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

“Well, there’s the family quest fixed!” Hanau said, grinning at Decin as he clearly read something from his own notifications.

“Aye! It’s changed!” he said, and I looked at Hanau questioningly.

“Decin’s entire clan swore to find the man that saved them; more than half the village swore along with them. It was one of the reasons we managed to get the funds together for the ship. Everyone chipped in. We’ve been asking questions for years, then you go to help someone, literally from our deck. Its fate, lending a hand.” He grinned widely as he realized something else. “Well, if you can find Tommy, then you’ll definitely have a few more villagers from Decin’s side, as most of them have been searching for him for the last ten years!”

“Ten years…” I whispered, thinking back to it, and realizing it was about right, we were in our early teens then, learning how to control the fear and just starting to get good at manipulating the mana wight bodies. They were far stronger and more flexible than our own, and we’d come to realize that, except for the pain, it could be fun, especially when we were summoned for a minor monster, like that one sounded. I snorted again at the mental image of Tommy shaking his cock at the monster and singing ‘I’m too sexy’ at it as a taunt. It made me miss him more, but knowing he was around here somewhere, and that I had a place to start looking, made it worthwhile.

We talked for a little longer, me sharing a few memories of Tommy acting like an idiot, before we drifted apart, the others returning to their respective jobs; Decin and Hanau to tend to the ship and get us moving, Barrett and Lydia to chivvy her squad to begin training and checking their gear, and Oracle making a fuss over me. Bane waited until Oracle had calmed down again, before gathering up my naginata and passing it to me.

“Again?” I asked, my heart dropping, and he nodded.

“Again. An hour until the first meal, then we will rest and meditate for an hour, before working until lunch. After that, we can prepare for tonight.”

I groaned, but I knew it had to be done, and looking like a pussy before my bodyguard was not going to help me at all.

I used some of my regenerated mana to summon a pair of springs, one for Bane to relax, and one so that I could scrub the dried blood off myself.

As soon as I was clean, we started again with a short warm up, before repeating the kata from yesterday. After a cool down, we ate a quick meal of gritty brown bread and mellow white cheese, washed down with summoned water, and meditated.

The remainder of the morning flew by, as Bane added in a few strikes and sweeping deflects before we started to spar. The sparring was frustrating, since we could only use the stabs and blocks we’d trained in that morning. My usual combination of grappling and kicks couldn’t be used, so he solidly kicked my arse.

I then spent a couple of hours using the last of the potion ingredients we had with Tel, making a good stockpile of potions before we eventually gave up and retired for a few hours’ sleep, while the crew watched over us all.

I was roused as midnight came and we reached outer edge of our search zone. Our potions had been divvied up, as per my request to Tel. Each member of the squad and Barrett had four healing and three stamina potions, Arrin had four mana in addition to his potions, and I carried ten of each in my Bag of Holding. The remainder, a couple dozen of each, was to be taken back to the Tower and used however they were needed. I also decided that it would be better for the Tower if I sent my alchemy kit back with Tel, as, if I decided I needed one, I’d be able to get one in the city somehow, I had little doubt.

We gathered on the deck, speaking quietly as Barrett and Decin discussed possible landmarks from half remembered conversations he’d had years ago.

It took another hour of low flying, an hour that stretched many nerves almost to the breaking point as the sounds of the wind blowing through the tops of trees close below us stressed us all.

Eventually, Decin called a halt, and I moved back to him, everyone getting themselves ready.

“This be as close as I can get yer, even wit’ all th’ other lights out; th’ engine flare be too noticeable te go much closer…” Decin said apologetically, and I shook my head.

“It’s okay, my friend, this is close enough. We were always going to have to land and search this section on foot.” I clasped wrists with him, and got a hesitant hug from Hanau, which I laughed and returned, before I headed down onto the main deck, gathering up my team.

I looked at Barrett, and he nodded firmly; the rest of the team spread out behind him, so I let him lead the way over to the side of the ship, waiting as the rope ladder was unfurled. Jian went over first, Lydia and Bane next, then me, Miren, Stephanos, and Cam, with Arrin bringing up the rear.

Once we were down safe, in the forest, I summoned a Firebolt to my hands and waved it up at the ship, before dismissing it, and they moved away slowly, turning and picking up speed as they flew.

In just a few minutes, all was silent in the forest, and I looked around at the others, aware that only Bane and I could really see very far.

“Use one of the magelights, but keep it low powered,” I said, and Lydia handed one out, giving Arrin a whispered warning as she handed it to him. The