Ultimate Level 1-Chapter 458: Floor 62

Chapter 458 - Floor 62

“Finally,” Fowl muttered as everyone stared at the portal in the chamber before them.

“Yeah, because a large room like this with nothing but it can’t be bad, can it?”

Their warrior gave Cordellia the middle finger as they stood just outside the entrance to a two-hundred-yard circular cave.

Thick, slimy mud caked each of them. Eventually, they gave up trying to clean it off, unable to prevent the stuff from finding its way onto their armor and clothes. It was only worth having Max remove it when they took a break to rest for a few hours.

“Two days… two days without a real bathroom. We’re so close I can feel it.”

“Feel what?”

A sinister smile appeared on Fowl’s lips. “The turtle… it’s ready to pop out of its shell.”

Groans came from each of them as Max tried to sense something with his sonar. As with every other time, nothing appeared until the mud golems began to form. Countless times they would walk along a tunnel only to have them appear before, in the middle, and behind them.

“I say we just run for it,” Tanila muttered. “If this place is anything like the other floor, we could face a hundred or more of those things.”

“Bah, Max can kill them all while running around in circles.”

Still frowning, he ignored his friend, knowing there was probably something boss-sized, if not lots of golems, waiting between them and the portal.

“I’m not saying I can’t kill them all alone. I’m more concerned with how we can do this as a group.”

“You’re seriously wanting us to fight?” Fowl asked.

Nodding, he pointed at the portal. “We can make a break for it, but time isn’t important. Our tunnel isn’t the greatest choke point, but we could limit the numbers that come through with a few barriers. From there it’s just the same thing as that tower floor with the minatours.”

“So you’re going to use your ability to change the earth again? That didn’t work at all like you hoped.”

Tanila was right. No matter how hard he worked, it was like trying to hold liquid in a bucket with holes.

“I still don’t see why we don’t just rush through and get out. No point worrying about this yet,” their archer said. “Fowl’s right. It’s been a long couple of days, and our fighting here doesn’t prove a point. And don’t start quoting that we need to fight crap as we’ve been doing that for days.”

Frustrated, he turned on them and pointed a finger at the two biggest complainers. “I’m not sure what’s crawled up your arses, but three days ago you wanted to fight. Now after a hard two days you suddenly want to just call it quits or have me do the rest of the floor. I won’t argue if that’s the whole group's decision, but why are you acting this way?”

“Because those fights weren’t easy and facing a hundred of them is impossible!” Cordellia yelled. “I’m not a coward and I’m not saying let’s go home, but I’m scared… Dagon’s room… it showed me the pain of dying and for some reason, I feel if we go in there and fight these as a group… someone will die.”

Her words caught him off guard and looking at his friend, he could see Fowl’s head moving slightly up and down. “I wouldn’t let you die.”

She snorted. “But that’s the thing. You couldn’t stop Dagon from killing us,” she replied, holding a hand up to stop him from talking. “Sure he’s the dwarven king and super strong, but be honest with yourself. Are you really willing to risk our lives to prove a point?”

Bob?

I’m not sure I should answer this. Look at them. All of them are a bit fearful. She’s just brave enough to tell you. She is also right. All it takes is one moment, one slip up, something to go wrong, and someone could die.

If there is a boss-like creature, and it does something you’re not prepared for, there may not be time to save one of them. So either walk in there and kill whatever might appear or carry them across to safety. Pushing this issue right now in this place isn’t going to solve anything.

“You’re right,” Max said. “I can’t promise I will always be able to protect you. But I’ll never stop trying.” He summoned his dimensional space and motioned to it. “Go ahead and get inside. I’ll take care of it.”

“Max–”

He turned as Cordellia said his name and held out her hand, ignoring her as he ran into the cave.

Sure enough, as he approached the portal, shapes began to form.

He closed his eyes, angry and frustrated at himself and a dozen other things.

You can help or not. Either way I’m going to destroy every one of these things.

There is no need to ask. I’m here to help.

***

[ Tower Floor 63 Reached ]

[ Completion of Tower Floor 62 Achieved ]

[ Full Level of Tower Experience Granted ]

[ Calculating Results of Previous Floor ]

[ … ]

[ … ]

[ Results Totaled ]

[ Time Spent on Floor is within top 20% ]

[ Number of Kills on Floor is in top 20% ]

[ Calculating Rewards ]

[ No Rewards Earned ]

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Max sighed as he lifted his fingers off the crystal circle.

Even the calm sounds of the water crashing against the sand of the next tower floor couldn’t make him let go of his frustration.

“I’ll meet you all later. I need to go do something.”

He ignored their attempts at stopping him, thankful Tanila said nothing, her face showing she understood.

Outside of the tower, he immediately teleported outside of Aerthen’s lair.

Go. I’ve got this.

Trying as hard as he could, Max closed his eyes and focused on breathing as Bob activated haste and flew like a star across the night sky.

He knew exactly which way Rakonath was and needed to be near him.

***

“I sensed you approaching me, so Aerthen told me to head to you.”

Max sighed, content to lean against the silver scales of his dragon, the tip of Rakonath’s tail draped over his leg.

“Thank you for coming. You saved me a few hours at least.”

A low thrum came and a pair of silver eyes stared at him.

“I doubt that. You were moving much faster than I could. How you maintained that for so long is impressive. Even Aerthen said that she couldn’t have caught you.”

“Well, my friend helped. He knows how badly I wanted to see you.”

“Tell him thank you… even though I know he can hear me.”

A chuckle came inside his head, and Rakonath started to thrum again.

“Yes… I can sense that… Bob was it? Bob found that humerous.”

“He can hear you, but don’t worry. He likes you. I didn’t pick that name to be kind the first time, but he’s come to accept it. Now forget about all that. Tell me, what have you been up to? You’ve grown more than I thought in just a few weeks.”

“Most of my growth is still because of the elf you fed me. I’ve almost absorbed most of it, and soon, I’ll need to start seeking other creatures who can sustain me.”

“You know, I can always get you more items.”

Rakonath huffed. “While I appreciate the offer, I must also learn to provide for myself. I think what you are doing now is part of the problem you are suffering with the others.”

Frowning, Max realized that his dragon had just hit the nail on the head. “Is it really bad that I’m offering to help?”

“No. But sometimes, you must let others rise and fall on their own.”

Shaking his head, Max scratched at the scales on the tail and gazed into the giant silver eyes. “Are you able to read my thoughts? How do you know exactly what I’m dealing with?”

“Our connection shares some of the fragments. I can sense some of it like a bad dream, but it is unclear. You’re trying to get them to do something, and it didn’t go well, did it?”

Taking a deep breath, Max laid out everything that had happened in the last few days.”

***

“So what do you think?”

Rakonath’s thrum made his whole body move as the dragon shook his head.

“I think you need to figure this out on your own. Aerthen would tell me that some problems are best solved only by us, and having someone else do it prevents us from learning. You know the answer right now even if you do not want to admit it. There are countless paths to take, and yet, I believe you are able to see all of them.”

Giving the tail a gentle slap Max frowned. “You’re worse than Tanila sometimes. Bob, too.”

“Friends tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear in tough moments.”

Perhaps you need Aerthen to take you under her wing for a bit. It appears your dragon is wiser than most of your friends.

Returning his hand to the tail, Max scratched them again as he considered his options. “You know my greatest fear.”

“Being alone and losing everyone you love.”

It was as if Rakonath had taken a dagger and pierced his heart.

The truth of that statement made him rub his chest. “All I ever wanted was a simple life… and now all I want is to find a way to protect everyone I love.”

“Even the dragon must leave home. When they do, their mother does not chase after them. You must allow them to grow as they did when you were gone on that other world.”

Glancing toward the sun, which was starting to make its presence known, Max took a moment to enjoy the beauty of the small clearing they were relaxing in.

“I need to go back to them… you know that.”

“Yes,” Rakonath replied. “Do not worry about me. I am growing, and soon enough, I shall be able to join you in your adventures.”

“How soon are we talking about?”

“A few months, according to Aerthen. She says I should be safe with you, especially if I can take to the air. Her biggest concern is if the tower will let me enter with you. Since I have never attempted to enter it, there may be no way for me to do so without completing all of the levels and catching up.”

”Some of the tower floors we have done do not have a sky you could fly around in. I’m not certain how that would work.”

“Then I will have to wait and try. Otherwise, there is no point in worrying about what we cannot change right now. Instead, go home and tell Tanila I sent my greetings.”

Chuckling, Max slowly lifted the tail off his legs and set it down, allowing himself to stand.

“You know… sometimes I think you’re smarter than Fowl.”

“Oh, there is no doubt I am. Besides, he is wise in different ways.”

“Like what?”

“His knowledge of ale and alcohol is extensive from what I’ve gathered. Perhaps in time, I will be able to gain as much knowledge of them as him.”

Laughing, Max scratched the scales on his dragon's side before gently patting him.

“Thank you for coming and letting me see you.”

“Thank you for wanting to. It means more to me than you know that when you were hurting, you sought me out.”

With one last scratch, he watched as Rakonath took to the skies, flying toward the rising sun, his scales catching the colors of the morning and sparkling like jewels.

Who would have imagined I’d be so lucky?

You, Max Hoste, are incredibly blessed. Few could compare to having the family and friends you do, as well as me and that dragon. Now go and do what he told you to. It’s time to return home and face your friends.

‎