City of the Undead (In the System Book #2): LitRPG Series Read online

  The gates grew closer and closer. A familiar chill ran down my spine. Why was I here? I’d never been one for mindless heroism, so why had I taken such a risk in the first place? My presence, by and large, wasn’t mandatory, since one ‘saboteur’ would have been enough according to our plan. No one knew that I had a second beacon.

  Was it for selfish reasons? That was just an excuse. Of course, I was counting on getting experience and loot, but none of the possible bonuses justified the considerable risk of losing my own life. I wasn’t that greedy. I thought it was more about responsibility. Too much depended on the outcome of our plan. If we failed to capture the fortress, most of the players would die. Why did I care about a few thousand strangers? If I stuck to logic and pragmatism, their survival had to concern me only in relation to my own survival, nothing more. And yet, here I was. It was too late to back out, the die had been cast.

  The goblins noticed the approaching horse almost immediately. A trumpet sounded, raising the alarm. The horse whinnied in response, and I let go of the reins, allowing it to move ahead on its own. No longer needing to be prodded, the animal trotted briskly toward the familiar gate. The horse’s arrival should not arouse any suspicion, for there were many cases when horses had found their way home after losing their rider. So what if one managed to escape from the battlefield? Especially when a bloodied goblin lay on its back, clutching the reins.

  “Hey, are you okay?” a sentry shouted, peering over the wall. “Identify yourself!”

  The corpse in the saddle didn’t answer but swayed and fell off the horse. It rolled down into the moat, just as silently. I automatically squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the thud. Carefully, trying not to leave any footprints, I walked to the edge of the bridge. There were no stakes or water inside. A simple pit, but it was six meters deep, so if the rider hadn’t been dead already...

  “Friend?” the lookout repeated uncertainly. “Are you alive down there?”

  The goblin didn’t seem to believe it himself. However, to our mutual surprise, the corpse moved and then tried to get up. The System helpfully confirmed my suspicions.

  Undead. Level 5.

  Great. Our carefully laid plan was going to hell. What would we have done if the goblin had risen a little earlier and one half of the bait had eaten the other? Even I, considering the creature’s level, could have suffered the same fate.

  Perhaps it was better this way. Now, all I could do was wait and hope our plan worked. After all, if there was a method that would force the goblins to open the gates, I didn’t know it. We had thought of using prisoners to get in, say, by sending them back with a message, but even if we hadn’t been so quick to execute everyone, I doubted the goblins would open the gate. They’d drop down a rope instead.

  Which is exactly what they did, lowering three goblins into the moat at once. Judging by their level, these were the surviving riders, with two Level 5’s and one Level 6.

  I looked thoughtfully at the ropes dangling a meter from the bridge. I could jump, but it was too risky. Foolish to hope that the goblins wouldn’t notice a rope twitching for no reason. All I could do was pour the dust from the current crystal into the pouch, and clutch the next one in my fist. To stand, watch, wait, and hope.

  The undead was instantly interested in its former kin, but it moved rather hesitantly and the goblins easily dispatched it. Picking up the spears that had also been dropped into the moat, two of them held the undead back, while the third deftly came from the side and cut off its head, thus reaching the seventh level. Fucking MacLeod. There was almost no blood, and I didn’t even flinch. Perhaps I was getting used to scenes like this?

  The corpse was then trussed up and raised to the battlements. MacLeod was the last one to leave and took the head with him. Even if they examined the body, we had returned everything that had belonged to the goblin in life, to allay suspicion. I even left the dead goblin his chain mail. Its jangling would have given away my position anyway. Plus, the single arrow wound fit the ‘bled to death’ scenario. Hmm, we hadn’t removed the crystal from him, either. Was that why he had come back to life so quickly? Later. I’d consider it all later.

  Now I had to wait and find out what the goblins would do with the horse. They were unlikely to try lifting an animal weighing half a ton using ropes. And unlikely that they’d decide to kill it, since a war horse cost quite a lot of money. They were bound to know of my existence, but not much time had passed, so it was logical for them to assume that the players were still some distance away. The goblins had no reason to fear us.

  Come on... I found myself saying a strange prayer, asking the gods for luck. It was in the goblin language. Hell, was it just me, or did I just ask the Great Y for help?

  There was a creaking sound. Whether thanks to our plan, the goblins’ greed, my prayers, or something else, but they opened the gate. Mistake. Big mistake.

  * * *

  One goblin passed through the gates, took the horse’s reins and walked slowly back. I followed, keeping to the left. Fortunately, the Swordsman and I’d had the foresight to divide the sectors beforehand, to avoid crossing paths. It would have been incredibly stupid to ruin the entire plan by crashing into another invisible person.

  The gates consisted of two massive doors, kept closed by a thick, iron-clad crossbar. No mechanisms. The gates closed again as soon as the ‘groom’ led the horse through, and three goblins quickly put the heavy bar back in place. I pressed my back against the wall so that I wouldn’t run into anyone, and looked up at the steel teeth of the raised portcullis. Lower it, and some kind of oil would pour out of those holes. The goblins hadn’t really come up with anything new.

  I stopped abruptly, noticing that the stones in front of the entrance were heavily covered in sand. Two dozen goblins with shields and spears stood in a semicircle in front of the gates, and a dozen archers stood behind them. An accident? I didn’t think so. The portcullis lowered slowly behind me. I activated Calculating Mind, and my emotions receded along with the growing panic. I had done the right thing so far by staying still. Getting jumpy was irrational.

  “What is the meaning of this?” The groom took a step back, voicing my nagging question. Several spears pierced the air around the goblin at once. The horse neighed, also looking disapprovingly at the flashing spearheads.

  “Just a check, Shir,” MacLeod snorted. “There was an invisible man among the humans, so one can’t be too careful. Pass through the formation and don’t be afraid, they won’t touch you. But if someone sneaked into the fortress, they will get a spear in their side.”

  Thanks to my active skill, I felt no fear and calmly considered my options. The goblins had already lost by letting us into the fortress. Even if the Swordsman placed the beacon right here, instead of closer to the center, most of the players would appear inside the fortress. All I needed to do was survive until this joyful moment. Should I rush forward, break through the formation, and escape using my Invisibility? Or give myself up, thus drawing their attention away from my partner?

  “Whatever you say, Rud,” the Level 6 groom grunted. “They say caution is a good quality in a leader… or was it bravery?”

  “Then show me how brave you are, Shir,” MacLeod snarled. It seemed these two really disliked each other. “You don’t really think I’m going to kill you, do you?”

  Shir walked silently through the line of spearmen. The spears pierced the air right beside him, but the goblin didn’t even flinch as he stared at his enemy. I was thinking that he would pass successfully when the next blow shifted slightly and struck him in the side. It was followed by another, and another. Different goblins joined in, but they didn’t seem to be trying to kill him.

  “Enough! I let you out of the fortress.” MacLeod lifted his sword. “If you were smarter, you’d have taken the chance to escape. Get him up!”

  “You’re a trai...” the dying man didn’t have time to finish. His head rolled across the stones, rewarding the murderer with a new dose of
experience points. What a sweet habit. There can only be one, right?

  I took advantage of the fact that most of the goblins were focused on the conflict, and carefully passed through the formation, trying not to leave any traces. It was surprisingly easy, but it had also become obvious that nobody here believed in the ‘invisible human’. This was a banal power struggle and a reason to eliminate a competitor. Nothing new in that.

  All that remained was to intimidate any possible supporters of the loser. Three goblins backed up to the bars, weapons raised and looking around with haunted eyes. I wondered if their lives would be enough to elevate MacLeod to Level 8. I doubted it.

  “You three bastards!” MacLeod snarled, pointing his bloody sword at them. “I clearly told you not to open the gate! Was that so hard to understand? You were willing to endanger us all over some lousy horse.”

  “But nothing happened!” one of them said, dropping his head. Idiot.

  “You disobeyed my orders! There may be an enemy lurking among you. How can you be sure that this is not the case?”

  “We...”

  “On your knees!” MacLeod snarled, and the goblins obeyed after a moment’s hesitation. “Listen to me. I reached the seventh level today! As the most senior one here, I, Rud, declare myself the new chief of this fortress. Spearmen! Close formation. Archers! Check that no one invisible is hiding there.”

  Apparently, the usurper had decided to let the show run to the end. The three goblins prostrated themselves, and the semicircle, which had seemed so unreliable, closed again, bristling with spears. Arrows flew through the air, hitting the portcullis or landing further by the gate. Even if I stayed where I was, their chances of hitting me were slim. There was a chance, however.

  “Well?” the newly appointed fortress commandant asked lazily. He didn’t seem inclined to finish off the supporters of his defeated competitor. “Is there anyone?”

  “I can’t see any tracks,” one of the archers reported. “Looks like no one got through.”

  A horn sounded in that moment and alarmed shouts came from the wall. It wasn’t hard to guess what had happened. The goblins had finally noticed the players’ approach.

  “The check is over. Everyone, head to the battlements! The humans must see that the fortress is well defended.” Macleod growled. “You three, off you go! Enough lying around. Get your crossbows ready! Let the servants also put on helmets and take up weapons. Light the signal fires. I’m sure the Prince isn’t far away. He needs to know that his prey is close.”

  A minute later, not a single goblin remained by the gate. Was that it? Was it so simple?

  Chapter 2. Storming the Fortress.

  WE HAD ASKED ABOUT the layout of the fortress during the prisoner interrogations, so I had a rough idea of what I would find. The courtyard was quite large, and the ruins of a magic tower lay in the center, with only three floors remaining until this day. Something clicked and I ‘remembered’ the role of such towers in the city’s defense system — they protected the surrounding area from shifts in space. It seemed that I had been mistaken in thinking that this fortress had escaped an assault. Rather, the attackers had destroyed the tower in passing, demolishing anything that protruded above the walls. Luckily for us, it had been out of action long before we had arrived, and was being used as a temporary warehouse. It was where the goblins stockpiled the loot they had brought back from the raids.

  To the left and right of the gates, adjacent to the walls, stood three-story outbuildings, and a four-story building rose directly opposite me, which could be considered the keep. It was a bit of a stretch, since the buildings abutted each other. Although the goblins had sealed the passageways and raised the entrance to the first floor, this could only protect them from the mindless undead.

  With one last look at the courtyard, I turned and headed for the stairs leading to the battlements. Left. If Quel had kept his word, the attack would begin any minute now.

  I went up the stairs, trying not to make any noise or run into the goblins crowding on top of the wall. Fortunately, it was wide enough for even three warriors to walk abreast, so I had room to maneuver. I could see the approaching players in the distance. Although the main force was still dragging its feet further back, the assault squad was already in place.

  Attention! The Quetzalcoatl beacon is operating in this area!

  Attention (Intuition)! Quetzalcoatl is looking at you!

  It was time. I took a sip from the flask. Quel hadn’t let us down, and I saw what a player’s arrival looked like for the first time. First, the air rippled faintly, revealing the portal’s square shape, then the first player jumped out and looked around uncertainly. I squinted, but he had appeared quite far away, so the System could only provide the bare minimum of information.

  Player. Level 1.

  A newb who didn’t even know where he was. Potential corpse. Most of the goblins were looking in the opposite direction, but it was only a matter of time before they noticed him.

  Dozens more portals appeared immediately after the first one, but nevertheless, the passage clearly wasn’t simultaneous. It looked like Quel had somehow shifted the timers, but had forgotten to sync them. Perhaps he couldn’t. In any case, this meant additional losses. Most of the newcomers looked around in bewilderment, with no idea what was happening.

  Attention! Your stats are temporarily increased! Stamina +0.6. Perception +1.1. Time remaining: 17 minutes.

  Damn. It was completely different this time, and although the effect was much smaller, my Stamina now exceeded 10. However, I didn’t receive any bonuses and the stats number didn’t change.

  The goblins began shouting when they spotted the outsiders, taken aback by the sudden appearance of enemies in their midst. The number of arrivals kept increasing. The horn, which had fallen silent, sounded again, but the battle had not yet begun. It was the last few seconds, the calm before the storm.

  I crept up to a goblin I’d selected and clamped my hand over his mouth, stabbing him in the neck with my dagger. The field of Invisibility expanded, enveloping my victim and hiding us from prying eyes. The goblin jerked, his teeth sinking into my palm, but it was the spasms of a dying man.

  Attention! You have received 12 SP! (18/120)

  The Calculating Mind dampened the pleasure I felt. As soon as a semitransparent card appeared in the air, I stepped aside and gave the corpse a slight push, allowing it to fall into the moat. As expected, no one noticed anything. I blew on my bitten hand and waved it in the air, assessing the effect of the skill. The pain was there, but I perceived it at arm’s length, simply as a fact.

  I looked at the logs. Only twelve SP. According to my calculations, a Level 5 goblin should have been worth twelve and a half points, but the System seemed to be rounding down. I hadn’t been lucky with the card, either, for despite the goblin’s top level, I had received a dummy.

  Meanwhile, the players kept coming. At different heights, inside the fortress and beyond. A portal appeared in the air right beside me, but the girl who stepped out lost her balance, and flew screaming from the wall into the moat. I instinctively tried to grab her but gravity was faster, and my fingers scrabbled at empty air.

  Shit.

  A second and then a third ‘swallow’ followed the first. The goblins had mostly gathered on the battlements, and the players who were unlucky enough to appear here met a quick death. Several luckier ones appeared on the opposite wall and were fighting a similar number of goblin sentries.

  After another minute, the players stopped appearing on the walls. Either Quel had recalibrated the location or the beacon had somehow stabilized itself so that new portals now appeared quite close together, with reinforcements landing directly in the fortress courtyard, at ground level. Most of them were in no hurry to go into battle, though.

  “What are you waiting for?” the Swordsman’s cry came from somewhere. “Fight! Kill the goblins and open the gates. This is your chance! Quel?!”

  Attention! You have
received the divine task ‘Capture the Fortress’!

  Main conditions:

  — Kill, banish or capture all the goblins in the fortress.

  — Protect the High Priest of Quetzalcoatl. Bill Michigan must survive.

  Additional conditions:

  — Open the gates and let in the reinforcements.

  Reward:

  — Players will gain a temporary base.

  Penalty for failure:

  — Quetzalcoatl’s Displeasure.

  — Your chances of survival will plummet.

  I waved the message away, noting that there wasn’t really a reward for the quest. Quetzalcoatl seemed to be a very practical fellow. However, it was exactly what we needed right now. Instructions for the new arrivals.

  “Block the stairs! Arche...” MacLeod’s shout was abruptly cut off. A severed goblin head fell into the courtyard. It was quite ironic, really.