Ultimate Level 1

“I’m sorry, sir, but the road ends here. All that I can find is a clearing to camp the night in if we really want to, but honestly, I think we should press on and see if what you’re looking for is farther down the road.”

Max could see the way their driver, Blake, was shifting. His head constantly turned to look down the road and in the direction he wanted to go. His gray hair was cut short, the only measure of how old the man Everett charged with watching them was.

I can sense it, and it appears that only Tanila and Batrire can as well. Is there really a spell to make people want to move on?

That is the only conclusion I can think of. Look at the spot to camp . It’s nothing but a clearing not near big enough for more than one carriage or cart. It’s like it was purposely created to persuade someone from stopping yet a landmark for anyone who knows what they’re looking for.

Max nodded, even though he didn’t agree with the advice he had just been given.

“We’ll camp here tonight. Don’t worry. Just focus on setting up a few things, and we can decide what to do in the morning.”

“Are you certain, sir? I mean… we have at least three hours of light before it gets dark. Plenty of time to find another spot.”

Putting his hand on the driver’s shoulder, Max nodded.

“We’ll be fine.”

A pained look came over him, but after a few more seconds, Blake turned and began doing what he had been instructed, starting the process of leading the horses and the carriage into the area Max had pointed at.

“Why is it that my brain hurts?” Fowl asked, squinting from an obvious pain.

“Your item went off, a sure sign that you resisted the attempt to persuade you to leave like Blake wants,” Max replied. “That’s why I had you here with me. To see how he acted.”

Grumbling, their dwarven warrior blinked a few times before looking at Max.

“What or who are we messing with that can create something so strange like this?”

“I’m not sure, but hopefully we’ll find out soon enough.”

***

“You should be the one doing the tracking,” Cordellia whispered as the five of them moved along an old trail that she had spotted. Once they moved north past the area, the carriage would stay tonight. “This trail looks old to my eyes at first glance, as if it hasn’t been used in ages, but when I get down and inspect the actual dirt, I can see the wear. Whatever magic is on this… it’s strong.”

“Still, it’s wide enough for a cart or carriage to easily move through it. The hardest part would have been just getting through the slightly larger pair of trees that looked like it would be too small.”

She nodded and bent down again, cursing under her breath as she ran a finger along the packed soil.

“I’m not excited about this at all, Max. What in the gods are we getting into?”

Sighing at hearing that question again, he shrugged.

“If I knew that, I would feel a whole lot better. Whatever it is, though, we’re about to find out.”

***

Hidden in the treeline that ended after a few miles, Max and the others gazed across the farmland that surrounded a town that appeared to have a stone wall.

“Two miles… maybe a little more or less. Still, that’s a lot of farming and a decent amount of livestock if my eyes are right,” he said. “Based on how this is growing, I think the land is probably magically enhanced, and that means they could support at least a small town of a hundred.”

“But why have such large walls?” Batrire asked. “There were no animal tracks. In fact the forest was almost too quiet. Like all the game has been driven away, just like we were.”

“Someone has spent a lot of gold and energy to create this place,” Tanila declared as she held out her hand a few inches from the soil. “I can feel the amount of magic inside it. To know that they have done this is… impressive and scary.”

“We can’t approach without being seen,” their ranger pointed out. “The walls are tall enough, and I can make out what is most likely a guard tower. Based on everything we’ve found, I’m guessing they are manned day and night.”

“So… how are we going to get in?” Fowl asked.

“You’re not,” Max answered as he fought back the sensation of concern coming from Bob. “I’ll scout it out tonight and then see what I can find. After that I’ll return and we can decide how to approach.”

“What? You’re going in alone?”

“He’s the only one, my love,” Batrire said. “Think about it. We can’t get inside. Even at night there is no telling what might be out there, waiting for one of us to walk over and alert everyone or even hurt us.”

Motioning to the trees behind them, Max led his friends deeper into the shadows of the trees.

“Listen. I’m not sure what I’m going to find, and I need each of you to promise me that you’ll stay here. No matter what.”

His gaze fell on Tanila, who glared back for a moment before finally giving him a single nod.

“You’re not going to be stupid, are you?” Fowl asked.

“He’s a warrior. Of course, he’s going to be stupid,” their ranger replied with a grin. “I’m just glad to know if anyone can be and get away with it, Max can.”

Rolling his eyes, all he could do was consider what was going to happen in the next few hours after the sun went down completely.

You’ve been awfully quiet lately. I can sense your trepidation. What’s up?

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

I don’t know how to describe what I feel. Something is… different here. Like when we were on the other world, the way in which the system interacted with you. I can engage with it when you gain skills or stats. The amount of time varies, and the concept of speed isn’t one you can truly fathom yet. When we were in the system together, I know it seemed like forever, but as I told you before, it was barely a second.

Max tapped his temple to let everyone know why he hadn’t responded yet.

Still, it seems weird that something could be here like this. Wouldn’t Phaius know about it? Doesn’t that make him the monster we thought he was?

No… remember you are a monster to most. Does that mean because most feel you are one, you must be? Is it then fair for everyone to hunt you and try to kill you? We always come back to this same line of questions and answers. Just because one animal believes it is okay to kill and eat their offspring does not mean it is right. Whatever is happening in this area, someone has a reason for it. While you might not agree with the reason, the question is more about its purpose. You need to figure out why so much has been done to cull those like yourself and your sister.

He couldn’t help but frown at Bob, mentioning the danger his sister would have been in had he not been there.

“Sorry… a lot to discuss,” Max said slowly. “This area feels different, kind of similar to the world I was trapped on.”

“Different, how?” Tanila asked as she cocked an eyebrow.

“I’m not certain, and neither is he. Just that the system doesn’t feel how it normally does, compared to everywhere else we have been.”

She huffed, and Max studied the others who all had a frown on their faces.

“Just tell me we’re not going to die,” Fowl said. “I want to get married first and then know Batrire did it.”

Unable to help himself, laughter came from his mouth as his dwarven friend grinned and winked at him.

“Loosen up, Max. You don’t have to do this alone. We’re here.”

Nodding, he gave his brother-in-arms a gentle pat on the shoulder and then pointed at a small section in the trees.

“I’m going to take a nap if no one minds. Can someone wake me up when it’s dark?”

“You four go ahead and rest,” Cordellia said as she moved back toward the treeline. “I’ll keep watch. Just make sure Fowl doesn’t give our position away with his snoring.”

***

“Be safe,” Tanila whispered as he kissed her on the cheek. “You don’t want me coming in there to rescue you.”

Even though it was almost pitch-black in the shadow of the trees, Max stroked her lips with his thumb and smiled.

“I’d almost let myself get caught just to watch you in action. Your gold hair shimmering in the night. That’s something every man wants to see coming to save them.”

Groaning, she gave him a playful shove and said nothing else as he turned, moving to the edge of the trees.

He took a deep breath, seeing the tiny lights that were barely visible on the walls.

Are you ready? I feel some conflict inside you.

It’s just nerves. There is no way to know what is inside, and that part almost scares me. With how long this has been going on… Forget it. Let’s go.

Bob didn’t wait as Max moved, a spear made of air appearing before him. All it took was a small jump, and soon he was moving through the night sky. Like an arrow aimed at a target, he flew toward the town no one seemed to know anything about.

Every second took him higher into the sky, and now that the wall was no longer blocking the view from above, the dim lights in the town below were visible.

A cold wind rushed against his bare skin, but Max ignored it like all the other times he traveled this way. It was nothing compared to the cold he had experienced in so many fights.

It looks much bigger from up here. I’m impressed at how symmetrical the city is.

Bob’s acknowledgment came through their connection. The city looked like a wheel, with perfectly lined streets leading to a circular building in the middle.

I think we could conclude that is the place we need to head to. It would appear that even now the walls have more guards than we would have assumed.

Counting from what he could make out, the idea that there were at least thirty guards stationed around the walls made a small knot in his stomach grow.

That many? Do you think they know about Terrance and the others? About me?

Surely they should have returned by now. Perhaps if you didn’t have to take that egg to the south and find it a home we might have surprised them, but it does appear that someone knows things aren’t right. Why else would there be that many on the walls?

Each street had lights that illuminated it enough to mark the edge of buildings, and the occasional person could be seen traveling on one of them.

Let’s descend slowly. I don’t want to make as much noise or impact as we did last time.

That was your choice. Still a wise plan. I can sense that beyond that, you’re not really certain about what we will do once we land.

I’m just making this up as I go. You know that.

The tiniest thread of amusement felt like a chuckle in his mind, and then Bob went silent. They began to descend quickly, falling like an arrow that had reached its zenith in the sky.

Instead of heading to the building in the center, Max’s aim was one just across the street, unsure what traps or other nasty surprises could be awaiting them.

About fifty yards from the roof he was aimed at, Bob created an air spear that Max grabbed onto, the momentum slowing him as the spell caught his speed, falling under his weight and slowing down as mana poured into it, directing it in a way he hadn’t ever known was possible until Bob began to show him new things he could do.

Like a feather, the last few feet came, and without making a sound, his boots touched down on the stone roof.

Stone out here… I wasn’t sure but…

Max stopped his thought, holding his hand close to the building’s roof.

There is magic infused in this. You can feel it, can’t you?

If you can, then I can… Still, it would appear they are building a city designed to evade notice and potentially withstand something. The question again is what?

Frowning, Max looked over the edge across the street.

The worked blocks were laid perfectly in a circular design, matching the one he almost recognized from the tower and the werewolf floor. Each appeared to have no gap between them, his Sonar reading the area around him.

Two lamp posts were on opposite ends of the building on the street, a lightstone in each, illuminating just enough to cover the sidewalk and most of the road.

Across from him, he saw the building, its circular shape different from all the others, which were square.

Four stories… barred windows… and not a single guard out front. That doesn’t seem bad at all.

If this adventuring thing doesn’t work out, perhaps you can find someone with a jester skill and take it from them. Your jokes are getting as bad as your dwarven friends’.

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