Broken Core [LitRPG • Cultivation • Post Apocalyptic • Romance]

The days passed swiftly as they journeyed to the city. James continued to enchant with Jamie, both of them coming up with different runes and excitedly testing them on various materials. Neither of them had much to work with, so he made gloves out of crude leather for them to practice on.

Mender tested out their products, making them promise to make some of them out of decent leather when they returned to the city. Jamie was the most excited to drag James away, wanting to hoard him in the workshop.

Luna would only roll her eyes as she continued to hunt. The Forsaken were dying by the dozens everyday and she had reached level six just before they reached the city walls. Her leather and feather chest wrap, and shorts matched his own attire, showing that they were in a party.

Stopping the group a few hundred feet from the gate, James asked, "are we ready for this?"

Mender sighed. "Wouldn't it just be easier to get it over with?"

Jamie was bouncing with excitement. "Let's go!"

Her usual quiet demeanor had changed greatly after he started seriously crafting with her. Even Luna raised her brows at the woman.

"Ready, Luna?" James asked.

"Keep me safe?" she questioned.

"Always." Smiling, he took her hand. "Let's show them that we are together."

Nodding nervously, Luna started walking. Her palms were sweating as they approached the guards. Once they were within talking distance, Mender took charge.

"I have brought guests!" Mender called out. "Are we free to enter?"

One of the cultivators jumped down. James could sense his solid core as he walked over.

"Mender, where is the rest of your party?"

Pursing his lips, Mender let his shoulders slump as he shook his head.

The guard closed his eyes for a moment. "May they rest in peace." Coming back to attention, he eyed James and Luna. "Another human and demi-human? What odd attire."

James gave him a blank look. "Can we enter? We have business with your elder."

"Do you now?" the guard questioned with a chuckle. "What would a pair of mortals need our elders for?"

Mender quickly held up his hand. "I'm vouching for them. That should be enough."

The core cultivator manipulated the Qi in the air, pressing it down on James and Luna. Yawning, Luna turned to James. "Are we going to get in?"

Frowning, the guard pressed down on them harder. James raised his brow. "The breeze is getting chilly. Is winter coming?"

Mender glanced at him and sighed. "Let's just go in. I'm sorry for the rude greeting my senior is showing."

The guard look confused as he cut off his attack. "You're free to enter…"

Perking up, Jamie hooked her arm through James's. "I need to show you my workshop!"

"Elder first," he chided.

"Yeah, yeah!"

Mender sighed again. "she meets another enchanter and she forgets about me…"

Luna laughed as they walked through the gate. "Just be happy that he is already taken. I bet she would be in his bed by the end of the day if he wasn't."

Frowning, Jamie glared at her. "I'm not that bad…"

James smiled to himself. Through the gate, they came to farms that stretched for miles before reaching the inner walls. All sorts of crops were growing as mortals tended to the fields. The rich scent of fresh soil mingled with pollen and wildflowers.

"So, this is what awaits the entrance to cities," James murmured.

Everyone turned to him with frowns.

"Have you not seen the fields before?" Mender asked.

"No," James admitted. "I was always portaled to the wastelands for training."

"We have to remember that he's a spoiled brat," Luna joked. "He's special."

Glaring at her, he poked her side. "Stop that!"

"Nope!" Beaming, Luna moved from his side to Jamie's. "What do you see in this guy?"

Jamie added a skip to her step. "Money!"

Laughing, Mender slowed their pace as they passed fields of wheat. "You'll have to get used to passing fields like this when we visit cities."

James didn't fail to notice that he included himself in their future goals. Not commenting on it, he matched Mender's pace as he took in the sights. The crops were nearly fully grown and on one side, farmers were harvesting vegetables and fruits. The worker's souls were rich with life and happiness. It all seemed so simple.

"It's odd," James said after a minute.

"Seeing farms?" Luna asked.

"Yeah. How much did I miss in my life?"

Everyone turned to him again. Luna moved back to his side and took his hand. "You'll adjust quickly. I'll help you."

Jamie shook her head. "He really was spoiled."

"Hey!" James protested. "It's not my fault that my parents kept me sheltered while they were alive. After that, the sect scooped me up."

"All I'm hearing are excuses," Mender teased.

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Frowning, James turned his thoughts inward. How was my life so different from others? I don't understand how I missed this much. What am I going to be like when I have to buy supplies?

Luna squeezed his hand. "We have you, James."

There shouldn't be anything to have. I can survive the wastelands and find hidden research labs, but I can't navigate a city? What sort of crap is that?

Mender picked up their pace. "We will explore the city after we talk with the elders."

"After we show my master the new enchantments," Jamie corrected.

"We do need money," Luna stated. "I'll find a job in the demi-human district."

"You don't have to do that," James said.

Frowning, she poked him again. "Don't argue with me, James."

Holding up his hands, he gave up. "I'm in your care."

Entering the city was disorienting. James was used to crowds from the sect, or so he thought, but the city was very different. Scents of sewage and filth mingled with spices and roasting meats. Garbage was piled in alleyways that the less fortunate called home. The main road was packed with mortals going about their days. Most of them were hawking wares from stalls, trying to flag him down. Luna pulled him along, not letting him stop as he eyed necklaces.

"Everything's enchanted by master enchanters!"

"Fresh fruit! Picked this morning!"

"Come one, come all, new swords forged by Master Barion!"

James felt his head rubber band back and forth between stalls as he took everything in. The fruit looked good and he nearly walked over when Jamie stopped him.

"You don't have money," she reminded him.

Luna growled at him. "Keep walking!"

Mender laughed from the front. "He looks like a child going to the market without his parents for the first time."

Glaring at everyone, James pulled his hands free and crossed his arms.

Luna giggled from his side. "Don't be like that, James. I'll take you shopping later. You have to keep me safe after all."

Sighing, James looked towards the mountain in the distance. They still had a few miles to traverse before they took the elevator to the sect that towered over the city.

A nekorian bumped into Jamie and James felt the cats soul pulse with success. Reaching out, he grabbed her wrist and held her tight. "Give it back."

Jamie and Mender whirled on him.

The nekorian tried to pull herself free, but he held tight as Luna marched up to her. "You heard him!"

"I didn't take anything!" the nekorian shouted.

"Jamie, are you still wearing your ring?" James asked.

"Yes—" Freezing, she held up her hand where the ring was missing. "Wow! She's good!"

They were starting to draw a crowd as James examined the cat. She had flaming orange hair and a slender body that was nearly malnourished. With a sigh, he held out his hand. "Give it back and you can go on your way."

Frowning, she slammed the ring into his hand. "You were supposed to be an easy mark."

Chuckling, James let her go. "I'm sure I'll see you again. Behave."

Scoffing, the cat ran off, disappearing into the growing crowd. Many of the mortals were whispering to each other.

"Is he a cultivator?"

"His clothes are handmade."

"Is that armor?"

"The Fenrir is dressed like him."

Eyeing everyone, James shook his head. "Let's keep going."

Mender nodded and fell in next to him. "I'm glad you caught that."

"Hard not to when her soul gave her away."

Frowning, he leaned in. "You can tell things like that based on their soul?"

"Yeah." Scanning the streets, James let his soul leak out over the city. "The tight quarters is making me uncomfortable. The mortals are filled with all sorts of emotions."

"Keep in mind, I can't feel that," Luna added. "I'm working on it though."

Nodding, Mender pulled Jamie to the middle of the group. With her protected, they picked up their pace in order to reach the elevators. More than once, they had to remind the people that they were cultivators so merchants would leave them alone.

James was thankful when they finally reached the elevators. The large contraptions were being loaded with supplies when they arrived. Mender showed the guards a medallion before waving them over.

"It'll be a few minutes before we ascend." Mender pointed out the supplies. "Raw materials are packaged and being loaded."

"Where do you get the metals?" James asked.

Luna leaned in as well.

Turning to Jamie, Mender tilted his head.

Jamie spoke up. "We have mines around the area. Cultivators guard the workers and escort wagons back to the city. It's dangerous work, but has to be done."

Luna nudged him with her elbow. "I bet we could make a lot of money hauling their goods back to the city."

Frowning, he shook his head. "I'm not filling my storage with ore that they will claim I stole. It wouldn't matter if I handed it all over or not."

"He's right," Mender said. "He's an outsider and they would cheat him, just to make an example of him."

Falling into more comfortable small talk, they only had to wait half an hour before the elevator started moving. Gripping the rails, James smiled as he ascended. The Qi in the air started to grow strong as the mountain released more. The winds and sky were swirling with Qi and Luna was frowning.

"I could have increased so much from a place like this," she murmured.

James took her hand. "You're strong now and you're mine. Would you go back?"

"No!" She quickly stated.

Chuckling, he leaned in and kissed her cheek, earning many glares from the surrounding cultivators. Blushing, Luna pushed him away slightly.

"Embarrassed by me?" he questioned.

Nodding, Luna nodded her head towards their audience. "I don't want them to kill us before we arrive."

Frowning, he pulled her against his side. "They can stare all they want. We shouldn't have to hide our feelings."

Sighing, she wrapped her arm around his back. "I hate you right now." Her cheeks were bright pink as her ears laid flat. Even her tail wasn't moving.

Jamie giggled. "Almost there."

The elevator stopped a minute later, bringing them hundreds of feet up the mountain. The flat space they walked onto was carved into the mountain directly. Buildings and dorms dominated the lower level made from stone. Everything was cold and filled with earth Qi.

"Welcome to the Settling Stone Sect," Mender said while gesturing to the sect.

James scanned the area with his soul and felt weak lifeforce emanating from all over. Nearly everyone in the lower sect were barely into their cultivation. A few standouts were around, but it wasn't until the inner sect that people would have actual power.

Mender took the lead. "We have to reach the core sect to meet the elders."

Jamie hummed by their side. "After that, I'll show you my workshop!"

James tuned his hearing to the surrounding cultivators.

"What are mortals doing up here?"

"Their armor is stupid."

"Is that a Fenrir? On our sacred mountain?"

Luna's ears twitched as she frowned. She was obviously listening to the comments as well.

"Want me to kiss you again," he teased.

Luna glared at him. "Don't you dare!"

"Kiss her anyways," Jamie said with a smirk.

Laughing, James winked at Luna. "I'm game if you are."

With a deadpan expression, Luna said, "if you kiss me, I'll cut out your tongue."

Wincing, James backed away. Jamie and Mender laughed as they reached the gate to the inner sect. Holding up his medallion, Mender led them past the guards.

The inner sect was much bigger than the outer sect and had larger homes and dorms. Everything was fancier and the groups of cultivators practicing were richer and their souls larger.

Most of the groups stopped to stare at them, and even the groups meditating opened their eyes.

"What are they doing here?" A few members asked.

Several core cultivators approached, making Mender slow his pace. "This isn't good."

Jamie pulled Mender back, pushing him closer to James. "Be ready."

James watched the group of five cultivators stop before them.

"Mender, why would you bring trash onto our mountain?" a black haired man asked.

Judging the man, James found his soul full, and filled with arrogance. He was well muscled, but James was already bored.

"Maybe we should throw them off," a blonde suggested.

"They have business with the elders," Mender stated. "I'm vouching for them."

"You don't matter, healer," the black haired man snapped.

Sighing, Mender pulled Jamie to the side. "Don't kill them."

"We'll make it quick," the blonde stated.

"I wasn't talking to you," Mender said.

James watched the group step up to him. Luna was about to step away when James grabbed her hand.

"You dare protect this demi-human?" one of them asked.

Cocking his head, James looked the man over. "Core cultivator on the early side. About three dozen years old. No potential for reaching the nascent soul." Turning to Luna, he said, "why don't you release your grip. You are more than strong enough to handle this."

"I hate you," she muttered.

Raising his brow, he smiled. "You do not, My Love."

A hand grabbed James's arm, making Luna tense.

"You had sex with this dog?" the black haired man demanded.

"I have," James admitted without shame. "Care to do something about it?"

"We'll just have to kill her first."