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

focus as an enormous yawn cracked my jaws. It didn’t take long to find out what had awoken me: an extremely urgent need to use the toilet.

I shuffled myself across the bed, slowly heaving myself upright and yawning again. My entire body felt weak and sore as I staggered into the adjoining room and relieved myself. I noted absently that the sunken bath had been scrubbed clean again.

I yawned yet again, pouring some water from the jug on a shelf into the stone basin, and washed my face and hands, trying to force some life back into my fuzzy brain. I skimmed the room absently as I shuffled back to the bed, finding my clothes stacked neatly, cleaned, thank god, and repaired. I started pulling different items on, when my brain seemed to finally kick into full gear.

I blinked, straightening up and scowled at the small balcony garden outside of my room. More specifically, I scowled at the darkness that filled it, when the noise that had been  at the edge of my hearing since I awoke finally resolved.

Past the nearby sounds of low voices talking, I could hear the cheers and chants of a crowd, and the call of an announcer as they broadcast a name…

I couldn’t make it out, but I knew what it meant as the last of the sleep was banished from my tired brain.

The arena.

The fight had begun.

I swore viciously and began grabbing my gear, dressing quickly. I paused briefly as a calm voice spoke in the darkness of my room.

“On your left…” I froze at the sound, then realized who it was.

“Bane?” I asked, and he stepped forward from a patch of shadow, nodding in greeting while reaching out and pulling the cinch strap tight, on my left, as he’d pointed out. I shrugged inside my armor for a second, feeling it settling more comfortably as I nodded my thanks to him.

“What happened?” I asked, and he cocked hid head to one side.

“With what?”

“Everything!” I snapped, getting a low ‘thrummm’ of amusement back from him.

“Well, some trees grew a little taller, some animals were eaten, others were born, and…”

“You know what I mean, you prick,” I cut him off, trying not to grin at him.

“Oh, you mean what happened with the rest of us, while the ‘Mighty Lord Jax’ had a nap?” he asked sarcastically, his tone letting me know he was taking the opportunity to mock me.

“Yes, you git,” I said, half frustrated, half relived. I knew if he was joking, it couldn’t be that bad.

“Well, your champion Augustus seems to be doing well. The first round of fights were easy enough; only two of the gangs sent fighters, and he killed them both easily. He actually cut one almost in half with the man’s own battleaxe, so, yes, he’s fast becoming a favorite with the crowds.” Bane said, more seriously. “The second round is going well, from what I can hear. They’ve chanted his name three times so far, so I can only guess the night’s fights are nearly over now…”

“Wait, the first round? The second? How long was I out?” I asked, confused.

“Over a full day. You slept straight through the fights last night, all of today, and now it’s the early hours of… well… tomorrow now, I guess?” He shrugged.

“I’ve lost two nights?!” I gaped at him, stunned. “What the hell…”

“Mistress Nerin returned and checked on you. She said that you were recovering well, and she wanted to see you as soon as you woke up. Oracle is with her in the arena now, talking to a group of engineers from the shipyards.”

“I… I need to get there,” I said, dismayed at how much time I’d lost, and at least in part, a little bemused by how little anyone seemed to care. My notifications were flashing insistently, and I quickly pulled them up, grimacing as I read the first.

Congratulations! You have killed the following;

11x Shoppers (Various Races) for a total of 2,785xp

1x Felar Trader for a total of 1,390xp

2x Imps for a total of 300xp

6x Refugees (Various races) for a total of 1,200xp

4x Horses for a total of 90xp

411x Common Sewer Rats for a total of 411xp

27x Greater Sewer Rats for a total of 108xp

2x Skaven for a total of 845xp

Progress to level 15 stands at 61,448/165,000

I dismissed it instantly, feeling sick as I was forced to read the list of deaths I’d caused with my little temper tantrum, and yet, it was nothing, considering the deaths I’d nearly caused by releasing the maddened shade of Amon on the Realm.

I saw the second prompt dealing with increases in my skills, and I closed it without looking. I couldn’t deal with that shit right now.

“Jax?” Bane asked, and I met his eyes, swallowing hard.

“Yeah?” I mumbled weakly.

“Are you okay?” He reached out as if to steady me.

“No. No, I’m really not, mate. I just saw how many died in that incident in the market, and I…”

“Did you get any other prompts?” he asked intently, and I shrugged.

“I closed them; I can’t deal with that shit right now.”

“Did you receive any on new followers?” he asked, and I frowned at him, confused.

“No, why…”

“Then I suggest you pull them up and look again, my friend. It's not all as bleak as you fear. You killed people, yes, and regrettably, some died who should not have, but there are many who lived, and now live free, because of that ‘incident’.”

I took a deep breath and pulled the notifications back up, dismissing the skill gains again in order to read the third and final prompt.

Congratulations!

Your companion, Oracle, has administered the Oath of Allegiance in your stead, Master of the Great Tower.  The following citizens have taken the Oath and joined your ranks.

11x Elves

4x Dwarves

14x Half breeds of Various Species

3x Halflings

3x Panthera

2x Saurians

7x Humans

Furthermore, 22 Children of various races have been granted sanctuary after being informed that they are too young to swear the Oaths.

“Where the hell did they come from?” I asked Bane in surprise.

“They’re