Lewd Kingdoms: Fallen Throne: A High Fantasy Digital Adventure

by Eden Redd

  The blue knight rushed the vampire and hugged him, pressing the side of her face to his chest. The vampire held her close, black veins rising along his skin as sunlight bathed the pair.

  Edric stepped closer. Drakkus looked up from Sonja and gazed on the summoner.

  “I thank you, Edric,” Drakkus smiled. “It would seem my power has diminished some by becoming one of your summoned creatures.”

  Edric nodded. “We share our minds and know each other. As for your power, any creature that joins a summoner becomes a little weaker. It happened to Nykor and Leeta. I don’t have the ritual yet, but as I get stronger, I will be able to release you from the lock stone permanently if you wish.”

  Drakkus looked down to Sonja and then to Edric, “Something to strive for. In the meantime, I believe we have dread lords to hunt.”

  “What exactly happened here,” Jinn asked.

  Drakkus pulled from the blue knight but held her hand while looking to the assassin, “Harkkon and two fellow dread lords marched from the portal to the west. They destroyed everything in their path. An army of undead followed, one the likes I have never seen before.

  “Harkkon’s power has grown since my previous encounter with his forces. He has regained his eyes and now wields the power of the very abyss. He marched toward Nekross and I can only assume, the Serpent Throne.”

  “We have to go,” Juna and Jinn said in unison.

  Faye, Claudia and Rayna watched as emotions, duty and love rippled through the group. Dread crawled into Edric’s nerves. Looking to his fellow rulers, the same feeling touched them all. Sekka looked to the western horizon. Lance crossed his arms, eyes deep in thought. Thorrin stepped closer, white hammer disappearing from his hand. The paladins gathered around, conviction painting their brows.

  Edric was the one who stepped closer to the group. Eyes turned to him as a confident fury took hold of the summoner. Images of Elora blended with his thoughts. The pain resurfaced but the summoner took hold of it like chains on a great beast. The dread lords had taken so much and now, they threatened to take everything.

  Edric stepped to Juna, eyes containing a steady heat all could feel. “I’m tired of evil gaining the upper hand. They have tried to take everything from all of us and I’m sick of it. We won’t let them win. We will save your mother and bring her back to Elora, safe.”

  Juna nodded in agreement as did the rest of the group.

  “Remember the plan, save Oksuna and get away from the battle as soon as possible. It’s the only way we will be able to escape,” Edric reiterated as a mental image of rune covered stone in his satchel filled his mind.

  The group turned and made their way back to the wyverns. Edric hesitated, lifting a lock stone. Drakkus kissed Sonja deeply before his body turned into energy and snaked away from the blue knight’s arms. Sonja watched his energy slip into the stone, Edric placing it in his satchel.

  “He’s safe,” the summoner smiled.

  Sonja moved to Edric’s side as they walked. “Thank you Edric. Drakkus helped us when we first arrived here and we shared an intimate moment. I feel better knowing he is with such a good man like you.”

  Edric smiled. “When we get back to Elora, I have no problems if the two of you want to catch up.”

  Sonja returned his smile. “Maybe all three of us can spend some time together.”

  Edric’s smile drained away as Sonja walked ahead. Rayna stepped to Edric’s side, a smug smile on her face.

  “Bi-sexual hero party,” the bard laughed.

  Edric smiled at the bard. Hearing Rayna laugh chased away the dire mood, if only for a moment. Bodies mounted wyverns and with a thrust of powerful legs, the party was airborne once again. Wings flapped as the group gained altitude. When thermals filled leathery wings, the party turned west.

  Gliding in the sky, eyes turned down to the passing terrain below. A gray city of ruins appeared before tall mountains. Mist flowed down from the mountains as the ruined city stood, lifeless in the early day sun. Edric, Jinn and Faye led the group as they flew above the fabled dead city of Nekross.

  Thorrin looked down, opening his mind and spreading out his senses. The dead would touch his heart like cold fingers on a winter’s night. Instead, the paladin felt nothing. The city was empty as a coffin, the lone occupant shuffling away into the night.

  Sekka looked down; wings folded back and tail swaying behind her. The succubus’s senses were greater than anyone in the group and she too felt or saw nothing. Sekka looked up to the flying cloud of Wyverns, her eyes centering on Edric, Faye, Rayna and Claudia, a chill curling around her hot-blooded heart.

  Claudia held her spear as she easily rode the wyvern. The lancer hummed a tune despite the roar of the winds, ready to take on the world.

  Lance glanced around, looking back the way they came. Memories washed over him like it was yesterday that they had fought through legions of undead to get away. A faint image of a troll touched his mind. The white knight looked up to the sun and smiled, the light warming his flesh.

  Faye held the reins, her almond shaped eyes on Edric and shame swirling around her heart. The wood elf remembered when he came to them, wanting to build a kingdom together. Connecting the dots, she could see and feel the weight he took on, building a kingdom to profess his silent love to someone who touched his soul. The failure of saving Elora stabbed at her sanity, a needing want to care for others before herself. The player finally understood what it meant to give. Faye sighed in the wind, a wish to heal a broken heart becoming all consuming.

  Rayna clutched her legs to the sides of the wyvern while her knuckles turned white from gripping the reins. The bard preferred the stage and the height was a little too much for her to bear. Trying to take her mind off the quest, she looked to Claudia’s confident gaze; Faye’s concerned expression and Edric’s demeanor of strength and pain. The bard mentally cursed herself, her rule of lovers and friends breaking. Try as she might, she couldn’t separate her feelings for her fellow rulers. It dragged her down like chains to the ocean floor.

  Juna’s heart grew lighter as they flew over the mountains. The half-troll stared out, hoping to see her mother and perhaps her father in his earlier body. Excitement and honor poured over every digital cell. Once they saved her mother, they could move on like Jinn said. They could find their paradise and be a family again. Wistful fantasies filled the half-troll’s mind until they passed over the mountains and dived down.

  Senses dialed to eleven as minds grew sharp. The party stared, taking in every detail and preparing for a fight they weren’t sure they would encounter. As they approached, the clash of blades sang into the air like a metal symphony. Eyes widened and a chill filled the party at the storm brewing on the ground.

  The field before the ocean filled with the dead, marching on like a spiked war machine. The dead numbered in the tens of thousands, pushing on in a prefect precision march. A thick line of green trolls fought against the legions of undead; hacking, bashing and cutting down the enemy. In the middle of the undead horde, bodies parted as three men walked at a simple pace, eyes to the structure over the ocean. Even with the sun bathing the area in brilliant light, the dead continued to fight, unaffected by its power.

  Edric looked from the undead hordes and gazed on the Serpent Throne. The white stone structure led out from the ocean cliffs and stood. White pillars held it above the waves. A big orb of water floated above the crystal tipped spires surrounding the throne. A blue skinned troll with pink hair sat, arms resting on the white marble. She stared out to the battle as a battered knight in red armor stood at the bridge entrance on the cliff, a short sword in each hand.

  Jinn looked to the pink haired troll and then to the ocean beyond. Sormir swayed in the waters, watching and judging the events as they took place. Thick serpent bodies writhed while slitted eyes looked on to green water trolls fighting with power, speed and grace.

  Wyverns pressed on, high above the battle as light bloomed along the green trolls and the
dead. The three figures moved with ease, the leader turning his head and gazing to the cloud of wyverns flying overhead. The world seemed to stop as all looked down at the dread lords.

  Harkkon smiled as he gazed on the newcomers. The entire party stared down, seeing the dread lord was no longer a kind looking old man. Youth had returned to his features. The dread lord’s stature was tall and his shoulders wide. White hair covered his head and a thick black robe flowed down from his shoulders. Behind him, a tall giant of a dread lord marched, hammer across his back. Long black hair with a white lock flowed from the right temple as he walked next to another dread lord. The other one was smaller and thinner. A lock of white ran from the left side of his temple and down his long raven black hair. Four sword hilts poked up from behind his back as black leather covered his lithe, athletic body.

  Harkkon turned his head away from the flying wyverns and returned his gaze to the knight in battered red armor. The battle grew to a fevered pitch as the green trolls continued to try and hold back the undead horde. Harkkon and his fellow dread lords reached the line and the undead parted. Trolls poured in, charging the three dread lords as they approached. Webbed hands raised blades, hammers and tridents, ready to drive lethal points into the undead lords.

  Edric held his breath and a cold shiver ran through his body. Harkkon didn’t raise a hand as dark power surged around his body and lashed out. Troll bodies disintegrated on contact, followed by a black flash. The boom was heard a moment later, reaching the wyverns and riders high in the sky. A blast mark formed, cutting through the troll lines and leaving a path open for the dread lords to continue, unabated. Undead rushed out to hold the path open, cutting down trolls with ancient skill and power. Time flowed on and a fearful concern touched every player.

  Jayson Reed stood his ground, short sword in each hand. Harkkon stepped closer, an amused smile on his lips.

  “We can destroy this gnat,” the large dread lord said, hand moving back to grip his hammer.

  “No,” Harkkon said gently. “Direct our forces to keep the trolls occupied. I must do this alone.”

  Jayson’s knees remained bent, a burning gaze on the approaching dread lord. Harkkon continued to walk, black energy radiating from his body and forming a black and purple aura. Juna looked down at the knight in red and then to Jinn, a confusion taking root. Jinn shook his head slightly, eyes begging her to stay with him.

  “Jayson Reed, our paths cross again,” Harkkon said with a pleasant tone.

  The knight said nothing, hands vibrating with power.

  “Come, protect your love,” Harkkon smirked.

  Jayson never looked back as he burst forward. The knight’s body spun into a blurry red whirlwind, blades flashing like a saw. Harkkon’s aura flashed outward into a dark orb. Jayson’s blades cut at the orb, purple sparks flying. Harkkon’s eyes remained calm until the black orb formed a crack. Eyebrow rising, the dread lord continued to walk forward against the red knight’s spin attack.

  Juna’s heart leapt in her chest as Jayson continued to assault the black orb pushing it against the dread lord. The knight’s body slowed as his power leaked away and when he stopped, the knight fell to one knee with heavy breathing.

  “It has been an honor, Sir Reed,” Harkkon said as he lifted a finger and pointed it at the red knight.

  Jayson dropped a blade and clutched at the pink stone heart hanging around his neck. Activating its ability, a pink aura encircled the knight as he looked back. Oksuna sat on the throne, her eyes blank and unfeeling. Black power surged from the tip of the dread lord’s finger and stabbed out in the blink of an eye. The power slammed into the pink protective orb and shattered it instantly. Jayson turned his head back just as the thin beam penetrated his chest and exploded out of his back.

  Juna’s heart cracked as Jayson slumped forward, falling to the earth, eyes blank. Lines of light ran along his body and a breath later, shattered to shards of glass.

  A tear streamed down from Oksuna’s blank gaze but she did not move.

  “It’s just a shell,” Jinn shouted back to the half-troll but it was too late. Juna leapt onto the back of her wyvern, drew her white swords and jumped.

  Nineteen

  Juna dove down from the sky, white swords at her sides and an unyielding conviction in her black eyes. Black hair flowed in the wind, a pink lock waving. White armor gleamed in the sunlight as she fell toward the monster in black.

  “We can’t win this,” Edric whispered to himself before looking to Jinn. “We have to get Oksuna and leave,” the summoner shouted to the group.

  “Get to the platform and guard Oksuna,” Jinn shouted. “I’ll save Juna!”

  Wyverns folded back wings and dived toward the white stone platform. Edric turned his head and looked at Juna as she became a white arrow in the blue sky. Harkkon turned his body and looked up, the half-troll barreling toward him.

  “Welcome home,” Harkkon said softly.

  White swords flashed out as Juna activated her Arcane Surge ability. A white aura flared around her body as she fell like a comet from the sky. When she was within thirty feet, legs swung forward and blades gleamed. Harkkon’s aura solidified as white boots slammed into the orb and blades slashed in a powerful blur. Juna rained down attacks, her swords cracking the black orb with each strike. Black energy stabbed outward but the half-troll was already leaping off. Landing on the ground, she turned into a spin, slicing like a laser against a piece of glass. Harkkon’s hands stabbed out, black blades forming in the blink of an eye and when he dropped the orb around him, black and white blades clashed. The very air shook as blades parried, sparks shooting twenty feet in all directions.

  The wyverns neared the Serpent Thorne. Edric called up a spell and began the incantation.

  (Spell Casting)65+(Int)7=72/(Encounter Roll)10! Summon successful!

  Summon Elemental! Mana- 205 /230

  The air vibrated as an air elemental flowed into existence. The group leapt from their wyverns, the elemental spreading out and slowing their decent. Boots touched the mystical temple floor, bodies turning and gazing at two titans clashing; neither backing down. Wyverns flapped leathery wings, returning skyward, circling high above the Serpent Throne.

  Heads turned back and forth to the battle and then to the throne. Oksuna remained still, dark eyes staring ahead as Juna and Harkkon exchanged blows. Anxiety touched the group as they looked to Sonja and Lance for guidance.

  Sonja drew her blade as Lance drew Shatter Light. The uncertainty bled away as Sonja stepped into the group, taking charge.

  “Form up and protect Oksuna at all costs,” the blue knight ordered.

  Thorrin gave the knight a slight nod before turning to the bridge, “Paladins with me! Blockade the bridge!”

  The paladin in gray and gold armor marched ahead, a dozen paladins following. White Thunn weapons appeared in open hands as the paladins formed three lines, four bodies across. Holy auras appeared around the paladins as they marched to the halfway point on the bridge and stood their ground, aligned in perfect order.

  “The dead will know our light,” Thorrin shouted, eyes on Harkkon and the dead army beyond.

  Lance, Claudia and Faye moved to the inner mouth of the platform, taking positions. The lancer and monk flexed their hands as the white knight held the large sword at his side. Rayna and Sekka stood ten feet behind them. The bard pulled her lute around, fingers hovering over strings and her lightning wand already extended at the top of the arm.

  Edric pulled out three lock stones, his inner voice calling on his companions. Three arcane circles appeared on the platform and energy snaked out to meet them. Leeta rose up first, body covered in thick armor and a mace in each hand. Drakkus rose up, eyes forming narrow slits as he looked down the length of the bridge to the half-troll and dread lord fighting. The large circle bloomed as Nykor rose to her full height, spiky clubbed tail swinging back and forth and multiple black eyes staring at the dead army beyond. Acid dripped from the sides of her maw
as her body flexed and talons stretched.

  “We hold the line,” Edric ordered, eyes on Juna.

  Sonja turned from the group and took several steps closer to Oksuna. The pink haired troll was as still as a statue in a grave. She gazed on as if no one else was there. The blue knight stood at her feet, gazing up, her features softening.

  “Harkkon is coming for you. We can escape but you must come with us,” Sonja said with a soft edge.

  Oksuna remained still.

  “Please, your daughter is fighting for her life,” Sonja said as she reached up to touch Oksuna’s hand.

  Energy arced the moment Sonja’s hand was an inch away. Power slammed into her fingers, blasting the blue knight back. Boots stumbled backwards before the knight regained her balance and remained standing. Rubbing her hand, she could see dozens of Sormir beyond the throne; all eyes on the battle as it raged on.

  Edric moved to Sonja’s side but the blue knight shook her head.

  “We can’t move her. She’s connected to the Sormir hive mind. If she doesn’t leave the throne, we can’t escape,” Sonja said and turned to the group, her eyes lingering for a moment on the floating water orb, a blue troll within it.

  Edric stood by the blue knight, “We need Juna. She might be able to get through to her.”

  “She’s a little busy right now,” Rayna yelled back as the very platform shook from the half-troll and dread lord’s clashes.

  Juna and Harkkon locked blades, auras sparking against one another. The dread lord’s gaze connected with the half-troll and a smirk stabbed into his smooth cheek. Juna grunted; dark power burning against her swords and trying to crawl up her hands. Despite her Arcane Surge ability, muscles struggled against the flood of power emanating from the dread lord.

  “Maggar was correct; your power is vast if not yet fully tapped.”