《Warden of Success - A LitRPG》29. Aedi III
Advertisement
“Wake up.”
Initiate
the
dream
commence extraction
mumbo jumbo
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: Wake up.
[White Noise]
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: Wakey wakey Camille.
[Sound of backhand against face]
Camille: [Indistinct]
[sharp intake of breath]
Camille: Which fucking dumbass just hit me?
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: Wow, that's some crude words for who you should call your saviour.
Camille: Saviour? First of all, where the hell even am I?
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: Can't you see?
Camille: Nope. Let's not forget I just had my entire body burned alive by magic snakes.
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: If by entire body you mean upper right convenient half of your face, then yes.
[pained moans]
Camille: Alright, smart ass, would you care to explain what the hell is happening here?
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: Ok, ok, Camille, always headstrong, aren't you? Fine.
[Short Pause]
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: You're in your headspace hallucinating right now.
Camille: So not hell?
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: Nope, you might be high as a kite, but you're technically still alive.
Camille: I don't take drugs.
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: I meant figuratively, Camille.
Camille: I'm going to figuratively put my foot in your ass if you don't explain what the hell's happening.
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: [Hoarse laughter] Alright, alright, fine, how do I put this? Well, let's just say I'm the guy who gave you powers.
Camille: I see. Thanks, it's been pretty great.
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: No surprise, no yells of agony, no none of that theatrics?
Camille: [Sitting up, staring into white space] Nope. I mean, I appreciate it. Shit's weird as hell, sure, but so has everything been these last few days. I mean, hell, I literally have a young boy following me trying to save my ass, some Egyptian bitch, and I even fought literal giant hornets.
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: Good point, good point indeed!
Camille: Well, I guess this is the moment where I get miraculously sent back moments before my imminent death and kick the shit out of my enemy?
Advertisement
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: Confident, aren't you?
Camille: Definitely. I'm going to kill that woman, I already swore it, and when I put my mind to it, I do it. That's all there is to me.
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: Even if it means dying?
Camille: Yes.
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: Even if offered the opportunity to save your life but lose your powers?
Camille: Yes.
S̷̡̈́u̷̹͝m̷̲̏m̵̮̂u̶̩͒ṁ̷͓: Then go ahead.
Camille: Willdo.
END OF HEADSPACE
So, that's that.
Neat.
Despite my seemingly random transportation to a mental prison, I quickly managed to acclimate to reality. Looking around, I see a crosshatch of burns on the walls, and with it, the same place I was moments prior.
The only difference is, now, half of my arm's covered in brown burns.
So much for my barrier. Guess it got destroyed in a single hit.
My HP must be below 50% too, considering I took permanent damage.
Tensing my legs, I quickly get up from the floor. There's no time to contemplate, or rather, no time I want to give.
Without missing a beat, my legs run up the stairs.
"Camilleeee". A painfully self-assured voice rings, accompanied by it the slow yet steady approach of footsteps.
My breathing might be ragged and my body a mess, but I know that I can still get ahead of her.
Unlike Aedi, my win condition doesn't depend on direct confrontation.
No. That never was my intention.
Heh.
I let out a vaguely obscene chuckle at that thought.
Trying at my plan, I attempt to summon a menu.
Sure enough, it appears. Whether it being allowed in combat, or counting me as out of it, irrelevant.
Inventory Set of Clothes (Equipped) Hotdog Gas Grenade Wine Hotdog Hotdog Gas Grenade Wine Hotdog Gas Grenade Wine
I take out two hotdogs and furiously down them.
Then, moving to my skills, I equip Sucker Strike and Fistwork.
Advertisement
If my theory proves correct, then what I'm about to do should work.
On a fundamental level, Aedi's snake is just that; a mere animal.
Of course, when altered by magic, it should have unnaturally high RES and borderline indestructible DEF.
But that doesn't mean it's HP compensates.
If anything, it means that, for a split second, even if against one, I can kill it.
As if reading my mind, the ambient heat increases.
Right on schedule, I pause.
Without sound to guide me, I use my heat-sensing organs for detection.
Light. The yellow radiance of a snake drops from another vent, two arms length away up my right.
In that time, spanning no longer than a second, I dash.
Running along the wall, I use my momentum and lift to close the distance.
Then in one punch, smash into the snake with all my force.
"Ahahaha."
I feel invincible. Having put my fist through the monster, it now begins to dissipate, leaving sparks of yellow in its wake.
Much as I'd love to celebrate, though, I don't.
Continuing my path, my legs only resume their former speed.
Inside that endless spiral of concrete steps, a seemingly endless cycle of running develops.
Going around and around and around again, I begin to wonder if it'll ever end.
If aboard this path, a destination will show.
Eventually, a sight does manifest, of course.
A final series of ten strides, each one leading me to the roof of the building.
"Hwogh!"
Crash. My body moreso smashes the door to nothingness then opens it.
Before long, I feel the winds of the city brush against my face. A sprawling image of my shithole hometown, more than a hundred meters in height before me.
I take a few steps towards the ledge, feeling with it an unspeakable pressure.
Only for it to be shattered a moment after.
"Yo." Announces Aedi abruptly. "Sorry, but seeing you all sweaty and running convinced me to do a little bit of cardio."
Hah.
I turn around, seeing for myself that woman.
I have to distract her by whatever means possible.
"Too scared to fight me directly?"
I sputter out an insult in an attempt to bring her closer.
"No, no, far from it, Ms. Camille. If it's a hand-to-hand fight you want, then I'll give it."
Huh. That was easier than expected.
No suspicion, no questions, no nothing?
"What's that look on your face Camille?"
Shit, those are the exact words I do not want to be hearing.
I'd forgotten that I'm not exactly an actor. In fact, I was precisely the opposite, so she must've guessed my intentions.
Then, as if dispelling my belief, she approaches.
For some reason, beyond human sense, she comes closer.
Good.
Because at that moment, appearing from behind that small square surrounding the staircase is my trump card.
"AEDI!"
Molok's voice erupts louder than it's ever been. Loud enough to distract her for an in-phantasmal moment, he spits out his incantation like a rapper.
“Μήπως για την τολμηρή μου Περσεφόνη ο τρόμος, Από τον Άδη θα πρέπει να στείλει ένα απαίσιο κεφάλι τέρατος.”
Wearing his snake mask, I know what comes next.
I close my eyes accordingly and grab onto Aedi.
The rough pores of the stone press against my fingers.
Embracing her in a full-on grab, I wait.
I open my eyes for a split second, seeing Molok don a mask inscribed with magical circles.
Before long, he then grasps onto her, and in the following second, we jump.
Off the side of the building, our destination none other than the rock-hard floor beneath us.
Advertisement
Sister Earth
A single Sister Earth observes human life from afar, silently lending a helping hand until one day she requires help from an unlikely ally.
8 123Welcome to the Aurora Wasteland
Read at your own risk, The Aurora Wasteland is watching you.I’m going to tell you a storyIt's going to involve some short storiesAnd the ways they affect the people that read themOh and maybe a hint of the strange and the weirdWelcome to the Aurora WastelandA collection of short stories by Sci-Fi Horror author Vaughn Ashby spread across the literary universe unknown as The Aurora Wasteland.A hiker stumbles across some accidental time travelA town froze in place at the blink of an eyeA corn maze with a whale of a secret in itAn old woman forced to witness the tower of the deadA yoga class taking their lessons to a deadly endA subway hidden in the middle of nowhereA police officer who wants to taste your brainsCaution… any connection to the Aurora Wasteland is not recommended.
8 207The Challenge of Erros
The story follows the adventures of Darren Murphy and his ward Rhea as they combat against the mysteries of the world they live in. They travel the world of Artegen without knowing the plot they are involved in.
8 170Sovereign
Is it possible to become a supreme being? After his withdrawal from Space Forces, in which he had spent twenty years of life, Captain Sava Gromov desires an extra reason for his existence. With a vague idea of becoming a merchant, he buys a secondhand spacecraft, loads the cargo, and leaves for an adventurous journey through the Solar System. On his way, he receives an SOS coming from a damaged research spaceship. To rescue the crew in a crisis is the easier part; the harder part comes afterward. The research team discovered an abandoned weapon, originating from a forgotten empire. Unfortunately, not everyone considers the vanished empire harmless. There is an organization actively destroying its remnants. Only two choices remain for Gromov: either to die or operate the unknown weapon in a slight hope that the archaic device may deter his pursuers. Choosing the latter, Gromov assimilates with inhuman digital being into the ultimate symbiosis of the organic and digital world. The Universe turned out to be a dangerous place: full of conflicts, threatening aliens, and unpredictable twists. The unmanageable chaos dwells in desperate need of a unifying force. Will Gromov become the Sovereign of the Solar System? Or will he become the ultimate enemy of humankind? There is an official repository for Sovereign on Github. If you are familiar with Github, you can suggest your edits there.
8 204THE KINGLY LEADER
THE PLANET ARIA, WHERE THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE PREVAILS AS STRONG SURVIVES OVER WEAK IS WHERE OUR JOURNEY GOES WITH ZANE OUR MAIN CHARACTER . WHERE OUR MC IS REINCARNATED AND GIVEN A CHANCE FOR A LIFE AGAIN WHERE HE BRAVES CONTLESS TRIALS AND FIGHT HIS WAY UP AND MAKE HIS OWN MARK IN THIS FANTASY WORLD WHERE DANGER LURKS EVERYWHERE AS HE BRINGS HIS WRATH WHILE HE IS KIND AND RUTHLESS! THE IRONY REMAINS .....LET'S JOIN HIM AS HE BUILDS HIS OWN DOMAIN AND SEE WHAT BECOMES OF HIM...... I will be posting at my site a little earlier than here.so you can visit my sit at : https://noviceauthorblog.wordpress.com/
8 138Irondad and Spiderson One Shots
*REQUESTS CLOSED*All one shots, can be a few parts though This is the life of Peter Parker -sometimes he is a Stark- about his normal life to his alter-ego Spiderman, with his family the avengers. {played by Tom Holland} {im British so there might be different spellings sorry}
8 107