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

Ruwen. Flares of light arced outward, striking the surrounding clumps of giant quartz. The crystals blazed with light and Ruwen squinted.

“You definitely broke it,” Sift said, but didn’t move from Ruwen's side.

The surrounding crystals vibrated with energy and then, like a rainstorm of javelins, beams of light shot outward from them, falling five feet in front of Ruwen. In moments, a ten-foot oval made of yellow-orange light formed.

From out of the portal, a narrow shadow emerged. Ruwen fought the urge to retreat as the shadow materialized into a ten-foot centipede, the first six feet arched into the air. The scales of the centipede were silver and had runes etched into them. The pincers over its mouth were blood red.

Ruwen’s Perception triggered more data.

Name: Toxic Silver Centipede

Deity: Miranda

Class Type: Fighter

Level: 40

Health: 1,601

Mana: 1,139

Energy: 2,132

Spirit: 0

Armor Class: 1,897

Movement caught Ruwen’s attention, and he studied the creature’s head. A familiar face poked out from behind the centipedes disgusting face, and Ruwen smiled.

Fractal sees you, Dungeon Master. Tremors of joy I feel. Fractal said.

Ruwen grinned and responded. I tremor as well.

Hi, Fractal! Rami said.

Fractal climbed on top of the centipede’s head and jumped up and down. The centipede didn’t seem to notice and continued to stare at Ruwen with beady eyes. Greetings, little dragon. Fractal explodes in happiness.

Sift bowed to Fractal and the little crystal tried to bow back, but his body didn’t bend well, and he started to fall. The centipede lifted three of its legs and repositioned Fractal on what Ruwen could now see was a small basket. Fractal didn’t try to bow again and waved instead.

Fractal, do you have some place private we can talk, Ruwen asked.

Fractal ran in a circle on top of the centipede’s flat head. Yes, yes, yes. He dropped into his basket and without a word the Toxic Silver Centipede turned and hurried into the portal.

Ruwen looked at Sift.

“You first,” Sift said. “That thing looked mean and I don’t think it liked you.”

Ruwen narrowed his eyes. “Are you going to ditch me?”

“No,” Sift said, obviously lying.

Ruwen shrugged. “That’s fine. I just gave Fractal the soul fruit I brought back. I wonder how long it will take him to create more.”

Sift’s eyes widened. “How did you manage that?” He licked his lips. “Did you bring the red one back?”

“The Soul Fruit of Revelation, you mean. Yeah. I love the sweet and sour taste.”

Sift pointed at Ruwen. “If you’re lying to me.”

Ruwen raised his eyebrows. “Lie? When have I ever lied to you?”

“You leave out stuff all the time,” Sift said. “Lylan’s ring, how painful drowning was in the Spirit place, your stupid form that hurt so bad I can barely move, the time you—”

Ruwen smiled and stepped through the portal. Maybe he did sometimes leave out details. But Sift couldn’t deny his life had improved since he’d met Ruwen.

Cool air made Ruwen’s skin prickle as he looked around the cavern he’d entered. Crystals and gems of different shapes and colors filled every surface but the thirty-foot area where he stood and a narrow path leading to a tunnel. The entire room glowed with light.

Eight centipedes like the one Fractal had ridden were hidden around the room. Ruwen’s heightened Perception made him confident he’d found them all, and Stone Echo and Survey confirmed it. The abilities also told him he was over five hundred feet underground since the surface didn’t show on his map. Blapy had taken Fractal’s safety seriously.

Fractal sat on a large pedestal covered in gems, and a Toxic Silver Centipede stood behind him like a guard. Sift stepped out of thin air next to Ruwen, still talking, but stopped when he saw the room.

“You take me to the nicest places,” Sift said.

Ruwen opened his mouth to respond, but froze when he heard a familiar voice.

“Sift!” Madda said as she walked out of the tunnel, Padda right behind her. “We’re so excited to see you. Did Ruwen tell you we are spending time here?”

Sift slowly turned to Ruwen, his eyes narrowed. “It must have slipped his mind.”

“I had no idea—” Ruwen started and then stopped. That wasn’t true, he knew the possibility existed. He tried again, this time in a whisper. “I didn’t think they’d be here this fast.”

“You really did it this time,” Sift hissed at Ruwen. “The only thing that would make this worse is—”

“Hi, Sifty,” Blapy said. “Come to see your parent's new place?”

Chapter 48

Sift pinched the bridge of his nose.

“You will pay dearly for this ambush,” Sift whispered.

“Sift, I swear I didn’t plan this.”

But Sift, engulfed in a hug from his mom, probably hadn’t heard.

Blapy smiled as she watched Sift, still in his mom’s embrace, before turning and looking up at Ruwen. “You really know how to bring people together. I mean, just hours ago, I witnessed you press those six Elders into your service.”

Sift turned his head. “You saw Blapy hours ago? You said it had been a while.”

Ruwen winced. “Two hours is kind of a while.”

“Sifty, I’m getting the impression this wasn’t your idea,” Blapy said.

Madda finally let go of Sift, and Padda patted his son on the shoulder. He frowned and squeezed Sift’s shoulder. “Your Water Meridian is Silver! Have you been Fortifying?”

Madda grabbed Sift’s chin. “How is that possible?”

Blapy smiled mischievously. “Probably something to do with Shelly.”

“Who is Shelly?” Madda asked. “You know how we feel about girlfriends at your age.”

Sift groaned.

“I sense a Core,” Padda whispered.

Sift groaned again, and Ruwen felt terrible.

Madda turned her gaze on Ruwen and frowned. “Did you know all these things and not tell us?”

Oh, this is so good, Rami said. I didn’t expect her to piece that together so fast.

You shouldn’t take delight in our misery.

Rami laughed. Probably not for Sift, but you caused this, so delight is definitely in order for you.

Sift turned to Ruwen. “Yeah, Ruwen. Why didn’t you tell my parents?”

Ruwen bit his lip. Sift had wanted Ruwen to keep those things a secret, and now he had thrown Ruwen under the wagon. Probably deservedly so. He held