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

eye on Grizz. Nerin, you’re our healer. We’re all going to be keeping you as safe as we can, because we’re gonna need you a lot tonight, I expect. Anyone got anything to add?”

“Aaawk!” said Amaat, shaking his head and drawing my attention. “One of my pride is missing, Helio. He was on watch and is gone. His Oath was binding him, and he was proud; he would not have abandoned us…”

“So, what that fucker said in there might be true? They know we’re coming?” I asked, and he shrugged.

“Possibly, but he might have been taken down by someone else. He knew we were going to attack the Skyking, but not when.”

“Then we go ahead as planned,” I said after a second’s reflection. “If they have him, we’ll rescue or avenge him, and if not, hopefully we can find him either way. Anyone else have any questions?” I asked.

“Nigret does,” Nigret said, smiling widely. “What is Nigret’s role tonight?”

“You’re with the Legion, mate. I want you to stay close to Grizz and keep him safe. He’s earned a bit of help.” I said, smiling back, despite my uncertainty of him. I knew his Oath would keep him from betraying us, but still, he was new to the group, and yesterday, he’d been trying to kill me.

“Ah, Nigret?” I said as he started to turn away, and he turned back with a raised eyebrow. “Look, about using the Oath, I’m sorry. It’s not something I wanted to do, but with everything that’s riding on this, it was the only way I could be sure of you. Again, once this is all over, two, three days or so, if you want to be free, I swear I’ll release you.” Nigret paused and studied my face, as though considering, and then nodded slowly.

“Nigret understands. Now that he has seen more of the picture, there is much to be learned.” He before smiled again and moved away. Watching him move through the Legionnaires, I turned to Augustus. “Make sure Grizz knows that his job tonight is to just keep up; he’s to protect Nerin as best he can and keep an eye on Nigret.”

“Sounds like a steady plan, Jax.” Augustus nodded approvingly. “I’ll help as I can; with no real knowledge of what to expect, we’re going to be adjusting orders on the fly. I’ll push out a squad to follow the scouts and trigger any traps before they can get to us, one with your people, Lydia…” he said, nodding to her. “…and one following behind, making sure we don’t get taken in the ass.”

“Sounds good,” I agreed, as cheering rose by the door. I turned and saw a very confused Grizz entering the room. Laughing to myself, I shouted, and wolf whistled with the others, making him even more confused. Augustus pushed through the crowd of people and clapped him on the shoulder.

“Well done, Grizz; the Legion is proud of you. Your job tonight is to stay next to Mistress Nerin and protect her as best you can, and to watch over the Trigara.” The Centurion left his hand on Grizz’s shoulder for a moment, turning to the rest of the room. “Okay, everyone, that’s it! Let’s move!” Then he led the way out, with Gaion and the Scouts pushing up to pass him. We filed out, smiling and clapping Grizz on the shoulder and generally praising him as we passed, leaving him to fall in next to Nerin with a look of utter bewilderment on his face.

“You’re cruel.” Lydia said to me, grinning, and I winked at her.

“You’ve no idea!” I chuckled, climbing the stairs. Our group, pushing past random people in the corridors and struggling up flights of stairs in full armor, began drawing attention as we went.

As soon as we were out into the rear courtyard, I confirmed the orders for Fenris, making sure he’d stay with Barrett’s tiger and our gear, which were being moved to the shipyards. Then we were off, walking out into the grey, misty night.

The rain fell lightly, a steady drizzle that left the cobblestones slick and soaked, but it didn’t seem to clean anything. As we sped up to a steady jog, passing through the fog as we left the Cloudring district, all of the group breathed a sigh of relief as our lungs expelled the last of the mild drug.

Now that we were out of the concealing mists, we picked up speed. The crash of steel-clad boots, the jingle of chain, and the clatter of swords and shields, spears and daggers banging against each other as we ran sounded like a collapsing steelworks. Despite the attention we drew, the sight of the Legion—even such a small group as ours—sprinting down the streets cleared them instantly.

Nobody wanted to be between the Legion and the object of its ire, but as we ran, occasionally at first, and then more frequently, came the shouts, rising from alleys as we passed.

“Murderers!”

“Child killers!”

“Scum!”

All these and more were shouted, and slowly people started to group together behind us, hurling insults and calling for their friends to join them.

“How far?” I asked Augustus, my breath coming surprisingly easily after the meridian upgrade.

“Two more streets, then down the ‘Imperial Way’ and across the ‘Square of Industry.’ Maybe ten minutes at this speed, just over a mile.”

“You… expect… me …to … run… all… the… way?” Nerin gasped out, and I glanced at her, hiding a smile. She was maybe forty-five and reasonably fit, but she was wearing a long dress and had dozens of bags affixed to a pair of bandoliers that she had strapped around her waist and across her chest. An enormous bag on her back bounced with every step and looked like it’d take her off her feet any second.

“What the hell is in those bags? I asked her, and she glared at me.

“Things… I… need!”

“Seriously?” I scoffed, as another Legionnaire moved in from the side. I’d seen him around the last few days on occasion, but I