Dungeon Core Academy: Books 1-7 (A LitRPG Series) by Alex Oakchest (book suggestions txt) 📕

“Promotion, as it ‘appens. For sterling service to our town. And it looks to me like we’re about to get promoted again. Ain’t that right, Ben?”

“That’s right.”

“Two intelligent, athletic lads like you. The sky’s the limit, I’m sure. You’ll be generals in the king’s army before you know it,” I said.

“Well…you won’t know it. Because you won’t be around.”

“We’ve been through this before. You can’t stop me entering town just because I’m a core. What’s more, I know for a fact that Sir Dullbright has changed the legislation of the town, allowing for free entry into-”

Ben produced a horn from somewhere and gave three deep toots on it.

“What in demons’ names are you doing?” I said.

“Yip!” shouted Rusty. “Yip, Dark Lord! More guards are coming!”

I saw what Rusty was yipping at. Guards were approaching us from each fork of the streets beyond the gates, and more approached from behind us. Rusty and Klok stood either side of me, bunching close to shield me. Klok drew a dagger, Rusty brandished his shaman staff.

“Settle down,” I said. “Don’t give them a reason to attack you. Make a single threatening move and they’ll say you've given them just cause to use violence.”

Soon, thirty guards surrounded us. Twelve formed a circle of spears, which they pointed just inches away from us, while the rest stayed on the outer ring with their swords drawn and their faces set in mean scowls.

“Dungeon Core Beno,” said one. “You are hereby placed under arrest. Any attempts to resist will enable us to use fatal force.”

“Good luck with that,” I said.

“Any attempts at escape will also enable us to use fatal force. Any attempts at bribery-”

“Would probably be welcomed,” I said.

“Enough of this blather! Get the lump of rock out of my sight.”

“Don’t you do people the honor of letting them know what made-up charges are being held against them?” I asked.

“I don’t give the orders.”

“That’s right, he don’t,” said Len.

“Yeah!” said Ben.

“Then who does?” I asked.

“Sir Dullbright. Who else? Put the core in a sack and shackle his little wolf creatures.”

“Kobolds, actually,” I said, just before my world was replaced by darkness.

CHAPTER 18

There are two things a person can do when they are arrested at a town’s gates. They can complain and cause a fuss, but that would only show the guards that their stunt was having its desired effect. Or, the unfortunate person could just keep their mouth shut.

After my recent dealings with Anna and from various hero battles in the past, I knew that one of the most frustrating things is for an opponent to greet punishment with nothing but silence. Since physical force wouldn’t get me anywhere, that was the option I chose.

The guards said little during the hours I spent in the darkness of the sack they’d put me in. When it was removed and I could see again, I realized that I wasn’t outside in the daylight anymore, but instead was in a dark cellar lit by a sole lamp fixed to a wall. The walls themselves were made of cold-looking stone, and the floor was covered in red stains and a few straws of hay. It wasn’t too much unlike my dungeon, truth be told. I quite liked the place.

Turning around to get a full view, I saw that it was a cell of some sort, with two rows of thick steel bars blocking one side of it. Rusty and Klok were with me, as well as a man sitting by the furthest wall, hidden in the shadows but with his head bent forward and resting on his forearms.

“We must be in the town cells,” I said. “Evidence by our friend over there. No doubt a drunk. Rusty, are you okay?”

“Yip. But manacles were tight, Dark Lord. See?” He held his wrist, showing a deep red line on his skin.

“They took your shaman staff?”

“And my bone crown!”

“Klok? I trust they weren’t kind enough to leave you with your dagger?”

“Afraid not, Dark Lord.”

The man across from us started giving a wheezy laugh that grew and grew until, though he still hadn’t lifted his head, his whole body was shaking.

“What’s so funny?” said Klok.

“You, if you must know,” said the man, his voice sounding fatigued and strained.

“Don’t laugh at me!” said Klok, leaping to his feet and hopping foot to foot.

“I wasn’t laughing at you, as such. More at you, me, this whole thing. Most of all, at the Dark Lord here.”

“Just who the hell are-” I began.

The man stood up and stepped into the light. His hair was dirty and matted together. His face was beaten and unwashed, and the dark patches under his eyes were less like bags and more like burlap sacks. Even so, when he stood under the glow of the lamp, I knew him.

“Gulliver! What in all hells happened to you?” I said.

“A short and horrible story,” he said. “Which coincidentally, is what my father said when I showed him my first piece of writing.”

“Are you okay?”

“You almost sound concerned!”

“Gull, I came all the way here to see what the hell happened to you. Morphant told me that you’d just emptied your apartment and left town. Nobody knew where you’d gone, or why. It didn’t make any sense.”

“You were genuinely worried?”

“You’re my best friend. Of course I was.”

“Beno, I’m equal parts touched and guilty. Looking for me is what they wanted you to do, I think. That, or it’s a happy coincidence for them. Either way, coming here for me has landed you in the same mess as me.”

“They? Who are they?”

“Morphant, Pvat, and that damned half-naked, arse of a mage.”

“You better tell me everything.”