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

Me, too, Hamma said.

We’re a team. Your gear benefits us all. Sift hasn’t deserved a single heal, and yet Hamma keeps him alive.

That only seems fair, Sift said. Her golem attacked me.

Smash probably wouldn’t kill you, Hamma said.

“Take that golem away from her,” Sift whispered to Ruwen.

Ruwen smiled at Sift and responded in Chat. Smash seems like an excellent judge of character.

Sift glared at Ruwen. “Wait until it chases you.”

“I talk nice to it,” Ruwen said. “It likes me.”

Ruwen continued in Chat. Hamma takes the Manacle of Acuity and a Riptide Band. Lylan the other. I’ll take the Power Loops. That leaves the Dark Portal. I can’t figure out how to work them separately, so it might be better with one of you.

Everyone remained silent.

Seriously, nobody? Ruwen asked.

I don’t want items that can kill me, Lylan said.

I feel the same, Hamma said. Plus, I’d need to stack Energy gear which doesn’t help me any other way.

Okay, for now I’ll store it, Ruwen said. Maybe Bliz will know how to control two.

Ruwen removed three Coiled Lightning Rings, losing fifteen Energy Regeneration, and replaced them with the three Power Loops. The new rings increased his Energy Regeneration to one hundred twenty-one per second, a thirty-six percent increase. His total Energy had increased to two thousand three hundred nineteen, which was nineteen percent greater than before. The rings were a fantastic upgrade.

It felt wrong to throw the arm into the forest. Plus, Xavier would probably attack him for disrespecting the artist further. Not knowing what else to do, he dropped it in his Void Band.

Sift shook his head and signaled to Ruwen is Shade speak. You. Problem.

Ruwen did have a problem, a bunch of them.

Your parents have entered my area of control, Architect Starfield, Lir said.

How long until they reach the city?

One hundred twelve minutes at their current pace. They entered via the western border and are traveling through the mountains.

Ruwen wanted to make sure they made it back safely. He confirmed there were no enemies near his group, and at the pace Whiskers ran, they’d be back in New Eiru within the hour. Send the Temple Guardian currently with me to protect them.

As you wish, Architect Starfield.

Ruwen’s parents had returned, but even with more terium, time was against them.

Chapter 63

When they arrived in New Eiru, Ruwen didn’t follow his group into the temple. He still had time before his parents arrived, so he headed toward the Cultivators that had gathered between the lake and dungeon.

From the city walls, stretching a thousand feet, Workers had cleared the area of trees, preparing the area for battle. The wood also helped with the fortifications and building Ruwen had observed as he arrived. Workers stood at the tree line slicing through the pines, the saws on their batons vibrating as they fed them Energy.

A minute after entering the pine trees, Ruwen’s Perception picked up multiple creatures, all hidden from sight. They didn’t follow him, but more appeared as he walked toward the lake. He guessed these were sentries from the dungeon, there to protect New Eiru’s northern flank.

Ruwen had walked halfway to the lake when Hamma spoke to him using Chat.

Elder Gabryel is complaining about space. All the revivals have made it an issue, Hamma said.

I thought barracks were in the construction plan.

They’re building them, but space in the temple is at a premium.

Hamma sounded funny to Ruwen. Okay.

It’s just. Well. Um, they want people to double up in the rooms.

That’s a good idea.

Hamma remained silent, and Ruwen wondered if she disagreed with Elder Gabryel. It made sense to double up since the rooms they were in could easily fit two.

Yeah, Hamma finally said. Sift already moved in with Lylan.

Ruwen stopped, and his heart thudded in his chest. His newly enhanced Wisdom had helped him realize the importance of his relationships, especially Hamma. After getting their gear from the Vault three days ago, they had spent the rest of the night together, catching up on lost time.

Now Ruwen understood why Hamma sounded so unsure. He had always enjoyed being alone, but his relationship with Hamma had taught him how much better life was with someone you loved.

Ruwen hoped his Wisdom had interpreted this situation correctly. If not, he would be mortified. His heartbeat had grown so loud, he couldn’t hear his thoughts. How would you feel about us sharing a room?

Hamma didn’t respond, and Ruwen leaned against a pine tree to steady himself. Why had he just blurted that out? He should have asked a few more questions to make sure he’d read the situation correctly. He was such an idiot.

Hamma finally responded. Well, you have given me a wedding ring. So I guess this a good next step.

Relief rushed through Ruwen and he smiled at the mention of the wedding ring. During the camping trip with Big D, they had snuck out to the dungeon, and Hamma had trouble seeing. He had given her the Jaga Wedding Band since it enhanced ambient light by fifteen percent.

I’ll move your stuff into my room, Hamma said, sounding much happier than before.

Thanks, I’ll be back as soon as I’m done with the Cultivators. Can you organize a meeting with the City and War Councils? Maybe in forty minutes.

Sure.

Ruwen pushed off from the pine tree, his gloves sticky from sap. He channeled Scrub and the sap disappeared, the scent of pine briefly overpowering him. Striding forward, he grinned. The world wasn’t all bad.

The Cultivators had set up camp between the dungeon and the lake. He kept Stone Echo off, remembering Thistle’s displeased reaction to the spell the first time they’d met. Three Cultivators streaked through the air, heading toward the mountains, and Ruwen longed to use his own Spirit.

As Ruwen neared the camp, two women approached, and he stopped. As they drew near, he bowed, placing a palm over his fist. Both women moved with a grace that telegraphed their Step training.

“That armor oozes Dark Essence,” the taller woman said.