Rewind: A Grimdark LitRPG Series (Pyresouls Apocalypse, Book 1) by James Callum (reading tree .txt) 📕

Without opening her eyes, she said, “It is a horrible, horrible place. The interred dead no longer stay dead and necromancers wander the halls raising up armies as their playthings. You only go there if you want to join their army.” She opened her eyes and looked at him intently. “You aren’t thinking of going deeper down there, are you?”

Jacob nodded.

The look she gave him was at once deeply concerned and terrified. “Then you’ll be going on your own.”

Whether she meant it as a way to goad him into abandoning his plan, or she was simply stating her limits, Jacob wasn’t sure. Perhaps a bit of both.

The ruby-eyed elf was a great companion. With her magic and his swordsmanship, they were a potent foe to contend with. But even together they would not be able to fight their way into the darkest depths of the catacombs.

He understood it as a simple truth and there was nothing he could do to change it. But he also knew there was no way he wasn’t about to try it. “I have to try,” he said as much to himself as to Camilla.

A flash of hurt crossed her features but she recovered quickly enough. “I had hoped we would stay together a little longer,” she said. “When we first met, you told me you had a duty to the countless souls of another realm. Your dedication to them is laudable. I hope they are worth it. My own obligations are no less, and while I am loathe to leave a debt unpaid-”

“You stood guard over my unconscious body while I was… indisposed,” he interjected. “You could have left. I would not have faulted you for that. Neither did I ask anything of you. All you have given, I am thankful for. You owe me nothing, Camilla.”

Camilla clenched her jaw, her eyes softened with emotion. “Very well, then you will go alone and here we shall part ways.” She stood up. “Come here and give me your hand.”

Surprised, Jacob got to his feet and offered his gauntleted hand to her.

“I am not supposed to do this but I do not believe you will survive the affair without this gift. I cannot go with you, but perhaps you can take a little of my magic with you. I can sense the capacity within you – weak though it is.”

Camilla placed her hand atop Jacob’s and shut her eyes. Flames, golden and gentle twirled around their joined hands. They spiraled across her forearm and made their way to Jacob, snaking up his armor and diving into his breastplate as if it didn’t exist.

You learn the Sorcery: Heat Blade.

Wreathe your weapon in deadly flame. Effective versus Undead. This Sorcery was granted to a specific order of Knights of the long-ago kingdom of Asalin. Sorcerers and Knights were paired for life, sharing both strength of arm and Sorcery alike. The Heartbinders were the pride of the kingdom, before its tragic betrayal and fall.

Requirement: 7 INT

Uses: 3

He was speechless. Though he doubted that Camilla gave it to him for the same reason listed in the description, he still felt honored. “Thank you,” he said as solemnly as he could.

Before he could say anything more, she wrapped him in a tight hug and was gone in a flutter of parchment robes. No goodbye, she was just gone. He could have gone after her but he knew he would never convince her and it would be wrong to try.

Sitting back down at the Pyre, once more alone with the Fire Oppa, he said, “I really hope I see her again.”

“Perhaps you will,” said the Fire Oppa slyly. He always seemed to know more than he let on. “You want me to inscribe that spell onto your Spell Gem?”

“If you don’t mind,” Jacob said, obviously distracted. He hardly paid attention as he found his thoughts drifting back to Camilla. Did he make the wrong choice in splitting up with her?

It would have been unfair to demand she go with him, and that might have been why she was so quick to leave. But a small part of him hoped that was not true. He felt, he hoped, that she was afraid of agreeing to accompany him despite her protestations.

Camilla had her own goals and desires that were apart from his. He told her the truth when he said she owed him nothing, that he wanted nothing from her.

In the face of being alone again, he wondered if it would have been so bad to force her to come along to repay her debt to him. It was a dark thought, one he immediately threw away.

But he missed her. Despite how little they spoke, they had formed a wordless bond. They fought well together, developed ways to communicate, and clearly, they looked out for one another. All without a single word.

How much better might they have been….

She reminded him so much of Kim, and yet it was more than that.

Lormar was a lonely, broken world. It helped to have even one other person by your side. It was why he caved on his first playthrough and agreed to let Emily come with him even though he felt something was off.

And he trusted Camilla. He knew that she wouldn’t suddenly turn around and stab him in the back. She surely had enough opportunities. It would have been much easier if she left him when he was pulled to the future than to stay with him at great personal risk just to defend him.

For her, the risk was permanent death. If Jacob died there, he’d return to the Pyre back at the Steps of Penance. It would be a major setback but minor compared to hers.

Maybe that was why she didn’t stay.

As much as Jacob liked Camilla, she didn’t seem to be the selfless type. Jacob shrugged and swiped his hand down his face, smelling the rich leather of the worn glove.

He sighed and pulled himself together. Camilla was gone and he had