Ultimate Level 1

Chapter 383: The Problem with Dwarven Towns

“Those four are going to be up all night,” Tanila informed Max as she snuggled down into his armpit. “I can’t remember seeing Fowl ever smiling that much in a single day.”

“You know what would be better?”

“What?”

“A longer bed,” Max replied. “My feet are touching the end, and I know yours would hang off if your leg weren’t draped over mine.”

“Is that a complaint?” she asked.

“Oh no, I’m just saying one doesn’t think about the size difference between the races sometimes. Poor Cordellia must be curled up in a ball to fit on that bed they gave her.”

A finger poked him in the side, and he could sense Tanila’s jaws clenching.

“Please tell me you’re not talking about how another woman is sleeping while I’m here lying next to you.”

“Have you noticed that Fowl has gotten smarter since we got here, and I’ve become an idiot?”

“Forgive me… I wasn’t thinking before I spoke.”

“Obviously.”

“Well, the good news is I found a place in town where I can get us a room that has a normal-sized bed. Some local humans run it for moments such as this.”

“That’s a nice change of subject,” Tanila muttered. “Still, I won’t complain if they don’t mind if we leave their family home.”

“Which is way smaller and not fancy at all,” Max stated. “I mean… it’s like got twenty bedrooms, a giant eating area, and a lot of other spaces for gathering, but none of it feels… regal. Expensive?”

“Odds are they aren’t rich yet,” Tanila said as she shifted slightly to get comfortable. “All the money they make is spent on upgrading the property. It also explains how and why his parents made the gamble they did.”

Max nodded even in the darkness of their room.

“To think they leveraged everything they had to purchase those supplies. Had Fowl known, he could have gotten some of the materials from our Faction, or we could have possibly farmed them.”

“But he didn’t, which is why his brothers and sister were upset with his parents.”

Max knew she was right, but something still felt off.

“How could an epic weapon win a competition? I mean... surely someone in this kingdom can craft legendary items.”

Tanila moved her head slightly, signaling she agreed with his thought.

“Fowl’s oldest brother did seem a bit surprised by the fact they had won, but then again, their youngest brother, Grondir, does have a starting weapon crafting skill higher than usual. That is rare, even among elves.”

“How so,” he asked.

“We both know that your sister getting the skills she did wasn’t by chance. For two members of the same family, outside of nobles or someone of my bloodline, that doesn’t happen.”

“Like ever?”

Sitting up, Tanila nodded.

“Never. I doubt there has been a recorded incident of anything like that on the elf side since I have been alive. Such a thing would draw the attention of my father.”

“So you think perhaps this is what caused Fowl’s family to win this event? That the king or someone within his court orchestrated this entire contest just to bring the dwarf into the capital?”

“Again, my kingdom is different. My father would simply command the family to bring their child. No one would protest, and many would consider it a great honor to be brought before him. All would see it as a blessing from her.

“Here, the dwarves are different. Their customs and behavior aren’t so one-sided. Yes, the king has power, but he doesn’t rule like my father or your people do. It is more of a father figure, and one must be careful how they potentially play favorites.”

Max sat up, grunting as he slid his bare back against the headboard, ignoring the designs he knew that were carved into it.

Perhaps someone is keeping an eye on your dwarven warrior. As Tanila has said, the odds are that someone would note his skills and his younger brother. How hard would it be for them to track his progress and growth?

“Max?”

Realizing he had reacted to what Bob had just said, he tried to relax slightly.

“Um… Bob just mentioned something, and it makes sense. Would someone be able to track Fowl’s progress and growth?”

He heard her tsking her tongue.

“The adventurers guild would most likely share that knowledge with someone from the king’s court if requested. For so long I wondered if someone was tracking your information but then again, unless one knew to request it, no one would have until after you started causing problems in the capital.”

“So then… could someone be making a move not just on Fowl’s family but on him as well?”

Placing her back against the headboard and leaning against him, Tanila snorted.

Max then groaned as he suddenly knew what Bob was about to say.

“And that means Batrire’s family might also be part of this. Them winning that trophy…”

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Grunting, she gently jabbed his arm as she shook her head slightly.

“What kind of mess are we involved in? Is this your fault?”

“Bah, don’t blame me! I’m just the poor baker who got mixed up in a game some crazy gods are playing at. Thankfully, one was nice enough to send me you to keep me from going crazy.”

Kissing his shoulder, she grinned and then playfully bit it.

“Yeah… that’s my job, to keep the human with a black skill from going crazy.”

“Someone has to do it,” Max replied, trying to sound playful as he considered the web he felt caught in.

***

Fowl

“So what’s the plan? Go track down Mom and Dad and then what? Come back here to get married?”

Batrire shook her head as Fowl shrugged at his sister.

“No. We’re going to have it in the capital. My parents are already getting things taken care of with the brewery. He says my uncle has been dying to be in charge, and once we leave, they will head that way in a week.”

“A week?!” Thanwuna exclaimed. “How can one hope to have anything planned in a week? It took a year for Heldon’s wife to get everything planned out when they married.”

“That’s because she is a…” Fowl stopped himself, glancing around the room and noticing the look on his oldest brother’s face. “Someone who wanted things to be perfect.”

Heldon snorted and held up his middle finger.

“You can say it, but I’ll have to tell her what you called her. Just know she’ll come over here with a bar of soap in hand, and I won’t be able to stop her.”

All five dwarves chuckled a bit, and as they sat in wooden chairs pulled up around a fire pit that was mostly embers now, they seemed content.

“I’ve missed this more than words can convey,” Fowl said slowly. “Not being here… not getting to see you all… wondering if I would ever get a chance to sit in the gathering room. All this is a dream come true.”

“Well, it’s your own damn fault,” Motak teased. “You just had to be a fighter. Still, it appears you made the right choice, little brother.”

“Bah, I can kick your arse now!”

“Oh gods, they’re going to compare sizes again,” their sister bemoaned. “Tell me he isn’t like this with your party?”

Batrire sighed and bobbed her head, slowly turning the mug of ale she held.

“Sometimes worse… him and Max—”

“Why did he go by Seth Pendal?” Heldon asked, cutting her off. “If his name is Max, why change it?”

“It’s a long story and not mine to share,” she replied. “Just know he’s probably the kindest human, dwarf, elf, or anything else I’ve ever met in all this world.”

“Yet the stories of what he did in the Colosseum… how can—”

“What would you do to protect your family from a threat?” Fowl asked.

Motak winced at that question, his face looking pained.

“Forgive me… I… I guess I can understand a little bit. Still… I guess I’m grateful you all have him. The way you all joke and talk about each other makes me feel better, knowing you had a family this whole time.”

Fowl smiled and nodded, holding his hand out across the small gap and squeezing Batrire’s when she placed hers in his.

“I am grateful for that. Ockrim does love me. But I can’t stay. We really need to leave in a day or two at the most.”

“What?” Heldon asked, sitting forward in his chair. “You just got here! I mean… it’s…”

The oldest brother motioned with a hand at his siblings.

“We all missed you, and if I’m honest it wasn’t easy obeying Mom and Dad’s orders. Still, why leave so quickly, knowing what you’ve become and that there is no way they can deny Ockrim’s hand upon your life?”

Taking a deep breath, Fowl looked at Batrire and smiled.

“Let’s just say there are lots of commitments we still have to keep. There is also a tower that we need to finish climbing.”

Gasps came from the three Hammerfalls, and all of them stared at him wide-eyed.

“You can’t be serious! The stories of how many die! Why risk it?!”

Squeezing Batrire’s hand again, he let go and then leaned forward, setting the empty cup he was holding onto the stone surrounding the fire pit.

He then rose and gave each of his brothers and his sister a hard look.

“Would each of you stop crafting the moment you leveled your skill to the next? And before you say there is no danger in what we do, that missing patch of hair on your chin proves my point.”

Heldon closed his mouth and reached up, touching the bald spot where some had been burnt off.

“Trust me when I say this group of ours will defeat the tower. One day we will complete something no one else has ever done. When we do… I’m not sure how our lives will change but no matter what, you’ll be able to say you were kin to the dwarf with the biggest balls in the family.”

As he spoke the last line, Fowl puffed out his chest and thrust his hips forward.

Groans came from all four and Thanwuna tossed her cup at him.

“Bah we all know Mom’s got the biggest pair, so stop trying to compete with them.”

Laughing at the cup that bounced off him and the fact he knew his sister was right, Fowl shrugged.

“Regardless, I’m absolutely certain we will defeat the tower.”

He watched as his family all stared at him, each of their faces twisting and contorting differently.

“Just be safe,” Thanwuna said quietly. “I just got you back. I don’t want to lose you again.”

He held his arms out and faced her, and she stood and came to him, the two of them sharing an embrace he had missed for so long.

“Bah, I’ll admit I missed you as well,” Motak stated as he jumped up and joined in the group hug.

A few seconds passed, and a fourth dwarf, followed by a fifth, crowded around, each of them patting a back or shoulder. The group chuckled.

“I’ve missed this… more than you can imagine,” Fowl whispered.

“We can imagine,” Heldon replied. “It’s like a part of us was cut off… the ugly part, but still everyone knows you need that piece to be whole.”

Laughter erupted as their bodies shook, none wanting to break the embrace. Their joyful noise filled the room.

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