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

Madda held up her hand and then rubbed her forehead. “Founders. Did you meet any of them?”

Ruwen turned and placed his feet on the ground. “Mist and Thorn met me when I arrived.”

The Addas looked at each other. Then Padda faced Ruwen. “That is unusual. Were they upset that you’d missed the Journeyman trial?”

Ruwen shrugged. “Hard to tell. They did both slap me. But that had something to do with my focus. Did you know that headless statue is—”

Madda interrupted Ruwen again. “Child, please stop stalling. My heart can’t take it. Are they going to let you live?”

“And did you reach the summit?” Padda asked quietly.

Ruwen raised his eyebrows. “Oh, I assumed you already knew. Like some sort of soul notification or—”

“God help me, you are as bad as Sift,” Madda said and grabbed Ruwen’s left arm. She turned his wrist up. “Show us your mark.”

Ruwen figured she meant the Bamboo Viper mark, not his Shattered Sun or Black Pyramid marks. With a thought, the Bamboo Viper mark appeared.

The black lines now had colors. The bamboo looked green and the viper’s outline had the dark purple color of the Elder Viper. “It has color now,” Ruwen said in surprise.

“Congratulations,” Padda said. “The color outline means you can attempt the Master’s trial. If you succeed, the entire mark becomes colored in.”

Madda stepped up, pulled him to his feet, and hugged him. “I’m proud of you.”

Warmth filled Ruwen’s body. “Thank you.”

Madda let him go and locked eyes with Ruwen. “Did anyone offer you further training?”

“That’s what I was trying to say earlier. Dusk was there with Mist and Thorn, but I couldn’t see her. But then I saw this arrow—” Both Addas frowned, and he stopped. Taking a moment to summarize his thoughts, he tried again. “Dusk offered me a path, even though Mist and Thorn think it’s pointless.”

That place is interesting, Rami said.

By interesting you mean nightmare.

Padda spoke to Ruwen. “The Founders worry about your soul?”

Ruwen nodded. “Evidently Mist can’t sense it, and they made a big deal about how much stuff is on it. I have to admit, moving near the summit took some effort.”

The Addas didn’t respond and Ruwen grew nervous. “Should I be worried?”

Madda bit her lip and a moment later Padda placed his hands on Ruwen’s shoulders. “Worry is a trap that snares action. There are three reasons you will succeed.” Padda waited until Ruwen looked at him before continuing. “One, you had the strength to reach the summit. Two, Dusk offered you a Grandmaster path despite her sisters’ concerns. Third, souls, like all things, grow. Meditate on that.”

Ruwen’s chest tightened, and his throat constricted. He nodded at Padda, not trusting himself to talk.

Padda leaned back and Madda spoke. “We wish your permission to carve a place out in Fractal for ourselves. Miranda has told us about your dungeon, and we would like to help.”

Ruwen controlled his breathing and heart rate. The Addas probably wanted to help, but more likely they wished to be near Sift, and granting them access to Fractal would make them awfully close. Sift would kill him.

“I thought you came to the Black Pyramid to escape my world,” Ruwen said.

“That’s true,” Madda said. “Like Miranda, we feel the need to stretch our legs. And if what she says is true, Fractal will be of significant benefit to Cultivators.”

The Addas were allies, at least Ruwen hoped they were. They hadn’t talked about killing him today, anyway. And if they were in Fractal, they could help defend the fledgling dungeon. Ruwen owed Fractal all the help he could provide. Plus, Sift didn’t need to know his parents were there.

“Of course, you are both welcome,” Ruwen said.

Ruwen thought back to the oath he’d given Ky right before he’d stepped through his first gate rune portal. She had required a soul oath and required him to keep secrets and help others who had the Black Pyramid mark. But he wasn’t running a global spy network and didn’t need to go to such extremes. Really, he only cared about one thing, protecting Fractal.

Remembering how Ky had transferred her mark, Ruwen took Madda’s right hand and placed his right wrist over her’s. “Madda, do you promise to do Fractal no harm, or knowingly allow harm to befall him. And furthermore, do you agree to provide Fractal with an item of at least Fine quality once per month to aid in his development?”

Madda smiled. “I do.”

“Then I, Dungeon Master of the Shattered Sun, on behalf of Dungeon Keeper Fractal, do hereby grant you our mark.”

Ruwen’s wrist burned and he forced himself to remain still. Madda didn’t show any signs of discomfort, but that was probably just her training. The pain passed and he removed his wrist.

The mark of the Shattered Sun glowed on Madda’s wrist. Once again, Ruwen marveled at the deep yellow-orange sphere that shimmered as if intense heat radiated from its surface. Dark rifts covered the surface as the exploding star cracked. Hundreds of bright spears shone brightly as they escaped the star’s destruction. He could feel the heat emanating from the mark.

Madda looked up at Ruwen, her eyes wide. “It’s beautiful. I’ve never seen its equal.”

Ruwen grinned, unable to suppress his pride. He repeated the process with Padda.

Padda met Ruwen’s gaze. “Congratulations again on your achievement. We will contact you when it’s time for your Master’s trial.”

Madda hugged him again, and then they left.

It worries me that Blapy and the Addas are returning to my world after such a long time.

Add it to your list.

Was that sarcasm.

You worry a lot. And we have bigger problems than the Addas’ travel plans.

Ruwen looked up at the counter under his map. His parents might have already revived. You’re right, as usual. One quick stop before we head back.

Walking to the apartment door, Ruwen sighed with relief at seeing his gear. He quickly dressed in the brown Worker clothes, added the Fastidious Blade and Spirit Infused