Arcane Kingdom Online: The Fallen City (A LitRPG Adventure, Book 3)

by Jakob Tanner

  I hurried out once the coast was clear and up the steps to the upper deck. Smoke filled the sky. Dotted across the clouds were other Arethkarian ships rocking in the wind. The enslaved Chosen were overthrowing the enemy command.

  The Horizon’s Dream was no longer firing now that they saw what was happening on board. Instead they were taking refugees, those injured and not strong enough to fight. Good work guys.

  On the upper deck, I ran to the captain quarters and kicked down the door.

  “It’s over Kaige,” I yelled. “Your fleet is no longer at your control.”

  No one responded.

  It was empty.

  A muffling came from the crystal transmitter. I pulled it out of my pocket and heard Shade on the other end.

  “Captain, we gotta problem.”

  Emerging from the clouds was the sky fortress, La-Archanum. Guns and cannons ready to take us out.

  35

  “Pretty castle!” said Chip floating beside me.

  “Crap,” I said. “That doesn’t look good.”

  The Arethkarian flag flapped from the top pole at the highest summit of the floating city. There was my explanation for why Oren Kaige wasn’t here on the ship. He’d taken over La-Archanum.

  The battle just got a whole lot more complicated. I ran back down the deck and found the two players who’d helped me earlier. They were crouching down, tending to the wounded.

  “You guys are the two most level-headed people on this ship right now. When you’re done taking out the guards, I want you to head to the captain’s quarters and man this ship. Get in communication with the others. I suspect all the Arethkarian’s on board are either getting killed, thrown overboard, or imprisoned.”

  The two men shook their heads. “None will be taken prisoner. They will all die.”

  “Fair,” I said. “I have to go deal with the rest of them on board the sky fortress. So I’m leaving the rest to you.”

  The two men nodded. Their eyes were hollowed out with sadness and despair. Yet talking to them, making a plan, they had the faintest glimmer of hope. This violent blood-soaked battle was the end to the nightmare they’d been living through.

  I walked away from them and called to Gryph circling the ship above.

  Coming, human friend.

  Gryph flew down and I got on his back once more and flew towards the Horizon’s Dream.

  “Your plan worked Clay!” said Serena as I landed back on board. “You freaking did it. You found another way.”

  The ship was still operating in frantic battle mode. Jackson was behind the wheel, dictating orders to the crew. Shade and Kari were tending to the wounded and newly freed Arethkarian players at the side of the ship. They escorted those in good enough shape down below the deck where it was safer.

  “We got a new problem though,” I said.

  Serena’s smile disappeared and she nodded solemnly, turning towards the floating metal fortress in the sky.

  A ship came zooming towards us from outside one of the lower hatches. It was a non-Arethkarian build, wooden with Aeri engravings similar to our ship.

  “Hold fire,” I said. “But be ready.”

  The ship got bigger and bigger until it was right near us and swerved to the side. Walking across the deck was the pirate queen Bella.

  “Go on and say it,” said the Lirana captain, looking down at me, tipping her hat. “You told me so.”

  I shrugged. “They didn’t hold their end of the bargain?”

  “I was a fool,” said the pirate captain. “I thought I was doing what was best for my citizens. I was wrong. Now I know what I have to do: bloody take back my city and save my people!”

  “Sounds like a big job Bella,” said Shade. “You wanna let us help you out?”

  “Why do you think I’m bloody here, now come on and follow me.”

  “But what about the rest of ’em,” said Jackson, pointing to the chaos and carnage happening on board the Arethkarian fleet.

  He was right. We were in a bind. I didn’t want to leave the newly freed players to fend for themselves, even if they were doing a pretty good job of it so far. Neither did I want to split the party, but we didn't have many other options.

  “Why don’t you go on board Bella’s ship,” said Jackson, “And I’ll man Horizon’s Dream and look after these people.”

  The man stared at me. He wasn’t making a suggestion; this is what he wanted to do.

  “Let me do them the favor you did me,” said the brawler.

  I nodded my head. “My pleasure Jackson. Your fists will be missed in the upcoming battle.”

  The helmsman grinned. “Oh you don’t have to tell me—I know.”

  Bella threw down a plank between our ships. “Come on over, we’ve got a floating city to siege.”

  Shade, Serena, and Kari ran on board first. I came next. Chip floated beside me. “Field trip to the pretty floating castle!”

  Bella shuddered at the spirit. “I see you made a new friend. New class too. Well done.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “But enough small talk. Take us to La-Archanum and show us where Kaige is hiding.”

  The pirate captain tipped her hat and wagged her tail. “Alright, let’s go.”

  The ship flew through the sky approaching La-Archanum. It landed at a small loading bay near the bottom.

  “We’ll have to work our way back to the top,” said Bella. “Kaige has soldiers on every level. He knows we’ll be coming for him.”

  “We better get started then,” I said.

  “Yippee! Big battle,” said Chip.

  “Seriously, is this guy some kind of sociopath,” said Serena. “Why’s he so happy? We’re risking our lives here?”

  “I’m immaterial!” cheered Chip.

  “I think he’s chilled out to the fact that he’s an immaterial spirit,” said Shade. “He’s got nothing to worry about. He’s pretty much dead already. He’s a sprite. Just chilling. I dig it. It makes me want to be immaterial.”

  “Bad idea. If you were immaterial,” mused Bella. “I couldn’t stab you in the back.”

  “My thoughts exactly,” said Shade.

  We disembarked the ship and Bella marched forward to a nearby elevator, leading the way. She spun around on her feet. “Alright lads and—“ She looked to Chip. “Overly enthusiastic spirit thing. This elevator will take you to the engine core at the center of La-Archanum. You’ll have to fight your way across the hall. I’m sure he’s stationed soldiers on the way to the control room. I’m sure he’ll be hiding there.”

  “You’re coming with us, no?” said Serena.

  “I wish love,” said the pirate queen. “But my city’s been hijacked, I gotta go protect my citizens on the ground. Now stop wasting time here chatting to me and go.”

  We all nodded our heads and entered the elevator. As the lift took us higher and higher up the floors of the sky city, the blue sky and clouds rushed past us from the glass windows. Kari lifted her staff and hands, casting strength and defensive buffs onto each of us. Shade kept both his hands near his waist, ready to pull out whichever weapon was necessary for when the elevator door opened. Serena gripped her massive blade. I kept my spell casting hands and arms loose.

  “This is so intense,” said Chip. “I’ve never felt so alive. Or wait: are spirits even alive?”

  “Don’t look at me,” I said. “Beyond what you’ve told me, I don’t know shit about spirits.”

  Chip was about to reply when the elevator doors opened and a burst of gun fire greeted us. We all jumped to the sides to avoid the blast.

  Serena jumped in front and held up her sword horizontally. The bullets knocked into her blade as she walked forward. We all followed behind her.

  Two soldiers fired at us from the end of the hall. With their bullets quickly losing their effectiveness against Serena’s sword shield, ash and debris flicking off the blade as we marched forward.

  One guard pulled out a rudimentary grenade from his waist and lifted up h
is arm ready to toss it in our direction.

  “Cover!”

  But the soldier didn’t throw the grenade. Rather blood burst out from behind his neck, his face pale, his eyes bulging in shock. He fell over, revealing Shade behind him with crimson drenched daggers.

  +148 EXP!

  Shade disappeared in a flash, sliding behind the other soldier and knocking him to the ground. Serena dropped her sword shield stance and charged the soldier. First Shade tripped him and made him stumble on his feet. Disoriented the soldier looked up to face the front of Serena’s incoming crushing blow. The dead soldier fell to the floor and a burst of experience points rushed past my HUD.

  “Good job guys,” I said. “Kaige awaits us beyond here. Remember, he’s using the power of corrupted fragments. His abilities will be deadly. For all of us.”

  Serena and Kari nodded. They understood what I was saying. We were entering a battle with permadeath on the cards.

  Shade was bent over the soldiers, searching their fallen bodies for loot. He checked their hands for rings, underneath their plate armor for necklaces, and their pockets for gold. He stood up satisfied with new finds and looked up at us.

  “Did you hear what I just said?”

  “Final fight, permadeath, yada yada,” said Shade. “You know, for some of us, your so-called ‘permadeath’ is our everyday life.”

  “Sorry,” I said. “You’re not about to switch teams on us?”

  “For these fools,” said Shade. “Not a chance. We ready to roll?”

  “Hell yeah,” I said.

  We moved down the hall and reached a giant sliding door. There was a glowing orb at the side.

  “I guess doorknobs are no longer in fashion,” said Serena. “Hello, magitech chic.”

  She pressed the glowing orb and the door in front of us slid open. I expected an onslaught of bullet fire and war cries to follow, but instead we got an unsettling quiet, with murmurs in the distance. The new room was incredibly large. Much bigger than I had expected. To the left was a curved glass window circling the entire chamber. We crept into the room, making sure to stay hidden in the shadows of the pillars and sides of the room.

  “It’s seven against one,” said a voice which I instantly recognized as Oren Kaige’s. “Why aren’t our ships doing anything?”

  “We’ve lost contact with them sir,” said another voice. “No one is responding to our communication crystals.”

  A flicker of a radio signal echoed across the room.

  “What’s this?”

  “…we’re coming for you, you bastards…”

  Oren Kaige whipped the communication crystal, smashing it against the wall.

  “Ready the cannon,” said Kaige. “We’ll destroy our own fleet if we have to.”

  We stepped into the large captain’s area and found Oren Kaige and two soldiers, overlooking the battle in the skies.

  “Don’t you dare hurt those ships,” I said. “Oren Kaige—I’m putting you under arrest for war crimes against Laergard.”

  The Arethkarian general laughed in my face. “It’s funny to hear your enemy’s thoughts, don’t you think? You see me as the bad guy, yet when I look at you: I see the death of my family, my people, my whole civilization.”

  “Save it,” said Serena. “Tyrants always rationalize their bullshit.”

  “So be it,” said the captain. “I’ll die before I give myself up to you.”

  “Then bring it,” I yelled, conjuring a ball of flame between my fingers and whipping it at the deranged-looking man.

  He lifted up his claw pincer and blocked the attack.

  “Pff,” he said. “Your petty attacks won’t do anything against me and my power.”

  He directed his pincer arm at me and it stretched out towards us, his arm becoming a veiny fleshy demonic pole of destruction.

  “Everybody duck,” I yelled. We jumped to the sides. I smacked onto the floor and rolled, dodging the incoming bullets.

  “Take out the little guys first,” I said.

  “Aye aye captain,” yelled Chip, swerving through the air and spinning around one of the soldiers. His speed caught the soldier off guard. Disoriented, the Arethkarian shot at Chip, but he flew through the bullets. The spirit laughed, shouting. “Sorry you can’t hit me. I’M IMMATERIAL!”

  Chip unleashed an energy blast and the soldier toppled backwards. Shade—always at the right place at the right time—was directly behind the disoriented soldier with two dagger stabs in the spine.

  Serena was across the chamber, duking it out with the other soldier while dodging the sweeping destruction of Oren Kaige. She kicked the soldier in the gut, then lifted her sword and pressed it into him for the finishing move.

  Now it was us versus Kaige.

  I lifted my arm, readying my Prophetic Seal power. It was time to remove our handicap. De-scale Kaige’s power of the corrupted fragments.

  Let’s go.

  Kaige smiled and directed his stretchy pincer claw towards me.

  “Clay, watch out!”

  Shade tackled me away from the attack, the demonic arm missing both of us.

  Serena charged him ready to duel him one on one.

  “Guys don’t get too close,” I yelled. “He’s too powerful in his current form.”

  “Shut up hero boy,” said Serena, between grunts and slashes of her sword; steel versus corrupted crab claws. “Ever hear of a distraction?”

  She was right. Now was the perfect chance to hit him with the Prophetic Seal spell. I readied my arm and selected, “//run: remove_corrupted_file”. A black blast shot across the room and smashed right into Oren Kaige.

  His whole person flickered and fragmented. His crab arm disappeared, the lines on his contorted monstrous face relaxed and smoothed into a much more human looking visage.

  The man gasped, shocked by his loss of power, by his return to normal Haeren form. He didn’t spend too much time distressed though. His first action was unsheathing his sword and stabbing Serena in the stomach. He wrenched the sword into her flesh and dragged it out and stabbed her again. With his other hand he pulled out a knife and dug it straight into her neck.

  Serena’s whole body went pale. First with shock, then with lifelessness.

  A Party Member Has Fallen

  “SERENA!” yelled Kari, shooting a healing blast her way.

  I stood there speechless. It was too late. She wasn’t coming back to see the end of this fight. What world would she respawn too? One where we’d won or a world where we’d lost? Her fate—along with the rest of ours—was in our hands now, hanging in the balance of this battle.

  Oren Kaige grinned. “You think I was some kind of weakling before I was empowered with forbidden magic? I was chosen for such power for a reason.”

  He moved with intense speed and stabbed Kari. The little fox girl went pale with shock.

  A Party Member Has Fallen

  “Shade stay close to me,” I said. “We need a plan to finish this guy.”

  “Don’t worry Clay I got this!” yelled Chip, zooming through the air towards the general.

  Kaige laughed, lifting up his hand and unleashing an energy blast and shattering the spirit into dust.

  A message rolled across my HUD.

  Chip (Bound Spirit Level 1) has fallen. He cannot be summoned for another 7:59:00 minute(s).

  It was me and Shade now against this psychopath.

  “Remember the time we were caught in the arena pits?” said Shade.

  “Yeah—it was a perfectly avoidable situation but someone cheated at cards.”

  “You have your perspective and I have mine,” said Shade. “But the main thing was: we were caught in a hard situation and we fought our way out. We can do it here again.”

  “Definitely,” I said. “We need to slow him down.”

  I shot out a lightning cage spell at his leg, but the warrior dodged it. He rushed towards us and I created a flame wall. He turned right. I frosted the floor he was moving towards and t
he general slipped and fell onto the ice. He got up and moved at a slower pace across the ice field.

  Now was our chance.

  Shade went one way while I faced the warrior head on. I conjured iceblade as I ran towards the enemy captain. The frozen hilt of ice formed in my hands as I charged the captain.

  “A magic user against a trained swordsman,” balked Kaige, meeting my slash of my ice sword with his own silver blade.

  Our swords locked and clashed into a battle of strength. I swung in my other hand at Kaige, my fingers crackling with electric energy. I aimed straight for his head. Kaige jerked and hesitated. It was a lose-lose situation for him. Block my skull shock and my sword attack went through; don’t block it and, well, receive free electroshock therapy.

  He lifted his sword to block my magic attack, making his decision. I swiped my ice sword across, puncturing his waist armor and landing another chilled buff stacked against the other. His movements were slowed.

  Kaige screamed in pain and rage. “This isn’t happening!”

  “Oh yes it is,” I grinned.

  Shade appeared from behind with his daggers drawn. He stabbed them into the Kaige’s back.

  +critical hit!

  +critical hit!

  +critical hit!

  Kaige fell onto his knees, blood dripping from his mouth and covering his teeth.

  “You’ve won Chosen,” he said. “I hope you don’t destroy this world and the people who inhabited it before you came.”

  “That was never our intention. We aren’t these evil beings you’ve painted us out to be.”

  “I know not all you Chosen are evil, but do you really believe standing in my shoes or his—“ He glanced over to Shade. “That we can trust you to treat us equally and fairly. You live a life without death or punishment. Like living gods while we suffer the consequences saved only for mortals.”

  I wanted to tell him he wasn’t wrong in the way he felt: we had an uphill battle to climb, one requiring all of us to trust one another and offer a hand of peace. Only then will we create a world where the NPCs and Chosen lived side by side. I wanted to tell him all this, but before I even opened my mouth, he took the hilt of the sword in his chest and stabbed it deeper into his body.