Zeal Legacy Read online

  Zeal Legacy:

  A GameLit RPG Fantasy

  By RIKER KANE

  PUBLISHED BY RIKER KANE, 2019

  Copyright © 2019 Riker Kane.

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. All persons appearing on the cover are models and being used for illustrative purposes only.

  About this title

  Zeal Legacy is a light-hearted portal fantasy adventure intended for mature readers. It contains the following:

  ● Light LitRPG Elements

  ● Fantasy races, swords, and spells

  ● Fantasy action and violence

  ● Romance and harem elements with female characters

  ● Explicit sexual scenes and language

  Reader discretion is advised.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  More by Riker Kane

  Prologue

  “Are you certain?”

  Regent Magne spoke with the authority you would expect from someone in her position. But Shen would’ve sensed the uneasiness coming from her, even if he weren’t an oracle. The Regent had every reason to be concerned. She remained steadfast though, her head held high and proud as she looked at the old man next to her.

  “I respect your time, Regent. I wouldn’t ask you to go all this way to play a trick on you.”

  “Do not pretend you have not played a trick or two in your life before.”

  “You know me too well.” He gave the woman a smirk to try and lighten the mood to little effect. “I can assure you, this is no trick. You will see for yourself.”

  The Regent walked down the hall with an escort of armored knights at full attention. Shen labored along with her. He thought about complaining how long the hall was before remembering why it was so long in the first place. Eventually, they reached a set of double doors.

  Regent Magne reached for her necklace and pulled up until the key resting comfortably in her bosom was free. Considering how comfortable her bra was underneath her elegant dress, it was a wonder she managed to free the golden key at all.

  “Lucky key…” the old man whispered under his breath.

  “What was that?” She arched an eyebrow at him.

  “Nothing, your grace.” He coughed to clear his throat, holding his hand out to change the subject. “The door.”

  She inserted the golden key into the matching golden lock. It took her more effort to turn than an ordinary lock, understandable considering the time that had passed since it was last used. She pressed her palms on the doors and pushed them open. The guards stood attentively, watching for any sign of a threat. Shen was just as attentive but more out of curiosity than fear. Even though his questions were seemingly answered by viewing the small room, new ones arose as he saw what laid inside.

  The Regent stepped forward slowly. The room was dark except for the light shimmering at the center. And it wasn’t just any light. Bright, shimmering light but somehow not blinding. The light was so hypnotizing, she found herself standing a meter from it, her eyes unblinking. Perhaps she was mesmerized by it. Or perhaps she knew what it meant for the lights to shift.

  The lights changed from red to orange. Then orange to yellow. Then yellow to green. All of the colors of the rainbow until repeating. At the center of the light, was the cause of it all. A bare blade. No hilt. Just a crafted piece of metal with an edge sharp and polished. Its point was driven into a piece of marble like the person who put it there didn’t intend for it to be taken out.

  Shen kept his eyes on the Regent. He realized she was so distracted, he could admire the ample shape of her body for a few more seconds. A deep sigh was joined by a dreamy smile that came across his lips.

  “Shen.”

  She spoke his name but it took him a few seconds to realize he was the one distracted. The Regent didn’t care that an old man gawked at her. Not when she knew what was at stake. The oracle straightened up as best as he could and turned his attention to the flashing lights.

  “Could this mean anything else?” she asked.

  “If the blade is active, it must be used. If you use it, you lose it, as they say.”

  “Who says that?”

  “Um… The ancients, I suppose… Some old texts I came across before… I don’t recall exactly. It’s no matter. What does matter is the blade is indeed reacting.”

  She took a step toward the light.

  “How long has it been since the Maledict were here?” she asked.

  The old man searched his thoughts, rocking his head back and forth as he did the math. “Perhaps a century. Even I wasn’t here back then, believe it or not.”

  “A hundred years. It would be nice if I was informed during my reign it would happen. Quite rude”

  “Yes, Regent. Fortunately, we have the blade here to deal with them.”

  Regent Magne stared into the light. Her thoughts raced with all of the tasks before her. No matter what she’d accomplished in her life, nothing compared to what laid ahead of her. But there was some comfort in the shifting light.

  She sighed a deep breath to compose herself then held her head up high, looking down her nose at the blade that continued to stare back at her.

  “How many Ferrum are there?” she asked.

  “I haven’t been counting. But we have records—”

  “Call them. All of them. I do not want to take any chances on this.”

  “Of course, your grace.” The old man stepped forward and raised a comforting hand to the small of the taller woman’s back. Even at this moment, Shen put aside his juvenile thoughts to comfort the Regent, though she continued to stand tall in defiance. “The one destined to wield the blade is on Earth. We will find them. The scriptures are never wrong.”

  “I wonder… Who is the one who will raise the Zeal Blade and fulfill the prophecy?”

  Chapter 1

  Clayton smacked his lips on another bite of pizza. He chomped on it with the ravenous appetite of someone who hadn’t eaten in weeks. Even the man next to him thought Clayton was getting sloppy.

  “Hungry?”

  Clayton shrugged with indifference. He never cared too much about what other people thought of him. It’d been that way ever since he was a child and now that he was in his 20s, he became even less self-conscious.

  He tore off another bite, speaking with his mouth full.

  “After what I’d just been through, you’d be hungry, too. It took me 12 hours to get that last trophy.”

  “Is that a record?”

  “Not
a record. My highest is around 15. Maybe one day I’ll actually get to 24. Think about it, Leo. An entire day spent on a gaming session. I think I’d get a lot of trophies.”

  “You should call the record books. They’d make note of it.”

  “Nah. I don’t do this to get put in the record books. This is all for me.”

  Clayton spoke proudly of his achievements. And they were achievements. More than 400 and counting. He’d gotten a platinum trophy for every game he played. Most people wondered how someone like Clayton found the time to spend all of his time gaming but they got the answer when they realized just who he was.

  He swallowed down another slice of pizza then washed it down with a gulp of soda. He helped himself to another piece, dangling the cheese down to his mouth while he leaned up against the wall of the convenience store. It was late in the evening, just past midnight when most people were asleep. That was one of the reasons Clayton enjoyed coming out so late. The other reason being it gave him a chance to talk to Leo, who worked at the convenience store and grew accustomed to late night pizza sessions with Clayton.

  “I don’t know how you do it,” Leo said.

  “It’s not easy. But every game is designed for you to beat it. You just gotta figure out how the mechanics work. You play enough games, you start to realize they’re all the same.”

  “That’s not what I meant.” Leo chuckled and shook his head. “How do you sit in front of your monitor all day, gaming on your computer? Do you ever get bored of it?”

  Clayton scrunched his face in a combination of confusion and amusement. He thought Leo was joking though the man was genuinely curious.

  “What’s more enjoyable than playing a game?” Clayton said. “I get out of my apartment when I need to.”

  “Having pizza with me after midnight isn’t what I’m talking about. Someone young like you. You should be out there. Going to clubs, getting drunk, hooking up with chicks.”

  “Oh, that’s what you mean.” Clayton shrugged with indifference and took another bite of pizza. “I’ve tried all that. Drinking. Drugs. Girls. They all just take away from the real fun I could be having.”

  “Spoken like a true expert in his field. I admire you, Clayton.”

  “You know, if you need money, you don’t have to wash my balls.”

  “I don’t need money. I get by just fine. You know I do. Besides, there are people who need the money more than I do, which you seem to be handling. How was that last donation?”

  “Great. Got a whole bunch of toys for the children’s hospital. Even have a few high-end systems set up so they can game, too.”

  “Maybe one day they’ll be able to accomplish as much as you have.”

  “Let’s not get crazy now, Leo.”

  They shared a laugh. It was a quiet night outside of the convenience store. Neither man had a care in the world. But Clayton especially had nothing to worry about. After a long gaming session, his only priority was to fuel up on some late-night pizza and soda to see what else he could accomplish before his fatigue finally hit him. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

  “You ever wonder what it’ll be like if you do get bored?” Leo asked.

  “I thought about it before. The truth is, I don’t think I ever will. I get the platinum trophy for one game, there’s another trophy waiting. There’s an endless supply of things to do. And with my money, you know I won’t have any trouble having access to them.”

  “That’s the plan, huh? Just live your days out in front of your PC.”

  “That’s the dream of every gamer, isn’t it?”

  “When you put it like that…”

  “Don’t worry, Leo. I put you in my will.”

  Leo’s eyes lit up, and with good reason. Clayton had inherited a fortune. A rich uncle he never actually met left everything behind to him.

  “All I need right now is another slice of this pizza before I gotta get back to work.” Leo munched on the last slice while Clayton relaxed up against the wall.

  Clayton looked out into the streets. He was used to staying out this late, since most of his time during the day was spent in front of a computer monitor. But a strange feeling washed over him as he stared out into the distance.

  “What is that?” he mumbled to himself.

  “What?”

  “Do you… Do you see someone out there? I feel like someone’s watching us…”

  “I think you’ve been spending too much time with all of those games and having trouble telling the difference.”

  “Ha… Maybe you’re right…” Clayton turned toward Leo and smiled. Leo was an older, middle-aged man. A bit pudgy with thinning hair. His beard was long, the same as his darkened locks. Clayton felt comfortable around him even though the man was twice his age. He was the only man Clayton talked to on a regular basis. Leo telling Clayton there was nothing to worry about was all the reassurance the younger man needed.

  * * *

  “Which one is the Ferrum? The fat one or the young one?”

  Rena turned to the man next to her, wondering if she would actually have to answer his question. But he just stared at her and kept waiting for a response.

  “The young one, of course,” she stated it bluntly.

  “I’m only wondering. I’ve never seen a Ferrum before.”

  “He is perhaps destined to face the Maledict. I doubt an old man has the bearings to wield the Zeal Blade.”

  “Maybe if he leveled up a little—”

  “Iolas. Speak to the Ferrum and transport him with haste. There is no time to waste.”

  “Hey, that rhymed—”

  “Just do it.”

  “All right, all right.” Iolas put his hands up to avoid further scolding. Only a woman like Rena could command the kind of respect she did. Iolas wasn’t the man to try and test her, despite his size.

  While Rena marched back into the darkness of the alley, Iolas called out to her.

  “Rena. Do you think I can try some of that pizza before we go back? It sounds interesting…”

  “Do what you need to do. Just make sure you acquire the Ferrum. We have a long journey.”

  * * *

  Clayton lived in a modest apartment with all of the amenities a single man needed. He never had any friends or women over. There were no pets running about. He didn’t even have a television or a couch because it would get no use. Everything Clayton needed was in the powerhouse PC tower right next to him.

  As he sat in his comfortable lounge chair, he sorted through the list of games, wondering which one he would conquer next.

  “Let’s see what we got here… First-person shooters… Fighting games… Ugh, never been good at those… Action… Puzzle… Maybe another RPG… Just need to find one…”

  Fueled by a belly of soda and pepperoni, Clayton slicked his bangs over his head and cracked his knuckles. There was no telling how long he would be gaming tonight, so he needed to do everything he could to make himself comfortable.

  “Nothing looks interesting… How am I supposed to decide?”

  He leaned back in his seat and shifted his eyes toward the time on his monitor. It was already one in the morning. He’d spent more time talking to Leo than he realized. If he was gonna get started, he’d have to pick something soon.

  But before he could decide, there was a sudden knock at the door. His heart jumped into his throat and he nearly fell out of his seat.

  “What the hell…”

  He stared at the door. Never mind that it was the middle of the night. Nobody ever bothered visiting Clayton. He knew something was up.

  He waited a few seconds and laughed off his nervousness but then another knock followed.

  Then another.

  “Crap…”

  He grabbed his phone, ready to call the police. But something came over him. Curiosity. Bravery. Sheer stupidity. Whatever it was, terrible judgment won the moment and Clayton suddenly found himself up from his chair, inching toward the door where the knocking continued.


  He flipped the switch and looked through the peephole. Standing there was a bald man in what looked like a robe. Anybody dressed like that had to be homeless and looking for a handout, Clayton thought to himself. He figured maybe word of his donation to the hospital had gotten out and this man had somehow found him.

  Clayton slowly opened the door just a crack to get a better view. The first thing Clayton noticed was just how tall the man was. Clayton wasn’t short by any means but still had to crane his neck just to look at him. And when he did, he saw the wide grin on the man’s face.

  “Clayton Brooks,” the man said.

  “…Who are you?”

  “Iolas. May I come in and speak to you?”

  “I don’t know if you realized this, but it’s one in the morning. It’s kinda the wrong time to be asking to step inside of someone’s apartment. That’s something serial killers and burglars do.”

  “I assure you, I’m not here to kill you or steal from you.”

  “Probably wanna maim me… Look. It’s late. Maybe you should just come back tomorrow.”

  “It’s important. It’s about your uncle.”

  “My uncle?” Clayton held back his surprise. “What about him?”

  “Did you ever wonder who he is?”

  Clayton was only growing more confused. A stranger showed up to his door late at night. Now he was talking about an uncle he thought nobody knew about.

  “This is getting screwy,” Clayton thought to himself. If Iolas was dangerous, he was doing a good job of hiding it with that childlike grin of his. Clayton also considered the possibility Iolas was just one of those smiling psychos he read about on the news.

  “Come back tomorrow.” Clayton shut the door, finally regaining his senses.

  “Clayton, please! It’s an emergency! We need your help!”

  Clayton raised his phone up to his ear, ready to dial the police, but stopped when he heard the desperation on the other side of the door.

  “You might be our only hope! You might be the one. Please…”

  “I must be dreaming.” Clayton shook his head and reluctantly opened the door back up to find the smile on Iolas’s face was gone, replaced by the desperation he’d just heard. He stepped outside of his apartment and closed the door behind him. He figured he would have a better chance running if Iolas did actually try anything. “Who needs my help?”