Ultimate Level 1

A graveyard half a mile in diameter, filled with corpses rising from the ground filled his vision when his eyes worked.

The same half moon, covered mostly by clouds, revealed in the center a creature he recognized immediately.

It was the appearance of the other two creatures with it that surprised him.

A vampire… a lich and…

He recognized the vampire from the one they had faced, which was a rabbit. This one was over twelve feet tall. Those red eyes told him everything he needed to know. The bone head, wrapped in black robes and the way the eye sockets burned with green magic, was the giveaway for the lich.

A shadow of some kind, that almost looked like fire, wisps of black rising from its arms that were raised upward to join the other two. Long black horns and blue eyes that were almost glowing like gems focused on whatever the trio was up to.

Three bosses, all strong and working together.

Pulling his weapon out, Max took a step forward and felt a wave of power hit him.

The one covered in shadows locked eyes with him.

With effort Max took a step, surprised that somehow he had been stopped for a moment.

The vampire screeched, pointing a finger, and a wave of red power shot toward him.

Without waiting, the lich turned, a bony finger sending a wave of green magic as well.

A wave of a much thicker beam of black came at him from the newest creature and Max held out his shield, allowing all three attacks to strike it.

On the other side, he felt like the magic they had attacked with was sickening. Enough to make one want to vomit. Like grease coating one's body, it felt slick and sick.

Even though they never penetrated his shield and no damage came, just the presence of all three was an overwhelming force of something dark. Something evil.

Had another person been there, they might have thought Max teleported or vanished, but instead he moved with every ounce of speed his body now possessed.

His weapon moved in a slash, taking off the head of the lich before adjusting his strike for the second attack, driving the tip of his halberd through the vampire's heart.

Both were too slow, unable to move or react, each dead as a second ticked by.

A notification popped up, but Max ignored it as the shadowed figure moved and attacked.

The clawed hand it had came in as a slash, faster than he had believed it might, and Max felt the claw almost brush his shoulder as he dodged.

[ Consume has resisted a skill ]

Even though it never touched him, it had an aura.

Slashing at it, the creature vanished, a poof of smoke where his blade cut through.

Another claw came from a shadow behind him, and Max’s shield deflected it.

When the halberd swung, once again the creature was gone, smoke once more where it had struck from.

A dozen attacks came, all in a matter of seconds, and each one resulted in the stalemate of the game they played, blocking and striking, neither landing a blow.

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Undead began to swarm toward him and Max started to cast Fire Nova, wanting to see if not only he could remove the incoming additional monsters but also if he could finally touch the monster he faced.

When his spell began to roll out, waves of flames washing over the dark ground, a soul wrenching howl came and Max watched as the creature appeared suddenly across the entire boss floor, pressed against the wall.

“ How? ”

The sound came from inside his head. Even from a hundred yards, it was as if he stood next to the shadowy figure.

All the undead that had attempted to attack were down, nothing more but ash.

“What are you?” Max asked.

“ I should ask the same… you should not be here! ”

As he talked, Max was casting Ice Prison, preparing for his assault.

“Neither should you!”

The distance between them was gone, and the creature tried to react. As its body began to vanish, ice formed in the middle of the shadow.

Max swung, aiming at the spot where two white crystals had appeared.

Something with substance connected with his blade, and a cry of pain filled his mind.

Turning, there on the other side of the boss floor again was the creature, holding its left arm, having been severed from his strike.

“ No! I was promised! I was–”

Max’s weapon passed through the smoke where the creature's neck had been.

A single cry of some kind raged against his mind once more, and then the presence vanished.

Gone was the aura of evil and the dungeon shook, a massive crack starting to form down the middle of the black dirt ground at the center of the dungeon floor.

It grew deeper and deeper, and then the chest that had spawned fell into a spot and vanished.

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Once more, the dungeon shuddered and the ground closed.

Then a timer appeared above a portal.

What was that?

Max felt his skill trying to respond, yet nothing came.

Without waiting, he moved to the portal and ran back to town.

***

He slowed down as he saw adventurers, most of them looking like they had fought nothing.

“Did you close it?!” an elven mage shouted.

As he drew closer, the party started to recognize who he was, and Max winced at their faces.

“It’s over. Sorry, I made sure it was done. Tell the guards I’m going to go check the other breaks!”

With that, he took off, leaving them behind unable to handle the wide eyes and open mouths that had been his only reply.

***

“Two breaks cleared on your own,” Everett said, his voice not hiding the shock the man felt. “I still hadn’t revealed the gift the Queens sent two days ago, but now I won’t be able to keep it hidden any longer.”

He slid a piece of folded paper across the desk toward Max, resting his chin on both hands.

Reading it, Max winced.

“You can’t be serious? A gold statue?”

A smile appeared as Everett nodded.

“It will be tomorrow. News of what you did is already reaching my ears and I cannot tell you how long it has been since a single climber has done such a feat. I was going to hold off, but now the queens would not be happy to hear I kept it hidden.”

Groaning, Max slouched in his chair.

“Now all I have to do is wait for my party to return.”

Snorting, the older man rapped the desk with his knuckles.

“That makes all this even worse… you cleared two dungeon breaks and made it back before your group.”

***

Dozing, Max called out to his skill, knowing it had tried earlier and failed.

You are fortunate to have survived that encounter.

Max felt like he was drifting in a stream, facing upward in the night sky. Unlike so many other times, he couldn’t see his reflection.

Why are we like this?

For your safety.. You are not fully asleep and I dare not stay long. Someone is still searching and hunting you. Whatever had been promised or planned failed. A trap was being set in that dungeon.

Max tried to speak, but his voice didn’t work.

Listen, I must go quickly. Be careful. Whoever is searching for you has employed another world traveler. That one you faced is weaker here. In their realm… we would most likely lose. You dealt a blow and have either scared off the attacker or will make them risk even more. Just know, either way, it will have to happen sooner than later.

Max started to twist and shake. He felt himself moving and his eyes opened, seeing Tanila bent over, both hands on his shoulders as she straddled him.

“Seth? What’s wrong?!”

Shifting under her, Max blinked.

“What do you mean? I’m fine?”

“You were yelling… I couldn’t understand the words, but I could sense… something is wrong.”

Frowning, Max gently lifted her and set her next to him on the bed, sitting up himself.

“Someone is still trying to kill me. My skill says if they haven’t given up, it will happen soon.”

The white skin of Tanila somehow achieved a paler state as she covered her mouth.

“You can’t be serious… you think this was an attack on you?”

Telling her what he had faced, Max knew when she started biting her lip, he was right.

***

Two days of crafting allowed Max to help out the Faction while staying relaxed and safe from others.

It had been hard, but he played the role of a grateful adventurer when Max watched Everett and the Queen’s attendant uncover the golden statue of him that stood on top of the wall at the main gate. It looked like him. Bald head, holding a halberd, and yet it felt unreal. Like something that didn’t seem possible.

He had stared at it many times, ignoring the teasing that Fowl always seemed ready to give.

All Max could think of was the time he stood at the adventurers' guild in Windsor Wheel and how he had felt looking upon the statue of Seth Pendal.

Now another statue, and yet a different one, was around. One that looked like him and yet didn’t bear his name.

“You’re not paying attention again.”

Tanila’s voice brought him back to the weapon he was trying to engrave. The rune he was trying to etch was wrong, and he sighed, taking the whole blade and placing it in the coals, having to redo everything.

“Can’t handle being a hero and having your own statue?”

He groaned, accepting her gentle ribbing as it was the third time he had messed up because of how his mind wandered.

“You sure you don’t want to stop and do something else?”

Shaking his head, Max frowned.

“We could leave and risk being out around town, and I don’t want to put you in harm's way. For now, we need to make sure we’re ready for tomorrow. Our skills will be reset and we can go fight this boss. After that, we can decide what to do next. Besides, we’re all at max level already for these orange gems. The last few floors were really kind to us.”

Scoffing, Tanila held her book closed with her finger, marking her spot.

“Really kind to us… somehow I’m not sure that’s how I would describe it. Still, you are right. I’m still struggling with the knowledge that you upgraded your Death Magic ability to Rare. Not a skill one should have and yet you increased its power.”

Nodding, Max had finally checked that notification from the dungeon break. It appeared the lich he killed was stronger than the first, and that made him anxious to consider who could have brought forces like that together.

“Eleven more floors… that’s what we need. After that, we can relax.”

Scoffing, Tanila shook her head.

“You? Max Hoste? Relax? I don’t think you understand what that word really means.”

Wagging a finger at her, Max glanced at the blade that had a ways before it would be hot enough to begin the process all over again.

“If we weren’t in the forging area, I’d show you a few things.”

Putting her book away, Tanila leaned forward, holding her chin upward and smirking slightly.

“Big words from a small man…”

Unable to resist, he moved around the table, had her in his arms before she could react, and stopped with his lips an inch away from hers.

“Forgive me princess,” he said, winking at her before kissing her, ignoring the world and grateful for not just this moment but a woman who was content to make moments like this.

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