David

  I followed the path, noticing how it changed from packed dirt to stone pavers under my feet. That made me pause. I scanned the area for any signs of artificial construction, but all I saw was rock, dust, and silence.

  I moved onward, my eyes darting between the changing terrain and my HUD. Still nothing.

  The road sloped downward, winding left into shadow. Suddenly, without warning, the cavern revealed itself before me, vast, ancient, and breathtaking. The road spiraled down along the outer edge like a serpent coiling into the depths below.

  I activated my stealth skill.

  Step by step, I descended into the heart of darkness. The farther I went, the more the silence pressed against me. Finally, I reached the outskirts of what could only be called a hidden town, large, sprawling, and silent.

  The air was cool and still. Above, the cavern’s ceiling shimmered with crystals or bioluminescent fungi, casting a twilight glow that resembled a star-filled sky. It felt like stepping into another world, a night sky brought underground.

  I couldn’t hear a sound, like I had stepped into an ancient tomb. No wind. No creatures. Not even my own footsteps echoed back to me.

  [DING]

  [50 XP Stealth Awarded]

  [Level Up – Stealth – Level 2]

  82 XP Until Next Level

  I stayed near the outer edge of the buildings, not yet ready to go into the heart of this abandoned village of the dead. I paused at the corner of a structure, pressed into the shadows, and listened.

  A single sound, the slow, steady drip of water, echoed from somewhere further up the street. Nothing else. No movement. The only scent was the earthy, damp must of the cavern.

  I pulled Emberline from storage and slid the sword and scabbard into my belt. I wanted it within reach in case anything unexpected happened.

  I turned left and quietly slipped down another path, closer to downtown. Each step was deliberate and carefully measured. I didn’t want to alert anything or anyone that might be watching.

  Then I heard it.

  A shuffle. The clatter of loose rocks falling. Something had moved in the darkness, far across the village. The bloody ding scared the crap out of me.

  [DING]

  [75 XP Stealth Awarded]

  [Level Up – Stealth – Level 3]

  32 XP Until Next Level

  Keeping to the shadows along the building walls, I moved inward, toward the heart of the village. My HUD still showed nothing, no motion, no heat signatures. Just me.

  I kept still. My heart rate is steady. Breathing controlled. No rushing.

  Whatever’s out there is hunting me, too.

  I took one slow step… A red dot flickered onto my HUD.

  I froze mid-stride. The dot disappeared.

  East. It was there for only a second, but it was definitely visible.

  I slowly finished the step, carefully lowering my foot, and reached the corner of the building I had been brushing against. Another flicker appeared on the HUD, in the same direction. But this time, the dot didn’t move. Whatever it was, it had stopped.

  [DING]

  I felt like my heart stopped for a second. Damn dinging.

  [65 XP Stealth Awarded]

  [Level Up – Stealth – Level 4]

  42 XP Until Next Level

  Crouching low, I moved across the narrow street to the next building, closer to the dot’s location. Making each of my movements deliberate. Silent. Now closer. Closer to whatever awaited in the dark.

  My best guess, if the other streets beyond the central square resembled the ones I had passed, was that whatever it was stood about half a dozen streets away. Maybe it was watching. Perhaps it was simply waiting. I wasn’t sure.

  All I knew was this: I wasn’t crossing the central square. That would be suicide.

  I was still one street behind the square’s edge, and the buildings here had changed, now two or three stories tall. They were built almost entirely of stone, with little wood remaining. Torn fabric fluttered weakly in broken windows. Fragments of roof tiles lay scattered across the streets, crunching underfoot over time.

  Multicolored moss crawled along the exteriors, some glowing softly and casting faint hues against the cracked walls, eerie, unnatural light in an already unnatural place.

  I moved to another building, every step calculated. The red dot on my HUD remained still.

  I paused beside a shattered window and peered cautiously inside.

  [DING]

  Damn ringing.

  [85 XP Stealth Awarded]

  [Level Up – Stealth – Level 5]

  42 XP Until Next Level

  I paused beside a shattered window and peered cautiously inside. The darkness revealed what appeared to be a sitting room with rough furniture, scattered trash, and an overwhelming sense of abandonment, etched into the walls.

  Trying not to make a sound, I slipped to the next building. I stood at the edge of the moss-glow, half-shadow, half-light.

  I centered myself. My heart was elevated, not panicked, but awake. I breathed in. Slow. Deep.

  I watched the dot. Waiting for it to move. I thought of Seraphina and her smile, that comforting embrace she would give me when things went wrong. The little one growing inside her, who would one day bring joy into our world. Those hugs could slow time. Could silence storms. I felt my focus return to what’s before me. My breathing back to normal. It’s not time to panic.

  Then there was Allira, my general. Unshakable. Her will was like iron, pushing me forward when I wanted to fall back. I looked out at the silhouettes of broken buildings and could almost hear her voice in my head. “It’s time to move, stupid.”

  No use staying in one place too long. That’s how you get picked off. Move.

  I slipped beneath an overhang beside a crumbling structure and paused at the edge of a larger complex. The red dot on my HUD finally moved, drifting to the right.

  If it kept going, I could cut it off at the next street.

  “That’s not wise,” Marlena’s voice echoed in my memory. She’d be the one to see the board from above, pick apart the angles, always choosing the more clever path.

  She was right. I turned, backing away from that straight-line approach. A trap in the making.

  The red dot stopped again. I moved to another alley, this time slower.

  Keep your calm. Keep your mind clear. Let it make the first mistake.

  Was the central square the best move after all?

  [DING]

  [65 XP Stealth Awarded]

  [Level Up – Stealth – Level 6]

  22 XP Until Next Level

  I stared into the open expanse, a wide no-man’s-land of cracked stones and shadows. In the middle, the shattered remains of what might have once been a statue or monument, now just a pile of broken stone.

  If I entered that zone, the thing, whatever it was, could strike from anywhere.

  I stayed put. Watching. Waiting. Calculating.

  “What do you know about the enemy, David?” I could hear Aria’s voice in my mind, calm, probing. “You bested two high mages because they didn’t know you. But what do you know about what’s lurking in the dark?” She’s right.

  I trained her to identify weaknesses. I taught her how to dismantle strong opponents, like the Royal Mages, not by overpowering them, but by analyzing their strengths.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “So, David, what do you know?” I can hear her say to me. It’s intelligent. Calculating. It’s not attacking blindly, not driven by instinct. It’s watching. Waiting. It knows this terrain, and I don’t.

  I walked into its den, and it holds all the cards. That means one thing. It’s cautious.

  I’m not behaving like prey, not charging in, not panicking, not making noise. And that’s thrown it off. It’s probing. Testing. Reluctant to commit.

  Does it know where I am? Or just that something is here?

  Whatever the case, my unpredictability has become a weapon. I’m keeping it off-balance.

  “Good,” Aria’s imagined voice whispers. “You’re not like the others who came before. Use that. Twist the rules. Make it react.” The red dot moved closer again.

  I remained perfectly still. Please don’t ding. I squeezed shut my eyes, hoping not to hear that blasted noise. It turned, edging toward me, then stopped. No ding, good. I opened my eyes narrowly in the direction the dot should be. A panel flickered into view on my HUD.

  [Torga]

  Race: Demon Night Stalker Serpent

  Status: Hungry, Confused

  Level: 122

  Strength: 45

  Intelligence: 50

  Wisdom: 47

  Agility: 30

  Charisma: 18

  HP: 720 / 720

  A demon. There’s a demon here. Lurking. Hunting. And now I’m caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse with it. No, not a mouse. The mouse runs. The mouse panics. The mouse dies.

  I moved quietly to the next building, staying low to the ground and frequently glancing back at the HUD.

  [DING]

  I stumbled. But, caught myself in time to keep going. Damn dinging

  [85 XP Stealth Awarded]

  [Level Up – Stealth – Level 6]

  12 XP Until Next Level

  Torga, now identified, was still hesitant and kept circling. Still searching.

  So it doesn’t fully know where I am. Good.

  “I know you’re out there,” Torga hissed into the darkness. Her voice was low, ragged, almost melodic, but there was a serpentine growl beneath it. “I don’t know what you are… but you’re not one of those Orcs.” So… she can speak.

  How long has she been down here? How long without prey?

  I stayed tight to the shadows, hugging the edge of another building. This one was even closer, nearly within striking range.

  “You’re brave, my mysterious visitor,” she cooed, her voice echoing. Her red dot paused again, nearby. A road away, maybe less.

  “I can sense you… lurking in the dark.”

  Then the sound reached me, soft, scraping, the grind of thick scales dragging against stone. A serpent, all right. A massive one.

  “Where are you hiding?” she purred, voice shifting to a snarl. “I know you’re near…”

  “You can’t find little old me?” I whispered, just loud enough for her to hear if she was really listening. The red dot jumped to the left, moving quickly and aggressively.

  “You finally speak. Little old you?” she echoed, mocking. “You jest…”

  “I’ve heard stories of you, Torga the Serpent…” I whispered again, taunting her now. “They said you were dead.” Actually, I never heard of any demons beyond Varkreth. I’m gambling that she didn’t know, being stuck down here.

  “So why was a demon of your caliber left to rot in a hole like this?” I whispered. “Did you fail the Demon Lord? Or are you just… forgotten?” If there’s a demon, there has to be a demon lord, right? That’s how those novels from back home go, huh?

  “You know nothing of the Demon Lord!” she bellowed, voice echoing through stone and shadow. “He is the almighty!”

  “Pfft.” I let the sound trail off like an insult. “If he were so almighty, he’d have come back for you. But he didn’t. He left you here, crawling in the dark… eating rats. I’ll be taking his head in the end just like yours.” The red dot hesitated, then started drifting back in my direction. “You’re a loser, Mighty Torga. A forgotten relic. Left behind to rot.”

  [DING]

  [65 XP Stealth Awarded]

  [Level Up – Stealth – Level 7]

  34 XP Until Next Level

  She roared, the sound ripping through the silence. “Where are you, bug?! I will savor the taste of your flesh!”

  “You’re dying soon, Torga,” I said coolly. “And when you do, I’ll take your life, and every treasure you’ve got stashed in this pit.”

  Another guttural scream tore through the dark.

  “Your weapons won’t penetrate my hide! Human…” she howled.

  “Good guess, but Varkreth said the same thing,” I replied, my voice low and calm. “I have his head mounted on my wall. Yours will go beside it. Stuffed just like his.”

  “Varkreth is dead?!” she snapped, the anger folding into surprise.

  “I killed him and his entire force just a few weeks ago. He was on his knees, begging for his life as I took his head. He was weak, just like you are.”

  That did it. The red dot surged closer, fast and reckless.

  I caught a glimpse of her; her scales shimmered green where the moss-light touched them, and the muscular coils of her body glided across stone. She slid down a street, just yards from me, and vanished behind a building.

  I shifted toward her path, keeping low and silent. Peering around the corner, I watched the red dot freeze again; she’d stopped.

  “You’ve gone quiet, lurker…” her voice slithered. “Say something so that I can find you… so I can feast.”

  “You’re not worth it,” I replied. “Too weak. I might take your hoard and leave you here to starve.”

  The red dot twitched. Then it began to move again, back toward me.

  I stepped into the center of the alley, away from the walls. My hand slid to Emberline’s hilt, my other gripping the scabbard. I widened my stance into a strike position. No more hiding.

  Then I heard them, the long, slow drag of scales across stone. She’s coming.

  The grinding scrape of her scales drew closer, louder. I held my breath.

  A flicker, a glimpse of her serpent form in the corner of my eye. Too late, Torga.

  I stepped into the road, pivoting hard on my heel and slamming my back foot down to anchor me. Emberline cleared the scabbard in a white-hot arc, slashing horizontally.

  The blade burned as it cut across her chest, searing through flesh and scale.

  In the flash of light, I caught her expression. Fear.

  As I completed the arc, blood and gore sprayed across the stone. I drew the blade back, keeping it ready, not sheathing it yet. In the sword’s glow, I saw her crumpled on the ground, writhing, clutching the deep, ragged gash across her torso. She gasped for air, body twitching as she tried to move, grasping for anything to help her escape as I moved closer to deliver the final blow. She reached out one more time with her one good hand for anything, anything within reach, but her body refused to move anymore.

  [DING]

  [85 XP Stealth Awarded]

  [Level Up – Stealth – Level 8]

  15 XP Until Next Level

  “How? This can’t be… What… are you?” she hissed, coughing up blood. “You are… no… human.”

  “I never said I was,” I answered, the truth dawning as I said it. Am I even human anymore? “I am the Tower Master of Tower Six. An Engineer.”

  “Engineer…” Her voice was weak now, fading. “I should have known… You didn’t smell right…you knew about the Demon Lord… he… will avenge me…”

  “Not today, he will not,” I said. So, a Demon Lord? I’m not going to worry about him today; that’s tomorrow’s problem.

  Her eyes rolled back. Her chest stopped rising. Green blood pooled beneath her. Silence.

  I stepped forward and, without ceremony, stored the body.

  [DING]

  [Achievement Unlocked]

  Major Threat Eliminated: Torga the Death Stalker

  2,400 XP Sword Fighting Gain

  1,250 Class XP Gain

  8,250 XP to next Class Level

  [Level Up – Sword Fighting – Level 46]

  1180 XP Until Next Level

  [Level Up – Sword Fighting – Level 47]

  1750 XP Until Next Level

  Nice, Level 47 now. Time to see if she left a hoard.

  I moved in the direction she came from, watching my HUD closely as I wound around the central square. Is there another threat out here? Eventually, I found it, a depression in the ground, ringed with collapsed ruins. At the center: a pile. I waited for a while, observing the surroundings. There are too many slasher movies, where the heroes think they’ve won, to realize something else is still out there waiting…

  Eventually, I gave in and headed for the pile. It wasn’t just gold; there were weapons, trinkets, scrolls, gems, armor pieces, odd tech fragments, and enough wealth to make even Smaug jealous. Plus, lots of bits and pieces of junk. She was a bloody hoarder.

  No hesitation, I transferred everything I could into storage. I’d sort it out later. I looked around. Now… where’s that road again? There. In the moss-lit twilight, I spotted the curve of the stone-paved path leading back out. Time to go.

  I reached the cavern’s mouth and paused just inside, letting my eyes adjust to the brightness beyond. After a few moments, the details sharpened. Shavri was casually tossing small stones out into the open, while Varka leaned back against a large rock, apparently sleeping.

  Was she actually asleep? I took a few cautious steps closer. Yes, I heard it now. She’s snoring. Loud enough to scare away most monsters.

  I dropped my stealth.

  Shavri let out a startled squeak. “Builder! You scared me!”

  The sound jolted Varka upright. She blinked and rubbed her eyes.

  “I see you made it back, Builder,” she said, standing and stretching. “Were you successful?”

  “Yes. Your Huddiiss problem has been eliminated,” I replied, walking toward them.

  “Eliminated?” Shavri blinked.

  “Dead, you fool,” Varka said, rolling her eyes. “Big breasts, no brains.”

  “Hey!” Shavri scowled.

  Varka smirked. “Ready to go?”

  “Yes,” I said, smiling.

  We returned to the orc village to a thunderous fanfare. Varka and Shavri led the charge into the central clearing, raising their axes high and howling in triumph. Villagers stopped what they were doing and gathered in celebration, their cheers echoing through the valley.

  I stood behind the sisters as the crowd surged around us, and through the bodies I caught a glimpse of Allira standing near the longhouse. She turned toward the noise, her eyes locking on mine.

  I moved quickly through the crowd, reached her, and swept her up in my arms. I held her tightly before setting her down, but she refused to let go. She pulled me into a deep kiss, her fingers brushing my cheek as we parted.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, voice soft.

  “I’m fine. I missed you so much,” I whispered.

  Her hand wiped away a tear I hadn’t realized was falling.

  “How was it?”

  “It wasn’t exactly a sightseeing trip. I killed it. Their Huddiiss was actually a demon,” I said, pulling her close.

  At that, both princes and General Kitch stepped forward.

  “So, I assume the mission was a success?” General Kitch asked.

  “Very much so,” I replied. “I slew the creature. But does anyone know if demons have cores like trolls?”

  Prince Ajax was the first to respond. “There’s speculation, yes. However, only powerful demons typically develop cores. Why?”

  “Well, this one was level one hundred twenty-two, and I thought maybe there was a core,” I said.

  That stopped everyone cold.

  “You killed a level one twenty-two demon?” Prince Theodore echoed, clearly shocked.

  “With the right tools,” I said with a shrug, “anything can be killed. I just happened to have the right ones this time.”

  Allira elbowed me. “Come on, wasn’t that one in Vaelthorn a higher level?”

  “Yes,” I grinned, “but I had help, remember those two combat golems that came to assist me?” That reminds me, I have to fix his tower shield when we get back.

  Just then, the crowd quieted behind us, parting to make way for the great chief, who walked with the aid of his staff. He came to a halt in front of me, his gaze steady.

  “Builder, you struck down the Huddiiss?” he asked.

  “Yes, Great Chief. Would you like to see it?”

  He waved for space to be cleared in the center of the village.

  When the area was open enough, I pulled Torga’s body from storage. The massive demon serpent landed with a heavy thud, its rainbow-hued scales shimmering in the filtered afternoon light. It looked even larger out here in the open. I stared into its lifeless eyes, silently counting how many ways that could’ve gone wrong.

  “What a creature,” Prince Theodore murmured behind me.

  “Yes,” the chief agreed, “what a creature indeed. It is yours, Builder. What will you do with it?”

  “I’m not sure yet,” I said, before storing the body again. The air shimmered as it vanished. From the corner of my eye, I saw General Kitch’s face twist with surprise. Is there anything else you can do to shock me? his expression seemed to say.

  “But, Great Chief,” I continued, “I do have something for your people.”

  In the same open space, I retrieved the two griffins. The crowd gasped as the great beasts thudded to the ground, wings limp but intact, their feathers gleaming in the light.

  “These are for your village. May they bring a feast worthy of your bravery and kindness.”

  “Thank you, Builder. Now we can return to our ancient village,” the chief said, looking up at me. “Will you stay for the celebration?”

  “I’m afraid we must push onward. We have others depending on us, and…”

  “I understand,” he said, placing a hand on my arm, cutting me off gently. “Great ones always have duties.”

  He turned his head and sighed when he spotted Varka and Shavri now standing beside Morga, both rubbing his shoulders. I chuckled; it looked like the two sisters had found their next fascination. Poor Morga.

  “Children… The Black Gate lies a four-day’s travel north of our ancient village,” the chief continued. “Travel until you reach a flat clearing made of stone. There you will find two stone pillars, that is where the Gate waits. We do not hunt in that area. Much rumbling.”

  I nodded, then placed my other hand over his. “Thank you. This,” I said, motioning for Prince Theodore to step forward, “is Prince Theodore, crowned prince of the human kingdom just south of the lake. If you ever need me, please let him know. He’ll find a way to reach me. I may be far, but I will try to return if you call.”

  The chief’s eyes glinted with gratitude. He gave Theodore a respectful nod, which the prince returned with a slight bow.

  At the edge of the forest, I clasped arms with Varka and Shavri. They had joined Morga to escort us back to the clearing where our airship waited.

  “May you have many mates in the future, Builder,” Shavri said, pulling me in for a quick embrace. “You’ve given us a tale that will echo for generations.”

  Then she turned to Allira. “You are a strong woman. Give your mate many children.”

  Varka grunted in approval.

  Allira looked stunned. I just grinned, taking her hand as we waved farewell and stepped into the twilight.

  “What was that all about?” she asked with a smile tugging at her lips.

  “Orcs,” I said with a shrug. “They respect strength. They see you as an equal, maybe more. That was their way of acknowledging you. We had an interesting talk about it on the way to their ancient village. Fascinating perspective.”

  “You want me to start dressing like them? Is that what this is about?” she teased.

  “You have to admit, it was interesting,” Prince Ajax added from my other side.

  “Shockingly so,” General Kitch agreed from behind us.

  I couldn’t help but laugh, and neither could anyone else, as we walked back to the ship under a sky full of stars.