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

The spell, propelled by Ruwen’s Energy, shot back at the caster twice as fast. The Mage’s white-blue eyes grew large and then the room shook with an explosion as the spell struck the Celestial Remnant in the head.

Chapter 49

The room grew bright as the spell’s energy arced through the crystals like a lightning storm. The aired had the burned smell of a bad alchemy experiment.

The top half of the Celestial Remnant had disappeared, and Ruwen wondered if he’d killed the creature. Then, like a miniature storm, the air swirled and glittered in the cave’s light. With a rush, the sparkling drops in the air coalesced back on the remnant and it was whole again.

If the blue-white eyes had been slits before, now Ruwen could barely see them. The creature pulsed and Ruwen prepared himself for another attack.

“Xavier,” Blapy said in a neutral tone.

The pulsing stopped immediately, and the Celestial Remnant faced Blapy. “This bag of mundane elements deserves punishment.”

“I do not doubt it,” Blapy said. “But analyzing others is a common occurrence here. It is one of many things you will need to tolerate.”

“How barbaric,” Xavier said.

“You must refrain from vaporizing those who displease you,” Blapy said.

“That is unacceptable,” Xavier replied.

“And yet the fact remains,” Blapy said.

Xavier stared at Blapy for a few seconds and then pulsed a red-orange color. “If you insist.”

Blapy nodded. “Xavier, meet Ruwen. He will give you many opportunities to test your restraint. Although, as you can see, he is not the easiest to kill. I’ve tried it myself many times and only succeeded once.”

Ruwen had accidentally Harvested on the first floor of the Black Pyramid, shortly after finding the Harvesting room. His death had been a mere moment as his Health Regen ticked before the lightening had left his body. A fact he knew Blapy had planned. If she’d wanted him permanently dead, he couldn’t have prevented it.

Ruwen bowed. “Well met, Xavier.”

After a moment, Xavier gave such a small nod, Ruwen wondered if he’d imagined it. This guy definitely needed points in Charisma.

Xavier turned to Blapy. “Is this truly the vector I must traverse?”

A stuffed centipede appeared out of thin air and Blapy hugged it. After a second, she faced Xavier. “That choice is yours. If you desire the birthright of your people, he is the closest anvil.”

Xavier strobed from blue-grey to yellow-orange, and Ruwen squinted to prevent a headache.

Ruwen looked at Blapy. “This is a terrible idea. Xavier strikes me as a more solo type. I’m not sure he fits with our group dynamic.”

“What dynamic is that?” Sift asked. “Confusion, panic, and pain?”

“That’s not helpful, Sift,” Ruwen muttered.

What is a Celestial Remnant? Ruwen asked Rami.

Only one of the most amazing things in the universe. I’m so excited to study one up-close.

What makes them so special?

Their species live inside stars, kind of like tadpoles. When the star explodes, the energy released raises a fraction of them into sentience. It’s like the star giving birth as it dies.

And here I thought it would be something dramatic. Ruwen said sarcastically.

Despite the comment, Ruwen had to admit that sounded impressive. Well, he’s kind of a jerk.

Well, maybe don’t look so serious and sour all the time.

How is this my fault? He shot liquid lightning at me!

I’m sure it was just a misunderstanding. He is so shiny. He’s glowing in every spectrum I can see.

Ruwen tilted his head and tried to keep the jealousy out of his inner voice. Do you like this guy?

I don’t like, like him. You know, I just, well, like the way he shines.

Ruwen tightened his jaw and let the conversation go. It was only making him more upset. He refocused on the room and found Blapy staring at him.

“I wonder how many times you’ll die because you can’t stay focused?” Blapy asked.

“I was listening?” Ruwen lied.

Blapy rolled her eyes. “I said, it is your choice. You don’t have to accept Xavier.”

Blapy let the rest go unsaid. If Ruwen didn’t take this pompous candle, then he would lose the protection of his northern flank. For the sake of New Eiru, he had to take Xavier.

“I made an agreement, and I stand by it,” Ruwen said.

“Good,” Blapy said, and then turned to Xavier. “Do you need to say goodbye to your parents?”

“They can oscillate in loneliness for subjecting me to this trajectory,” Xavier said.

“I’ll take that as a no,” Blapy said. “Say goodbye, Fractal.”

Fractal had not stopped staring at Xavier, which also made Ruwen a bit jealous. What was wrong with him? Why had he turned into an insecure twelve-year-old?

Bye, Fractal.

Fractal remained transfixed by Xavier. Ruwen had never seen the small gem creature stand still for so long. A little louder, he spoke to Fractal again. Bye, Fractal.

Slowly, Fractal turned toward Ruwen. Gleaming rod stay Fractal?

Ruwen bit the inside of his cheek. Not now. But I promise to bring him back as soon as possible.

Fractal jumped up and down and turned his attention back to Xavier. Thanks, thanks, thanks.

Ruwen figured that was as close to a goodbye as he would get.

Bye, Fractal, Rami said.

Fractal faced Ruwen again and then ran in a tight circle. Fractal cracks you leave.

Ruwen shook his head. What was he? Appah drool?

“Xavier, keep our previous discussion in close orbit,” Blapy said. “You must adapt. Remember, their kind, as a whole, are not tolerant of the abnormal.”

“They are abnormal,” Xavier said.

Blapy sighed, shook her head, and looked up at Ruwen. “Good luck.”

Then, with no sense of movement, they stood outside the portal, two miles north of New Eiru. Sift looked around and shouted in joy.

Sift held his hands up to the moon. “Yes! And it isn’t even my fault.”

It took Ruwen a moment to understand that they’d avoided seeing Sift’s parents. That made Ruwen smile, too. His smile disappeared when Xavier floated up next to him.

“It’s a two-mile walk back,” Ruwen said.

“Walking is for lower forms,” Xavier said.

Ruwen nodded and strode toward the distant temple that glowed in the moonlight like a giant version of Xavier. He