Human: A LitRPG Novel (Tower of Gates LitRPG Series Book 2)

by Paul Bellow

  It would either save us or kill us.

  "You killed them?" Ryu asked, his brows turning in with anger.

  "I'll kill you too if you don't let me go," I said.

  He laughed as I raised my staff in my right hand.

  "Are you done?" he asked, still chuckling.

  "You're as messed up as Magi Inyontoo," I said. "We should all be working together to get out of this crazy game."

  "Don't you get it?" He pursed his lips together and shook his head. "We're stuck in here forever. That means we should make the game what we want it to be."

  "I have nothing against the Dwarves."

  He sighed.

  "I don't either, but..." He stopped himself. "Magi Inyontoo gave me orders, and I plan on fulfilling them. He'll make me ruler of level two-four of the tower."

  "You think he'll help you?"

  It was my turn to laugh.

  "Come on," he said gruffly, stepping back and through the doorway. "Let's go."

  I took a deep breath, wondering (without an intentional pun), if I should whip out the Wand of Wonder and zap him a few times before he took me somewhere even worse.

  "No," Charlotte said internally. "Wait."

  I agreed with her, stepping toward the door.

  Outside in the tunnel, I saw the bright blue magic field and heard the faint screams of other players that had been trapped by the black dragon's dark magic. I vowed to help them.

  "Come on," Ryu said, walking down the tunnel toward the Pit of Doom. "Hurry."

  "I'm coming," I said, striding forward.

  The reality of the game hit me in that moment. Our characters might die. Would we survive as NPCs? I pushed all the negativity out of my mind as I walked forward.

  Ryu stopped when we reached the bottom of the massive pit. When he stopped and glanced up, into the darkness, I almost whipped out the wand and zapped him.

  "Your friends should arrive soon," he said, lowering his head. "Unless they're dead already. The Mines of Oriam are filling with monsters nicely."

  "Are you behind all the troglodytes in the Dwarven mines?"

  "We have to fill the area with something."

  He smirked. I wanted to reach out and slap him, but I stopped myself again.

  "Be patient, Sarah. We need to wait for the most opportune moment."

  I know, Charlotte. He's made me mad, but I'm controlling it.

  "Why are you doing all this for Magi Inyontoo?" I asked.

  His expression changed, the smugness slipping away.

  "I don't want to talk about it," he said.

  "You sound like a smart guy. Why follow a loser like him around?"

  Ryu laughed.

  "You think he's a loser, do you? He's the only person I've met in here that's come close to finding a way out of this stupid prison."

  "What do you mean by prison?" I asked.

  "You're so naïve," he said. "It's cute."

  I pursed my lips together, hating him even more.

  "Haven't you noticed a lot of the so-called players in this game are from mental institutions or prisons?"

  "I've heard it mentioned, but..."

  My voice drifted off. I wanted him to fill in the blanks.

  "I wasn't in jail for killing anyone," he said. "They picked me up for shoplifting, and I didn't have enough money to bail myself out. Private prison system gobbled me right up."

  "Why were you shoplifting?" I asked.

  "To feed my family," he snapped. "Are you a rich girl in the real world, or something? I bet you're a fat, sweaty kid with pimples."

  "Maybe I am," I said.

  Better for them not to know I'm a female player on the outside.

  "Smart," Charlotte said silently.

  "Were you a gamer before you played, or something?" I asked to keep him talking.

  He sighed.

  "No. And I find this whole so-called game pretty messed up. The only reason I'm helping that Magictology guy is..." He stopped talking and and pointed a finger at me while grinning. "You're smart. Almost got me."

  "Smart enough not to join up with Magi Inyontoo," I quipped.

  "I didn't do it willingly. Believe me. You think I wanted to be stuck at the bottom of the Pit of Doom on level one-two?"

  Tilting my head to the side, I asked, "Then why did you do it?"

  "Because he knows something about me, and I told him I'd do this if he kept it quiet."

  "Are you a female in the real world?"

  "No," he said, his inner eyebrows moving toward his nose as his forehead wrinkled.

  Had I struck a nerve?

  "It's sort of obvious," I said.

  "What is? That I'm a female in the real world?"

  "Yeah. It's the way you talk and carry yourself."

  "Take it back," Ryu said, getting angrier. "Take it back now."

  "Calm down," I said. "You're protesting too much."

  "I can kill you now," he said out of nowhere.

  Our eyes locked. Had I pushed him too far?

  He raised his hand, palm out, ready to cast a spell.

  "Geronimo," Axelrod yelled from above.

  I looked up and saw him, Eric, Bernard, and Josh a few hundred feet in the air. They were all falling slowly. Had they found other magic to get down the pit?

  "Obviously," Sarah.

  "Time to kill all of you," Ryu said.

  I lowered my head as he transformed in the blink of an eye. As a twenty-foot dragon, he looked even more ferocious and dangerous. We could take him.

  "Back up," Charlotte said.

  Ryu crouched then flew straight up, his massive, scaled wings causing a draft. I backed up against the curved wall of the pit and stared up at the action.

  "Fast drop now," Axelrod yelled.

  The slowing effect went away, causing them to drop rapidly as the dragon rose higher.

  What do they think they're doing?

  About a dozen feet from the floor of the pit, they activated whatever magic they had and gently floated down. Eric rushed over as soon as his feet hit the stone.

  "You're alive," he said, too surprised for my liking.

  "Barely, but..." I hugged him. "You're here now."

  Eric leaned back and smiled despite the tense situation.

  "That dragon's gonna come back," Axelrod said from behind Eric. "Battle positions."

  "You have mana?" Eric asked. "Health okay?"

  "Not much on either, but I'll stay out of the way. I've got a trick or two up my sleeve."

  I pulled out the wand and waved it in front of his face.

  "Nice," he said. "What's it do?"

  "Let's go," Axelrod shouted. "The dragon's diving."

  I nodded my head for him to join Axelrod and the other two.

  He had a new glowing sword. Had they find loot before coming to get me?

  "Pay attention, Sarah," Charlotte said.

  My staff in one hand and the Wand of Wonder in the other, I looked up and saw Ryu swoop down and land with flourish. The dragon bellowed, dark blue smoke coming from his nostrils.

  Josh laughed and stuck out his chest.

  "Come and get some, punk," he said.

  I shook my head, wondering what I ever saw in him.

  "Die," Josh yelled then ran toward the dragon with his club held high.

  Eric and Bernard held back as Axelrod joined the barbarian – my ex-boyfriend?

  "Concentrate, Sarah!" Charlotte scolded.

  Josh and Axelrod both connected, doing little apparent damage to the dragon.

  Ryu clawed back – literally. Josh flew backward, landing on his back. Hard.

  Ouch. He'll be okay. We've got this. The Wand of Wonder will save us.

  "Not yet, Sarah."

  I know, Charlotte.

  Josh scrambled to his feet as Axelrod attacked. Eric and Bernard snuck around the dragon. Could they pull-off a double back stab? Would the battle be over before it even started?

  "Bring it," Josh yelled then ran forward again, club held
high above his head.

  Unable to wait much longer, I pointed the wand at Ryu, ready to zap.

  Axelrod got in a good hit with his battleax. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Eric and Bernard creeping closer. Surely the dragon would sense them. What were they thinking?

  Eric hit the dragon's back with both weapons while Bernard did the same. Ryu twisted his head around and roared. The sound echoed off the walls of the pit rising into the darkness.

  I used some mana to distract the dragon and let Eric and Bernard sneak away.

  Your Lance of Lightning INJURES [PC] Ryu for 14 damage.

  Your Lance of Lightning WOUNDS [PC] Ryu for 19 damage.

  You have 55/260 mana remaining.

  The dragon turned its body while pulling its head back.

  "It's about to breathe, Sarah. Use the wand now," Charlotte said.

  Hoping for the best, I zapped.

  Your Wand of Wander Makes it Rain

  It has 980/987 charges remaining

  Ryu spit blue fire in my direction as torrents of rain poured down. The water diluted the fire, but some of the flames hit me.

  [PC] Ryu's Black Dragon Breath MAULS you for 21 damage.

  You have 25/46 health remaining.

  The rain continued pouring down as rivers of water flew back through the tunnel toward Ryu's secret lair. Would it help dissolve the blue magic energy trapping the other players?

  I had no time for answering my questions. The failed breath weapon attack sent the dragon into a rage. Ryu roared, whipping its head around, looking for a target.

  Axelrod, Josh, Bernard, and Eric all attacked at the same time from different positions around the dragon. They all connected with solid blows. Ryu yelped in pain.

  "Get him," Axelrod yelled, bossy as ever during the battle.

  The dragon crouched down then leaped into the air again. On the way up, he grabbed the dwarf with his strong talons. I watched in horror as they both flew up into the darkness.

  "Save him," I shouted, not knowing how to make it happen.

  Josh turned and said, "Will you do something for once."

  For once? What's he talking about?

  "Leave her alone," Eric said, coming to my defense.

  The dragon continued rising high into the air.

  "Both of you shut-up," I said then raised my new wand, aiming it at the bulky dragon.

  "Noooo..." Charlotte yelled, but it was too late.

  I zapped the wand.

  Your Wand of Wonder enlarges [PC] Axelrod

  It has 960/987 charges remaining

  Maybe I don't have as many charges as I think.

  Axelrod cackled, his laughter echoing up and down the Pit of Doom as he grew to at least ten-feet tall – the largest Dwarf in history? Maybe.

  The four of us watched as he swung his new battle-ax, also enlarged, at the dragon.

  Ryu screamed after getting hit then dove toward us with a quickness.

  "Don't do it," Charlotte said.

  I couldn't resist pressing my luck and zapped again.

  Your Wand of Wander Projects an Image of You

  It has 959/987 charges remaining.

  A ten-foot tall holographic image of myself appeared, protecting me as the dragon landed and Axelrod fell to the ground. Eric, Josh and Bernard weren't so lucky.

  Ryu rose on his back two legs and threw his head back. The jet of blue-flame that shot from his mouth lit up the bottom of the pit. A huge shadow of Axelrod projected on the walls.

  The other three were bathed in fire.

  All of them cried out in pain as the blue flames washed over their bodies. We need a healer so bad, I thought, not wanting to chance hurting them while hoping for a heal spell from the wand.

  Ryu turned his scaled head toward me. Even in dragon-form he had a smirk on his face. It would be impossible to get along with everyone in the game. Some of them needed to die.

  I zapped the wand again.

  Your Wand of Wander Shoots Gems

  It has 929/987 charges remaining.

  My eyes opened wide as gemstones shot out of the tip of the slender wand, pelting the dragon's hide at high-velocity. The holographic projection of me mimicked all my actions.

  "Is there anything that new wand doesn't do?" Eric yelled.

  As I turned to him and the others, the dragon crept forward.

  We can do this together, I thought as I turned to Ryu.

  Eric, Josh, and Bernard all charged forward. Axelrod swung his battle-ax at the dragon's head. Ryu screamed then took to the sky again.

  "Get him," I shouted.

  "We've got no ranged weapons," Eric said, looking up.

  Josh jumped into the air, stretching with his club, but the dragon had climbed.

  I watched as Ryu disappeared into the blackness of the pit above.

  "He'll be back," Axelrod bellowed then laughed. "I love being large."

  As if he'd heard and agreed, Ryu the dragon dove with fury.

  "Watch out," I said then zapped one more time.

  Give me something good...

  Your Wand of Wander Generates Giant Butterflies

  It has 923/987 charges remaining.

  A stream of butterflies with wing-spans of at least ten-feet shot into the air one after another. Hundreds filled the air, their fluttering wings blinding everyone, including me.

  "That wasn't helpful," Axelrod grumbled.

  I saw a few dozen butterflies fall as he swung his giant battle-ax through the air.

  "Where's the dragon?" Eric asked. "I can't see anything."

  "I hate this," Josh yelled.

  Was he going into a rage? It was as bad as me using the random wand, but we had few choices. If the dragon defeated us, we'd be dead and stuck being NPCs for an unknown time-period.

  I wasn't ready for that to happen. Not on my watch. The dragon walked out of the cloud of winged creatures and bumped into me. Uh oh, I thought as Ryu clawed at me.

  [PC] Ryu's claw INJURES you for 11 damage.

  You have 14/46 health remaining.

  That's not good. I've got to stop him before I die. No NPC-time for me.

  Unsure of what else to do, I zapped the Wand of Wonder, my new best friend.

  Your Wand of Wonder turns [PC] Ryu Purple

  It has 922/987 charges remaining.

  Ryu stopped before clawing me again and peered down at his body.

  "What did you do?" he bellowed.

  "There you are," giant-sized Axelrod said.

  I watched as his battle-ax connected with the dragon's neck.

  Ryu screamed out. Axelrod grabbed his neck with both hands before the dragon could fly up and away again.

  "Over here, boys," the dwarf yelled.

  Eric, Josh and Bernard emerged as the horde of butterflies flew up the Pit of Doom.

  "Kill the dragon," I shouted as if they needed any instruction on what to do next.

  I pondered giving the wand one more try as the other three normal-sized players in our party all attacked the black dragon at the same time from different positions around it.

  Ryu screamed, lashing around like a slippery snake trying to get away.

  [PC] Ryu the black dragon is dead!

  Combat is Over!

  You get 25,000 xp divided by five party members.

  You get 5,000 xp.

  You have 81,971

  Welcome to level 9 Wizard -> Warlock

  You need 33,029 for level 10 Wizard -> Warlock

  "Level up," I shouted, full of excitement, that adrenaline rush after a win.

  "That's what I'm talking about," Josh said, raising his club in the air.

  "We lost a lot of party members, but we did it," Eric added.

  Axelrod, shrinking to normal-size, and Bernard, cleaning his mace, both stayed silent.

  "It's not over yet," I said. "Magi Inyontoo is still out there, and we need to free those dwarves."

  The screams from earlier returned in full-force, the sound magnified by the vas
t Pit of Doom rising above us. I frowned, feeling the evil and torment the game could bring.

  "We've got to save them," Axelrod said. "The hard part is over, but we've got to finish this all the way."

  He walked away from the purple dragon's body, battle-ax clutched in both hands, a look of determination on his thick, Dwarven features.

  I followed him as he broke into a jog. We were all low on health, and I had almost no more mana, but we'd take care of anything the game threw at us.

  Typical Tower of Gates, I still had more questions than answers, but I let the game draw me in even further. It had a way of giving you what you needed to keep going.

  "Let's go," Axelrod yelled. "We need to save those Dwarves."

  I picked up my pace, wondering how we'd get rid of the blue energy field.

  ()xxxx[:::: Chapter 25 ::::>

  Dark Knight Seeks Asylum

  ERIC

  Axelrod stopped a few hundred feet away from Ryu's room.

  "What's wrong?" I asked.

  Eric, Bernard, and Josh caught up and stopped.

  "Something's not right," Axelrod said.

  "Tell us," Eric said. "The blue energy field is still up. Is that what you're talking about?"

  "No, I'll explain that later. There's someone in Ryu's room. I saw him peek his head out."

  "I saw it too," Bernard said. "Looked like someone in full-plate armor."

  "We'll never survive this," Josh said. "I'm about dead after the dragon."

  "Me too," Bernard added.

  "We've got no other choice," I said.

  Sarah put her hand on my shoulder, holding her staff in the other.

  "There's always another choice," she said, then added, "Usually."

  Down the tunnel, a man in black plate mail peeked through the doorway leading into Ryu's cramped room with the magic mirror to talk with Magi Inyontoo.

  He looked tough. Were they connected with Magictology? Sent to kill us? I gripped both my weapons tighter as I wondered about my next move.

  "We can't run," Axelrod said.

  "No one said anything about running, little man," Josh shot back.

  "Stop it," Sarah said, giving each a stern look.

  "He's got a white flag," I said, pointing.

  The man in a full set of black plate mail (including a helmet with visor) walked out of Ryu's room carrying a white cloth at the end of a wand. Would he try to get close and zap us?