Immortal Kings: A LitRPG Adventure (The World Over Book 2) Page 4

  Not a minute later, the threshold abruptly changed their surroundings, showcasing a town with a dusty unpaved road that led into a circular cul-de-sac. Two-story timber houses with triangular roofs and wide-spanning balconies made it seem like the place was made for neighbors to scream and shout at one another. And there, towards the center of the open space, stomped a Native with mis-matched leather armor, a double-chin, and an angry fist walking up to an unimpressed Diant, who puffed his burly chest.

  “Looks like it’s already starting.” Resuel pointed.

  Aegis’ lens began flashing colors in the bottom left corner of his vision. He tapped the text, pulling a message to the forefront that read:

  !Event!

  Browly Temperament

  The Townsfolk of Browlertin have a longstanding feud with one another, which is about to erupt! Over an argument of pride, the Alabasters seek to hang their banners all over the town, while the Ridearks demand that theirs is more appropriate. Join in on the public discourse by taking a side and aiding your tribe in the inevitable dispute to come. Once accepted, you will have fifteen minutes to decide which group you desire to be a part of.

  Rewards for completion:

  Accomplishment – 6000 Belna Credits to be split amongst the group.

  x1 Blunt Cudgel (Alabaster or Rideark Banner Wrapped, depending on choice)

  x1 Harpy Relic – Amethyst

  x1 Randomized Rare Item – randomization limited to usability of the group.

  Aegis blew air from his mouth at the ridiculousness of what he just read, and clicked ‘Accept.’

  “Well Silver, I guess you get your wish.”

  Chapter 3

  An Age-Old Feud

  Trumpets blared from a bridge connecting two houses overhead. Aegis nearly broke his neck to look. “Are they announcing us?”

  “Well since you clicked ‘accept’ on all of our behalf.” Silver sneered.

  Aegis shrugged. “I thought we’d decided.”

  Dust puffed up around their feet as they entered the cul-de-sac. They were tentative, because every few seconds more Natives rushed to join in on the two arguing at the center. A chubby woman peeking out of a second story window was shaking her fist at the Diant as if he’d done something unforgiveable. She threw down her apron and stomped on it for good measure. Aegis thought she was baking pies or something, but when she summoned an icicle and hurled it at the floor, he realized how wrong he was.

  He then peered at another house, noting the white hanging banner with a sleek golden lion embroidered into it.

  Hey, that looks cool.

  His gaze rose to the woman peering out of a window above the banner, aghast that he didn’t notice her first. She was perfect in Aegis’ mind, with lavish long hair and flawless skin… almost dreamlike.

  He was entranced for a long second until Flatpuss elbowed him lightly. “She’d be a fun third wheel, huh? Little russle tussle?”

  Aegis felt his cheeks grow hot.

  “Oy,” Flat started scratching her neck, “I really want that cudgel reward all of a sudden.”

  “Great.” Silver raised his eyebrows. “Then your de-evolution into cave woman will be complete.”

  Flat snapped her fingers and summoned Teeny to her side. “Maybe I’ll choose the other side just so my furry love here can gnaw at some Seles bones. How does that sound, puppy?”

  The giant cat purred as Flat scratched her chin.

  “Guys.” Aegis scanned the town and noted how rowdy things were getting. “I think the aura is kicking in.”

  “Why do you say— oh.” Resuel put a hand over her mouth.

  “Yeah.” Aegis pointed to the Rideark banner that all of a sudden looked like a blotch of sludge, and then to the Natives with missing teeth hanging from their windows and making exaggeratedly terrible faces. “Are we all seeing the same thing?”

  “Indeed.” Silver squinted. “The quest wants us to pick the Alabasters. Wonder why?”

  “Looks like your answer just strolled out of that house.” Lee pointed his blade to another group of five Idols who looked more devious than any of the other townsfolk.

  Aegis – still half-traumatized from the Warlord Trinket – activated his lens to see the town listed as ‘neutral territory.’

  “We still have ten minutes to choose a side.” Silver tapped around his lens projection.

  “Hm. Maybe we should choose the Ridearks,” Aegis considered. “I’m sure the event would be easier with ten Idols against the town Natives.”

  “And what is that supposed to mean?” Silver folded his arms.

  “I, uh, didn’t mean it like that. These Natives are obviously not like you, Silver. Something just seems… off. Must be the aura—”

  “Oh really? Did you even try to talk to them?”

  “No. Just judging by their behavior…” He looked at Silver, noticing the smile cracking on his face. “You bastard! You had me going there for a second!”

  Silver and Resuel giggled haughtily at him. “It’s a clever idea, Aegis, as usual. There’s something very off about this place to say the least.”

  “Looks fine to me.” Lee’s glowing eyes traced another incoming crowd. “We’re going to have us a massacre.”

  “Oy, are these poor guys and gals stuck on loop? They just fight each other over and over, forever?” Flat frowned.

  Silver rolled his eyes. “You don’t cry for every beast we slay, or Idol we send to the Death Realm, or kitty cat you run over—”

  Aegis and Resuel gasped, and even Lee winced.

  “Low blow, my dear Seles.” Aegis patted Silver’s shoulder while walking past him, just as Flat charged to slap his face to her heart’s content.

  Their voices faded into the background as Aegis made his way toward the central conflict: the one that started with an overzealous angry Narbor and a quiet Diant. He pushed past townsfolk who, at this rate, may as well have been a militia with pitchforks.

  Silver has a good point, even if he was joking. I should talk to them. See what the heck this is all about. It can’t really be a fight over just banners, right?

  Shouldering through some more tense bodies and pumping fists, he finally reached the original angry Narbor with mismatched leather armor, demonstrating a chopping motion with his hands. He was looking more ghoulish by the second – a Rideark.

  “You think house thirteen and fourteen should hang yours? Never! Give me one good reason we should have two disgusting creatures dangling in the wind side-by-side! We will never have a tourist again!”

  “Oh my small little neighbor. You just can’t see it, can yeh? Ours is clearly the superior cloth. We have a woven masterpiece with a lion’s head for Felix’s sake. Creature? Pfah. You’re blind, Narbor,” the Diant bellowed, looking down on him with two burly fists at his sides. “Yours is shit, I tell yeh. Shit. What are the other passersby going to think if we hang that sludge all around?”

  Aegis found himself in agreement with the Alabaster, and then shook his head to snap himself free of the daze.

  I guess it really is about banners.

  “Hey!” Aegis shouted on deaf ears. “Hey!” He slammed his shield down to beckon everyone’s attention. “I have an idea.”

  All eyes – tense and astonished – were now on the Idol who had no business participating in this town meeting.

  Aegis observed his surroundings, feeling a sudden jolt of anxiety evoked from his stint with the Immortal Kings. Was he going to be embarrassed again just for speaking his mind? Why did all of these eyes make his palms sweaty?

  Shit.

  He opened his mouth to speak, but found his throat dry and coarse, with no words filtering from his brain. Everything was going blank.

  He cleared his throat to stall.

  What’s wrong with you Aegis? Speak!

  “Well, are you going to say somethin’, or are you just another little Narbor throwing a tantrum?” The Diant furrowed his brow, laughing through his confusion.

  How is it that I can run straight into an isocorpse, or a maeldron, or the face of death, but I’m freezing up when all I have to do is speak?

  “Because you’re a protector, Aegis,” a hopeful voice whispered inside of him. Urias’ voice. “You will jump head first into danger if it means saving your friends. I’ve witnessed it. Now, however, you need to muster a different kind of courage as Guild Throne.”

  He’s right, Aegis thought. Also, am I crazy? He looked at his shield and gulped.

  No. Listen to him. Every second I waste is a second further from finding the one who brought me and Roy into these worlds. I have to do it for mom now.

  “I think the man has a speech impediment!” the Narbor shouted.

  Aegis straightened suddenly, confidently, surprised that a bizarre internal pep talk could do anything of the sort. “Gentlemen,” he finally began, voice shaky from shedding his nerves, “ladies,” he bowed to a few genuinely beautiful women, “I propose a solution to an age-old problem, one that will solve this debate once and for all.”

  “Oh yeah? What’s that?” The Narbor asked, leaning in with comical skepticism.

  “Make a new banner… together. One that is shared and jointly owned by both Alabaster and Rideark.”

  A few low hoots came from the two at odds.

  “Is he serious?” The Narbor pointed at him.

  “Together? Pfah!” The Diant spat and laughed at the same time.

  “Equal contributions by your finest designers to create one glorious banner that represents Browlertin in its entirety. What’s so crazy about that?”

  The townsfolk glanced hesitantly at one another; low chatter began to break out.

  “This one has no sense about him.” The Diant pointed at the angry Narbor. “But even he’s not as dumb as y
ou for thinking their designer can exist in the same room as ours. He’d melt by her sheer genius.”

  “There you go again!” The Narbor flailed. “Insulting our great inscriber who has decades more experience than yours.”

  “Yeh. Wipe the dust off ‘em and he might fall apart.”

  “Intolerable!” The Narbor stomped.

  Aegis came between them with his arms held out, knowing that he had about a minute left before things became hostile.

  “Gentlemen, please. You can both supervise and yell your revisions until the perfect banner is presented before you. Think about it. You both have to live in this town, right? And you want more tourists, yes? Well, let me tell you… I was scared to even step foot in this place because of its reputation. But,” he looked between them, “if I saw one unified banner representing all of its people, I dare say it’d be the finest crossroads in the land.”

  More chatter broke out, and the silence between the two at odds meant they were at least considering Aegis’ words. Maybe he wasn’t such a screw up at this politics game, after all.

  “I mean look at you all. Handsome men, beautiful women.” Aegis was getting ahead of himself, and winced when he saw a Rideark with three teeth wink back at him. He coughed and diverted attention. “Such fine timber houses expertly packed with wattle and daub. I’m sure I’d sleep soundly with even the most bone-chilling winds knocking to get in.”

  What the hell has come over me? What am I saying? I feel like Arco Firan or any of the other douches in the Immortal Kings. Just stop talking, Aegis.

  “Yo.” A dark, mangy Backlash pushed to the front of the crowd. He was hunched with one closed eye, which was partially obscured by curly strands hanging from his scalp like a frayed yarn ball. Through all of it though, he had the demeanor of an Idol, prompting Aegis to activate his lens.

  Devian Pinch – Level 13

  Idol

  Infusion: Blood

  Class: Backlash

  Health: ---------1120----------

  Armor: 4

  Temperament: Neutral

  “What kind of guild has a level ten Throne? Shields of Shit, is more like it.” Devian earned some laughs, starting from his two party members that stopped at his heels. One was a Shardswinger of similar level – whose shard sword looked like it was made of pebbles compared to Oofan’s axe – and the other was a Feral.

  “Look at you, letting any ‘ol scrap off the street talk down to a guest,” the Diant said to the Rideark Narbor, who motioned to Devian. “I can’t believe I considered working with you for a stint.” He pushed the Narbor, who flailed in response.

  Chatter turned to shouting.

  Damn it. Aegis sighed while Devian and his party snickered at him. It almost worked.

  Lee slithered out from one of the shadows, materializing in full beside Aegis. “I say we join the Alabasters just to flay these punks.”

  Aegis peered at the grungy group of Idols, wondering if it was just the town’s aura that obscured their true appearance, maybe even their nature. But then he resolved himself. “Usually, I’d go with a less murder-y decision. But you know what, Lee… a quest is a quest. Let’s do it.”

  “Stations!” the Diant yelled, shoving smaller Rideark citizens off him as he guided his Alabasters back toward their homes.

  At that moment, the corner of Aegis’ lens blinked, asking him to pick a side in the event. As much as he loved the potential for a third option – peaceful diplomacy – he realized he was out of time, and had failed thanks to the quip of an Idol who surely belonged in the Roaring Bandits’ guild.

  He sighed. We really should side with the Ridearks. It’s the better play. The Idols wouldn’t be able to sabotage us, the event would go smoother… but then again, what kind of reputation would we be making for ourselves? I have to be a leader.

  And so, against all of his strategic opportunities, he instead opted to tap the Alabaster’s banner and join alongside Lee Thal in decimating these fools.

  Shink. The sound of a sword drawn from its sheath echoed in his ears. It was a signal, Aegis knew, because the grounds abruptly shifted from neutral to hostile territory. The event had begun.

  Not a moment later, he heard a snap and lurched when a blood whip lashed at his back, making him falter. It seemed the opposing Idols were waiting for this moment, because a barrage of attacks followed. Lee spun and hurled shadowy darts to stall them, and then disappeared into the shadows before forming beside Aegis once more.

  “Regroup?”

  “Mm.” Lee grunted.

  Aegis rushed alongside the angry mob fighting with one another as they made way toward their bannered houses, the wound stinging terribly all the way. He could feel the nasty bubbling wetness on his neck where blood spatter sizzled.

  Poison? He wondered, every inhale overwhelmed with a rotting metallic scent. He felt around for a sample and presented it to Lee rushing beside him.

  “One of yours?”

  “That’s a Dark Weaver, alright.” Lee growled. “It’s just one lash. The damage over time will only be for a few more seconds. But don’t get hit again. The effects will compound.”

  “Great.”

  Aegis observed the opposing Idols regrouping as well. Alabasters and Ridearks were finally starting to break apart, taking refuge in their medieval-style homes that were soon to serve as bastions.

  Double-windows flung open all around the second-story balconies, half with Alabaster banners and the other with Rideark. And then came the bombardment. Natives with wands emerged, tossing their infused spells, some unleashing volcanic infernos, others glacial gales, enchanted rocks and muddy sludge; there were incantations being hurled every which way.

  A Rideark across from him was tossed from her balcony, making Aegis shudder and turn away as she smashed down awkwardly onto two townsmen wielding makeshift axes.

  Mayhem... this is mayhem. He scanned more of the chaos around him, exhaling with relief when finding Silver, Flat, and Resuel sprinting up to him, dodging spells along the way.

  “Do you mind, Aegis?” Silver panted. “Do you mind not losing yourself in the middle of a crowd and then turning the grounds hostile on us?”

  “Hey, those Spell Weavers are using wands. Why don’t you use one?” Aegis ignored his comments, pointing upward.

  “Spell potency versus distance.” He scoffed haughtily. “I prefer to feel the elements with my bare fingers, not rely on a stick—”

  A boulder hurled down from the sky nearly bowled them over. But Resuel gracefully tossed a cage rune to stop it mid-air, unleashing light-infused streamers to engulf it like rope around a tree, where Lee promptly sent a shadow spike bursting from the ground to cleave right through it.

  “Oy! Epic, mates!” Flat cheered.

  “Not the time, Aegis. I don’t like wands. Let’s just leave it at that.” Silver huffed.

  “You sure? I have a shitty wooden one that Oofan gave me on my first day.” He pulled it from his bag and flipped it in his hand like it was a twig. “Could help here, no?”

  Silver stared at him incredulously.

  “What?”

  “Do you not see the word ‘disguised’ next to it?”

  “I thought that was just the name of the stupid thing.”

  “Read a damn tome!” Silver shouted. “Give me that.”

  He promptly yanked the wand from Aegis’ grip and pulled a magnifying glass from his bag. He held the two items next to one another without taking his eyes off Aegis, likely considering slapping him upside the head with it.

  When sparkles burst from the wand – showing its sleek design and pulsing power – they both stared at it.

  Sunterspun Canon – Rare – Level-less

  +0 Defense

  +0 Agility

  +0 Strength

  +0 Stamina

  +100 Spell Range

  -50 Spell Potency

  Ability: Snipe – Channel a single-target spell to send it wailing up to +1000 distance. This ability will consume 40% more Essence than the original spell’s cost. Wielder may experience blurry vision for a short duration after utilizing snipe and may leak built-up Essence for thirty seconds following cast. Cool-down is one hour.