Sovereign Rising (The Gods' Game, Volume III): A LitRPG novel

by Rohan M Vider

  The cub yawned sleepily and butted his head into Kyran’s hand, demanding pampering, while sending a torrent of images down their mind link—his complaints of sore feet, cracked skin, and hunger...lots of hunger.

  Kyran chuckled. Aiken seemed to be weathering the trials of life above ground just fine. He had worried that the bear would come to regret his decision to accompany the party topside, but the flavour of the bear’s mindspeech reassured him. As his gaze lingered over the cub, his insight triggered, and he realised with a start that Aiken was no longer a cub, at least not according to the Game.

  Name: Aiken. Race: Jade great bear (elder beast).

  Player type: Basic player, bond-companion to Kyran Seversan.

  Level: 20 (young bear).

  Like the rest of the party, Aiken had levelled during the encounters with the ogres. The Game now considered him a young bear. Kyran tilted his head and studied his companion. Aiken had not grown, at least not in any appreciable sense. He appeared to be the same size as when they had first met. Kyran shook his head in bemusement. He doubted he would ever understand all the peculiarities of the Game.

  Noticing Kyran’s reaction, Adra asked from across the fire, “Is everything alright, Kyran?”

  “Oh, yes,” said Kyran, looking up at her. “Aiken levelled from the battle earlier today. He’s reached rank two, and is now a ‘young bear.’” He smiled. “I don’t know if I agree.”

  Aiken snorted crossly to show what he thought of that comment.

  “Well that’s great,” said Gaesin, laughing at the bear’s pretence of anger. “Pretty soon the little fellow will be as powerful as his dame!” He paused. “I guess we can’t keep calling him little fellow, though.”

  Aiken huffed in agreement, and they all laughed.

  After their mirth subsided, Mirien asked curiously, “Did you all level from the battles?”

  Kyran’s smile faded. “We did. I guess you didn’t?”

  “No, I didn’t,” said Mirien, looking wistful at the thought. “The Game doesn’t work that way for us norms. You know that,” she added, with a just a trace of reproach.

  An uncomfortable silence descended as each of the party members ruminated on the difference between players and norms. Kyran realised that for all that Mirien was many times more competent a fighter than him, he and the rest of the party would eventually close the skills gap to her. It was an unpalatable truth of the Game.

  “You see now why the Brotherhood needs you, Kyran,” continued Mirien quietly. “It took me years of training to develop the skills I hold, yet in a few more battles, you and your vassals could soon be my equals.”

  It was an exaggeration, but close enough to the truth that Kyran did not gainsay her.

  Adra was not so restrained. Emitting a low growl, she said, “Enough of your vile Brotherhood! We’ve all had our fill of their vaunted ‘bravery’ and deeds. You’ve stuffed our heads with plenty of that nonsense already! Allow Kyran the grace to make up his own mind.”

  Mirien stiffened. “It is none of it nonsense,” she said sharply. “It is all truth, truth that you god-blind refuse to see!”

  Kyran hid a sigh. The pair were sniping at each other again as they had been constantly doing for the past few nights. He had hoped that tonight at least would be different, but that didn’t seem like it was going to be the case. Kyran shared a martyred glance with Gaesin.

  The half-elf was hanging his head to avoid the notice of the bickering women. On the first night, they had both tried to embroil him in their arguments. Wisely, the youth had elected to stay well away.

  Kyran flung the contents of his cup into the fire. This has gone on long enough, he thought. “Adra, Mirien,” he said, mildly, instantly drawing their attention to him. “If you two cannot be civil to each other, perhaps you’d best take yourselves elsewhere and leave us in peace.”

  The two stared back at him, speechless. Adra in stunned shock, Mirien with narrowed eyes and thinned lips. It was the first time he had taken them to task for their bickering, and both had grown used to his policy of non-interference.

  “Go scout. Together,” he said, waving his hand vaguely at their surroundings. He bent his head back to his food and ignored the outraged gazes of both women. After a moment of frigid silence, the pair stood and left the camp as one.

  Gaesin looked up in relief after the women’s departure. “That was brave of you, Kyran,” he said admiringly. “But perhaps a trifle foolish.”

  Kyran laughed. “I know, Gaesin. Believe me, I know.” He stretched and leaned back against Aiken’s bulk. “But right now, I can’t seem to care. It’s nice to have some peace and quiet.”

  Gaesin grinned in agreement.

  Kyran glanced around. Adra and Mirien’s disappearance into the blackness of the night had left Gaesin and him with a rare moment of privacy. “How is your task going?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

  The half-elf’s face turned thoughtful. “I am not sure,” he admitted. “Mirien is...complicated. She is definitely keeping secrets, but at the same time appears genuinely interested in helping us.”

  Kyran pursed his lips. He had hoped for more definitive information. “What are her interests? What does she question you about?”

  “You, primarily. How you got here, what type of lord you are, how did you open the gate, what skills you have, and so on.” Seeing Kyran’s worried look, he added, “I’ve told her little, but she is perceptive, so she might have learned more than I intended.”

  Kyran nodded. Asking Gaesin to embark on this venture had been an unavoidable risk. “And what have you learned of her?”

  “Mirien is a more than a competent fighter. She seems to genuinely believe in the Brotherhood’s cause.” He paused. “Her hatred of the gods is unmistakable and at times scary.”

  “And that’s all?”

  “Well, there is one other thing, but it is more speculation on my part...”

  Kyran nodded his understanding of the youth’s qualification and gestured for him to go on.

  “When she talks of Crotana’s Elder Forest, I get the sense that it is more than a forest to her.” Gaesin glanced up at Kyran. “I’m not sure how much you know of the Myelad’s elves, but all of us—even a half-elf like me—have some form of connection to nature, forests especially. The Elder Forest, filled with the oldest trees in Crotana, is of great importance to most elves. Yet when Mirien speaks of the forest, I get the impression that it means more to her than even most elves. If I had to guess, I would say her ancestral roots lay in the Elder Forest.”

  Kyran chewed thoughtfully on his lips. “So you think she is descended from the elves who used to live in Crotana before its fall?”

  Gaesin looked hesitant to commit, but nodded reluctantly. “I think so.”

  “What does that mean for us, though?”

  “I don’t know,” admitted Gaesin.

  Kyran nodded. It was nothing definitive, but the youth had done well. “Good work, Gaesin. Now if you will excuse me,” he said, rising to his feet, “I think—”

  “Wait, Kyran, one more thing before you go.”

  In the act of rising, Kyran paused and sank back down. He looked questioningly at Gaesin.

  “Mirien proved herself today, didn’t she?” asked the half-elf, shifting uncomfortably. “I don’t think she would betray us if we told her the truth. I feel bad that—”

  “Gaesin,” Kyran broke in gently, “you said yourself her hatred of the gods can be frightening. Do you think she would still help us if she knew we planned on meeting Iyra’s champion?” He himself was conflicted over the lie, but he couldn’t let Gaesin see any of his own doubts reflected in Kyran.

  The youth bit his lip. “I don’t know. But we can’t keep lying to her!”

  “And we won’t, I promise you,” Kyran said. “Once we reach the top of the escarpment, I will tell her the truth.”

  Gaesin met his eyes. “Do you pledge to that?”

  “I do,” said Kyran.


  That seemed to satisfy the youth, and he unbent slightly. “Alright then, Kyran. I’m sorry for pushing you, it’s just…”

  “I understand, Gaesin. I do.” He rose to his feet once more. “Now, I need to see to my classing.”

  “You’ve finally gotten the skill points you need?” asked Gaesin, looking up at him in surprise.

  Kyran smiled. “I have.” He walked slightly away from the camp, not wanting to be disturbed if the two women returned. He sat down and turned his gaze inwards. There had been a cascade of Game messages after the battles that he had not looked at during the fight. He opened them now, perusing each in turn.

  Congratulations! Your companion, Aiken, is now level 20 and has advanced to the rank of young bear.

  Aiken’s trait, jade skin, has evolved to jade skin (II), increasing his resistance to physical damage from +50% to +60%.

  Aiken has gained two new abilities: jade bite and guardian’s aura.

  Kyran glanced at the jade bear in surprise and scanned his player data in more depth. Aiken had gained knowledge from the Game with his new rank, including new abilities and improved traits. “Now isn’t that useful, brother,” he said.

  Aiken huffed in agreement, his mind fill of sleepy self-contentment. Pleased for his companion, Kyran turned his attention to his own advancement.

  You have reached combat level 22.

  9 SP and 5 AP available.

  Despite his weariness, Kyran felt a flutter of excitement. Finally, he could assume his class. But first he needed to achieve the pre-requisites. He closed his eyes and selected his desired skills.

  Base skill in body control has increased to 20. Effective skill: 40.8

  Remaining: 0 Combat SP.

  All requirements have been achieved for the wild druid class.

  Finally, he thought with a smile of satisfaction. He opened the Game interface on classes and selected the jade druid class. His mind blanked as a torrent of information swirled into him and was sucked in eagerly by his subconscious.

  A moment later, Kyran opened his eyes, blinking as awareness returned. He felt altogether different, the changes in his body and mind nearly as striking as the first time he had acquired knowledge from the Game.

  A slew of Game messages unfurled in his mind. Taking his time, he scanned through each carefully.

  Class selection confirmed.

  Congratulations, you are now are an apprentice-ranked jade wild druid, a combat-oriented class!

  You have gained 11 class skills!

  You have gained 2 class traits!

  You have gained 2 class abilities!

  You may learn 4 beastforms!

  New trait gained!

  Wild tamer: As a wild druid, your affinity with nature allows you to form more psi-bonds with wild creatures. Your taming limit advances by +1 with each rank beyond the base of 5. Current limit = 7.

  New trait gained!

  Incompetent summoner: The increase in your psi-bonds capability has negatively impacted your ability to form spirit bonds with creatures from the ether. Your base summoning limit has been decreased by 1. Current limit = 0.

  He winced as he saw the effect of the trait, incompetent summoner. He had known about it, of course, but the restriction still hurt. Now there was a whole series of spells he could no longer cast. Unfortunate though it was, the trait’s penalty was outweighed by the benefits of wild tamer.

  New ability learned: wild shift (allows the caster to assume a beastform).

  New ability learned: beastform (allows the caster to learn the shape, functioning, and anatomy of a beast that he is currently befriended to).

  Only 2 beastforms may be learned per player rank. Beastforms may not be unlearned.

  Congratulations! You have chosen your class. Your quest reward (class item) for the quest: The journey to becoming great (2), has been added to your inventory.

  Acquired: Tamer’s bracelet.

  Type: Class item.

  Weight: 0.1 kg.

  Rank: Apprentice.

  Special properties: +8% beast bonding skill.

  Requirements: Any druid class.

  Condition: Excellent.

  Description: An item unique to the druid class, this bracelet is used to increase the wearer’s affinity with creatures of the wild.

  Definitely useful, he thought, smiling as he read the class item’s description.

  Do you wish to combine your civilian skill path and your combat path into a class path?

  If you consolidate your civilian and combat paths into a single class path, from here on you will only gain experience from combat.

  At each player level, you will gain a total of 13 class SP that will replace your original 9 combat SP and 4 civilian SP and a total of 3 class AP that will replace your original 2 combat AP and 1 civilian AP.

  Warning! If you choose to combine your skill paths, you will not be able to dual class later.

  Dual classing is available at the journeyman rank. As a result of your existing combat class, should you choose to dual class, only civilian classes will be available for your choice of second class. Please decide your course now.

  Kyran blinked and read through the last three Game messages once, twice, and then again for a third time. Dual classing? The Game’s description of its functionality was intriguing. Entirely intriguing. The Champion’s Handbook had made only passing mention of dual classing, considering it an aspect of study more suitable for other, more advanced books on the subject.

  Kyran had not thought too much on the matter himself. He’d assumed that dual classing would weaken his primary class or slow down his levelling. Yet that didn’t appear to be the case, or at least not entirely.

  “Gaesin,” Kyran called out to the youth. When the half-elf came over, he asked, “What do you know of dual classing?”

  “Dual classing?” asked Gaesin, pursing his lips as he pondered Kyran’s question. “Not much,” he admitted. “I know it is generally frowned upon by the training academies and divines. As far as I know, Game scholars don’t recommend it, considering the benefit of more skill and ability points in a player’s primary class to outweigh the benefit of a second class. But to be honest, the mechanics of dual classing were only lightly touched upon in my own studies in the Iltenial Academy. And anyway, it’s not an option available to basic players, only to advanced players such as yourself.” The half-elf brows furrowed in confusion. “Why do you ask?”

  “Because,” Kyran said, “considering my unique circumstances, I think…it is perhaps a good choice for me.”

  He cupped his face in his hands, thinking the matter through. He could understand why it was advised against. Specialisation was key for champions who had many others to support them. Having higher skills and more abilities in your chosen path—combat or civilian—could make a vast difference in a champion’s ability to succeed in a given task.

  With a host of other players to support them, champions didn’t need the extra flexibility dual classing provided. But Kyran, with few vassals and no other advanced players to depend on, needed versatility more. I need every advantage I can gain.

  And best of all, dual classing would not significantly weaken his wild druid class as had been his original assumption. Granted, it meant he would have fewer abilities to choose from and his skills would lag a little every time he levelled, but crucially, he would not have to pay the out-of-class penalty to train his civilian skills.

  He had been quite worried that he would be forced to leave his civilian abilities capped at the no-penalty skill limit of twenty. But he wouldn’t have to anymore—not if he dual classed.

  Going down the route of dual classing would mean waiting until he reached journeyman rank before he increased any of his civilian skills beyond twenty, but that was a small price to pay for the advantages he would gain thereafter.

  Decided, he willed his choice.

  You have chosen not to combine your civilian and combat skill paths. Your second class will become available
at the journeyman rank.

  You have received a new quest!

  Quest 10: Multitasking.

  Objective: You have chosen to walk a path that few have chosen to tread. Reach journeyman rank and obtain your second class.

  Rank: Uncommon.

  Reward: Rare civilian class item of your choice.

  Excellent, he thought in satisfaction. Now he had only to select his new abilities. Which ones should—

  “Kyran!” shouted Adra through the battle group. “We’re under attack! Hostiles incoming, hard on our heels.”

  Game Data

  Aiken Profile (Condensed)

  Name: Aiken. Race: Jade great bear (elder beast).

  Player type: Basic player, bond-companion to Kyran Seversan.

  Level: 20 (young bear). Health: 400/400

  Stamina: 1000/1000. Will: 1200/1200. Essence: 400/400

  Attacks: 40 (blunt, slash), 39 (earth).

  Defences: 30 (physical), 50 (psi), 35 (spell).

  Traits

  Earth immunity, poison resistance, jade skin (II), earth sight.

  Abilities

  Rank II: Jade bite, guardian’s aura.

  Rank I: Terrifying roar, rending bite, mauling attack, stone dive, healing wave.

  Ability: Jade bite

  Skill: Racial unique (jade great bears).

  Description: Allows the jade great bear to temporarily encase its opponent in crystal on its next attack (bite).

  Rank: Young bear.

  Cost: 80 essence.

  Execution time: Instantaneous.

  Duration: 0.5 second x level.

  Debuff: Paralyses the target within jade crystal. The target cannot cast or take any action, but it also cannot be attacked.