Quest for Camlan: A LitRPG Adventure (Camlan Realm Book 1)

by A. T. Gilbert

SirAsh3r: Look, you heard Jargonaut. It’s every man for himself. You’ve got your game plan, I’ve got mine.

  She’s silent for a moment, then I get the game message:

  Erinocalypse has blocked you from private conversations.

  Well. That went well.

  Chapter 43

  There’s no time to think about how I angered Erin. I feel the familiar hum of Scaling Weed taking hold. The magic time remaining flashes into the corner of my vision. I only have so many minutes of the effect and there’s no telling how many feet of climbing I’ll need to do.

  I creep to the stone wall. The sun in Camlan is now above the horizon. The red cloaks of Crimson’s soldiers stand out through the gray light. There’s probably not much time before more NPCs are up and about, going through their duties. The faster I can make this happen the better. Especially since I have to make it all the way back to Allynton to turn the quest in.

  I feel the warm tingle through my limbs as the magic takes hold. My heart starts beating a little faster as the enormity of what I’m about to attempt sinks in. I place my hands on the stone wall, look up to see how far the distance is and begin my ascent.

  There is no possible way I would be able to accomplish this without the weed, or rappelling hook or something. The stones are old and worn, and I find almost no easy grips or toe holds. I scale this vertical face sheerly through the power and ability the Scaling Weed grants me. It only takes s few short minutes to get all the way to the top. I try not to look down; I must be thirty feet above the ground, just clinging to the wall with magic-powered fingertips.

  At the top of the wall, I very slowly raise my head above the edge, looking for my best chance to either dart past a soldier or at least climb all the way up while his back is turned.

  Damn it. My timing is off and no sooner do I poke my head above the parapet then the soldier at the end of the wall turns around and looks right at me. I’m far enough away that I have time to scramble up over to the walkway running the length of the wall, but only just. I haven’t yet equipped a weapon when the soldier swings his sword at me.

  I duck out of the way, but not quite quickly enough, and his blade grazes my left arm.

  [- 45HP]

  In such close quarters I can’t use my bow, but I shoot Burning Smite at my attacker to buy myself a couple seconds.

  My magic isn’t nearly as powerful as Erinocalypse’s and while the soldier flinches and doubles over in pain, it doesn’t take long before he is coming after me again. But this time I’m ready. Equipped with my Goblin Knife, I get in a series of small jabs and parries, though I have to keep moving to do it. My knife is really no match for his sword and if I stand still long enough for him to hit me, I’ll be dead.

  Thank god for the extra attribute points I added to Dexterity.

  Little by little I wear him down and drain his health until he collapses to his knees. He must only have a sliver of health left when I get close enough, away from his sword arm, and deliver the killing blow.

  [+55 XP]

  There’s no time to celebrate. He will respawn soon or another soldier will come wandering up. I loot what I can before continuing my search for the goblet.

  Name: Battered Common Greatsword

  Level: 17

  Description: One-handed sword; 3 Damage per second

  + 50 Silver pieces

  Name: 2 Loaves of Bread

  Description: Restores up to 100 HP; cannot be eaten during battle

  Excellent haul for a random soldier, and I shove a chunk of bread in my mouth to top off my HP. I debate my strategy as I push farther into the manor house. I now have a variety of weapons to choose from, but which offers the best chance of success. I settle on the bow and arrow. Not only will the ranged weapon help me clear the path in front of me while I, hopefully, stay hidden, but it’s the weapon I’ve leveled up the farthest with. I’ve got to lean on my strengths and not try to be someone I’m not.

  I’m not Jargonaut. I’m no swordsman. Hand-to-hand combat will never be my forte.

  From where I stand at the top of the outer wall, there is a sheer drop below me to the inner courtyard. I look briefly, but see no sign of Erinocalypse yet within the walls. I hope she’s all right.

  I mean, I still don’t want her to win, but I hope she’s all right.

  This outer defensive wall stands on its own around the perimeter of the manor house, the smaller interior buildings and the courtyard—with one exception. Halfway down the length of the wall, there is a narrow stone archway, that serves as a walkway to the tall tower in the middle of the estate.

  The tall tower that almost certainly holds Lord Crimson’s private rooms.

  It makes sense to have an easy point of access and communication from the lord of the manor to where his troops would be stationed around the wall. Unfortunately for him, it also gives me access in.

  Between where I stand and the walkway are three soldiers, but I swiftly dispatch them with carefully aimed arrows.

  [+55 XP]

  [+55 XP]

  [+55 XP]

  I barely have time to loot their bodies as I run around the perimeter to the walkway. But what I collect makes the pause worth it.

  Name: Leather Breeches

  Level: 19

  Description: +2 Armor, +1 Dexterity

  +25 Silver Pieces

  Name: Boar Jerky

  Description: Restores up to 250 Health Points, cannot be eaten during battle

  Once there are no other enemies between my objective and me, I dart across the stone path to the tower. The door is locked, as I expected, but I still have enough time left with my Scaling Weed magic to make the climb. This time, though, I can’t just go straight up. The difference between the path and the window means I will need to move laterally around the tower a few feet.

  I step off the path to the left, clinging to the stone face with both of my magic-infused hands. It takes a second to find the right grip, inching to the left, closer to be directly under the tower’s high window. I creep farther and farther to the left, little by little. Moving sideways is slower than going straight up.

  I’m almost ready to start my ascent when a sharp pain pierces the back of my thigh.

  “Argh,” I grunt in pain, scrambling to keep my precarious hold.

  I glance over my shoulder and see that the first soldier I had killed has now respawned and armed himself with a bow and arrow. He’s preparing another shot and I have to move quickly to avoid getting hit again, and to beat the other soldiers before they too respawn.

  Each movement of my injured leg is agony and I try to put as little weight on it as I can. But climbing up a vertical stone tower is impossible to do without both legs, and I find myself gritting my teeth and grunting as each new step drains a little more health and causes a little more pain.

  I dodge one arrow, but a third arrow lodges in my forearm as I reach the window sill.

  “Goddamnit!”

  Pulling myself up and through the window with an arrow lodged in my arm is excruciating but it’s my only option. I tumble through the open window, falling below the edge and out of sight.

  It won’t be long before the soldiers notify whoever has access to this tower. One more reason to keep moving.

  I can’t focus on the room around me until I remove the arrows from my limbs. The one in my forearm is slightly shallower and easier to pull out. The one in my leg, though … each step I took to make my climb embedded it a little bit deeper. I firmly grasp the wooden shaft and give it a little tentative tug to see how easy this will be.

  Damnit damnit damnit that hurts.

  I take a deep breath, hold it, clench my teeth and yank.

  Chapter 44

  DAMN IT that hurts!

  I drop the arrow to the floor and quickly pull out the bread I just looted, sitting against the wall under the window, I eat, replenish my health and take note of the room I have found myself in.

  It’s a round room, taking up the entire diamet
er of the tower. Near my side of the room, a few feet to my right, a wide four-poster bed sits with its head against the wall. Almost directly across from me, facing the window, is a wide, cluttered desk. Most of the walls are lined with tapestries, with images depicting various battle being waged by men in red. Directly behind the desk, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves hold vials, books, what seems to be an animal skull and a few decorative wooden boxes.

  Lord Crimson is nowhere in sight.

  I’m immediately anxious, realizing I have no idea where he is or when he’s returning. I scramble to my feet and cross to the door. Once I’ve latched the three locks—including one that cannot be unlocked from the outside—I feel somewhat safer.

  God, I hope the goblet is in here somewhere.

  I guess, since it’s the object of my open quest it should emit some kind of glow? Assuming it is in here. Would he have hid it away somewhere? Would he have put it on display? How much does Lord Crimson trust his minions?

  I stand in the center of the room and rotate slowly, looking at every possibility, every nook, every hiding place, making mental notes of dark recesses I could investigate further.

  But there’s nothing.

  Oh, god, please let it be in here.

  Not noticing anything immediately, I begin a more thorough search. Under the bed, in the desk drawers, even in the decorative boxes on the bookshelf. I’m not sure how big the goblet is. I didn’t get a good look at it when it was stolen, so I check even unnaturally small spaces, just in case.

  I start to panic. If the Goblet of Vigor isn’t in this room, I can only make wild guesses at where else it could be. I’m running out of options here.

  I check the same places again. Maybe I overlooked something.

  As I’m getting up off the floor after looking under the bed, I stumble, fall into the wall and knock the tapestry askew. As I move to straighten it, in my periphery I think I see a faint glowing coming from behind it. Not even daring to hope, I pull the heavy fabric away from the wall to check. There, previously hidden and built into the stone wall, is a small wooden door, shimmering with a slight golden glow.

  I almost trip over myself in my rush to reach the wooden door and fling it open. Inside, where part of the stone would otherwise be, sits a few small potion bottles, a heavy bag of coins and the Goblet of Vigor.

  I found it! Oh my god, I found it.

  I quickly stash the coins, the potions and the Goblet in my bag. I close the wooden door, replace the tapestry and assess my next step.

  First, I try to do the generous thing and send a private message to Erin.

  SirAsh3r: I’ve got the goblet and am heading back to town. Get out of here.

  Attention: Erinocalypse has blocked you from private messages. Your message was not delivered.

  Shit. She’s just going to be putting herself in unnecessary danger. But … If I didn’t feel guilty about abandoning her before, I sure do now.

  The last of the Scaling Weed is in my mouth and I chew as fast as I can, scanning the courtyard below as I do. Four soldiers have their bows trained on the window. But only four, which means maybe they’re not expecting me to leave the way I came in. Or maybe Jargonaut’s plan to cause a distraction is working better than I expected.

  It may be four against one, but I have the advantage of cover. My first arrow hits the mark with no problem, felling one soldier. I pull back the bowstring, the feathers of the arrow light against my cheek, and take aim. The target dodges, but but I get the third arrow off quickly enough to surprise the next soldier. He’s not fast enough and is pierced in the arm.

  Attention: You have unlocked Active Skill: Archery Level 6

  Description: Increase chance of hitting target +12%; Increase damage +3

  Reward +180 XP

  I can feel the Scaling Weed taking effect. That magical tingling distracts me a little and makes me miss my next shot, but before long I’ve taken out all four archers and earned the XP for each.

  Luck or skill. It doesn’t matter. Either way I throw one leg over window sill and start my climb down the tower. This time is a little faster than the climb up, since I don’t have an arrow embedded in my leg. I hope it’s fast enough. Before long I’ve spidered my way along the stone, stepped onto the archway and am making my way toward the perimeter wall. I want to be sure to climb down near where I came up, so I’m on the side of the manor that’s closest to town.

  As I step on the stone path I realize too much time has passed. The archers have started to respawn. Again I shoot Burning Smite at the NPC closest to me to buy myself some time. It’s not worth trying to fight my way through. I climb over the edge of the outer wall and begin my descent. I’m only a third of the way down when I feel a deep pain in my shoulder.

  Shit.

  I look up and two of the archers are taking aim, trying to take me down before I reach the bottom. I let go of the wall with one hand and shoot another Burning Smite spell at them, but I miss and I almost lose my grip on the wall. I recover enough to continue my climb down the remaining twenty-five feet.

  Another arrow in the same arm. I’m losing my grip as health points drain with every movement.

  A third arrow in the same arm is the end for me. I don’t have the strength to hold on and I can’t keep my hold of the vertical face with only one hand.

  I fall the last twenty feet, crumpling to the ground and pushing the arrows deeper into my flesh. I try to get to my feet to run to the cover of the trees, but another arrow pierces my back.

  Goddamn that hurts.

  I refuse to die like this. I’m down to only 12% health, but I still have a chance. My legs still work. I get to my feet and start to run, another arrow digging into the dirt where I had been sprawled moments ago. I try to zigzag as I run, like I’ve seen in the movies but it doesn’t work. Just before I reach the cover of trees yet one more arrow lands right in my ass.

  I limp the last few steps to behind the trees, catching my breath and pulling out arrows. I activate Stealth, just in case any of them are fast enough to follow me. Checking my inventory, I remember the small potion Mayor Barnaby gifted Erin and me before we left yesterday. I yank out the stopper and upend the vial, gulping down the potion as fast as I can. A warm tingling spreads throughout my limbs as the potion takes effect. One by one I pull out the arrows. It’s only after I’ve removed the last one that my health points start going up.

  I can’t stay put. More soldiers could be after me any minute and I only have just enough time to return to Allynton and turn in my quest before the Challenge ends.

  I begin to walk slowly, as my wounds heal, chewing on the boar jerky I looted earlier. I check my map to make sure I am headed in the right direction and begin my walk through the forest. I need to keep one eye out for wild animals, but I pull up the livestream.

  “It looks like SirAsh3r has gotten what he needs and is headed back to town.”

  “It was a close call for him, for a bit, Mike, but I think he’s going to make it. Let’s check in with our other competitors.”

  “Jargonaut, Balderdash13 and SteelFather continue their assault on the manor house. These NPCs are only level 15 and aren’t offering a whole lot of experience points. I’m curious about these players’ strategy.”

  “It might be enough to hold the lead.”

  “It might, but it’s looking like SirAsh3r might have a good shot at that title.”

  I turn off the play-by-play. It’s unnerving to her them talk about me, and until I am actually in that first place slot, I don’t want to think about it.

  Instead, I begin to jog, then sprint, my way back to Mayor Barnaby. I outrun the wolf I come across and soon cross into the border of Allynton. Slowing to a walk to regain my health and stamina, I realize how close this whole crazy experience is to being over. In just a couple of minutes I could be the winner of the Camlan Challenge.

  Or I could be just another unemployed gamer.

  Chapter 45

  I stop by the bookstore, look
ing for the mayor, but it’s closed. He must be still at Charlie’s inn.

  Early morning as it is, the Whispering Fox Inn is far less crowded than the previous night. Mayor Barnaby has set himself up at one of the long table with a stack of books and some parchment, making notes to himself. He notices me approach and greets me with a wide smile.

  “SirAsh3r! Were you successful?”

  I pull the Goblet of Vigor out of my bag and place it on the table in front of him.

  Quest Completed: Bring it back

  Description The Goblet of Vigor is back where it belongs and out of the hands of Lord Crimson

  Reward: +400 XP, +25% regard with Allynton, +25 Gold Crowns, Forest Trekker Leather Boots

  Congratulations! You have reached level 19!

  You have one attribute point to distribute.

  Name: SirAsh3r

  Level: 19

  Strength: 20

  Intelligence: 22

  Dexterity: 20

  Stamina: 20

  Magic: 21

  Skills: Woodcraft 3, Slash 2, Club 3, Paddle 1, Climbing 1, Stealth 3, Archery 6, Power Perception 1, Backstab 1

  Abilities: Initiative 2, Focus 2

  Professions: Cooking 2

  Affinities: 2% Earth; 16% Water

  Fame: 350

  Achievements: First Explorer of Lake Galavant, First Explorer of Foyle Forest, First Visitor to Allynton, Friend of Water

  I immediately open the Leaderboard and play-by-play.

  “Ladies and gentleman, this is incredible. With just three minutes remaining in the Camlan Challenge, we have a new leader. SirAsh3r has pulled ahead with his monster quest, securing the town of Allynton from Lord Crimson.”

  I take a deep sigh and sit down on the bench across from Mayor Barnaby. I’m sure he probably has some other quest for me. Some message to relay or some errand to run in another part of Camlan that will set me off on a whole other quest chain for the next part of my game. But right now I’m tired. Tired and relieved. Now that it’s finally almost over, I feel like I can relax for the first time in days. The first time since I even heard about the Camlan Challenge.