Ultimate Level 1-Chapter 451: A Message Delivered

The carriage he and Tanila shared with Vella was quiet beyond the first few questions the captain asked about his tower experience.

He could sense that she was nervous, and it took him longer to realize why than he had wished.

We’re giving off an aura like those guards and Dagon did. How do we turn it off?

Bob said nothing momentarily, and then Max could feel something inside him vanish.

Imagine yourself putting on a mask before battle. I just took it off. Try to put it back on and then undo it.

Tanila glanced at him, sensing the change, as did Vella. Max ignored them both for a moment and closed his eyes.

Inside, he tried to imagine how he and Fowl used to prepare for a fight, psyching themselves up. After about five seconds, he found the switch, and his sonar told him both women had leaned back a little.

“Max…”

Just as quickly, he undid it and felt Vella let out the breath she had just taken.

“We’re giving off an aura, and I think it’s bothering her,” Max stated as he opened his eyes and motioned at the captain, who looked a little pale. “Think about taking a mask off. Like you were prepared for battle and–”

Immediately, Tanila’s aura, which he sensed, was gone, and she smiled.

“That was… fast.”

“Lots of time in my life wearing masks. I started to figure out what you had done after you had canceled it and turned it back on. So is this what the guards had?”

Nodding, he smiled at Vella, who was breathing a little bit easier.

“Thank you for whatever that was,” she said after clearing her throat. “It was like something was trying to suffocate me. Sitting this close was overpowering. The longer I felt it, the worse it got. It’s new, so I’m guessing the tower.”

His neck froze as he tried to nod, but his mouth got caught on nothing.

Tanila's face showed surprise as hers mimicked his.

“Some things… we can’t talk about,” he got out with a slight gasp. “Not because we don’t want to but because we can’t.”

A single nod was all the captain gave as she shifted her large body on the bench she was on.

“I’ve read reports and understand. Say no more. Forgive me also for ambushing you. I’m afraid it appears that the zealots are active again.”

Her frown said more than the tone of her voice, and Max grabbed Tanila’s hand and felt her grip tighten immediately.

“What has happened?”

“I’m not sure what it is, but a small village is… gone. I mean… the bodies are there, but…”

Her voice trailed off as she glanced out of the carriage.

He looked at Tanila, and his eyes begged a question he doubted she would answer.

Shaking her head, the woman he loved frowned.

The rest of the ride wasn’t any better.

***

“We’re going to use the transportation feature as it’s faster,” Vella said as they huddled together in the crystal square on the floor. “It’s a few days' ride outside of town, and I know you can get back without a problem once we’re done.”

A chuckle from their archer caused the captain to glance at her, and Cordellia almost took a step back.

“I’m glad you taught us how to turn that off,” Fowl whispered as they watched the attendant at the adventurer's guild leave and shut the door they were in. It explains why everyone was acting the way they did around us.”

“And here I thought it was that they all wondered how you managed to marry a dwarf like me,” Batrire teased.

During the light banter, the room began to flicker as the power inside the crystals grew.

“Tighten your stomach,” Max said before it transported them.

***

Tears flowed down Tanila’s face, and Batrire rubbed her friend's back.

Over fifty bodies lay in a row, guards slowly covering and uncovering the corpses as Max and Vella continued to inspect them all.

When the pair returned, a rage that had long been suppressed was about to explode.

Children… almost two dozen children… I’m going to kill her!

The time will come. Calm yourself. Right now, that is what you need. When the moment appears, I will ensure you can release that rage.

Taking a deep breath, Max let it out slowly and reached for Tanila’s hand, smiling when she took it.

“So it was her. You’re certain?”

Nodding, their mage sniffed and used the handkerchief Max had given her to blot out the flow of liquid from her eyes.

“That imprint on their forehead with the lipstick. It’s her calling card. For her to be so obvious is… bad.”

“Our reports have told us about it, but to have you both confirm it means a lot. The Enlightened Souls have not been very helpful. I asked for some confirmation, but the response I got was basically to go hump an ogre or two.”

“Elves do not like to talk about this,” Cordellia said quietly. “To do so… is very dangerous, but yes, that is the mark of one of the princesses of the King.”

The captain’s frown grew as she nodded once.

“And there isn’t anything I can do. Even if we were to catch her inside our kingdom, the political problems would be…”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Max watched as the woman tried to come up with an ending to her statement.

“Don’t try to catch her,” Tanila said, her posture regaining its normal stance. “She is too strong. If your guards attempted to do so, the ones she travels with and herself would easily defeat them.”

“What about Max?”

He could see Tanila flinch and the slightest downturn of her lips before they returned to their neutral state.

“I would say I would bet on him, but I cannot be certain. Her power is a strong one… and if she is being this bold… I think she is trying to call him out.”

Vella’s frown turned into a grinding noise as her jaw muscles bulged.

“She is that strong or that stupid to try and gain his attention?”

“Yes.”

Both women stared at each other, and then the captain broke the gaze first.

“You need to be safe and not involve yourself in this.”

Max laughed and shook his head at the woman who still towered above him.

“I think we both know that’s not going to happen. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have brought me out here and shown me this. I’m guessing that’s the official stance, and Major Greyson wants me to know he can’t ask for help officially?”

Slowly, the woman’s frown lessened.

“We are unable to ask tower climbers to engage in kingdom disputes. Doing so would potentially lead to another great war like the last one that took place. However… if an individual such as yourself, who has been targeted by the zealot group multiple times, learned about this… and chose to involve themself… How could I, a simple captain, hope to stop you?”

Nodding, Max squeezed Tanila’s hand before freeing it and holding it out.

“Then I appreciate you showing me this and telling me not to get involved, Captain Vella. If I do, I’ll make sure not to inform you.”

The first smile since they arrived on the woman’s tanned face, and she took his hand and shook it.

“Be safe, Max Hoste. Our kingdom owes you much, and I would hate to hear you stumbled into something you couldn’t deal with.”

***

“No one talks about this back in the city, understood?”

Everyone nodded as they waited for Max to return them to Peltagow.

“When we’re alone, that’s fine, but I don’t want my family or anyone else, not even Everett, involved in this.”

“But he could help,” Fowl protested. “He could–”

“Get involved in a kingdom problem,” Batrire said, cutting him off. “We both know the stories. Factions and adventures involved in kingdom strife is a bad thing, and the only people who suffer are the common ones.”

Spitting on the ground, their warrior let out a grunt.

“Don’t feel bad, shorty. I’m just as pissed,” Cordellia stated. “It’s my people doing this crap, and no one seems to care.”

“Some of us care,” Tanila corrected her. “We’re going to stop her, one way or another.”

“Just how strong is she?” Max asked.

“Her skill has many names, but it's often called the Devouring Kiss. Unlike your skill, which requires you to kill something to get their power, she has to kiss them right here.”

She was tapping her forehead.

“Anywhere else doesn’t work. She also has to hold that position for a while, and it’s like… drinking through a straw.”

Fowl let out a retching sound.

That is a dangerous skill if given time to grow. One of the stronger skills stems from my fellow black ones.

Are we in danger of it?

Only if you allowed her to hold you still while she attempted. I would do everything within my power to stop such an attempt, even if you were unconscious or something else.

I could potentially resist her for a while, but depending on her strength and how long it went on… even a stone can be worn down by enough water dripping on it over time.

“Any other skills?”

“Oh, she’s a gifted fighter with a blade,” Tanila replied. “Where I’m great with spells, she is the same with weapons.”

“So what I’m hearing is she could beat Max?”

Their mage frowned and shook her head at Fowl.

“I’m not saying she can. What I am saying is we shouldn’t underestimate her. She has never been this bold before. For her to do so now… she was told to or wanted to.”

“Your father?”

“Perhaps. I doubt my mother could stand up to her if she were this bold. Unlike me, she hasn’t hesitated to grow stronger.”

“What would a village like that offer her?” Batrire asked.

“Nothing… it would be like Max going out and killing a thousand goblins in a starting zone. There is no point unless one is sending a message.”

For a minute, a gentle breeze and a few birds were all the noise as everyone considered what had happened.

“I guess we should return home then,” Max stated. “We can spend a day or two there and then visit Dagon before we hit the tower again.”

Everyone gathered close, letting him touch them as they prepared to leave.

***

Stacy stared at the two purple gems on the small table.

“You’re serious?”

“And you act like I didn’t just give you a potion that gave 58 stat points.”

“No! I mean, yes! I mean… but skills. SKILLS!”

She waved both hands in the air as her parents sat next to each other on the couch, each looking on in shock.

“Yes. I’m giving them to you. They could be anything, and I mean anything . You could end up with a sewing skill or be able to call upon the power of lightning.”

“What about… like your skill?” Her voice had almost cracked as she asked that.

“No,” Max replied with a grin. “Mine is unique. Besides, I’m pretty sure I’m the only one who can handle it.”

A grunt from Bob and what felt like an eye roll came through their bond.

“So what do I do? Just hold it and crush it?” Stacy asked as she picked up the first one he wanted her to try.

“Yup! Show me how strong you are.”

He watched as his sister inspected the purple gem closely, noting that it took up most of her palm.

It looked like a large precious gem, yet he knew she could sense its power.

“Here goes nothing,” Stacy said, grinning the entire time.

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