Nova Terra: Liberator - A LitRPG/GameLit Adventure (The Titan Series Book 5)

by Seth Ring

  “Interesting. You said that you need to get a positive relationship with the Children of the Moon before you can work on bonding?”

  “Yup. Like I said, Thorn’s quest put everyone who participated in it in a positive relationship with the Children of the Moon which was a major help. It seems like they’re naturally aloof and you need a lot of quests to get into their good graces. We got a major leg up by defeating Mayari.”

  “Of course you did,” Athena sighed. “I guess that’s what you get for hanging around Thorn. I would love to get all my girls a wolf like this, but it sounds like it would be quite the undertaking. What do you have to do to maintain the relationship with Beauty?”

  “We have to Guard the Abyss. It is an ongoing quest that takes place in an independent space. Sort of like the Battlefield of Flame and Shadow. It takes about two days each month. So far I’ve only gone in once, but from what some of the other bonded players are saying, it’s a full quest zone with multiple mini-quests.”

  Hearing a notification, Heidi paused and opened up her chat, quickly reading over the messages.

  “Alright, the whole squad is mounted and moving. Hold on tight. We’re about to pick up speed.”

  “We’re going to go faster!?” Athena asked in disbelief.

  They were already moving faster than she had thought possible in Nova Terra, and now Heidi was telling her that they were going to speed up even more, leaving her in shock. Despite her skepticism, Athena strengthened her grip on Heidi’s waist. Through the trees she could see other Children of the Moon keeping pace with Beautiful Wind, the players on their backs keeping their heads low.

  At the front of the pack, a black wolf the size of a bus sprinted forward, slipping through the forest like a shadow. Seeing Heidi’s message that all of the teams had joined the race toward Alph, Thorn lifted his head and activated [Improved Pack Travel]. As the howl echoed through the woods, the other Children of the Moon trailing behind him took up the cry, adding their voices to the call.

  As the sound filtered into the Children of the Moon’s large furry ears their bodies shimmered slightly, gaining a slightly shadowy quality and they burst forth with an increased speed. The riders on their backs found that the forest that was already flashing past appeared to desaturate slightly, the trees blurring into mere shadows that disappeared too quickly to grasp.

  Together the Charging Wolf Army sprinted through the forest with Thorn at the head. Pushing himself to move as fast as he could, Thorn quickly realized that he was nearly outpacing Corvo’s bird form high above them. In fact, if it was not for the fact that Corvo got to share in the [Improved Pack Travel] bonus, the avatar of Huginn would have been left in the dust. As it was, Thorn had to slow down slightly to keep from widening the distance between himself and the other Children of the Moon too much.

  After close to an hour of running Corvo finally spotted Alph and the pack adjusted directions slightly. A few more minutes of rushing got them close enough for him to see what was going on and he marked Alph’s position on the map.

  “It looks like there are three groups chasing Alph. Fifty or so Orcs who are surrounding him, or at least, trying to. A group of one hundred Orcs trying to cut him off, and then, wow, a huge group streaming in from behind. Oh, man, there have to be a few thousand at least.”

  “Don’t worry, we’re only here for pickup. We are not going to engage in a large fight today. In fact, if we can avoid it, I don’t want to tip our hand. First Team, you’re with me. All other teams, stand by. Avoid engaging if at all possible!”

  Wheeling above the forest, Corvo got closer to where Alph was fighting off the Orcs while trying to run away. The alchemist was easy to spot from the trail of devastation that he had left in his wake. The trees around him were reduced to rubble, little left but the charred stubs of trunks.

  “There he is! It looks like he is about to get captured! Oh wait, the Orc that grabbed him is on fire. Now he is on fire. Uh, now everyone is on fire. Oh, and he is gone. Wait, where… Ah, there he is. Um, now everyone is freezing. Are you sure we want this guy near us? Oh goodness, they’re all melting.”

  “Yes.” The determination in Thorn’s voice was clear. “He is a walking super weapon. We absolutely want him with us. How close am I?”

  “Six hundred feet. Five hundred feet. He is just over the two hills in front of you. Three hundred, two hundred, he is on my mark!”

  [Predator's Leap]

  With two hundred feet left to travel, Thorn gathered his legs under himself and launched into the air. Just before his feet left the ground he canceled his [Wolf Form] and activated [Predator's Leap], instantly tripling his jumping distance. Flying through the air, he easily cleared the hill between him and Alph, hurtling down toward the Orcs who surrounded the alchemist.

  Realizing that he was traveling way too fast, Thorn waited until he was just about to land and activated [Armor of the Earth], the golden glow that surrounded him turning his body into the equivalent of a boulder.

  *BOOOOM*

  The impact of his landing sent a shockwave through the gathered Orcs, throwing them aside. Unable to stop his momentum, Thorn was thrown forward, carving a deep gouge in the earth as he went tumbling head over heels into the forest.

  “Oh, hey Thorn!”

  Seeing Thorn smash through the battlefield and disappear into the forest on the other side, Alph smiled widely. Looking at the Orcs who were trying to figure out what had just happened, he pointed a finger at them and laughed.

  “Oooh, you are all in trouble now.”

  The Orcs around him were quite wary of getting too close, and when Alph lifted his hand to point, they all flinched backward, scrambling to get out of the way in case he was about to throw one of his bizarre potions. Realizing that he was not attacking, they turned their attention to the massive furrow that Thorn’s body had carved into the earth. The trail disappeared into the forest and as they watched, they saw a shape moving in the darkness of the trees.

  Emerging from between the trees, Thorn was quite the sight. His impressive wolf helm with its glowing eyes and the thick armor that covered his body would have been much more intimidating if it were not for the leaves and twigs stuck all over it. As it was, he looked more like a construct that had been left outside for too long rather than a dangerous killing machine.

  “That was a great entrance, but next time you should consider the angle a little closer.”

  “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.” Thorn replied, summoning his tetsubo.

  [Shadow Dash]

  Blurring as he charged forward, Thorn dashed past the first Orc attack, the Orc warrior’s axe slipping through his body like a stick through water. The second Orc managed to hit him, but Thorn’s Dwarven armor held strong and the attack glanced off without doing any damage. Arriving in front of Alph, Thorn’s tetsubo swept wide, knocking the closest three Orcs back. Grabbing Alph, Thorn never stopped moving, continuing his charge up the hill, and out of the Orcs’ circle.

  “Corvo, where is the other group of Orcs?”

  “They’re north of us. Wait. they just started heading our direction. We have to get out of here quickly if we don’t want to get bogged down in a full fight!”

  “Got it. Mina, a bit of help here?”

  Before Thorn finished speaking he could feel the temperature starting to plummet. A thick cloud abruptly formed over his head, large flakes of snow beginning to fall down toward his head. As he burst through the storm and emerged from the other side he heard Mina’s voice speaking an arcane command, causing the wind to begin to swirl. A few Orcs who were hot on Thorn’s heels were caught up in the storm as the wind began to whip, the large snowflakes transforming into razor sharp ice blades.

  Only hesitating for a second, the Orcs who were chasing Thorn and Alph plunged into the storm, relying on their tough skin to weather the storm of ice. Sliced by the swirling ice and battered by the frozen wind, they still managed to force their way through the storm, only to be met wit
h an inferno of fireballs on the other side. The abrupt temperature shift caused them to lag, allowing the fireballs to explode around them. A few unlucky Orcs were incinerated instantly, while the others were tossed backward into the ice storm they had just struggled out of.

  [Master, did you see that! I call that Tons of Fireballs Attack! It’s not as many as my All The Fireballs Attack, but it is more than my A Few Fireballs Attack!]

  “Great, it was great.” Thorn had not turned his head to look, but he had still been able to feel the heat from the explosion on his back. “Mina, Akira, we’re retreating.”

  “Uh, Thorn? You have enemies coming in fast. A Shaman and maybe ten guards. They are going to be on you in about fifteen seconds.”

  “What? Where did they come from?!”

  “Looks like some sort of haste spell. Ten seconds.”

  “Akira, take Alph, I’ll block the Shaman.”

  Tossing Alph toward Akira, Thorn turned to engage the incoming Orcs. Within a few seconds they had appeared, coming up the hill toward where Thorn stood waiting for them. Noticing Thorn, the Orc Shaman lifted his staff, calling for the group to halt. Unlike the last Orc Shaman that Thorn fought, this Shaman looked more like a wizard. Wearing a neat robe rather than a ragged cloak, the Shaman in front of Thorn lacked the fanatical look of his peer, his muddy brown eyes giving him an aged, tired air. Even the Shaman’s staff gave off a completely different feel. Though it bore the same sort of skull that the other Shaman wielded, it was chipped and broken, as if it would fall apart at any moment.

  “Ah, you are a new one. A traveler? What are you doing here?”

  The Shaman’s voice was as wrinkled and aged as he was, yet a feeling of danger swept over Thorn as the Shaman spoke. His eyes narrowing, Thorn carefully examined the Shaman, watching for any sign of a threat. Despite towering over the Orc, Thorn remained cautious, especially when he saw how the huge Orc guard behind the Shaman had not shifted an inch.

  “Just picking up my friend.”

  Thorn’s deep voice caused a gleam of light to appear in the Shaman’s eyes, only for it to vanish into the muddy depths in the next moment, leaving Thorn wondering if he had imagined it.

  “The Mad Alchemist is your friend? A good friend to have, certainly.”

  “Thorn, you need to get out of there. The Orcs are starting to surround your position.” Corvo said through the team channel.

  “What’s my best path?”

  “Unfortunately, straight through the Shaman. I’ll try to mark it out for you. Do you want to order everyone to engage?”

  “No, hold off. We need to avoid a mass fight as much as possible.

  “Tell me, traveler. Do you know anything about an army nearby?” The Orc Shaman’s question jerked Thorn’s attention back to the threat in front of him.

  “Army? What army?”

  “Haha, well, it is no surprise if you are not familiar with it. They like to skulk around in the shadows rather than fighting directly like good warriors do. You, on the other hand, look like a powerful warrior who would not slink through the shadows. Why don’t you come back to my camp with me? The Red Scourge is always looking for powerful warriors.”

  “Maybe another time. You’ll have to excuse me; I have a couple of issues to deal with.”

  “Oh?” The Orc Shaman raised his eyebrows, his muddy gaze looking Thorn dead in the eyes. “What if I insist?”

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Despite the tension that Thorn felt, his mind remained surprisingly clear. Orc soldiers were quickly circling him and he knew that he had to move quickly if he wanted to get out of this in one piece. The Orc Shaman noticed that his attention was elsewhere and took a step forward, his staff lifting slightly. The motion, though slight, sent a shiver through Thorn as his senses went into overdrive.

  “I’m sorry, to disappoint, but I will not be coming with you.” Thorn shrugged, tightening his grip on his weapon.

  “How dare you disobey Lord Arhtu?!”

  Furious, one of the Orc guards stepped forward aggressively. Thick, knotted muscle covered his shoulders and he stood at nearly seven and a half feet tall. Two razor sharp tusks jutted from his bottom jaw, giving him a powerful, brutish look. Seeing that Thorn did not move, the Orc guard strode toward the Titan, half of his companions advancing behind him.

  Despite the Orcs closing in Thorn’s attention remained fixed on the Shaman who stood quietly in the back. Having crushed a few dozen Orcs at least as big as the Orc guards walking toward him back at the harbor, Thorn was not concerned about them at all. Instead, there was something about the unassuming, tired looking Orc Shaman at the back that was setting off warning bells in his head.

  “Thorn, we need to go! Your only way out is past that Shaman, but that path is closing quickly. You only have about a minute and a half before you are completely surrounded!”

  Hearing Corvo’s voice over the team channel, Thorn’s gaze hardened.

  “I’ll break out now.”

  “Great, we will run interference for you.”

  “Cancel that order.” Thorn’s voice was grim. “Have everyone pull back. Do not, under any circumstance reveal the Children of the Moon.”

  “What? Why?”

  Before Thorn could respond a deadly sense of crisis washed over him, prompting him to dive to the side. Rolling to his feet, he glanced back, only to see a strange black spike protruding from the earth where he had just been standing. The spike began to deteriorate, crumbling back down to the ground where it flowed back to the Orcs who had been walking toward him. Thorn’s sharp gaze noticed that it split and melded into the shadows of the Orc guards. Despite knowing that the attack had come from the Shaman, Thorn was not able to do more than throw a glance his way before the Orc guards were on him, their axes cutting toward him with the sound of split air.

  Blocking the first attack with his tetsubo, Thorn stepped to the side and jabbed down with the pommel of his weapon, deflecting the second attack. Sweeping the end of his weapon past his knees, Thorn lifted his tetsubo over his head in one smooth motion, bringing it down on the Orc guard who had unleashed the first attack. With a crunch the thick metal end of his tetsubo smashed through the Orc guard’s defenses, crushing him down to the ground.

  Dropping his shoulder, Thorn took a quick diagonal step, ramming his shoulder into another Orc and sending him stumbling backward. Unlike most of the enemies that Thorn had fought, the Orcs were only a bit more than a foot shorter than him, allowing him to demonstrate his martial arts with full effect. Stepping back to avoid a hacking axe, Thorn gripped his tetsubo near the pommel with one hand and began to wield it like a sword, cutting down the Orc guards with ruthless efficiency.

  Though the edge of his weapon was blunt, the thick metal ridges ringing the head possessed immense ripping power in Thorn’s hands. Given the Orcs’ general lack of armor, each of his attacks left a prodigious wound, if it did not simply kill an Orc outright. Moving like a whirlwind, Thorn had soon downed all of the Orc guards who had advanced apart from one who was still five or six feet away.

  As his eyes landed on the remaining Orc guard who had advanced, Thorn’s sense tingled again and he dove to the side, a spear of pure darkness ripping through the place where his chest had just been. Beyond the remaining Orc guard, the Orc Shaman held his staff high with a trembling hand. A ball of darkness spun in the cracked mouth of the skull that rested on the end of the Shaman’s staff.

  Murmuring an arcane command, the ball of shadow lengthened, spinning into a point and elongating into a spear that shot toward Thorn soundlessly. Just before it left the staff, Thorn felt his senses shake again and he dropped from his crouch, flattening himself on the ground. Whizzing over his head, the spear of shadow disappeared into the forest behind him, quickly vanishing from his perception. Without waiting for another attack to charge, Thorn lunged forward, his claws leaving a massive gouge in the dirt as he propelled himself up. Crossing the distance to the remaining Orc guard in a flash, the
end of his tetsubo stabbed forward, burying itself into the Orc’s stomach with such force that it nearly ripped him in half.

  [Wolf Lord’s Howl]

  An eerie howl burst from Thorn’s helmet as he raised himself to his full height. A flick of his weapon sent the disemboweled Orc tumbling to the side. Raising his weapon above his head, Thorn jumped forward, flying straight toward the Shaman.

  “Protect Lord Arhtu!”

  “Stop him!”

  Shouts broke out from the few remaining Orc guards who stood around the decrepit looking Orc, but despite their encouragement, the other Orcs who had gathered to surround Thorn cowered back in the face of his intimidating aura. Completely ignoring the guards that charged forward, Thorn landed with an earthshaking boom. An explosion of dirt, kicked up by his feet, blanketed the area in dust and debris as his tetsubo fell down on the Orc Shaman.

  Two of the guards managed to interpose themselves in between Thorn and his target but he swatted them aside like flies, and spun around, his tetsubo turning in a big arc to swing back down on the Shaman. Despite the dirt in the air, Thorn could see perfectly clearly thanks to his [Spiritual Sense]. He could see the Orc Shaman trying to step back, the emerging point of another shadow spear starting to emerge from the orb in the mouth of his staff. He could see the bloodied Orc guards being forced away; their bones crushed.

  But it was what he could not see that sent a shiver down Thorn’s spine. The Orc Shaman seemed to be stumbling back, but there was not a single ounce of concern on the Orc’s face, just a glimmer of light that pierced through the turbid look in his eyes. Determined to crush his enemy, Thorn put all of his power into his attack, bringing his tetsubo down with enough force to slice through metal.