The Forgotten Faithful: A LitRPG Adventure (UnderVerse Book 2) by Cajiao, Jez (little red riding hood ebook TXT) 📕

“I will, and I’m sorry as well. I didn’t show you much respect there, did I?” I directed the thought to her, a feeling of shame blooming within me.

“No, you didn’t. But we had agreed to be allies, not mistress and servant, and despite our relative experiences, the realities of our situation mean that we are far closer matched than we would otherwise be. We are allies.” There was a pause as Jenae gathered her courage, and I felt Tuthic watching and waiting. “For a God or Goddess, there is no greater shame than to fail your people, and I and my brothers and sisters did this. When we were ripped from the realms and cast out, we wasted much of our power raging and trying to return. Nimon grew stronger on the devastation that his cataclysm brought about, and we became… lesser. When his curse eventually expired, and we returned, none who worshipped us still lived. Any temples and altars that could be found had been scoured from the realms, and we were alone and weakened."

"The last of our altars, like the ones you found, were hidden away in only the most dangerous of locations. We slept the ages away, too weak to fight him without our champions and our faithful. Then you awoke me, and I saw the slimmest of chances to return to what we were. I took it, and I asked you to return my family as well. I asked it, believing it would be easy to give up potential followers, as it’s easy to give up future wealth, when you have it not. When you bought me another potential group of converts, then casually asked about giving them to my sister…my jealousy raised its head, and I was filled with greed. Then you so casually dismissed talking to ‘just’ me, and my fear and anger over my weakened state…I’m sorry, Jax. I should not have lashed out.”

“Jax, do you wish to speak?” Tuthic asked calmly, and I had a mental image of a headmaster standing over a quarrelling pair of pupils and making them behave and shake hands. I couldn’t help it, and I started to laugh, the last of my anger passing as I did. There was a startled silence in my mind, until they both understood the imagery that I shared mentally with them, and the feeling of gentle amusement and relief filled my mind from both of them.

“Yes. I am sorry, Jenae, and I’m sorry you were pulled into this, Amon’Tuthic.” I said. “It was my casual disrespect that caused this. Please understand, it’s not intentional; in my…land…it was the way we generally spoke to each other. I’m sorry.”

“Then this matter is resolved,” Tuthic said, “All that is left is an explanation of why that was dangerous, and an exchanging of gifts.”

“Gifts?” I asked, and Tuthic explained.

“In the old world, before the cataclysm, when an agreement such as this was reached, a gift was exchanged to each of the wronged parties by their peers. In this case, we have all done wrong. Had I been watching for you, as I should have, I might have explained matters to you and offered my advice before now. Mistress Jenae should have held her anger and spoken with you, rather than lashing out, and you should have shown the proper respect. As such, I will give you the gift that is most needed. I will grant you an ability, one that will protect your mind from all that seek to harm it. In doing so, I can again begin to honor my oath to Amon, as it will protect him as well. Prepare yourself.”

With that I felt a second blinding pain that flooded my mind, and I cried out, feeling strong hands gripping my shoulders supportively as voices rose in fear and confusion all around me. A golden notification appeared before me, overriding my usual preferences and I blinked at it, reading it quickly before dismissing it.

Congratulations!

You have been gifted an Ability! You have received ‘Aegis’, a shielding ability gifted by the Elder Dragon Amon’Tuthic. This ability will consume HP, Mana, and Stamina in equal measure at a rate of ten percent of each per second. While this ability is active, no being can reach your mind. Increasing your skill with this ability will reduce the cost

I took a deep breath and replied gratefully to Tuthic, aware by the feeling that gifting such a thing across whatever distances existed between us couldn’t have been easy.

“If I could give more, I would, Jax the Eternal, but I must protect my children as well. If you have need of me, call, and I will come. Please, consider well before you summon me, though.”

“I…I will, Amon’Tuthic. Thank you. I don’t have a gift to give you…” I whispered, and I felt his laughter shake me.

“You have returned the Eternal to us, and taken up his Mantle, and still you think that you have given me no gift? Jax, you have given me and my kind a gift beyond measure!”

“Trust in yourself and grow your strength; give Mistress Jenae a chance, and work to return the Greater Gods, and you will have given more to the realm than could ever be repaid.”

“This is true, Jax. My gift to you is this: I know your needs, and your most fervent desire. I have not the strength to do both, but I can either grant you knowledge of a healing rune, or… I will cast a spell of detection. It will give us a general location for your brother, or at least the last place he used magic. I can do no more without more time to accrue more mana.”

I didn’t need time to think on that. I knew I should take the healing rune, but I’d come here for one thing, and one thing only…Tommy.

“I’ll take door number two, please, Bob…” I whispered, a game show from my