Blood for Power: A LitRPG Apocalypse

Hugo peppered me with questions, but I said nothing and kept running. I couldn’t waste the energy to speak or to type messages in chat. The pain was getting worse. It felt like I was dying. My sole focus was getting back to the apartment. Only then could I make it stop.

Half way there and I stumble for the first time. Due to my dexterity level, it had been a while since I’d misplaced my feet. It confused me, but I couldn’t dwell on it. I had to keep moving. My legs were feeling sore too. What is happening to me?

When we reached the elevator, I lurched inside. My skin was pale and a cold sweat enveloped me. I could barely stay upright. As the doors closed, there was another shooting spike of pain. I gasped and grabbed the elevator railing for support.

“Lucas, what is it?” Hugo asked.

“Somethings… wrong… with… domain.”

That was why I had to get to the apartment. After that sneak attack by the gargoyles, I couldn’t afford to disappear and leave Hugo alone. I just knew something bad would happen if we weren’t in the safety of the apartment.

The doors opened, and I sprang out into my living room, leaving Hugo behind. I activated Crimson Domain. Blood pooled around my feet and I quickly got swept up into the darkness.

In this place, I could heal myself with only a thought. The pain receded greatly into a minor ache, but did not disappear altogether. That was when I noticed the source of the problem. There was something wrong with my tree.

The Blood Orchard tree was dying.

Its leaves had turned brown and rustled like the entire structure was being pulled by an invisible force. At the base of the trunk, a black, oily substance was leaking out of it that smelled like burning rubber.

The tree was dying and because it is inextricably linked to this domain, which was linked to me, I too was dying.

Healing myself had only slowed the problem down. I tried to do the same for the tree. Its roots were connected to the blood. I commanded it to drink and heal itself.

The tree juddered, and the leaves went from brown to black. The more blood it took, the worse it got.

What could’ve caused this?

I tried to contact Roan for advice and only got the same automated message that he was busy. I had to solve this on my own. If this was a magic problem, then maybe enhancing my perception would work.

I used Magical Awareness. My domain looked exactly the same, except for one thing. A golden thread had been stabbed into the heart of the tree. I tried to follow where it went, but it disappeared up into the darkness.

The thread was pulled by an unseen force and the tree shook again.

I didn’t know what had caused this to happen, but I had to make it stop. I grabbed hold of the thread and suddenly my vision changed. Mentally, I was no longer in my domain. I was in an underground room made of stone and the Scarlet Apple was sitting on the floor surrounded by esoteric symbols. There were candles around the edges and chanting in the background, but I could not see anyone.

I let go of the thread and was back in my domain.

It was the priests. They were using the Apple I’d given them as a conduit to siphon off power from me. I guess Bart’s description of them having magic users was underselling it a bit.

Once again, I grabbed the thread and returned to the scene of the Apple. They may have found a way to steal power and hurt me, but they neglected one thing. Everything in my domain is connected to me, including the golden thread.

With the smallest intention of will, I severed the thread. My vision of the Apple began collapsing. I saw the Apple blacken as it withered and died before I returned to the domain. My pain was now gone completely, and I’d learned something important. The Scarlet Apples derive their power from their connection to my domain. Those priests hadn’t created the golden thread. That had existed since I’d plucked the Apple from the tree. They’d merely discovered its existence and found a way to exploit it.

I guess my chances of growing and selling the Apples were over.

The Blood Orchard tree was now free from corruption and I commanded it to drink deeply. Like myself, it healed remarkably fast. The black ooze was drained away and its leaves returned to a vibrant green.

I too felt fully restored and returned to the apartment, ready to tell Hugo about what an idiot I’d been. I found him perched on top of Misty, who appeared to be offline or sleeping or whatever it was that sentient washing machines did when not conscious.

“I’m sorry for worrying you.”

“That’s okay. We can talk about it later.” He shifted a little and glanced away. “There’s—”

“You were right not to trust the priests,” I blurted out. “They were working some kind of ritual with the Apple to steal power from me.”

“Lucas, enough!”

I was taken aback by his tone. “What? I’m trying to explain.”

“We have company!” he yelled, looking behind me.

I stopped and turned around, expecting to see Roan. Instead, it was the goat man from earlier, sitting in my chair. He looked annoyed.

“How did you get in here?”

He stood and walked over to me. “You’ve got mail,” he said, handing me a letter.

Frowning, I took it. “That doesn’t answer my question. Who are you?”

He sighed. “My name is Flit. After party chat was removed, the new ruler of the tower wanted a way for others to communicate across distances. Thus, he created my position and hired me. I am a Postman. You need only call my name and I’ll come to take whatever mail you want delivered, though this only applies to letters. So if you were thinking of using me to mail a bomb to your enemies, then think again.”

“But how did you get in here?”

He cocked his head to the side. “Weren’t you listening? I’m the Postman. I go wherever I’m bid to. Usually nowhere is off limits to me except for you just now. This is the first time I’ve been forced to wait for someone. I actually appreciate it. This is my first real break in a while. I just wish it had lasted longer.”

“What was that with you and Enzo yelling before?” Hugo asked.

“That was a private matter. All I’ll say is that he has been abusing my services and my immunity.”

“Immunity?”

“Yes, as the Postman, I am untouchable while carrying out my duties. An impenetrable forcefield forms around me that pushes those aside who get in my way. I warned him that if he keeps it up, every person in his employ or sphere of influence will start experiencing massive delays.” He grinned. “That quickly shut him up.”

“Wait, so you handle mail for the entire city by yourself?”

He shrugged. “It’s not as bad as it sounds. Only Tower Climbers can use my services for free. Other residents have to pay, which cuts down the number since they could just walk to whoever it is they want to talk to.”

“Still though, that seems tough.”

He smiled. “Well, I have my shortcuts and I move pretty fast.”

A door formed on my apartment wall and opened to reveal the market district of the Strand. He waved goodbye and bolted through it at superhuman speed. The door closed and vanished.

“I guess we know how he got in here,” I said.

After I recounted to Hugo what had happened, he told me about a new ability he’d gained from spending unused stat points from fighting the gargoyles. He sounded particularly proud, so I brought up my menu to see what it was.

*DING!* You have gained [Howling Wind Burst (uncommon)] – This attack generates a focused burst of air with a flap of your wings. It can topple foes and knock stouter ones off balance.

It sounded a little weak to me, but it was something that would let Hugo pitch in directly with fights and he seemed happy with it, so I kept my thoughts to myself.

I threw my own points into Dexterity and Vitality but didn’t get another ability this time. Perhaps it’ll happen when I next level up.

I thought it was odd that Misty still hadn’t said anything or woken up. I pushed a couple of buttons and tapped the screen, but nothing happened.

“I think she’s just sleeping,” Hugo said.

Perhaps it was for the best. It would give us a chance to read the letter in private. I scanned the letter and my eyes widened when I saw that it was from Daisy.

“Hugo, take a look at this.”

He squinted at the paper and then grumbled. “That’s too many words. Just read it to me.”

“Wait, you can’t read?”

“I can read! But it mostly signs or the wrappers of my favorite half discarded snacks. Sometimes I think you forget that I grew up on the streets. I didn’t get no fancy book learning school education.”

I typed the letter out to Hugo in chat.

Lucas: Dear Lucas and Hugo, apologies for not getting in contact sooner. I am in the Strand and require your assistance. My quest involves investigating a series of grave robbing’s at the cemetery in the human district. Due to focusing on what we discussed earlier, I haven’t had time to work on my quest. I’m asking if you’d be willing to investigate on my behalf and then we meet up to update one another on our findings. Progress is going well on my end. Signed Daisy.

Hugo: So we work on her quest while she…

Lucas: Yes, that sounds good.

Daisy had promised to free us of our bond to Roan, and while he had yet to ask anything of us, we both knew that day was coming. It was better to be free from any god’s control before that day came. Luckily for us, the graveyard happened to be right next to the church that had just tried to kill me. Two birds with one stone.