City of Fallen Souls: A LitRPG Adventure (UnderVerse Book 3) Jez Cajiao (best color ebook reader txt) 📖

“What do you mean ‘no magic’?” I asked warily.

“I mean, no goddamn magic in the arena, not until the last night, if then. Most Legionnaires don’t have access to it. Just the Scouts and a very rare few others. If you’re gonna pretend to be a Legionnaire, you dress like 'em, and you fight like they do. None of the magic shit; that way, we all get to play the part of your captors, and we can rack up a sweet pot in bets on the fights…”

“Well, that’s just fucking peachy,” I muttered, but I understood where he weas coming from. “I need a few extra things from you, if this is going to work,” I said to Mal.

“Like what?”

“I need to visit a couple of shops, and I need to find a healer, specifically one who chose the Path of the Reconstructor. I also need to get to the Legion Enclave; I have some details to hash out with them. I need you to bring some people here to meet with me in secret and take Barrett to meet up with others. These people don’t know we exist, so they must be given the choice to come with us, to join their families in the Tower. Lastly, we need to check out the slave traders.”

“Why do you want those scumbags?” Josh asked, frowning.

“Because we’re going to rob the fuckers blind,” I said with a smile. “Make no mistake, what we do over the next few days won’t be easy, but when we pull it off? We’re going to cripple the city of Himnel. They’ll have no choice but to sue for peace, especially since the best way to get the gear out of here is to steal a few Airships. We’ll raid the shipyards and draw attention that way, while the people escape down the Smugglers Path…”

“I’ll see what I can do,” said Mal, and he nodded to the balcony. I took the hint and stepped out, realizing that I was seeing the city for the first time in proper daylight. Mal followed me out, the others staying inside.

“Now, tell me the truth; what’s in this for you? You aimin' to be the next Emperor?” he asked me, his voice low and cold as he stared at me. “Tell me the truth, son. I need to know.”

“What do I want?” I echoed and shrugged, shaking my head. “Truthfully, Mal, I was kidnapped and offered the choice to come here to open a portal for the ancient nobles to come back, or die. I found out that my brother was kicked through to this realm five years ago, and I want to find him. I want to have a good life, drink some beer, have some sex, chill the fuck out and relax, but I can’t do that. I can’t just sit back when people are getting hurt, not if I can stop it. I can make a goddamn difference here, Mal. I’ve got kids back at the Tower that were slaves. They run around, and they laugh and play now. They have a chance to grow up and be free, to be better than we are. I couldn’t live with myself if I just looked out for myself. I don’t want to be in charge, but considering the other options? I’m not going to step down. I’m not going to let dickheads like Barabarattas just do whatever they want.”

“That’s real pretty, but it don’t answer my question.”

“Then, no, I don’t want to be the Emperor,” I said, and I felt Amon wake inside my mind, shaking and grumbling. “But… for better or worse, I’m going to rule my lands. I’m going to enforce the Empire’s rules and raise the Legion back to what it was. I’m going to ban slavery, and I’m going to have a goddamn safe land where people can go to bed and have a reasonable expectation that tomorrow won’t be worse than today. I don’t want to be the Emperor. Hell, I don’t even want to be a Lord, but I’ll do whatever I have to, and if that means I have to be the next Emperor, then I will. Just don’t expect me to like it.”

“Seems to me you don’t want much,” Mal grunted, and I shrugged.

“Hey, you asked,” I said. “Now, I was honest with you, so it’s your turn. Why are you considering helping me?” I looked at him, and he shrugged as casually as I had.

“Maybe I’m sick of the way things are, and I just wanna be out there again. Maybe I liked drivin' a caravan and doin' deals. Maybe I’m sick of the slavin' and the murder that goes on, or maybe I just wanna make some gold, take a ship, and fuck off, and this is the best chance I see for that.”

“Fair enough. It’s a shitty world, Mal.”

“Always has been, son.”

“Meh,” I muttered, too tired to argue over how the Empire used to be. “Look, I’m going back to my room, and I’m going to get some sleep. Think you can find me that healer?” I asked him, and he nodded.

“I’ll have Jay come wake you when it’s done. Maybe take a couple hours. Woman I think might be able to fit what you’re lookin’ for don’t see new clients often. She’s a bit…eccentric.”

“Great… just what I need. Another nutjob in my life,” I grumbled. I turned and started to walk back inside, when a sudden thought stopped me. “Oh, quick question: I heard you had a spider’s head in here?”

“Yeah, one of the rare ones popped up a while ago, all black and red. One of the boys killed it and made me a gift of its head. Hung it in my office; why?”

“Get rid of it. Fast,” I told him shortly. “Make sure there’s no trace of it on you or any of your people that you like. Use chemicals to get rid of the smell,