Spawn Campers: A LitRPG Adventure (The Crucible Shard Book 2)

by Skyler Grant

  “Is that water magic?” I asked.

  “Lots of it,” Ashley said.

  “It isn’t any sort of direct casting though. It’s more dampening,” Walt said.

  “How else would one deal with Admiral Flame?” a woman said, stepping out of the crowd. A sizable force of pirates stood behind her. Her hair was a brilliant white and a jagged scar, shaped like a lightning bolt, marred one cheek. This was Admiral Storm, I was guessing.

  “Storm, I think you’re underestimating us,” I said.

  There were a lot of pirates behind Storm. She hadn’t brought a ship’s worth, she’d brought a navy.

  “I’d have preferred the instant death to have worked, but failing that I do think overwhelming force and robbing you of your power will work just fine. You’re all alone and you’re all out of allies,” Storm said, with a grim smile.

  Ashley began to shimmer with a blue light.

  “Ash? What’s going on?” I asked.

  Ashley straightened and the shape of another form began to overlay hers. Atlantia. The two as one. Ashley usually looked capable, but now she looked absolutely divine. She ran her daggers together and sparks of blue energy exploded into the air. The oppressive weight of water magic was absorbed into her.

  Right. I may not know what was happening, but that didn’t mean I didn’t know how to make a scene. I hoped Lea was watching. I snapped my fingers.

  The air overhead exploded as combustible rounds pummeled into the masses of surrounding pirates. Yvera must have heightened their effects as pillars of fire shot skywards from the screaming men.

  Then Cobalt was dropping from the sky. I didn’t even know that she owned a proper set of armor, but she was wearing it, red leather that fit her form like a glove and was adorned with rivets of metal. She was into the crowd and slashing with twin blades. In such close quarters there was nowhere to avoid her.

  Ashley joined in and with Atlantia overlaying her form each blow of her daggers caused blood to fountain from her foes as the water of their bodies was torn from them. It was terrible and it was grisly. It was overwhelming force.

  There were more pirates than Storm could have ever thought she would have needed, but they weren’t sticking around. They were on the wrong side of this slaughter and they knew it. They broke.

  Overhead the cannons roared once more and buildings caught ablaze as Riggs fired into the ranks of retreating men.

  “Got a backup, backup plan?” I asked Storm.

  “Just my escape route,” Storm said. “Really didn’t see the trick with the girl coming.”

  “Want to hear a job pitch before you flee?”

  “I’m listening.”

  “Grand Admiral of the Galean Navy.”

  “You don’t have a navy.”

  “Oh, I’m thinking you know lots of sailors looking for work. Coin for them and a place for their families on Atlantis, providing they take up worship of Atlantia—or on the mainland, if they’ll swear to Yvera”

  Ashley turned to stare at me and shrugged. “Provided she agrees.”

  “She agrees.”

  Ashley said. “Talk to her first, next time.”

  Storm was staring at me thoughtfully. “Why? I’ve made life miserable for you more than once.”

  “There is your answer.”

  “I have to sleep with you?”

  “The option is open to you. I like the scar. It’s not a job requirement.”

  “Is Bull alive? If not, the bitch dies,” Ashley said.

  “He’s alive. Held captive on the Royal Maid,” Storm said.

  “We agree you live then, do you accept the offer?”

  “Alright,” Storm said. “Reputation is a bit shot anyways after all this and it beats dying. I’ll work for you.”

  “Your Majesty,” A guard said. They had quietly returned to their posts and were trying their utmost to pretend nothing had happened. “The Council will see you now.”

  “Join us Storm and tell me about the Councilors as we walk,” I said, lowering my shield.

  The blue glow from around Ashley faded.

  “They are less pragmatic than you might believe,” Storm said. “They are a prideful lot.”

  I could see why. As the guards led us through, the interiors were nicer than my castle. Luxury like this had to get into one’s head.

  We were finally led to a room dominated by a mahogany table at which were seated nine stately men and women.

  “Your Majesty,” said a well-groomed man in their middle. “If we had known of your arrival we would have prepared a proper reception.”

  I knew it was an option to stroke their pride. It was probably the smart thing to do. It wasn’t going to happen. Not now.

  “I think your hastily prepared reception was quite interesting enough. Had you more time to prepare, I might have had to burn down your entire city,” I said.

  “Majesty, that was…”

  “I am sure you are quite prepared to lie that all at the feet of Grand Admiral Storm. I don’t care. We are quite capable of killing everyone in this room and finding your competitors to put in your places. I’m sure you have them. I’d rather not, I suspect they are simply lesser-skilled snakes and I do admire competence.”

  “He does,” Storm said.

  “You are subjects of Galea and it is time to act like it for you are either under the protection of our navy or at war with it,” I said. Storm nodded at my words.

  “You don’t have a navy,” said a woman at the table.

  “You might have also thought I didn’t have any ability to threaten you. Do you feel threatened?”

  Thoughtful looks were going around the table. I could all but see the calculations running through their heads.

  “You will recall your forces from the roads stopping transit within the kingdom. You shall contact Castle Sardonis to discuss the payment of taxes both current and owed,” I said. That struck home judging from how a few faces went pale.

  “We are at war with Theys. I’ve already sunk the Ebon Star as well as four other military vessels they had docked at Fort Crag,” I said. “In addition to destroying the fort itself.”

  Storm hadn’t heard that, judging from her expression. It got predatory. Good.

  “Are you certain, Majesty?” asked another man.

  “They are weakened and their trade vessels are vulnerable. You will be prepared not just as a marketplace for those goods, but also to steal their contracts,” I said.

  I thought this would have them. If I just offered them the trade they’d be scheming at once how to build a new empire. With threats and taxation they’d go along, but all the while plotting rebellion. But this—this was give and take. This was being a part of a system.

  Someone offered, “We aren’t going to say no when you and your merry band of sociopaths might kill us all. We’ll withdraw our forces from the road and reach out to Castle Sardonis.”

  “Storm, you’ll stay here and put together the fleet. Release all the prisoners. I want Captain Dara found, she’ll be accompanying me back to the castle. Give Bull a nice title,” I said.

  We didn’t linger. I’m sure we could have gotten some food and loot out of staying, but I wanted to get back to the castle. Someone had raised Leosi from the Dead, someone had a lot to answer for.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  The Vainglory made the trip back to Castle Sardonis far quicker and with more luxury than our journey away from it had provided.

  It was a strange gathering on the bridge to watch the castle come near. Riggs and Lea were present as Pilot and Navigator. Cobalt was there looking pensive, Yvera had manifested and looked absolutely giddy at being away from the sea. We had found Dara, she looked about as peeved as she always did.

  It seemed scarcely any time at all until we were passing the edges of Elsora’s curse and the world closed into darkness all around us.

  “What happened to the sky?” Riggs asked as he piloted the ship. “There aren’t even stars to navigat
e by.”

  “That’s Elsora. She’s the curse that was sent to doom the kingdom. She’s nice,” I said.

  “That means Liam is sleeping with her,” Ashley added.

  Lea scrunched up her face. “That doesn’t seem very sanitary.”

  “Is she a tentacled horror? I hear most curses have tentacles?” Riggs asked.

  “Just who are you gossiping about curses with? It isn’t me,” Lea said.

  “I know people,” Riggs said.

  “We’re always on the ship. You know like, two people,” Lea said.

  “No, she is very lacking in tentacles,” I said.

  “Uh huh,” Ashley said.

  “Are you going to have trouble navigating?” I asked.

  “We’ve magical instrumentation that is working,” Riggs said. “Though I don’t like not having visuals.”

  “The castle will be well lit, lots of fire.”

  “Hopefully the lands around it as well, if any people were brave enough to return,” Walt said.

  We soared through featureless darkness.

  I was right. The castle was well lit.

  Construction platforms lined the walls and the fortifications were being rebuilt.

  Roads leading from the castle were lit at regular intervals and something of a city did seem to be springing up where the village used to be.

  “Things are looking up,” Ashley said.

  “We don’t have any sort of landing pad at the castle,” I said.

  “It looks so different,” Cobalt said wistfully. “There isn’t a landing platform, but there should be an interior garden on the north edge of the castle that will hold us.”

  Lea’s runes lit up as she waved her arms to open a few quick portals. “Got it. It’s clear of obstructions.”

  “That will do,” Riggs said. The engines hummed as we moved over the castle and slowly lowered ourselves into place. It was a tight fit, but we managed it. Cobalt really did know her ship, and this castle.

  “Think Elsora knows who we are?” Ashley asked.

  “We’ve seen her mists get violent. If she thought the castle were being attacked she’d have turned them on us. Let’s go say hello,” I said. “And Cobalt. She is probably going to hate you. She really loved Leosi and he stayed true to you for centuries.”

  “Great,” Cobalt said. “I just love conversations with the other woman when I’m the wife.”

  “That happen to you often?” Ashley asked.

  “Usually I’m on the other side.”

  “I’m sure you’ve missed this banter of real living people,” Walt said to Dara.

  “I find myself owing more of a debt than I’d expected to the half-naked sociopath for killing my crew,” Dara said.

  I really did surround myself with interesting people. We made our way off the ship and found Elsora and several liveried servants waiting for us. The servants were alive, not the undead that we’d left behind. Curious.

  “Welcome home, Your Majesty,” Elsora said.

  “We need to talk Elsora,” I said. “Quite a lot has transpired.”

  “I’m aware. It will need to wait. Drink this and take your clothes off,” Elsora said, offering over a vial.

  That was a hell of a greeting. I’d already decided to trust her when I left. Whatever questions existed about Leosi, that hadn’t changed. I’d drink the potion at least. I chugged the vial and grimaced at the foul taste.

  “If that is an assassination attempt it is the most half-hearted I’ve ever seen,” Cobalt said.

  “Dowager,” Elsora said, her tone so formal it was chilling.

  “Pretender,” Cobalt said, with a certain malicious glee.

  Time to break this up and get Elsora back on business.

  “Is there a reason you are shoving strange alchemical concoctions at me the moment I get off the ship?”

  “Strip,” Elsora said.

  “You already said that.”

  “And yet you haven’t done it.”

  “Okay. Maybe she’s not so bad,” Cobalt said.

  “We have representatives from the Elves Below, the Madness Dwarves, and the Order of the Dark Spiral. Diplomats and spies. You don’t need to meet with any today, but they are going to find a way to sneak a peek at you. The potion was to obfuscate your level. Now we just need to get you into armor that doesn’t look like you just pulled it off a bandit,” Elsora said.

  That made sense. I worked to remove the armor and the servants began helping me into set of freshly made plate. The metal was a deep and lustrous red with black accents and it managed to look both ornate and formidable.

  Armor of the Flame of Galea

  AC: 250 Type: Rare

  Upgradeable

  Worn Position: Legs, Arms, Chest, Hands, Head, Feet

  Set Bonuses:

  Target: You gain an aura making it more likely for you to draw enemy attacks.

  “Elsora, this is worse than the armor I had on.”

  “We didn’t have a working smithy at all when you left. Give it time and we’ll get it upgraded. We should be fine to move through the castle now,” Elsora said.

  “I always hated the diplomacy,” Cobalt said.

  “I adore it,” Elsora said, as my bandit mail was hidden away in packs. Soon she was leading the way into the castle proper.

  We made a strange procession, Elsora in her stately finery and myself in impressive armor, while the rest of our group looked rather like the gang of murderous thugs that they were.

  “So…” I started to say and Elsora lifted a hand to stop me.

  “We should probably save any discussion for the study, Your Majesty.”

  It wasn’t all that long a walk. I’d not been in the study before, but it clearly saw use. Half-opened books were scattered around the room and writing supplies littered a desk.

  Elsora gestured towards a sideboard. “There are drinks if anyone would care for one. This room is warded against scrying, but the rest of the castle hasn’t been.”

  “You never said anything about that before,” I said.

  “We weren’t really interesting enough to spy on before. Now that we’ve started several wars, that’s changed.”

  I was fairly certain I’d only started the one war.

  “Do we have wars I don’t know about? Things with Theys did go sour,” I said.

  “The others are to be blamed on Leosi. Most of the undead here retained their loyalty to him and left when he did. They’re now slowly rampaging about Galea, slaughtering every force occupying these lands and raising their dead to increase the size of their army.”

  “Who is his necromancer?” Dara asked.

  “Thayos Ziad,” Elsora said.

  “Know him?” I asked Dara.

  “An unpleasant little toad of a man. He is competent, however. Most necromancers are either half-skilled and able to handle a few dozen at most, or they are far more powerful and able to control vast armies. There a supply of corpses becomes the limiting factor to their power. Thayos has the talent and it sounds like the supply problem has been solved for him,” Dara said.

  “So how did it happen? How did Leosi get raised?” I asked. “I trusted you.”

  “The opportunity presented itself to raise him. A normal resurrection would not have worked, but when coupled with the blood of an elder vampire there was a good chance of raising him,” Elsora said.

  “And you didn’t think animating the man we’d murdered was a bad idea?”

  “His throne had passed to you. In life he was a superb fighter and general who could have given you much-needed training,” Elsora said. “And despite that I am a curse, I am also a woman. I loved him, and loved the thought of him being freed of the shackles of his own morality. The man was far too decent for his own good.”

  “Things clearly didn’t work out like you planned.”

  “Wimbley filled his head with how the throne had been stolen from its rightful holders and he soon became fixated on seeing it given to Maria,” Els
ora said. “And he took most of the soldiers and fled.”

  “You didn’t stop them?” I asked.

  “If I had brought down my mists I’d have killed all the people you had sent this way. I weighed the options and decided you’d rather have Leosi as a problem.”

  She was right. Although I wondered if it wouldn’t create even more deaths in the long run.

  “He won’t be swayed from it,” Cobalt said. “Remember what I told you about Maria and the Right to Rule. He is caught in the grasp of something stronger than himself.”

  “Why aren’t I offering to hand the throne over to her then? Why aren’t all of us?” I asked.

  “He is her father and that makes a difference. I also cast something of my own net and that is one of war. You’ve found no shortage of that.”

  It was strange how one moment she’d be accusing me of being a puppet dancing on others strings and then casually say she thought we were all dancing on hers. I didn’t like it.

  “Just how many wars are we now involved in?”

  “Currently we are officially in conflict with the Merchant Houses of Theys, the Hammerpass Orcs, the Elves of Shimmering Vale and the Copperguard Militia.”

  “Is Wimbley still in the castle or did he leave with Leosi?”

  “Leosi had little use for the castle servants. He’s remained behind and I have him under guard until you figured out whether you’d prefer to blame him or me for this whole fiasco,” Elsora said.

  “I can’t hold you both responsible?”

  “Unless the Dowager wants a try at running the castle, you really can’t.”

  Cobalt made a face. “I really don’t. She has a point, Liam. Your Seneschal is kind of more important than you are.

  I wasn’t pleased about it, but if Leosi was Elsora’s biggest weakness he was a problem I could make go away. Wimbley wanting to give the throne away to Maria wasn’t a problem I could fix—yet.

  “Execute Wimbley, if you need to. We need to find Maria and stop Leosi. Cobalt, you’re motivated to track down Maria and you have Lea and an airship. Can you do it?”

  “We can do it, but even at partial charge I’m your best fighter by far. You sure you want to go after Leosi without me?”