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

can explain what happened to Gar. Ellen told us about his death, and while she ain’t all choked up over it, he was still one of us, and you ain’t.”

“Fair enough,” I admitted grudgingly. “What about my people?”

“We’ll sort them somewhere to relax for now,” she responded calmly, flagging down a man who stood close by. He nodded and moved over to open another set of doors that led into the pyramid, and I could smell hot food wafting out from somewhere deeper inside.

“Lydia, go with them and get everyone sorted. You’re in charge. Barrett, Yen, you’re with me,” I said, making no mention of Tang or Bane, both of whom I knew would be hiding nearby. I also neglected to bring up Amaat and his fliers, who I damn well hoped were still on overwatch. “Look after the Imps; make sure they’re fed and unharmed…for now.”

“Yes m’lord,” Lydia said, nodding and gesturing to the others to follow the man into the building.

“Artur go with her,” Barrett said, stroking the goddamn giant white tiger. The beast chuffed at him, then moved to follow her, knocking him with his shoulder as he passed and practically sending Barrett to the floor. “Goddamn cat…” he muttered, and the tension relaxed a bit. Until I locked eyes with the big guy, Jay.

He was glaring at me, breathing heavily and flexing his hands even more, shaking the fingers out, slowly clenching them back into fists and squeezing hard, then repeating, clearly on the edge of control.

“You want something, buttercup?” I asked him, and he blew out a breath and stepped even closer, staring into my eyes. We were about the same size, both just under seven foot, but he had maybe an inch or so on me. Where I’d hammered my Agility and had gone with an all-around build, he’d clearly gone ‘brawler.’ Heavy slabs of muscle covered every inch of him, and his armor shook with repressed rage and a need to lash out.

“Jay…” the woman said warningly, and he glared at me.

“You an’ me… we’re gonna have this out. Ain’t nobody calls me ugly,” he growled, and I raised an eyebrow.

“Really? I’d expect you to be used to it by now… buttercup.” I stared into his eyes and gathered myself, wondering if he would back down, or attack.

“JAY!” The woman shouted, smacking his shoulder. He glanced at her, then back at me, and slowly stepped back, glaring at me.

I could tell it was the hardest point for him, backing up like that, so I did the sensible thing.

I blew him a kiss.

His face went white with rage and he lunged, only to be shoulder charged by the woman into a pillar. I slammed my naginata into the ground, driving the base deep enough that it would stand upright on its own.

I grinned at him, and he shoved the woman aside, her skill being beaten by his bulk, and he charged at me.

He lashed out at my face, a straight jab, followed by a left hook and a few more jabs, making me duck and weave as I backed up.  I’d stepped away from my weapon, giving myself room, and I slapped his punches aside, watching him. Covered as he was by armor, I couldn’t see the muscles bunching, giving away his attacks, but I could see his eyes, red ringed and enormous, his nostrils flaring as he snorted with each attempt to strike.

I grinned at him, backhanding his latest punch and twisting to slide behind him. I kicked the back of his right knee, grunting and backing away as his backward elbow strike caught me in the chest. My own armor deflected most of the blow, but it was still powerful.

We started circling each other, our moves settling into probing attacks and fast counters, kicks and punches flashing out, until I made the mistake of kicking too high, and he grabbed my leg before I could pull back.

He yanked me from my feet, twisting around and lifting me into the air. He spun once to gain momentum, making me feel like a shot put as he released me to fly across the room. My body slammed into a pillar with an audible crunch.

I fell, landing heavily on my side, and before I could get to my feet, the person I’d most wanted to keep secret was out. Oracle flashed from my pants to hover between us, her hands glowing as she screamed at him in fury.

Lightning crackled from her palms, arcing between them in streamers of liquid light that left after-images. She slammed her hands together and blasted him from his feet, sending him across the courtyard to clatter into the far wall.

Silence fell, broken only by Oracle’s enraged panting, the occasional sizzle and crackle of the spell’s remnants grounding out, and then the laughter that floated down from above us. I forced myself upright, looking up at Mal, who shook his head, looking down at Oracle, Jay, and me.

“Well, thanks for that, Oracle,” I muttered, shaking myself and twisting to pop an ache in my back from my embrace with the pillar.

“He attacked you!” she growled, and I snorted, shaking my head.

“I provoked him,” I said, and she glared at me.

“What?” Her tiny brow furrowed.

“I needed to establish that I wasn’t easy meat,” I said to her in the silence of our bond.

“Right…”

“And instead, you jumped out and zapped the bugger…” I finished, and she went pink, her anger dying away.

“I ruined it, didn’t I?” she asked with embarrassment, and I shrugged.

“Not entirely, but next time, I’ll warn you first. They know about you now.”

“Sorry…”

“It’s okay.” I stepped forward and pulled my naginata free of the ground. Oracle flitted to my shoulder, and I walked over to where Jay was sitting upright, glaring around.

“You used magic,” he muttered, and I shrugged.

“I’m a filthy cheater,” I admitted, offering a hand to help him up.

“Damn right you are,” He grumbled, but he took my hand and hauled himself up, nodding to me and walking