All in Charisma (A LitRPG/Isekai Adventure)

The blue crystals cast a steady light along the path as the group moved along the periphery of Drakendir. The ancient city lay beneath them like a sleeping giant, its darkened streets and towering ruins sprawling across the vast cavern floor. Among the broken buildings, gargantuan, jagged stalagmites and natural columns reached upward like fingers, while stalactites hung down from above. Justin was surprised to see that within those natural formations, windows could be discerned, and sometimes even bridges connected the larger structures.

Justin walked near the rear of the group, holding his cane at the ready. Eldrin led them, scanning every shadow and corner ahead. Lila walked beside him, her Echoing Knives strapped to her waist. Kargan followed with his wooden staff, while Bohemond brought up the rear, his shield held close to his chest, his eyes peering into the surrounding darkness as if the God of Death himself were lurking nearby.

Justin's mind kept drifting back to the Baron. The memory of the Blood Bat at the Pine and Hearth haunted him. He wanted to believe the sound had only been his imagination, that Eldrin would have heard it if it had been real. Was it possible that Eldrin could miss something Justin hadn't? And would a bat really be out of place in a cavern like this?

Justin's thoughts were interrupted as the party approached a fork in the path. To the left, a set of ancient stone steps descended deeper into Drakendir, leading toward the heart of the ancient city. To the right, the path angled upward, suggesting a way out.

Eldrin paused to study the paths. "The upper path should take us out of Drakendir."

"Then we take it," Bohemond said. "The sooner we leave this cursed place, the better. Never mind the chance for treasure. Getting out alive, and seeking forgiveness from Arion, will count as treasure enough."

Bohemond shot a dirty look at Kargan but didn't say anything. Kargan pretended not to notice.

Justin gazed at the ruins below, a maze of dark streets and crumbling buildings. The trolls were likely just a taste of the horrors that the city held.

They moved toward the upward tunnel, with Eldrin and Lila in the lead, followed by Justin, Kargan, and Bohemond. As Eldrin and Lila entered the narrow passage, a sudden, violent tremor shook the ground beneath them. The walls shuddered, and a deafening crack echoed through the air.

Justin barely had time to react, jumping backward into Kargan just before the ceiling caved in front of him. His last glimpse, before the rubble completely blocked his view, was of Eldrin and Lila diving ahead, hopefully out of the range of the falling debris. Then there was nothing but the scattering of rocks down the trail.

Dust filled the air, choking his lungs as he struggled to steady himself with his cane. When the tremor subsided and the dust began to settle, he examined the tunnel and saw it had been completely sealed off by a massive pile of stones.

"Eldrin!" Justin shouted, his voice hoarse.

He and Kargan worked at the debris, trying to dig through the rocks, but it was hopeless. The stones were too large, and the collapse too extensive. It would take hours, if not days, to excavate.

"Arion is punishing us for our faithlessness," Bohemond said. "We have no choice but to turn back and seek the Baron's mercy."

Justin ignored him and looked at Kargan. "Can you move the stones with your magic?"

"I doubt it," Kargan replied, "but I can try."

With a grunt, Kargan cast his Blood Aegis, but the stones didn't budge.

The young orc shook his head. "The spell only affects things trying to attack us."

"There has to be a way around," Justin insisted. "Another path."

"There was nothing on the way here," Bohemond said. "Turning back is the only option."

"I don't understand," Justin said. "Why did it fall at this exact moment?"

"Arion's judgment," Bohemond replied. "What else could it be?"

Kargan growled. "Just simple bad luck, that's all. Perhaps this is a test from your Arion to see if our faith is pure."

"Don't preach to me, orc. Whether it's Nyriss or your accursed Duology, I want nothing to do with it."

"Sure, let's argue about religion," Justin said sarcastically. "I'm sure we can resolve it all in a couple of minutes!"

Bohemond glowered while Kargan remained silent.

"No one knows why this tunnel collapsed," Justin continued. "Bad luck, an ancient spell, or something else we can't even imagine. But no one is stating the obvious: there's another path we can take, and it's our only shot."

Bohemond looked ready to argue when a new sound interrupted them—the unmistakable flutter of wings.

Justin froze, scanning the shadows above the collapsed passage.

There it was, perched on a ledge just above the rubble. The Blood Bat's red eyes gleamed in the dim light, the hideous creature seemingly mocking him.

"There's our answer," Bohemond said. "Begone, vile Servant of Darkness!"

He hurled a rock at it, but the bat darted aside. Unlike the bat at The Pine and Hearth, it wasn't fleeing, and Justin doubted it was due to courage.

The true reason filled Justin with icy dread.

The bat's master, whether the Baron or someone else, was close.

"Damn it," Justin said, his voice tight with urgency. "We need to move. Now."

"I agree," Kargan replied, his expression indicating he understood as well. "It's Drakendir or death."

Bohemond muttered something under his breath, his knuckles white as he gripped the hilt of his sword. "This is madness. Arion, save us!"

"Arion saves those who save themselves," Justin retorted. "We need to run!"

Without waiting for a response, he took off down the trail toward Drakendir.

"Are you insane?" Bohemond shouted. "Mr. Talemaker, come back this instant!"

Kargan followed, and with a curse, Bohemond did too.

As they ran, Justin could still hear the fluttering of bat wings. The creature was following them—no, stalking them. It easily kept pace. As long as it lived, rest would be impossible. It had been a grave mistake to keep both ranged members at the front of the party, but how could he have predicted this?

The path grew darker as they descended, the blue light of the crystals fading as they navigated the switchbacks toward the city below. The air became colder and heavier, the silence growing more oppressive with each step. Justin's breaths came in shallow bursts, his heart pounding in his chest. He was grateful for the extra strength lent by the Amulet of Equilibrium.

A sharp whirring sound echoed from above. Justin barely had time to register the danger before a spinning, bladed disc, reminiscent of a frisbee, hurtled toward them. Kargan's Ward of Aegis flared to life, automatically activating from his Staff of Aegis, deflecting the deadly weapon with a pulse of crimson energy.

"Keep moving!" Kargan shouted.

They ran as fast as they could, but another disc came spinning toward them. This one broke through the aegis and struck Bohemond in the leg, bringing the knight crashing to the ground with a cry of pain. The force of the attack left a deep, nasty gash that cut clean through the steel mesh.

Kargan didn't hesitate. Despite Bohemond's earlier words, he cast Vital Surge to heal the Knight. Bohemond gritted his teeth and pushed himself to his feet, though he was hobbling and slowing them down.

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There were no more attacks as a stalagmite formation provided some cover. The switchbacks evened out, allowing them to gain distance. Once clear of the obstruction, a few more discs were thrown, each missing and clattering against the surrounding stones. A couple of fireballs exploded around them, but another Blood Aegis absorbed the brunt of the damage.

Looking back at Kargan, Justin could see the strain on his face. Blood covered his gray skin, but it was quickly absorbed thanks to his Blood Warden's Seal.

Bohemond and Kargan were both flagging. Over his shoulder, Justin saw the Baron's group charging down the switchbacks. From their torches, it appeared there were about ten or fifteen of them, roughly five minutes behind.

The city was getting closer. Justin figured that once they reached it, they could lose their pursuers in Drakendir's maze of ruined streets.

But just then, the Blood Bat swooped down from the darkness above, claws extended, targeting Justin.

Without thinking, he swung his cane with lightning precision, sending the creature sailing toward a nearby boulder with a screech.

[Gentleman's Rebuff has shielded this attack!]

Justin wasted no time. Before the bat could recover, he charged and thrust with his cane, extending the blade and impaling the horrid creature through its fat, furry body. The Blood Bat hissed in pain before crumpling into a heap, dead.

There was no time to celebrate. "Come on, keep moving!"

As they continued running, he could only be grateful that none of the Baron's men had targeted him, allowing his one and only Gentleman's Rebuff of the day to trigger when he needed it most.

They hurried down a path of dirt and broken paving stones toward the looming gates of Drakendir. As they dashed through the massive entrance, the ancient streets opened up before them—wide and desolate, flanked by towering, angular buildings that had long since crumbled into ruin.

Justin glanced over his shoulder, only to see the Baron's party still in pursuit, gaining ground. A lightning bolt cracked through the air, striking the gatehouse. The top of the structure crumbled, urging Justin onward.

They sprinted through the winding streets, the architecture reminiscent of Windfall above. If anything, the city's scale was even grander, with just as much to see beneath the surface, judging by the numerous dark tunnels branching off from the streets. Justin didn't dare try his luck down there—at least, not until it came to that.

He maintained the lead, sticking to the shadows and narrow alleyways rather than the wide avenues. Often, their passage was completely blocked by a collapsed building. Occasionally, chewed-up bones and cold ashes bore witness to previous passersby. The city was a labyrinth, filled with crumbling stones and broken statues, each turn leading them deeper within. Justin's lungs burned, and his legs screamed in protest, but he pushed forward.

"A rest," Bohemond managed. "This armor…"

Justin came to a stop at a corner, unable to go another step. They panted for breath, unconcerned about the noise they were making. They could only hope the city was truly empty.

But when Justin heard the harsh garble of an unknown language around the corner, he knew this was too much to hope for.

"Goblins," Bohemond said. "Arion, preserve us!"

Justin's heart sank. "Sounds like a lot of them."

"Get inside this doorway," Kargan said, pointing behind him. "Let me block it with my magic."

Justin and Bohemond rushed to prepare as the first goblins rounded the corner. The small, wiry creatures, bearing rounded shields with spikes along with rusted spears and axes, fanned out around Kargan, not attacking—at least not yet. There were at least twenty of them, led by a larger war leader clad in battered iron armor that likely once belonged to a dwarf. Despite their smaller size, their numbers were far too overwhelming to handle.

The goblins' eyes gleamed in the darkness. Justin readied his cane while Kargan cast his ward.

If they were going down, they would do so fighting.

Still, the goblins did not attack; instead, they chattered in their harsh dialect, especially staring at Kargan with wide, curious eyes. Justin didn't understand a word, except for one that kept surfacing: Nyriss. The goblins pointed at Kargan, their voices rising in reverence as they repeated the word.

Justin exchanged a bewildered glance with Kargan, who looked equally confused. Bohemond's expression darkened at the mention of the Chaos Goddess, but he remained silent.

Before they could react, one leader stepped forward, spear lowered. His skin was mottled gray, and he wore a crude necklace of bones. He barked a command in a harsh, guttural language, and the goblins fell silent.

The leader tried to communicate something in his language while pointing at Kargan. After an exasperated breath, he gestured for them to follow.

"It wants us to follow them," Kargan said.

"Madness," Bohemond replied.

Justin hesitated. This could be a trap, a way to lure them deeper into danger. But what choice did they have? They were surrounded, outnumbered, and the Baron was closing in. If the goblins wanted to kill them, they would have attacked by now.

Something else was going on. With luck, it could be a way out.

"We should follow," Kargan urged. "They might offer us protection."

Bohemond looked as if he wanted to argue but held his tongue, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. As Justin saw it, they had no choice.

Out of options, they followed the goblins deeper into the city. They wound through the ancient streets, past crumbling buildings and broken statues, until they reached an enormous structure at the center. Justin suspected it might be a dwarven palace looming before them. Its once-grand pillars were now cracked and weathered, covered in glowing moss and blue ivy. The heavy stone doors, carved with dwarven runes and reliefs of armored kings, stood wide open.

But it wasn't the palace's architecture that caught Justin's attention; a shimmering green veil cloaked the entrance.

"A Vault," Kargan said.

The goblins disappeared inside. As they vanished, Justin wondered if the creatures were mere manifestations of the Vault itself or if this community had somehow become the Vault, like the Cultists of Morvath had in the Highcliff catacombs.

Whatever the case, a choice lay before them.

"Leave the little demon-worshippers on their own," Bohemond said with disdain. "It seems we have lost the Baron."

Justin wasn't so sure of that. Valdrik was cunning, and there was always a chance he was still trailing them. But there was another reason to hesitate—entering the Vault would clearly signal their whereabouts. They had no guarantee of finding a different way out, and Valdrik might be waiting for them to reappear.

Then again, leaving the goblins behind could spark hostility. They had been brought here for a reason, and abandoning the tribe might provoke an attack.

"We can't leave them," Kargan insisted.

Bohemond snorted. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Then leave," Kargan shot back, his calm demeanor finally cracking. "I know they're goblins, but they could have killed us. They need us for something, and I intend to find out what it is. Besides, it buys us some time. Valdrik can't follow us in there, but we have to move."

Without waiting for a reply, Kargan strode toward the entrance of the palace. Justin shrugged and followed, unable to ignore the pull of curiosity.

"Blast it all," Bohemond grumbled. "To think I'm going to be consorting with little Chaos-worshipping gremlin spawn…"

Justin ignored the knight's mutterings. As he approached the entrance, a message appeared on the interface before him.

Vault Discovered: The Poisoned Legacy

Recommended Party Level: 15

Average Party Level: 7.333 (repeating, of course)

Risk Level: Nearly Fatal. This Vault's challenges are nearly 100% certain to result in death without perfect execution.

Description: The Blackfang Goblin Clan is in peril. Rumors suggest that the recent poisoning of Princess Nyrissa, heir to the tribal throne, was no accident. Someone within the tribe seeks power, willing to risk the very future of their people for personal gain.

Your party has been summoned to uncover the truth behind this treachery and to retrieve the rare ingredients needed to save the princess's life.

But danger lurks in the shadows of the palace, where the ghosts of dwarven creations still haunt forgotten halls. As you delve deeper into the mysteries of the tribe's inner politics and the remnants of ancient alchemical knowledge, you must navigate both deceit and deadly threats.

This Vault will only be cleared when a culprit has been identified to the satisfaction of Queen Grizshara.

Rewards Upon Completion:

—Experience: Scaled to party member level and individual contribution.

—Guaranteed Silver-Tier Items: For each party member.

—The chance for a Rare Artifact.

—Knowledge: Mastery of Goblinese: Eastern Seraphim Dialect.

Do you accept the Vault's challenge?

"Sweet," Justin said. "A new language! We didn't get to keep the language from the last Vault."

"I'm more interested in the rare artifact," Kargan replied. "It might be a class core."

"Seriously?" Justin asked. "So, who gets it?"

"Well, the Vault will decide that," Kargan said. "It's a guess. It could be anything, really."

Bohemond scowled. "Level 15. We're as good as dead."

"Maybe not," Justin said. "Besides, this isn't just about fighting. It sounds like we have a mystery to solve. I'll take that over Valdrik."

"There will be physical danger, too," Kargan added. "But we would be fools to step inside without ensuring we can work together as a team."

It was a valid point. The tension between Kargan and Bohemond had been simmering for hours, and if they didn't find a way to cooperate, this Vault would become their tomb.

Justin took a deep breath and stepped between the two of them. "Look, we're in a tight spot. There's a deadly Vault ahead, and Valdrik is still out there somewhere. We can't afford to be divided. I know we don't agree on everything, but right now, we need to work together—not for the goblins, but for ourselves. We've come too far to let everything fall apart now."

Kargan nodded, his expression softening. "I'll do my part. For everyone's sake."

Bohemond hesitated, his jaw clenched as he glanced between Justin and Kargan. After a long, tense moment, he finally exhaled deeply. "Fine. I'm in. But don't expect me to make friends with the little fiends."

It wasn't a perfect resolution, but it was enough. "Let's go, then," Justin said, his voice firm with determination.

He mentally accepted the Vault's challenge.

[You have accepted the Challenge of The Poisoned Legacy. May courage be your guide and resolve be your shield. Remember, the greatest deceptions are often found in the smallest details. Good luck, Brave Adventurers.]

The message flickered in his mind for a moment, and Justin couldn't shake the feeling that there was a hidden meaning in those words. But now wasn't the time to dwell on it.

Wasting no more time, they moved toward the shimmering green veil that marked the Vault's entrance. It pulsed with an eerie light, casting long shadows across the crumbling stones.

Together, they stepped through the veil, the cold magic of the Vault enveloping them as they crossed the threshold.

[Language Stack added: Goblinese: Eastern Seraphim Dialect]