The Fourth Secret: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Divine Apostasy Book 4) by A. Kay (best short books to read .TXT) 📕

Getting a glimpse inside would tell us its purpose, Lylan said. It might provide a clue to their plans. And it sounds like we need all the help we can get.

Don’t talk like that, Lyl, Sift said. Come back. It’s not safe.

Shade’s first rule: there is no safety, Lylan said.

Kysandra, Dungeon Mistress of the Black Pyramid and Lylan’s boss, had told Sift and Ruwen the same thing what felt like a lifetime ago.

“I hate those sayings,” Ruwen said out loud. Then in Chat he continued. Sift is right. You should return so we can discuss next steps.

I’m already here. Lylan said. I can’t disguise myself as well as a Spy, but I remember the details of that Naktos Assassin that almost killed us while camping well enough to imitate him. I’ll be in and out. If I get cornered, I’ll kill myself and be waiting for you all back in New Eiru.

Ruwen, Hamma, and Sift all spoke at the same time in Chat, making their pleas mangled and unintelligible.

Stop! Lylan said. Arguing with me only serves as a distraction and makes this more dangerous.

Sift strode over to Ruwen and Hamma. “We have to stop her.”

“How?” Ruwen asked.

“I don’t know,” Sift said. “Use that big brain.”

Ruwen held up his hands. “Let me finish before you get angry.”

“I don’t like the sound of that,” Hamma said.

Ruwen locked eyes with Sift. “First, we can’t stop her. Second, she is the most qualified to sneak in there. Third, if she dies, it’s just the loss of six Attribute points and her gear. She’ll be waiting for us when we get back to the city and she can get new gear from the vault. Fourth, we can’t stop her.”

Sift clenched his fists so tightly the knuckles popped. “She shouldn’t be risking herself. You dragged us into this mess.”

“That isn’t fair,” Hamma said. “Lylan makes her own choices.”

Ruwen nodded at Sift. “You’re right, and I take responsibility for all this. If I could change it, I would. I’m thankful you’re here with me.”

“I’m going closer,” Sift said.

Hamma held out her hands. “Wait, that might make it worse. If they see us, it might raise an alarm and increase the danger she’s in.”

Sift rocked back and forth, his desire to protect Lylan warring with Hamma’s Wisdom. “Ugh!”

Ruwen focused on Rami. Is it possible to show Sift and Hamma what Whiskers can see?

I’m not sure. Focus on Whiskers and I’ll try.

Ruwen redirected the cat toward Lylan and then forced his focus into the cat’s vision. After a moment, Sift stopped rocking.

“What am I seeing?” Sift asked.

“Whiskers is shadowing Lylan from a distance, and Rami is showing that to you,” Ruwen said.

“It’s making me sick,” Sift said.

“Do you want me to stop?” Ruwen asked.

“No, no, no,” Sift said as he sat down. “Thank you, Rami.”

“Rami, you’re amazing,” Hamma said, also sitting down.

Ruwen remembered how disorienting the remote viewing was at first, but now he didn’t need to sit. Ruwen spoke to Rami. Why don’t I ever get any credit for thinking up these things?

A single action outweighs a thousand thoughts, Rami said.

Memories of the time compressed years he’d spent Step training with Rami in the Spirit Realm surfaced. She had been full of sayings like this.

Well, I can’t argue with Hamma, you are amazing.

Wisdom suits you.

Ruwen smiled and then grew serious as Lylan came into the cat’s view.

But it didn’t look like Lylan, it looked like a shorter, skinnier version of the Assassin that had tried to kill them during Big D’s camping trip. Ruwen had swallowed the Assassin with his Void Band, killing him. Lylan still moved with caution, as if she were a Naktos Scout returning from a mission.

“That is really weird to see,” Sift said.

Ruwen prayed whatever Thief abilities Lylan had used would hold up against the scrutiny of those guarding the entrance.

As Lylan neared the entrance she’d marked earlier, three red dots appeared. One near the entrance and the other two five hundred feet on each side.

Three guards. I updated the map. Lylan nodded at the sentries and disappeared into what looked like a cave.

Whiskers stopped and crouched down in the pine needles.

Smells funny in here, Lylan said. Tunnel at back of cave. Angles sharply down.

Use your Scarf of Freshness, Ruwen said. They don’t need oxygen.

Guard just past first turn. Left side on a ledge. Crossbow. Lylan paused and then continued. Scarf would draw attention. Smell is stronger the lower I get. Air is breathable. I’m not taking damage.

“I hate this,” Sift said.

Hamma reached over and grabbed his hand. “This is what she does. She’ll be fine.”

Tunnel is circular and smooth. No other guards past the first turn. Air smells sweet. Overpowers everything.

Ten seconds later, Lylan spoke again. Passed a group of four Scouts headed up. They spoke, but I couldn’t understand them. I just nodded and continued.

Ruwen saw a Vertigo debuff appear under Lylan’s portrait, but it disappeared a moment later.

I’m risking the scarf. Whatever is in the air here is making me dizzy. Oxygen seems fine as I still haven’t taken any damage.

Sift and Hamma stood and Ruwen forced himself to stand still even though he felt like bursting from worry.

“She needs to come back,” Sift said, his face twisted with worry.

Ruwen nodded. Lylan, using the scarf makes this too dangerous. Come back.

Lylan ignored Ruwen and continued her report. Air is full of moisture. Almost like a fog. Tunnel has leveled out. Possible cavern ahead. Four guards at the cavern entrance, water surrounds one of them, probably belongs to Haffa.

Tremine had told Ruwen that he’d seen Haffa and Naktos Scouts as he’d traveled to New Eiru. What was a follower of the god Haffa doing so far from the sea in this underground cavern?

Bad news. The crew that passed me turned around. They’re shouting questions at me and alerted the guards at the cavern entrance. Love you, Sift. See you in New Eiru.

No! Sift shouted in Chat.

Lylan’s Health bar dropped in huge chunks and