Berserker: A LitRPG Urban Fantasy Adventure (Apocosmos Book 1) by Dimitrios Gkirgkiris (phonics readers .txt) 📕

you’ll help me screen applicants?” I asked. “I find them and you interview them?”

“Just make sure ye screen them good. I don’t want to talk to any more people than I absolutely need to.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I replied and winked at Louie.

A little while later, Leo’s moving command center pulled up outside of Rory’s apartment. Leo came into the room with us to unload the loot he’d gathered from his inventory and leave it with us.

“Are ye sure ye don’t want anything, elf?” Rory asked as Leo turned to leave.

“Yeah, I’m good. My clan raids pretty regularly and since I’m the only spellcaster—I mean, apart from my sister—I have top-tier equipment waiting for me whenever I’m ready for an upgrade.”

“Ye’re a lucky lad, having yer family love ye and take care of ye like that,” Rory said, and his gaze momentarily wandered to places far away from this realm.

“I guess that’s one way to think about it,” Leo replied and lowered his eyes to the ground.

I knew what troubled both of them and that they both needed to address their issues in order to move on with their lives. What I didn’t know was why I cared about all this shit suddenly. It wasn’t like my problems were now solved. There was no solution for me. This was the hand I’d been dealt and I had to play it out. Much as I would prefer to burn my hand, the deck, and everyone else involved in this horrible game of fate, I had Louie to think about.

“See you tomorrow,” Leo said as he opened the door to leave.

“Hey, Leo,” I asked quickly before the door completely closed. “Can we transfer some of my stuff to the new apartment?”

“It’s already happening,” he replied. “I’ve texted my family and once I got the confirmation, I sent some people to do it.”

“You’re the best,” I said.

“I know, right?” he said and waved us goodbye.

“Bye, Leo!” Louie shouted.

Rory waved his own goodbye. “Lad,” he said in a low voice a couple of minutes later. “Ye’re not sleepy, are ye?”

The time was way after midnight, but I knew that even if I lay on the sofa, I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep. Not for lack of exhaustion, but because I’d have to revisit today’s battle and the wrath that overcame me. I shook my head.

“Shall we count the money then?” he asked with a smile.

“Let’s do it. But it’ll take forever without…” I left my sentence hanging as he produced two money counters similar to those I’d only ever seen used by cartels in movies. “Of course you have those things…”

“Take this one and start counting,” the dwarf said, passing me one of the surprisingly heavy devices.

“Where should I plug it in, Rory? You don’t have any outlets.”

“They don’t need electricity. Just start counting.”

“So they’re magical, but we still have to do the manual work?”

“The ones that just scan a place are too expensive. Now just start counting, will ye?”

“Do you want to help me?” I asked Louie, who was already on his tablet, the tinkling sound of a Playstation one game booting up coming from it. “Louie?”

“Huh? What?” he said and turned toward me, his tail wagging softly at the mention of his name.

“Do you want to help me count the money?”

“No, I’m fine. I’ve been looking forward to the battle of Rockaxe for a while.”

Ah yes, the battle against the Highland Army in Suikoden 2. I didn’t blame him for wanting to continue playing. Money was only really exciting if you could directly relate the value of it to material possessions and that was one thing Louie hadn’t really learned yet. Neither was he very interested in learning. He turned back to his screen again, his tail moving softly as he fell back into the beautiful world of his new JRPG.

“Say, Rory? Why do you think they kept the money in briefcases?” I asked. “Why even have cash in the first place?”

“I would say hoarding, but they’re no dragons.”

“That sounds a lot like you’re profiling all dragons as hoarders…” I said as seriously as I could.

“Aye, and all humans are weaklings that like fucking around with words,” he retorted angrily, instantly taking the bait and pulling as hard as he could at it. Only when I couldn’t hold in my laughter anymore did his angry demeanor fade. He pointed his finger at me, smiling. “Ye think ye’re clever, lad?”

It felt good to joke around again. I wasn’t sure if it was because I could relate to what the dwarf had been through or because I was trying to escape some of the other thoughts in my head, but it felt good.

“Seriously, though. Why would they have so much cash lying around?”

“They were probably going to transfer the money,” he replied. “Some transactions and deals are better left outside the purview of the Dark Energy Marketplace.”

I considered the implications. “That can’t be good. Did we just steal from the mob?”

“All the mobs we encountered are now dead,” he replied, obviously not understanding what I meant. “And whoever wanted to get this money will never find ye now. Not as long as ye keep that orb on ye.”

I produced the orb from my inventory and held it out in front of me. It emitted a soft glow that had been indiscernible under the multicolored lights of the neon sign warehouse. Its scaly surface was cool to the touch, but I could feel warm spots here and there that moved as I held it.

“Why do you think it’s called Dragon’s Reckoning?” I asked.

“Hell if I know,” Rory mumbled, annoyed that I was distracting him from his counting.

“Do you think it’s a dragon egg?”

“Alright, that does it!” A low rumbling voice boomed from the orb.

Horrified, I let it drop onto the sofa. Rory stopped counting instantly.

“Idiot human,” the voice boomed again. “What do you think we are? Fucking chickens?”

18

Tears of the dragon

“What the fuck!” I shouted and looked at Rory for help.

“Birds