Drakon Prince: A LitRPG/GameLit Adventure, page 1
DRAKON PRINCE
©2021 JAMIE McFARLANE
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Contents
Preface
Also by Jamie McFarlane
1. Game Changer
2. A Friend in Need
3. Basic Training
4. Head Strong
5. Munchies
6. Attention
7. Disinclined
8. Portal
9. Sea of Grass
10. Tracking Bad
11. Konarg the Mighty
12. Plain Lessons
13. Winning Kulgela
14. History Lessons
15. Gort’s Call
16. Reasoned Rhyme
17. Road to Evanstad
18. Evanstad
19. Toll
20. Orcs
21. Blue
22. Power Play
23. Quest for Wuglat
24. Lessons in Flight
25. With Honor
26. Wuglat’s Treasure
27. Lasair Ghorm
28. Castle Controls
29. Nature of Dragons
30. Dragon Games
Thank you for reading Drakon Prince
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Preface
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Also by Jamie McFarlane
Junkyard Pirate Series
1. Junkyard Pirate
2. Old Dogs, Older Tricks
3. Junkyard Spaceship
Privateer Tales Series
1. Rookie Privateer
2. Fool Me Once
3. Parley
4. Big Pete
5. Smuggler’s Dilemma
6. Cutpurse
7. Out of the Tank
8. Buccaneers
9. A Matter of Honor
10. Give No Quarter
11. Blockade Runner
12. Corsair Menace
13. Pursuit of the Bold
14. Fury of the Bold
15. Judgment of the Bold
16. Privateers in Exile
17. Incursion at Elea Station
18. Freebooter’s Hold
19. Black Cutlass
Privateer Tales Universe
1. Pete, Popeye and Olive
2. Life of a Miner
3. Uncommon Bravery
4. On a Pale Ship
Henry Biggston Thrillers
1. When Justice Calls
2. Deputy in the Crosshairs
3. Manhunt at Sage Creek
Witchy World
1. Wizard in a Witchy World
2. Wicked Folk: An Urban Wizard’s Tale
3. Wizard Unleashed
Guardians of Gaeland
1. Lesser Prince
1
Game Changer
Splitting pain coursed through my head. Over the last few weeks, I’d been having headache spells, blurred vision, and nausea with increased frequency. This pain was a new level, and I wondered if the pressure might cause my head to split open. Pushing at my temples, I attempted to pull myself together.
Fortunately, as quickly as the pain onset, it disappeared, leaving me panting like I’d been lifting weights. If not for the memory of the pain, I might have chuckled. Just the idea of most exercise made my heart rate increase. It wasn’t as if I hadn’t tried, but my body had some sort of immunity to exercise. At five eight and a hundred forty pounds, I’d have appreciated any help I could have gotten.
“Hey, are you okay?” Jenna shouted above the country western bar’s music. Jenna was ironically the identical height and twenty-five pounds lighter. But where I was small and wiry, Jenna was tall and gorgeous. And where Jenna’s outgoing personality, blonde hair, and quick smile made her close to a hundred in tips most nights as a server, I worked for minimum wage as a busboy.
“What?” I asked, feeling Jenna’s cool hand on my shoulder as her eyes started to focus on the plastic bucket of plates and cups I’d dropped on the floor.
“You’re sick, TK,” she said. “You need to go home.”
“I can’t.” I couldn’t bring my eyes even with hers. Unlike Jenna, I was completely aware of just what an odd couple we were. Not that we were a couple in anything but the loosest definition. “I’ve got rent due. Bobby said he’d fire me if I missed work again.”
“It’s not like there’s a line of people looking to take your job. I don’t know why you put up with all this crap. You’re the smartest person I know. You shouldn’t be working here,” Jenna said. “Screw Bobby.”
“I’d take that action.” A loud slap preceded Bobby Prinkler’s announcement.
Jenna jumped forward and spun, her face instantly angry. Bobby, anticipating her anger, intercepted her wrist as she swung.
“That’s my ass, Bobby, and that’s assault,” Jenna said, wrenching her arm away.
“You said you wanted to have sex with me. I heard it. You heard her. Ain’t that right, Theodore?” Bobby stretched out my given name with a mocking tone.
My face turned red for the second time in a few minutes, only this time for an entirely different reason. “You can’t do that, Bobby.”
Bobby stepped forward and pushed a meaty hand into my shoulder. “What you gonna do about it, Slim Jim?”
Without really understanding what I was doing, I lashed out, striking Bobby on the chin, knocking his head to the side. Unfortunately, Bobby Prinkler’s hobby was MMA fighting, and he rolled easily with the punch and countered by swinging a fist into my stomach, doubling me over and dropping me to my knees.
“You stupid bastard!” Jenna screamed, slapping at Bobby’s back. “You hurt him!”
“Sorry, babe, just finishing what he started,” Bobby said, turning into her and subduing her arms. “Mess with the bull, you’re gonna get horns.”
She freed herself from Bobby and leaned over me. Embarrassed, I tried to push her away but found I couldn’t. Ignoring my feeble attempt, she helped me to my feet.
“Need help, Mr. Pinkler?” Jason Chessen, one of the bar’s bouncers, had been drawn to the action by Jenna’s shouting.
“Yeah. Escort Mr. Kieten from the premises. I’ve decided to end his employment due to a belligerent attitude,” Bobby said. “Unless of course Teddy would like to apologize.”
“Forget it,” I grunted, managing to push myself from Jenna.
“TK, just say you’re sorry,” Jenna said. “He’ll give you your job back.”
“I… no… he’s…” I looked at Jenna. Humiliation filled me as I saw concern and pity in her face. Unfairly, the crippling pain returned at just that moment, causing me to yowl.
Bobby seized the opportunity and wrapped his arm around Jenna’s waist, pulling her to him. Through the pain, I could just make out the look of revulsion on her face as Bobby twisted her and planted a sloppy kiss on her face. Jenna struggled unsuccessfully.
“NO!” I growled. I’d always felt a bond with Jenna—for some reason Bobby’s actions made me feel possessive. I slipped past the surprised bouncer and lashed out, bringing my closed fist into the back of Bobby’s head. The result of the impact was as instant as it was surprising. The MMA fighter slumped forward and fell to the ground in a heap.
“TK!” Jenna yelped. “What have you done?”
I felt strong arms wrap me up from behind. “Mr. Pinkler isn’t gonna take kindly to you hitting his button, little man,” the bouncer said. “You done crossed a line.”
“Run, TK,” Jenna hissed, sinking down next to Bobby, who was already stirring.
Panic filled me as Chessen held me in place. Struggling against the much larger man, my panic turned to anger as I bristled against the man’s sweaty hold. Bringing an elbow back, I caught Chessen in the ribs, cau
Chessen chuckled as he reasserted his embrace. “Got some spirit in you,” he said. “Good. Keep that. You’ll need it.”
“What in the holy hell!?” Bobby spluttered as he regained his feet and looked to his bouncer.
Chessen kept me in place. “Little washer boy has some spunk in him, boss,” Chessen said. “He cold cocked you good.”
Bobby’s eyes widened in disbelief and then narrowed. “That little shit knocked me down?”
“‘Fraid so.”
Bobby shook his head slowly. “Big time mistake, muchacho. I’m gonna mess you up.”
“No, Bobby,” Jenna pleaded and turned into him, running her hand down his chest. My gorge rose as bile coated the back of my tongue.
“Sorry, doll. This is between me and your boy, now,” Bobby said, pushing her away. “Get her out of here. Leave the little shit to me.”
“You got a lot of eyes on you, boss,” Chessen warned as he pushed me toward Bobby and grabbed Jenna’s arm, dragging her toward the bar.
“What are you all looking at?” Bobby bellowed, pointing a beefy arm at the patrons who were looking at him. In that the bar’s music was turned up loud and the bar was known for the occasional ruckus, the few who were watching turned away, uninterested in getting further involved. Even as he yelled, he managed to grab hold of the back of my shirt. “Now, you stupid little shit, I’ve got to hand you a real beating. You knocked me down. Can’t let that stand.”
Having escaped Chessen, Jenna ran back to us. “No! Bobby, don’t. It was a lucky hit. Everyone knows it. I’ll…” Jenna said, swallowing hard. “I’ll…”
Bobby grinned evilly at her. “You’ll what? You’ll drop right here and blow me?”
Jenna looked at me and then up to Bobby. “No, Bobby,” she stammered. “I… I can’t.”
“Then what, Jenna?” Bobby asked. “You’re such a damn tease. You know what. Why don’t you pack your apron and leave? I don’t need this shit.”
“Date,” she said, straightening. “You asked me out. We’ll go out on a date. Just let TK go.”
Chessen showed up behind Jenna. “Sorry, boss. She got away from me,” he said, grabbing Jenna’s arm.
“Hold on,” Bobby said. “Let me get this straight. You’ll go out on a date with me if I let your boy here off the hook for cold cocking me? Sorry, but you’ve overestimated your worth. Now, if you’re saying we’ll have a full-service date, we might be getting somewhere.”
“No, Jenna,” I managed. I couldn’t bear the thought of her spending even a moment with him.
Bobby shook me by my shirt. “Shut up, pipsqueak. She’s the only thing between you and the permanently disabled list. You read me?”
Jenna swallowed hard. “Yes,” she said. “A date.”
Jenna looked at me as I wiped tears from my eyes. “Please don’t,” I pleaded. The idea of Bobby anywhere near the girl I’d loved from afar for so long was a fate worse than death.
She turned away from me, breaking eye contact. “I’ll go out with you, Bobby.”
“Now, that wasn’t so hard,” Bobby said, chuckling. “It’s still not enough to save dish washer boy, here, but it’s a good start. Maybe now I won’t have to kill the little shit. That sound fair to you?” He grabbed her chin with his free hand.
“Don’t hurt him,” she said, her voice trembling.
“Whatever,” Bobby squeezed her jaw and pushed her away. “Now go home and change into something nice while I finish my business with Teddy boy.”
“Please,” Jenna begged.
“I’m losing patience with this conversation.”
“I’m sorry, TK.” Jenna turned and ran from the bar, crying.
“Now what am I going to do with you?” Bobby said, pushing me through the doors into the dirty kitchen.
“You need to leave her alone,” I said, falling to the greasy floor. “This is between you and me.”
“First thing you’ve said that makes me think you’re not a total waste,” Bobby said. “And for the record, I’m not gonna pull back even one bit. I’ve been trying to bag Jenna for a while. Thanks for that.”
I pushed to my feet and squared up with Bobby, raising clenched fists, trying to look like the boxers I’d seen on TV. Bobby shook his head, closing his eyes in amusement. “I won’t go down so easy,” I said.
With open hands, Bobby pushed me toward the back door. “Sure, Teddy boy. And I’m totally not gonna wreck your girlfriend tonight. I can’t wait to get her back to my apartment. I’ve a special room all set up for such an occasion. Do you think she’s more of a whips girl or a chains girl?”
“You wouldn’t dare,” I said, whirling around only to run into Bobby’s forearm. I realized too late that he’d goaded me, and I fell back through the open door into the alley and onto my ass.
“Don’t worry. She’ll love it,” he said. “You should stop by. I’ll have her nice and warmed up. You know, that is if you can walk.”
I pushed back to my feet and looked around the alley for an escape route. Seeing none, I accepted my fate and turned to the much bigger man. Almost faster than I could track, Bobby’s fist struck my face. Raising my arms, I tried to defend myself, but the MMA fighter was in his element and quickly followed with a combo which ended up with his knee in my chest. It all happened so fast—I almost didn’t feel the pain that folded me in two.
Without pause, he came at me like a whirlwind, his face a mask of rage, making him look more like a monster than a person. My defense was ineffective. Even though I tried to protectively hold my arms over my head, he seemed to have no difficulty getting around them. My vision exploded with a pain much different from my headaches just before he knocked me unconscious.
“I think he’s waking up.” A fetid smell assaulted my nose as the speaker leaned across and something brushed the back of my pants. “Get his wallet. Quick.”
I reached for the arm that was searching my pants, but my arm refused to move as pain coursed through my entire body.
“I got it,” a second voice answered.
Dimly, I became aware of rain falling on my face as rough hands pushed me against the alley’s brick wall. The rain cooled the heat rising from wounds on my face but did little to ease the pain. Unable to open my eyes beyond tiny slits, I tracked the two figures disappearing into the street at the end of the alley.
Attempting to push against the wall, my right shoulder erupted in pain as my arm hung uselessly at an odd angle. Footsteps, at first tentative, raced toward me. Through pained eyes, I could just make out the figure of a woman approaching.
“Jenna?”
“What happened? Were you mugged?”
“Jenna?”
“You’re hurt,” she said.
“Don’t go with him, Jenna,” I said, struggling to get to my feet but still unable to open my eyes.
“I’m not Jenna,” the woman said, bringing her arm beneath my good one. “I’m a friend. We need to get you out of here.”
“I can’t go. He’ll hurt her,” I said and then screamed as the splitting pain returned.
“Shh,” she said. “Theodore, you need to stop. It’s not your time. Calm.”
“Ahhh!” I screamed. My head felt like it was about to crack open like an egg.
“Fight it. You’re not ready,” she urged. “Don’t give in.”
Block letters appeared just over the woman’s shoulder, floating like a cartoon caption.
Draconis Level 1. Accept/Reject.
“What the heck?” I managed. Everything else was blurry, but the words continued to hover a few feet in front of me.
“Are you seeing a prompt?” she asked. “Like a video game?”
“Who are you?”
