The Curse of Rion Castle (The Neuro Book #2) LitRPG Series

by Andrei Livadny

  The dwarves took much longer to make up their minds. Two of those we'd just liberated stepped aside; the remaining four joined our ranks.

  Both the orc and the kobold, however, joined us unhesitantly. Duly impressed by the healing they'd received, they were impatient to wreak their revenge on the Darks.

  Joining the clan was quite straightforward. I had a special tab in my interface which looked pretty self-explanatory, even though I was yet to work out some of its functions.

  One by one, I highlighted the icons of the two Guards of Gloom, selecting them, and activated the "Join" button.

  Got it!

  New tabs sprang up in the clan interface: Reputation quests, leveling, etc., etc.

  I repeated the procedure several times, adding the Elves, the dwarves, the orc and the kobold.

  This was what I finally had:

  Alexatis. Level 30. Neuro. Current status: Online

  Enea. Level 27. Battle Wizard. Current status: Offline

  Platinus. Level 18. Sorcerer. Current status: Online

  Our names were followed by those of the NPCs. They had no status report: they were constantly online by definition.

  I highlighted the entire list and focused my gaze on the Charm of the Sovereign icon, activating it.

  A cascade of pale light erupted, enveloping the ex-prisoners in its silvery shimmer. When it finally expired, each of the new clan members had a 50% resistance to mental attacks icon next to their names.

  Phew. It had worked. If the truth were known, I hadn't even been sure whether the 50% thing was applicable to NPCs.

  Raoul watched the scene, suitably impressed. "Can I join your clan too?"

  "You can. But we might need to run a quick check on you later."

  "That's not a problem. I wasn't expelled from other clans, if that's what you mean. No Reputation penalties. Nothing on my PK counter. My char isn't the best for solo leveling anyway. And you've just saved it."

  "All right," I selected him and activated the Join button, casting the Charm of the Sovereign aura over him too.

  Excellent. We had a cleric!

  New clan quest alert: Turf Wars!

  In order to neutralize the constant threat of a Dark invasion, you need to purge the dungeons of Rion Castle from the spawn of the Inferno.

  Reward: +1 to the clan's level

  +1000 to the clan's Reputation

  Unhesitantly I pressed Accept.

  * * *

  Rion Castle

  Subterranean dungeons

  BEFORE MOVING on, Zander and I needed to discuss our next steps.

  We studied the map I'd received from Raoul. His constant tribulations and logout attempts had allowed him to map out most of the dungeon as apparently, login locations were randomized enough to land him at five more mines manned by large imp groups. The road to the ravine was also marked on the map.

  Judging by what we'd already learned, dark obelisks were the biggest threat for us. And if we moved quickly, then I wouldn't be able to use Exorcism: the price would be too high.

  "I suggest we lure them out," Zander said, applying the coordinate grid to the map and performing the calculations. "Here," he inserted a place marker, "this is where we need to be. This spot falls equidistant to the five obelisks, just out of their respective reach. Or do you think the spirits can leave the obelisks in order to get to us?"

  "They might," I replied. "If the imps don't beat them to it. Five groups, that's at least two hundred mobs and possibly ten conjurers."

  "Their numbers are irrelevant. This is a perfect position, look. The cliffs form natural defenses with only three potential access routes. And we have plenty of warriors to defend them. Virgil can tank, that's three tanks in total. The wizards will cast blanket spells."

  "You really think they'll let us take up this position?"

  "Nope. We'll port there. I have the coordinates."

  "We can't. There're too many of us. A standard teleport won't do it."

  "Maybe not," he reached into his inventory and produced a Mass Teleport scroll.

  This was one hell of a rare spell. I didn't even know you could copy it to a scroll.

  "So what do you think?" he said. ”How about teaching the Darks a lesson?"

  I had nothing to say to that. Now that we had a cleric, our raid's survivability had soared. And if I could destroy all five Obelisks with just one Exorcism, so much the better.

  "Very well," I said. "Do it."

  Casting frequent glances at the map, Zander began plotting the positions, serrying our ranks as tight as he could to avoid any teleport accidents.

  His efforts resulted in three groups. Zander, Togien and Virgil were the tanks. The dwarves, the orc and the Elves were our damagers — not that they'd have to do much in the upcoming melee. The wizards were our main weapon: their job was to smoke as many enemies as they could before we even reached the chosen position.

  The kobold and the two Guards of Gloom formed a reserve defense circle around the formation's center, protecting Platinus, Raoul, Rodrigo, Iskandar and myself.

  "You have two minutes to cast buffs!" Zander commanded.

  In addition to our Skin of Stone, Stamina, Knee-Jerk Reactions and Resistance to Fire, Raoul also cast a Minor Regeneration and Health of a Giant.

  "Get set!"

  Zander took his place in the formation, pulled out the scroll, entered the coordinates, then touched them.

  * * *

  FOR A SPLIT second I didn't know where I was.

  The kobold's hot wheezy breath seared my cheek.

  We stood in a thick cloud of dust surrounded by the clattering of tools, creaking of hoists and groaning of prisoners.

  The imps' five main mines formed a wide arch in the ever-widening cave.

  We'd been ported to a small platform already cleared of all debris, surrounded by towering cliffs and banks of slag and depleted ore. The place looked very much like an archeological site littered with old pegs and lengths of string once used to divide it into a grid.

  These first impressions were immediately gone. I sensed a soft push to my back as our wizards cast Levitation, rising over the cliffs and heaped debris.

  The clattering of the tools died away, replaced by monosyllabic exclamations of surprise promptly replaced by fury.

  "Serry the ranks!" Zander commanded.

  A flash of light illuminated the cave as a Heavenly Shield unfolded around us, protecting us from the conjurers' attacks. Blobs of darkness clashed impotently against it, exploding on impact. Arwan expertly climbed a large heap of slag and struck back, downing a few dark casters with a hail of arrows.

  A hundred throats hollered their fury.

  Imps poured onto us from every direction. Overtaking the workers, warrior imps hurried first. Wisps of darkness trailed in their wake as Dark Obelisks tried to reach us with their mental magic.

  Still, Zander's calculations had been spot on. The ashen wisps of darkness drooped and dissolved, unable to get to us.

  Arwan's tireless shooting made the imps squirm in frustration. More and more conjurers cowering behind the prisoners' backs dropped to the rocky ground stained with their black blood, wheezing in their last agony.

  Hovering in the air, Rodrigo and Iskandar hung back to back and began rotating slowly, mouthing a desperate spell.

  Their joint effort softened the cave's rocky floor, turning it into a treacherous quagmire. About fifty mobs fell into the viscous substance which was rapidly solidifying, turning back into stone. The creatures shrieked, trying to get out while struggling against the flow of the crowd which was trampling them to death.

  Raoul kept casting Recovery non-stop. Our wizards' mental energy bars momentarily emptied, then filled halfway up again.

  The narrow passages between the cliffs seethed with fighting. The demons were so numerous that they crowded each other out, forcing some of them to climb the cliffs in an attempt to get to us.

  Arwan kicked a few of them out of his way but still wa
s forced to retreat as more and more imps shinnied up the cliffs, ignoring the passages. Their ability to scale heights had instantly ruined Zander's well-conceived plan. About a hundred mobs were fast approaching us from above and were about to shower down on our heads.

  Three spirals of Mortal Cold reached out for the enemy's avant-garde, followed by acid rain.

  Now try to pour some liquid nitrogen over a rock and then sprinkle it with acid: you'll see what I mean!

  The cliffs shattered, raising vortices of swirling acid. The demons screamed, frost-bitten and burned with acid, as they dropped to their death.

  Our wizards had given it their all. As they gulped down elixirs, Raoul hurried to cast another heal over everyone.

  Zander, Virgil and Togien held the passages like one man. Their warriors hacked at the enemy with grim determination, smoking demons by the dozen.

  The kobold growled his protest: he hadn't yet had a chance to show himself. Both Guards of Gloom froze next to me, calmly awaiting orders.

  I was busy maintaining the Levitation Aura to keep Rodrigo and Iskandar afloat.

  In the meantime, the demons' numbers had swelled. Reinforcements kept flooding in. Apparently, there were a few more groups working nearby, not marked on Raoul's map.

  "Watch out! Sling shooters!" Zander shouted.

  A volley of rocks showered our positions. I barely managed to cast a Stamina over the two wizards. Overcome by the pressure of the battle, Rodrigo cast Chain Lightning, decimating the enemy. Blind with rage, the imps redoubled their efforts, scaling the rocks toward us.

  "Retreat!" Zander's voice thundered overhead, saving us from immediate defeat. "Form a circle! Second row, raise your shields above your heads!"

  Iskandar and Rodrigo squirmed on the ground under the barrage of rocks. Raoul hurried to their help, saving both from certain death.

  The situation was getting worse by the second. Although we still held our ground, our resources weren't limitless. The imps were just too numerous — and we were too busy fighting back to deal any damage.

  The kobold exchanged glances with the Guards of Gloom. "Can we?" he growled, addressing me. "Our time has come!"

  The imps were almost upon us, climbing the banks of dead bodies. The warriors of the front line struggled under the pressure. The Elves couldn't fight back as they were busy holding the shields over their heads, covering me and the wizards from the torrent of rocks.

  Our main task — to aggro the obelisks and lure the spirits out to be exorcised — remained unfulfilled. I just didn't see any other way.

  "Do it!" I said, then turned to Arwan, "Form steps with your shields!"

  The Elves didn't have to be told twice.

  As it turned out, the kobold didn't need steps. He crouched on his hind legs, leaning on his tail, then uncoiled his lithe body, springing over the warriors' heads and landing on the nearest cliff. His halberd whooshed through the air, clearing a path in the demonic ranks.

  The two Guards of Gloom followed in his wake with remarkable agility. Their naginatas drew the blurred outlines of almost imperceptible combos in the air.

  The long ancient pole weapons hit the enemy with terrible precision. The two warriors' silhouettes were reduced to a slurry of shadows. I was almost sure they were using Combat Trance — one of their race's unique abilities — but how long would they be able to keep it up?

  Zander immediately saw that the tide was turning. "Iskandar, bring my aggro up! Rodrigo, shut down those slingers!"

  Rocks continued to shower the shields like hailstones.

  The imps froze, undecided. Zander's aggro began pulling them in, distracting them from the bleeding kobold and the exhausted Guards of Gloom.

  "Relieve the front line!" Zander kept snapping orders while fighting off demonic hordes.

  The dwarves stepped back, completely worn out. Virgil and Tylor gulped more potions. Raoul was taking care of the orc whose life was deep in the red. The Elves who were yet to join the battle hurried to Zander's aid.

  Bleeding profusely but alive, the kobold and the two Guards of Gloom finally fought back to us. Raoul promptly cast a healing aura over them. The guy definitely knew what he was doing.

  In the meantime, Iskandar and Rodrigo had managed to choke the slingers' positions in toxic fog. The imps' shooting stopped, their triumphant squeaking replaced by croaks of agony.

  I was so fed up with all the system messages flickering before my eyes that I minimized them all.

  "The spirits!" one of the Elves pointed.

  Finally! They just couldn't stay inside their dark obelisks any longer! By now, the imps' ranks had shrunk: those still left were mainly uncoordinated workers with decimated life bars who doggedly kept re-entering the battle in small groups with no hope of winning.

  Arwan had smoked all the conjurers a long time ago. Their totems had collapsed, fractured by the Elves' arrows. Bound to their obelisks, the spirits hovered at a distance, too far from the demons to control them.

  "Serry the ranks!" Zander snapped. "Alexatis, your turn!"

  He didn't need to tell me. Throughout the battle, I'd tried to go easy on my abilities, awaiting this very moment.

  "They're coming!" Zander took his place in the formation. "I've got Expulsion back. You want me to use it?"

  "No point. It won't work against them."

  The spirits had already left their rocky dwellings and were now approaching us, their outlines shimmering with grayish-blue auras. I checked my interface. Thanks to all the XP the raid had earned during the melee, I was now level 35. Excellent. That would make casting Exorcism far less costly.

  The spirits advanced warily. There was nothing around they could use as shelter. Their translucent bodies were mere clots of darkness veined with crimson. Not a very pretty sight.

  They weren't in a hurry to attack. Not that they needed to: each of them had at least a hundred ghosts under their command.

  Still keeping a respectful distance, the spirits encircled us and froze, hovering in the air. They must have sensed we were up to something.

  Their subtle whispers didn't affect us. The Shield of Reason emitted by the Charm of the Sovereign boosted our resistance to all mind-altering magic, preventing the spirits from casting control on us.

  The ghosts charged upon us, oozing gloom.

  They were still out of my range. Oh well, I'd have to do it in two stages, then. Never mind. I'd survive. I could do it!

  As the ghosts were trying to force their way through Zander's and Raoul's defense auras, I cast the first Exorcism.

  A vociferous groan echoed through the cave.

  The ghosts vanished. Just like that. They weren't resummonable, either. The spirits too had received one hell of a debuff.

  Instinctively they attacked. By killing hundreds of ghosts, I had generated tons of aggro, leaving them no choice.

  My lips turned cold. My fingers twitched with tension. My life had plummeted, leaving me with virtually no mana. Exorcism took eight seconds to cast. If I failed the second one, I wouldn't get another chance.

  My head swam. I was losing concentration. Was I strong enough to cast it again?

  But yes! The potion! Power of a Monster 2.0! What was it Platinus had said? All stats would soar to the sky?

  I gulped the obnoxious drink, sensing my body fill with inhuman strength.

  "Alexatis! Whatcha waitin' for?"

  Zander did cast Expulsion, after all. Not that it hurt the spirits in any shape or form, but at least it bought me a couple of extra seconds.

  The spirits reached for each other, merging together, joining forces in order to forever imprison our raid in a silent cocoon devoid of time and space.

  The air around us shifted, thickening. Even the unflinching faces of the two Guards of Gloom betrayed instinctive fear.

  The moments felt like an eternity. Finally, the last word of the ancient spell fell from my lips.

  The spirits wailed. The spell ripped through their bodies, twisting them in
to tight swirls of darkness which flew in all directions, breathing fire, then fell apart, showering the ground with clouds of ash.

  Silence prevailed. The far-off echo of a rockfall arose and died in the dungeon's depths.

  Chapter Four

  The Crystal Sphere

  The dungeons of Rion Castle

  WHILE THE MERCS collected the loot, I was having a quick recovery break, sitting nearby watching all the bustle.

  This wasn't really the right time to do it, but I simply had to sort out my new stats and abilities. I had lots of points available so I thought I'd better invest them now before I had to face the great unknown again.

  I'd already realized that in order to use the Founders' ancient magic, I had to invest in Intellect, Stamina and Spirit. Strength and Agility could also use a little boost, considering my class' potential as a Warrior.

  The killing of several hundred ghosts and five dark obelisk spirits had earned me two more levels. Raid leveling was definitely the thing to do. Together with the racial bonus (+1 pt. every 5 levels), I had in total 16 stat points available plus 19 more to invest into abilities. Also, the Exorcist achievement I'd received for lifting the curse had added another 2 points to both Spirit and Intellect.

  Very well, then. Let's have a look.

  As I distributed the points, I kept three objectives in mind: first, how best to fit the requirements of the spells I'd learned, secondly, to raise my Health quota and thirdly, to boost my Warrior abilities.

  This is what I finally had:

  Alexatis. Level 37. Neuro

  Life, 242,5/242,5 (Stamina, 190 + Gear, 32.5 + the Charm of the Sovereign bonus, 22)

  Physical Energy, 135/135 (Strength, 120 + current abilities and the gear bonus, 15)

  Mental Energy, 248/248 (Intellect, 180 + current abilities and the gear bonus, 68)

  Physical Defense, 275 (Scaly Armor, 210 + Agility bonus, 65)

  Physical Attack, 91.3 (Mysterious Sword at 50% Durability, 25 pt. + Strength, 13 + the gear bonus, 2 + Intense Training, 6 + character level, 37 + the Charm of the Sovereign bonus, 8.3)