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

“I knew you were lying!” Hamma screamed at him. “How could you do that to Mom? To me!”

The room remained silent as everyone stared in shock.

Ruwen didn’t believe Niall was lying. He gently grabbed Hamma before she could strike the Priest again. He faced his mom. “Why do you think he has a family?”

Clarysa looked confused as well now. “Niall was the Priest who revived us. We spent some time with him until we adjusted to this time. He’d just had a baby girl and he couldn’t stop talking about her.”

Hamma screamed and pulled against Ruwen’s grip, but he didn’t let her go. He looked at Niall, who still wore the bewildered expression.

“I don’t have a family,” Niall whispered.

Cold shards slowly moved through Ruwen’s mind as his Cleverness attempted to trigger. Hamma struggled against him, but he held firm. Ruwen thought about what he knew.

How could Niall have a family he couldn’t remember?

Niall had come to this remote and dangerous location to pave the way for Ruwen.

The quest was so important Niall had left his family to do it.

A quest Uru had given Niall. The same quest Ruwen’s parents were trying to complete right now.

Ruwen squeezed his eyes closed as the pain in his head increased.

“Let me go!” Hamma yelled.

A memory surfaced from earlier that week. They had just returned from the Spirit Realm and stood with Uru in her Divine Realm. Ruwen replayed the memory as his mind turned to ice…

Uru walked over to Slib and Juva. Both had kept their heads bowed and seemed overwhelmed at meeting their goddess. She looked up at the pair. “You have each learned much about yourselves while traveling with Ruwen, and I don’t want to take that growth from you. But, some of the details of your trip could destroy us all if accidentally over‐heard by the wrong people. With your permission, I’d like to make those details fuzzy in your memories. In time, I will restore them.”

Ruwen refocused on the present. “Niall, would you have given Uru permission to cloud memories of your family?”

Niall looked desperate. “Why would I do that?”

“To make leaving them easier maybe?” Ruwen asked. “Do you think you would have given the goddess permission to alter your memory?”

“How can I know that?” Niall asked.

Hamma had stopped struggling as she listened to Ruwen.

Lir, Ruwen asked. Is there a way to recognize if a person’s memory has been altered?

Yes, Architect Starfield.

Has Niall’s memory been altered?

I am not permitted, without express—

I grant you permission.

Yes, Niall Blakrock’s memory has been altered.

A terrible thought occurred to Ruwen. Has anyone else in this room, including me, had their memories altered.

After a pause, Lir responded. No.

Can you return Niall’s memories to their natural state?

Yes.

Can you do it without killing him?

Of course.

“Uru did this,” Ruwen said.

“Did what?” Niall asked.

“She took your family from you,” Ruwen said softly.

Lir, fix Niall.

Complete.

Niall’s eyes glazed over, and he began trembling. Clarysa and Colyn grabbed the Priest and held him up. Ruwen let go of Hamma as Niall stopped shaking. He rubbed his temples and then looked up.

Tears covered Niall’s cheeks, and the single word he uttered no longer had the tone of a stranger but contained sixteen years of loss. “Hamma?”

Chapter 64

Clarysa and Colyn let go of Niall, and the Priest took an unsteady step toward Hamma. She moved backward and into Ruwen.

“Hamma?” Niall said again.

Hamma moved around Ruwen and took another step backward. “What is going on?”

What happened to Niall made Ruwen’s stomach turn. “Uru altered his memories so he wouldn’t remember you or your mom.”

Hamma shook her head as another sob escaped Niall. “Why would she do something like that?”

Niall’s face twisted in anger, and he slammed a fist down on the table. “Because of this stupid temple!”

“What?” Hamma asked.

“I should have known better,” Niall said. His tears stopped as rage consumed him. “I felt so special. So proud. The only Priest to know so many Temple secrets. An expert at fixing revival baths.” His voice softened, and he looked at Hamma. “I might have been prideful, but I didn’t deserve this. You and your mom didn’t either.” He looked up and screamed. “Curse you, Uru!”

Ruwen knew his parent’s task had been to provide critical resources for the Temple, and Niall’s it seemed centered on fixing revival baths and other Temple components. If Uru had gone to such lengths to force him here, he likely was the only one with those skills. Even if true, it didn’t justify what Niall had endured. Or did it? Ruwen immediately pushed the thought away. It bothered him that thoughts like that occurred to him. Had he changed so much?

Niall refocused on Hamma and raised his arms. “I’m so sorry, Hamma. What you and your mom went through turns my stomach. The terrible questions you must have lived with. I love you both so much.”

“Don’t say that,” Hamma said.

Niall took a small step forward and Hamma tensed. “It’s true,” Niall said softly. “I love you more than my own life. It gave me the strength to defy a goddess. I told her I wouldn’t leave you.”

“Stop it,” Hamma whispered.

Niall took another step. “You were the best thing that ever happened to me. Your birth is still the happiest day of my life. Except, maybe today, when I finally get to see you again.”

Hamma shook her head, but no words came out.

Niall took a final step and wrapped his arms around Hamma. She remained rigid, but after a few seconds, relaxed.

“Dad?” Hamma asked, her voice quavering.

Niall pulled Hamma close and placed a hand on the back of her head. “I’m here. I’ll become an Apostate before abandoning you again. I swear it on my eternal soul.”

Hamma sobbed, and Niall held her tightly as tears covered his cheeks.

“Let’s go catch up,” Niall said.

Ruwen? Hamma asked in Chat.

Go. Ruwen responded immediately. I’ll fill you in later.

Hamma and Niall left, followed by Ruwen’s parents, Bliz, and Tremine. They still needed to load the terium into the temple.

Ruwen spoke to Lylan