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

“Maybe next time, don’t use that spell,” Augustus said, as Oracle came flying down from the floor above.

“What did I miss?!” she asked excitedly, noticing the large opening out into the murky night.

“We’re going to be making an escape as soon as we can,” I explained to her, while Hellenica flowed out of the hole, floating on the air as she examined it.

“You blew stuff up without me?” Oracle asked, pouting.

“Well, you weren’t here…” I said, shrugging and getting a glare from her. “What were you doing?”

“Girl talk,” she said, tossing her hair back. “It’s nothing that you need to know about.”

I looked past her to Yen, who was grinning at me while whispering in the ear of a dark-haired female Legionnaire, and I groaned. Regardless of what had actually happened up there, I was going to be the center of gossip now. I decided I didn’t want to know more anyway, and turned my attention back to Hellenica.

“So…?” I called to her and she flowed back inside.

“It’ll work. It looks wide enough for you all to use, and the Alkyon are coming,” she confirmed, smiling as I let out a relieved breath.

A minute or so later, a loud flapping of wings advanced, followed by the sound of talons scratching the tiled roof . Amaat, Venta, and a handful of other Alkyon clambered inside, dripping wet and looking bruised and battered.

Nerin went to work without being asked, as did Oracle. Amaat saluted with a fist to his chest, the rest of the group following suit raggedly.

I was about to speak up when the sound of more wings approached from outside and Amaat held his hand up reassuringly.

“It’s okay! Aaawk!” he said, stiffening as Oracle’s healing hit him. When he could speak again, the others had landed and started to file in, almost two dozen of them, all bearing wounds of one kind or another. They wore a collection of leather, chainmail, and normal clothing, and one and all, they were soaked to the skin and exhausted. “They were held in thrall to the Skyking…” Amaat said, shaking his head.

“…and now?” I asked, gripping my naginata tightly but trying not to appear threatening as our two groups eyed each other.

“Now they have joined my pride. They serve me, as their leader, and I serve you, Lord Jax.” He crouched and exposed his throat in what I guessed was a ritual supplication for his people.

The rest of the group behind him did the same, some quickly, others hesitantly, but in a handful of minutes, they were all kneeling.

“Jax?” Oracle called and I looked to her. “The Oath?” she suggested, and I nodded, popping the top off a greater mana potion and lifting it in preparation as she sent out the Oath to the group.

“I swear to obey Lord Jax and those he places over me; I will serve to the best of my ability, speak no lie to him when commanded otherwise, and treat all other citizens as family.

I will work for the greater good, being a shield to those that need it, a sword to those that deserve it, and a warden to the night.”

“I will stand with my family, helping one another to reach the light, until the hour of my death or my Lord releases me from my oath.”

“Lastly, I will not be a dick!”

The words of their Oath echoed around the floor, some saying it faster, other slower, but soon they’d all sworn, and another twenty-seven Alkyon had joined our ranks. I relaxed as the potion worked to replenish the mana used for the Oath.

“Thank you all for joining us,” I said, looking them over. “In time, I’ll get to know you all, but for now, Amaat’s word that you serve him is good enough. Other details, we can work out in the future. All I’ll say, is that I will look after you, I’ll teach you, and I’ll make sure you have a home and as bright a future as I can. After tonight is over, we’ll talk more.”

They stood, stretching and shaking the water off. Some started talking, others began preening their feathers, and still more took up watch at the now-broken windows, by Amaat’s order.

“They’ve got nothing in the city to stay for, and they wish for a future. Some few have families, which I’ve sent for and ordered to meet us at the Shipyards,” Amaat explained, and I nodded to him in thanks before we started to discuss the plans for the ships above us, now that we had reinforcements.

A handful of minutes later, the Djinn somehow signaled Hellenica that they were in place, and I blew out a deep breath.

“Then I guess it’s time for phase two…” I said, nodding to Hellenica and Amaat. “Go get me those ships.” Amaat screeched once, loudly, and his people fell in around him. He spoke quickly, designating one of them to lead half, and they dove out of the hole blown in the side of the building, disappearing into the wet night.

Chapter Thirty-Four

I moved to the gaping hole in the side of the building, squinting upwards and blinking in the falling rain. It had increased from a misty drizzle to a steady downpour, and it made things blessedly difficult to make out, as I stood watching the indistinct shape of a ship slowly turning above us.

It moved in a casual holding pattern, hovering several hundred meters up, poised roughly over the square.  Its hull was lit by the glowing, pulsing blue of the mana engines as it slowly bobbed and shifted, and thanks to that same glow, I could make out the second ship, a few hundred meters to the south of the first. They both appeared to be searching for whatever had made the light that had damaged their fellow ship earlier. My destruction of the side of the building had probably drawn them closer as well, but between the late night, the heavy