Ultimate Level 1

Chapter 181: The Tower Within the Tower

“Remind me again what happened?” Cordellia asked again. “Seth killed all of these?”

Tanila nodded and shrugged. “You and Fowl could not react after that massive werewolf used its intimidation ability. Thankfully, he had one special spell to help against all of these.”

The archer nodded, remembering some of it but not enough.

Max and Fowl were standing outside the tower's door, and both of them were still debating the choice before them.

“Tanila’s right, the portal out of here has to be somewhere else,” Fowl said again. “No tower floor would be locked behind a door like this.”

“Which begs the question again, what can be behind the door?”

Fowl shrugged. “Another portal? A chest? A tiny boss?” Fowl replied. “There are no windows on this thing and no other way in besides this door. It’s average height and even you kicking it did nothing. Are you that concerned about using the key?”

Sighing, Max motioned slowly at Cordellia, who was standing with the three women slightly away. “Do you trust her? I mean, if we keep going like this, is her bond to Tanila strong enough to keep her quiet?”

Fowl’s hammer appeared in his hand, and the dwarf smiled. “Stuff like this will also help keep her quiet. No adventurer is willing to tell on the golden goose. You’re a walking fountain of experience and rewards. She’s mentioned that in a few subtle ways. The tower experience she has gained, along with the normal kind, far outpacing what she had since she first started.”

The dwarf put away his weapon and tapped his head. “I’m not the smartest one here, but if I was new to all this, I’d gladly sew my lips shut to keep getting this kind of treatment. Seriously, Seth, we’re all almost level fifty-two.”

Retrieving the plain-looking key, Max nodded and spun it on his finger several times.

“I guess that means we’re going to see what’s inside.”

The five stood a few feet from the door, everyone outfitted for battle.

“Ready?” Max asked as he glanced at the two on either side of him.

Each one nodded, and he stepped forward, putting the key into the lock. Turning it with almost no resistance, a loud click came, and the door swung open, revealing a brightly lit room beyond the doorway.

“That room looks bigger on the inside than it does out here,” Fowl stated.

Max nodded and studied the room, which was lined with countless chests, cabinets, dressers, and other items, each stacked on top of the other.

“Warriors first,” Tanila said, earning a chuckle from Max, who held his weapon ready and moved through the doorway.

A flash of light appeared, and his eyes adjusted momentarily while his sonar never stopped working. He was in the room, and off to the side along the massive circular wall decorated with storage items was a creature he had never seen before.

Dressed in a bright orange robe was a three-fingered creature with scales that looked like a cross between a lizardman and something else.

“Guests,” it said, turning quickly. Its gold eyes tracked Max. A long, thin, forked tongue darted from its elongated snout and flicked around in the air. “Welcome! It has been ages since anyone has joined me!”

The sound of gasps echoed around the room, and felt Fowl bump into him.

“Holy elf tits,” Fowl muttered quietly in shock.

“Holy elf tits?” the orange-clad robe-wearing creature asked. “Are those a particular type? On a healer or priest by chance?”

Max and Fowl started to chuckle.

“What in the gods is this?” Batrire asked, ignoring the previous question.

“Ahh, yes!” exclaimed their host.“

The creature came toward them slowly. It had moved its hands or claws or whatever they were behind its back, slowly sashaying across the stone floor. Its orange robe was almost difficult to focus on, seeming to glow strangely. The green scales of the creature's face reflected some of the colors, creating an almost rainbow-like shimmer.

“So many questions. None wrong,” the creature replied, a slight hiss as it spoke. “Come, join me here, and let us discuss your reward. And please put away your weapons. You are all safe.”

The creature motioned to the center of the room. A bright yellow stone now sat in the middle, and a tiny black box rested on top.

“As to your questions, my name is Zisathass, and this is a rare area within the tower. It appears that your party is touched by the gods, gifted with a moment most will never get. Most climbers never see this room, and very few make it inside. Tell me how you came by the key.”

Everyone’s mind was trying to absorb what the creature, Zisathass, was saying.

“Wait,” Max said, still following Zisathass’s movements with his weapon. “So this is part of the tower? A reward of some kind?”

Zisathass reached the yellow stone and placed a hand on it. He nodded, a frown displayed across his scaled lips as he watched Max pointing a weapon at him.

“Please, put away your weapon. There is no way to hurt me here, and it is rude to continue to act as you are,” Zisathass said, a gruff tone present as he spoke. “Come to the box, claim your reward, and return to the tower. What is inside is something to help in your journey.”

After a quick glance around the others, Max stood up slowly, storing his weapon and shield, the others mimicking his actions. The creature nodded, and its lips changed. The smile it gave almost made Max want to bring his weapon out again.

“Forgive me, humans, dwarves, and elves. My kind does not show expressions you are used to. I can see you do not like how I look. Regardless, we do need to hurry this up. While I am here, I cannot be anywhere else in the system.”

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“The system?” Fowl asked, moving to stand next to Max.

A weird laugh that caused Zisathass’s neck to bulge and sounded like air clapping inside came from the robed creature.

“I forget. Your kind knows little of all this. I cannot share too much, but yes, there are millions of other worlds, and I need to be ready for any who find my home. Now, choose which of you will get the reward and open the box. I am interested to see what the tower has gifted.”

“What do you mean which of us?” Tanila asked as she moved to Max’s other side. “Only one of us gets a reward?”

Zisathass nodded, his three fingers tapping on the yellow stone. “Only one may gain the reward, and it will be a temporary boon inside the tower. For as long as it lasts, it will help you and your party. Be warned, though, it will not work outside the tower.”

“How are we going to choose who gets the reward? Do we like flip a coin or something?”

Cordellia’s question was the same one everyone else had. Taking charge, Tanila motioned for everyone to gather around her. “I think it’s simple. Outside of Seth, if we gave one person a reward, how could one item change everything?”

Smiling, Max motioned with his eyes at Fowl, who hadn’t noticed his gesture.

“You’re probably right,” Batrire said. “Nothing I get could be that great, and Cordellia would have to get something super special to make her any better. No offense.”

Their archer laughed and waved her hand at the comment. “Don’t worry, I agree with you. Tanila and Seth are already doing most of the work, so I agree with you on passing.”

Fowl turned his head and saw Max and Tanila smiling at him. “Are you serious? I get to open the box?” His eyes were wide, and it was obvious he was in shock and a little excited.

“Don’t take it wrong,” Max replied. “As much as I’d like to take something or Tanila acquire it, right now, we need you to be able to help more. Maybe it will be a helmet that shows off your beautiful face.”

Everyone chuckled except Fowl, who scowled at Max and gave him the middle finger.

“Please… we need to hurry,” Zisathass said. “I have other worlds to be in.”

Max grabbed Fowl’s shoulders and turned his friend, pushing him toward the stone pillar and the black box where the reward was waiting.

Slowly, Fowl made his way toward the yellow stone that was about four feet tall and two feet square. Its texture looked like nothing he had ever seen, and power radiated from it.

“Do not be afraid,” Zisathass said again.

Everyone watched as the orange-robed creature shook from side to side in what he assumed was anticipation. It appeared more excited about whatever could be in it.

“You really don’t know what is in the box?” Fowl asked as he stood on the opposite side of Zisathass and put a hand near the black box. Waves of power radiated from it, and Fowl giggled for a second.

“Hurry it up,” Batrire snapped. “I wanna see what you got, and this Zathithas–”

“Zisathass!” their host snapped, cutting off Batrire.

“That’s what I said,” their healer replied, matching the glare the snake-like creature was giving her.

Fowl touched the lid of the black box, and Zisathass stopped whatever reply had been about to come. His attention was now fully focused on the tiny lid Fowl was about to open.

Taking a deep breath, their dwarf warrior let it out slowly, preparing to use his thumb to open the small four-inch-by-four lid. It felt like metal yet had a smooth touch.

As the lid popped open, the swirling vortex of color for a dimensional space swirled, yet nothing appeared inside. Shapes contorted and shifted, never staying around for more than a moment.

“Reach inside. It will come to you then!” Zisathass said, gyrating on the other side of the stone, forked tongue coming out with every word.

Putting his fingers into the swirling area, something washed over and through Fowl as if peering inside his entire being. Suddenly, the box grew wider. The yellow platform began to sink a foot or more, and the black box continued to grow. Though it was only about four inches deep, it was soon over two feet square, and Fowl’s hand was inside it, wrapped around something thick.

Zisathass's gold eyes glowed as he watched Fowl and the box. That tongue continued to wave about in the air. “Pull! Pull it out!”

Yanking without regard for what it might be, Fowl pulled out a gold chest plate. It shimmered with a radiant glow and emanated light.

“Holy elf tits,” Max muttered quietly as he watched Fowl stare at it in shock and surprise.

“Impressive! Truly impressive!” Zisathass shouted, now dancing from side to side. “An exceptional reward!”

Fowl’s mouth was open, his stubby hands trembling as he held the chest before him.

“Put it on, you fool,” Batrire said with a slight groan, “and tell us the stats!”

Their dwarven warrior’s eyes were fixated on the piece of armor, wondering what in the world he had been given. Suddenly, they went wider than it seemed possible, and his hands clinched the armor tightly.

“Dear Ockrim… you do love me,” Fowl whispered quietly.

[Inspect Armor]

*****

Golden Breastplate of the Tower

+100 Strength, Constitution, Dexterity

50% Damage Mitigation against larger enemies

Regeneration Affect

Unmovable

Shatters upon reaching being able to enter Tower Floor #10

Bonded

*****

“Impossible!” Cordellia exclaimed after Fowl shared the stats.

“Holy goblin nuts! Next time, I’m not passing on loot,” Max said, grinning at Fowl, who was still in shock and had just equipped it. Their dwarven warrior’s body seemed to emanate the same glow as before and was now flexing.

“What the hell kind of item is this? I only get it for seven more floors?”

Zisathass began to choke, hissing and spitting as the creature's three fingers made a fist and pounded its chest.

“Seven levels! You get to keep it for seven levels?!”

The surprise and amazement of that seemed weird, and Fowl nodded slowly. “Is that not common?”

Shaking its head, Zisathass began to turn around, scratching its scaled scalp with its claws. “No… one level usually, occasionally two, and rarely three! To get seven levels… that is,” Zisathass paused and moved quicker than Fowl had expected, almost in his face before he could react. Which god spends so much to bless you like this?”

Fowl stumbled a step backward, trying not to use the weapon on the creature, which was awfully close now.

“It’s not me!” Fowl replied loudly. He continued to scramble backward to get a little room from the orange-robed snake

Max saw Zisathass studying the group. Its attention no longer just focused on Fowl. A clawed finger scratched the bottom of its long chin for a moment before taking a step back.

“Very well, take your treasure and go. Just remember that it will shatter the moment you pass the level it was designed for! Do not try to take it out of your dimensional space if you are not in the tower. Items like that are designed only for in here!”

Nodding slowly, Fowl watched Zisathass move behind him and push against his back.

“Time to go… someone else needs me, and you all have been here long enough.”

Like a child whose parents were ready for them to be gone, everyone in the party felt a power coming from Zisathass and couldn’t keep a solid foot on the ground. The creature used some magical force to push them all along the stone floor, into the door, and out of the tower.

“What the hell, Seth?” Fowl yelled as the two of them slammed into each other in the courtyard they had just left

Blinking his eyes to help with the change in light, Max stood against his dwarven friend on the stone blocks of the inner walled courtyard.

“Uh… what?” Max asked as he watched Fowl spin around and face him.

“The door! It’s gone!” exclaimed Tanila.

Fowl grunted as both of them turned to see that Tanila was right. The wooden door was gone. Now, the entire tower was one solid piece of stone.

“What happened?” Batrire asked, her eyes locked on Fowl and his new chest piece.

Everyone shook their head, and for a moment, Fowl was the center of their attention.

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