy that New Eiru’s own Mages were generating. The walls shook again as the Naktos Mages on horseback struck the northern wall.

  “We should head for the gate,” Colyn said.

  Ruwen nodded, and they all rode the ropes down to the ground.

  Elder Vachyl spoke to Ruwen using Chat. They’re using Mages on horseback to quickly look for any weakened areas of the wall. But they aren’t probing the defenses. They’re coming straight for the gate. Drivyd’s Scouts report frantic activity in the trap area of the depression. It looks like you were right.

  Thank you for the update. Let’s hope so.

  Ruwen’s Health dropped by one as steam jetted from the ground. The temperature plummeted as a nearby Ice Mage chilled the air and froze the ground. Icicles fell like snow, shattering against the ground, and Ruwen slowed his pace to avoid slipping.

  The shadows around Ruwen lengthened as Fire Mages on the wall above cast giant orbs of super-heated air. The heat reminded him of the battle with Phoenix in the Spirit Realm. He’d considered asking the Cultivators to join everyone else inside the city, but didn’t want to leave his western flank unprotected. Even though they’d seen no enemy activity there, he knew better than to assume that meant safety.

  Ruwen’s feet itched as the ground vibrated rapidly. A Worker fell from the wall, an arrow in his shoulder. An Air Mage slowed his fall, and a Surgeon healed him moments after impact. In seconds, the Worker had returned to his position.

  Rocks, lightning, and magma struck the shield above them. Now Ruwen understood better why the Elders hadn’t wanted to use the Temple Guardians in the battle. With so much magical and physical forces unleashed, they would be easy targets without sufficient shielding.

  Elder Vachyl gave Ruwen another update in Chat. Sixteen fatalities. Enemy deaths estimated at seven hundred. Our Mana consumption is approaching thirty percent. They will likely take another fifteen hundred casualties to make it a believable retreat.

  The gates shook as the army smashed into it. Ruwen channeled twenty Energy into Scrub, getting prepared just in case they breached the defenses, and Quartermaster’s Yell lowered the cost to only ten Energy.

  Elder Vachyl spoke again. Mana consumption fifty-five percent. Their Mage shields are faltering. The riders have circled back to the main army.

  The scent of scorched air filled Ruwen’s nose and mouth, numbing his tongue. He had insisted Lylan keep his Scarf of Freshness since the enemy had taken hers in the ether cavern. He channeled one Energy per second into Fresh Air and the acrid smell disappeared. Sift, Hamma, and Lylan each used their scarf.

  Screams, most of them from outside the walls, echoed off the temple and silos. Thousands of troops readied themselves for the gates to open.

  They’re retreating, Elder Vachyl said. Starting phase two in sixty seconds.

  The men and women around Ruwen grew still as their Commanders passed down orders via Chat. He relayed the information to the three groups of Void Bands he commanded, and his words passed down to each of the five layers under him.

  Workers slid down the wall ropes like rain drops, those with Void Bands sprinting to their assigned groups.

  “Thirty seconds,” Ruwen said out loud.

  Colyn pulled the shield from off his back and attached it to his arm. Ruwen wished his parents hadn’t insisted on coming. He worried for their safety, even if they were almost ten levels above him. Taking friends and family into danger was a terrible way to live your life.

  Ruwen moved to stand directly in front of the enhanced steel gate.

  Initiate phase two, Elder Vachyl said.

  The metal gate slid silently into the wall, revealing the terium alloy bars of the portcullis. The internal locks released with loud clicks and Stone Mages pushed the portcullis up with pillars of granite. Four more Stone Mages folded the ground, creating a path through over one thousand enemy dead. Ruwen marveled at the enemy’s commitment to the trap, and the sacrifice it required.

  Ruwen dashed forward, the apex of a triangle with fifteen thousand warriors. It was humbling that they followed him, trusting his judgement to keep th
em safe and bring them victory. He wouldn’t fail them.

  The enemy reformed in a long line at the entrance of the depression. Ruwen could barely tell the ground sloped downward. He had expected something like cliffs on each side, but they hardly qualified as hills. They certainly offered little in the way of a tactical advantage and were too far away to send troops to.

  As Ruwen approached the army he triggered Analyze, and on the third attempt he found the gas.

  Target: Carbon Dioxide/Monoxide Blend

  Type: Resource

  Components: Carbon, Oxygen

  Health: Asphyxiant

  Alchemy: Colorless, Odorless, Noncombustible

  Uses: Fire retardant

  Ruwen informed Elder Vachyl, and all the Void Band groups. Finding the gas relieved Ruwen and validated his hypothesis.

  Elder Vachyl spoke in Chat, his Commanders passing the info to the entire army in moments. Begin phase three.

  Ruwen slowed, and his army separated into one hundred sixty-eight groups of ninety, each group ringed around a Worker with a Void Band. The army contained twenty Commanders, spaced evenly across the groups, and they all channeled ten Energy per second into Gust.

  As Ruwen strode toward the waiting enemy army, his cloak whipped in the sudden vortexes that roiled the air. Stepping into the depression, Ruwen squinted as lightning arced toward him from above. The dazzling light revealed a sky filled with arrows.

  Colyn stepped up next to Ruwen, his tower shield protecting everyone behind him. The lightning crawled across a violet bubble of Energy that Tremine channeled, protecting Ruwen, his friends, and family. But the librarian’s shield only protected against magic, and the arrows and crossbow bolts passed through Tremine’s shield unaffected.

  Metallic booms filled the air as arrows and bolts bounced off Colyn’s tower shield. Ten arrows and three crossbow bolts struck Ruwen’s body, which he ignored. Instead, using his Gold Fortified reflexes and Step training, he knocked down any missile within reach, protecting those behind him.

  Elder Yana spoke to Ruwen in Chat. We’ve confirmed there is nothing underground within twenty-five hundred feet of your location.