Legion: GameLit RPG Fantasy Page 12

  I breathed softly, not letting my heartrate get the best of me. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead. My jaw clenched. My muscles tightened. Practicing in the training lab was one thing. Leading a fight was another. I couldn’t stand back and watch. Now was the time to see what I was made of.

  The black beasts squealed and charged. I waited a second before calling it out.

  “Quentin! Now!”

  Quentin raised his shield up and dashed forward. His thick metal shield collided with three of the boars. The blow was hard enough to knock him off balance but they got the worst of it, scattering across the grass and struggling to get back up to their feet.

  “Nina! Get up!”

  The Strider quickly spun out of the way of the next group of boars going for her. I moved in her position and parried away one of the boars diving at her. I turned my saber back up and plunged it underneath the underside of the boar and it let out a scream before exploding into Mana.

  “Take the others out!” I yelled.

  Nina and Quentin worked together to go after the beasts he’d knocked down. The other two remaining locked their attention on me.

  They circled around me, taking my front and back. I squeezed my grip around the black leather hilt. They charged forward at the same time, leaping into the air right at me. I ducked down just in time. With all of my strength, I thrust up and caught one of the boars. The tip of my blade was sharp enough to push through its flesh despite the resistance.

  I recovered as fast as I could then spun around, slashing my saber down hard. The blade cleaved through the other boar’s side until I hit bone. The blood spilled from its black flesh before it faded and nothing but Mana remained.

  Nina and Quentin didn’t have much trouble taking out the other boars, as they were already absorbing the Mana into their communicators.

  “Good call, Liam,” Quentin said. “Some fat pigs aren’t gonna stop us from closing this dimension. I don’t care what level they are.”

  “Now isn’t the time to celebrate,” Nina said. “The Obelisk is the only objective.”

  We continued our walk through the grassy fields. The increasing winds against my face almost made me forget about why we were here in the first place. I held my blade up and noticed it was polished clean despite how much blood stained it just a few moments ago. It looked like every bit of the Shadows here turned into Mana, including what they left behind.

  “I sure hope the next Junction doesn’t have a hill,” Quentin said. “A nice downward slope into a valley would be nice with this armor. Maybe I should wear some of that Strider gear Nina is wearing.”

  “Don’t make me think about that,” I said.

  The ascension up the hill wasn’t long. We reached the plateau where the Obelisk stood a few meters away from us. The purple energy created an aura around it like smoke.

  “Who wants to do the honors?” I asked.

  “I’ll do it,” Quentin said. “I’ve always wanted to smash through a window like a linebacker. This is the next best thing.”

  “After you.”

  Quentin readied himself and lowered his shield over his arm. He stomped his foot in the grass like a bull preparing to charge. I took a step back and smirked at the sight even though Nina wasn’t as amused.

  CRACK!

  Quentin was just about to charge forward when white lines like lightning appeared next to the Obelisk. A sound like thunder shattered the air and white light flashed bright enough to make me shut my eyes. I opened them quickly to see a giant lion twice the size of a normal one leap out.

  It dug its claws into the grass and roared loud enough the wind from it blew against my cheeks. Seeing a lion behind bars at the zoo was one thing. Staring down a giant one that had its eyes on you was something I never imagined I would have to deal with.

  “One lion,” Quentin said. “A little more dangerous than a pig but nothing we can’t handle—”

  The sky flashed again. Another lion roared and hopped out to the one next to it. Their manes thick and their fur golden, the beasts puffed their chests out proudly as they bared their fangs.

  “Two lions,” Quentin said. “Just as long as there’s not a third one…”

  “What’s the plan?” Nina asked.

  “Quentin, cover Nina. Nina, move around. Wait for Quentin to create an opening for you.”

  “Lions move kinda fast,” Quentin said. “I don’t know if I can keep up with two of ‘em.”

  “One. I’ll deal with the other one.”

  “Are you sure about this?” Nina shot a look at me like she was worried.

  “I’ve got a Recall Box.” I gave her a wink and ran forward. Quentin charged right next to me, knocking one of the lions back. Nina rushed up to take it down but it was quickly back up to its feet, snatching at her and forcing her to back off.

  I managed to get the attention of the other lion. I stepped back on the plateau as it stalked me. It moved forward with its head down, its unblinking yellow eyes locked on me.

  “Parry. Slash. Thrust. No problem.”

  I mouthed the words softly to myself. I’d done them hundreds if not thousands of times in training. Now that it mattered more than anything else, I suddenly found myself wondering if I would be able to pull it off.

  I wouldn’t have to wait long for an answer. The beast lowered its jaw to give me a good look down its throat. Another roar blew the wind in my direction. My jaw clenched, I dug my heels into the grass to stand my ground.

  “Come on… Let’s go!”

  As if answering my challenge, the lion ran forward and leaped right at me. I turned my blade sideways and parried its swipes before its claws could reach me. But the weight of the lion was too strong and it managed to pounce on top of me. It slashed against my face, digging its claws into my cheek. The stinging pain was like nothing else. It made me grimace but I ignored it long enough to thrust my saber into its side. It howled as it backed away from me.

  I rushed up to my feet and wiped my cheek to see how much I was bleeding. A quick glance at my communicator showed I’d lost only a few hit points.

  On the other hand, the lion took the worst of it. Blood trickled from its golden fur and dripped onto the grass. Still it remained on all fours.

  On the other side of the plateau, Quentin chased after the lion to try and pin it down while Nina continued to cartwheel around it. I couldn’t help them until I was done with this lion though.

  “Okay.” I gave the lion a nod and straightened up with my saber in front of my face. “You’re too heavy. Can’t let you pounce on me again. A superior offense always beats a superior defense.”

  I pushed my heels into the grass and ran forward. The lion didn’t hesitate to meet me. Its strides were a lot faster than mine. It leaped into the air with its claws aimed right at my face. At the last moment, I fell to a knee and thrust up, hoping to catch the lion.

  My aim was better than I expected. The tip of my saber met some resistance but soft flesh was no match for a blade. I pierced the lion completely, impaling my saber through its stomach and out the top of its body. Its roar rang in my ears before it exploded into Mana all around me.

  I didn’t stop to collect anything, quickly rushing forward to join Quentin and Nina. The other lion turned its attention to me, only to be blindsided from a charge by Quentin. Nina came from behind and sunk her blades into its back. The lion roared in defeat. It burst into Mana and Nina fell to the grass beneath her.

  We all took a deep breath as we stared at one another.

  “You’re bleeding,” Quentin said to me. “You all right?”

  I wiped the stinging scratch on my cheek and shrugged. “If I can’t handle a little HP loss, I’ll never make it as an Omega. Come on. Let’s break this thing and close this Junction. We’ve got a lot more gates to run through.”

  15: Team Spirit

  I’d spent most of my time on campus moving between the dormitories and the Nerve Center that I never had a chance to visit the Central Squa
re. At night, it had the perfect combination of life and peacefulness I was looking for.

  It was later in the evening when we closed our last dimension for the day. After climbing out of our armor and freshening up in our rooms, we put our uniforms back on and headed out to the Central Square to unwind.

  Some students relaxed in the open grassy areas and enjoyed the view of the stars above. Others relaxed outside of the variety of robot restaurants. Some LOD officials in uniform patrolled the area but everybody was enjoying themselves too much to notice them.

  We all agreed to meet outside of a pizza joint that gave us a decent look at the Central Square.

  “You know, if it weren’t for the Nerve Center in the distance, I wouldn’t believe we’re inside of a top-secret military base.”

  “We’re still stuck here,” Quentin said. “It’s been so long since I’ve been able to use my phone. No Internet is pretty crummy. Then again, I’ve been pretty busy anyway.”

  “There’s an Internet cafe around the corner.”

  “Yeah but it’s not private.”

  “What are you browsing exactly?”

  I arched a knowing eyebrow. Quentin unashamedly gave me a shrug. “I’m a twenty-one-year-old man, Liam. I’ve got needs.”

  “I’m not offended but maybe you shouldn’t talk like that when Nina’s around.”

  “I guess you’re right. You’d think Nina Higashi would be used to hearing guys talk like that, considering her background.”

  Nina arrived a few moments later. She placed the tray down in front of us. Steam rose from the fresh pizza. The aroma of peppers, sausage, and herbs filled my nostrils. My mouth watered and I forgot about everything we were just talking about.

  “Take a moment to let it cool,” Nina said. “It’s fresh from the oven.”

  “You know, this pizza looks pretty good,” Quentin said. “You’d think it’d be cheaper with a robot making it. Ten bucks isn’t a very good deal. Maybe I can have something delivered here for cheaper.”

  “That’s a good idea,” I said. “Give Dominoes a call. Tell ‘em to drive into the desert and look for the invisible military base.”

  Quentin and I had a laugh but Nina looked away like something was bothering her.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  She shifted her gaze toward me and smiled softly. Underneath the moonlight, her porcelain skin looked even more clear and unblemished.

  “We’ve had a long day,” she said. “I’m tired.”

  “No kidding,” Quentin said. “We closed four Junctions. Not bad for a first day of work. I’ve got enough Red Mana to gain like five levels at least. Check this out, guys. I’ve been thinking. My speed stat is pretty low. If I increase it, I can move around faster on the battlefield. Lions, tigers, bears, wolves. Whatever. They won’t know what hit ‘em when I charge through. What do you think?”

  Quentin smiled with an enthusiasm that made it obvious he was hiding something. I leaned forward slightly and squinted. He moved closer just the same, looking me back in the eye.

  “Quentin… You’ll never be a Strider,” I said.

  “Oh, come on! I’ve got what it takes! I pump enough Red Mana into my speed and I’ll be zooming all over the place!”

  “It’s not about being a Strider. Nina, our friend Quentin here has a crush on Captain Valentine. What do you think his chances are?”

  Quentin held his hands out and gave her the kind of open-mouthed smile a shady car salesman would.

  Nina observed him for a moment. “Do you enjoy breathing?”

  “…Uh, what?” Quentin shook his head in confusion.

  I widened my eyes at Nina, unsure I’d heard her correctly.

  “Well… I don’t know where that’s coming from but I’d say that I do.”

  “If you do, I suggest you stay in your current class. I’ve been in the training lab with Captain Valentine. She’s well aware of the kind of interest she draws. I think she’d eviscerate anybody who gave her any unwanted attention.”

  Quentin turned to me and shrugged. “Durability it is. Did I mention how great you are, Nina? Zipping all over the place the way you do…” He rubbed his hands together and grabbed a slice of pizza. I listened to the loud sound of his munching while I looked down at my communicator display.

  CURRENT MISSIONS

  Defeat 50 Shadows in Pandora

  Reward: $250

  Complete 1 Junction

  Reward: $100

  COMPLETED

  Increase Your Level

  Reward: $50

  “I’ve got enough Red Mana for another level, so that means I’ve already completed two missions,” I said. “After that, the only thing left to do is beat up some more Shadows.”

  “Quentin and I have the same missions as you. We should complete them all without any trouble.”

  “That’s reason for celebration.” I grabbed a slice of pizza and Nina did the same.

  “So that’s it, huh?” Quentin said with his mouth full. “We go through Junctions, we level up, celebrate with the money we make, then repeat the process. Sounds like a good deal. Pay could be a little nicer though…”

  “When our rank goes up, we’ll get access to better missions,” Nina said. “In addition, higher level Junctions offer bonuses. Right now, they only want us to close Junctions and defeat Shadows. That’s most important in weakening the dimension.”

  “And that means there’s less of a chance of an invasion like the First Event,” I said.

  “It’s a constant struggle. We have to keep fighting, otherwise, the Shadows would overrun us.”

  Quentin noisily chewed on his slice of pizza. His cheeks bulged like he’d taken too big of a bite. He looked Nina up and down as she delicately chewed on her own slice.

  “You seem to know a lot about Pandora,” Quentin said.

  “All of the information I have is readily available at any terminal,” she said. “You can also look up the information on the tablet in your dorm room.”

  “Yeah, I get that… Still seems strange someone like you would be an LOD recruit. I mean, why would you wanna be an Omega?”

  “Why would I not want to be?”

  “Well… You are the Nina Higashi, aren’t you?”

  Nina didn’t look at him. She just calmly took another bite of pizza. A second of hesitation was enough for me to know something was wrong. The slightly vacant stare made it even more obvious she wasn’t interested in talking about it.

  “I was in college,” Quentin said. “Figured it wasn’t for me. Same with Liam over here. Same for a lot of us over here, I’m guessing. Seems strange that Nina Higashi would wanna be an Omega though. I mean, you had it made. You’ve got all those followers on Instagram. The world’s next hot model—”

  “Quentin,” I cut him off.

  The noticeable tension at the table disappeared as Quentin shrugged and took another piece of pizza for himself.

  “I should read up on Pandora,” I said. “I have to expect it to get harder from here.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Nina said. “We’re only in the recruit stage. If we make it to the oath and become Omegas, the expectations for us will be much higher. Even if we don’t challenge the highest level threats, there’s still the World Boss to deal with.”

  “What’s the World Boss exactly?”

  “Junctions are all connected to the same dimension, drawing from the same pool of Mana. When enough Junctions are closed, all of the Mana moves to a focused point. That’s when the World Boss draws all of the energy and acts as the final Obelisk in that dimension of Pandora.”

  “Emerald Basilisk,” Quentin said with his mouth full. “I remember seeing it on the screen in the Junction Room.”

  Nina gave him a nod. “The world is Green. That’s why everything is a grassy area with lots of forests. When the World Boss is defeated, that dimension closes. The LOD scans for Mana signatures from the next closest Pandora dimension threatening us. The Junctions are set up and the O
megas begin their attacks again.”

  Everything Nina said to me was new information. But after everything I’d been through, it was easy to believe.

  “When you think about it, it sounds kinda daunting,” I said. “But I’m sure if we keep doing what we’re doing now, we should be all right.”

  “That’s what I’m talkin’ about, squad leader!” Quentin held his slice of pizza up for a toast then chomped on it to Nina’s amusement. “I’ve been doing some thinking. Since our squad is official, we should make ourselves more official.”

  “And how would we do that?” Nina shot a skeptical look at him.

  “We need a squad name.”

  “Uh…” I said as I looked at Nina. The reluctance I had in my gut was the same in her eyes. “I don’t know…”

  “Rhys has a squad name. Why can’t we?”

  “First of all, I don’t know why you’re following Rhys’s example. Second of all, no, he doesn’t.”

  “Yeah, he does.”

  “What is it?”

  Quentin shrugged. “I don’t know. But he’s got one. So do some other squads. That means we need one, too.”

  “I don’t know…”

  “Maybe he’s right,” Nina said. “It would help our camaraderie. We’re united toward a common goal.”

  “See?” Quentin said.

  I sank into my seat and took another bite. “Fine. What have you got?”

  “Check this out… Kamikaze.” He held his hand up like showing something on display.

  “Kamikaze?” I arched an eyebrow at him.

  “Sure. I rush in and knock ‘em down, you guys follow up and destroy ‘em.”

  “I get the idea but… Kamikaze? What are we? Some kinda suicide squad?”

  “Have you got a better name?”

  “How about…” I thought about it for a moment. “The Majestic… No… The Magnificent Militia.”

  “Militia? I don’t know. That sounds kinda military-ish. How about the Magnificent Heroes?”

  “That doesn’t really roll off the tongue.”