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

it was for the best, as having access to the new abilities and spells immediately would strengthen them.

Hamma faced Xavier. “Uru’s blessing on you, Xavier. Have these two dummies been arguing the whole time?”

“They are quite irksome,” Xavier replied.

Lylan’s voice appeared from across the room as she threw it. “Agreed. I wish I could tell you it got better.”

Ruwen didn’t take the bait. “Let’s head to the vault.”

“Why?” Hamma asked.

Ruwen let her go and started for the door. “We need to gear up. Assuming you want to join me on a scouting mission in the morning.”

Everyone quickly followed Ruwen as he moved into the depths of the temple. Priests filled the area around the revival baths as a few cycles had already passed, bringing almost three hundred people back from the dead. They all bowed to Ruwen as the group passed. Since his settings remained private, that meant Niall must be informing them about Ruwen.

When they finally reached the vault, Ruwen wouldn’t have guessed it held anything important. The door, while wider and taller, didn’t look reinforced or especially difficult to break.

Lylan whistled softly and ran her hands around the door’s edges. “A lot of stored energy here. Probably runic spells etched into the walls. Dangerous.”

Ruwen raised his eyebrows. He toggled on Detect Temperature briefly and saw the faint red of heat covering the door and walls. He ran a hand along the wall but didn’t feel any difference. When his hand touched the door, it slid open.

The vault consumed several levels as the ceiling stretched over thirty feet above them and extended maybe a hundred feet. Ruwen moved further into the vault and the rest of the party joined him. The door slid silently shut behind them.

Square pillars filled the space, with only a few feet between each one. The pillars held what looked like lockers, each with a glowing window in the center. He reached out to the closest one and lightly pushed on it.

The entire pillar moved upward and the pillar next to it moved downward. Ruwen studied the ceiling where the pillar disappeared and then the floor. Somehow the two pillars connected out of sight. If he wanted to access a locker above him, he simply pulled down and the two pillars rotated like a wheel.

The various sized lockers each had a window and Ruwen looked in one to find plate bracers neatly stacked. Xavier remained by the door, but everyone else had found a locker to peer into.

“Anything interesting?” Ruwen asked.

“Gloves,” Hamma said.

“Shirts,” Lylan said.

“Swords,” Sift said. He looked down at his waist. “Fine, but it’s not that interesting.”

Sift removed the sentient dagger Io from the hidden sheath at his hip. Ky had loaned the dagger to Sift because he loved the dagger’s stories. Xavier moved from the doorway and glided up to Sift. Two tentacle arms formed, and eyes appeared as something resembling a triangle head took shape.

“Greetings, cousin, I did not sense your presence,” Xavier said. “You are tightly bound and a contain a magnificent structure.”

Sift looked at Ruwen. “Is he talking to me?”

Before Ruwen could respond, Sift frowned and focused back on Io. “Why would he be talking to you?” Sift paused, and then spoke again. “If he shocks your brains away, it’s your fault.”

Sift held Io out and Xavier took the dagger with two hands, as if accepting an offering. Sift shrugged and turned back to the group.

“There must be some sort of index or inventory,” Hamma said.

“And we should prioritize what we need,” Lylan said.

You should get some heavy armor, Rami said.

Why would I do that?

I’m want to paralyze you for a few seconds.

That is a weird request.

Your reflexes are too fast, and I want to make a point.

Fine.

Using Chat, Rami spoke to the group. Lylan, throw a dagger at Ruwen.

Ruwen happened to be facing Lylan, and saw her arm flick forward in a blur, launching a dagger at him. His training and reflexes turned his body, except his body didn’t move as Rami kept him stationary.

Last Breath triggered at the sudden danger and the dagger slowed as it spun toward Ruwen. He opened his Void Band to catch the weapon, but immediately his brain felt itchy, like a thousand ants were crawling on it, and his concentration evaporated.

The point of the dagger struck Ruwen’s chest, piercing his shirt directly over his heart.

Chapter 51

The dagger bounced off Ruwen’s chest and fell to the floor with a loud clatter, mingling with Hamma’s yelp of surprise. The ants on his brain disappeared and Rami gave Ruwen control of his body back.

Ruwen rubbed the spot he’d been hit and pulled up his shirt.

There isn’t even a mark, Rami said in Chat.

Lylan leaned down in front of Ruwen and picked up her dagger. She studied the dagger’s bent tip. “You owe me a new dagger.”

“You threw that at me,” Ruwen said, his voice rising a little. “At my heart. Are you crazy?”

Lylan shrugged. “I trust Rami. And I thought you’d just dodge it anyway. Sift usually does.”

“Usually,” Sift said, rubbing his shoulder. “No, he’s not as good as his Sisen yet.” Sift turned to Lylan. “He’s my worst Sijun.”

Ruwen ignored the comment. “I never even saw that dagger.”

Lylan smiled. “Even thieves need to stab people on occasion.”

“How about aiming for something less important next time,” Hamma said as she rubbed a hand over Ruwen’s chest.

Sift pointed to Ruwen’s head, and Lylan laughed. Ruwen smiled and squeezed Hamma’s hand.

Okay, the dagger didn’t hurt me, Ruwen said in Chat. What’s your point?

My dagger’s point, actually, Lylan said.

Ruwen shook his head as Sift and Lylan grinned at each other. Gaining her Specialization had really put Lylan in a good mood.

Your body is Gold Fortified. A close-range bolt from a heavy crossbow might hurt you, but most things will bounce off. The enemy will notice, and last I checked, you’re trying to avoid attention.

Hamma chimed in. If they see him in heavy armor, they’ll assume it protected him. At least from a distance.

Exactly, Rami said.

Ruwen opened