City of Fallen Souls: A LitRPG Adventure (UnderVerse Book 3) by Jez Cajiao (fb2 epub reader .txt) 📕

Chapter Twenty-Two

It was early evening when I awoke, feeling groggy as I sat up and squinted around the room.

“Bane, Tang?” I asked quietly into the dark. Bane answered from my right, near the door to the balcony.

“I’m here, Jax. We changed over about twenty minutes ago,” he said simply.

“Hi, mate. I… any word on the others?” I asked, hoping, but feeling my guts twist at the worry over what could have happened to them.

“They returned a few hours ago,” he reassured me, and I sagged back onto the pillows, letting out a long sigh.

“Oh, thank fuck,” I muttered, relieved I hadn’t lost two more friends.

“Might want to ask Grizz about Yen at some point…” Bane suggested, with a low thrum of amusement. “… maybe ask what took them so long, as when they came back, they were both clean.”

“Seriously?” I snorted and shook my head. “I thought Yen had higher standards. Grizz is built like a man mountain!”

“There’s no accounting for taste, it’s true,” Bane chuckled, and I laughed along in relief. I hadn’t realized how much I’d come to rely on our small team in the last few days, and knowing they were all safe was a weight off my mind. “Also, there’s been an addition to our ranks…” Bane added as I stretched.

“What, really?” I asked, confused. “Who?”

“Lord Jax, I am here,” a small, strangely familiar voice warbled. I looked up at the corner of the ceiling toward the sound’s source, jumping as my eyes adjusted. There, crouched like the worlds fugliest Halloween decoration, was a red and black spider. The thing was about the size of a Pitbull, squat and stocky, covered with thick black hair and jagged spikes that jutted out at strategic points. It looked… evil, basically. It was the kind of thing nightmares were made of, with its multiple black eyes staring at me, the jagged mandibles, the clacking of its fangs as it spoke… it made every defensive instinct I had flare to life, with an overwhelming desire to lightning-bolt the fucker in the face.

“Horkesh?” I forced out after a second of terror-induced immobility.

“Yes!” Horkesh squealed excitedly, bobbing in the corner. I shuddered a little, my butt puckering up involuntarily.

“What are you doing here?” I asked her, glaring over at Bane. I could feel the bastard laughing at my reaction.

“The queen sent me to help you! She is gathering the full nest, and they will head to the Tower through the dark paths. It will take weeks, she warns, but she wanted me and my guard to assist you.”

“Your... guard?” I gulped, and she bounced in place again.

“They are hidden nearby; a dozen of the Soldier caste and two Hunters!”

“That’s… wonderful…” I managed to croak out. Suppressing another shudder, I took a deep breath and forced myself to recall the thought of her as a really ugly puppy, not a goddamn spider… a puppy that could climb walls, and… nope! “Okay… Horkesh, I’m going to have a wash and wake myself up a bit. Then I guess we’ll go introduce you to the team and get you factored into our plans.”

“Yes, Lord Jax! Do you want me to follow…”

“Noooo. Just wait, right there… okay?” I requested, clamping down on my instinctive revulsion. I forced myself out of bed and stretched as I wandered toward the tub. Sinking gratefully into the cold water of the bath, I scrubbed vigorously, making sure every last foul-smelling drop was gone before getting out and summoning a fountain to rinse myself down. By the time I returned to the main room, the sight of the sheets, filthy from my foul body, made me want to vomit.

I shook my head, knowing that none of us would be returning, and I wondered what the future owners would think when they found those sheets. I did still slip the pillow into my bag, though; a man needed a good night’s sleep, after all.

“Meh.” I said to myself, shrugging and dressing while I talked to Bane. “So, anything happen while I was asleep?”

“Not really. I came here as soon as I woke up and had a wash myself. I think a meeting with Mal should be high on your priorities… especially to introduce Horkesh.”

“Definitely,” I agreed, pulling the last of my clothes on. “Man, I wish I’d been able to get some more clothes. I know they cleaned these, but…” I said, fingering a tear where I’d stabbed the previous owner of the top.

“Perhaps next time, don’t destroy the market, and you can visit the shops then?” Bane suggested casually, and I frowned at the dark patch his voice came from.

“Are you telling me not to go all murder-hobo?” I asked, not bothering to hide my irritation.

“Murder-hobo?”

“It’s a term from my home; it means someone that goes somewhere, kills everyone, and steals all their stuff.”

“Ah, yes! By that definition, you are a murder-hobo. I’ll remember that.”

“No, I’m not!” I snapped, continuing to pull my gear on. “I’ve never done that!”

“You arrived in the Tower, killed every living thing you found, and claimed it for yourself.”

“Well, yeah, but they were monsters…”

“Then you killed most of the crews of the ships, claiming those; then exterminated an entire nest of goblins and stole their home; the Drow… do I even need to mention obliterating the market and raiding the Emporium?” Bane asked coolly.

“I… well… look, when you say it like that.... okay, it sounds a bit… maybe… murder-hobo-ish.” I had a sinking feeling that I was going to regret this entire conversation.

“Is there anything you’ve done that doesn’t qualify you as a Murder-hobo?” Bane asked, and I grabbed at the perceived lifeline.

“Yes! I aided your village; I even helped you rescue T’lek!” I said, relief clear in my voice.

“My village? The one in the lake?” he clarified and I nodded impatiently. “The one whose lands you claimed; the entire territory that you annexed to your own lands?”

“Oh, for the love of… Flux told me it was okay!” I snapped, throwing