Ultimate Level 1

You’re quiet… even for you. What is wrong?

His hammer pounded the metal and shaped it as he knew it needed to be, glad to see the image in his head start to come to life.

Erwini had procured a lot of different materials for him to work with, each weapon an epic quality one, designed to help the members as they climbed the tower.

Why won’t you reply?

After what felt like an eternity or at least two hammers having been halfway completed, Bob finally spoke.

I didn’t know how to process the question you asked earlier. For me… I’ve always been focused on myself and you. Part of me resented in the past your friends and now family because they prevented me from being able to have you give into the hunger.

Love was always something I feared… the power of it is impossible to control, and when it is skewed or one is hurt by those they love, it causes damage that can undo everything or turn someone into a raging monster.

Max stored the hammerhead he was working on and stood there, focused on the conversation taking place with his skill.

There is great power and danger in the concept of love. I would kill for those I love. You know that. Even when I couldn’t bring myself to dish out punishment, anytime they were in danger I never hesitated in that moment to end the life of any threat.

Yes… and when we were on Igarra’s world, I knew that the love and commitment to Tanila and your friends was the only thing that kept you from turning into the very thing I had at one time hoped for. No matter how much a part of me really wanted you to give in there, there was a part that knew I couldn’t let you… a part that… cared about the others.

Bob went silent again for a few moments.

Is that a bad thing?

No… but it scares me. My first thought is always to you because we are tied together. What happens if something takes place and we have to choose between ourselves and them?

We choose them. No questions asked.

But if we do that and die, perhaps more suffer and are lost because we couldn’t choose the best path, which means sacrificing one of them.

Is that what this is about? If I had to choose who to let die?

Yes… or no… or… I’m not sure. All these emotions suddenly hit when you asked me this question, and it strummed a thread that was buried deep within. An ache or pain I didn’t realize I had inside me.

So what would you do if it was between Tanila and myself? Would you stop or try to stop me from saving her, even if we both knew it meant our death?

No. I know that the only outcome that would matter is saving her for you. Even now, with her carrying your child, she is far more valuable to you than anything else. It is why you seem to focus on everything she does. Yet if you had to choose between her and Batrire or her and Fowl, which would you choose?

I…

Max lost his voice, knowing that this was something he had weighed in his mind so many times before and never came up with a good answer.

I would react as best as possible, but we both know that Tanila would want me to save the other.

Even if it meant losing her and your unborn child?

Clearing his throat, Max groaned.

There is no right answer. We both know this. In that moment a decision has to be made. Someone will live, and someone will die. If I can’t save both, I would rather endure the anger and pain of her being mad at me for not saving someone else than to lose her.

And what about when your child is born and you must choose between the two?

Max felt his legs weaken, and he put his hand on the stone table he was standing near.

No words came, and as he regained his strength he cursed under his breath.

I know… there is no right answer. Now you know why I am silent, because I suddenly feel the tingling of your own concern and love for your friends and family, and I am afraid I might shift and shape your decision in who might be saved.

And if I blamed you for the decision that was made…

Yes. We would be divided again, and the odds of us surviving what is coming would most likely be impossible to overcome.

Nodding to no one, Max spat on the ground and then twirled the hammer he still held.

Suddenly I feel the need to beat some metal for a bit. Care to join me?

I think I do.

***

“You sure you’ll be okay?” Tanila asked as she waited for him to climb out of the cart. “You never came to bed.”

Nodding, Max moved to where she stood and pulled her close, kissing her on the cheek.

“I needed to work out some frustration and it turns out weaponsmithing is a way to clear one’s mind while accomplishing things that need to get done.”

“So you’re the reason Erwini was in such a good mood this morning?”

Nodding, he motioned to the entrance of the wall that led to the tower.

“Let’s catch up with the others. I’m ready for whatever the floor throws at us today.”

***

“I take it back,” Max said as he stared across the vast expanse of blackened soil, a full moon shining up above.

The smell of rotting flesh drifted across the slight breeze that blew, cold and unwelcoming.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

As far as he could make out, on the tower floor were thousands of tombs, graves, and markers, all signaling where someone or something might be buried.

“What did I miss?” Fowl asked. “What are you taking back?”

“Just ran my mouth when I shouldn’t have. Still, I guess that’s what I get for being an idiot.”

“Gods, we’re in trouble if Max is an idiot,” Cordellia teased. “What happens when Fowl realizes what he is?”

Shaking his head, Max’s gaze cut off all the joking that was about to take place.

“Not today. This isn’t something we need to fool around with. My abilities we all know don’t work that great against the undead, and it appears we are about to face a whole tower floor made of something that limits just how much I can do. Right now our choices are grind this the old fashion way, let me run around and slaughter everything I can, doing my best to not waste mana and slowly expand in a circle around you all. Or…”

“We skip the floor.”

Nodding at Tanila’s answer, Max motioned to the tower floor they were looking at.

“Opinions?”

“One day we may face a floor like this and not have the luxury of just leaving it,” Batrire replied. “I understand your concern, but surely you can overpower them all. Right?”

“Yes, but that leaves you all here alone by the portal. Are you okay with that?”

A chair appeared in Fowl’s hand, and he placed it down in the black soil between the portal and their team.

“If I need to sit here all day while you clear this floor and earn us all experience, I guess I’ll endure.”

Shaking his head, Max gave his friend a gentle tap on the shoulder.

“Always knew I could count on you to do the hard stuff.”

“Always.”

***

Hundreds of purple gems floated through the night air, following Max as he ran around the tower floor, his axe cleaving the head off every creature before they could react. None took more than a single strike, and sometimes a few were close enough together that he could behead them in one attack.

You’re doing what needs to be done.

We say that, but one moment I’m too weak for not killing someone that deserves it, and the next I’m not making my team fight a battle they might wish we had practiced against.

Why? Tanila’s fire spells would destroy most of these things with her familiar. Even Cordellia’s elemental arrows would cause major damage, and we both know she could headshot most of these undead.

With Fowl’s skills and armor he could handle the damage done while Batrire kept him alive. You wouldn’t even have to be as strong as you are, simply closer to what they were, and I have no doubt you all could defeat them.

His weapon swung again, taking down another pair as he streaked across the floor like a bolt of lighting.

True… Sorry, I’m still a bit worked up from last night.

And here I thought we had hammered it all out.

Unable to stop himself, Max started to laugh as he raced across the ground, bringing death and laughter to everything that was in his path.

***

“Are you okay? You seem different?”

Max nodded and gave Tanila a hug as he pulled her close.

“Just a conversation or two with Bob. Made me really think about how much I love you and the others.”

“We know that,” she replied, snuggling against him as they lay in bed. “You don’t have to tell us or do crazy things to show us that. None of us ever doubt how you care about us.”

“I know… still I think we should rest. Tomorrow is a big day, and I’m not sure how it’s going to go.”

“For you,” Tanila muttered. “I’m going to be here helping to train mages while you and Fowl run off to the castle, and you get to work in the dwarven forge. I mean, Cordellia and I didn’t even get an invite.”

“Did you want to come watch me make weapons all day?”

Pushing her hip back quickly, she grunted.

“Maybe… maybe not. It’s just that Dagon didn’t invite me. Surely he must know I take offense to that.”

“Perhaps he took offense for being compared to your father, regardless of how true that might have been in that moment.”

“Men… dwarves…” Tanila huffed. “Almost as bad as women.”

Using his free hand, Max carefully moved her unbraided hair that covered her neck and began to kiss it slowly.

“All men or just those who don’t appreciate you and how great you are?”

She let a small moan out and shook her head slowly.

“Sometimes I really do believe there is more to how smart you are than just how many points of intelligence you have.”

Chuckling, Max kissed her neck with a little more fervor and then laughed.

“I can stop if you want,” he said, his breath hot against her skin.

“Not if you want to sleep with me tonight.”

***

“You’re smiling more than usual. Something happened that I’m not aware of?”

Max shrugged as they rode in the carriage the king had sent for them.

“So tell me about this forge.”

“Bah, you’re changing the subject. Besides, you already know everything I told you about it. Nothing you’ve seen or worked in compares to this one. Metal, ore, material, things most crafters would only dream of are present in the forge. To be allowed in there is an honor almost as great as being chosen for the King’s Guard.”

“Which is why you wanted to come?”

Fowl nodded and looked out the window as the capital slowly passed by.

“Even though I never wanted to really be a weapon or armor smith, there was always a part of me that wanted to get a glimpse of the king’s forge. So many stories were told by my grandfather about the things that were crafted there. Things of legends from times long ago.”

“So do you think I’ll be able to find things we need there?”

Shrugging his shoulders, his friend frowned.

“Honestly, I am certain you will. The problem will be getting permission to have it for yourself.”

“Even with my token?”

The mentioning of it made Fowl perk up, his eyes scanning Max’s hand.

“Uh… yeah even with that… unless of course you want to trade it.”

Max nodded and considered that for a moment.

Thoughts? Should we trade it?

I’m not certain. The material is unique, and as you can see everyone wants it. Why I’m not sure. Perhaps it is a connection to Ockrim.

So don’t trade it unless I have to.

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