Star Paladin: A LitRPG Space Fantasy (Sword of Asteria Book 1)

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Star Paladin: A LitRPG Space Fantasy (Sword of Asteria Book 1) Page 43

by Eddie R. Hicks


  An alert beeped. The Seraphim was far enough from the planet to enter hyperspace.

  “Ulysses, we got our next destination,” Guy said.

  Ulysses sighed.

  Arn snickered at him. “It does say captain on your uniform, Ulysses.”

  Ulysses spun his chair around to meet Guy’s gaze.

  “Look, man,” Guy said. “You’re one of us now, so you know how this works.” He pulled up his quest log and shared the newest one he received with everyone. “We need to go to the elvan homeworld.”

  Ulysses looked at the screen that flashed ahead of him, asking if he wanted to accept the shared quest. He tapped Yes. “The elvan homeworld, eh? The birthplace of my people . . .”

  “If you don’t want to take us there, that’s fine. We’ll get off and find another ship,” Guy said to him. “It’s your ship, Ulysses. Do what you want to do with it.”

  “You’re right, Guy, it is my ship, and I’m the captain.” Ulysses spun his chair around and took the controls. “But you’re the party leader, and my level is too low to tackle this quest you fucking gave me alone.”

  “To the elvan homeworld, then?” Arn asked.

  “Well, Guy?” Ulysses said, facing Guy.

  Guy looked at him strangely. “Huh?”

  “To the elvan homeworld?” Ulysses reiterated. “That question was aimed at you, Guy.”

  “Yeah, take us there.”

  “All right, Arn,” Ulysses said. “Prepare us for a hyperspace jump.”

  “Done.”

  Serzax sat alone in his darkened chamber, deep within the castle of the Autumnfall Empire. He held a glass of wine in one hand and a star-dweller PDA in the other, its glowing screen casting blue light in the dark room, white letters listing a detailed report written by the sentinels in their language.

  The sentinels had located several planets that might be suffering from the reality-altering corruption, or the affliction, as the fae folk called it. They needed to harvest the soul crystals from the afflicted population. But . . . not right away. It was best to let the affliction spread and allow the people to gain a few levels. Not too much, of course. They would be hard to kill if they got too strong—the afflicted just needed to be strong enough so that their deaths would yield more powerful soul crystals.

  The soul crystal harvest was a necessary evil. It was the only way to prevent the same catastrophe that had struck Earth from striking the rest of the galaxy.

  A knock thumped on Serzax’s chamber door.

  “Enter.”

  Serzax gave his wine glass a swirl, drank the last of its contents, and placed the empty glass on the table beside his chair. A ray of white light gleamed into the dark chamber, missing Serzax’s hooded form sitting on the chair by inches. He saw Leafblade stand in front of the door.

  “Leafblade, what is it?”

  The fae officer stepped forward as instructed to speak. “I have terrible news, milord.”

  Serzax lowered the PDA, noting that Wylume was not there. “Speak.”

  “Wylume has been killed, and his soul crystal taken by the Paladin—”

  A fierce scream left Serzax’s mouth.

  He threw the PDA across the chamber and flipped over the table near him; a wine glass shattered on the floor. Serzax’s rampage lasted two minutes, forcing him to take a deep breath and look at Leafblade, who tried his best not to let his legs shake. Leafblade did not do a particularly good job.

  “My apologies for that primitive outburst,” Serzax said.

  “No need to apologize,” Leafblade said. “Wylume was your son, after all.”

  “He was to marry Averyl and secure this alliance.”

  “Averyl, who was to be executed, and you did nothing to stop.”

  “The emperor would not kill his daughter, just scare her into the marriage. And you know that.”

  “I had my doubts. The emperor has made a lot of . . . questionable decisions as of late.”

  “My son . . . is dead . . . and his bride to be, missing. That fucking Paladin . . .”

  “Now what?”

  “Now.” Serzax returned to his chair and found his PDA casting blue light on the ceiling. “Now, I will have to finish my son’s job. I will marry Averyl.”

  Averyl’s marriage was essential for Serzax’s strategy. Sure, he could have just taken her by force, but then the empire would hate the sentinels and refuse to work as foot soldiers for the harvest. The marriage—along with helping the empire take over their planet—was all just a show to make Autumnfall co-operate with the grand plan.

  Serzax needed Averyl, and he needed more soldiers. There was a finite number of sentinels.

  And now that the Paladin has demonstrated that he and his friends are strong enough to kill them . . . at this rate, we will have less sentinels to work with.

  “The sentinels tell me they have a lead on the Paladin’s ship,” Leafblade added.

  “Find them.”

  “At once, milord.” Leafblade bowed and turned to leave. He stopped at the light coming from the door and held up a sword. “I almost forgot. I recovered your son’s Nocturnal Blade. The Paladin did not take it after he killed him.”

  “Really? Never mind then.”

  “Hmm?”

  “Leave the Nocturnal Blade where you stand.”

  “At once.”

  “I will find them myself.”

  Leafblade laid the Nocturnal Blade on the floor, spun, and left. Serzax placed his PDA on the table, lowered his cloak’s hood to reveal his long silver hair, and ambled to the Nocturnal Blade.

  Serzax retrieved the Nocturnal Blade and opened his Status screen to review it. It had been a while since he fought.

  Serzax Sheer

  Class: Nox Knight LVL 30

  Subclass: Mage LVL 15

  HP: 1716/1716

  MP: 526/526

  Serzax grinned and sheathed the Nocturnal Blade to his back.

  “I have a bride to take back and a son to avenge.”

  Final Stats

  Guy Sutherland

  Class: Paladin LVL 15

  Subclass: None

  HP: 886/886

  MP: 216/216

  AP: 0/100

  LP: 8/10

  EXP: 2334/3797

  Attributes

  Strength: 62

  Dexterity: 43

  Vitality: 92

  Agility: 24

  Intelligence: 25

  Wisdom: 26

  Charisma: 27

  Flight Stats

  Flight Speed: N/A

  Flight Time: N/A

  Combat Stats

  Attack Bonus: 51

  Magic Attack Bonus: 12

  Healing Potency: 13

  Defense: 48

  Magic Defense: 18

  Critical Hit Rate: 4%

  Attack Speed Bonus: 1.2

  Persuasion: 1

  Ranged Attack Bonus: N/A

  Equipment and Skills

  Main: Asteria’s Sword | Attack: 20 | Vitality +1

  Asteriarite: HP +10

  Secondary: None

  Armor: Iron Breastplate | Defense: 18 | Vitality +2

  Accessory: Lesser Pendant of Protection | Magic Defense: 10 | Vitality +3, HP +10

  Asteriarite: HP +10

  Wings: None

  Sigils Equipped: Guardian Light Heart

  Current Skills: Storm Slash, Lay on Hands

  Passive Traits: Equip Sigil: Guardian, Born a Star-Dweller, Immune to Light Elemental Damage, Enable High Altitude Flight, The Will to Stand

  Rachael Leighton

  Class: Medic LVL 10

  Subclass: None

  HP: 344/344

  MP: 248/248

  AP: 0/100

  LP: 10/10

  EXP: 1382/2357

  Attributes

  Strength: 47

  Dexterity: 33

  Vitality: 22

  Agility: 19

  Intelligence: 20

  Wisdom: 68

  Charisma: 21 />
  Flight Stats

  Flight Speed: 114 KP/H

  Flight Time: Minutes 14 Seconds 42

  Combat Stats

  Attack Bonus: 26

  Magic Attack Bonus: 10

  Healing Potency: 36

  Defense: 11

  Magic Defense: 9

  Critical Hit Rate: 3%

  Attack Speed Bonus: 0.95

  Persuasion: 1

  Ranged Attack Bonus: N/A

  Equipment and Skills

  Main: Oak Staff | Attack: 3, Healing Potency: 2

  Asteriarite: Wisdom +1

  Secondary: None

  Armor: Silver Chain Robe | Defense: 4, Magic Defense: 3

  Accessory: None

  Wings: Fae Wings

  Sigils Equipped: Triage, Heart, Transmogrification, Restore, Recovery

  Current Skills: Medica, Recovery Orb, Regeneration

  Passive Traits: Equip Sigil: Triage, Born a Star-Dweller, Born with Wings, Boost Healing Range, Enable High Altitude Flight, Ethereal Regeneration

  Zuran Firethorn

  Class: Mage LVL 13

  Subclass: None

  HP: 338/338

  MP: 844/844

  AP: 0/100

  LP: 10/10

  EXP: 1389/3138

  Attributes

  Strength: 23

  Dexterity: 24

  Vitality: 22

  Agility: 25

  Intelligence: 86

  Wisdom: 56

  Charisma: 39

  Flight Stats

  Flight Speed: 114 KP/H

  Flight Time: Minutes 12 Seconds 18

  Combat Stats

  Attack Bonus: 11

  Magic Attack Bonus: 63

  Healing Potency: 28

  Defense: 11

  Magic Defense: 43

  Critical Hit Rate: 2%

  Attack Speed Bonus: 1.25

  Persuasion: 1

  Ranged Attack Bonus: N/A

  Equipment and Skills

  Main: Novice Caster’s Spellbook | Magic Attack: 20 | Intelligence +2

  Asteriarite: Intelligence +1

  Secondary: None

  Armor: Casting Shawl | Defense: 4, Magic Defense: 5 | Intelligence +2

  Asteriarite: Intelligence +1

  Accessory: Silver Earrings | Magic Defense: 10 | Intelligence +2

  Asteriarite: Intelligence +1

  Wings: Fae Wings

  Sigils Equipped: Magus, Target, Projectile, Fire, Adversaries

  Current Skills: Fire, Fireball, Firestorm

  Passive Traits: Equip Sigil: Magus, Born a Land-Dweller, Born with Wings, Exploit Elemental Weakness, Enable High Altitude Flight, Ethereal Regeneration

  Kam

  Class: Spell Lancer LVL 12

  Subclass: None

  HP: 428/428

  MP: 325/325

  AP: 0/100

  LP: 10/10

  EXP: 1549/2853

  Attributes

  Strength: 57

  Dexterity: 37

  Vitality: 24

  Agility: 22

  Intelligence: 77

  Wisdom: 24

  Charisma: 21

  Flight Stats

  Flight Speed: N/A

  Flight Time: N/A

  Combat Stats

  Attack Bonus: 38

  Magic Attack Bonus: 48

  Healing Potency: 12

  Defense: 18

  Magic Defense: 39

  Critical Hit Rate: 3%

  Attack Speed Bonus: 1.1

  Persuasion: 1

  Ranged Attack Bonus: N/A

  Equipment and Skills

  Main: Heavy Lance | Attack: 10, Magic Attack: 10 | Strength +1, Intelligence +1

  Asteriarite: Strength +1

  Secondary: None

  Armor: Iron Hauberk | Defense: 10, Magic Defense: 4 | Strength +1, Intelligence +1

  Accessory: Silver Spiked Bracelets | Magic Defense: 10 | Intelligence +1, Vitality +1

  Asteriarite: Strength +1

  Wings: None

  Sigils Equipped: Gae Bulg, Water, Transmogrification

  Current Skills: Astral Swipe, Elemental Attunement, Become One with the Elements

  Passive Traits: Equip Sigil: Gae Bulg, Born a Land-Dweller, Elemental Magic Boost, Enable High Altitude Flight

  Ulysses Archambeau

  Class: Ranger LVL 2

  Subclass: None

  HP: 107/107

  MP: 0/0

  AP: 0/100

  LP: 10/10

  EXP: 150/1100

  Attributes

  Strength: 23

  Dexterity: 17

  Vitality: 14

  Agility: 36

  Intelligence: 12

  Wisdom: 13

  Charisma: 11

  Flight Stats

  Flight Speed: N/A

  Flight Time: N/A

  Combat Stats

  Attack Bonus: 11

  Magic Attack Bonus: 6

  Healing Potency: 6

  Defense: 4

  Magic Defense: 4

  Critical Hit Rate: 1%

  Attack Speed Bonus: 1.8

  Persuasion: 0

  Ranged Attack Bonus: 40

  Equipment and Skills

  Main: Emeraldal’s Bow | Ranged Attack: 40

  Asteriarite: Agility +1

  Asteriarite: Agility +1

  Secondary: None

  Armor: None

  Accessory: None

  Wings: None

  Sigils Equipped: Hunter

  Current Skills: Barrage

  Passive Traits: Equip Sigil: Hunter, Born a Star-Dweller, Hunter’s Eye

  Xanthe Eisheth

  Class: Blade Dancer LVL 13

  Subclass: None

  HP: 543/543

  MP: 0/0

  AP: 0/100

  LP: 10/10

  EXP: 207/3138

  Attributes

  Strength: 30

  Dexterity: 39

  Vitality: 24

  Agility: 56

  Intelligence: 22

  Wisdom: 24

  Charisma: 82

  Flight Stats

  Flight Speed: 121 KP/H

  Flight Time: Minutes 13 Seconds 0

  Combat Stats

  Attack Bonus: 27

  Magic Attack Bonus: 11

  Healing Potency: 12

  Defense: 14

  Magic Defense: 22

  Critical Hit Rate: 3%

  Attack Speed Bonus: 2.8

  Persuasion: 4

  Ranged Attack Bonus: N/A

  Equipment and Skills

  Main: Steel Edge | Attack: 6 | Charisma +1

  Asteriarite: Charisma +1

  Secondary: Heavy Kilij | Attack: 6 | Strength +1

  Armor: Crimson Bedlah | Defense: 6, Magic Defense: 4 | Charisma +1, Strength +1

  Accessory: Red Choker | Magic Defense: 10 | Strength +1, Charisma +1

  Asteriarite: Strength +1

  Asteriarite: Strength +1

  Wings: Shadow Angel Wings

  Sigils Equipped: Enthrall, Swiftness, Blade, Manipulation

  Current Skills: Brisk Strike, Lightning Dash, Dance with the Music, Alluring Waltz

  Passive Traits: Equip Sigil: Enthrall, Born a Land-Dweller, Born with Wings, Dual-Wield, Enable High Altitude Flight, Flight of the Eagle

  Henrietta Hamilton

  Class: Berserker LVL 5

  Subclass: None

  HP: 252/252

  MP: 0/0

  AP: 0/100

  LP: 10/10

  EXP: 1309/1464

  Attributes

  Strength: 50

  Dexterity: 32

  Vitality: 24

  Agility: 17

  Intelligence: 14

  Wisdom: 15

  Charisma: 16

  Flight Stats

  Flight Speed: N/A

  Flight Time: N/A

  Combat Stats

  Attack Bonus: 40

  Magic Attack Bonus: 7

  Healing Potency: 7

  Defense:
20

  Magic Defense: 4

  Critical Hit Rate: 3%

  Attack Speed Bonus: 0.85

  Persuasion: 0

  Ranged Attack Bonus: N/A

  Equipment and Skills

  Main: Autumnfall Cutter | Attack: 15

  Asteriarite: Strength +1

  Asteriarite: Strength +1

  Asteriarite: Strength +1

  Secondary: None

  Armor: Autumnfall Cuirass | Defense: 12 | Strength +1, Vitality +1

  Accessory: None

  Wings: None

  Sigils Equipped: Gladiator, Wide

  Current Skills: Thundering Blow, Wide Cleave

  Passive Traits: Equip Sigil: Gladiator, Born a Land-Dweller, The Will to Stand

  Afterword

  Thank you for reading Star Paladin!

  This book, characters, and the world was something that had been in my mind for decades. True, the original concept wasn’t a full-on LitRPG since that genre didn’t exist back then, but the story was heavily inspired by various JRPGs I have played since the early ‘90s. In fact, these characters had come to me after playing Final Fantasy IV or Final Fantasy II, as they called it back in the SNES days. The ideas for the universe just grew and grew as time went on. Soon afterward, I had realized I had a talent for storytelling, and in 2016, I published my first novel.

  Where is this series going? Lots of exciting places, that’s where! Star Paladin isn’t just the start of a new series. It’s the start of a new expansive universe I plan to create. How big? Well, I had about twenty books in mind, but keep in mind that count was made some twenty years ago when I was fantasizing about this universe. Knowing me and the fact that all my books end up longer than planned, I’ll probably need more.

  I’m not sure when the next book will be available, as of the time I’m writing this (on November 5, 2020). But to tide you over, check out a cyberpunk series I have out called Cyber Witch: 2082. It's not quite LitRPG, but it contains many gamelit elements, as Shadowrun was one of the major influences on that.

  Well, that’s enough rambling from me. If you want to be the first to hear about my next book releases, please subscribe to my mailing list. And if you loved this book, please leave a review. It helps, especially those five-star ones! Also, be sure to recommend this to other people who love LitRPGs so that they can experience the awesome adventure you did!

  Thank you again for reading!

  Until next time!

  Eddie R. Hicks

  Keep in touch

  What’s the best way to learn of my new releases? Subscribe to my mailing list. Don’t worry, I’m not a fan of spam, you’ll only get emailed my new releases or promos.

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