Matteo looked at the god and gave a small laugh. “So, I was a Shocker, then? Not sure I’m surprised.”
Xipe Totec laughed, as though he had found something extremely funny.
“No, Matteo. You are not a Shocker.”
Then, with one look of finality, Xipe Totec said, “You are an NPC.”
Final Level
Kabaka sat on the throne.
The big man didn’t want to. After Matteo had pointed out that there could be much good to come from him being on the throne, Kabaka relented.
“People need someone they can look up to,” Matteo had said. “Besides, you’re not going to be alone.”
And that was how Kabaka had accepted his new role. He had taken the throne amidst a small celebration with his friends, and those who had been with him on the day of the battle. When asked who he would have as his protectors, he’d thought back to the battle and mentioned the fact that Shaury and Alonzo were with him.
Without complaint, the Striker and the Shadowfiend found themselves standing beside the big throne. Their first quest was to go through the Great Hall together and find anyone still hiding in its hallways and rooms. It was during one of their searches that they found Lysander cowering in a corner room, his Crossbolt held out in front of him as though it would protect him from what would come. Alonzo later recounted to Matteo how Shaury had beaten the man to an inch of his life and, along with other former-NPCs and now Kabakans who had suffered in the hands of the man, had dumped him near the stream where they had last seen the Griffin.
Kenji’s first role was to secure a nice room for himself in one of the buildings, but he had chosen to spend time at the Great Hall, mumbling something about “teamwork” and “friends.”
Matteo sat on the steps in front of the Great Hall, watching the flow of human traffic. He felt a presence next to him and, the next moment, Shaury took a seat nearby.
“Seems like people are busy doing something productive,” said Shaury.
Matteo nodded. “Some of them chose to stick to their previous roles, but not as NPCs.”
“I can understand that. Finding comfort in something familiar.”
A silence presented itself. Neither of the two broke it. It was a comfortable silence, one marked with acceptance and respect.
“What happened to Adonis and Co.?” asked Shaury.
“Banished into the forest. Maybe they’ll come across Lysander,” said Matteo.
Shaury laughed. A genuine laugh. It was a pleasant sound, and Matteo could not help feel a warmth spread through his chest after hearing it.
“And Boran and Emiri?” said Shaury.
“They’re around,” said Matteo, thinking back to the last conversation he had with the siblings. “They have chosen to train potential soldiers in using the Crossbolt.”
“That sounds interesting. I would never have guessed.”
“They said they owed us. And something about how they trusted us.”
“You mean they like us so much that they don’t want to leave.”
This time, Matteo felt genuine laughter escape his lips. He faced Shaury and noticed her looking at him. There was a twinkle in her eyes, but Matteo did not know what to make of it.
Instead, he decided to ask a question. “How is Kabaka doing?”
“Getting the hang of things,” said Shaury, looking into the distance. “He’s gaining more confidence with each decision he makes.”
Matteo nodded. “He was meant for that.”
Another silence. This time, it was longer, and yet there wasn’t even the slightest discomfort.
“Are we going to fight the other gods?” Shaury asked.
Matteo took a deep breath and shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t think we will fight the gods themselves. Although I do have a feeling that we will see more of them. A lot more.”
He looked at Shaury. “I don’t want us to go back to how we were. And maybe, just maybe, we can find a way out of this world. Maybe the main regions have answers that this beginner region does not.”
Shaury gave a smile, the twinkle returning to her eyes. “We are with you, Matteo. You know that.”
There was the warmth again, blooming in Matteo’s chest. He looked away before Shaury could read his eyes. “Then I guess it’s time to meet the gods.”
Afterword
Thank you for reading. I really hope you enjoyed the story and are looking forward to the future adventures of Matteo and the Kabakans as much as I am!
If you did enjoy the book, it would mean a lot to me if you would leave a review for it on Amazon.
If you love LitRPG and Gamelit, I’m sure you’ll love these communities:
reddit.com/r/litrpg/
Gamelit Society
LitRPG Books
See you there!
Thank you,
L.T. Thornhill
Lightningbreaker Page 20