Shattered Lands 2 The Fall Of Blackstone: A LitRPG Series

by Darren Pillsbury

  “Daniel!”

  “Promise me, Mira. Swear to me that you’ll walk away.”

  “Daniel – ”

  “PLEASE, Mira.”

  There was a long pause. He heard the tension in her voice as she finally muttered, “I swear.”

  “Let her go,” Daniel said to Byrel.

  The nobleman nodded at his men, and they released Mira’s arms.

  Daniel took a deep breath.

  He had promised Simik before the dwarf died that he would return the sword.

  Now the moment had come.

  The worst that could happen is he would die.

  He deserved that much, at the very least.

  “When I came to Blackstone, I fell in with bad companions,” Daniel said.

  “Murderers and thieves?” Byrel sneered.

  “Actually, yes. I trained as a thief, and my best friend Eric trained as an assassin. We were the ones who robbed your house that night.”

  There were stifled curses throughout the group.

  Byrel’s face contorted in pain and hatred.

  Most of all, Daniel was glad he was facing away from Mira. He didn’t want to see her expression right now.

  “I stole the sword. Eric killed your father. I didn’t want him to, but he did.”

  Byrel’s entire body was shaking. He pressed the sword even harder into Daniel’s throat.

  Daniel rushed to get out the rest of the words before the point broke his skin. “That same friend is the one who took over the city today.”

  All the hatred in Byrel’s face collapsed into confusion. “…what?”

  “The same guy who killed your father is the one who took over Blackstone today.”

  “The sorcerer?!” Byrel asked in disbelief. “The one on the dragon?!”

  “Yes.”

  “How?!”

  “I don’t know, exactly. All I know is that somehow he trained in secret to be a dark mage. And he made some very powerful friends.”

  Byrel frowned. “But you… you fought against him…”

  “I didn’t like what I’d become. In fact, the morning after… after your father was murdered, I went and changed my life. I met a dwarf who became my mentor. He was the one who trained me to fight. He’s the one who made me promise to give you back this sword.”

  Daniel gingerly reached down and detached the jeweled scabbard from his armor, then held it out at arm’s length.

  Byrel seemed caught between hatred and confusion, but he took the scabbard and sword.

  Daniel continued. “In the interest of full disclosure, the three of us – me, Mira, and Eric – all went on a quest. My mentor and three other companions went, too. Mira and I didn’t know it, but Eric wanted a dark magic artifact. He lied to us to get us to go, and then he killed my mentor and our companions. Mira and I fought him just a couple of days ago before he escaped on that dragon. Then we got the griffins and we followed him here. You know the rest.”

  Daniel stared into Byrel’s eyes. “I’ve told you everything. If you feel I deserve death for what I’ve done, then I gladly submit to that punishment. All I ask is that you keep your word and let Mira go.”

  Byrel kept his sword at Daniel’s throat…

  And then he lowered it.

  “If what you say is true, then you are the best chance I have to learn about this man who took over Blackstone today,” Byrel said. “I presume you want him defeated.”

  “Yes,” Daniel said. “I want him stopped.”

  “Then we will work together to accomplish this.” Byrel fixed Daniel with a look of pure hatred. “But even though I spare your life, it is for the greater good of Blackstone. I will never forgive you for what you have done – and I hope you rot in hell for it.”

  Daniel stood there silently as the knights released him.

  There was one thing left to do that he dreaded.

  He turned and looked at Mira.

  The disappointment and betrayal he saw in her face was almost more than he could bear.

  65

  Eric

  The king’s bedroom was a luxurious chamber with an equally sumptuous bath. There was a massive copper tub set into the floor, and a steady stream of servants had filled it to the brim with heated water from the kitchen – toting it up the flights of stairs in buckets, then dumping them into the copper tub, only to repeat the entire process dozens and dozens of times.

  Once the bath was finally ready, Eric gingerly removed his torn and bloody clothes and stepped down into the water. It was steaming hot and felt amazing. The tub was so deep that when he stood straight up, the water came up to his chest.

  Merridack sauntered into the bathroom uninvited. “Don’t mind me, I’m not offended – your pecker’s so small it’s hardly visible.”

  Eric immediately tensed up, ready to summon a demon –

  “Relax,” Merridack said, “I’m not going to try to assassinate the Unkillable King. That’s what they’re calling you now, you know. That, or Eric the Black, or the Sorcerer King.”

  “Huh,” Eric said, not without a certain amount of pride.

  The Sorcerer King… not bad.

  Merridack leaned against the stone countertops with its golden basin. “I know I mocked your little speech before, when you basically insured every child in the kingdom would have nightmares for years to come… but I have to say, you made the right call. Fear and respect are better than love any day of the week.”

  “I’m so glad you approve,” Eric said sarcastically. “Now, could you get the hell out?”

  “So abrupt!” Merridack said with mock offense. “I thought you might enjoy my gift to you first, my Liege!”

  He clapped once, loudly, and two absolutely beautiful women walked in wearing silk robes – and nothing else.

  “May I introduce you to a part of the staff you might not have known existed: the palace concubines,” Merridack said with a flourish of his hand.

  Eric just stared at the two women. One was blonde and pale white, and the other brunette with olive skin. They both smiled at him shyly.

  “Ladies?” Merridack said, and the two women dropped their robes.

  Eric’s eyes bugged out and his mouth opened wide.

  “You didn’t… you’re not… threatening them, are you?” Eric said, unable to take his eyes off the two naked women.

  “Are you kidding me? You’re the king, my friend. I had to beat off twenty others with a stick.”

  Eric’s eyes widened. “TWENTY?”

  “At least. They’re used to a 70-year-old codger, so go easy on ‘em,” Merridack said with a wink, then walked out of the chamber.

  The blonde asked demurely, “May we join you, Sire?”

  “S-sure,” Eric stuttered.

  The two women got into the water and went to him, one on either side. They began to caress his chest and kiss his neck.

  Eric whispered hoarsely, “Unnamed One!”

  The wraith floated through the wall, its shadowy robes billowing all around it. “YES?”

  The two women screamed and hid behind Eric.

  “This isn’t really happening, is it?!” Eric asked. “There are safeguards in the game against this happening – right?!”

  “I REMOVED THEM. BUT IF YOU PREFER, I CAN RESTORE THEM – ”

  “NO no no no no – no, it’s fine,” Eric said. “Thanks.”

  The Dark One hovered there, not moving.

  “You can go now,” Eric said.

  The wraith turned and slipped through the wall, dissolving into the stone.

  Eric turned around to the frightened women.

  “Don’t mind him,” he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. “Now… where were we?”

  Eric discovered very shortly afterward that it’s good to be king.

  66

  Daniel

  Despite whatever personal hatred he harbored for Daniel, Byrel had one priority, and one priority only: retake Blackstone.

  “We will need an army,�
� the nobleman said, “and much more. We have no food, no shelter, no supplies.”

  “So how do we get them?” Daniel asked.

  “We must appeal to the surrounding kingdoms.”

  Mira frowned. “Will they help?”

  “Not all of them. Perhaps not even most. We have an uneasy truce with most of them since the end of the Beraldian Wars. But we must impress upon them that if they do not stand with us now, it is only a matter of time before death comes knocking at their door. The sorcerer will not be content with Blackstone. He will reach out his hand across the Shattered Lands and take everything he can grab.”

  “How do we know that for sure?” another knight asked. “Perhaps he will be content with Blackstone.”

  “Have you ever heard of a tyrant who was content with his lot?” Byrel scoffed. “In two weeks, he has gone from attacking my family to pilfering an entire kingdom. Why stop there?”

  “You know him,” a third knight asked Daniel. “Will be content to rule Blackstone?”

  “No,” Daniel admitted. “Probably not.”

  “The greatest difficulty will be convincing the other kingdoms to stay the course,” Byrel said. “They might potentially join our forces for a short time, but a prolonged siege will be a different matter.”

  “A siege?” Mira asked.

  “Yes. This Eric bastard had no need of one, since he tricked us into coming out of the castle, then ordered his mutineers to close the gates behind us – ”

  “Actually, I’m pretty sure Eric just possessed them.” On seeing Byrel’s shocked look, Daniel added, “With demons.”

  The memories of it happening to him made Daniel’s skin crawl.

  “So the guard weren’t traitors?” Byrel asked in astonishment.

  “No. I’m pretty sure anybody who turned against you, it was all Eric’s fault.”

  “That’s something,” Byrel muttered, almost as though thinking aloud. “If he doesn’t murder them all, perhaps we can find a way to get word to them. They could form a resistance. If they can let us in through the gates, then there may not be any need for a siege.”

  “About that,” Mira said. “Why do you need a siege? Why not just attack the city?”

  “Because the walls are impregnable. They have repelled armies twenty times larger than what attacked today.”

  “Well, if you need to get in, I know a way,” Daniel said.

  “What?!” Byrel asked, astounded.

  “Yeah – the thief we learned from had a way of sneaking in and out of Blackstone through the sewers.”

  “You can show us this secret passage?”

  “Yeah, it’s right by the grate where all the city’s sewage flows out. A crack in the wall.”

  “Could a small force get in that way?”

  “As many men as you want,” Daniel said, “thought they’ve got to go in one by one.”

  One of the knights cried out, “We should attack them tonight!”

  Daniel winced. “Only problem is, Eric knows about it. He’ll probably have it guarded.”

  “But he may not be thinking of it,” the knight argued. “He thinks us scattered, defeated – ”

  “No,” Byrel said. “Even if we get a small force inside, we need them to open the gate, and we do not have the numbers to take advantage of it. They will slaughter us in the streets. We will return with fortified numbers, then try our luck with the secret passage then.”

  “What if they have a thousand men guarding the sewers?” someone grumbled.

  “Then we will dislodge them with explosives,” Byrel said.

  “And cave in the sewers and ruin our only chance of taking back the city!”

  “If so, we will be no worse off than before we knew the secret passage existed,” Byrel snapped.

  Mira frowned. “You guys have explosives?”

  “Not here, no.”

  “I mean, they exist?”

  “Of course.” Byrel looked at her like she was stupid.

  “Why don’t you just blow a hole in the side of the wall, then?” she asked.

  “Because they are a hundred thick feet at their base. Nothing can penetrate that.” Byrel turned to Daniel. “Your information tonight may go a long way to redeeming you, boy. Are you willing to go further?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Each of us here will ride to a neighboring kingdom and ask for their help. Will you return home and ask your kinsmen for their aid?”

  I don’t think that’ll really help.

  “My home’s too far away, but… if you tell me where to go, I could go ask the dwarves for help.”

  The entire assembly of men burst out into laughter.

  “What?” Daniel asked in irritation. “What’s so funny?”

  The entire group looked at Byrel – who didn’t answer. He just stood there looking uneasy.

  It took another knight to speak up first. “The dwarves would sooner give up all their gold than join us in battle.”

  “Why?” Mira asked.

  “Because they hate all mankind,” another said. “They are petulant, vile creatures, and would rather perish than see us regain our city.”

  “But if Eric poses a danger to them, wouldn’t they help?”

  “No,” Byrel said flatly. “They will never trust one of us.”

  “I think I know a way,” Daniel said. “Simik – my mentor – told me something before I died. He said it would gain their trust.”

  “And what was that?” another knight asked condescendingly.

  Suddenly Daniel felt foolish. What Simik had told him seemed inconsequential – maybe enough to persuade the dwarves he was telling the truth about the statues in the Mines of Alark, but not to help fight a war. “He… he told me to tell them his father’s, grandfather’s, and great-grandfather’s names.”

  The entire group of men fell silent.

  “God’s blood,” the same knight whispered, his curse delivered in a tone of awe.

  Byrel stared at Daniel as though entirely reassessing him.

  “Is that a big deal?” Mira asked.

  “Dwarves never reveal their bloodlines to humans,” another knight said. “It is sacred to them. As children they learn the lineages of thousands of their kin – but they would never tell anyone outside of their kind. Certainly not a human. If you gained the trust of a dwarf enough to learn that, it is a sign of his utmost faith and confidence. And it may be enough to convince others to help.”

  Daniel’s eyes misted up.

  It is sacred to them… a sign of his utmost faith and confidence.

  He’d had no idea how much Simik had thought of him. Learning it now nearly broke his heart.

  “It is impressive,” Byrel said, “but it is not enough.”

  “What do you mean?” Daniel asked.

  “When they learn who it is they would be helping, they will not come,” Byrel said. “If you did not tell them and they found out upon arriving, they would turn back. They will never fight shoulder to shoulder with the House of Naughton.”

  “Why not?” Mira asked.

  “My family has a long and… difficult history with the dwarves. They will not aid me, even if their own lives depended upon it.”

  Suddenly Daniel remembered Simik’s words when the dwarf had first seen the sword in Daniel’s possession:

  It is a dwarvish blade, forged by a master craftsman named Gronil over 300 years ago. It was presented as a gift to a human nobleman – Lord Naughton of Esquitaine – who fought side by side with the dwarves in the Battle of Vimylt.

  Now, I won’t go into the fraught history between Blackstone and the dwarves – how the House of Naughton actually betrayed my people eighty-some years ago in order to acquire their lands. And I won’t lie and say that I’m not happy that this sword, the handiwork of a great and honorable member of my tribe, is no longer in the possession of a family universally despised throughout the dwarven world… for eighty years the dwarves asked for this sword back, and it was never retu
rned – but we would never have thought to steal it. It was a gift given in good faith, and no such thing should ever be stolen back. Likewise, an object so imbued with honor should not be dishonored by the actions of a man who should know better… who is worth better. I trust that once this quest is through, you will return it to its rightful owners. As a matter of honor. Because stolen valor is no valor at all.

  “I know one way to persuade them,” Daniel said.

  Byrel looked at him disparagingly. “And how is that?”

  Daniel held out his hand. “Let me give them back the sword.”

  Byrel stood there in silence.

  “What good would that do?” another knight asked.

  “Perhaps… a great deal,” Byrel said quietly. “But how do I know you will return it to them, and not take it for yourself?”

  “I gave it back to you at the risk of my own death,” Daniel said. “You don’t think I’d do the same to save thousands of lives?”

  Byrel looked at him for a long moment… then handed back the sword and scabbard.

  Daniel took it and reattached it to his armor.

  The entire group of knights stood by silently.

  Byrel regained his composure. “Good, then – we shall leave tonight.”

  “I could try to convince the elves to help,” Mira suggested.

  Daniel was about to say ‘no’ when the entire group burst out into laughter again.

  “Okay,” she asked in a pissed-off voice, “what is it this time?”

  “The dwarves would be far more likely to help us than the elves, lineage and sword be damned,” a knight laughed. “They might even throw in all their gold, too, for good measure, before the elves ever lifted a finger to help us.”

  “Plus there is the issue of your skin,” another knight said.

  “What about my skin?” Mira asked angrily.

  “You feign ignorance?” the man asked contemptuously.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  The knight snorted. “You have no idea, and yet you wish to persuade the elves to our cause?”

  “I… didn’t grow up with elves,” Mira improvised.