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

tried to touch the blades with every attack, using Melt to damage the swords’ durability.

The Echo Blade tried to stun Ruwen multiple times, but his Resistances were too high. After ten rapid attacks the Echo Blade stepped back and swapped out her swords for new ones, not willing to let Ruwen’s Melt damage her swords further. These new swords were high quality, but inferior to the red and blue ones.

Part of Ruwen enjoyed battling such a skilled opponent, but this fight had already taken too long, so he switched to his Viper Step training.

The next attack came from the right and Ruwen dodged it. But instead of stepping away, he moved closer, striking the Echo Blade’s left wrist and the nerve bundle that controlled her hand.

The blade slipped and the Echo Blade’s Mana dropped by fifteen. The blade rose back into place, and even though Ruwen could see no fingers gripped the pommel, the sword stayed attached to her hand. What a great spell to have, Ruwen thought, as she flicked the blade across his throat.

Chapter 74

The sword damaged but didn’t penetrate the Overseer’s Cowl of Revelation, Ruwen’s buffed Armor Class too much for the non-magical blades to overcome. He didn’t underestimate people anymore, but it was a stark reminder that he lacked the experience to expect such things.

The Echo Blade triggered another ability and the sword at Ruwen’s neck vibrated with such intensity it sheared through the Overseer Armor and into his flesh. His Gold Fortified body resisted part of the attack, but for the first time, he took damage.

Ruwen’s Health dropped by fifty-two, and he rapidly struck the Echo Blade in the neck, lower rib, and stomach. She flipped backward and then hunched over in obvious pain, her Health dropping by seventy-seven.

“Stone lord help me, how did you survive that?” the Echo Blade asked.

Ruwen ignored the question and stepped forward to capitalize on the Fighter’s injuries when Smash slammed a fist down on Ruwen’s head.

One hundred twelve Health disappeared from his bar and a Vertigo debuff appeared, halving his Dexterity, Wisdom, and Intelligence. A moment later Hamma healed him, and the debuff disappeared.

Ruwen immediately leaped to the right, and a second later Smash struck that location. The Carnage Golem had taken significant damage from his battle with the spiked boar, and he now only stood fifteen feet tall.

Before Ruwen could move again, his Bodyguard icon pulsed, and his Health dropped another one hundred eight as Sift’s dropped by seventy-two. Ruwen dashed back toward the group and saw a stone spear sticking out of Sift’s back. Worse, the Crag Defender marched that way as well.

As Ruwen ran, he cast Shed on Sift, and a second later Ruwen’s Mana dropped by fifty, and Sift disappeared inside the ten-by-ten cube, safe for the moment.

Clarysa and Lylan were firing their crossbows at the Crag Defender, hoping to land a critical hit, but the odds were against them. Xavier floated above them, draining the shield around the enemy casters. Tremine and Colyn stood in front of Hamma, giving her protection to heal everyone.

Lylan, throw your voice and insult Smash from behind the casters, Ruwen said in Chat.

“Smash is weak!” Ruwen’s voice said from the casters.

“Smash not weak!” the Carnage Golem roared and turned toward the casters.

Ruwen didn’t realize Lylan could do other voices and wished she’d not used his. Smash already held a grudge against Ruwen, and he didn’t want to make it worse.

From Stone Echo and Survey Ruwen calculated the Echo Blade remained thirty feet behind him. The Crag Defender used his shield to bash on the Shed’s wall, and the Rift Ghost had leaped to the roof, looking for a way in.

Ruwen redirected the three Fallen Heroes to the Echo Blade and then pulled the Heavy Walking Stick from his Void Band. The Rift Ghost saw him and told the Crag Defender, who started to turn. But Ruwen spent twenty-five Mana and used Jump to clear the remaining distance.

The Heavy Walking Stick, buffed with Sucker Punch which caused double damage, struck the Crag Defender in the helmet for one hundred seventeen damage. The Fighter staggered, stunned by the blow.

Ruwen brought the staff around to strike again, but the Rift Ghost threw two daggers at him and he knocked them away instead.

Get ready, Ruwen said to Sift and then canceled the Shed spell.

Sift struck the Rift Ghost as she fell and Ruwen attacked the Crag Defender, who had already been healed back to full Health. The Fighter blocked Ruwen’s blows with his shield.

Smash is gone, Hamma said in Chat.

A crossbow bolt struck the Rift Ghost in the shoulder, but she ripped it out, and was full health before the bolt struck the ground.

Stone mushrooms formed all over the ground, and a moment later they all exploded with soft puffs. A yellow-green haze hovered around each one. Ruwen still channeled Gust, causing the gas to swirl around, and when it struck his eyes, acid burned them.

Ruwen squeezed his eyes shut and stopped channeling Gust. Everyone in the party except Tremine and Xavier took damage.

Back to the group, Ruwen told Sift in Chat.

The two of them retreated and as soon as Ruwen reached his group, he dumped ten thousand cubic feet of cool air he’d collected after returning from gathering oil, forcing the acid away. Everyone’s Health bars stopped dropping and Hamma started a group heal. Xavier landed behind everyone. The Celestial Remnant looked dim, and Ruwen wondered if Xavier might die.

Ruwen turned and studied the elite squad. They looked completely unaffected by everything Ruwen and his team had done. They stood in the same original formation, with all their bars full.

I have one Mana potion left, Hamma said in Chat.

I’ll give you mine, Ruwen responded.

It won’t matter, Hamma said. Tremine has nullified dozens of attacks. As soon as he’s out of Mana, I’m dead. Then we’re all dead.

Tremine frowned but didn’t argue.

Hamma turned and looked behind them. Bliz and his golems were still working on digging through the walls. They are