Moonlight assassin a lit.., p.50
Moonlight Assassin: A LitRPG Space Fantasy, page 50
“Vix violated Averyl in her sleep—”
“I’m going to fucking kill him.”
Sayuri shot Guy a perplexed glare. “You didn’t even hear what Vix did, Paladin.”
“I don’t care. He fucking dies.”
Then again, Tempeste had asked Guy to kill Vix ages ago and even gave him a quest to do it. Meridtila encouraged Vix’s execution too, claiming that he betrayed her. That was two elven queens who wanted to see the elusive Assassin become a soul crystal.
Synaria lowered the Stellar Kukri and Earthen Stiletto. “You did not come here to fight,” she said to the Soul Hunter. “If so, you would have ambushed us already.”
Sayuri nodded to her. “Correct.”
“What do you want then?” Synaria asked.
“To complete my mission.” Sayuri’s Inventory screen appeared ahead. She pulled out a soul crystal and held it up high for Guy and Synaria to see as the sands blew past. “I am a collector of soul crystals. It is the source of my class’s power.” Sayuri stored the crystal back into her inventory, then made the screen fade with a tap of the close button. “Demonic soul crystals are rare and would greatly benefit my power growth. Alas, the demons I had been tracking vanished before my eyes. Someone from this universe called them into existence here.”
“That’d be Meridtila,” Guy said, sheathing Asteria’s Sword and the Calvous Saber to the back of his rustling trench coat. “She summoned a demon that possessed Leafblade. Originally, it was to sabotage a sentinel ship, but that plan backfired, and the demon escaped. They went on to possess another imperial, Emeraldal. Now there are two demons at large.”
“I figured as much,” Sayuri said, stroking her chin. “After talking to experts about demons, I learned their creators hid some of them in my universe for safekeeping. Said experts guided me to the tower on Faeheim where its machina bridged a passageway into this universe.”
“And Nijana?” Guy asked. “What do you need with her?”
“I originally wanted Nijana to help me as a guide. She is from my universe, so I felt she was the only person here I could trust. But it turned out it was unnecessary for two reasons. One, Nijana is a member of the Night Order faction. I must kill her. Two, well, I made it this far without her help.”
Guy said nothing and just narrowed his eyes at Sayuri. If you touch a hair on Nijana, I’ll fucking end you myself.
“Well, this chat is very informative,” Synaria said. “But can we keep moving and find a way out of this fuckin’ storm?”
And that reminded Guy to eye their shrinking HP bar. Their chat within the blinding sandstorm, brightening from lightning flashes, brought them closer to their end.
Sayuri gave the two a nod, spun around, and walked ahead. “Follow me.”
Guy and Synaria kept close and followed Sayuri deeper into the sandstorm, walking up and down tall dunes with their hair and attire whipping about. Guy lost count of how many times he had to spit out sand from his mouth.
“You know, we share the same goal,” Guy said to Sayuri. “Demon-Leafblade and Emeraldal are our enemies. Why not join us?”
Synaria nodded in agreement. “Indeed, let us aid each other.”
“Your proposal sounds acceptable,” Sayuri said, her back turned as she continued leading the way through the sands.
“There’s just one caveat,” Guy added. “Nijana’s on our team. You have to accept her as an ally—”
“Out of the question, Paladin!” Sayuri stopped and spun to the two, the ends of her red skirt kicking up in the winds, unveiling white panties. She put one hand on her hip and pointed the index finger on the other at Guy. “Nijana and I are mortal enemies!”
“Do you really think you can defeat the demons without our help?” Guy said. “You need to be level 75 or throw a lot of bodies at them to take them down.”
“Tracking them alone might be difficult.” Sayuri grinned as a plume of sand blew ahead of her face. “But defeating them? That will be an effortless task.”
Guy folded his arms. “How so?”
Sayuri showed him how.
The Soul Hunter produced a soul crystal from her inventory, brought a glow of astral energy into her hands, and conjured the ghostly visage of a phantom clenching an ornamental staff. Guy eyed the phantom closer, taking in its information.
Elf-phantom (Priest) | LVL: 34 | Rank: A
“This is the soul of the Priest, as you might have read,” Sayuri explained, walking circles around her summoned ghost. “It is a healing class from my universe. They possess a skill called Exorcism, which can instantly kill a demon or one who has taken a host, regardless of level.” Sayuri dismissed her phantom with a wave of her hand, turning it into a wave of rising astral vapor.
Synaria looked impressed. “Sounds like your universe has classes we do not.”
“And your universe has classes I have never seen.”
“I guess the Sword of Asteria game had a different development team in the dark universe,” Guy said. “Different team, different ideas, different classes.”
“So you can one-shot a possessed fae, huh?” Synaria asked Sayuri.
“Indeed. Try to fight the demons all you want, but as you said only level 75 people or a large group can defeat them. But with me? I can just command the Priest’s soul to remove them in one fell swoop.”
Guy snorted. “The dark universe classes sound pretty unbalanced.”
Notice: You have left the hazardous area – Sandstorm
It was the notification the three were looking forward to seeing. Sayuri led Guy and Synaria out of the sandstorm thanks to her guidance. Now it was just the blazing sun they had to worry about.
Warning: You are now entering a hazardous area – Heatwave
Guy groaned. “For fuck’s sakes . . . Well, good thing I still have leftover survival water. Let me know if you need any, and I’ll hook you up.”
Synaria stood beside Guy, eying the endless sight of dunes. “Well, on the bright side, there are no imperials.”
“They must have given up the search,” Guy said, then spun back to view the sandstorm they had left. “Or are minutes away from coming up on our six.”
“Then let us keep moving,” Sayuri said.
Guy shared what water he could spare with the two. After that, they moved out across the desert’s dunes while drinking their magical water.
Heatwave Resistance: 100%
The sun burning them was worse than the sandstorm. His skin turned red and painful to touch. Sayuri and Synaria suffered from the same condition minutes later.
Little by little, their survival gauge fell. The heatwave was going to kill them now, and there wasn’t any survival water in Guy’s inventory. He had given out his last bottle to Synaria. Then the moment came at last.
Heatwave Resistance: 0%
The environmental damage lowered their HP. The heat was slowly killing them. Guy had no MP to cast Lay on Hands and had already spent all his hyposprays to survive the sandstorm. Synaria and Sayuri were the lucky ones. Sayuri had a few HP potions to share with Synaria, though the frown that grew on Sayuri’s face suggested that she didn’t want to lend them out. Sayuri and Synaria staggered in the sands when they ran out of that, watching their HP slowly fall, taking away their will to stand.
Luckily for Synaria, her druid passive trait rose her HP by 1 each second. She was outdoors and surrounded by nature, the hostile version of nature, but it was a natural setting nonetheless. But despite that advantage, Synaria was the first to collapse into the sand. Had Synaria been an Assassin of any other race, she might have died right then and there. Guy struggled to hold her up. Sayuri sank her knees into the sand ahead of the two. She looked terrible.
“This . . . sucks . . .” Guy grunted and watched as his HP fell to 241.
All three collapsed face first into the desert’s sand. They did it right at the feet of robed travelers. Lots of them. There must have been six, maybe eight, people rising out from the sands like it was water and spreading black-feathered raven wings.
They were shadow angels. If Guy’s vision weren’t so blurry, he’d view their information screen to see their levels, rank, and classes.
One of the shadow angels, a woman with dark-caramel skin, drew a curved blade and approached Synaria lying in the sand. “A druid.”
A second shadow angel with a light olive complexion and black bobbed hair, looked at Synaria. “What do we do?” she asked.
A third shadow angel examined them. She was a fit ebony woman with a fantastic pair of legs and donning sun-reflecting armor shaped to fit the curvaceous mounds on her chest.
“The same thing we do with all druids who pass into our world . . .” She grabbed a fistful of Synaria’s platinum head and pulled. She picked up Synaria’s limp body with one hand, then spun around to the shadow angels behind before adding. “. . . we slit her fucking throat.”
Chapter Sixty-Three
There was a rumor going around that fewer afflicted druids were spotted in the great forests as of late. The druids did not know why. Some suspected that the hunters wielding magitech weapons had annihilated them while offering their soul crystals to the fae from another world. Others believed that the afflicted had fled to their cities and heavily fortified them to protect themselves. Others, like Sting, believed that the afflicted druids received support from the star-dweller Paladin and learned how to better conceal themselves. After all, there had been many reported sightings of dead hunters found on the various forest paths. Hunters falling over dead were not an issue until the Paladin arrived on their world.
Speaking of Sting, he had emerged from a cluster of trees and led a large squad of druid huntsmen to the Zenevieva Fortress, not far from the World Tree. They would have arrived earlier but had to bury the remains of dead hunters they had discovered on the forest’s path. Vix should know—he had observed them do it from the shadows.
And since Vix was still invisible to all, he ambled closer and watched as Sting’s huntsmen team approached the fortress and stopped. They had spotted another group of seven hunters leave the Zenevieva Fortress wielding new weapons. Magitech weapons.
The hunters recognized the golden scorpion armor Sting wore and lowered their heads in a respectful bow as he approached.
“Is it true?” Sting asked the leader of the hunting group ahead. “Did the fae have magitech weapons to trade with us?”
“Yes,” the hunter said. He nodded to a young lad behind, who handed Sting a magitech spear.
Sting gave the weapon a closer look, carefully inspecting it, then ran his fingers across its polished frame, devoid of wear and tear or blackened burn marks. It was a brand-new weapon forged by the machina of the star-dwellers to aid them in exterminating the afflicted druids.
Sting handed the magitech spear back. “What do the fae want in exchange for it?”
“Nothing.”
“Good.” Sting spun to the woods, eying the many paths his team had yet to search. “Now prepare yourselves. The star-man should still be in the area. He and his friends fled with my daughter.”
“Hmm.” The hunter spun back to the machina fortress they had departed from. “As we left, a few of us heard a commotion among the fae. It sounded as if they encountered an unexpected problem.”
Sting raised his eyebrow hidden behind his scorpion helmet. “It must be the star-man.”
That was Vix’s cue.
He appeared from a plume of black, spinning mist and approached the druids. Nobody saw that Vix had exited his Stealth state, for the shadows that he stood in was much too dark for that. As far as they were concerned, he just left his hiding place. As far as they were concerned, he was an unafflicted dark elf.
“If that Paladin slid past the guards here,” Vix said, his voice drawing Sting and his hunters’ attention to him. “Then it is possible he used the jump gate portal inside the fortress. He may have taken your daughter to the shadow angel world.”
Sting clenched his fists and teeth. “That cannot happen.”
“The Yelrokas Desert on Penna is expansive,” Vix added. “If you are not quick, you might lose the Paladin—”
“Never mind the Paladin,” Sting cut in, his tone of voice moving up a notch. “My daughter, Rylisa, is not to visit the shadow angels!”
The druid hunters around Sting seemed perplexed about that. Vix, not so much. He knew precisely why Sting did not want Rylisa anywhere near Penna, let alone the Yelrokas Desert where Inara laid.
Vix eyed two fae patrols who happened to be standing and listening to the druids. He approached them casually and waved his purple hand to draw their attention. “You, there.” The imperials faced Vix as he called to them. “Is what these druids say true? Did the Paladin infiltrate this fortress?”
The first imperial patrol guard nodded. “We have received unconfirmed reports from our men on the other side of the gate that he was spotted there.”
Vix crossed his arms before his black hooded cloak. “How soon before the Paladin is captured?”
“We are considering calling off the search,” the second imperial said. “The empire cannot spare the men right now. Doing so will put the Eastern Yelrokas Fortress at risk of attack from the shadow angels.”
A grin spread across Vix’s face. “I figured as much.” He spun to Sting and his druid hunters. “You know, there are many druid hunters here who would be more than willing to . . . hunt a Paladin for you.”
“We could not ask them to do that,” the imperial said. “This is our fight, not theirs.”
“The Star Paladin and his friends have my daughter,” Sting said, stepping forward. “It is now our fight.” Sting eyed the magitech weapons that his hunters had carried with an impressed smirk. “And now we have the weapons needed to slay him and get her back.”
“Very well,” the first imperial said, sharing Sting’s expression. “I shall speak with the commander about your proposal.”
The imperial spun around and vanished beyond the machina sliding doors leading into the Zenevieva Fortress’s darkened corridors.
“If I may ask,” one of the druid hunters asked Sting. “Why are you concerned for Rylisa’s safety? She is tainted, unnatural. She must die like the rest.”
“Well . . .” Hesitation stilled Sting’s lips while his face contorted with deep thoughts. The elder of the druids never gave the hunter a reply, and that was worrying to Vix.
So he stepped forward to fill the silence. “As an outsider to this world,” Vix said, drawing the druids’ eyes on him again. “Even I agree.”
“You do, dark elf?” Sting said.
“Why yes. As tragic as it was for your daughter, Rylisa, to fall ill to the affliction, she must be dealt with swiftly. I am sure the other clan elders would do the same. Her continued survival will only enable her to sow the seeds of rebellion by using her status as a highborn. End Rylisa now before that could happen, Sting. An honor killing.”
“The dark elf is right,” Sting said after a long, depressing sigh. “I must do this . . . or banish Rylisa from this world.”
“Either way, we have to get to Rylisa first,” Vix said. From the corner of his eye, he noticed an imperial exit the fortress and strode toward them. Vix faced the armored fae man, waving his hand toward them. “And it would seem the good fae approve. The world of the shadow angels awaits you and your hunters, Sting.”
Sting nodded and clenched the magitech spear’s haft tight in his armored grips. “The hunt for the Paladin begins.”
The druid hunters surrounding Sting raised their weapons to the treetops, chanting a traditional huntsman prayer.
After their prayer, the imperials allowed the druids to enter the fortress and escorted them to its jump gate chamber. Vix followed behind for good measure. Might as well. There was nothing else for him to do on Ellyllon. The Paladin, his friends, and supposedly Rylisa were on Penna. Sting’s demeanor had changed after listening to Vix’s words. There was no hint of hesitation in him. Sting was ready to carry out the honor killing. Good. Now that the affliction had corrupted Rylisa, her permanent death would yield a soul crystal containing the debauchery she experienced at the fingers and licking tongue of Princess Averyl, the lewd act Vix had seen in the shadows. Rylisa’s soul crystal would allow Vix to experience it himself as if he was her. Experience what Rylisa felt when Averyl put her fingers inside her. Experience touching Averyl, being touched by her. Everything.
And when paired with Rain’s soul crystal?
Vix licked his lips.
He could not wait for the opportunity to feast on Rain’s and Rylisa’s souls. He could not wait to fuck Averyl senseless afterward. There was nothing wrong with having some fun with Averyl before handing the princess back to her father and Serzax.
Of course, all that had to happen later on. Right now Vix had another use for Rylisa, and she had to be alive for that to happen. After that?
Vix laughed to himself.
“Here,” an imperial spoke up suddenly, pulling Vix’s thoughts into the present.
The trooper presented the jump gate to Sting and his band of druid hunters. If one peered at the gate long enough, they could see the heatwaves of the Yelrokas Desert beyond and the lingering dust from a sandstorm that had blown into the region.
Sting was the first druid to step through the shimmering portal. He materialized on the shadow angel world seconds later.
Chapter Sixty-Four
Low HP, MP, AP, and no energy to move, Guy could only reach forward at the sight of the shadow angel Berserker holding Synaria with one hand and reaching down with her other to fetch a sheathed sword. The shadow angel pulled the blade free and lifted it to Synaria’s neck. One cut was all it would take to make Synaria bleed out the last of her HP, which had fallen to 210 because of the environmental damage.
And there wasn’t a damn thing Guy could do to save her. Same with Sayuri. The two barely had enough strength to push up from the sand, let alone fight the shadow angel raiders off.
“Wait,” one of the shadow angels said. Guy wasn’t sure which one spoke. Heat exhaustion totally fucked his senses. “What the fuck is a Soul Hunter?” That same shadow angel stooped before Guy lying in the sand, narrowing her green eyes at him. “And a Paladin.”
