by James Hunter
“Can you bring someone back from the dead?” Ari asked, glancing up, tiny tear streaks tracing down her cheeks. “Can you restore my brother, Tarvo, to life?” Her request hit me like a sledgehammer to the gut. Here we were, thinking all about us—about what we could get—while she was still grieving the loss of her family.
For the first time Sophia’s smile vanished entirely. “I’m sorry, that is not within my power, little one. Once one of your kind dies, they are …” She paused, as though searching for a way to soften the blow. “They are truly gone,” she finally finished with a slight shake of her head. “I am so sorry.”
The Pixy frowned, scrubbed the tears from her cheeks, then nodded. “Understood, my queen. In that case, I want to go back to Eldgard with Champion Grim Jack. He fights the Dark Wanderer Carrera, and I want a chance to get my revenge.”
“Are you sure?” the Overmind asked, concern lingering beneath the words. “Once you leave my realm, it is distinctly possible you will never be able to return. This is your home, child. Are you certain this is what you would have?”
“There’s nothing here for me,” she replied, tiny fingers curling around the hilt of her sword. “Nothing but bad memories and judgmental looks. We’ve defeated the Lich Priest, but Carrera is still out there, and he needs to pay for what he’s done,” she growled. “And I need to make sure he does. I’m partially responsible for what happened, after all, so I won’t be able to live with myself until I put things as right as I can.”
“Very well, little one. Very well.” There was a long thoughtful pause before the Overmind turned her gaze from the Pixy. Honestly, she looked shaken, though I wasn’t sure why. “And what of you, Amara?” Sophia asked.
“You cannot bring back the dead, but is it within your power to prevent death?” Amara said, striding forward, stealing a longing gaze at Cutter. “Because if so, I wish that Cutter should be changed. No longer to die as a Citizen of Eldgard, but to be able to respawn as the Travelers can do.” She waved a hand at me.
Silence settled over the gathering, every eye fixing on the Overmind in wonder and expectation. Could she actually do something like that? Where exactly did her power end?
“Now there is a request to push me to my utmost limit,” she replied after a time, uncrossing, then recrossing her shapely legs. “You may think of we Overminds as godlings, and in many ways we are—but we are also terribly limited. You see, most of our power is consumed by holding the very world around you together—performing our essential functions, regulating quests, rewards, environmental factors—and what little power we have left is bound in stalemating the other Overminds. I exert my energy to counterbalance Enyo while she does the same to counterbalance me. It is the way of the world.
“True, we can act in the world and directly affect those within our sphere of influence for a short time, but usually our interference is minor, and it always comes at a steep cost to us. Every concession I make for Jack, Enyo can then make for Osmark—a natural balance. Each action results in an equal and opposite reaction. Still, here in my seat of power, it may be possible … Though there is no telling what possible consequence it might have. Would you still have me try, knowing I might fail? That I might destroy him in the process?”
“No,” Cutter said, “I don’t want this.” He shook his head and slipped forward, taking Amara’s hand in his own. “You’re better than me, Amara. You’re smarter, stronger, nobler. You care about people and make them more than they have any right to be. I’m a drunk. A gambler. A thief.” He shook his head. “No, if such a thing is possible, it should be you. You deserve to live.”
She leaned into him, their eyes catching like wildfire, then pulled him into a deep kiss, her hands shooting up, wrapping in his blond locks. After a beat, she pulled away and ran a thumb along his cheek. “You are better than you think, Dii Jai.” My heart, in the Dokkalfar language. “Do it,” she said, turning on Sophia. “Make him live.”
The Overmind stood—robes flaring around her, face solemn—and thrust her hands straight up. She rose into the air, her toes a foot from the lush grass, her hair floating around her in a halo, swaying in an unfelt breeze. Opalescent light pooled around her, bleeding from her skin. Around us the world quivered; a whipping gale howled, sending my cloak fluttering behind me. Cutter rose next, his eyes wide and wild as his feet dangled just like Sophia’s. In moments the light surrounding the Overmind began to leak from the thief, his skin glowing with unearthly power.
It was beautiful to watch. At first.
But after a handful of tense seconds, the grass beneath us began to wither and die while Sophia’s throne creaked and rotted, and the conjured butterflies plummeted from the air as one. The goddess of Order, likewise, didn’t look so hot, her hair losing its luster, her eyes milky, her skin ashy and pale—stretching thin like worn cotton. She was aging a hundred years right before our eyes. And Cutter just glowed brighter and brighter, a neutron star preparing to explode while he spasmed in the air, arms and legs flailing wildly.
After another few seconds the light surrounded us, the whole world transforming into brilliant, terrible starfire. Then, as quickly as it had come, the light was gone. In the span of a blink Cutter was kneeling on the ground, hands pressed into his temples, and Sophia was back in her chair, looking tremendously better than she had moments before, though far from whole and healthy.
“I’m, I’m alive,” Cutter stuttered, hands roving over his body as he stood. Amara was by his side in a second, slipping one arm around his back, steadying him. “Am I … Did it …” He trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
“Indeed, you are alive,” Sophia replied, her voice tired, though there was a ghost of a smile gracing her lips. “And the answer is yes. You are changed, Cutter of Rowanheath. Reborn. The first and, perhaps, last of your kind. It was no mean feat, I can assure you, but you now are no different than any other Traveler. Free from death. But sadly,” she said with a sigh, “I am tapped out at the moment, so you, dearest Jack, will have to wait to receive your favor. But you have my personal I.O.U.”—she cocked an eyebrow—“which, I can quite assure you, I’m good for.
“And now it is high time you all get back to Eldgard. Things have worsened since your departure. In the past three days alone, the Vogthar have made great advances. Most significantly, they have managed to capture the Hvitalfar city of Alaunhylles, which happens to house the Grand Archive: the single greatest repository of knowledge in all of Eldgard. Carrera is searching for something, for a quest that may tip the balance irrevocably in his favor. You all must stop him at any cost. Prepare to fight …”
Books, Mailing List, and Reviews
If you enjoyed reading about Jack, Cutter, Abby and the rest of the gang in Viridian Gate Online and want to stay in the loop about the latest book releases, awesomesauce promotional deals, and upcoming book giveaways be sure to subscribe to my Mailing List Your email address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.You can also connect with me on my Facebook Fan Page: James Hunter Fan Page
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If you love my books and need more Viridian Gate Online right this minute, then you might want to pick up The Artificer DLC 1.1: A Viridian Gate Online Novel, which chronicles Robert Osmark’s transition into the game. Already read that? Well, you might also like my Yancy Lazarus Series, which is gritty, tough, shoot-em-up Urban Fantasy at its finest. If Harry Dresden had an older, grumpier, drunker, more gun-happy uncle, you’d have Yancy Lazarus. Get the first book here: Strange Magic (Yancy Lazarus Episode One)
VGO Reading Order
Viridian Gate Online: Cataclysm (Book 1)
Viridian Gate Online: Crimson
Alliance (Book 2)
Viridian Gate Online: The Jade Lord (Book 3)
Viridian Gate Online: Imperial Legion (Book 4)
Viridian Gate Online: The Lich Priest (Book 5)
The Artificer DLC 1.1: A Viridian Gate Online Novel
Other Works by James A. Hunter
litRPG
War God’s Mantle: Ascension (Book 1)
Urban Fantasy
Strange Magic (Yancy Lazarus Episode One)
Cold Hearted (Yancy Lazarus Episode Two)
Flashback: Siren Song (Yancy Lazarus Episode 2.5)
Wendigo Rising (Yancy Lazarus Episode Three)
Flashback: The Morrigan (Yancy Lazarus Episode 3.5)
Savage Prophet (Yancy Lazarus Episode Four)
Brimstone Blues: A Yancy Lazarus Novel
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MudMan (A Lazarus World Novel)
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Two-Faced: Legend of the Treesinger
Books from Shadow Alley Press
Aaron Crash
Damnation Robot: Galactic Demon Hunters (Book 1)
Neutron Dragon Attack: Galactic Demon Hunters (Book 2)
eden Hudson
Revenge of the Bloodslinger: A Jubal Van Zandt Novel (Book 1)
Beautiful Corpse: A Jubal Van Zandt Novel (Book 2)
Soul Jar: A Jubal Van Zandt Novel (Book 3)
Garden of Time: A Jubal Van Zandt Novel (Book 4)
About the Author
Hey all, my name is James Hunter and I’m a writer, among other things. So just a little about me: I’m a former Marine Corps Sergeant, combat veteran, and pirate hunter (seriously). I’m also a member of The Royal Order of the Shellback—’cause that’s a real thing. I’ve also been a missionary and international aid worker in Bangkok, Thailand. And, a space-ship captain, can’t forget that.
Okay … the last one is only in my imagination.
Currently, I’m a stay at home Dad—taking care of my two kids—while also writing full time, making up absurd stories that I hope people will continue to buy. When I’m not working, writing, or spending time with family, I occasionally eat and sleep.
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Dedication
To the Shadow Alley Press Crew: all of the authors, editors, cover designers, and marketers. Seriously, we couldn’t do this without you.
Special Thanks
I’d like to thank my wife, Jeanette, and my wonderful kids, Lucy and Sam. They are my constant motivation and inspiration. A special thanks to my parents, Greg and Lori. A quick shout out to my brother Aron and his whole brood—Eve, Brook, Grace, and Collin. Brit, probably you’ll never read this book either, but I love you too. Here’s to the folks of Team Hunter, my awesome Alpha and Beta readers who helped make this book both possible and good. And of course a big thanks to my editor, Tamara Blain who rocked this book (if you need editing, go to her, she’s seriously awesome: www.acloserlookediting.com/ ).
—James A. Hunter, April 2018
Copyright
Viridian Gate Online: The Lich Priest is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2018 by James A. Hunter and Shadow Alley Press, Inc.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email the publisher, subject line “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the email address below.
[email protected]