The Quest (Dark Paladin Book #2) LitRPG Series

by Vasily Mahanenko

  “Go to hell, you!” Dolgunata growled through her teeth and turned into a panther. “Duel. Here and now! I don’t care it’s prohibited!”

  The game message appeared that my opponent demanded that the duel be held, and if I disagreed it would be considered that I lost, since the duel had already been postponed and it was my fault. In reality I did not want to fight Dolgunata. I had thought she would share the information, take the Diary and we would set out for the Sanctuary, but she preferred to hide it. I admitted that most likely I had gone too far with my demand that she admit her loss, but I realized that there was no way back, and so the duel would take place. As I was clicking on “Agree” I jumped quickly to get out of the path of the panther. Dolgunata attacked as soon as the “Duel” status came up.

  I rolled over to the side, yet got a substantial kick in the side. The protection absorbed the blow, but Steve warned me: a direct hit like that would kill me outright. The chance to win the duel dropped to one percent: that was the probability rating my assistant allocated to Leguria. Everything else Steve considered impossible right away: my shields would be useless against such an attack. Nata was determined, and I felt tired, both physically and emotionally, and just wanted to be done with it quickly. The answer to the question of Leguria was an obvious one for me: winning this duel was not worth letting it out. I considered that was beneath me, even though I knew Dolgunata would not appreciate my motives. So since there was no decent alternative all I could do was use defensive tactics and avoid her blows. I had no strength for attack.

  “Go on Yaropolk, call up Leguria! What are you waiting for?” Dolgunata asked, appearing next to me instantly. After pouring a lot of fervor into her initial blow the druid was now playing, mocking me and venting all her pent-up frustration. Grass grew around me and quickly tangled around me into a cocoon stronger than steel cables. My world turned upside down and I was swinging like a caterpillar in the wind. Lush greenery grown by the druid worked both as fetters and as support: I was hanging at about human height. Dolgunata transformed back, came right up to my face and said contemptuously, looking me in the eye:

  “You are a pitiful, weak and useless piece of shit! I don’t even have to fight you in order to defeat you! What can you do?! Call up Leguria?!”

  “I could, but I will not. Even though you do realize that your grass would not hold back Leguria.” Contrary to my expectations, I was not angry for being in such a humiliating position for a man. On the contrary, after such a long and hard day I was too tired to feel anything. I regarded the girl, upturned in my eyes with practically Olympic calm and pitied her. This was going to happen sooner or later. At least there were no witnesses, and her breakdown would stay between us. She had been mad at me from the beginning, and now was the ideal moment to find out the true reason for it.

  “No, it won’t, but your beast won’t be able to get me either. Or, actually, you, in the form of that beast won’t get me! I know everything about Leguria. One has to be a cretin to rely on it. Why the hell did you even agree to hold a duel at all, you idiot?”As the druid became more excited my restraints tightened more and more.

  “Apparently for the same reason that you kept picking a fight,” I rasped trying to expand my chest in the cocoon that was hard as steel now.

  “Moron, I have every reason to behave that way! I am stronger and more experienced than you. While you have nothing other than your overblown feeling of self-importance. Everything was great until you came along!”

  “So that’s the problem? Your envy? Someone shoved you off your pedestal without bothering to ask your opinion? At first Archibald was hovering over you and you alone, convincing you that you were oh so unique with your role of Keymaster, your great important mission; and then I came along and all that attention was no longer yours? Dumb bitch sulking‒ right, Dolgunata?” Frankly speaking I had had that thought before but brushed it aside – it just seemed too unreal. It just could not have been so simple!

  Instead of responding the druid removed all her greenery with one swipe of a paw and I fell on the ground. Rolled over at once and jumped onto my feet. The druid was ready:

  “I don’t care what you think! They think you are worthy of the role of the Guide! They are stupid! You are just a loser who appeared at the wrong place at the wrong time! You need to be replaced!” The girl leaped forward, instantly transforming into the animal.

  Another hit with a paw, and my neck was now boasting a precise little cut inflicted purely for demonstration. She got through my block very easily, and with a contented growl, started circling around me looking for a way to play with me some more.

  “Fine, you are stronger than I am. It would be stupid not to admit that. But that’s not enough for success, Dolgunata. If you were to wipe me out now, you would be thrown out of the Game as trash who did not live up to expectations. Archibald would never forgive your disobedience. And it’s as easy to replace a Keymaster as it is a Guide.”

  The panther kept advancing, her ears twitching. I was hoping to get across to her reason.

  “Let’s finish with this duel quickly and get down to business. Archibald is waiting.” I was trying to play on her feelings for the teacher.

  “Do you acknowledge your defeat?”

  “No.” I smiled. “Never, Dolgunata. I will not surrender to you voluntarily! Those win who don’t surrender!”

  “If the enemy does not surrender he will be killed!” the druid countered, and the black lightning rushed towards me. A few seconds later I was lying on the ground, without my legs and right arm, tortured by pain and about to bleed to death.

  You lost a duel. Pass the reward to the winner.

  Dolgunata smirked victoriously, turned into a human and poured an elves’ ointment down my throat.

  “Sorry, buddy, that’s it for now. Give me the reward and send yourself to respawn. I don’t want to bother dirtying my hands.” She extended her hand, demanding the reward.

  I was scolding myself hard for getting entangled in this stupid bitch stuff instead of accepting the peace offer right away. I opened my inventory with my left hand and threw the diary to Dolgunata. Now I really would have to respawn. Not only did I have a hole in my armor, but in addition I had lost almost all my limbs. Why were they all so mean to…

  All my thoughts vanished as soon as Madonna’s Diary touched the druid. A few messages flashed before my eyes:

  The reward is transferred to the winner. The duel is complete.

  Player Madonna is resurrected

  I did not immediately grasp the point of the message, but as soon as the thought hit the right synapses, I quickly turned my head towards Dolgunata – Keymaster and… Madonna.

  The girl’s appearance did not change at all. She just kept standing still, smiling, staring at the glowing diary in her hands. But the world around her hastened to change, welcoming the rebirth of the Great One. Right from the druid’s feet flowers were spreading like a painted veil, hastening to fill the burnt crater and cover the ruins: all that remained from the hill and the estate. Birds, bees and animals appeared out of nowhere. As I was lying on the ground and observing the magic around me, I saw four rainbows. The world around was filling with bright colors and I was the only ugly crippled patch among all that beauty.

  The diary stopped shining and the girl’s eyes came to life again. Smiling beatifically she was looking at her accomplishments. It was not clear how Dolgunata’s consciousness changed: was that a complete replacement of personality or was that some form of symbiosis? Casting a glance around, the being looked at me and frowned. The diary immediately disappeared; I was lifted up in the air with a slight gesture of her hand.

  “Why is the Guide greeting me in such poor shape?” The palms of the creature that used to be Dolgunata flashed brightly, and hundreds of needles stung my body as my limbs appeared in their places again. “That’s much better. It’s a pity there’s nothing else for me to heal here. I could do with some extra Energy.”

  M
adonna waved her hand again and I was carefully placed on the ground once again. So then, since she was the antagonist of the necromancers and Dark ones, she received Energy through creation and healing. That must be appropriate, but what enormous strength she had!

  A teleport popped nearby and Archibald was in the clearing, kneeling immediately:

  “Milady! It is a pleasure to welcome you to Earth.”

  “Archibald: good timing.” Madonna looked at the catorian sternly. “Why was the previous occupant not erased?”

  “It’s my fault, Milady. The wrong being was chosen for reincarnation.” The catorian hung his head. “The consciousness that is resisting being erased is the Keymaster.”

  “You put me in with the Keymaster?!” Madonna exclaimed angrily, and Archibald was jerked up into the air. The catorian was obviously uncomfortable hanging in midair, but made no attempts to escape. “You deserve punishment, slave! I do not wish to put up with resistance in my new incarnation! Now I will let the Keymaster step forward so that you can sort out the problem you created yourself. And may the Game help you if you can’t do it again and I feel any discomfort! You will accept your punishment later!”

  At the end of that scolding the Great one was practically hissing, her mouth curved in an ugly grimace of anger. Archibald landed on his hind legs as soon as Madonna released the body to Dolgunata. As confusion replaced anger on the druid’s face it was possible to see the change between the personalities:

  “Teacher, I won’t allow it! It’s my body! I don’t want this!”

  “Idiot girl, you don’t have a choice now. I told you keep away from Yari. You went against my will.” Archibald cut her off harshly. “You disobeyed a direct order. This is your punishment. This is your fate. If you don’t succumb, your consciousness will be wiped out and the functions of the Keymaster will be passed on to another being. You want to live? Then stuff it and wait for your turn!”

  Dolgunata looked at the catorian in disbelief, realizing there was no help coming. Madonna took over, strengthening her position.

  At that time several more teleports lit up and the Heads of Classes I had seen already crowded into the clearing. An instant flash of pain from the presence of the Priest, and once again I was covered by Gerhard’s protective capsule with which I was familiar. The Heads also kneeled, welcoming the high guest. Madonna waved her hand in the air, and the flash of a positive spell settled on everyone present. Madonna continued to build her strength.

  “Where is the Coordinator?” the Great one said with displeasure, looking over those present. “Why am I being welcomed so shabbily?”

  “The Coordinator is fighting Lumpen, my Lady.” Gerhard, said, lifting his head. “The necromancer was reborn.”

  “That’s his problem; he should have dropped everything and hurried here. Now he’ll have to wait his turn. Priest, you will accompany me to my rooms.” “Yes, Milady,” the Pope replied, his head still bowed.

  “Today I am not in a mood for communication. Because of this slave’s mistake,” Madonna nodded at the catorian, who was humbly waiting for his fate, “I was unable to take over the consciousness of the subject. Monk and priest, by tonight you need to figure out a way to block the other consciousness. She is a shrew of a girl, and I need none of that. But do not erase her; it’s the Keymaster. The rest are released.”

  “What about Archibald?” The Head of the Paladins inquired as he was opening a portal.

  “He deserves punishment, and for this reason I am stripping him of class and rank. He is exiled. Game: I require that the Viceroy be notified of my rebirth. I will be waiting for him tomorrow in the Citadel of the Priests of Earth.

  The procession of the players, having not received any grace from the Great One, disappeared into the portal, leaving me alone with the catorian. The Paladin’s shining armor disappeared, revealing his furry body. The catorian shook himself, smoothed the fur in a few places, grinned and looked at me meaningfully:

  “I hope you understand what happens when you don’t obey your parents… or your teacher! The Game must go on!”

  While I was thinking over this pearl of wisdom, wondering whether he meant himself or Dolgunata, the catorian opened a portal and disappeared somewhere.

  “I have some news.” Steve held a theatrical pause which I ignored.

  “Fire away.” I suggested calmly, expecting that nothing else that happened today would surprise me. But I was gravely mistaken.

  “If Dolgunata is the embodiment of Madonna, that explains why she did not have a Doll. Because she used to be a Doll herself.”

  “That I figured out on my own.” I interrupted Steve. “Cut it short and to the point.”

  “I collected the fragments and completed the analysis. I know who is the Nameless one.”

  Instead of words a picture appeared in front of me – of a man with the fatherly smile of Sean Connery. Once again that made me remember all the cursewords I had learnt from Sintsov, adding some of my own to boot. The photo explained a lot and confirmed that the Game must go on. Because the only one who smiled like that was Gerhard van Brast, the Head of the Paladins of Game world Earth.

  End of Book Two

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  Our authors have co-written a LitRPG anthology which contains tons of spoilers about their books. To read the stories and find the planted clues, check out our

  LitRPG anthology You're in Game! (LitRPG Stories from Bestselling Authors)

  You're in Game! is a collection of seven LitRPG novellas and short stories from V. Mahanenko (two stories set in the worlds of The Way of the Shaman and Galactogon respectively), M. Atamanov (a story set in the world of Perimeter Defense), A. Osadchuk (Mirror World), A. Livadny (a novella set in the world of The Neuro and Phantom Server), Andrew Novak (a story set in the new world of AlterGame, to be released on May 09 2017), and a LitRPG novella Countdown by P. Kornev.

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  Dear Reader,

  Thank you very much for reading The Quest (Dark Paladin Book #2). Your opinion is very important to me. For me, this has been a totally new world, with its own rules and characters, and I'd love to make it just as exciting as the worlds of Galactogon and The Way of the Shaman. Please consider sharing your opinions and suggestions with me and other readers!

  With Gratitude,

  Vasily Mahanenko

  ALSO BY VASILY MAHANENKO

  The Way of the Shaman LitRPG Series:

  Survival Quest (The Way of the Shaman: Book #1)

  The Kartoss Gambit (The Way of the Shaman: Book #2)

  The Secret of the Dark Forest (The Way of the Shaman: Book #3)

  The Phantom Castle (The Way of the Shaman: Book #4)

  The Karmadont Chess Set (The Way of the Shaman: Book #5)

  The Hour of Pain (The Way of the Shaman Bonus Story)

  Dark Paladin LitRPG Series:

  The Beginning (Dark Paladin Book #1)

  Galactogon LitRPG Series:

  Start The Game (Galactogon: Book #1)

  Short Stories:

  You're in Game!

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  The Hour of Pain (The Way of the Shaman Bonus Story)

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  LitRPG Stories from Bestselling Authors

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  The Hour of Pain (The Way of the Shaman Bonus Story)

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  Dark Paladin LitRPG Series Books 1 and 2

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  Start the Game! LitRPG Series (Galactogon Book #1)

  by Vasily Mahanenko

  Phantom Server LitRPG Series Books 1, 2 and 3

  by Andrei Livadny

  The Neuro LitRPG Series Books 1 and 2

  by Andrei Livadny

  Perimeter Defense LitRPG Series Books 1, 2 and 3

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