The Ruined Temple: A LitRPG Adventure (Eternal Online Book 2)

by TJ Reynolds

  The instructions were vague, but obviously sufficient to activate the device, for as soon as the queen had finished talking, the diamond blared a penetrating white. Five foot-long talons of light extended from Pachi’s paw. They were bright to look upon, but when my eyes began to adjust, I could see that they almost looked solid in form.

  Pachi practically shouted in my head, I have become more powerful, Hana! Our enemies will fear me greatly. Not even the den mother has claws this long!

  “Your enemies already fear you, brave warrior,” The queen said to Pachi, making her chest expand. “Now they won’t even be able to flee your wrath.”

  Seeing I was expected to try on my own amulet, I placed it over my head. Again, when the clasp connected the two sides of the necklace, the ruby flared red, and the gems in the bow lit up in three different colors: one red, one white, and one green.

  I inspected the amulet, too curious to wait.

  Amulet of Souls

  Quality: Legendary

  Durability N/A

  Increases all elemental damage by 10% and damage of chosen elemental affinity by 15%

  Powers companion weapon. Absorbs the souls of your fallen enemies, increasing the items power to match level progression.

  Soulbound: Item cannot be lost or taken from wearer unless by the hand of a divinity.

  In gamer terms, the item leveled up with me! I wouldn’t be finding a necklace this powerful again.

  Then I did the only thing I could at that point: I picked up the bow. A tingle of power seeped into my hand as I did so.

  The queen barked an order: “Harnoth, clear a path.” I shook my head, feeling odd for even considering firing an arrow in the throne room, but the queen insisted. “We trust your aim, young ranger.”

  As I drew back the arrow, I pictured the clear white that issued from my blade or bow when I used Lunar Flare. A similar white glow surrounded the tip of my arrow, but not quite as intense. I released the shot and the projectile zipped across the chamber, cracking into the stone wall.

  “Another!” the queen commanded me. I drew back another arrow as she explained, “This time, feel the heat of flame.”

  After a moment of concentration, the arrowhead flickered with red power. I released this one, and a burst of spark and fire spread across the wall.

  I drew the last arrow, knowing the queen wanted me to try all three elements. “Feel the strength and weight of the stone beneath your feet, young one.”

  This time, the light that lit the arrow’s tip was green, and the arrow seemed to sag, as if it had gained mass. I released the arrow and it cracked into the wall, shards of stone skittering away.

  I thanked the wyvern queen at great length, and Harnoth as well, who had watched the demonstration with pride.

  The queen fell into another speech, this one about prowess in battle and the need to trust allies. I listened but couldn’t help but hold up the bow and admire its perfection.

  The Lost Bow

  Quality: Legendary

  Durability 1000/1000

  120-600 damage

  +10 Dexterity, +10 Stamina

  Special Ability: Elemental Alignment

  Elemental Alignment (Active): With the aid of a focus crystal and the three affinity stones within this legendary bow, you are able to channel the elemental forces of Light, Fire, and Earth.

  Light Elemental Alignment: Adds 20% extra damage in the form of Light Damage. May dispel darkness or fear. Costs 1% of total Stamina per use.

  Fire Elemental Alignment: Adds 20% extra damage in the form of Fire Damage. May ignite targets. Costs 2% of total Stamina per use.

  Earth Elemental Alignment: Adds 20% extra damage in the form of Earth Damage. May cause extra Explosive Damage. Costs 2% of total Stamina per use.

  My eyes nearly popped in their sockets. The damage my bow would deliver, even if I didn’t activate any elemental bonuses, was exponentially higher than my previous weapon. I’d need to do some more advanced archery training to up my game.

  I told Pachi the details of my weapon and she told me hers. The bangles increased the range of her claws and added one hundred percent extra Light Damage to every attack. The only cost was that the claws sapped Stamina as long as they were in use.

  Despite the cost to Stamina, I knew the weapons would be a great help. Not only were they powerful, but they weren’t too bad to look at, either. I even caught Pachi lifting a paw and twisting it subtly, letting the light shimmer across its surface.

  Then food and entertainment swept the focus away from Pachi and I and, like all parties, things moved on. We ate our fill, and then ate some more, content that our deeds had been successful. Knowing that the wyverns now had the power to repopulate their tribe made me feel immensely satisfied. As frightening as they could be, it was plain to see that the Sirrushi wyverns were a noble folk.

  I was leaning against Pachi, fighting the urge to pass out like the warrior chick I was, when a searing heat made me jump up from my seat.

  My sudden movement made a few heads turn my way, including several of the guards and the always vigilant queen. I reached in my pocket and drew out a glowing stone. It was Judas again, with something urgent enough to expend the power of the stone.

  Part IV

  What is Yours

  Relevant Progress of Hana Kotoba

  Status: Giving you everything she’s got for a little peace of mind.

  Class: Pathfinder, Elemental Arrow Slinger, Vardeen Skyrider.

  Items: Seriously, you check out that bow?

  To Do: Bolster a sandcastle to weather the wave.

  1: “Nothing like the dire peals of a battle horn to stir the blood to action.”

  — Harnoth Stonescale

  HANA

  Judas’ message was simple and short: Troops reported advancing from multiple positions, all heading to Taelman’s Pond.

  The rangers all felt that Quinn was their target. Judas agreed. He asked Pachi and I to tell the wyverns to send aid if they could, then fly there without delay.

  It wasn’t easy telling the queen that their honored guests needed to leave. We were exhausted, though, and I couldn’t even tell what time it was. How long had it taken to recover from the fight with the cave troll? How long after to discuss everything, slay the Ichneumon, and be rewarded by the wyverns?

  By my guess, it was most likely some time after midnight, and I checked my in-game clock. 1:14 AM. We had to spend more time telling the many important guests goodbye, but we were allowed to leave the celebration, which no doubt would continue till morning.

  Harnoth led us to a quiet alcove in the palace. Pachi and I slept there for a few sweet hours. The guard woke us at five, then led us to the closest exit to the outside world. I rode on Pachi’s back on our way there, not wanting to waste any more time.

  The sky was beginning to glow pink and pale orange in the east when we emerged from a hidden cavern high in the mountains, surprising the two guards at the entrance.

  Harnoth looked pained at our departure, but promised us solemnly, “The queen has declared that this will be a time for rebuilding. Yet I will make sure that a squadron of our finest warriors will come to your aid in Taelman’s Pond. We do not have wings but can run swiftly. We will be there in two days.”

  I thanked him and held my breath as Pachi sprinted toward the rocky precipice that fell away from the cave. We plummeted a short while then rose again as she flapped her wings to gain altitude.

  I told Pachi we needed to make a stop at our shelter, hoping it wasn’t far out of the way.

  Pachi slowly wheeled around till we were flying almost due north, the rising sun on our right just beginning to send the first piercing rays across the sky. We can be there soon enough, she said. The cave Harnoth led us to was closer than the one we entered.

  Within an hour, Pachi was descending down toward the sky glade. I sent her to hunt while I packed up. I stored much of the spare hide strips in my packs and used plenty to tie the door on our cave op
en; that way if the wind picked up, it would be less likely to tear the structure away.

  I took down the skins that had been drying and rolled them up, then made a pile of the gear we’d stowed in our cave while we were scouting.

  Pachi returned with a fat doe and ate quickly while I shoved some dried venison in my mouth and drank from the spring. Then I loaded my girl up and we were off again, leaving the glade behind as quickly as we had returned.

  The flight to Taelman’s Pond was quicker than I imagined. I had thought it would take the full day to fly that far, but we were descending the entire time, and an easterly wind sped us along at an incredible rate. We flew northeast, slowly leaving the mountains behind and flying over the Lorinand Forest.

  While we scored the sky itself, I checked up on the quest that we’d completed. It was a chain after all, and I wanted to see what was next.

  Stop the Rat King Part 4: Epic Quest. By slaying the foul Ichneumon, you have aided the Sirrushi wyverns more than you can know. They have sworn to join the alliance and fight against the Rat King’s armies. One such army has been spotted marching toward Taelman’s Pond. Quinn, the Elder, is in danger. Protect the townsfolk and make sure Quinn survives. Rewards: Save the town of Taelman’s Pond, reputation with all allied factions, Unknown Items, 15000 XP.

  It was on, then. So far, I’d thrown down with a god and been through many intense skirmishes, but never a true battle. This was the official beginning of the war, then. I knew we would make it on time, but would the wyverns? And even so, would we be enough?

  Hoping I’d had substantial gains, I checked my character status.

  Hana Kotoba: Level 28

  Class Rank: Pathfinder

  HP: 10753/10753

  Armor Rating 360

  Vitality 36 (+3)

  Strength 19 (+8)

  Dexterity 32 (+40, +10% total)

  Intelligence 19 (+8)

  Stamina 25 (+21)

  Sweet salted caramel! Four levels! My HP was looking pro. Still, I didn’t scream for joy or fist pump. I just hoped it would be enough for the battle to come.

  My thoughts drifted to the time Selna had first taken Pachi and me through the tangled woods, and our encounter with Gascar. I ran my hand through Pachi’s fur, thankful she had not died again to the poison of the cave troll. Then, before I returned my gaze to the horizon, I saw movement in the trees below.

  I called to Pachi, Hey! Can you circle back and maybe take us a little lower?

  She did so, and we sacrificed some altitude for the sake of gaining a better view. Chills ran across my arms as I saw the countless tiny figures marching through the forest below, the occasional glint of steel reflecting the morning sunlight. There looked to be hundreds of soldiers. Whether they were ratkin, trow, or orcs, I had no clue, but their numbers were frightening.

  An arrow came streaking up at us, falling short by a few dozen feet, but I had no idea if they had any magic casters in their group. Pachi turned away and labored to regain altitude again.

  Shortly after, I got my first glimpse of Bridgerun: a series of tiny buildings and sprawling farmland surrounding it a few dozen miles to the south. Madi came to mind, and I wondered how her time had gone there. Hopefully, she had managed to pull many players and NPCs together in defense of Taelman’s Pond.

  And then the small pond came in view. As Pachi descended, so did the hillside we’d made our first shelter on, Corell’s house on top of the hill behind town, and the many scattered structures of the town itself.

  Take us down on the path outside of town, girl. No need to freak anyone out more than they already are.

  Pachi banked down sharply to comply, and soon we were trotting along the pond’s shore. It was just after noon, and we’d flown perhaps a hundred miles. Having access to wings was a wondrous boon.

  I walked in front of Pachi, and the small figure of Abra popped into view, heading from some supreme fishing spot no doubt. “Hana!” he cried, a look of joy on his grubby face. And then, “Pachi?” The boy stopped dead in his tracks, staring at the enfield as she walked serenely behind me.

  “Same old Pachi!” I said. “She just grew up.”

  The boy muttered, walking up to her carefully, “You are so gorgeous.”

  She answered by pushing into his chest with her huge nose.

  Hoping for a more or less drama-free entrance into town, I asked Abra, “You mind leading us back into town? The less we freak people out, the better.”

  Abra trotted ahead. “No prob. Where to, guys?”

  I answered immediately, “We need to speak with Dandre. We have bad news.”

  “If it’s about the army marching towards us, then we already know. But the marshal is gone. She took a few of our warriors and met up with the rangers.”

  I nodded, absorbing the news. “Well then, time we checked in on the old man. I miss him anyhow.”

  Another big surprise met us as we turned the corner and saw the road leading into town. A gate had been built from freshly fallen logs, and though it was crude, the structure looked sturdy. It stood over ten feet tall, and two platforms stood to either side.

  The heads of guards poked out above. It was a great place for archers to stand. The gate itself was simply made, two large doors that swung on hinges and met in the middle. It was only opened a few feet, enough for foot traffic to pass by. A guard met us there, dressed in simple leather armor, a long sword on his hip.

  The young man held out a hand and challenged us. “Hold! State your business.” He looked nervous about his newly found authority, unwilling to overlook his duties.

  I answered in a calming tone, hoping to put him at ease, “I am Hana, and this is my companion Pachi. We are friends in this town and were sent on a mission by Selna, Quinn, and Marshal Dandre.”

  The guard’s face scrunched up, trying to remember my face, but Abra just pulled on his sleeve. “She’s also my friend. Trust me, we want Hana and Pachi here. It’s okay, Dane.”

  “Alright then,” the man relented, tension falling from his features visibly. “If you know this scoundrel, you can’t be bad folk.”

  We passed through the gate, and I glanced back to see how it locked. Two thick logs had been withdrawn which, when in place, secured the two sides of the gate like oversized locking bars.

  Taelman’s Pond had shifted from the docile town it had been. It was now milling with activity, with NPCs and players alike moving about in an endless gyre.

  Quinn’s shop was equally transformed. In a wide alley beside it, a group of ten or so townsfolk drilled with sword and shield. A player I hadn’t seen before, one with a warrior or soldier class, was shouting orders to the NPCs, correcting them on their form.

  Abra stopped short. “It’s pretty busy in there these days. I’m gonna head out and see if I can get any more fish. Corell has everyone who can gathering food. Wish we had time to fish, Hana. The trout are finally in season!” The boy had a forlorn look in his eyes.

  “Maybe if we survive the next couple of days, Abra. I’d still love to learn.”

  Pachi gladly took her rest, and I removed the saddle before heading into the weapons shop.

  The door tinkled as I opened it, like always, but inside had changed. The weapons that used to line the walls were almost all gone now, most likely having been assigned to the villagers or sold to ambitious players, and strange faces looked up to see me enter: men and women who were no doubt planning for the siege.

  A woman said, “What y’need, girl? Quinn’s busy.” I looked her in the eyes and recognition registered there. “Oi! You’re the one that bought them bracers from me and me brother a while back. Don’t have anything good for you now, girl. Our shop’s been gutted.”

  I laughed at the woman’s bluntness. “Yep, it’s me. And you’re Claire, right? How’s your brother?”

  “He’s lost his mind. Been cranking out leather vests and the like nonstop. I keep telling him he needs sleep too, but he won’t listen. Anyway, it’s like I said: Quinn’
s busy.”

  The old man called from behind Claire’s shoulder, “Not too busy for a friend. Please, Hana, come on back. We have much to discuss.”

  I ran around to see the man, dodging a few people who were gathered around a map spread on the counter. He met me in the doorway leading into his workshop and we embraced.

  I’d never had a fully functional grandfather growing up, just pictures of the people who had raised my parents. Video chats had been a thing for a while, and I even got to meet my mother’s dad a few times, but it was never a very intimate ordeal.

  Quinn was the real deal. He smelled like old paper and weapon oil as I hugged him, and his arms felt strong.

  Then he held me at arm’s length. “My, you have gotten much stronger. That is good to see. You’ve heard of the troubles, then.”

  “Yes, and we have more bad news. Judas, the herbalist, said enemies are coming from multiple locations, and when Pachi and I passed over the Lorinand Forest we saw hundreds of them. They will be here tomorrow I’d guess, maybe sooner.”

  The old man nodded. “Yes, we thought as much. But did you say you passed over the forest? Does that mean…?”

  “It does. Pachi is huge now and flies!”

  “Well done. I’ve never done any flying myself, though I have known a few wyvern riders of old. Their order is long gone now, though, I’m afraid.” His eyes seemed sad.

  I moved on to the next piece of bad news. “So, you’ve heard about the Fafniri, too, then?”

  “Aye. They were once noble, but Anwar and his sister Astiria have led them astray.” Then he shook his head as if waking himself from a bad dream. “Look at me. Where have my manners gone? Please, come sit down with me.”