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

settled on him and he frowned. “It feels like a lot.”

Colyn locked eyes with Ruwen. “It is a lot. An impossible amount. But I don’t know a more capable person. Never think this is more than you can handle. You’re too strong. Plus, it sounds like you’ve found some friends to help.”

Ruwen touched his right ear. “Yeah, some great stuff has happened.”

“Tell us,” Clarysa said. “Whatever you can, that is.”

“Yeah,” Colyn said. “We want to know everything we missed.”

Ruwen spent the next hour answering questions about the last year. His parents relived his successes and failures, and it felt good to talk about it all. Eventually, Ruwen made it to the temple and the impending invasion.

“Fighting the enemy army seems overwhelming,” Ruwen said.

Colyn rubbed his chin. “When I get overwhelmed, I focus on just the next step or two. What are the immediate needs?”

“We need to revive people, which means we require that terium,” Ruwen said.

Colyn’s eyes glazed over. “You just triggered a quest. It says you’re in charge of the temple.”

Ruwen nodded.

“Don’t forget that,” Colyn said. “It’s going to get noisy around here once you start reviving people.”

Clarysa pointed to the simple cotton clothes she wore. “Hamma found us this, but until we recover our Dimensional Bags, we don’t have combat gear. Can we borrow some equipment from the vault until we recover our things?”

Ruwen frowned. “Give me second.”

Lir, do we have a vault?

Yes.

Ruwen spent a moment thinking of the best way to phrase the next question. Is there personal combat equipment there?

Yes.

Thanks. My parents can take what they need for their mission.

Understood, Architect Starfield.

Ruwen smiled. “Take what you need. Lir will open the way for you.”

“Lir?” Colyn asked.

“Let’s just say the temple will recognize you,” Ruwen said.

They stood.

“We’ll gear up, grab Tremine and our Void Band, and leave,” Clarysa said.

Ruwen smiled. “That Void Band is Bliz. Don’t let him talk you into any games. Especially drinking ones.”

Rami, can you let Shelly know we’re ready to leave, please.

Sure.

By the time they’d reached the corner of the room, an opening had appeared and they started down the tortoise’s leg. Ruwen activated Glow again.

“Thank you, Shelly,” Ruwen said.

As they stepped onto the beach, Ruwen’s parents watched Shelly disappear into the water. In the soft light from Glow, his parents seemed younger than he remembered them. Or maybe he just felt older.

Curious how effective his Perception would be now that Rami’s Codex choice had doubled it, he focused on his dad instead of just looking at him.

Name: Colyn Starfield

Deity: Uru

Class Type: Fighter

Sub Class: One Handed

Specialization: Shield Champion

Expertise: Knight Defender

Level: 32

Health: 540

Mana: 160

Energy: 998

Spirit: 0

Armor Class: 55

It was the first time Ruwen had seen his dad’s details, and Ruwen’s increased Perception had given him a massive amount of information. Knight Defenders wore heavy armor and used a shield and sword, making it a good Class to adventure with. He focused on his mom.

Name: Clarysa Starfield

Class Type: Observer

Sub Class: Scout

Specialization: Ranger

Expertise: Pack Leader

Level: 33

Health: 500

Mana: 200

Energy: 986

Spirit: 0

Armor Class: 90

Ruwen stared in shock. His mom had always appeared as a Fighter. But Pack Leader was a Ranger Specialization. They were experts in surviving in the wild, and if what Lylan said was true, shapeshifting. Rangers could handle themselves in a fight much better than the Spy Specialization.

When Ruwen had the Observer Root Class, he’d already decided on the Scout Sub Class, but had struggled with what Specialization he’d take, Ranger or Spy. He had died before needing to choose, though, resetting his Root Class.

It also explained what had bothered Ruwen about his mom. Her high Dexterity had made her movements too precise. Assuming she was a Fighter had kept him from seeing the truth, which was a valuable lesson he needed to embrace. He couldn’t afford to have assumptions blind him. The stakes were too high.

As they walked toward the city, Ruwen couldn’t contain his questions. “Is it true you can turn into an animal?”

Clarysa looked at Ruwen and raised her eyebrows. “I have five points in Fabricate and should look like a Fighter to you. How could you possibly overcome that?”

Ruwen remembered how hard he’d worked to reach level five, just to get the Fabricate ability. He shrugged. “Rami doubles my Perception.”

“That is very valuable,” Colyn said.

“I know. I’m lucky she’s with me,” Ruwen said.

Clarysa nodded. “Most Scouts who Specialize in Ranger limit their shapeshifting. It’s physically painful, and it makes others uncomfortable. So most Rangers avoid it completely and no one talks about it.”

“Personally, I find the Spy’s ability to mimic another person far more disturbing,” Colyn said.

“It’s really hot, too. It takes a lot of energy to keep your body in a different shape, and the heat is sometimes unbearable.”

That was interesting and meant his Detect Temperature might pick a shapeshifter out of a crowd. Once Ruwen figured out the essence recipes for all the existing spells and abilities, he could use Spirit to replicate them. Well, once he could use Spirit in the open anyway. Who knew how long that would take. Still, the knowledge that shapeshifting was possible excited him.

As they neared the city, Ruwen wondered about Hamma and her dad, Niall. He’d been gone a lot longer than Ruwen’s parents. What were he and Hamma talking about? Ruwen thought about creating a group with Hamma to ask, but didn’t want to interrupt her reunion.

The temple came into view, and dim light spilled into the courtyard from inside the building. Hamma stood with another figure at the top of the stairs. Her companion was a tall thin man with Hamma’s brown eyes, blonde hair, and easy smile.

Hamma looked nervous, and Ruwen waved at her as they started up the stairs. He opened his mouth to introduce his parents, but his mom beat him to it.

“Hi, Niall,” Clarysa said. “Good to see you again.”

Chapter 40

Ruwen turned to his mom. “You know Niall?”

Clarysa shrugged. “Niall was the Priest in Deepwell who revived us.”

“From the long sleep,” Colyn said.

Which meant Uru had directed the priest. Ruwen glanced at Hamma, but