Defiance of the Fall 8: A LitRPG Adventure

DEFIANCE OF THE FALL 8 ©2023 JF BRINK/THEFIRSTDEFIER This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of the authors. Aethon Books supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights. Aethon Books www.aethonbooks.com Print and eBook formatting by Josh Hayes. Artwork provided by Fernando Granea. Published by Aethon Books LLC. Aethon Books is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead is coincidental. All rights reserved. CONTENTS ALSO IN SERIES 1. Stocking Up 2. The Value of Money 3. Inheritance Crystal 4. Suspicions and Auctions 5. Flaunting One’s Wealth 6. Bumpy Ride 7. Oppressive Might 8. Breaking Shackles 9. Aethergate 10. Coming Alive 11. Perennial Vastness 12. The Twilight Ocean 13. First Culling 14. Clashing Seas 15. Trove 16. Marked for Death 17. Cork Island 18. Profane Exponents 19. Opposing Sides 20. Mothertree 21. Turn of the Seasons 22. Agent of Chaos 23. Detour 24. Traitor 25. Truths and Conspiracies 26. Young Monsters 27. Unplugged 28. Ripples 29. Relegation 30. Radiant Temple 31. Hollowtongue Mountains 32. Mixed Meanings 33. Seclusion 34. Runebinder 35. Marked for Death 36. Into the Abyss 37. Profiteering 38. Information Exchange 39. Ventus Kalavan 40. Order 41. Dao Branch 42. Raksha Shrimp 43. Upgrades 44. Minefield 45. Twilight Chasm 46. Repercussions 47. Crushing Pressure 48. Mountain Formation 49. Limitless 50. Grand Origins 51. King of the Mountain 52. Reciprocity 53. Dark Horse 54. Gathering Strength 55. Mind’s Eye 56. Catching Up 57. Uninvited Guest 58. The Last Laugh 59. Ascent 60. Dissenting Views 61. Imprints 62. Folly of the Boundless 63. Seal 64. Pillar of Desolation 65. The Spider and the Fly 66. Reef Forest 67. Return 68. Parting the Clouds 69. City of Ancients 70. Second Set 71. Magmatic Core 72. When Fates Align 73. Golden Canopy 74. Eruptions 75. Changes in the Ravine 76. The Price Paid Thank you for reading Defiance of the Fall Book Eight ALSO IN SERIES DEFIANCE OF THE FALL BOOK ONE BOOK TWO BOOK THREE BOOK FOUR BOOK FIVE BOOK SIX BOOK SEVEN BOOK EIGHT BOOK NINE 1 STOCKING UP Catheya and her entourage left the balcony overlooking the central region of Twilight Harbor, leaving Zac lost in thought. A few hours ago, he didn’t even know that Twilight Harbor had a trial like the Twilight Ascent. Now, he’d suddenly signed up for a three-year-commitment. Was it a good thing or was he biting off more than he could chew? “They probed our souls with some sort of treasure,” Vilari muttered. “I wasn’t able to block it out.” “They did?” Zac exclaimed. “I didn’t notice anything.” “Young master’s soul is strong, but you ultimately aren’t a Soul Cultivator,” Vilari said with a slight smile. “What’s your take on the situation?” Zac asked. “Catheya’s soul was stable throughout. I think she was mostly truthful in her words,” Vilari slowly said. “The large one was threatening, but the small one would be whom you’d have to worry about. I sensed wild fluctuations in his soul every time you were disrespectful to the Draugr.” “A real mess,” Zac sighed. “Well, no point in staying here. Are you feeling better?” “Much better, thank you.” “Alright, let’s go,” Zac grunted as he stood up. “The place Catheya is putting us up in doesn’t sound too bad.” They left the incensary and found a subdued Nala waiting outside. Needing to consider his next step, he had Nala take them to the high-quality hotel on a disk partly owned by Clan Sharva’Zi. There was no point in avoiding that place now that he’d already been spotted. It truly was luxurious. The hotel was a vast forest, where each room spread out like a mansion surrounded by wilderness. The forests were not the deathly and seemingly haunted forestry of the Dead Zone back on Earth. Beautiful trees with silvery leaves and white trunks were plentiful here, alongside similarly colored bushes that made up some of the undergrowth. They grew what looked like metallic pinecones, which chimed when rustled by the wind. Instead of having to slog through the forest, an attendant handed them unique teleportation tokens that took them to a small square outside the walled courtyard leading to his mansion. Upon request, Nala was provided a token, and Zac dismissed the attendant. Before he and Vilari went inside the mansion, he sent Nala away, asking she return in twelve hours. Catheya’s sudden appearance had put him a bit on the spot, even if he’d prepared a bit beforehand. He had been forced to make some quick decisions, but felt things had worked out for the best. The deal she offered was fair, as far as Zac could tell. Catheya’s party would get the first three Life-Death Pearls they found as payment for providing the path and method to push away the restriction of the Twilight Ocean. After the first three, the