Arcane Kingdom Online: Death Match (A LitRPG Adventure Book 4) Read online

  A black beam of energy shot out of my palm and across the battlefield. It smashed into the forest boar. It wailed and roared, screaming to the heavens in the sky. The creature froze mid-step, going blurry, as the special spell corrected the file.

  The boar was reanimated and out of breath. Its tail was no longer dragon shaped but a normal bushy tail fit for a gigantic fantasy creature known as the chief boar. Its stats returned to normal as well.

  Chief Boar

  Level 21

  HP: 940

  MP: 23

  A huge roar of cheers came from the crowd on the ramparts. I smiled and turned to the newbie players.

  “The boss is back to normal everyone,” I shouted. “Let’s do this.”

  I cast shocking speed and ran towards the chief boar. Serena led the charge with all of us running behind her.

  The boar was aggroed and not retreating from this fight, even though he was sorely outmatched. He charged towards us and I conjured a flame wall. It leapt through the defensive barrier, taking the hit to its HP and suffering a burning damage-over-time debuff.

  Serena unleashed a spinning blade attack, her sword ripping through the chief boar’s flesh. Jackson stunned it with a critical hit punch. Shade snuck behind its back and unleashed backstab. A whole barrage of spells, arrows, bullets, and melee attacks followed them.

  The chief boar wailed and fell to its side.

  +147 EXP!

  You have successfully completed the event quest: The Great Boar Rampage!

  +1,000 EXP!

  The crowd on the ramparts cheered. Serena ran up to me and grabbed my arm. “Amazing,” she said. “You saved the day!”

  The crowd of newbies surrounded me and picked me up and cheered.

  “The Hero of Laergard!” they shouted.

  I smiled to the crowd and lifted my arm with a fist of victory. The chants grew louder. The words muffled in my ears, becoming an incomprehensible drone. My eyes wandered over to the poor farmer, who was still very much scared to death. His leg was broken. His crops were destroyed.

  They were calling me a hero, but I sure didn’t feel like one.

  2

  “Another round!” shouted Shade, lifting up his full pint of ale and chugging it down in a single gulp. Beer dripped down his furry chin. His tail wagged and he let out a satisfied gasp after finishing his – eleventh, twelfth? – drink of the evening. The whole pub cheered along with him.

  “Say what you want about Shade,” said Serena. “But the Lirana has the tolerance and constitution of—actually, I can’t think of anything that can handle the amount he drinks. A well, maybe?”

  Kari and Jackson laughed while I mustered a smile. The whole bar was a jostle of bodies and pint glasses. Cheers and chatter. A buff Rorn played a fiddle by the fireplace while two men sat in the corner away from everyone else, drinking silently. They both had light green eyes and tanned skin. They wore bright purple scarfs around their necks. I had no idea who they were, but I sensed they were watching us.

  Serena put her arm around my shoulder and nuzzled her nose into my cheek. She whispered, “Why so glum, Clay? Or should I call you, Hero? Or Captain? So many accolades!” She kissed me on the cheek. “Cheer up, we’re celebrating.”

  I sighed and relaxed my shoulders. Was it worth telling my comrades about the men in the corner? Everyone around me was so happy. Even with the appearance of the corrupted fragment today, things had calmed since our battle with Arethkar over Ariellum and the Ultriga Weapon. The Arethkarian threat had been stopped—and, while no one doubted another inevitable clash with the antagonistic nation—people had settled down for the time being. I wanted to relax. I wanted to celebrate. I wanted to be the hero who made everyone feel safe and calm, but how could I do that—how could I be that person—if I didn’t feel safe or calm. Ever. Especially not now with those two men over—

  They were gone. I blinked and looked again. The table in the corner where the two men had been sitting was now empty.

  “Did you guys see anyone over there?”

  The whole party turned and looked in the corner.

  “Um, sorry Clay,” said Kari, taking a sip of her orange juice shyly. “I didn’t see anyone there.”

  “There’s certainly no one there now,” grunted Jackson.

  “This is what I’m talking about Clay,” smiled Serena. “Relax. We’re in Land’s Shield. Our home. We’re safe.”

  Shade leaned back and shook his head. “I tell ya Clay, I’m disappointed. I try to teach you all of my tricks and specialties but nothing ever sticks, does it? You can’t even master the twenty-four hour infinite drink cycle.” He sighed. “We’ll have to change up how we practice. I thought leading by example would be enough.”

  Serena whacked the Lirana thief in the shoulder.

  “Ow!” yelled Shade. “What have I done to draw the ire of Ms. Serena this time?”

  “For saying idiotic stuff,” said Serena, red in the face. For all they were saying about my alcohol tolerance, it was Serena who had had one too many.

  A loud thump cut across our chatter. It was Jackson laying down his empty pint on the table. “Day is over. Night is young. Time for sleep.”

  Jackson stood up and left the pub.

  “That guy,” said Shade. “So serious all the time.”

  “I’m going to bed too,” said Kari. “We have more training and quests to do tomorrow. Better get some sleep.”

  “I’ll walk back to the keep with you,” said Serena. She poked me in the ribs. “I get the feeling this one wants to be alone with his thoughts.”

  She stuck her tongue out at me playfully and they headed for the door. “Don’t stay out too late.”

  Shade went up to the bar and ordered another round of drinks for the two of us while I contemplated those two men who had been watching us. Who were they? Why were they watching us? And where had they disappeared?

  “Alright drinking pupil of mine,” said Shade. “To become a drunken master like myself, it’s quite simple.” He tapped his forehead and grinned. “It’s all a mental game. You see…”

  I let Shade ramble on, half-listening to his advice. I stared at the empty table where the two men had been. Something wasn’t right. Those two strange men were there and then they weren’t.

  The pub was thinning out. It was only a few others and us. I turned to the empty table once more and—what was this? The two strange men with purple scarfs were back in the corner, staring at me.

  “Shade,” I said, grabbing my companion’s shoulder. “I think we’re in trouble.” I shook him and waited for a response, keeping my eyes on the purple-scarfed men. “Shade?”

  “Zzz.”

  Shade’s head lolled back on his seat, drool falling from his mouth. He’d drunk himself unconscious. So much for the drunken master.

  I had to deal with these two on my own. I didn’t know what they wanted or how far they’d go to get it. I needed to do recon. I needed to draw them out.

  I pushed my chair back and stood up. I placed my hand on Shade’s shoulder and—even though he wasn’t listening—said, “Good night dude.”

  I headed for the pub door and walked out to the street and turned the first corner. I held my breath and waited. I didn’t want to run far in case these guys—whoever they were—decided to hurt Shade.

  The pub door creaked open. Two sets of footsteps.

  “Which way did he go?”

  “Let’s split up.”

  One set of footsteps disappeared from hearing range, while another got louder. I walked down the alley and snapped my fingers, sending a burst of electricity to my feet, increasing my agility.

  I turned a corner and then another as I paced down the dark cobblestoned alleys of Land’s Shield. I paid attention to the main streets and their manalamps, catching brief glimpses of my stalker’s shadow. His footsteps followed me wherever I went.

  I closed my eyes and burst into a puff of crackling electricity. I reappeared on a slated rooftop. I move
d to the edge to catch a glimpse of my followers when something rustled behind me.

  “I know you’re following me,” I grinned. “So are you going to tell me what you want or what?”

  I turned around, conjuring a fireball in my hand. Facing me was a scorpion with black scales and a curled tail with a sharp pincer tip. Beside it was a serpent, four times my size.

  I took a step back. I almost stumbled off the roof.

  “Two on one isn’t a fair fight, you guys,” I said. “Mind if I invite friends to the party?”

  It was time to utilize my new summoning class skills. I whipped my hands through the air, my fingers drawing on arcane magical formations. In a matter of seconds, it was no longer me and the two demented creatures on the rooftop but me, two demented creatures, and a gryphon.

  “What’s up, Gryph,” I said, to the majestic bird. He had a full coat of brown feathers with the occasional white spot. He had a big yellow beak and large fierce eyes.

  You summoned me, Clay?

  “Yeah, I don’t know if you notice, but I’ve bumped into unwelcome company.”

  The gryphon’s eyes winced in pain.

  You don’t have to speak to me as you do with lesser beings. You can communicate back to me as I communicate to you.

  Did he mean I could reply to him, telepathically?

  Yes. Someone strategically minded would take the opportunity to not let their enemy know what they are thinking when they don’t have to.

  Yes. I agree, though they ambushed me with two on one. We’ve tied it up, but let’s really put the odds in our favor.

  I jumped onto Gryph’s back and clutched his fur. Get me above as I initiate summon bound spirit again.

  Well, so much for the quiet plan.

  I grinned. He was right, but I didn’t care. Gryph soared above the scorpion and snake who lunged out towards us to attack. I weaved my hands above them, feeling a smoky silvery light emerge from my fingertips, forming a silvery ghost like creature.

  “Woohoo!” shouted Chip. “It’s summoning time!”

  The spirit ghost spun around me and Gryph. The gryphon let out an agitated huff. Gryph and Chip weren’t the best pals; they had more of an older brother, younger brother dynamic.

  “Hey-Clay-thanks-for-summoning-me-did-you-like-my-new-catch-phrase-you-know-when-I-said-hey-it’s-summoning-time? That’s-my-new-catch-phrase-what-do-you-think?”

  “It’s not a bad catch phrase, Chip,” I grinned. “But we can talk about it later. We currently have an issue below us. Take a look.”

  A pink blast of poison venom shot out at us from the scorpion’s tail.

  Chip descended through the air, dodging the attack. He rushed through the sky and the scorpion and serpent took on a defensive position. There was something special about Chip these two creatures weren’t ready for.

  The snake struck out its neck and fangs as Chip approached. Chip didn’t even dodge and sped headlong into the serpent. His transparent spirit body went through the creature. The snake spun around. Chip duck in and out of the serpent’s long neck and tail.

  “Peek-a-boo,” said Chip finally emerging, unleashing an energy blast into the serpent’s mouth.

  The Scorpion shot out its pink venom at Chip. “Sorry Scorpy I’m immater—Ack!” The spirit spun around. Its HP dropped. Physical attacks didn’t land on Chip, but magical one’s sure did.

  “Clay-I-need-your-help-these-monsters-are-crazy-strong!”

  I gripped Gryph’s mane and we dove towards the battle. The giant bird flew straight through the air and tackled the scorpion and knocked it off the roof. We then spun around and faced the serpent. It hissed at us. Gryph responded by kicking up the slate roof, shooting the rubble in a projectile-filled sand attack. The serpent swerved to the left but came head to head with another energy blast from Chip. The serpent was knocked to the side.

  Gryph had us at the rear of the serpent in seconds. He stretched out his right wing and sliced, his wings moving so fast, his feathers tightened and sharpened, dealing a slash as deadly as any blade. The serpent retaliated, but Gryph and I were already back in the air, swirling behind it. I snapped my fingers and a flaming ball of molten lava formed in my hand. I whipped it at the back of the serpent’s head, getting extra damage for the critical hit on a vulnerable spot. The serpent’s HP hit 0 and instead of collapsing on the ground or granting experience points in my HUD, the creature puffed into a cloud of smoke.

  Huh?

  “Nice one, Clay,” said Chip, spinning in the air in a victory dance.

  Gryph glared at the elemental spirit.

  “You too, Gryph,” smiled the spirit. “Really good job!”

  “We’re still not finished,” I said, pointing to the side of the building where the large scorpion had managed to climb its way back onto the roof. “I have an idea though.”

  I held out out my right arm, lightning swirling around my wrist. I threw out the lightning cage towards the scorpion, paralyzing it.

  “Time for whirlwind, Gryph,” I shouted.

  Gryph and I spun in a circle around the paralyzed scorpion, creating a spinning tide of deadly wind. The scorpion flew off the roof and collapsed onto the cold hard stones of the road below.

  We dove after it, only to find another cloud of smoke in the street like when we’d defeated the serpent.

  “What the—”

  “What’s wrong, Clay?” asked Chip.

  “These creatures are strange,” I said, glancing down to the road. The monsters left no trace they’d ever been here. “They weren’t normal mobs. We didn’t gain any experience from the fight. What the heck were these monsters?”

  Creatures I couldn’t eat and taste. Very disappointing.

  “Ooh, I have the answer,” said Chip. “The monsters were most likely summoned. It would explain most of the peculiarities, I think.”

  My eyes widened. “Summoned? But by who—”

  The answer came in the form of hands clapping in the distance. The echo of footsteps got closer until emerging from the shadows were the two strange men with purple scarves. The ones from the bar.

  I resumed my battle stance, my fingers twitching ready to conjure a spell.

  “What do you want?” I growled.

  “We were worried our messages to you were intercepted.”

  “What were you notifying me about?”

  “News of your power has reached those in Solmini,” said the warrior. “Summoners are sacred fighters in the capital of Salaphem.” They bowed and handed me a scroll. “Please consider this your formal invitation to take part in the Solmini Summoner Tournament.”

  I took the scroll out of the strange man’s hand. “Um, do you mind elaborating?”

  The warriors shook their heads. “Everything you need to know is on the scroll there.”

  I held up the piece of old rolled up parchment paper. I unfurled the scroll to find a note, handwritten in black ink. My HUD translated the written message into game-speak before I even had a chance to read it properly.

  New Quest Alert: The Solmini Summoner Tournament

  The duke of Salaphem invites you to take part in this year’s summoner tournament, a deadly contest famous and infamous in the history books of Illyria. Official entry must be declared in person to the tournament judges in the duke’s courtyard.

  Quest Type: Rare, dynamic

  Quest Difficulty: Very hard

  Time Limit: 12 days until sign-up closes

  Reward: 50,000 EXP + 100,000 Gold Coins + ?

  Accept: Yes/No ?

  I closed the prompt. “I’m sorry—what is this? You guys want me to take part in this tournament? Surely—there’s other more qualified people, no?”

  “You have been selected by the duke,” one of them said. The two of them backed deeper into the shadows.

  “Wait,” I said. “Where are you going?”

  I chased after them down the lane. Their shadows turned at the left passage. I turned the same corner. I stopped dead in my t
racks. There was nothing in front of me but a quiet alley in the night. No sign of anyone passing through.

  3

  “The Solmini Summoner Tournament, you say?”

  King Fergus sat on his throne and rubbed his chin. The boy was fourteen going on forty. He’d been the king in Land’s Shield for over two months now and despite his youth the immense responsibility of a kingdom was taking its toll on him. There were bags under his eyes from lack of sleep and his shoulders remained in a permanent hunch.

  “Let’s do it,” said Shade. “Fire up the airship and let’s get out of here.”

  Everyone stared at Shade quizzically.

  “You’re not usually this keen to embark on a long drawn out quest,” said Serena, tilting her head and eyeing Shade suspiciously.

  Shade touched his chest and let his jaw hang in faux-shock. “Ms. Serena—I am Clay’s right hand man, his second first mate—”

  “There’s no such thing as second first mate,” interjected Serena.

  “—and I would never back down from a good old-fashioned adventure. Quite frankly, it shocks me you’d even throw such suspicion my way.”

  “I agree with Serena,” said Jackson, keeping his arms crossed. “Something’s fishy.”

  “Jackson—you betray me!”

  “You’re a lazy, selfish liar who drinks too much.”

  “You say these things like they are bad qualities.”

  Everyone in the room continued to stare at Shade in disbelief. What was his angle here?

  The cat thief sighed and wagged his tail. “Okay, you got me. I’m frankly not super interested in this quest and getting ourselves caught in another life-or-death hoopla of a situation, but—and this is a big but—the wine in Solmini is supposed to be the best in all of Illyria.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” said Serena.

  “I know, I know,” said Shade, holding his hands up. “I’m not much of a wine guy. This is true. Yet as a connoisseur of intoxicating delicacies I’d be remiss to give up an opportunity to venture to Solmini and taste the nectar of the desert as I’ve heard they call it.”