Titan: A LitRPG Adventure (UnderVerse Book 4) by Jez Cajiao (beach books .txt) 📗

“Want us to get him for you, my lord?” a voice offered, and I looked out as one of the other Legionnaires met my searching gaze, obviously testing the waters.

“Hell yes,” I said, smiling evilly.

“Whoa, no fair!” Grizz shouted, his voice filled with laughter as two of those on guard duty tore off out of sight after him, the sound of fleeing feet ringing through the wooden halls. Another two moved effortlessly into view, standing on either side of the door, as one reached in and tugged the door closed.

“How many are out there?” I asked Bane, and he shrugged.

“Eight or ten; the number changes regularly. I think two were assigned to you, then the others just sort of showed up. From what I can hear, they’re worried about you, and they’re determined to ensure that nothing else will happen to you now that they’ve found you.”

“Did I just get a couple hundred baby-sitters?” I asked slowly.

“Makes my job easier,” said Bane smugly.

“I hate you.”

“That’s nice.”

“Jax, what are you doing?” Oracle asked, interrupting the byplay between Bane and myself.

“Getting dressed,” I muttered, pulling my boots on. When they’d taken me to wherever I was, they’d helpfully removed my boots, gauntlets, and swords, then covered me with a blanket. I quickly pulled my gear back on, taking the time to actually inspect the worn patches on the gauntlets, the sections of my shoes that were nearly worn through, and the generally shitty state of my gear. “Man, I didn’t realize how bad it was getting…”

“It’s seen some hard use,” Bane agreed, standing up and reaching over to pick something up. “Here.” He threw something to me and I caught it easily. The battered object was my helm, or what was left of it.

The black headpiece was battered, cut, and dented, with half of one side hanging loose where the arrow had hit, the banded metal insert dented and scored by the impact.

“Damn, it was that close?” I asked, fingering it, and remembering the last few seconds of the fight for the shipyards, when that arrow had hit me in the head, ending my involvement for the night.

“It was. We honestly feared you were dead,” he said soberly, gesturing to it. “I suggest a replacement, and soon.”

“Yeah…” I breathed, dropping the helm into my Bag of Spatial Folding. “Right; let’s go see what’s going on, and make a plan for the Sunken City.” I walked to the door, pulling it open to the sight of almost a dozen Legionnaires standing in the corridor, fully armed and armored. Shouts and the sound of scuffling filtered to me from the far end. I nodded to the Legionnaires, who straightened on seeing me.

“My lord, how can we serve?” one of them asked with a salute, and I smiled at him.

“For a start, you can relax. I’m not made of glass, Legionnaire.” I paused, curious about the continued sounds of a struggle. “Are they kicking Grizz’s ass?” I asked, nodding towards the cacophony.

“Even odds, really. There’s only two of them, after all,” a voice chuckled from my right, and I turned to discover Rinko leaning against the wall.

“Rinko!” I said, unable to hide my delight.

“Jax,” he replied casually, nodding, and grinning back to me. “It’s good to see you upright, my lord. You looked like shit when we boarded the ship, and again when you were carried in there.” He nodded to the room I’d just exited.

“Yeah, well, you know how it is. Besides, you looked pretty shitty last time I saw you, as well.”

“All I needed was a few quick rounds of healing from Mistress Nerin, and a spot of rum…” His smile deepened, and he winked, clearly pleased with himself.

“Yeah, I think I owe her some thanks, as well,” I admitted ruefully. “I need to get the gang together, check on them all, and that includes you now, mate. You fought alongside us in the Skyking’s lair… think you can gather everyone for me, in, say, an hour?”

“Of course,” he said, still smiling. “Where do you want us?”

“Ah…” I faltered, suddenly remembering I didn’t know where I was, let alone the layout of the ship.

“On the main deck,” Oracle interjected, and I smiled at her, then nodded to Rinko.

“The main deck.” I agreed, and he saluted before rushing off.

“Right. Where’s Romanus?” I asked, and another Legionnaire stepped forward, clapping his fist to chest, and bowing his head.

“He said he intended to set up a station outside the ship. I can take you there, Lord Jax,” he offered.

“Great; lead on, please.” I said, and he spun around, setting off down the corridor, with myself and the entire group in fast pursuit.

It took fifteen minutes to cross the ship, a distance that would have taken five if not for the corridors that were missing floors, or totally filled with stashed gear, or wall-to-wall refugees.

We finally exited the ship onto the grass of a small clearing, and I stood blinking in the sunlight, amazed by the change in the weather a mere few hundred miles from the Tower.

Here, it was pleasantly warm. The air was filled with the tang of the sea, and a gentle but constant breeze ruffled the leaves of the trees that surrounded us. I took a deep breath, feeling instantly better, memories of Thomas and I chilling on Greek beaches, drinking our body weight in Ouzo and Metaxa, and chasing girls all day filling my mind. As soon as I pictured him, sunglasses on, buffed to hell, and trying to convince the girls of some new bullshit, like that he was an RAF pilot or something, I sighed, my heart aching as I wondered about him. I knew he’d been in the city recently, but Mal just hadn’t been able to find any sign of him. The last he’d heard, Thomas had been an Adventurer, and he’d been leading a party out of the city a few months before. Mal said the