The Lionheart_a LitRPG Novel

by Stevie Collier

  There was a pause.

  Bataar: Thanks, man. So many questions and I need answers. I have these ideas of mine.

  I was breathing heavy now. My nerves were setting in and I could feel fear rising up within me. I didn’t want to go in there and face an Orc. I really didn’t. The risk was too much. But I had to. I had to get closer to the truth and this was the only way.

  Tharis: What ideas?

  Bataar: A guild. You. Me. We run it together. You know, once we get a little more gold flow.

  The thought of owning my own guild brought a small rush of excitement. Maybe it was the thought of being an authority in this world. Maybe it was the fact players would look up to me for once. Maybe-

  A loud BOOM exploded through the walls and the ground trembled beneath our feet. We looked at each other with wide eyes.

  “What the hell was that?” Bataar asked, equipping his greataxe. His forked tongue flickered from his mouth as he turned to the door.

  I also equipped my shield and sword, backing away from the door. “I don’t know, but that sure didn’t sound like Hondren falling asleep.”

  “Yeah, like the exact opposite,” Bataar said. “Now what?”

  Why was he asking me? Like I had any idea what to do. I just knew to poke the monster with the sharp end of my sword.

  Suddenly, the large doors to Hondren’s lair flung open and out came a fearful little goblin out of the darkness, both of his hands in the air as he screamed, “Run! Run for your no damned good lives!”

  The goblin ran past us, his tiny feet moving a mile a minute. He ran all the way to the other end of the Grottopus’ lair, hiding behind the wall of the exit, his little face just visible.

  Footsteps could be heard now. Big footsteps. The ground beneath our feet shook more violently with each step the Orc took towards us. Then, they stopped.

  A lime green hand appeared slowly out of the black and gripped the edge of the door. Next came another hand, but gripped within its fingers was a massive, wooden club with the face of a skull etched on the top of it.

  “I knews somethin’ was uh wrong with that soup!”

  A head appeared, one eye scratched out from a past battle, the other a creepy, small one. A long, dirty, grey beard sprouted from his chin and fell to the ground. The Orc took a few more steps out and it was then that we got a full taste for the fight to come.

  The Orc was hunched over but still must have been ten feet tall! He wore no armor besides a small piece of cloth to hide his junk. His head was bald and two wax-filled ears were attached to either side of his head, one ear apparently having been half-chewed off.

  “Whoa!” he said, the smell of his breath almost causing me to fear away. “What’s we gots here? Two drum sticks? Ha!” He took a step closer.

  Not knowing what I was doing, I raised my sword at him and said, “You there! You have taken two prisoners that are very dear to me! Release them and there shall come no harm to you!”

  Hondren looked at me and tilted his head. Did he not understand a word I had just said? With his free hand, he scratched himself in an undesirable spot, sniffed his fingers, and let out a huge fart. Then, he said, “Ahh, you two is here for two lions beasts, yeah?”

  I nodded my head, afraid the Orc could hear the rattling of my plate armor due to my uncontrollable trembling. I targeted him.

  Hondren Level 30 Demi-Boss

  “Well’s I didn’t know that the two Lions belonged to you twos. I’s sorry.”

  “Go get them!” I yelled at him. “Now!”

  Hondren hocked a lugi and spit it so far that it hit the opposite wall, pinning a poor cave bat to the wall. “Well sheesh! No need to be rude! I go gets ‘em!”

  Hondren turned around slowly, the remnants of his fart wafting towards us. I used my shield but it was useless. I looked over at Bataar, who was close to gagging, and shrugged at him. He shook his head at me.

  Bataar: This ain’t right, Tharis.

  Tharis: No, it isn’t. What’s he up to?

  Bataar: I don’t know, but be ready.

  We heard the opening of a metal gate followed by a rough rustling noise. Then, the footsteps headed back to us. Out came Hondren with two lions beneath his armpit.

  “You talkin’ ‘bout these two kitties?” he asked, gesturing at the lions with his club.

  “Yes!” I cried with my heroic voice. “Release them and we will be on our way!”

  Hondren stood still a moment. Then, a crooked smile broke out on his face. Without warning, he dropped his club forcing Bataar to jump out of the way of its heavy fall. Then, the giant Hondren grabbed the lions, one in each hand, and chucked them as far and as hard as he could.

  I watched in slow motion as both lions flew across the blue, cold room of stone and smack against the wall. The sounds of sick crunching bones combined with the loud bellows of the lions filled the room.

  34

  I turned back around and looked up at Hondren who was digging in his nose.

  “Kitties go bye bye! Ha! Ha!”

  “You son of a bitch!” I screamed, rushing towards him with my pierce ability.

  Hondren, who I would have thought to have had a very slow agility, surprised me by smacking the sword directly out of my hand. He circled his hand in the air and was about to do the same to me. With quick thinking, I placed my shield in front of my body.

  WHAM!

  I was flying in the air, the oxygen knocked completely out of my poor lungs. I landed with the sound of my plated shoulder pauldrons slamming against the stone. My head was facing sideways and I caught a glimpse of my sword. I was just about to reach for it when Hondren took to the sky, which grabbed my attention. Never would I have thought this obese creature to ever have pulled off a feat like this.

  His large shadow crossed the room towards me, his arms spread out like a bird. I could see Bataar running after him but it was too late.

  “Body slam!” cried the Orc, landing sideways across my legs.

  Two loud snaps filled my ears and blood shot out of my mouth and back into my eyes. The blood was followed by vomit caused by the sheer amount of pain coming from my legs. My head shook back and forth and my thoughts were everywhere. I didn’t know where I was. I didn’t know who I was. The only thing I knew was pain. Lots of pain.

  Hondren turned his head and smiled at me.

  “Oopsie.”

  Bataar rose above the Orc and landed a pierce attack to the demi-boss’ back. It was a critical hit due to the fact that Hondren hadn’t been paying attention. The Orc’s stats flashed in my vision.

  Hondren’s Health: 92%

  Reality started to slowly set back into my brain but everything was still buzzing. I couldn’t move my legs but that might have been because Hondren was still laying on them. The pain was reawakened when he tried to roll off.

  Feeling useless, I tried my best to think of something I could do. Anything! Bataar couldn’t take this damned Orc by himself! It needed teamwork! And so I tore through my brain trying to find anything I could do.

  And there was only one thing.

  I reached out with all my might, grabbed my sword, and plunged it downwards into the back of Hondren’s hand and straight into the stone below his palm. I did all of this before the Orc could stand.

  “Hey! That not fair!”

  Hondren tried to grab his wrist and pull free his hand but could not. However, every time he moved he sent a wave of pain through my broken legs that he now sat up on.

  Warm tears filled my eyes and I gritted my teeth to keep from crying out.

  Bataar swung again, this time with his strike ability to its head. This time he wasn’t so lucky. Hondren, who looked to not have been paying attention, turned and grabbed Bataar’s arm, and crushed it within his grip.

  “Ahh! Oh my God!” screamed Bataar. “You bastard!”

  Hondren, now angry, flung Bataar without any stupid words leaving his mouth. He then turned his attention back to the freeing of his hand which was a tortu
rous chore for me to have to endure while under his weight.

  I looked back at Bataar and saw him move. Thank God he was still alive. He picked himself up with one arm and stood, using his greataxe as a cane. Then, I caught a glimpse of his arm and I thought I was going to puke. It looked like a skinny worm contorted in all different directions.

  There was movement in the corner of my eye and I turned my head to get a better look. I couldn’t believe my eyes! It was Grimy, heading towards me. In his hands was the black cauldron filled with soup. But how was he going to get the damned Orc to drink from it? Hondren was stupid but he wasn’t that stupid.

  An idea popped into my head. If Hondren wasn’t going to drink consensually then we would have to force it down his throat! And I thought I may know a way to do that.

  I watched as Grimy approached and just when he was with arms reach of the Orc, I twisted my body, grabbed the hilt of my sword and pulled it towards me, its blade slicing sideways on Hondren’s hand.

  “Ahh! Ouchie! Ouchie!” Hondren cried, falling to his back, his mouth wide open in pain.

  Grimy, seeing his chance, ran up to Hondren and poured the contents into his mouth.

  The Orc, now hacking and coughing up the disgusting soup, was flailing even harder. In his rage, he was able to pull the sword from the stone and get off of me. Air that I didn’t know was missing rushed back into my lungs and I took the biggest inhale of my life.

  I didn’t want to look down at my legs, but I had to. The left one was smashed completely flat, the foot and knee twisted to the left. The right foot was straight but bent backwards so that I could see the tip of my boot pointing at me. The chain mail had been no match for the Orc’s obesity.

  The effects of the soup must have started to work because Hondren was now spinning out of control. He flung his club a ways away and vomited up a mixture of bone and black mess. He tipped up onto the tip of his toenails and, at last, fell back onto his back, sending up a large dust cloud. This was all followed by very loud snores.

  “I thought…” I said, trying to speak through the pain. “It was supposed to… kill him.”

  Grimy looked at the Orc and scratched his head. “I put enough poison in there to kill a damned whale! Looks like the big guy was tougher than-” Grimy stopped and stared at the mess that was my legs. He turned away from me as he fought back a gag. “Looks like we will have to finish the job,” he said.

  I looked down at my mangled legs. “And how… am I supposed to do that?”

  My health! I hadn’t checked my health! How close was I to dying?

  Health: 9%

  This didn’t surprise me in the least. If anything, it surprised me that I was still alive. Then, while still checking my health, it changed.

  Health: 8%

  “Grimy!” I yelled. “I need health! The Orc’s damage must have a lingering effect because my health is still going down!”

  “Oh, right! Well, I don’t… shit.” Grimy scanned the cave. “I don’t think we have the herbs to create a healing potion,” he said, a hint of disappointment in his voice. “I’d have to leave the cave… but I don’t think that’d be enough time. I’m… sorry, Lionheart.”

  Health: 7%

  I refused to think that I would die from this ass of an Orc. No, I wasn’t going to die. I would live! At this point, I would do anything to stay alive. And in the face of death, I somehow found confidence.

  Health: 6%

  I could feel the desire and the actual belief that I was going to live through this all the way deep inside me. It was in my bones! And then, the answer was there. My newest ability.

  Feed.

  35

  I used my right hand to turn my body around so that I was now facing the sleeping Hondren. Then, using my palms, I drug my useless body with as much strength as I could muster. Agonizing pain shot through my legs as they grinded against the ground. I made it a few inches.

  Health: 5%

  Stamina: 48%

  I shot my arm outwards again, slapped flat ground, and pulled. Made it a few more inches. My breath was heavy now and sweat was dripping into my eyes. Grimy, not understanding fully what was going on, rushed towards me and grabbed my arms.

  “Take me… to Hondren…” I said, my voice barely a whisper now.

  Health: 4%

  Grimy didn’t ask why but pulled. My vision of the cave turned red which mixed with the already blue hue making a beautiful purple. What was scary was how, with every passing second, I cared less and less about my health dropping.

  Health: 3%

  Grimy dropped my hand onto Hondren’s forearm. A new surge of adrenaline rushed through me and I bit my lip as I pulled my face towards the Orc’s yellow skin. My face fell onto his arm and I had to force my mouth open to chomp on the vile skin.

  Health: 2%

  I used the Feed ability and took my first bite. A prompt opened in my vision asking me if it was myself I wanted to grant the health to. I accepted and kept on chewing. Warm meat filled my mouth and it was deliciously sweet. I became ravenous, not able to stop myself. I was past the skin, past the muscle, and my nose hit the bone. I turned and kept chewing as if I was eating corn on the cob.

  Grimy took a few steps back, his hand raised to block his vision. His knees were shaking.

  Health: 46%

  Health: 59%

  And that’s when the meat in my mouth revealed its actual flavor. The sweetness turned to saltiness and the smell became apparent. I spit out the remaining Orc flesh from my mouth and licked the bottom of the cave just to rid myself of it.

  I fell to my side and laid there in the fetal position for a few moments, my body trembling. I looked down at my legs and felt relief like I never had before. They were there, back to normal.

  “What. What was that?” asked Grimy, staying his distance from me.

  “A new ability,” is all I said.

  We rested for a moment before I realized I had totally forgotten about Bataar. I jumped to my feet and ran to him. He was still standing, resting against the pole of his greataxe. His arm looked like hamburger meat.

  “Bataar, are you-”

  “Does it look like it? I’m hurting here…”

  Bataar’s Health: 11%

  “I’m going to heal you,” I said, running back towards the sleeping Orc who now only owned one arm.

  Bataar didn’t answer back but concentrated on his breathing. I reached the Orc, plugged my nose, and use the Feed ability, hopefully for the last time. I took a deep bite of his shoulder, tears falling from my eyes as the horrible taste hit my tongue. The same prompt popped into my vision and I selected Bataar as the recipient this time.

  I looked over at him while I chewed and watched as his arm straightened and gained mass. Bataar looked down at his appendage and shook it a few times. Then he looked at me and I saw his eyes widen. He pointed at me.

  “What… what are you doing?”

  I spit the meat out. “It’s an ability. If I eat the meat of my enemy, I can heal myself or anyone else.”

  “My God…”

  Grimy tapped my shoulder and pointed at the two lions. I stood, blood covering my cheeks and chin, and made my way towards them. As I got closer, I could see that both their bellies rose and fell. The bigger of the two lions, however, had a slight stutter with each inhale.

  Once all three of us were close enough, it was hard not to take in the beauty of these creatures. The larger of the two looked older, his muzzle covered in old scars and grey filled his orange mane. The other, however, was a lot smaller, his hair was a lot shinier. The younger one did not share the same yellow and orange pattern of the bigger one but was solid white, all except for his black nose.

  “Come closer,” came a soft purr from the older one.

  And so I did. I walked up to him and took a knee. I unequipped my gloves and petted his soft mane. It was thick and tough but still soothing to the touch. The lion purred deeply now.

  “Thank you, for coming. That was ver
y brave of you.”

  Ronin spoke all of this without his mouth moving and with closed eyes.

  “The lion beneath my back paws is… my son. We are both… dying. No possible way to save us both.”

  “Yes! Yes I can! I have this new ability and-”

  “Your ability does not work on NPCs of the demi-boss variety. And, my son and I both carry this attribute. No… there is no way. However, I am not saddened. I will die in peace knowing my son will live on.”

  “But how?” I asked him.

  “Take good care of him, Tharis. Please, tell him I love him and… that I’m sorry.”

  Pieces of the majestic lion began to flake off into the air, each piece turning to smoke after it had drifted a few feet. This went on for a while and I turned to see Bataar wiping away tears. He quickly turned away from me. And were those tears in Grimy’s eyes as well?

  The smoke did not disappear, however, but came together and flew softly into the younger lion’s nostrils. The lion’s body, which was still rather huge, shrank to half its size and… POP! All three of us jumped, our adrenaline still rushing from the fight. The lion had disappeared and what was left was a small stone.

  I stood up, replaced my gloves back onto my hands and walked over to the stone. There was a red flashing mark engraved into it which I guessed to be some sort of rune. I reached out and touched it. As soon as I did this the stone disappeared into a white energy that encompassed my arms and absorbed into my body.

  Congratulations! You have acquired your first mount! Feel the wind in your hair as you charge towards your enemies on the back of Spartacus, the White Lion! This mount will increase your movement speed by 40%.

  All I could do was stand there dumbfounded as excitement filled my inner gut.

  “What? What is it?” asked Bataar, walking up to me. “Don’t leave us in suspense!”

  I turned to him, smiled a bit, and called upon Spartacus.

  36

  I puckered my lips and whistled in a way I did not know that I could. White smoke appeared a few feet away from me and it began to take shape. Within only a few seconds, a white lion had taken form. It looked up at me, its eyes telling me that he was confused. Not only that, but I could actually feel its emotion and I think it could feel mine. It somehow knew what was going on as if it had just read my mind. Spartacus’ ears fell before lifting its head to let out an ear-splitting roar that had all three of us covering our ears.