Zeal Legacy 4 Read online

  ZEAL LEGACY 4:

  A GameLit RPG Fantasy

  By RIKER KANE

  PUBLISHED BY RIKER KANE, 2020

  Copyright © 2020 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.

  Table of Contents

  About Zeal Legacy 4

  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

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  About Zeal Legacy 4

  Zeal Legacy 4 contains references to characters and events from the previous three titles. You can jump immediately into part four, but you’ll miss out on some of the lore. You can expect lots of fantasy action, minor LitRPG/GameLit elements, boss fights, and romantic entanglements in Zeal Legacy 4, just like the other titles.

  Prologue

  Clayton Brooks had done it. He’d conquered another Maledict. In the process, he ended a civil war on the continent of Green Terra and ushered in a peace few thought possible. Stronger than ever, he returned to Nalore to live in luxury and celebrate his achievements.

  Months have gone by since he last wielded the legendary Zeal Hammer as he continues to enjoy the serenity of the quiet kingdom…

  Chapter 1

  “This is the life…” Clayton mouthed the words to himself quietly, his thoughts in a world of their own.

  In the town of Nalore, the townsfolk went about their day as they always did. Merchants sold their wares, both useful and indulgent. If someone needed a new pot to cook with or some new jewelry to wear for one of the Regent’s fancy gatherings, it was available.

  Fresh kills were brought in from the forests to the west. There was no shortage of meat from wolves, bears, and deer to choose from. Fruits and vegetables were plentiful and if you hit the right spot in the markets, the permeating scent would make your stomach rumble even if it were full. The fishermen at the pier were always there to bring in a fresh catch from the great sea. It wasn’t just fish but squid and shellfish and even the sea plants as well. The abundance of things to eat ensured the kingdom of Nalore would never go hungry.

  What looked like a thousand people made their way through the stone pathways, scurrying around though enjoying the peace of the sunny day.

  But it was Clayton who enjoyed it more than everybody else. The Regent’s chambers were so high, he was nearly parallel with the clouds as he looked out into the sky. For a moment, he thought about jumping out of the window and seeing if he could fly. In a sense, he was immortal, his essence tied to the Zeal Hammer.

  The powerful weapon was hidden deep within the Regent’s Manor. It was the reason why he was brought to Nalore in the first place. It was what made him the true Ferrum—the one who would protect all of Xeylon and fight back the Maledict. But at the moment, his thoughts were elsewhere.

  “Doesn’t get any better than this…” he sighed again to himself. There were a lot of moments like this, when he was away from the crowded streets and his thoughts were clear in his head. It was nothing short of amazing for him to be where he was now. He’d never traveled much on Earth. Now he was on another world entirely.

  “Are you well?” A siren’s voice got his attention.

  Perhaps even more impressive than the sight of the city of Nalore and the Serene Valley to the south was the woman standing a few paces away.

  Regent Magne was the sole ruler of the kingdom of Nalore. She carried herself with the kind of dignity you would expect from a stereotypical monarch. Her hair was short around her chin, a shimmering white though she wasn’t anywhere close to elderly. She never failed to carry herself with the regal demeanor one would expect from a ruler.

  Even in the sheer nightgown she wore, Regent Magne looked more impressive than the average person in Xeylon, Clayton thought. The white robe was split down the middle, going all the way down to her navel and showing off the fair skin on her flat stomach. Though it did just enough to cover her most private areas, her robe was barely clinging to her slim curves as she approached Clayton near the window of her lavish chambers.

  “I’m fine.” Clayton kept his gaze on the view outside. He was in nothing but a pair of silk linen pants. “The breeze feels good against my skin.”

  “It does, doesn’t it?” The Regent moved by his side and enjoyed the air the same as him. “Perhaps the only thing more satisfying than fulfilling our desires is enjoying the clarity that comes after it.”

  Clayton couldn’t help a smirk, thinking about how he just satisfied the Regent. He kept his thoughts to himself but the look on his face was enough to get her attention.

  “Your thoughts?” she asked.

  “I’m not sure I should—”

  “You do not have to worry about offending me. You are the Ferrum. You are Ironblood. It was you who saved this kingdom—this world—several times now. If anybody has earned the right not to bite their tongue, it is you.”

  As soon as he heard it, Clayton’s thoughts shifted to the look Rena would be giving him right now if she were here. And when he thought about it, his grin only grew even wider.

  “I wonder what they would say if they could hear you,” he said. “To hear you groan while I’m taking you from behind. To see you on your knees with your mouth on me. I think some of them wouldn’t be able to even imagine it.”

  Regent Magne raised an eyebrow, maintaining her poise. Clayton didn’t bother holding back his smile.

  “The thought of having me do what you ask of me amuses you,” she said. “I have no shame in it. I am the ruler of these people but I am a woman as well.” Her fingers moved to his chest as she caressed him softly.

  They’d spent the entire morning together but just her touch was enough to get Clayton’s thoughts stirring to what else he could do to her. Her touch and the way her robe was having trouble staying tied closed.

  But before Regent Magne gave in to what they both wanted, she pulled her hand away and nodded. “Something troubles you.”

  Clayton shook his head. “Nothing is troubling me. Xeylon is safe from the Maledict. Zeal is stronger than it’s ever been—I’m stronger than I’ve ever been. The world is at peace and my companions are with me.”

  “Yes… All six of your party members are with you now. You have free rein in Nalore. All of the food and drink and praise you desire.”

  Clayton looked out the window. “When I’m hungry, I’m fed whatever I want to eat. When I want to eat alone, they give me my space. But when I don’t, there’s no shortage of people trying to entertain me. When I’m in the mood, it seems like every woman in the kingdom is willing to please me. And when I’m tired, I get the most comfortable bed to sleep on.” He looked around the Regent’s chambers and chuckled softly to himself, though he wasn’t amused.

  “You have everything the Ferrum could need,” she said. “You have everything the wielder of Zeal deserves…” She wasn’t smiling, turning her head sideways slightly at him. “…Yet there is something else you desire that is not available here.”

  “Yeah… I was just thinking… About the other Ferrum. The other wielders of Zeal. Is this what they all did? Save the world and then live the rest of their lives in luxury?”

  Regent Magne smiled. “You speak as if saving Nalore is a small feat.”

  “I’m not saying it isn’t. But it’s been done before. I’m just wondering if there’s something more.”

  “You have access to the records of the other Ferrum. Their deeds have been recorded.”

  “I know. I’ve read some of them. Most of them just saved the world and Zeal was returned to its resting place, waiting for the Maledict to come back. I wonder…” Clayton paused for a moment. His eyes looked out to the east where the great sea appeared endless. He’d traveled those blue waters but he knew there was a place even farther beyond.

  Clayton was silent enough to get the Regent’s curiosity again. “Speak your mind, Clayton.”

  It was on the tip of his tongue. But instead of asking a question he knew she didn’t have the answer to, Clayton just shook his head and chuckled to himself.

  “…It’s been a long time since I’ve been in action,” he said. “I think I should pick Zeal back up and see what I can do with it.”

  “It is your weapon. You do not
have to explain what you will do with it, even to me.”

  “Right… But I think the time for deciding what to do next can wait for a little bit.” Clayton had never been bolder than he was now. Even with the Regent—a woman everybody in the kingdom looked up to—he had no shame in wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close for a kiss. The taste of her tongue on his was joined by their lips smacking.

  Her hand roamed instinctively into his pants in search of his thickening shaft. Returning the favor, Clayton reached into her robe in search of the mound he’d touched and tasted so many times before.

  Regent Magne let her loose robe finish falling to her ankles in a messy silk pile before moving with Clayton toward her bed.

  Clayton climbed on top of her and spread her legs. Their lips and tongues twisted together as he drove into her. She moaned into his mouth, wrapping her legs tighter to bring him closer. Clayton’s length thickened, already moving to the verge. He had no shame in letting himself go so quickly because the Regent would always be there for him to take.

  He pulled his face away from hers to look into her deep silver eyes.

  The Regent stayed calm though her breaths were deeper and her skin was beginning to sweat.

  “Are you all right?” she asked.

  Clayton smirked, thinking about how great he had it. The one woman in Nalore who was untouchable. And he had her all to himself.

  “Just… enjoying the moment.” Clayton moved his lips back to hers and resumed his thrusts, pushing himself to the edge and emptying what he had left from an already-torrid morning with the Regent.

  The sound of their bodies grinding together made the mattress squeak in a matching rhythm. The lustful moans in the Regent’s chambers were accompanied by the birds fluttering through the breeze just outside the window.

  It was as perfect a day as any in the kingdom of Nalore for Clayton, though also a day like any other.

  Chapter 2

  The leather spine of the old book was in good shape considering how long it had existed. It had maintained most of its color, a deep red to make it stand out from an ordinary volume. Inside, the pages were off-white but showed no other signs of wear. The ink was just as black as it was when it was first dried, making it as easy to read even after so many generations had gone by.

  The words were clear to Clayton as he ran his fingers over them. Despite living his entire life on Earth, Xeylon was his true home. And as a Ferrum, he had access to the records of the other Ferrum.

  He sat in the small private library located within Regent Magne’s Keep. The only thing keeping him company was the sunlight coming in from the high windows. That and the smell of the aged parchment. The dust was enough to bother him because he’d gotten used to it at this point.

  The pages crinkled to break the silence but not enough to drown out the approaching footsteps on the stone path.

  “Have you found anything?”

  Clayton had gotten used to Jalise’s voice. The sage never mocked him, always speaking in a flowery tone that was as welcoming as any friend he’d ever had.

  But he couldn’t give her the answer he wanted.

  “Nothing.” He flipped through the pages of the book before closing it with a thud. “Every Ferrum I’ve read about reads the same. They all wield Zeal and drive back the Maledict. Then they retire and live peaceful lives in Nalore or go back to Earth with riches.”

  He turned his head up to look at Jalise. Her golden hair was wavy, flowing down around her face. Her robes were scarlet red—contrasting emerald eyes—long-sleeved though her midriff was bare and her cleavage was anything but subtle. Her long skirt went to her ankles but slits on each side allowed anybody to see all the way up her legs and underneath if the breeze was just right.

  Clayton had been around Jalise long enough he wasn’t distracted by how pretty she was though.

  “I feel like I’ve read all of these books.” He got up and returned the book on the shelf. “How far back does the history of the Ferrum go? I mean, is it possible they missed getting something down?”

  “The Maledict is an evil presence beyond our normal understanding. It wouldn’t be hard to believe their deeds aren’t entirely recorded. Beyond what’s in these records, I can’t tell you anything more besides the personal experience of the others around us. And even then, there are few in the entire world so old we can trace back to the Ferrum directly before you.”

  Clayton thumbed the shelf of books, knowing there wasn’t any new information in them.

  Jalise walked up and put a hand on his shoulder. “Does it bother you so?”

  He turned to her and saw the sincerity in her green eyes, making him realize he was getting worked up for no reason. “It’s no big deal,” he said with a laugh. “It’s just… been on my mind.”

  “That would be an understatement. You’ve spent the past several weeks now reading the records in the archives. There is no shame in what you saw. A greater evil… Another Maledict.”

  Clayton put his hands on his hips and thought about what happened after he beat Klaus. Three figures standing there. The image of them was clear.

  “I can close my eyes and picture them,” he said. “They were all there. Gira was there and he recognized them…”

  “I would believe you even if Gira were not there… I wonder if even you would be strong enough to defeat them without the bearlion’s intervention.”

  “That’s just it. I felt something. Some… power or aura or energy. Whatever you wanna call it. I don’t think they would have attacked me though. I think it was a warning.”

  “A warning?”

  “The strength of the Maledict is tied directly to the strength of the Ferrum. The stronger I get, the stronger the Maledict get. Look at all of the records. The Maledict are beat back, the Ferrum retires, and everybody is at peace. It’s not until the Maledict can recover that they’re able to launch another full-scale attack. And it takes them generations to do it.”

  Jalise nodded. “This would be a correct assumption. You’ve continued your journey and have faced continued Maledict threats like no other Ferrum. But if you stop now, the Maledict threat would also cease.”

  “For a time…” Clayton stared at the sage’s youthful face, admiring how pretty she was for a moment. But he smiled because they’d been around each other long enough, she could probably think what was on his mind.

  “You want to keep going,” she said. “You want to face the Maledict you saw after you defeated Klaus.”

  He looked away from her, staring at the other bookshelf across from him while his mind went elsewhere. “I had a comfortable life back on Earth. I had a place to stay. I had all the food I could eat. I spent my time on my computer because that was the only thing that challenged me.”

  He turned back to her, shaking his head. Despite how irrational he knew it was, he couldn’t let it go. “I platinum every game I play,” he said. “I know this is different but… it’s also not. I need to finish this, Jalise. Something inside of me. It’s nagging me. I can’t let this go—”

  “You do not have to explain your reasoning to me. There is a fire burning within you. To quell it now would not do justice to the spark that ignited it.” She sighed a deep breath and nodded with a smile. “If you wish to continue your journey, you know I will be there with you.”

  “What about the others?”

  “I see no reason for them to refuse either. But if it will put your mind at ease, we can meet with them.”

  “Yeah…” Clayton took one last look at the bookshelf but decided there was nothing new for him to learn. “…Let’s do that.”

  ~ ~ ~

  There were a number of taverns in Nalore that anybody who wanted to enjoy themselves could do just that. Even in the middle of the day, the townsfolk made sure to take their breaks between their work.

  The ale was flowing and the conversation was lively. The minstrels played their tune to make the atmosphere even more inviting.

  Clayton wasn’t focused on any of the others around him though. Instead, his attention was focused on the tan girl sitting across from him, devouring a leg of ham like a wild bear.

  “Hungry?” Clayton smirked as the blond took another heaping bite.

  “I’m just enjoying myself,” Kailani said with a mouthful. She grinned to show off some of the juicy meat between her teeth. Grease smeared across her cheeks where there was a light smattering of freckles.