Hunt for the Necromancer- The Complete Series, page 23
part #1 of Hunt for the Necromancer Series
“On how I’m doomed to be cheated even by digital girls?”
“No,” he laughed again, covering his eyes. “I’m sorry, man, no. You’re just taking things too seriously. Too far. You rely too much on other people. You need to quit that.”
I shot him a glare. “I what?”
“You heard it. You stalled your career because of Amy. Your week was ruined because of Amy. Then your weekend was ruined because of Brianna. You’re too fragile, man. Grow a pair.” He leaned back, sipping from his coffee.
My jaw hang. “Gee, why does anyone pay for therapists if they can talk to you, right?”
“Thanks.”
“That was not a compliment,” I laughed under my breath. Though he could have used better words, Marc wasn’t wrong. All he did was pointing out how I wasn’t taking my life in my own two hands. Crossing my arms, I looked back at him. “So what do I do?”
“Are you kidding? I just told you - you depend too much on others.” He grinned. “Decide that for yourself. What do you want to do?”
As he slid his gaze to his computer screen, I let the idea sink. I could drop the game. It was just a game. Or I could get back in there, kick the Necromancer’s ass and get my revenge on Brianna. I had nothing to lose. I had already died. I had saving points, though I would yet find out if there was a punishment for dying.
It was a game. I was supposed to have fun with it.
God, I really wanted to punish that Necromancer.
Clenching my jaw, I decided. I cracked my knuckles. My life was my own and I was about to take full control of it.
* * *
The darkness from the logging in scene engulfed me. I floated for a moment, blind and deaf, until I woke stretched on top of a soft mattress. Blinking to the ceiling, I breathed, closing and opening my fists to get used to the feeling of being alive inside a video game once more.
“Master! He’s awake!” Someone cried.
A number of faces shadowed my vision, three girls looking at me with big, worried eyes. Melea and the two goddesses, Nyx and Lux, smiled in relief as I sat up.
We were in the very same room I last woke in. Melea wasted no time jumping at me and hiccuping against my shoulder.
“Master! I’m so relieved you came back!” Her golden face, glittering with tears, transformed with anger, a deep roar reverberating from her chest. “That bitch! I knew she was up to something, Master, I knew it! She smelled like shit!”
That was a terrible way to prove her point. “I’m glad you girls are alright too. I was taken aback when I went out after you just to find you killed.”
“We are deeply sorry, Master,” Lux covered her heart with a pale hand. “We couldn’t stop Brianna. The Necromancer blesses her. She has way more power than it looked like.”
“We were all cheated. It’s not your fault.” I tried to get up from the bed, but Melea still gripped my arm, her sharp nails digging on my biceps.
“I tried to come and warn you, Master, I did! I caught her fighting Lux and I came straight to wake you up and she attacked my back!” Her chest rumbled once more. “That bitch!”
I held her hand, looking down at her eyes. “I know, I found your body. And I’m not letting that happen again.” I lifted my head up to face my other allies. “We are bringing the Necromancer down, no matter what. And I’m taking Brianna down with them.”
The goddesses smiled, nodding with determined gazes. Melea gripped my arm one last time before jumping up.
“I can’t wait to kick that bitch’s ass! Although…” Her eyes acquired a glint I’ve come to know very well. “Can I ride you real quick, Master? Just a quickie?”
I laughed, unable to stop myself from doing so.
“Hell. Why not?”
2
“Are you sure I can’t go with you, Master?” Melea pouted her lower lip, crossing her arms under her chest. The goddesses waited patiently behind her, by the entrance of the inn.
I had just disclosed to my three allies the plan I developed before logging in. Besides leveling up, there was no other reason for me to delay the final battle. I would go back to Glennhaven and Averly, get my other two allies and our merry group would go straight after the Necromancer. With this many allies around me, protecting me, having my back, I could level up and face the final boss easily. The whole thing of beating the bosses without taking damage would culminate at that moment, in that advantage: having them protecting me so I could level all the way up to MAX and take the enemy head-on.
The first place to visit was, of course, Glennhaven. The first city I saw in-game, the place I met Brianna, the second cheater in my life (that I was aware of). Once I got there, I had to find Astra, the demoness leader and my first fuck in a beautiful series of fucks in The Completionist.
The problem was… there was no way in hell I would trek all the way back to the first city. Even with a horse, that was too much. So I would use, for the first, the Fast Travel button I discovered on my menu.
Right beside the horse button, there were two small, neon blue arrows that, once I touched, would bring me the map of the kingdom. On the map, four blue dots, marking the cities I have already been. Glennhaven, Averly, Firesse and Kiran.
I told my girls I would go after the demoness lady using Fast Travel and had to deal with a sulking Melea. According to her, and quite obvious once you thought about it, if I used Fast Travel, I had to travel by myself. My allies would have to either wait for me or follow me on foot.
There was no reason for them to dog me since I would come back this way anyhow. So I told them to wait, for I’d bring the others and we would all set to Palace Aureus, my new objective, together.
The goddesses nodded and thanked, grateful they’d be able to re-organize their own city. They surely had a lot to deal with all the priestesses killing each other.
Melea, on the other hand…
“But Master, I have nothing to do here, and I can’t protect you or entertain you if I stay behind!” She cried, taking a step closer and gripping my shirt.
“I told you, there’s no other way,” I laughed. Though the persistence may have been annoying for some, I was endeared by how much she wanted to be with me. Her big eyes blinked up, pleading. “I can’t take you using Fast Travel, you told me yourself. And if you followed me, I’d be back before you arrived in Glennhaven.”
She pouted her lower lip further. I brought a hand up to cup her cheek and the Lycan leaned against it, sighing as she dropped her gaze. “I know, I just… I just wanted to go with you.”
“Your master will be back before you notice it,” I promised, smiling. She smiled back, sweetly, and I let my hand drop.
Taking a step back, I beheld them, admiring their unique beauties. Loving their submission and how they adored my company. With a nod to my allies, I activated Fast Travel and selected Glennhaven. Within a moment, I was engulfed in blue mist and then I was gone.
* * *
Standing on the front steps of a wooden building, my head swam for a second. It didn’t take me long to recognize the simple streets and battered thresholds, the log houses and the tall temple in the middle of the square.
I was back in Glennhaven.
A couple of citizens passed the street talking idly and as soon as they recognized me, smiles stretched their faces. They waved at me and I did the same, the old feeling of being a hero warming me from the inside out. I jumped down the set of steps and looked around.
The place looked nothing like the first time I saw it - the city was completely rebuilt, and though the buildings were old and simple, none of them was in ruins. I greeted another set of passerby as I walked down the street, my back to the temple.
I was about to select my horse - I expected to find Astra up in the castle - when a soldier greeted me.
“Lord Aaron! Good seeing you.”
“Hey,” I greeted back though I didn’t know the man’s name. I motioned around us to the city. “You guys rebuilt everything. That’s great.”
“Yes!” He looked around himself, smiling. “It’s great to have the place standing for a change. And even better: we don’t have to fear the demons anymore! Thanks to you, m’lord, we won’t be building blockades two or three years from now.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” I nodded, turning to follow my original idea, calling the horse.
“Have you seen Captain Brianna? She went after you.”
My stomach turned with cold anger. I didn’t turn to answer him. “I met her, don’t worry.” For a moment, I thought about letting him know she had been on the Necromancer’s side all this time. Maybe she was even the source, or the reason, the demoness attacked the city for all those years.
But that would be a dick move. Also, I wasn’t staying in town for longer than a minute now. I called my horse.
“Oh, are you riding to Averly, my lord?” The guard asked, watching my horse trotting up the street toward me. “We received word you freed them too.”
“I did, but I’m going up the castle.” I touched my horse’s forehead, caressing its dark hair.
“To the castle?” The guard frowned. “Why?”
I turned to him, my patience running thin as I held on to get up the horse. “To get Astra, the demoness. I need my allies together to bring down the Necromancer.”
“Oh, no, lord, she’s not there.”
I let my foot drop back as I turned to face him. “She’s not?”
“No. They flew away as soon as you left for Averly.”
“Then how the hell am I supposed to find her?”
The guard tilted his lip in a smile. “I believe you’re able to call for her, no?”
What the hell did he mean by that?
I slid the menu open, looking for anything different. And there it was. Right under the buttons that would call for my horse and summon the Fast Travel. I hovered my hand over the grayed-out circle with two small horns.
Summon Astra, it said.
Oh. That would make things so much simpler.
I rose my brows to the guard, letting my horse go completely. “Thanks, man. I didn’t know that.”
He bowed, smiling back. “Anything to help, sir. I take it you’re going to Averly either way?”
“Yeah. Looks like I can only summon Astra, for some reason.”
“The demoness is free. She can just fly up to you. But I heard Queen Faye was arrested. You’re going to get her out, I guess.”
“I guess…” I agreed, gently patting my horse. “Either way, I’m not needing you right now, buddy. I’ll use the Fast Travel to get there.” I already traveled too much by foot. I turned to the guard. “Thanks again, man. Stay safe.”
“I will. Good luck, sir. We’re rooting for you!”
He took a step back as I activated Fast Travel and selected Averly. In a blue mist, I was gone once again.
* * *
As it had been in Glennhaven, and I expected it would be in the other cities, I blinked the mist away from my eyes as I stood on the first steps to the town’s inn. Also as it had been in Glennhaven, Averly was completely renewed. There were laughter and loud music. Bright streets and lively, cheerful voices. Elves waved at me and smiled and bowed their heads. A group of children ran up at me, grins illuminating their faces. Leading them, was the little girl who risked herself to lead me to the back entrance of the Palace.
“Sir Aaron!” She called, halting close to me.
“Hey, you!” Another person I didn’t know the name. “Thank you for the other day. I’m glad to see you’re alright.”
She shook her head. “Thank you, sir! You’re the one who saved us!”
“Say,” I knelt in front of her, noticing her wounds were healed and she looked well fed, “I need to take the Queen to fight the Necromancer with me. Do you know where the prison is?”
She nodded. “Would you like me to take you there?”
The girl was my guide once more. Up and down the main streets this time, greeting people as she skipped all the way there. I took the chance to take in the elvish city and its tall buildings and arches, intricate patterns sculpted in vases and columns decorating even the simplest of the alleys.
The prison was another tall, white building with columns and arches and all those fancy things these elves seemed to care for. A set of guards - truly, the only guards I’ve seen in the city - was stationed on the entrance and bowed to me once our eyes met.
“Here it is, sir!” The girl called, grinning.
“Thank you once more. You were a great guide.”
She giggled and turned to run back home, scampering. To think I had saved this girl from a beating or worse…
“Sir Aaron?” One of the guards called. “I believe you’re here to take Faye with you.”
“I am. I’m ready to take on the Necromancer.”
The two eyed me with unspoken respect.
One of them bowed before turning and entering the building. “Follow me, sir.”
I did, and silence covered us as we walked down sets of stairs under the orange light of torches. The building had no windows and even if the exterior looked astonishing and elegant, the inside was truly a prison.
Wondering how many feet under the surface we were by then, we left the stairs and crossed a door. Low ceiling and metal bars and only one guard stood in that corridor, holding a torch, the only source of light.
And I’d recognize that bubble butt anywhere.
“Eleria?” I called, flashbacking straight to how thankful the captain had been with me again and again. She turned, still wearing clothes made of that leaf-like material. She grinned, approaching.
“Sir Aaron, good to see you!”
“Master!” A voice called from the furthermost cell. Eleria frowned, turning that way.
“Silence!” She turned back to me, shaking her head. “Have you come to take her? We’d be happy to let her go.” She laughed, giving me a once-over. “You’re looking good. Ready to take on the Necromancer?”
I crossed my arms, smiling. “I am. Just need my allies and some extra levels. Some potions would be nice too.”
“Oh, have you seen the city? Everything is up and running. On your way out, remember to visit the potion store. There’ll be some experience boosts for you there.” She grinned. “I’m sorry the girls couldn’t see you. They’re guarding the borders.”
“After everything is over, I’ll make sure to visit again.”
“That’d be great,” her smile turned naughty real fast as she took a step closer. The guard next to me clearly grew embarrassed. “That day was fun.”
I smirked down at her. “It was, indeed.”
“We’ll do it again once you’re back,” she winked, taking a step back and turning around, striding to the cell down the corridor. She plucked a large metal keychain from her belt. “Your master is here, Faye. Behave yourself.”
The guard walked around me, retrieving a set of curved swords from a chest and offering them. “She’s under your responsibility now, my lord.”
I took Faye’s swords and watched as she catwalked out of the cell. Eleria watched her with a hand on the hilt of her short sword.
“Master,” the former Queen purred, reaching her hands for me. She was as pretty as I remembered, her light green hair catching the light, the golden hoops hanging from her ears glinting. She was still dressed in the very same scarlet robe, tied tightly around her small waist. Her hands reached for my arm and she pressed herself against me, still purring.
“Hm, she seems under control,” Eleria muttered, touching a forefinger to her lower lip. Her eyes glinted. “Good. She’s under your care then, Aaron. Please, don’t forget to visit us once it’s all over.”
Hell if I could forget it.
I nodded, “I’ll just buy some potions and I’ll be out. I won’t take long to come back.” I smirked at her and damn if I couldn’t cut the sexual tension between us with a knife.
“Good,” Eleria groaned, not giving a fuck to the guard standing beside us. “I’ll be waiting anxiously.”
So will I.
3
Looking over at Faye, I thought about getting her some clothes. But she was not only clean but smelling great, as if her prison time hadn’t been all that bad. The robe fell around her as a short dress, ending inches under her ass. It fluttered around her naturally but, as if by some damn magic, it never flew up.
I bought the potions while I still carried her swords around - though the elves greeted and trusted me, the looks they shot in Faye’s direction were not near as friendly. They had every right, for sure, but since I’d rather keep the peace, I carried the swords until we left the city.
