Path of Dragons - A LitRPG Apocalypse (BOOK TWO STUBBING AUGUST 15)

Desdemona finally let a broad smile spread across her face. It felt like it had been years since she’d allowed such an expression to touch her. Even longer since she’d felt true joy. But as a dense wave of ethera swept over her most hated enemies, how could she feel anything else?

The little ball that represented Isaiah Roberts sparked, then fell to the ground. She knew from her experiments that, wherever that despotic dictator really was, he’d been rendered insensate by the sudden influx of so much hostile ethera. Because he didn’t simply watch through those hated drones. Rather, he was connected to them like they were part of his body. That allowed him far more control than would have been possible otherwise, but it came with significant problems as well.

Like the fact that an attack on his drones was an attack on him.

Hopefully, he would still be unconscious when she finished the others off. That way, her agents could complete their task.

Even as the sphere fell to the floor with a loud thud, the crates outside burst open to reveal hundreds of high-level fighters. All women. Desdemona knew better than to trust men with anything of consequence. Even if they didn’t let their natural tendencies drive them to evil, they would likely screw everything up.

That just came with the territory.

She had no idea if men were evil by nature or if society pushed those tendencies to the fore. But what she did know was that she’d never met a man who didn’t let their base predisposition rule them. Not her father. Not her brothers. Certainly not her late husband. Even her son had begun to show the signs.

Desdemona was almost grateful that he was now dead, though that thought made her feel like a terrible person and an even worse mother. It added to her guilt. Her rage. Her desire for justice.

Outside the warehouse, the sound of rifle fire filled the air as the other part of her plan came to fruition. It had taken months to smuggle so many people into the city. Months more to wedge them into place, where they could influence others. Desdemona’s agents took what was already there – jealousy, greed, and anger – and whipped the population into a frenzy.

Young men and women were the primary target. They were impressionable. Easy to manipulate. And they’d not had a chance to be beaten down by the system that told them they were worth less than the people on the surface. Desdemona’s people provided a spark, and it had become a wildfire intent on burning away the injustices upon which Seattle’s current structure had been built.

Of course, they were all doomed.

They couldn’t stand against trained soldiers. For all that their plight was unfortunate, the reality was that their station was justified. If they’d been worthwhile, they would have been taken from the Undercity and nurtured. Many had been. And in a fight with trained soldiers, all with appropriate classes, a bunch of Scholars, Entertainers, and low-value Tradesmen had little chance of victory.

But they were fantastic distractions.

Most were disenfranchised young men, as well. So, expendable. In fact, she could almost convince herself that she was doing the world a favor by sending them to their inevitable deaths.

Next, the man carrying poor Cora collapsed to his knees. Gunnar Lindstrom. A powerful and somewhat honorable man. He spent most of his free time feeding the needy and helping where he could. Of course, he was also an unrepentant killer. As a man, any good had to be outweighed by something equally terrible.

More importantly, he was just another tool. A powerful one, but a tool nonetheless. Desdemona had never expected Lindstrom to accomplish his mission. For all his effectiveness as an assassin, Hart was well beyond him. What she had not expected was for the Butcher of Bloodrock Bay to show him mercy.

When the sniper returned to Seattle and began his clumsy investigation, Desdemona had been forced to adjust her plans. Originally, she’d intended to make her move as Hart battled the city’s martial forces. But he’d showed more control than expected, forcing her to go in a different direction.

But now, she had him precisely where she wanted him.

She watched as Hart fell to his knees beneath the combined weight of the Daughters of Deianira. All from Desdemona’s most powerful ability: