Second Skin: Unified: A litRPG Adventure (Second Skin Book 3)

by M Damon Baker

  I aimed not at any of the elves that were in sight, but at the tightest cluster of tents I could find. The rest of our archers would fire at the more obvious targets, while I intended to eliminate the ones that we couldn’t see.

  The arrow pierced the canvas of the tent I had sighted in on and detonated inside with a resounding clap of thunder, and the ensuing shockwave that was the Spell’s namesake ripped through the surrounding tents with a vicious roar. When the sounds of mayhem tore through their camp, many of the elves turned towards them in shock, much to their misfortune, leaving themselves completely exposed as our arrows pierced their bodies.

  The crash of thunder was almost immediately followed by the almost equally loud shouts of our soldiers rushing forward as they hacked and slashed at anyone that was still standing. I took aim and shot fire and ice arrows into the few remaining targets, each of which burned or froze huge chunks of flesh wherever they struck one of the hapless elves. One ice arrow froze the shoulder of an elf solid, and when he fell to the ground screaming in agony, the block of frozen flesh shattered into hundreds of shards of ice, while the fire arrow I shot next simply incinerated the chest of the elf it struck. Then I remembered the unproven abilities of the shafts that were imbued with the power of air and decided to use the opportunity to test one out.

  The unfortunate elf that was stricken by my shot convulsed wildly as the fierce electric current ran rampantly through her body. She jerked and spasmed as the power that Chel, God of Air, had imparted to the shaft coursed through her. Even after she was quite dead, her corpse continued to thrash about while her form began to smolder from the electric heat. Then, as I looked up from her smoking remains, I caught sight of Bane dragging the body of one of the fallen elves back into the forest.

  ‘What are you doing, Bane?’ I asked him.

  Please do not ask me that, Sintári.

  ‘Tell me or I’m coming there right now,’ I threatened him.

  I killed this one and I feel compelled to… consume him, his voice came to me in an unfamiliar, primal tone.

  ‘Are you alright, Bane?’ I replied as I was consumed myself with worry over him.

  I am fine, Sintári, but I must do this.

  His actions and the forces that compelled them made me uneasy, but then I remembered my own dark conduct just a short time before and was able to relax somewhat. Whatever it was that Bane was dealing with, it seemed remarkably similar to my own inner shadows, so I trusted him to handle things himself, at least for the time being, and returned to my own concerns.

  As I looked around, it became apparent that the battle had ended almost before it had begun. The element of surprise and our superior numbers rendered the outcome an almost foregone conclusion, and while the few minor injuries we had suffered were being tended to, the bodies of our fallen enemies were carefully searched for clues before they were piled together in preparation for a pyre. Unfortunately, just like the others we had slain, the corpses and the camp itself yielded only their own possessions, and no clues or evidence that would allow us to link them to Olóra or Gilfri himself. With the elimination of those that had attacked our patrol complete, there was only one issue left to be decided.

  “What shall we do with the spoils?” Stel asked, keeping true to both himself and his role as my Finance Minister.

  “Any coin recovered goes to the treasury, but divide their possessions among those who accompanied us as a reward,” I decided.

  “Generous,” Ella commented. “Their equipment is fairly high-quality and should fetch a fair price if they can sell it to one of the passing caravans.”

  I took a seat while the loot was being divided up and ran through the notifications that I’d received while I waited for the process to be completed.

  Experience gained – You have gained 660 XP.

  …

  Experience gained – You have gained 660 XP.

  Commander’s bonus – You have earned party credit for every kill made under your command or the direct command of one of your party members.

  Experience gained – You have gained 95 XP.

  …

  Experience gained – You have gained 95 XP.

  Quest completed – You have completed the hidden quest Defender of the Realm. An attack against your lands has been successfully repelled. In addition, your forces incurred no casualties during the battle. For these feats, you have been rewarded with 3300 XP. This Quest is repeatable.

  I hadn’t managed to quite gain a level, and a quick peek told me that I was still just a little over 8,000 points shy of that mark. My math was never to be trusted, but I realized that my party kill credit was a little low. The easy division of 660 by the six of us, myself, and my five companions lent me the confidence to question what went wrong. It seemed that someone else had been added to our group unbeknownst to me, and I struggled to figure out who it could possibly be until the answer came to me. Literally.

  “We’re almost ready to head back now,” Ella let me know just as I closed the last window.

  Of course! The link I shared with Ella had almost certainly caused her to be considered as a member of my party by whatever forces remained to determine such things. Once the mystery was solved and I was able to finally make sense of things, I got up and joined everyone else as we got ready to depart.

  The trip back was mostly uneventful, as we had already cleared the main threat from the area. I knew that the display of my darkness was unnerving for most the first time they saw it, so I sought out Ella as we walked along the road back to the Imperial District.

  “So, tell me what you think about what I did back there,” I asked her as we strode side by side.

  “Which part?” She tried to deflect.

  “You know exactly which part I’m talking about,” I responded.

  “It was terrifying,” she finally admitted. “I knew you had powers that I hadn’t seen, but that was more than I ever expected.”

  “Are you afraid of me now?”

  “Not until your eyes change again,” she joked tentatively before turning serious once more. “But then, yes. I absolutely will be.”

  “I would never hurt you, Ella,” I assured her. “I don’t lose control over myself when I’m in that state. It just makes it… easier for me to do what needs to be done sometimes.”

  “What does it feel like?” She asked hesitantly, as if she really didn’t want to know, but couldn’t help herself from inquiring.

  “It’s like being in the middle of a storm,” I replied as I conjured up the impressions from my mind. “I’m in the calm of its center, while everything around me is swirling in chaos, but it’s all under my control.”

  “That sounds strangely comforting.” Ella responded.

  “I’m glad you feel that way,” I laughed as I replied to her.

  “I mean that it’s reassuring that you feel that you’re in control,” she explained. “I trust you completely—what I was afraid of was that it wasn’t really you anymore when your eyes looked that way.”

  “It’s still me,” I reassured her. “It’s just a different side of me.”

  Ella nodded back in understanding, and we continued on down the road together for a while as the day grew late. We reached the Garrison gates a couple of hours later, and Evans greeted us as we walked inside. A memorial service was scheduled the next day for the fallen soldiers, after which they would be interred alongside the others who had died protecting us in the resting place I had founded at the far end of the valley after our final battle with the orcs. It had come to be known as the Heroes’ Vale and was a hallowed place for us. A place not only for mourning, but also for reflection, just as I’d hoped.

  “I would be one of them if it weren’t for you,” Rhia noted as we walked past the infirmary where the bodies were being kept.

  “But you’re not, so don’t dwell on it,” I responded. I knew that some people reacted badly after being resurrected, becoming listless or obsessed with what might have happened, an
d I didn’t want anything like that to happen to her. Uncharacteristically, Rhia had no answer. She only looked at me with a curious expression for a moment before silently turning her attention back to her duties again.

  We made it back to the Palace, and everyone returned to their own offices and quarters. Even Tási left my side when we reached the Barracks level as she and Ella went off to attend to their responsibilities. So, with just the members of my personal guard remaining, I strode up the last set of stairs and into my quarters, completely unprepared for what awaited me there.

  “While you were out, I received a reply from Queen Nadiel, and you have a guest waiting to see you,” Talína informed me when I stepped into what had become the shared office for my aides.

  “Who?” I asked, curious over just who she would have allowed to do such a thing.

  “Queen Líann insisted on seeing you immediately upon your return,” Talína responded. “She is waiting for you in the west meeting room.”

  I had no idea why Líann might have wanted to see me so urgently, but I was in no hurry to see her again so soon, so I decided to deal with Nadiel’s message first.

  “What did Nadiel’s letter say?” I asked Talína.

  “She interviewed the former Ambassador’s staff,” Talína related Nadiel’s words. “And when they verified the allegations, she stripped him of his titles and properties and sent him away. Alone. He will have to walk alongside one of the caravans and find his own way across the straits if he wants to return home again, and even if he does, there will be nothing waiting for him there.”

  “That’s more than I expected,” I replied, somewhat impressed by Nadiel’s response.

  “She doesn’t tolerate that kind of behavior,” Talína explained. “And I imagine her attitude is even less accommodating, now that she’s joined your Empire. I’m only sorry that I didn’t bring things to her attention sooner.”

  “I guess that just leaves Líann,” I replied. “Do you know what she wants?”

  “She was most displeased to learn that you went out searching for the people who’d killed the patrol, Empress,” Talína explained to me.

  Interesting, but that really wasn’t any of her concern. Apparently, I would have to make it clear to her that she needed to mind her own business. This shouldn’t be too difficult, I thought as I walked into the room where she was waiting.

  My entrance interrupted her as she was wringing her hands and nervously pacing the room. Then, as soon as she saw me, Líann rushed at me and wrapped me in a tight embrace.

  “Don’t ever do that again!” She scolded as she hugged me firmly. “I was so frightened for you.”

  “What are you talking about?” I said as I pried her off of me.

  “Going out on some errand with your troops, that’s what I’m talking about!” She chided me. “You’re the Empress—you cannot take those kinds of risks anymore!”

  “I’ll go wherever I please, Líann,” I replied with growing irritation. “And deciding what risks I take is up to me, not you.”

  “That’s simply unacceptable,” she shot back. “Marching off with your army to war is one thing, but this is different. You—”

  I cut her off right there as my eyes flashed with green light once again. I had enough of people criticizing and complaining about my actions, and if I wasn’t going to take it from Tási anymore, I sure as hell wasn’t about to let Líann lecture me. She backed off just a step as I advanced on her but offered no resistance when I grabbed her firmly by her arms and glared as her.

  “I am much stronger than you realize, Líann,” I growled in her face. “I’m Deathless, Sintári, and even more. My enemies have far more to fear from me than I do from them. I will go where I choose, and I’m not going to let you or anyone else to tell me what I can or cannot do. Do you understand?”

  “Yes,” she whispered as she stared back at me intently.

  As she continued to look into my eyes, I suddenly realized that her expression was not one of fear or respect, like I’d been trying to instill in her. Líann’s eyes shone back at me with a fire all their own, and with the light of something even more ominous than what I’d conjured: desire. Her gaze threw me off completely, and I let go of her as I stepped away.

  “Do it again,” she purred at me when the light faded from my eyes.

  “What?” I responded, completely baffled by her request.

  “Your strength, your power,” she replied, following me as I backed away. “Show them to me again.”

  “You’re not afraid of me?” I almost pleaded with her.

  “I am,” she admitted as she paced after me. “But no one has ever dared assert themselves over me so strongly before. You took me by surprise when you did it the other night. But now I find it… stimulating.”

  Her voice dropped an octave with that final word and the way she looked at me sent a shiver down my spine. Líann was clearly ‘stimulated’ as she’d said, and the fact that it was the display of my darkness that had brought it on gave me chills.

  “Sit down, Líann,” I coaxed her. “Let’s talk about this.”

  “I don’t want to talk,” she countered as she continued her pursuit. “Can’t we do something else?”

  “Talk or leave,” I demanded.

  She didn’t take her eyes from me as she took a seat at the small side table, and I took the one opposite, and farthest away from her. I was reluctant to address what had just happened, so I tried to delay by beginning with her initial objection.

  “Besides the risks,” I started, as if nothing had happened. “Is there any other reason why you think I shouldn’t go out on a mission with my soldiers?”

  “Many,” Líann replied confidently. “Although the risk to your life is, of course, foremost in my mind. But going on some patrols and not others can be perceived as favoritism or placing importance on certain things over others. This leads to dissention and can cause problems with morale.”

  “We lost people,” I responded. “I had to help find who’d killed them.”

  “You will lose more people,” she countered immediately. “Will you join every mission that goes out in search of their killers?”

  Dammit, she had a good point. No, I wouldn’t be on every team that responded to an attack against us. I simply couldn’t. Would that be perceived the way Líann described? I hoped not, but I couldn’t be sure. I just didn’t have a good enough answer to the question she posed.

  “I can tell from your hesitation that you’ve seen my point,” Líann noted, surprisingly without any trace of her typical superiority. “Now can we move on?”

  “No, I don’t think that we should,” I replied uneasily. “That was just a little too weird.”

  “What do you find so unusual about it?” Líann responded innocently.

  “Seriously?” I asked incredulously. “You don’t find anything strange about getting ‘stimulated’ by what I just did?”

  “I’ve been a Queen for longer than I can remember, Empress,” Líann sighed as she began to explain. “In all that time, I’ve never had a superior and only a handful of equals. No one ever dared to speak back to me for fear of my reprisal, and I’ve never met anyone who was willing to stand up to me and even intimidate me like you do.”

  “It’s absolutely… intoxicating,” she purred again.

  I’d set out to put a little fear into her, yet for the second time in two days, she’d turned the tables on me, and now I was the one who was a little bit scared. As Líann stared at me over the table, I realized that she’d gained the upper hand on me. I needed to get out of there immediately before she managed to maneuver me somewhere I wasn’t ready to go.

  “Well, now that you’ve seen that I’m fine, I need to get back to work,” I uttered hastily as I got up to leave. “I look forward to Thelmé’s next report. We’ll talk again after I’ve read it.”

  “Yes, Empress,” she called after me playfully as I rushed away from her. “I’ll see you then.”

  Th
at damn woman knew she’d made me uncomfortable, and she was enjoying every minute of it. But what the hell was I going to do about it? I wondered as I made my way back to the privacy of my residence. I couldn’t physically fend her off—that would only urge her on even more it seemed, and no matter how high-minded I might think I was, if she pushed me too far, I knew that I’d eventually crumble. The link I’d foolishly established between us and the undeniable attraction I already felt towards Líann made that fact unescapable.

  But despite all of that, I wasn’t ready to deal with the complications that would inevitably ensue if, alright, when my relationship with the Queen became something more. I had to come up with something, anything that would hold her off, even if it was only for a little while. There was already too much on my plate, and I simply wasn’t prepared to handle the added stress that dealing with even more entanglements would bring about.

  I could try to merely avoid her, but that would only work for a very short time. Inevitably, I would need to deal with her again, and I needed a plan. With simply dominating the woman out of the question, I was left with only one choice; I had to out-negotiate her. I would have to pit my meager debating skills against over a century of her experience and somehow convince her to back off, something she’d made clear that she didn’t want to do. I had no idea how I was going to do that, but unless I came up with something before our next meeting, I would be in a great deal of trouble.

  Fortunately, I never saw Líann over the next few days. I was able to conduct the remaining interviews and fill out my staff in relative peace, and my four new secretaries handled most of the burdens I’d dealt with before. All Talína allowed to get through to me were the most urgent items and brief summaries of the events that occurred around the Imperial District. Even the potentially tricky negotiations over my Charter were going well. In fact, they were nearing their conclusion, and a diplomatic celebration was already being planned, both in honor of their adoption and as a sendoff for the visiting royalty.