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

said, and I froze, her tone of voice finally getting through to me. “There’s more. I can’t tell much of what he did, since it was too long ago, but the spells he cast… he was suffering when he cast them, gravely injured, and his mana channels were damaged. The trace is full of pain, so whatever spell he was casting…it damaged his ability to cast spells, and he did it anyway. You have to be prepared for the worst.”

“I…”

“I’m sorry, Jax. I wish I had better news. I swear I will try again as soon as I have enough strength. I…”

“No,” I said, “No, Jenae; you don’t know my brother. He’s not dead, and I’m going to find him. Thank you for doing this. All is forgiven. Rest and get yourself back together, I’m going to Himnel, and I’ll need you to cast that spell when you’re ready.”

As I ended the connection, I felt something I’d not done in days, not since the fight with the goblins. I knew what I had to do. I wasn’t an administrator, or a teacher. I was crap at that side of things; I knew I was. But the thing I could do? I could fucking well fight, and I could have my people to do the rest of it.

No fucker ever expected Conan to hold people’s hands and explain what they needed to do. He said ‘do it’, and they found the way. That was going to be my path from now on. Although I’d probably wear more clothes generally and chop off less heads.

“Cai! Oren, Barrett, Ame, and Flux, I need you! Lydia! Get your team together! Decin! You and Hanau get your arses over as well!” I bellowed, making everyone around me jump, and I turned, heading straight for the warship, and the captain’s cabin inside it.

It took a handful of minutes to gather everyone together, and even the wisps used the Tower’s mana to create projections of their forms. The small room was cramped with everyone inside, but it had a feature I needed; it had the map.

I stood on the far side of the map, looking down at it as Oracle tapped the activation rune, and the map flared to life.

I felt a pull on my mind, similar to the way the notifications appeared. This time, it was Oracle pulling something out, and as the map blurred and updated, I nodded grimly.

The small map that had given basic details of the continent up to the mountains and then very patchy information on the other side, was suddenly far, far more detailed. The continent was longer than it was wide, with the mountain range that ran down its length being wider and longer than I’d realized.

The mountains alone must be at least five hundred miles in length, and while the land was heavily forested on our side, there were far fewer trees on the west. A huge marshland and great plains and hills rolled over most of it, with several castles clearly marked, as well as dozens of sites of ruins and other symbols I couldn’t identify.

What really mattered to me, though, was the city of Himnel, south by southeast from the Tower, established on the coast. There was no sign of the highlighting that Jenae had added when we spoke, but the cave that Tommy had been in was maybe a hundred and fifty to two hundred miles southwest from where we were, so I dismissed it for now. Tommy had left there, and had clearly headed to the city, where something had happened. He’d been hurt, and then had vanished.

“Hold on, Tommy…” I muttered, glaring at the map. “I’m coming!”

Chapter Seventeen

The others gathered around, murmuring in awe. Oren, Decin, and Hanau in particular were stunned by the map, especially the level of detail, and immediately started muttering amongst themselves as they pointed out details to each other.

“Right, people!” I said loudly, and everyone went quiet, looking to me. “I’ve spoken to Jenae; the Goddess Jenae, I should say, sorry. She’s told me that my brother was in Himnel, and he was hurt badly. This was six weeks ago, and I’ve lost too much time already. Barrett has told me about how desperate our people’s families are, so fuck it. We’re leaving today, even if I have to throw the goddamn ships to get them in the air! Give me options.” I looked around the room, concentrating on Decin and Oren primarily, but surprisingly, it was Barrett that spoke first.

“There’s no way that the warship can be made… flightworthy… in that short a time, Lord. It simply can’t be done,” he said earnestly, and both Oren and Decin spoke up in agreement.

“Okay, what about the ‘Freedom’?” I asked, and Decin nodded.

“She be ready, Lord Jax. We can get her in th’ air sharp; the work we be doin’ were minor, no stress there.”

“Then it’s settled. We’re going to be taking the smuggler’s route.”

“Ye’d be takin’ a risk there< laddie.” Oren said, grimacing.

“Yeah, well, what’s new there? You got a realistic alternative?”

“Ah… well…”

“Then suck it up, buttercup,” I said, moving on.

“Buttercup? Ah… look, Jax; ain’t nobody survived tha’ route in months. I’m just a wee bit concerned tha’…”.”

“Do you know what’s down there?” I asked, and he frowned.

“Don’t know, don’t nobody tha’ still lives knowin’ neither. Those few tha’ lived through th’ last caravans did it by bein’ sneaky and abandonin’ their friends to whatever lives down there. They ran, and they lived, but they dinna see shit, they said.”

“Well, if anyone has a better idea, now’s the time to speak up…?” I waited a minute, then went on when I was only met with uncomfortable silence. “Then it’s settled. There’s an old saying in my home: ‘When you’ve got a problem, it’s shit. Two problems, and you’re fucked, but when you’ve got a bunch? You’ve got some solutions, too.’ Cai get with Decin and Hanau, and get that ship loaded for a flight to the smuggler’s