Mantle of the Gods [LitRPG / Slow Burn / FTB Harem]

Rix started cutting people down.

Ether mostly got over her shock and confusion and started to help gather everyone up into the middle of the room. Justia looked rough, but she was at least able to sit on her own at the base of the cross she'd been on.

Whisper was over at Mive, looking at the bindings that were holding the God unconscious against the cross.

I walked over to him since Rix and Ether seemed to have taking care of our friends under control.

"Have you ever fought one of those things before?" I gestured over at the bodies. The pieces of the shadowy demons looked like they were slowly burning away in a shadowy fire.

"Nope." Whisper rubbed his chin. "This is the first time I've seen non-Gods in a Bequeathal Chamber too."

"It seemed like you'd been in one of these before." I looked at the older man and started wondering just how old he was. A Mantle did a lot to slow down aging versus a Mundane, which made it hard to gauge. Especially since higher Tier Mantles slowed it down even more. "How many have you been in?"

The blonde man glared at me. "No reason for you to know that." He held up a finger in Rix's direction. "And there's no reason to tell you what my lineage is."

"I thought you were a Mundane." The look he gave me told me that he was anything but. "But there's no record of Err anywhere but you. Although there's no record of Vowler either except for Trent, so I assumed you were from a Desolated city like he is."

Whisper took a deep breath, then shook his head. "Just… Don't try to figure me out." He looked at Ether. "Though I am curious about what You are."

Ether scooted behind Rix to hide from Whisper's gaze.

"Who are your parents?" He tapped on his chin

"Hayh and Miel. They're both Mundane." Ether looked down at her hands.

If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"Hey!" I moved over to her and this time she didn't pull away. "Why are you interested in her?"

"Because Gods hide their kids with the Nobles and Mundanes all the time." He shook his head. "When we get out of here, we're checking your class. If it's changed to Nephilim, then we know you were hidden and your parents aren't really your parents." He turned back to look at the God. "And if it hasn't changed then you're a Gibboram."

"Why isn't Sugaru an option?" I wrapped my arms around her as she leaned into me.

"Her?" He turned around and pointed at Ether. "Be that?" He pointed at Rix and shook his head. "All the Hunter's I've met have been sharks, just like this one. As soon as the fight starts, the blood flows."

Whisper looked at the Kitsune God. "We need to figure out how to wake him up."

"Any ideas?" I could feel Ether shaking against me. She felt cold. I looked down at her. "It's going to be fine. We're going to be fine."

"Wait…" Whisper walked over to Justia. "Why are you awake? You look way too much like Suna and Hye to be a plant…"

Justia looked at me and I nodded. "Trent said to trust him."

"Him?" The green woman started scooting away from him until she was next to Aelin. "After everything he's done?"

I sighed. "Trent already had this argument with Rix. If he is going to condemn Whisper, then Rix and Astrid have committed the same crimes."

"But that was to… Astrid?" Justia looked confused.

"She was in a fight to the death. I fed her a kill. It revealed the seal on her that zapped Trent, which led us here." Rix looked at Whisper. "Now I can tell him what to do."

Justia's eyes bulged. "You can what?"

"Tres did something to him. Watch." Rix turned towards the bandit. "Whisper! Dance a little for me."

"What reason …"

"It'll make Justia feel safer." Rix cut him off.

I had to hide my eyes. I couldn't watch his attempt at… whatever that was. But it got Justia to laugh, which kind of helped everyone.

"Now that I don't have any dignity left, can we try to get out of here?"

I opened my eyes. I'd seen Rix laugh before, but the smile on her face… The only way I could describe it was peaceful. She wasn't thinking about how we were trapped, how our friends were unconscious somewhere that they shouldn't be, or how she had just made the third most dangerous criminal in the world embarrass himself to make a woman laugh. She was at peace. And there was a large part of me that was jealous.

Then the Rix that I knew and loved came back.

"He's got a point." She looked at me. "And it might be our way out."

"What?" Whisper looked between us. "What is she?"

Rix clapped me on the shoulder. "His High Priestess."