The Fourth Secret: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Divine Apostasy Book 4) by A. Kay (best short books to read .TXT) 📕

Niall stepped forward and bowed deeply to Ruwen. “Sister Hamma tells me you are to thank for restoring the temple and reviving us.”

“Sister Hamma?” Ruwen asked and looked at Hamma.

Hamma pressed her lips together and shook her head.

“We all helped,” Ruwen said.

“Forgive us, Niall,” Colyn said. “We’ll catch up later. Clarysa and I need to gear up so we can recover some terium.”

“Of course,” Niall said. “The temple is critically low.”

Ruwen’s parents hugged him, bowed to Niall and Hamma, and then strode into the temple. For him, three days had passed since he’d seen Hamma, and he wanted to hug her. But with her dad standing next to her, he decided against it. Even though it appeared Hamma hadn’t told Niall they were related yet.

The three of them stood there looking at each other and as the silence continued, Ruwen grew desperate to end the awkwardness. “I’m sure you’re shocked that sixteen years has passed.”

Niall bowed his head. “Yes.”

Ruwen looked at Hamma, who raised her eyebrows and stared intently at him. He’d just finished a tough conversation with his parents and knew how difficult they were to start. Maybe he could nudge the discussion along to make it easier for Hamma to reveal she was Niall’s daughter.

“What are your plans?” Ruwen asked. “Do you need to get back to family?”

Hamma coughed, and Niall turned to Hamma. “Are you okay, Sister?”

Hamma looked at the ground, her blond hair hiding her face. “I’m fine,” she croaked.

Niall turned back to Ruwen. “My heart is here,” Niall said. “Along with my duty.”

Hamma choked, turned, and dashed into the temple. Ruwen started to follow her.

Don’t, Rami said. She will literally kill you if you find her now.

Ruwen winced as he realized how Niall’s response would hurt Hamma. He had basically helped confirm for Hamma that her dad didn’t care about her.

That was probably a mistake, Ruwen said.

You think? Rami asked.

“Is everything okay with Sister Hamma?” Niall asked. “Maybe we should check on her?”

Niall seemed genuinely concerned and had taken a step into the temple.

Ruwen raised his hands. “No, let’s just let her be.” He didn’t know how to explain why, so he changed the subject. “I need your help, but I want to make sure we’re on the same page. Do you have a few minutes?”

“Of course,” Niall said.

Ruwen strode into the temple and almost immediately realized he had no idea how to get where he wanted. Lir, can you direct me to the High Priest’s chapel.

As you wish, Architect Starfield. In two hundred fifty-seven and three-fifths feet, alter your z-axis vector—

Ruwen interrupted the temple. On second thought, can you tell Rami, please.

A moment later Rami triggered Ruwen’s Survey ability and a three-dimensional map appeared in his vision, with a blue dashed line marking his route.

Much better. Thank you, Rami.

I should lead you into the reactor for what you did to Hamma.

What’s a reactor? And I was just trying to help.

Rami sighed. I know. But that doesn’t make it better.

Ruwen worried he’d messed up worse than he’d feared and dwelled on it the entire trip to the chapel. Thankfully, Hamma hadn’t come here, and the chapel remained empty. Niall and Ruwen entered the small room, and he dismissed Survey, closed the door to the room, and leaned against the revival tub. He’d kissed Hamma here for the first time not that long ago. Now she was mad at him, and he stood here with her dad instead. His life kept getting weirder.

“I know Uru sent you here,” Ruwen said.

Niall smiled. “She directs us all. One only needs to listen to hear her voice and spread the word of her kindness—”

“Stop with the sermon. And she is only kind if it serves her goals.”

Niall frowned.

Ruwen had little time to convince Niall that he should listen and trust Ruwen. He needed to skip to the end so they could get things moving here. But he wanted to limit those who knew Uru had given him the Architect Role, which effectively made him god. He could only think of one way around this problem, which is why he had come here.

Hamma had told Ruwen that each temple had a sacred tablet that Uru used to communicate with the High Priest. The Order Class considered it the holy word of Uru and kept the screen draped with cloth.

When Ruwen had first seen it, he had needed to add ten ability points to Hey You to decipher the writing and learn the temple required a Navigator for restoration.

Ruwen carefully worded his request to the temple. Lir, when I tell you, will you please write my words on the screen in here. Also, write it in a language the priest can understand. Not the Architect language it normally displays.

Of course, Architect Starfield.

Write the following three sentences. Ruwen Starfield can be trusted and speaks in my name. I release you from all obligations, Niall Blakrock. Thank you for your sacrifices.

Ruwen nodded at the tablet and Niall walked to it. He said a prayer before lifting the cloth covering the display.

Quit trying to make things better, Rami said.

I think Niall said he didn’t want to go home because Uru extracted some commitment from him. Now that I released him, he’ll ask to go home. I can tell Hamma that and everything will be better.

Niall slowly replaced the cloth over the display, said a longer prayer, and turned to Ruwen. “I apologize for misleading you, Ruwen.”

Ruwen nodded. “I need your help to get started, but then you are free to leave.”

“Why would I leave?”

Ruwen stared at Niall, dumbstruck. Did this man really not care that he’d orphaned his baby daughter sixteen years ago? And his wife?

That is why you stop trying to help, Rami said. Because we aren’t prepared for the answers.

Maybe I should just ask—

Ruwen Starfield I will melt your brain if you keep this up.

Ruwen stopped. His Wisdom was still low, but he knew anytime a woman used his full name, she meant business.

Ruwen swallowed hard, his heart aching