Zealot's Eleventh Crusade: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Divine Apostasy Book 11) by A. F. Kay

Author:A. F. Kay [Kay, A. F.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Black Pyramid Press
Published: 2025-02-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 43

Ruin appeared near the mountain he’d created as a barrier between his inner and outer mind. Golden bamboo wrapped the base like the gilded bars of a prison. The stalks swayed to an invisible wind under a light with no source. Red and white serpents coiled threateningly around the bamboo, their scales reflecting the same soft glow that permeated the forest.

The air held a strange mixture of burnt air and incense, and Ruin checked the sky for signs of a thunderstorm. But only the mountain filled the heavens—along with the same even light. Where the bamboo ended, blood-red maples began, and they covered the mountain like a bleeding wound. Only the peak with its small wooden structure remained bare and exposed.

Ruin didn’t study his golden skin. He’d copied the appearance of the golden color of his twenty-nine classmates. Stepping onto the path that led to the mountain, his bare feet made shallow prints in the packed dirt. The silence gave this place a solemnity that reminded him of the temple.

As Ruin approached the bamboo grove, a figure appeared just off the path. Prythus sat cross-legged with his eyes closed in meditation or sleep. Ruin sensed the entity he’d come to confront somewhere down the path he’d just walked, but he acted ignorant of its presence.

Sitting down, Ruin mirrored his friend.

Golden eyes opened and locked onto Ruin’s. Prythus flared two large golden wings and the intensity of the guardian’s gaze created tension, causing the air to grow heavy, like a silent warning. Prythus obviously recognized Ruin despite the disguise but didn’t give any indication that Ruin was special.

The hidden intruder released two bursts of energy. The first manifested itself as a twenty-foot tall Saraph that ran at full speed toward the bamboo grove a hundred feet to the right of the path. At the same time three hundred feet to the left a shadow slithered along the ground completely shrouded by the short grass.

Two golden figures, wings spread, stepped out of the bamboo, one on each side. The pair waited calmly for the two attacks to reach them.

The shadow snake immediately slowed and changed direction, taking a more angled approach instead of heading directly for the bamboo.

The golden warrior on that side disappeared back into the forest.

On the right, the massive Saraph didn’t hesitate and quickly closed the distance. Ruin could feel the strength of the manifestation. The intruder had poured a significant amount of power into this construct and a pang of worry entered Ruin’s thoughts.

The construct-Saraph attacked the golden warrior. In a graceful move that resembled painting more than marital arts, the protector grabbed the descending fist, turned, and threw the giant Saraph into the bamboo.

The large construct had considerable momentum from its run, and the golden protector had added its own strength to the throw. This resulted in the construct hitting the bamboo with the force of a siege bolt.

Instead of snapping bamboo and cracking bones the delicate sound of wind chimes filled the air. An explosion of golden motes replaced the body and they drifted into the bamboo.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.