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

more fun, the usual hour’s grace has been removed! The next match starts in one minute!”

“What?!” I snarled, looking at Mal, who shook his head and glared at the others that had filtered into his box to surround him and Soween. The party of creatures wore elaborate golden masks and black robes, hanging open at the front  to display weapons and artifacts in a clear show of power.

“We’ve been had…” Lydia muttered next to me, and the others grumbled their agreement as the doors at the far side of the arena started to clank and grate open. Three more of the strange creatures that were surrounding Mal sauntered out onto the sand.

They were a species I’d never seen before, one that made me think of Earth’s Egyptian gods. They appeared to be heavily muscled, dark-furred men, but the heads were those of Jackals, with the two on the outside wearing plain black robes, and the one in the middle wearing golden ones. All three wore their robes open to expose the golden armor that covered them, patterned in lines and squares on the two flanking creatures, who hefted swords and shields. The middle one wore golden armor across its upper chest, shoulders, and head. Its ears stood tall and proud, with fanned plates extending back from the sides of its neck, glittering wickedly.

It bore a spear and pointed one hand at me, displaying gold and silver gauntlets tipped with claws that glittered like onyx.

I took the time to look up at Mal once more, who lifted a finger to touch his crossbow, sitting quietly in its sheath. I nodded subtly, turning back to the group.

“Pop your potions if you need them,” I muttered, stepping forward and returning my glare to the creature facing me and using ‘Examine’.

Anubai Lord Mushek

The Anubai are a race of creatures that worship the Dark Gods. They live only to praise the darkest deeds and are personal favorites of Nimon. Mushek has risen to a position of power with the Harpies after years of devoted service. He and his pack are the personal guards of the Skyking and are furious at their presence in the city being unveiled, but they must obey their master.

Weaknesses: Unknown.

Resistances: Unknown.

Level: Unknown

HP: Unknown

Mana: Unknown

“Well that’s just peachy…” I grumbled, filling the others in on what little I’d gotten.

“Pathetic!” Mushek growled, shaking his golden head from side to side. “You think we didn’t sense your pitiful attempts at tracking us? Your scouts are even now being tortured to death, begging to return to the fold and serve the Skyking. Your deepest secrets are being plucked from their minds, and your plans are in ruin! I will take your pet and bind it to my will, forcing it to serve me for eternity, as my brothers feed on your pathetic forces.”

“Is this yours?” I asked, leaning my naginata against my chest and reaching into my pocket. Pulling my fist out, I held it tightly clenched and offered it forward.

“What?” Mushek asked, startled, as my middle finger rose to salute him. He paused, confused for a handful of seconds, until the crowd’s rising laughter and the grim smiles of my people clicked. “You dare to mock me?!” he snarled.

“Oh, I’m gonna do more than that. I’m gonna have you fucking gelded, pal; get you fitted for a leash and take you on daily walkies… I’m going to throw sticks, and house-train you. I’m going to change your name to ‘Spot’ and make sure you get a comfy spot by the fire in the winter. I might even let you have a litter before I get your balls cut off, but only if you’re a really, really good boy…” I said, my anger bleeding all the way through blazing fury into ice-cold wrath, my mouth running as I watched him and considered all the angles that I could.

“You…” he started, snarling and shaking with fury, before I cut him off.

“And the Skyking?” I said, cocking my head to the side. “What, you really thought I was relying on the Djinn and Alkyon to find it? I came to the city for it, you fucking idiot. I sent them out there to draw you here, while my real forces moved in. Your precious Skyking is being fucked up by my people right now, and you’re here, where you can’t help it!”

As I spoke, the doors exiting the Arena clanged shut. The sound of the bolts locking into place echoed in the sudden silence as the shocked spectators tried to figure out what was happening. Apparently, that information hadn’t been printed in the evening’s program.

“You lie!” Mushek snarled, his voice filled with uncertainty.

“Wanna bet?” I said, grinning.

“Get to the Skyking!” Mushek roared up at the four in the booth with Mal. “I’ll slaughter you, all of you, myself!” he spat as he turned to us, when his attention was ripped back up to the booth in anger as howls of pain arose from the other Anubai. Mal and Soween had evidently opened fire into their retreating backs.

“Missed them too, didn’t you?” I sneered as his eyes widened, realizing for the first time that Mal was in on the deception.

“Get the doors open!” Mushek snapped at one of his escorts before pointing at me with his spear. “Well played, human, but now you die!” he snarled, launching himself at me as Oracle blasted upward, lashing out with a ‘Stunning Lightning Bolt.’

He swung his spear around, deflecting the bolt to slam into the bars of the arena. A pair of spectators screamed and fell from sight as his weapon glowed with dark energy. Arrows slashed through the air, only to be deflected by the spinning spear as I felt the heat building from Arrin’s Firebolt.

“Take the others; that fucker’s mine!” I ordered coldly, running forward. My shield was well out of reach, but that was fine. This fight was naginata against spear. We closed the distance rapidly, the Anubai leaping into the air as we clashed. His spearhead flashed