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

“And let me guess: no other adults were murdered, and their bodies taken? Just the Legion General?”

“Not that we know of…” said Tang, and I nodded to him.

“So, I don’t suppose there’s actually a realistic chance that it was him that was killing the children? Or that it’s just a coincidence that his body is taken, and the entire Enclave is put under house arrest ‘for your safety’…?”

“Not likely…” replied Yen, and I glared at her.

“So what the hell did you all do to make yourselves a target like this? Who wins if the Legion is wiped out?”

“Too many people…” Yen replied with a sigh. “Look, let’s get inside so we can’t be seen, just in case the Harpies come looking for Amaat, and I’ll explain it, okay?” she asked, and I nodded, gesturing toward the trapdoor that led back into the building.

“Okay, lead the way; and what are harpies doing in the city? I thought they were evil creatures?” I said, reaching down and helping Amaat to his feet, before taking his arm over my shoulder and helping him to walk along. Tang and Yen exchanged a look as I supported Amaat, and after a pause, Amaat spoke up.

“The Harpies aren’t real harpies as you might know them. The real thing would be hunted down and killed, but these are just as much of a threat, if not more so. They’re a gang of fliers; some Alkyon, some Djinn, a smattering of Imps, a few Prometheans… they’re a gang, specifically criminals that the city hasn’t been able to purge entirely because their territory is so big, and they’re good at hiding.”

“I don’t even know what those races are,” I said, and he laughed.

“I’m an Alkyon. We’ve branched out into a few different subspecies, much as humans or dwarves do. The Djinn are powerful creatures when they reach maturity, a form of air elemental with powerful magics, but as children, they are weaker than most. The Harpies like to recruit them, hoping they might stick around once they reach maturity and grow in strength. They generally don’t live long enough. The Prometheans are…strange. They…” Amaat grunted, folding his wing in close and shook his head at the pain as he prepared to climb down the ladder.

“Okay, wait up a minute, guys,” I said and looked to Oracle, who nodded, knowing me well enough to understand what I wanted without my saying it. She lifted higher into the air and began to fly a fast circuit, watching for anyone coming closer.

“Just give me a minute…” I muttered, stepping back from Amaat and beginning to cast. I built the spell quickly, powering it into him and sweeping from head to toe. I ‘felt’ the breaks and bruises. I felt old injuries that had healed wrong, bones that were slightly off, and areas that seemed unnaturally inflexible. I found areas of skin that were… ‘wrong’ was the only way I could describe it. I poured mana into him, cutting it off when it dropped to half, but even that amount had made a noticeably huge difference as he stood straighter, drawing in a deep breath.

He shifted on his feet, rolling his shoulders and flexing his wings, stunned at the difference. He ran his claw-tipped fingers through the freshly regrown feathers and plumage on his chest and sides, then reached up hesitantly to touch the crest that bloomed from the top of his head.

His coloring had changed, from the dull grey and worn-out yellow he’d been in the caves, to a brilliant golden hue. The feathers that poked out around his breastplate and ran through his crest were now a bright and vibrant red, and he tilted his head back and screeched in pleasure at the changes.

“Dammit Amaat!” Tang cursed, covering his ears as the loud, exultant cry echoed off nearby buildings. “I told you to cut that shit out!”

Amaat closed his beak with a loud clack, then grabbed my shoulders and nutted me. I staggered slightly, then reacted by growling and nutting him back, which sent the bird man reeling, much to Tang and Yen’s laughter.

I had tensed, ready to defend myself, until I heard their laughter and saw the way that Amaat was shaking his head, rubbing the top of his crest where I’d planted my forehead.

As my conscious mind caught up to my reflexive one, I realized that perhaps headbutting a creature with a beak clearly hard enough to break bones wasn’t my most intelligent action…but fuck it.

Amaat straightened up and clapped his fist to his chest in salute.

“Thank you, my lord! You don’t know what this means. I have my plumage back!” he babbled, preening again, and I shrugged.

“I’m more interested in why you head-butted me, to be fair…” I said, frowning and feeling at my head, where a bump was starting to rise already.

“It’s an Alkyon thing, my lord…” Yen said with a smile. “When they’re happy, they tend to do…well…that. It’s a mixture of thanking their higher caste members and declaring their strength. Most other races don’t take too well to it, but it’s kind of ingrained in their species, much like loving the water is with the Mer…”

“Fair enough. Did I do right in returning the nut?” I asked.

“The ‘nut’?”

“The headbutt.”

“Ah, yes! Although I’d suggest being a bit more careful in the future; it’s commonly the beginning of a ritualistic battle for hierarchy with his species. It’s not an issue here, as he’s a member of the Legion and already submitted to you, but if we meet unaffiliated…”

“We’ve got some fliers heading our way!” Oracle called, and the conversation broke off.

“Okay, I’ve got it; now, let’s go.” I gestured to the black square of the trapdoor.

“No!” Amaat said, straightening up and flexing. “Let me show these Harpies what it means to cross the Legion!” I looked into his eyes and saw a gleam that hadn’t been there before.

“Oracle, how many?” I called up, and she shouted back down quickly.

“Too