by Isaac Winter
Soul Reckoning
Veilwalkers Book 2
Isaac Winter
Hero’s Journey Publishing
Copyright © 2017 by Isaac Winter
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover Art by Yuriko Matsuoka
Soul Reckoning
Veilwalkers Book 2
Return to the Veil? [Yes/No]
Winston Beckett is a man of two worlds. There’s the one he lives in, and the parallel game universe called The Veil.
His adventure is far from over.
When remnants of The Veil start leaking into everyday life and causing universe-rending Tears, Winston may be the only one that can save Earth. But can he rescue his friends and stop the Tears before it’s too late?
Join Winston as he solves new mysteries, makes new friends, and fights for the very existence of both the game world…and their own.
Soul Reckoning is a LitRPG Adventure and the second book in the Veilwalkers series. Start your journey now with book one, Lost Archive.
Contents
Free Story Unlocked!
Also by Isaac Winter
1. Winston
2. Laurie
3. Winston
4. Winston
5. Laurie
6. Cael
7. Laurie
8. Laurie
9. Cael
10. Cael
11. Cael
12. Cael
13. Cael
14. Cael
15. Laurie
16. Cael
17. Laurie
18. Cael
19. Cael
20. Cael
21. Laurie
22. Laurie
23. Cael
24. Laurie
25. Cael
26. Cael
27. Laurie
28. Winston
29. Laurie
30. Laurie
31. Laurie
32. Cael
33. Cael
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
Free Story Unlocked!
Also by Isaac Winter
About the Author
Free Story Unlocked!
One night. One item. One last heist.
After searching the world for clues and ingredients, Tris is one item away from crafting the Veil's most powerful artifact: an Infinity Potion.
When Tris's plan goes awry and a forgotten evil attacks, Tris must choose: the ultimate prize, or the lives of those around her.
[Grab my FREE copy of Tris the Tinker]
Also by Isaac Winter
Veilwalkers Novels
Lost Archive - Book 1
Soul Reckoning - Book 2
Veilwalkers Short Stories
Tris The Tinker
For the RPG Gamelit Society. For all the authors and readers out there paving new ground and growing this wonderful genre.
For Lily.
1
Winston
“Winston, come quick. You’re going to want to see this.”
The line went dead with a click.
Laurie.
I leapt out of bed and pulled on some clothes, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. What had gotten her so worked up? A pit of dread formed in the the bottom of my stomach, but I pushed it away. No...it couldn’t be...
Not here. Not now.
Laurie was the only person I’d opened up to about my journey. She was the closest thing I had to a friend at the Academy, and I knew if I didn’t tell someone, I really would go crazy. She didn’t know the full extent of all I’d seen, but she’d been helping me in secret. We were something of a team. Winston and Laurie, occult researchers. It didn’t have a bad ring to it.
When I arrived at the Academy, it was late. Nearly midnight, and I had to use my key to get in the side door. I was no stranger to late nights at the Academy, but I’d never ran into anyone else that shared my habits.
My mind raced as I headed toward the library. What had Laurie found? And why had she sounded almost scared on the phone? Laurie was always in charge, independent, and a damn good researcher. Nothing much fazed her. Nothing much, until tonight.
I barely noticed the shift in temperature as I entered the library. It was cold, far too cold for this time of year. Had they forgotten to turn on the heat again? I could barely see my hand in front of my face, either. I knew they had the lights on motion sensors so they didn’t trigger when the library was empty for a period of time, but still, the night watchman Andy should have been doing his rounds right about now. I checked my watch. Yup. 12:00 on the dot.
I was about to call Laurie’s name when I heard a scream coming down the corridor that rattled me to my bones.
I took off at a run, weaving through the shelves and study tables. The sound came again, but echoed as if she were trapped in a room of mirrors. It sounded like it was coming from everywhere at once! My heart raced and my hands shook as I spun around, looking for the source.
Out of the corner of my eye, a faint glint of light appeared. One I’d become all too familiar with during my impromptu journey through The Veil.
Not again.
I ran toward the light, wishing that I had something, anything that could save her. I knew the runes existed, but that was about as far as my power went in this world. In the Veil, I was Cael the Dark Elf Archivist. I could call down destruction or bend reality with the power of the runes. But here? I was just Winston, adjunct scholar.
But that wasn’t going to stop me from trying.
I skittered to a stop as I rounded a corner and saw what I’d been looking for.
A swirling maelstrom of light poured out through the doorway leading to the special collections section.
I shielded my eyes with my hand and stepped forward. What the hell?
And there she was.
A winged beast like a bat crossed with a monkey pinned her to the ground, teeth glistening with blood as it screeched in her face. My heart hammered in my chest as I remembered all too well the smelly beasts.
Reavers.
Here?!
“Winston!” Laurie screamed, wriggling beneath the monster.
“I’m here!” I called, running to her side. I looked around frantically for something I could use as a weapon. Anything. Out here, I didn’t have runic powers or magical weapons. Out here, I only had....
I caught sight of a heavy brass reading lamp and yanked it off the table, the light sputtering out as the cord came free.
“Hey!” I called at the beast, waving the lamp like a club. I didn’t know what I was actually going to do if it came for me, but I had to try. I had to do something.
The Reaver turned its ugly head to face me and smiled. God, a Reaver smile was not something I wanted to see today. Its glittering black eyes and razor-sharp teeth glinted in the light from the portal and it leapt off of Laurie, clawing its way toward me.
Oh, shit.
I took a deep breath and angled the lamp toward him. I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do with this big hunk of metal, but I had to try something. He still came closer, his scaly legs and wings flapping at me. Bloodshot eyes caught onto mine and pierced me deep, as if he could see straight into my soul. In a bloody rage, he careened toward me. I was ready, though. I swung the bronze lamp and it crashed into his skull with a sickening thud. He skidded sideways, landing on the ground in a screeching heap. Laurie had regained her
feet by now and ran over to me.
“What do I do?” She asked, looking to me. “What is this thing?”
“Just kill it!” I cried, swinging the lamp at it again and again. Laurie joined the action, aiming a good kick or two at its soft underbelly.
Finally with a last screech it shivered and rolled over, unmoving. Was it dead? Laurie panted, looking up at me, her face streaked with sweat.
“What the hell was that thing?” She asked.
“Something I never hope to see again,” I said grimly, dropping the lamp. It landed and clattered off the tile floor.
“And the portal!” The blue light was still spilling out from the doorway. Strangled voices reached out to me from beyond the portal. They were muffled, like someone speaking through a thick blanket, but make no mistake: there was something on the other side. I stepped toward it before I knew what I was doing.
“What are you doing?” Laurie asked, putting her hands on her hips.
“There’s something in there,” I said.
“What are you talking about, Winston? I don’t hear anything.”
“Well, we can’t just leave it here. What are we going to do about it?”
“I don’t know. You’re the one that’s supposed to be the expert on all this spooky stuff.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, “But I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Before she had a chance to answer, the monster below us screeched once more and flailed around, catching its claws on Laurie’s pant leg. She screamed as she hit the ground, hard. The air whooshed out of her lungs and she gasped wordlessly at me.
Help, she mouthed. Help!
Laurie windmilled her arms and kicked at the beast as hard as she could, but to no avail. The giant leathery wings unfolded and the creature took flight, out of reach. It was heading toward the portal, and dragging Laurie with it! I ran after them, trying to think of something, anything that could save her. Even as I pushed my legs harder, I was losing ground.
Laurie’s voice returned just in time for me to hear her cry in a strangled voice, “WINSTON!”
Then the portal swallowed her whole.
I lunged forward, throwing myself at the glowing portal of blue light. My balance was off and the momentum carried me through the archway onto a stack of books on the other side. I coughed and looked behind me, holding a hand to my bruised ribs.
The portal was gone.
2
Laurie
You know that sensation you have when you’re falling asleep then suddenly awake with a jolt? Yeah, like that. Only times one hundred. My stomach whooshed into my throat and I felt the rush of cool air all around me. I was falling, falling, falling, and this monster still had its claws deep into my flesh. This was how I was going to die.
At least it was interesting.
Just when I thought it was over, a patch of warm grass rose up to meet me.
For whatever reason, the creature let me go and flew off into the distance, still shrieking as it went. I laid there for God knows how long, just feeling the warmth of the grass beneath me and the sun on my skin. I was alive. I didn’t know where I was, and every fiber of my being hurt like hell, but I was alive.
And that would have to be enough for now.
Sleep tugged at my eyelids when I saw a strange message flashing before me.
> Welcome, new Traveler. Your Guardian will spawn shortly...
I blinked and squinted. What? The message didn’t go away. I swiped at the air with my hands and caught nothing but air.
What was going on? I rubbed my eyes and pushed myself upright.
Wherever I was, it was about as different from the Academy as I could have imagined. Green, rolling hills replaced the brick-laden lecture halls and the tall spires of buildings. The sun shone down brightly from above. A little too brightly, if you ask me. I was used to working in relative seclusion in my office or the library, not under this harsh light of day. I brought up a hand to shield my eyes.
That’s when I saw yet another hallucination.
A tall, white-clad woman stood before me, extending a hand.
“You had quite a close call there, Traveler.”
Great. now she was talking to me.
“Excuse me...miss?” I asked, blinking at her. This wasn’t real. This wasn’t real. I had to be dreaming.
“Welcome, Traveler.” She repeated. “Welcome to the Veil.”
I froze at those words as the air rushed out of me. A weight settled on my chest and wouldn’t leave. The Veil.
Oh no.
It was all true.
“Do you know Winston Beckett? He came here too, right?”
She flickered like a bad TV station and made a small buzzing sound.
“No more information on that topic is available.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “What are you talking about? Where am I?”
“You are in the Veil. You appear hurt, though. May I help?”
Well, I did hurt. But I didn’t want to just trust this random ghost lady. I swallowed.
So I really was in the Veil.
“How do I know you won’t hurt me?” I asked warily.
“I am your Guardian,” She said, still extending her hand. “I am bound to serve you and help you through your first few steps in the Veil.”
I sighed and relented. Might as well. “Fine. Fix me up, doc.”
She reached out and put a hand on my shoulder. I nearly flinched away. She was so cold! A cool, soothing sensation flowed throughout my body, like a drink of cold water on a hot day. Out of the corner of my eye, a number rose.
> HP restored.
“There you go, small one.” The Guardian said and smiled.
“Let’s cut to the chase,” I said, standing. I was still new to this world, but I had what Winston had told me about it, at least. “You’re going to make me create a character or something, right?”
“Why, yes,” she said. “How perceptive of you.”
An array of options appeared before my eyes.
> Enter your name:
I thought about it for a moment. Winston had told me that he’d chosen a different name when he appeared in the Veil. Perhaps he wanted it to be a fresh start. A blank slate to reinvent himself upon. I considered using a different name, but Winston wouldn’t know it was me if he came searching. But then again, I didn’t know if he could get back in here.
I didn’t know how I’d got in here.
Memories flashed through my mind’s eye.
The library.
A flash of light.
A portal.
A monster.
Winston.
I shivered. Good thing the Guardian had healed me, after all.
My stomach sunk as I wondered where the monster had gone off to. Did it have a master? Was it spying on us?
I shook those thoughts away. “Laurie,” I nodded. “My name will be Laurie.”
“Welcome, Traveler Laurie. Welcome to the Veil. Create y-y-your—your—your—”
She stopped, stuttering like a record skipping over and over.
At that moment, the ground shook and I fell to my knees. I tried to keep my balance, but a loud buzzing assaulted my ears.
The same buzzing I’d heard earlier.
> Veil Energy unstable.
> Veil Energy unstable.
> Veil Energy unstable.
It lasted only a few seconds, but it felt like much longer. As quickly as it had started, the shaking stopped. The flickering stopped. All was quiet again. All was normal. Or at least, as normal as it could have been.
I looked at my guardian and stood on shaky legs. “What the hell was that?”
She furrowed her brow and tilted her head, confused. “What was what?”
“Let’s just get this over with,” I grumbled. “Create my character.”
> Error: Your character has already been created. Randomized choices have been selected for you.
“What?!” I screamed. “That’s so unfair! I wa
nt a do-over!”
“Have a nice day, and enjoy the Veil. Be safe out there.” With that, she disappeared.
“This is bullshit!” I yelled to no one in particular, kicking a nearby rock.
Still grumbling, I pulled up my character sheet to see what that little glitch had cost me.
name: Laurie
race: gnome
Racial bonuses: +10% base Constitution/Charisma
Luck of the Draw — +20% base luck.
Class: Unknown (Choose at Level 5)
Level: 1
Health: 100
Mana: 100
Stamina: 100
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Constitution: 11
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 10
Charisma: 11
Luck: 12
You’ve got to be kidding me. A gnome?
I looked down at my feet, which were a lot closer to the ground than I was used to. I wasn’t wearing shoes and stubby little toes stuck out through the grass. At least it was warm.
My vision felt a little different too. Colors seemed brighter and I could see the faintest halo of light coming off the horizon. I squinted, trying to make sense of it.
I looked around, turning in place. The rest of the world looked as it had when I first arrived here. But the halo of light remained.
