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

“I will cast the spell tonight, then, Jax. It will take some time to prepare, but at least I can do this for you in apology. Will you dissolve our alliance?” the Goddess asked hesitantly.

“No,” I said squaring my shoulders. “I need you, and I think you need me, too. Allies still, but this is the last time you strike out at me or mine. I’ve given you two chances, Jenae; the third time you do this, we’re enemies.”

“I understand. We also need to discuss the place where you addressed me… that is an extremely dangerous place for your kind. It’s a dangerous place for mine, now, but for a mortal? It is a place your soul would be destroyed by, were you any less than you are.”

“You keep calling me Eternal, but I’m mortal as well, and Amon was the Eternal, but he died…what the hell?” I said, and I received a pulse of rage that rippled through me and disappeared a second later from Amon’Tuthic.

“Your ancestor, Amon, was the Eternal Emperor. He was gifted by all of the Gods to protect the realm. He was not supposed to be able to die, until Nimon took a hand in events. His descendants have some of his abilities, as shown by their long lives…you and your brother, however, would have developed only some of these abilities, until you came here. The acceptance of you by what is left of Amon has granted you certain abilities; they are, as yet, unformed and in their infancy."

"I cannot explain or define them, as such an act by a Goddess may trap them into a form that may be less than they could evolve into. For now, accept that you are becoming… more… and leave it at that. As to the place we were, it is the realm of the Gods. The mountains you saw are the bases of our thrones, and you saw my power and size in comparison now, to my simple seat as it was then.”

“Nimon has claimed our realm and has seen fit to raise many lesser Gods and Demons to roam the realm to amuse him.” She growled as she spoke, her anger clear. “I must bide my time, build my strength, and reawaken my brethren so that we may pull Nimon from his throne and return the realms to what they should be. Your display of stolen power nearly drew the attention of others, and it would have been costly for you, possibly deadly for us both.”

“What do you mean ‘stolen power’? I don’t even know what I did!” I protested, standing straight, and looking around. Bane had appeared from somewhere and was the one supporting me. The others I’d asked to come were standing well back. I had Bane on one side, Flux on the other, and Ame had appeared from somewhere. Cai moved around carefully on the far side of them, examining everything for any possible threat, and they all had weapons drawn, I blinked as I realized what was happening.

Flux and the others had thought I was being attacked; they’d drawn weapons and gotten ready to protect me against anything that might be coming.

“I… I’m all right…” I said, then cleared my throat and spoke up louder. “It’s okay, I’m all right. Sorry to have startled you all. I…received a gift; it just wasn’t one I was expecting, and it hurt a bit, that’s all."

"Give me a minute to clean myself up, and I’ll be with you.” People relaxed slightly, but I could see how finding me staggering around and bleeding from my mouth, nose, eyes, and ears had clearly freaked them the fuck out. Hell, it’d freaked me out, and it was yet another reason I needed to find someone that could make and clean clothes. Mine were covered in blood, fucking again!

“It’s all right, Jax. What you did… you used power from Amon, power that should have been long gone. I don’t know how he did it, or how you used it, but you came to me and you stood on your own feet in a realm that should have crushed you mercilessly. I’ll try to figure out what and how you did what you did, as I’d certainly like to know myself. Again, I am sorry. I will make it up to you.”

“I think it’s time we introduced another of your brethren, anyway…” I said to her. “Not because of all this, but it was something I was thinking about before. I considered that the Mer could do with some help, after all.”

“I agree, and I will consider who will best suit them. Goodbye, Jax. We will talk later.”

“Yeah… bye.” I muttered and drew in a deep breath as I clapped my hands together, forcing out the lingering feelings of worry and concern, and compelling myself to smile.

I rubbed at my face, my hand coming away sticky with blood, and I made a face. Looking around and holding my hand up where people could see it, Bane, Flux, and Ame gave me room, but still stayed close as I walked to the pool.

“Well, guess I’ll be needing a bath tonight!” I said aloud, trying to drum up a laugh, but the best I got was a series of wary half smile, half grimaces.

“What happened?” asked Flux, and Ame and Bane moved a little closer to be sure they could hear.

“I got a gift, like I said,” I said to them quietly. “Ah… on a totally separate note, does the name ‘Amon’Tuthic’ mean anything to you guys?” I asked. When they all looked at me blankly, I went on. “Big silver dragon, probably in charge of them all, from what I remember?” I wracked my brain, trying to remember where the memory had said Shustic and Tuthic had lived. “I think they said they lived at Dragon’s Reach… but that might be wrong…” I caught the looks