Ultimate Level 1

“Slow down! Focus on your footwork, trust the skill, don’t overdo it!”

A single bob of her head was all Stacy gave him as he continued to shout orders, watching as his sister tackled the goblin dungeon by herself.

The plate armor that adorned her body had been crafted by him. It was good quality, with no bonuses, just something to protect her and keep her alive as she worked through this dungeon with him.

On the worked stone floor were two goblins, both missing their heads. Her skill with the sword she had right now quickly dealt with the last one in the pack.

Its rough dagger had no reach, and her strength and the two white skills she had gained made her virtually invulnerable to these things unless she lay down and let them kill her.

If she doesn’t work on that technique, she’s going to get her ass kicked when the real problems come.

You were the same way. Can you not remember running in headfirst, trying to brute-force your way through most fights until you learned better skills and tactics? Even now, if my memory serves me right, she appears better than you ever did.

The goblin’s cry when Stacy took its hand off filled the hall. Torches set inside the walls flickered and cast moving shadows as she moved for the killing blow.

With the goblin focused on its missing appendage, her sword flicked through the air with precision and speed, adding its head to the other two as it bounced on the stone floor.

“You’re only safe because of that armor and your skills. Trust me, you don’t want to depend upon them too much. In time you’ll understand why I’m telling you the same thing Tom has said. There is more to fighting than just bashing your way through everything.”

As she stored her sword, his sister groaned and began picking up the goblin heads. She frowned as she stuffed them in a sack and then stored them as well.

“No one talks about this… I mean, you warned me, but I still can’t believe there are creatures I’ll need to harvest testicles from.”

“Oh, that’s not even the worst of it,” Max replied with a grin. “You’re getting a crash course on the material gathering just because we can be in here together. I’m not affecting your experience at all, am I?

She nodded, grinning as he saw her looking away a little bit, most likely checking her status.

“This gets intoxicating. Still… I wish I could spend the points how I want,” she said. “Tom says it’s okay for one or two points, but I need to hold off for a bit, see what my team is made up of, and then go from there.”

Bobbing his head, Max motioned down the hallway.

“He’s right, but we both know you’ll be a tank. I’m working on a few things to help you with skills, but just know there is a reason why Fowl said what he did. If you go that route, you could be one of the best defense-based warriors. Sure, it’s not all glamorous, and your ability to do a lot of damage isn’t there, but it provides safety to the people you fight with. That alone is a reason to consider it.”

He heard her sigh as she jogged from behind to walk beside him.

“That was never my dream… but then again, neither was having a brother who would outclass me and be some legend in all the land.”

A punch from her did nothing, but Max still stepped to the side, winking at her as she rolled her eyes at him.

“It’s not funny. You make all this look so easy.”

“A year’s worth of so many deaths,” he replied. “Now then, watch what I do. See my footwork, and no, before you tell me I’m cheating. Trust me, I’m slowing myself down to match your speed. It’s not easy, but you need to pay attention.”

Stacy nodded and fell back a few steps, watching her brother move toward a pack of three goblins. One held a dagger ready, and the other two had a sword. None wore anything beyond a simple leather jerkin.

You’re going to show off again.

No… I’m practicing this fighting skill. All those kicks and punches we have thrown had so much wasted energy and power. Just like the weapon skill, I can see the difference now. Footwork, hip movement, where I hold my hand, and the slight bend of my knees. It’s like using a dagger, except without the dagger.

A cry came from the trio as Max moved into range, bent over slightly, feet set as he prepared for the rush like the last pack.

Both with the swords came in first, each running next to the other, ignoring the tactics they could implement if they surrounded him first.

Low level monsters… so stupid.

The one on his right swung as the one on his left thrust.

It was hard to ignore the weapon skill that told him exactly where everything was going to end up. Max had to fight to keep himself moving at the speed his sister had. Only inches separated him and the weapon that wouldn’t hurt even if they did connect, but his footwork showed the importance of balance and placement.

Dodging to the left, he was able to mitigate the right one’s swing, using the momentum of the left one and delivering a quick punch as the sword slid past his side.

Like a magnet, his fist was drawn to its unprotected jaw, striking it with just enough power to send it stumbling sideways into its ally, entangling the pair.

Behind it the goblin with the dagger came, thrusting and slashing, its pitted weapon moving at a snail’s pace in his mind.

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This almost reminds me of those elves in the alleyway. How slow they seemed to move when you took control.

A chuckle filled his head as Max slapped the hand holding the dagger away, darting forward and delivering an uppercut to the goblin’s chin, lifting it up off its feet and sending it crashing to the ground a few steps from where it had been.

Like a dancer, he glided around the hallway, dodging and weaving, deflecting and occasionally landing a strike, until finally, all three goblins were unconscious on the stone floor.

“Finish them, and then harvest their heads. The next group is yours.”

“You’re such a show-off,” she teased, moving quickly and relieving the goblins of their heads.

“True, but I’m your older brother, and it’s my job to show off.”

Both of them were laughing as they moved deeper into the dungeon, a rare sound, Max thought as he found himself smiling again.

***

“Can you stop moving your leg? The whole carriage is shaking.”

Fowl grunted and put his hand on his knee, stilling the offending appendage that had caused Cordellia to complain again.

“Sorry… just… All I can think about right now is when we’ll get to Nalgrun and see my family. After watching Max and his reunion work out… I hope my return might go just as well.”

Batrire squeezed his arm as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

“Don’t worry, my love. I have no doubt the whole city, our king included, will want to meet you.”

“She’s right,” Max added. “You’re a tower climber who has made it to the 51st floor! Not many can say that.”

“Bah… we all know it’s due to you. I mean, sure, I’ve saved everyone’s arses here a few times, but I don’t want to steal your thunder.”

Some chuckles came, and the mood that had been turning somber for a moment appeared to turn positive.

“I guess you should be more worried about the bill for the wedding,” Tanila teased. “Have you seen the stuff on the list?”

Jerking himself free from their healer’s grasp, Fowl stared at the dwarf he was going to marry, eyes wide.

“You have a list? And you showed it to her? I thought we agreed I would have some say!”

Groaning, Batrire rolled her eyes.

“Please… I said you could have some say. The only say you get is yes when the priest asks if you’ll marry me.”

Max felt Tanila pull closer to him as she chuckled, her smile present to his Sonar as he watched his dwarven friend start to pretend to pout.

***

“That doesn’t make sense, though,” Cordellia said as she poked at the bowl of stew in her hand. “We ran into other parties while Dexic took us through the tower. Yet when we had you in our group, only twice or maybe three times do I recall us ever running into other climbers.”

“All I know is that for some reason, the tower reacts differently to me than everyone else,” Max repeated. “When I returned back from the place I had been held captive, I raced through every tower floor. The only thing I could focus on was getting to Tanila. Not once did I see another party. Yet… when I entered the floor you were on, why I suddenly could find you didn’t make sense. For whatever reason, the tower allowed us to engage with other groups those few times.”

Their ranger frowned, her spoon still playing with the food they were eating for dinner.

Shifting on the chair he was sitting in, Max pushed his bowl away on the wooden table before him.

Fowl had never turned in the table and chairs he had borrowed , and right now it was nice to sit down around a table, even if they were pulled off to the side of the road for the night.

Should I tell her what you think?

No… I’m not certain, but part of me believes the system is involved now. All three skills holders will be treated differently. Whoever or whatever we face when the time comes… they will potentially be just as strong as us.

A pop from the nearby fire sent some sparks upward, and the scent of burning wood was noticeable in the light breeze that ran across the small clearing.

“No one knows or says or possibly can even say what lies beyond,” Max stated, feeling everyone’s gaze on him. “The tower I was in on the other world was locked to a single floor, and the next one was decided after. How was that possible? I have no idea, except that Igarra was the tower’s and potentially of the whole planet’s keeper. I don’t know if there are others of similar power on that world, and I cannot begin to imagine what it costs or takes for her to have exerted such will upon the entire world.”

Shifting in his chair, Max searched through his storage and found what he was looking for.

A small, yellow metal shard was in his hands, and after looking at it for a moment, he set it on the wooden tabletop.

“What’s that?” Fowl asked, leaning across the table to see better.

“It’s a skill shard from the world that I was trapped on. When I take you all there, I will let one of you see if you can absorb it.”

“A skill from another world?”

Max nodded at Cordellia, whose sudden outburst made him smile, her voice higher than usual.

“Yes. There are more like this one waiting over there. While I could let you try now, it would probably be better if I didn’t, because the truth is, I’m not sure how our system would handle that here.”

“Because we’re not on that world?” Batrire asked

Tanila began bobbing her head before he could reply.

“I’m the one that told him to wait,” she said, drumming her fingers against the wood. “After he showed me that and told me what happened, I decided to hold off for a lot of reasons. One of them being this gift right here.”

Max couldn’t help but smile as she gently touched her stomach.

“Wait… you’re all askin’ the wrong questions!” Fowl protested. “Max just said we’re going to another world! Another goblin humpin’, ogre lovin’ world!

“Yes… but only after we finish one problem at a time. I still need to take all of you to meet Rakonath. But before we can do that, we need to figure out what is in this place that doesn’t appear on any maps.”

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