The Fourth Secret: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Divine Apostasy Book 4) A. Kay (best management books of all time .TXT) 📖

the centipede with five thousand Mana, but now he could experiment using his Architect Role without utilizing the Spirit in his Core and triggering the Scarecrow Aspect.

Putting the totem away, Ruwen responded. “Tell them Uru will protect me, as we protect them.”

Hamma nodded. “Those people are never happy. I understand my mom better now. She complained all the time about the City Council.”

The mention of Hamma’s Mom made Ruwen think of Niall, and his strange behavior regarding Hamma. She must have had similar thoughts because she grew quiet.

Ruwen put an arm around her. “Thanks for helping me. I couldn’t do this alone.”

Hamma smiled. “That’s for sure.”

They left the temple and stepped into the morning sunlight to find Sift standing ten feet from the stairs, slowly turning with his eyes closed.

Sift pointed at them without opening his eyes. “Lavender and Stinky.”

“What in Uru’s name are you doing?” Ruwen asked.

“Practicing against that demon’s new abilities,” Sift said. “I can’t see her, so I’m using my other senses.”

“Ohhh, Lylan will make him pay for that,” Hamma whispered.

“You shouldn’t call Hamma, Stinky,” Ruwen said. “Healers keep you alive and insulting them is dumb.”

With all the increases to Ruwen’s Perception from Rami’s Codex choice, stacked with his Warlord Banner buffs he kept refreshed, he had a hundred forty-two percent Perception. That would clash against whatever new stealth percentage Lylan’s Thief Specialization had.

Glancing around the area, Ruwen immediately sensed something odd near a pile of stones fifteen feet past Sift. The air there looked warped, like a heat mirage. Ruwen couldn’t see Lylan, but it made him feel better he could sense her.

Rami, are you nearby?

I’m circling above you. Lylan is even more impressive than before.

“You know party members are the green dots on your map, right,” Ruwen said.

Sift grew still and then stood up straight, turning toward the rock pile. “Found you!”

“Cheater,” Lylan said from beside Ruwen.

Ruwen turned, but Lylan wasn’t there. He felt the pressure wave in the air approaching him and he snatched the crossbow bolt from the air. Lylan’s distraction had almost worked.

“Will you stop aiming at my heart,” Ruwen said to the now visible Lylan. “It’s creeping me out.”

Sift faced Ruwen, his face serious. “Stay with the heart. You don’t want her aiming at other,” he paused and then whispered, “areas.”

“That was mostly an accident,” Lylan said.

“What do you two do when you’re alone?” Ruwen asked, shaking his head.

Lylan raised her eyebrows. “Oh, now you’re looking for bedroom advice?”

“Yeah, Starfield, slow down,” Sift said. He turned to Hamma. “He has some weird thing planned with oil, so watch yourself.”

Ruwen handed Lylan her bolt back, and she looked up at Sift. “Demon?”

Sift tried his best to look innocent. “What? Demons are hot. Remember that Plague Siren?”

Ruwen groaned and Hamma shook her head.

Lylan raised the bolt, as if to stab Sift.

Sift stepped back and waved his hands. “Not hot, hot. I mean, she’s from the Infernal Realm, and it’s hot there. So, you know, she’s hot.”

Ruwen left Sift to his fate and strode toward the city gates. He found Whiskers on the map and directed the cat to meet them by the lake. Rami landed on Ruwen’s shoulder and crawled behind his right ear. He gently rubbed Rami’s head.

Ruwen focused on the bookwyrm. Great to see you.

Ditto.

Even though they were walking into danger, Ruwen had never felt better.

Chapter 54

Three days had passed since they’d left New Eiru, and they were currently forty miles south of the city. The late morning sun did little to warm the cold air blowing off the mountains.

Since they’d left, only Whiskers and Lylan had glimpsed Naktos Scouts, but they’d disappeared before the party could collapse on them. Yesterday, Ruwen had given up on fighting anything when Rami had surprised them with a theory after analyzing the Temple Guardian data.

The bookwyrm believed the enemy scouts had a forward operating base in the mountains that ran like a spine through Uru’s lands. Vachyl and Drivyd agreed, and they sent the Temple Guardians patrolling the inner circle to focus on the mountain range’s edge.

The Guardians had found an anomaly underground, but the “caution” setting kept them from investigating. Ruwen’s party was the only combat team nearby, so if they checked it out and ran into trouble, they’d have no backup.

To complicate things, at least some Cultivators had arrived north of Fractal’s Portal, and Ruwen feared the Elders might push them away if he wasn’t there to foster the relationship. His parents hadn’t returned either, and that worried Ruwen. Lir couldn’t sense them, which meant they were either in the sea to the east, or over the mountains to the west, and outside Uru’s Blessing. Worst of all, the invading army had significantly picked up their pace and might be here in less than a week.

“Copper for your thoughts,” Hamma said as she stepped up next to Ruwen.

“You’re overpaying,” Sift said.

A buzzing sound came from Xavier, and Ruwen wondered if it was laughter. Lylan spoke before he could respond to Hamma.

I found the entrance, Lylan said in Chat. Marking it now.

Ruwen checked his map and a small yellow dot appeared. Lylan and Whiskers were two miles south-west of them, scouting the area where the anomaly had been discovered.

Any indication of how many enemies are down there? Hamma asked.

No, Lylan said. They’re doing an excellent job obscuring their trail. The geography is varied here, so it’s hard to see anything out of place. Plus, this is likely only one of multiple entrances.

What do you mean about the geography? Ruwen asked.

Lylan explained. Three mountain streams merge, forming a small lake, and a dense pine forest is broken up by giant granite boulders. This is a great place for an ambush.

You should come back, Sift said.

Ruwen summarized the situation. The bulk of the invading army has turned this way and will be here within the week. We’re alone, and that facility has an unknown number of guards. The fact it exists means they’ve put some forethought into their plans. Which means they’re prepared.