Judicator Jane 2: A LitRPG Adventure, page 1
JUDICATOR JANE 2
BRIAN ROULEAU
Copyright © 2024 by Brian Rouleau
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
Book Cover Illustration by Dilettante De Santis
First Edition 2024
For my mother, Dixie.
Whose love and wisdom have always guided me.
CONTENTS
1. Onwards
2. Everyone Has Plans
3. A Dark Underworld
4. Outta My Way
5. Bloodstone Castle
6. Social Activism
7. Lore of the Land
8. A Horrible Night
9. Me? A Hero?
10. What Is This Place?
11. Boss Fight
12. Diverging Paths
13. Into Madness
14. A Man of Honor
15. Juice Box
16. The Scholar
17. Unlikely Allies
18. Just Me
19. Confluence
20. Terrors of the Night
21. A Tale as Old as Time
22. Another World
23. The Providencia
24. Handling Business
25. Gettin' Outta Grandia
26. The Golden Coast
27. This Is Awkward
28. High Society
29. The Cool Club
30. The Great Library
31. Everybody Wins!
32. She's With Me
33. Slice of Dawnskeep
34. Pogg Versus Darkness
35. Hidden Costs
36. Busy, Busy
37. Arrival of the Lords
38. Shotgun Justice
39. Book Binging
40. Lord of the South
41. Ultimate Grandia Warrior
42. Pre-Party Jitters
43. Be My Guest
44. Parties Are Just So Fun
45. Nothing Is Ever Free
46. Pandemonium
47. Escape
48. By My Oath
49. I Am The Light
50. And Now We Run
About the Author
JUDICATOR JANE UNIVERSE
ONE
ONWARDS
Jane and Reyla made their way down the partially constructed road, the demon fortress receding behind them. The barren landscape was still covered with embedded shards of broken armor glittering like diamonds in the hot sun. Off in the distance, Jane could see the monolithic statues she had summoned to end the age-old conflict between humans and demons. She had been looking forward to seeing them up close. Why had they appeared? What were they made of? Had they been sentient? Questions kept running through her mind as they approached. They stood completely stationary, and appeared to have solidified into stone.
“These are some big boys, huh?” Reyla commented, walking around the base of one of the white-armored giants.
Jane nodded, moving closer. “Yeah, but where did they come from? Were they just floating around in space or something?”
Reyla shrugged. “Who can say? The System works in mysterious ways.”
Running her hand along the surface of one of the statues, Jane felt faint lines etched into the stonework. Looking more closely, she saw intricate geometric patterns permeating the surface. She then walked to the giant stone tablet and read the words carved into the rock.
LET NO CLASS EXIST THAT SEIZES ADVANCEMENT THROUGH THE INTENTIONAL HARM OR ANNIHILATION OF A SENTIENT RACE.
Jane remembered her emotions and feelings during that momentous event, but the details were more muddy. It matched her intentions, as far as she could remember, at least. Belgoth mentioned that Melindra had been deeply affected by the proclamation. Had her class been changed? Where was she now? She both hoped and dreaded encountering the fiery red sorceress.
“Well, these guys don’t look like they’re going anywhere. At least it breaks up the monotony of the wastelands. Shall we keep moving?” Reyla asked.
Jane agreed, and they continued on down the road. In the distance, a couple of Tormentors were thrashing at something on the ground. The two enormous demons were each over level 60 and their bestial faces were twisted in a terrible rage. Getting closer, Jane saw that they were attempting unsuccessfully to dislodge one of the metal shards that was in the direct path of their construction work to build the road. Jane dismounted and approached; the Tormentors made way, giving her space to see the problem.
The shard was embedded deep in the ground, and it didn’t seem like they were making much progress in moving it. If what Belgoth had told her on their travels was true, these were shattered pieces of armor from an age-old battle. That armor had supposedly been created by the Dirthians, in some way that made the fragments immoveable. Jane had a thought though– physics appeared to still work in this world, so couldn’t they use that to their advantage? Maybe they were looking at the problem in the wrong way.
She pointed at the obstacle and instructed the Tormentors, “Okay, so try this– don’t touch the shard, but dig around it and then under it. It might not be moveable, but the dirt doesn’t share those properties.”
The Tormentors couldn’t respond with words, but they could understand basic commands. Before long, they were pounding and smashing into the brittle wasteland ground with the tools Bolg and the other smiths had created. A large hole began to appear around the shard, and sure enough, it fell deeper into the ground, gravity pulling it down. At least the basic laws of the universe are still in effect… she thought with a shake of the head.
Jane gave one of the Tormentors a pat on the back. “There you go, now you don’t have to pick it up. Just build the road over it.” She instructed them to pass the information along, so that the other demons could use a similar tactic. The two Tormentors nodded, then lumbered off into the distance.
Reyla shook her head in wonder. “Pretty clever. Seems like you’re a natural at this Demon Lord business.”
Jane could only shrug innocently, and the two continued on their way. The journey was relatively uneventful, with few dangers present. The demon hunting-parties were numerous, and they saw them loping past periodically as they rode the well-worn path. The one thing they didn’t see was Sargor or any other dangerous beasts. It appeared that the updated hunting areas were already having a marked impact on the safety of the route to Arcadia.
The trip gave Jane plenty of time to reflect. The first time she had crossed these wastelands she had tried to shoo off a Sargor to prevent it from getting hurt. Now, she was ordering their extermination. Was she becoming more pragmatic, just as Gareth had been? The justifications for it sounded off in her mind, Food for the demons, safety for travelers… The responsibilities of overseeing her demonic horde weighed heavily on her, and these were part of the costs.
Night fell, and they set up camp on the road near a large rock outcropping. Stirring a pot of Sargor meat stew, Reyla turned to Jane. “So what’s your plan when we get to Grandia? Now that you’re the official Demon Lord and all.”
Warming her hands near the fire, Jane answered, “Trade, so I need to meet whoever is in charge of Grandia. I want to start negotiations so that Gral’gor and Vexmor have everything they need to start developing the area around the fortress. The demons can’t live off of Sargor meat forever.”
Reyla started dishing out bowls of the soup. “Lord Melkit controls Grandia. I don’t know much about him myself. From what I hear, he’s a bit of a recluse. Gareth never brought him up; he had free rein to do whatever he wanted.”
Jane shrugged. “Well, Vexmor sent the shape-shifty demons back to the major cities for me, so there should be someone at Grandia waiting for us when we get there, at least.” The group of Infiltrators she had met back at the fortress had been large, so she had Vexmor, the demon seneschal, take care of assigning them out to the various cities in Arcadia. Now they were spread out to all the major cities once again, ostensibly setting the groundwork for future diplomacy.
Lying down and looking up into the stars, Jane saw the purple moon shining above once more. Just another reminder that I’m not on Earth any longer. Why had she been brought here? Who built the System? Was there a way home? The answers to those questions were out there somewhere, she was sure of it. For now, she looked at her stat sheet to review her details.
Jane King (Level 16)
Human
Class: Judicator (Legendary)
Strength: 30
Agility: 29
Constitution: 30
Intelligence: 29
Wisdom: 58
Luck: 630
Health: 300/300
Mana: 580/580
Skills
Mana Awareness (Rare)
Minor Judgement (Rare)
Piercing Gaze (Rare)
The Twelve Tongues (Rare)
The Trials of Justice (Epic)
Mandate of the Celestial Court (Legendary)
Her stats were a far cry from the first day she woke up in the desert. It still amazed her how the System was able to directly affect her physiology, making her stronger and faster. And her list of skills was also growing in size.
How many skills do Belgoth or Melindra have? So stupid, why didn’t I ask Gral’gor when I had the chance?
Sometimes there were just too many things to think about. Despite the lingering questions, Jane found that she could sleep well these days. Challenges were still out there, but she no longer had the crippling stress that had been her constant companion since arriving in this strange world.
Passing through the Great Barrier and into Grandia, Jane saw that the city was a hive of activity. The gates were now wedged wide open, and it seemed that people could come and go into the wastelands at will. She was a little worried that someone would recognize her, but no one approached them. At least for now, they were just another set of travelers.
“Let’s head over to the White Stag and check in with Dolly,” Reyla called out as they led their horses through the streets.
Jane just nodded. It was still overwhelming for her to be amidst so many people. The crowds pushed against her, and she had to struggle to avoid getting separated from Reyla. It seemed that word had spread of the ending calamity, and now people were flocking back to Grandia in full force.
They passed market stalls lined up against the road filled with assortments of vegetables, eggs, meats and breads. Jane pulled up to a man selling steaming-hot rolls stuffed with cheese and some kind of pepper. After the excessive amount of Sargor meat from the preceding weeks, she just couldn’t resist.
“How much for each of these?” she asked. The merchant wrapped up with another customer and turned to her.
“Twenty coppers each, fifteen if you buy six or more.”
Reyla whipped toward him. “What?! That’s highway robbery! We could get three meals for that price.”
The man just shook his head. “Not anymore, you can’t. Look around– I can’t keep up with the demand even at those rates.”
Jane handed the man some coin anyway; the delicious smell overpowered any reservations. Reyla grumbled as they continued, but her mouth was too full of the tasty snack to complain much. It got Jane thinking again, though. They were in the middle of a relatively good part of the city– but what about the slums or areas where the less fortunate, or those with low Luck, were? How did they deal with food shortages or inflation?
Now that the demonic invasion was ostensibly over, she found her attention drifting to the marginalized people of society. Back on Earth, she had always devoted part of her time to helping those in need, so it came naturally to her to seek out ways to continue this work. Grandia had captivated her during her first visit, but she hadn’t had the opportunity to explore the city fully yet. While setting up trade channels, perhaps she would.
She was lost in thought as the White Stag appeared in the distance. The sun setting on the horizon gave the familiar inn an enchanting appearance. Reuniting with Dolly and whoever else was around was something she had been looking forward to. How had things turned out after the Arcadian armies had returned? After tying up her horse next to Reyla’s, Jane strode towards the entrance. She’d get her answers, one way or another.
TWO
EVERYONE HAS PLANS
Jane heard Dolly before she saw her, shouting out orders from behind the counter like a general amidst her troops. The portly woman was just as she remembered, with a commanding aura that nonetheless made everyone feel welcome. The inn was bustling, its capacity filled to the brim. She could see Elara and Mint weaving between tables, delivering food and drinks to cheerful patrons.
Reyla called out, “Got space for a few ladies passing through?”
Dolly dropped what she was doing and turned. “Oh my word! You’ve returned!” She rushed over and pulled them into warm hugs. “It’s so good to see you again. Find a seat anywhere you can, I’ll have food brought over straight away.” She quickly shuffled off to the kitchen and the pair made their way to a recently emptied spot at the back of the room.
Mint brought food to their table, and he could barely contain himself. “Jane! You’re back! I heard something amazing happened out in the wastelands! There was an angel! And it stopped the war!”
Jane smiled at him. “It’s good to see you, Mint. I’m looking forward to hearing about all your adventures here, too.” The scrappy street urchin she had met in Dawnskeep looked just as chipper as she remembered. A call rang out and she saw Elara beckoning for him, a fresh set of meals awaiting delivery.
The platter in front of her held a chargrilled chicken, covered with some exotic-looking spice. It was surrounded by peppers, carrots and something she couldn’t recognize. Despite having just eaten, she found her appetite had returned. Reyla was already stuffing herself, but paused to address her, “Jane, I know this is sudden– but I think I need to go to the friend I told you about before.”
“Oh, the Arcanite Smith?”
“Yes, he’s the one. You’re welcome to come with me if you wish, but I don’t want to waste any more time than I need to. I’d like to leave tomorrow morning after resupplying,” Reyla continued seriously. “I know you’re busy with your own plans, so I understand if we need to part ways. The journey will be long. Olgbrook is far in the northwest brush, unconnected to any major roads.”
Jane gave the offer some thought. The time with Reyla had been welcome, but she wasn’t ready to leave so soon. Besides, it was her time now to direct her own fate, not just be pulled along with others anymore.
“I appreciate the offer, but you’re right– I have a lot to do here. Thank you for staying with me at the fortress, it really helped,” she replied genuinely.
Reyla nodded. “Of course, I’ll seek you out after my friend is settled. In the meanwhile, let’s celebrate in style!” She slammed her drink down and called out to the bard who was playing on a lute, “Sing us something lively, man!” She flipped him a few coppers, which he snatched deftly from the air. With that, he started singing a merry tune, filling the tavern with the warmth of music.
The night grew long, and as time passed, the crowd began to thin out ushering in a bit of tranquility. Jane approached the counter where Mint and Elara were resting after their long day. Mint’s face lit up as he spotted her.
“Belgoth said you’d return!” he exclaimed.
Reyla sidled up next to Jane and cast a curious glance at the enthusiastic boy. “Is this the young man you told me about, Jane?” she inquired, raising an eyebrow.
Jane nodded, leaning against the counter. “Yes, this is Mint. How have you been, buddy?”
Mint struck a proud pose and turned toward Elara. “Well, I’ve been helping out, haven’t I?”
Elara smiled, replying, “Indeed, you have. I’ve never seen anyone with so much energy! And the tips he receives, you wouldn’t believe it. With that kind of coin, I suppose he’ll have his own inn in no time.”
Jane placed her hand on Elara’s arm and said, “It’s good to see you again. I hope there haven’t been any more troubles.” The memory of the bandits attacking this gentle girl still made her blood boil.
“No, Jane,” Elara replied, “it’s just been busy. The soldiers have been entering the city more frequently now that the armies have been disbanded. Can you believe it? The demons no longer seem interested in attacking us, for some reason.”
Jane and Reyla exchanged a meaningful look. It was clear that Jane’s newfound role as the Demon Lord was not common knowledge. In fact, no one had approached her about it yet. Well, I suppose that’s alright for now, she thought, though it did leave her wondering how Gareth had managed to explain the situation to others.
Dolly emerged from the kitchen, her hands gripping a damp rag. “Well now, I suppose you two will be needing a place to stay. We’re all booked up, but I do keep one room vacant for emergencies. I hope you won’t mind sharing.”
“That would be wonderful, thank you,” Jane replied with a grateful smile. She then searched the tavern and asked, “By the way, where is Pogg? And have you heard anything about Gareth, Melindra, or Belgoth?”
Dolly wiped her brow and replied, “You can find Pogg with Gareth at the barracks. It seems he’s taken up the commander’s offer for some additional training. As for Belgoth, well, he departed for Dawnskeep almost immediately after arriving. Oh, I nearly forgot,” She rummaged beneath the counter and produced a note. “Here you go; he left this for you.”
