#but how could he have expected that from the wild treasure hunter Relic?

[savedbythenotepad]

okay so i had this idea about a treasure hunter au which spiralled into something magnificent due to the wonderful and talented mind and help of @crossroadswrite. i’ve been wanting to write something revolving around it for more than a week now? so here it is. 

so yes, here we go.

Yuuri didn’t know how to feel when he recognised the tall figure that stood in front of the sarcophagus. Silver hair stylishly mussed (how that was possible in this heat was beyond Yuuri) and a strong back covered in a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. It took everything within Yuuri not to focus on how wonderfully fit those beige pants were on Viktor’s bottom. It was incredibly hard for a moment but then Viktor reached out to touch the sarcophagus and Yuuri’s internal alarms went off instantly.

Loud and blaring.

“Hey!” Yuuri exclaimed and was mildly pleased to notice Viktor’s frame tense. He also noted that Viktor’s right hand had automatically settled on the gun that rested in a holster on his right hip. It wasn’t too much for a threat for Yuuri because he knew Viktor was smarter than that. “What have I said about randomly touching old ancient stuff?”

The tension in Viktor’s shoulders eased immediately and what followed with a shake of his head then a chuckle. Viktor turned himself around and Yuuri was looking into those blue eyes that did not make him slightly weak in the knees. He was stronger than that.

“Yuuri,” Viktor cooed as he rested his thumbs in the belt loops of his pants. The action looked obnoxious but it worked for him somehow. “Such a surprise to see you here.”

That earned Viktor a scoff as Yuuri began walking towards the sarcophagus with swift steps. He reached into his back pocket and removed a pair of white rubber gloves before slipping them on with practiced ease. Viktor moved to give him room as he approached the front of the coffin and proceeded to watch with barely hidden interest as Yuuri began his work.

“Hold this, please.” Yuuri said, already handing his kit to Viktor who took it without hesitance. There wasn’t much to be done as Yuuri brushed off the dust that hid any important symbols. When he was sure that opening the coffin wouldn’t lead him and Viktor to being killed or cursed, he nodded to himself before going to grab hold of the heavy covering.

Viktor placed down the kit and joined Yuuri in pushing the stone cover upwards to reveal what was inside. It was less brilliant than Yuuri had hoped as all that was in there was a skeleton of some pharaoh that had existed over centuries ago. There were no treasures within the coffin and all that covered it with a decent amount of cobwebs.

“Another disappointing find,” Viktor said with a sigh, dusting off his hands. “Did anyone say that anything would be here?”

Yuuri shook his head. “Not really,” He replied, still leaning over the coffin and examining the insides with sharp eyes. “But Phichit had a hunch that something would be in here and Phichit’s hunches are rarely wrong.”

Viktor blinked. “But what about that time he led us on a wild goose chase in Bolivia?”

“You didn’t have to tag along on that one,” Yuuri reminded him, gesturing for Viktor to help him close the sarcophagus again.  “You made it your own initiative to follow me on that journey.”

“That’s because wherever you go, there’s bound to be some nice relic that could fetch me a buckload.” Viktor replied, his words simple and truthful. If Yuuri admired anything about Viktor, it was his straight up honest.

“Good to know that you admire my company.” Yuuri murmured to himself, already pushing. He didn’t want to admit that it did hurt hearing that Viktor didn’t tag along because he liked tagging along. It was to be expected for a treasure hunter who was paid to find stuff that rich people didn’t want to find themselves. It was an unsurprisingly competitive field as there were many others who were after the same items for similar and different reasons. Those reasons ranged from the goal of obtaining millions to completing a magical device that could unlock world domination. Yuuri’s job was to make sure that those items ended up in the safety of a vault guarded by mystical charms and high tech security systems.

He was supposed to be an archeologist.

An archaeologist who dug up dinosaur skeletons and uncovered the hidden cities that only seemed to exist in legends. That was what he had signed up for when he studied in the degree in university but there had always been something special about him. Something a little gifted that led him into the field that he was in today.

It would also be a lie if he said that he didn’t enjoy the excursions that he went on.

No matter how many times he had faced death.

Just as they were about to close up the coffin, something caught Yuuri’s eyes. It glinted as it caught a ray of sun that streamed in from the partially open ceiling. He swore he didn’t see that before and he had looked over every corner within the space. There were only four, how could he have missed it? It glinted again and Yuuri stopped pushing in order to reach in.

It was golden and circular with patterns of different colours etched into the metal. It resembled a dial and Yuuri instantly tried to work out what it meant. He could decipher some of them but what he could understand made little sense. There was something about an ending, a big ending but that was all that he got.

Viktor was by his side and looked at what Yuuri had discovered before going to take it. Yuuri dodged the hand and levelled him with a look.

“No gloves, no touchy.” Yuuri reminded.

“Meanie,” Viktor pouted but didn’t back away as he observed from where he stood. “What does it mean?”

“I don’t know but honestly?” Yuuri turned the dial within his hands and his brow furrowed as he was suddenly covered with the heavy shadow of foreboding. “I don’t think it’s good.” There was then a mild pressure within his head followed by the sound of a low whistle. His face scrunched up slightly at the sound which didn’t grow in volume or tone. It remained constant and Yuuri shook his head in an attempt to get rid of it.

Viktor watched him, his expression glazed over with subtle worry as he laid a hand on Yuuri’s shoulder. Yuuri leaned into the touch unconsciously, searching for a bit of support and he stayed quiet until the whistling faded and the pressure in his head ceased.

“You okay?” Viktor asked, shifting closer to Yuuri in case he needed to rest on him. His arm went to curl around Yuuri’s waist in a light hold and Yuuri was grateful for it. He brought his hands to his head to rub at his temples. He took deep breaths, just like how his mother had taught him, before opening his eyes that he didn’t release had closed. Yuuri had gotten used to this, the sudden overwhelming feeling followed by something that threw him off his balance. It didn’t occur around all relics and artefacts he had discovered but there were some which were...different.

And those were the ones that needed to be locked up.

Yuuri nodded. “I’m fine,” He said, with an assuring nod but then heard the distant sounds of footsteps approaching the the main room. Like Yuuri had said, there were many others who were after the same items. Their current location was a tomb within the ruins of a city whose stones had eroded and crumbled after years of abandonment. Yuuri knew he was being followed and had come prepared. But it was nice to have Viktor here, an extra set of hands to help. “But we need to go. We have company.”

Viktor simply drew his gun and cocked it before stepping himself in front of Yuuri. It was something he always did when they got into dangerous situations. Even if Yuuri had reminded Viktor so many times that he could defend himself. There were even a good pair of swords mounted on the wall to his side and he could have them down in moments.

But...it felt nice.

The footsteps grew louder and Yuuri tucked the dial into a pocket that was inside his shirt. He then watched as Viktor aimed his gun at the entrance of the room. Yuuri could already imagine those blue eyes now hardened like ice and sharp with concentrate. His stance was strong and effortless, one of a person who had done this too many times before.

Yuuri’s left hand gripped onto the back of Viktor’s slightly damp shirt and steeled himself.

It was about to get loud.  

[swipestream]

New Release Roundup, 2 February 2019: Fantasy and Adventure

The Devil is not in the details, but on the battlefield. In his shadow, infernal hitmen and detective saints; Nazi wizards and British mages; dragon slayers and divine champions clash in this week’s roundup of the newest releases in fantasy and adventure.

The Caster of Destruction (Overlord #9) – Kugane Maruyama

For twelve years, the virtual world of Yggdrasil has served as the playground and battlefield for the skeletal lord Momonga and his guild of fellow monsters, Ainz Ooal Gown. But the guild’s glory days are over, and the game is shutting down permanently. When Momonga logs in one last time just to be there when the servers go dark, something happens–and suddenly, fantasy is reality. A rogues’ gallery of fanatically devoted NPCs is ready to obey his every order, but the world Momonga now inhabits is not the one he remembers. The game may be over, but the epic tale of Ainz Ooal Gown is only beginning…

The annual war between the kingdom and the empire almost always ends in little more than a staring contest. This year, the Fresh Blood Emperor’s visit to Nazarick will change everything. Ainz himself has joined the fray, which is a dark omen of the coming storm. The arrival of the absolute ruler of Nazarick means only horror and death await those who stand on what will become the most hellish battlefield anyone has seen in living memory…!

Chuck Dixon’s Avalon #3: The Conscience of the King – Chuck Dixon and Frank Fosco

While King Ace is in training with Big Simba and the Specials of the UN-SPC, his former partner-in-fighting-crime Fazer languishes in a prison designed especially for people with superhuman powers. Fazer is desperate to escape, but how can he get out when his jailors possess the technology required to block his unique abilities?

But Fazer isn’t the only one feeling trapped, as King Ace quickly comes to learn that his new team isn’t tasked with fighting crime in the city of Avalon, but rather, tracking down other people like him and Fazer. And he also discovers that signing on with the official forces of law and order means accepting restrictions on your ability to do what you think is right.

Chuck Dixon is the most prolific comic book writer in history. Set in the world of Alt★Hero, CHUCK DIXON’S AVALON is the legend’s newest creation.

The Circle of St. George – John Auber Armstrong

Nothing in his life prepared Charlie Walker for meeting King Arthur and Merlin, King Oberon and Puck, or to find himself riding with the Wild Hunt and fighting a cohort of bloodthirsty Valkyries attacking GI’s on the beaches of France! Compared to that, a naked Winston Churchill barely rates mentioning …

Britain, 1940: a coalition of British magicians have united to oppose the Nazi’s use of black magic, and a young American soldier is sent to observe and report on the program code-named The Circle of St. George. Captain Charlie Walker doesn’t believe in gods, ghosts, or magic … until he has no choice in the matter!

Charlie’s education in magick is a hero’s journey like no other you’ve read. His instructors include Aleister Crowley and a who’s who of British occultists. Together, from the great plain of Glastonbury and the isle of Avalon to the Fae Kingdom and the death camps of the Third Reich, Charlie and The Circle of St. George stand alone against Hitler’s magicians.

The Devil’s Gunman (The Devil’s Gunman #1) – Philip S. Bolger

Working as a hitman for the devil of paperwork is a pretty good gig. Until you settle your obligation and don’t have the job anymore. Then what do you do?

For Nick Soren, it was the best of times and the worst of times. Having made more money working for the devil than he could ever spend, he lived it up in a haze of booze and drugs. Until the devil put a hit out on him.

On the run, Nick finds help from someone he never expected—another of the devil’s previous hitmen—who wants Nick to kill the devil. But there are vampires and Hellhounds on his tail, and that is going to make things…difficult. Can Nick get clear of the supernatural creatures hunting him long enough to take his shot and get revenge on the devil?

He’s not alone in his mission—a jiangshi mage and a chimera are along for the ride, and may help even the odds…or just get him killed all the faster.

Time is running out and the vampires are closing in…is this the end for the devil’s gunman?

Flying Sparks: Meta-Man Special – Jon del Arroz 

For the last fifty years, Meta-Man has been an enigma—a reclusive hero who does his duty but shies away from the public eye. What happened? Who is he?

Unlocked from the archives for the first time, you can dive into one of Meta-Man’s early adventures and get a glimpse into his heroic world as he works to stave off a plot from his nemesis Dr. Malicious and his communist commandos! Can Meta-Man prevail, or will the U.S.S.R. interfere with the American presidential election and spread the reach of the Iron Curtain across the globe? Read this action-packed superhero comic and find out!

“A touch of backstory for a side character, a dash of 60s comics-style fisticuffs, and a sprinkle of the classic tragedy of missing out on important personal moments for the sake of saving the day for someone else. “–Amazon Reader Review

Infernal Affairs (Saint Tommy, NYPD #3) – Declan Finn

My name is Officer Thomas Nolan, and I am a saint.

I can smell evil. I show mercy to the lesser criminals – the desperate. Even those I’ve put behind bars seem to like me.  But now there’s a serial killer bringing darkness beyond imagination to my city. I can smell his stench a mile away.

Detective Tommy Nolan is having a bad day.

First, the celebrant was murdered during mass. Then the SWAT team knocked down his door trying to kill him.

With the million dollar bounty on his head, every gunman and demonic monster is coming out of the pit to collect it.

Tommy has to discover who’s out to make him a martyr before he becomes a saint for real.

Sowing Dragon Teeth (The Iron Disciplines #1) – James Alderdice

Nobody said getting revenge on a dragon that killed your father would be easy, but nobody said it would be this hard either.

War looms on the horizon. Aisha is scouting the borderlands wary of a coming secret invasion when she is ambushed by a crazed old shaman who was sure that she was trying learn his secrets. She isn’t interested in the old legends about a dragon graveyard but after burning the secret map she is the only one who knows where it is supposed to exist and every gold hungry rogue crawls out of hiding to try and force her to take them there for riches untold.

The journey will take them across a cursed landscape brimming with foul sorceries and terrible monsters, but the promise of both treasure and revenge is irresistible. Sowing Dragon Teeth is an action-packed heroic fantasy in the vein of classic pulp fiction and thrilling treasure hunts. If you like gory battles, larger-than-life characters, and witty humor, then you’ll love James Alderice’s gritty tale.

A Thousand Drunken Monkeys (The Hero of Thera #2) – Eric Nylund

Continue Playing the Game? Yes / No

The Kingdom of Thera is a crossroads to many worlds and realities. Here a secret war between the gods plays out via their proxy mortal champions. These player-champions use all the augmented-reality interfaces and game mechanics that role-playing and video-gamers know and love.

Join Hektor Saint-Savage, Marine and martial artist extraordinaire; Morgana Nox, shapeshifting druid-thief and trickster; and the cantankerous dwarf, Elmac Arguson—as they punch, blast, stab, and slither their way through the second Hero of Thera novel.

Can they outwit, outfight, and outrun assassins? The Imperial Knight Champion of Chaos? Feisty gnomes with slide rules? A horde of a thousand inebriated simians?

There’s only one way to find out…

Viridian Gate Online: Doom Forge (The Viridian Gate Archives #6) – James Hunter

Jack and the crew of the Crimson Alliance have finally made it back from the Realm of Order, but the threat to Eldgard is deadlier than ever.

Vogthar incursions are increasing, dungeons falling in droves, towns and cities ravaged by Darklings—Players and NPCs who have willingly sided with the Dark Overmind Thanatos. But thanks to a priceless artifact Jack found after defeating the Lich Priest, there might be a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Jack and company have unearthed a Doom-Forged relic, one part of an ancient weapon capable of killing even a god. But to assemble the legendary god-killer, they’ll need to find the other relics and locate the fabled Doom Forge of the Dwarven godling Khalkeús, all while unraveling a mystery five hundred years in the making.

New Release Roundup, 2 February 2019: Fantasy and Adventure published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames