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

but if Nigret is asked to dishonor his ancestors, this Oath is broken,” he said warningly, and I grinned, leaning back and dropping his sword by my side.

“I’ve taken Nigret as a bondsman!” I called out, my voice echoing around the arena. “He is mine now, and any who take issue with this can suck my fucking balls.”

I tried to rise to my feet, staggering as my leg went out from under me, and then he was there, one hand rubbing his neck as he grinned down at me. It was far more gruesome than he likely intended, since half his face was hanging open from my thrust earlier.

“Nigret offers help, but this day is strange, as Nigret is a bondsman, but he doesn’t know to who!” the Trigara said, tilting his head in question.

I reached out and let him pull me to my feet.

“I’ll explain in a few minutes. Let’s get these wounds tended to, and get the proper Oath sworn…”

“Proper Oath?” he asked, confused.

“Trust me; you think your day was going weird before? I should warn you, it’s only gonna get weirder,” I muttered as the door manned by the Legion opened. Two of my men came out to help us back into the rest area, while others came out and grabbed our weapons and stripped all valuables from the body of the Promethean Golmar, leaving the cooling corpse in the sand.

Chapter Eighteen

We staggered into the preparation room, slumping down into chairs, and I grinned at the Legionnaires around me, pleased with the nods I was getting. Augustus stepped forward, pushing Nerin aside as she tried to go to us.

“Wait please, Mistress Nerin,” he said firmly, then he pointed at Nigret. “Can you explain please…Jax?” He stroked his sword hilt.

“It’s okay. I gave him a choice, and he forswore all Oaths and gave one to me instead. Oracle is on her way, and as soon as she’s here, we can…”

I was cut off as the door to the corridor outside slammed back and Oracle ran in, with Mal and Soween close behind her. I also noticed a patch of darkness just behind Nigret, and I grinned, knowing that was Bane, the sneaky fucker.

“That was amazing!” Oracle gushed, sprinting to me and jumping onto my lap.

I grunted in pain, but she shifted, becoming lighter. I relaxed, though I still had to grit my teeth against the pain.

“Sorry!” she yelped, jumping up and weaving her hands before her to send the healing weaves of our Battlefield Triage spell into me. Nerin did the same for Nigret, after a nod from Augustus.

I groaned as the spell poured through me, healing and rebuilding shredded muscles, bringing me back to fighting trim.

After a handful of seconds, I sagged back, though the final twitches of magical repairs made me sit up straighter.

“So…” Mal started, glaring at Nigret. I took a quick look around the room and was surprised to realize that the entire room was doing the same. Now that Nigret was unarmed, he started to look scared, a panicked smile on his face as he hunted for a way to escape.

“You’ll get used to it, Mal,” Oracle said, smiling. “Our lord likes to take in strays…”

“Nigret is no stray…” Nigret muttered at the same time as Mal corrected her quickly.

“He’s not MY lord…”

“‘Lord’?” Nigret perked up at that, and squinted at me, confused.

“Yeah…” I grinned. “Oracle, can you extend the Oath to him, please?” I asked, winking at him.

Nigret stiffened suddenly, as the Oath arrived in his notifications, and he started to growl low in his throat as he read through it.

“I see no limits on this Oath…LORD JAX…” he rumbled angrily. “Nigret agreed to serve you for ten years, and to do nothing dishonorable. This Oath has no such limits!”

“I. Lord Jax of Dravith, Scion of the Empire, swear that after ten years of faithful service by Nigret, I will release him from his Oath to me, should he wish it. I will never intentionally order him to do something dishonorable, and I will raise him in my service as he deserves and earns, should he do well…” I said, smiling reassuringly at him before the mana drain of the Oath made me grit my teeth and taking a deep breath. I kept eye contact with him and nodded. “Now it’s your turn, mate. You know you’ll be free in the agreed term now.”

“And if I refuse? I never agreed to support you in your war,” he snapped.

“Then you’re an Oathbreaker, as far as I’m concerned. I hear the consequences for that aren’t pleasant…”

“Nigret is no Oathbreaker!” the Trigara snarled. He paused, bringing himself under control, closing his eyes, and swallowing hard as something clearly affected him. He groaned in pain, then glared at me, and started to speak.

“I swear to obey Lord Jax and those he places over me; I will serve to the best of my ability, speak no lie to him when commanded otherwise, and treat all other citizens as family.

I will work for the greater good, being a shield to those that need it, a sword to those that deserve it, and a warden to the night.”

“I will stand with my family, helping one another to reach the light, until the hour of my death or my Lord releases me from my oath.”

“Lastly, I will not be a dick!”

As the final words left his lips, I felt the Oath becoming active and I sighed in relief. I met his furious eyes as I intoned the words I’d used for others who had joined me.

“I, Lord Jax, do swear to protect and lead you, to be the shield that protects you and yours from the darkness, and the sword that avenges that which cannot be saved. As the Tower grows in strength, so shall you.” Once the last word had left my lips, my people started to relax. “I’m sorry to have to do this, Nigret, and I know this isn’t going to leave a good