The Hobgoblin Riot: Dominion of Blades Book 2: A LitRPG Adventure

by Matt Dinniman

  The whole thing would’ve been taken care of in about two days. It would’ve been a weekend event. They had events like that a dozen times or more a year back in the old days.

  But since nobody ever came together and beat the spiral, when the de-unification event occurred, things started to get out of whack. But I still had questions.

  “So where are the white jackets?” I asked. “And what was the name of that crazy octopus demon lady? How did the hobgoblins capture something so powerful?”

  Rochus grimaced. “When the kappa, the oni, the gashadokuro, and other creatures stormed the island and took control of the spiral, they used Sandra the Learnt not to go home, but to bring more of their kind here. With the additional beasts came the demon. Akkorokamui is but one of many demon lords of Orochi, and I believe she wishes to carve out a kingdom of her own. I do not know what became of Sandra after she was used to open the portal.”

  “And the white jackets?” I asked.

  “They disappeared in the spiral not long after the cartographer was brought to this place. I requested of the king more help, but it never came.” Rochus shook his head sadly. “These are such strange times. It is not like before, before when it seemed there was so much more to this world. Heroes would come by the thousands to attack the Riot. But not anymore. I do not know where they have gone.”

  The heroes would beat the spiral a couple times a week, and it seemed Rochus still remembered the days back when the game was turned on. “So why can’t the hobgoblins out there get back into the city? And what was the demon doing at the white jacket stronghold?”

  “When Akkorokamui took over Castle Riot, it seemed Chief Musa had either hidden himself or had not revealed himself to the demon. In doing so, the demon would surely have killed him outright, and the kingdom of Castellane and control over the Riot would immediately fall to her. But that has not happened, and Musa lives. Still, when the beasts of Orochi took over, the magic that protects Castellane stopped protecting the hobgoblins. It stopped protecting anyone until a new regent could be named. For them to return to their own stronghold, Prince Kankan and his soldiers now must run the spiral. And access to the spiral is controlled by me. As a result, they can’t get in.”

  Rochus looked at me and grinned. “As you might know, I have dedicated my life to defeating the Hobgoblin Riot, and I have mastered the spells that control access to the spiral run. One hundred fifty years ago when Chief Ichichi took this city and attempted to close it off with a protection spell, it was my father who cast the counter spell that created the path to the island. It was Musa, Ichichi’s son who built the defenses around this path, but my father’s magic persists. When I learned the city had been overrun with monsters from Orochi, I cast my Purge spell.”

  “And that kicked out the demons, including that crazy bitch with the tentacles,” I said.

  “Yes,” Rochus agreed.

  The Purge spell was just something clever the game designers had come up with to keep people from camping in the spiral. Every Sunday and Wednesday night at midnight GMT, Rochus would walk to the entrance of the spiral and cast Purge. Every non-hobgoblin-aligned creature currently in the spiral or on the island would be ejected, pulled directly from the spiral and piled up in front of the twin obelisks.

  “I was not aware such a powerful demon had joined the ranks of the other beasts within, otherwise I would not have cast that spell. Akkorokamui immediately attacked me, and we fought for several hours. It ended with me mortally wounded and bound, but I could only be held back with constant attention to the spell. As a result, the demon and I have been at a standoff. She needed to unbind me in order for me to die, but she also knew I had enough power left to counterattack. It was your attack that freed me long enough to temporarily freeze her and her minions.”

  Light appeared up ahead.

  “We must hurry. Akkorokamui has awakened. She fights the hobgoblins now, but they have retreated, and she will soon realize where you have gone.”

  “How is it that Quibou still stands?” I asked. If I was understanding it correctly, when Rochus had cast his Purge spell, the square would’ve been filled with deadly monsters. I should’ve arrived to a devastated city.

  “When I cast my Purge spell, I knew I would be unleashing powerful beasts on Quibou, and I prepared myself for it. I cast a protection spell on the town, a spell that would keep demons out. Then I altered the destination of the Purge spell as far as I could, to the wetlands just outside of town. I was not expecting such a powerful adversary, and immediately after the Purge, the enraged demon attacked me. Eventually the kappa demons found the secret entrance to these caverns. The magic is such that they can get into the white jacket castle through these tunnels, but they still can’t break their way into the city of Quibou itself. That will change soon. When I die, the magic will slowly fade over the course of a few weeks.”

  We came out of the tunnel and onto the muddy bank of the river. We were actually on the opposite shore of the Cassagnac, now outside of Quibou and on the outskirts of Castellane.

  Entering Libri.

  Libri was the country that held both Quibou and Castellane, and we were in the no-man’s land between the two cities.

  The Rochus avatar appeared translucent in the sunlight. He turned toward Spritz. “Could you perhaps cave-in this tunnel we just left? I would do it myself, but I must preserve my energy.”

  “Certainly,” Spritz said. She murmured a few words and waved her hand. A moment later, the round tunnel entrance disappeared, like a giant mouth closing. I saw Spritz was now level two. I didn’t have time to wonder on that now.

  “That will delay them for now,” Rochus said. “Follow me.”

  We scrambled up the muddy bank and onto the brick road that led toward the Arch of Conquest, about three-quarters of a mile down the road.

  “Wait, where are we headed now?” I asked.

  “I’m taking you to me,” Rochus said.

  Poppy: Guys, ask Keta if she can open a portal up right in front of the Arch of Conquest. I think that’s where we’re going to end up. Don’t do it yet.

  His Royal Majesty Jonah: Got it. What’s going on?

  Poppy: I got to the next part of the story. You won’t believe this shit.

  Gretchen: Why hasn’t the quest updated yet?

  Poppy: I’m not sure. I’m still on rails.

  I explained all I knew as we hustled down the road. Behind, black gouts of smoke billowed into the air as Quibou burned. Rochus’s protection spell had kept the Orochi monsters out, but it didn’t protect against the hobgoblins, apparently. Gretchen and Jonah remained silent for several minutes after I finished my story.

  Gretchen: Let me know when you’re approaching the arch.

  Poppy: We’re walking up now.

  Gretchen: Hang on. We’ll open the portal in a minute. I’m grabbing Bruce Bruce, and we’re coming in. We’ll grab you and come back.

  Poppy: What about Raj? We can’t leave him here! Raj, where are you, buddy?

  Raj: Raj is still hiding on the roof! Raj is hiding with some people, and we are all scared. There are two babies! They cried, but I gave each one of my seashells, and they stopped crying. The hobgoblins all ran into the hotel, but now they are coming out. They don’t look so happy.

  Gretchen: We’ll have to get him later.

  Poppy: Keep hiding, okay? Let us know if anything weird happens.

  Raj: Raj is a good lookout!

  Poppy: Don’t let Jonah come. It’s too dangerous for him.

  His Royal Majesty Jonah: How about you go fuck yourself.

  Gretchen: I won’t. He’s staying put.

  The Arch of Conquest stood about 350 feet in the air, similar to the Defender’s Door where we had portaled into Quibou. The massive, tombstone-like arch supposedly was a monument to all who had died fighting for the Dominion against the hobgoblins. When Chief Ichichi’s army had fled their stronghold during the unification and been surrounded here, they’d taken over the city a
nd slaughtered all the inhabitants. Ichichi had attempted to cast a permanent protection spell keeping the city safe from Dominion invaders, but Rochus’s father had cast a counterspell, which had opened up a spiral-shaped path to the center of the city. While the city remained and was populated by the hobgoblins, non-hobgoblins could now only enter using the spiral path. Nothing could be built on the center of the path. Only on the edges, where the magic wasn’t so powerful, could the defenses be built. To keep that path open, the Arch of Conquest was built, imbued with magic that would forever prevent the hobgoblins from fully closing off their city. This door was the only way in and out of the city.

  The wide, upside-down U shape entrance to the archway currently shimmered blue, indicating it was closed-off. Only Rochus and Musa had the spell that allowed one to open and close the gate.

  The archway stood in the center of a massive roundabout, what was once a major thoroughfare into the center of Castellane. Before the hobgoblin occupation, one could march right down this street to the center of the large city. Now, however, one had to sweep south and make multiple loops before reaching the same area. Players had never been allowed into the city except on the spiral, though one could see much of it as they proceeded along the path. Most of the city appeared to be in neglected ruin, with plants and tall grass having taken over the lower streets. Rope bridges connected the upper floors of the large buildings and crisscrossed streets. The orangutan-like hobgoblins would swing from building to building using the ropes and their powerful, extra-long front arms.

  We approached the massive archway, and Rochus held out his arm for us to stop. Laying prone on the ground ahead of us was a figure that glowed, surrounded by white light. On the minimap, I could see the golden dot indicating this was a game guide.

  “Holy shit,” I said, pushing Alice forward to get a better look.

  The true form of Rochus lay there on ground, and the poor dude had been fucked up pretty bad. He was burned over most of his body. A different colored binding spell encircled each of his limbs and his neck. I reached into my pack and grabbed a healing potion as I slipped off Alice and rushed to him.

  “Do not bother. It will not work,” the avatar said, coming to stand next to his own body. The body of Rochus appeared to be dead. It did not move or speak. “Only that last binding spell, which you broke, was keeping me alive. At this very moment my soul is siphoning away.”

  Raj: The hobgoblins see you, I think. They are all running down toward the river and the bridge!

  I looked over my shoulder. In the far distance, a good mile and a half away a sea of black and green surged forward. A thousand hobgoblins at least rushed toward us. We had about seven or eight minutes before they got here.

  Poppy: Now would be a good time to pick me up.

  Gretchen: We’re working on it. Jonah is showing Keta on his map where to put the spell.

  I turned back to Rochus. “Okay, so what now?”

  The avatar continued to speak for the dying husk of a man. “Your task will not be easy, not anymore, but I believe in you. Come, come closer. I must give you something.”

  I moved closer to the body of Rochus. His left arm twitched. I fought back revulsion as he reached for my head.

  “Dude, what’re you doing?” I asked.

  He touched me, and I felt an electric shock whip through me.

  “It is up to you now,” the avatar said.

  “What the hell was that?”

  The avatar waved at the arch, and the blue, shimmering force field winked away.

  About fifteen feet to my left, a portal cracked into existence. A moment later, Gretchen appeared, riding through astride her bear mount, Bruce Bruce. She clutched her glowing spear in her hand with her bow slung over her shoulder. She stared wide-eyed at the form of Rochus. She slid off the back of the bear but didn’t come forward, as if afraid of the dying game guide.

  “Go now,” the avatar said. “Go to your destiny, Regent Poppy.”

  The hand touching my forehead disappeared. The entire body disappeared. It turned to dust and flaked away. The avatar faded into nothing.

  System Message> Guide Warpriest General Rochus has fallen. The Crown mourns the loss of such a storied hero.

  System Message> This is a World Event!

  ATTENTION! ATTENTION! ATTENTION!

  Players far and wide! ATTENTION! This is a World Event!

  The Siege of Castellane. While attempting to rescue the kidnapped Sandra the Learnt, Player Regent of the City-State Castellane Poppy (Level 21, Barbarian, Human) has discovered an even bigger threat. Castellane lays abandoned, and Regent Poppy has been granted temporary regency of the city-state.

  However, a terrible enemy lurks at the gates.

  Akkorokamui, a demon escaped from the deadly shores of Orochi, seeks to claim this city for herself. If this demon and her force of monsters manage to overwhelm the defenders, Castellane will be granted to the demon queen. A new age of darkness will descend on the area. The city will remain closed, and the spiral will only be open to the highest level players for a period of at least one year.

  If the castle can be defended from the threat, the City-state of Castellane will be permanently granted to Regent Poppy, and she will be named Queen. The city of Castellane will become open to all players, and the wonders held within, including new weapons, armors, guilds, and a new church will be available to all.

  Regent Poppy and her party of adventurers need your help! The Dominion Crown officially recognizes Regent Poppy’s claim and urges all adventurers to travel to Castellane to help defend the city from the inevitable attacks.

  Warning! Setting foot within the borders of Libri during this event will trigger a compulsory quest and will quarantine you for the duration of the event, which is 12 days, or until all waves have been defeated. This comprises all cities within the borders of the country, including Castellane, Quibou, Marizy, and Nijon.

  Attacks along the spiral path will occur every 72 hours for the next 12 days. Each wave will comprise of more difficult opponents, culminating with an assault on the city by Akkorokamui herself during the fifth wave.

  Prizes will be awarded to each defender after each wave. Survivors, if any, of the fifth and final battle against the demon will each receive a separate and unique item suited to their class.

  All invaders must be killed or otherwise deposed for a wave to be deemed won.

  If even a single invader reaches the gates of Riot Castle, the wave is deemed lost. No prizes will be rewarded.

  If any boss monster (Waves 3, 4, and 5) reaches the gates of Riot Castle, the wave will be deemed lost and all defenders will immediately die where they stand.

  See the Crown News page for additional details.

  Achievement unlocked! Trigger a World Event!

  You have been granted Regency of Castellane! You may now access the Royal Factions menu.

  You have been quarantined! You may not pass beyond the boundaries of Libri for 12 days or until the war event has concluded.

  You have been drafted into the Castellane Defense Force! Your rank is Regent General. You may now access the War Events menu.

  I looked at Gretchen, who returned my gaze, a look of absolute horror in her eyes. Above her head, a single, yellow chevron appeared. She’d been arrowed. I looked around. All the members of the party held the same yellow arrows over their heads. On the minimap, their dots—which had been white—were now white with blue crosses through them.

  We were stuck here. A compulsory quest. Quarantined for 12 days.

  “This is all your fault,” I said to Gretchen.

  “Really?” she said. “How do you figure…”

  Gretchen fell forward, hitting the ground hard with a yelp. She’d been bowled over by a figure who’d flown through the still-open portal. I rushed forward as Gretchen jumped to her feet, swiveling with her spear at the ready.

  “Fuck,” I exclaimed, seeing who it was. “What the hell, man?”

  Jonah stood, angr
ily brushing himself off. He sported a large scorch mark on his back.

  “What happened?” Gretchen said. She dropped her spear and grabbed Jonah’s arm. “Jonah, you can’t be here. What happened?” she asked again.

  “It was Keta,” Jonah said, a look of absolute outrage on his face. He clutched Triple Fang, his triple-bladed urumi in his right hand. He held the weapon in a ready position, a wide loop. The weapon’s unsettling charisma debuff gave his face a snake-like appearance. “She did this.”

  “Keta?” Gretchen asked. “Why?”

  A moment later, the portal winked away. Above Jonah’s head, a single chevron appeared.

  Part 2

  Unknown Note 3.

  (Appears to be written by the same author of Unknown Note 2)

  Juliette,

  I can’t stand living in a world where you no longer exist.

  I’m not sure why you stayed with me during those years I was in prison that first time. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. I never told you this, but Ricky visited me a few times while I was in there. Typical Ricky. I think he did it partly because he felt guilty, partly because he was a prick and wanted to rub my nose in his freedom. Anyway, he told me about your job offer in Boston. I wrote a letter to you that very night, telling you I wanted a divorce.

  I pictured you opening the letter, reading it, and feeling nothing but relief. You would’ve signed the papers and never looked back. You and Molly would’ve ridden all the way up to Boston with the top down, on to a new, better circumstance, a new job, and a life away from people like me. And Ricky.

  I couldn’t send it, though. I spent hours composing the letter, telling you in no uncertain terms that I never wanted to see you again. I would give you money for Molly when I got out, of course, but I didn’t want to be married to you anymore.