Path of Spirit (Disgardium Book #6): LitRPG Series, Dan Sugralinov [the reader ebook .TXT] 📗

me anyway, he’d probably rather eat me than help,” I said. “Alright, we don’t have time to arrange an escape anyway. And what’s the point? The Arbiters can reach me anywhere. Let’s focus on what this Ordeal is. Judge Cannon in Tristad sentenced me to the same, but only in a vision. Atiyakari, the assassin from Axiom, said that you can’t revive after dying in an Ordeal; death is always final there.”

“That’s right,” Ed nodded. “It’s a game method to permanently ban a player. Practically without fail. It happens often, because the judges find it convenient to pass the responsibility for a death sentence off to the gods. And the gods trade trinkets for every accused sent for their judgment. As for the Ordeal, people write all kinds of nonsense about it.”

“Yeah, because you can’t write anything down there, so all we have to go on is accounts from dumbasses who lost their characters that way,” Malik added. “And they contradict each other all the time! One says he ended up at an arena filled with thousands of NPCs and players, with a chest of armor and weapons at the center, and when the Ordeal began, everyone’s stun was lifted at once and they all ran straight for the gear. Someone else says that’s garbage, and actually everyone gets put in a queue to meet the gods, and they decide what to do with each. Supposedly Nergal is there, and Seth, and all the other New Gods.”

“Or everyone is telling the truth, but the scenario is random,” Hung suggested.

“Either way, the stories of the Ordeals do agree on one thing. Basically, Alex…” Ed frowned, studying the info on his comm. “You won’t have any advantages. You start from nothing. No skills, perks, stats. It says: ‘all stand before the divine court as they came into this world.’”

I caught myself chewing my lower lip. What I heard buried my last glimmer of hope. I didn’t have the greatest confidence in my non-game skills. Who was Scyth without his superpowers?

Exactly.

“Listen carefully, this is important,” I said, glancing at the clock. Five minutes left until the Ordeal began. “Remember where we leveled up on Terrastera? I need you to contact Kusalarix. Tell her where I am if she asks. But most of all, tell her to send the temple builders. When she gives you the beacon, put it on Terrastera. The place is clear, I put Isis’ Blessing there. The builders have just under twenty-four hours.”

“Consider it done,” Ed nodded. “We’ll try to contact her through Grokuszuid.”

“Secondly. Remember, the mobs can’t cross the edge of the place of power. Assemble our crew and go grind. Even if you don’t kill anything, you’ll gain some levels. I saw a new beast god there, a huge crocodile called Sobek. Try not to kill it right away.” The boys smiled. “Seriously, maybe we can come to an agreement with it.”

“Alright, don’t worry about us,” Hung answered. “The important thing is that you get out!”

Malik started up, suddenly remembering something.

“I have a pet there! Dalezma! Maybe it leveled up and can help us?”

“I doubt it’ll be much good,” Hung chuckled. “That thing is still small!”

“Another thing,” I said. “Don’t tell anyone about the Ordeal except Kusalarix. If our allies find out… at best they’ll panic and think twice about continuing to work with us.”

I stood up from the table. Hung rose and squeezed me in a hug that Ed and Malik joined in on.

“What about the Demonic Games?” Malik asked. “We’re supposed to be flying out in the morning! Tomorrow is moving-in day, the opening ceremony…”

“Malik,” I said seriously. “If I don’t make it, go alone and try to win!”

The boys walked me to MY capsule. Before loading in, I exchanged glances with my friends.

“Why the long faces? This isn’t over yet, not by a long shot!”

“That’s right!” Hung growled. “Ordeal, my ass! You’ll make ‘em eat dirt! Tear ‘em apart, bro!”

“Piece of cake!” Ed said with exaggerated vigor, raising a fist.

Malik opened his mouth, but said nothing. He just nodded, and I answered with the same.

 

 

Chapter 31. The Vinculum

I BEGAN MY IMMERSION, perhaps the last for Scyth, and right away an angry roar started drilling into my ears:

“Holy cripes! Who the hell are you, asshole? C’mon, show yaself!”

That fierce voice, deep and hoarse, could have belonged to an orc, titan or ogre. But it was usually goblins who said things like ‘c’mon’ and ‘yaself’…

I waited for my vision to adapt to the gloom of the cell, then saw two baleful eyes gleaming at me from an arm’s length away. There was a system label above them:

Convict Navalik, Goblin Thief

 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you, Navalik. I’m Scyth.”

“Scyth…” the goblin muttered, his ears twitching madly. “Huh, why you say it like I should know all aboutcha already? All grand like, heh! Scyth, ooh, wow! So what? Should I start pissin’ myself in fear? Huh?”

“You don’t have to,” I muttered.

“Damn straight!” he said in satisfaction. “What made you think you scared ME? I ain’t easy to scare, ya know! Didn’t wanna scare me, yeesh! Wanted to stab me in the back, huh? Stab yourself!”

“Hey, I didn’t mean to insult you! I was just being courteous.”

“Oh, now you tryna walk it back? Get outta here with your fancy words! Curr-tea-us!” the goblin drawled mockingly. “Would ya look at that, a duke’s come to visit!”

The goblin kept mouthing off at me like a rooster at a stranger in a hen coop. He stank of old sweat, onions and Azmodan knew what else. I had no desire whatsoever to deal with my cellmate. There was less than a minute left until the Ordeal, and then Navalik would be my enemy. Anyway, I didn’t like this guy, who I was willing to bet was