Sitting in the carriage right outside the gate for the Faction entrance, Max looked at everyone, their faces still a bit heavy from the conversation they had been partaking in.
“Smile, laugh, rejoice. Those are our main focus. Acting will draw attention, and we don’t need that.”
Everyone gave one last nod, putting on their best smile.
When they returned before dinner, the Faction house was abuzz with excitement. All of them smiled and acknowledged the completion of the tower floor.
Tom had announced a quick round of drinks for the faction, and those who were around came: forty-plus members, all celebrating their success.
Dexic eyed Max but smiled, even though her eyes still had questions. She wanted answers, and it appeared Everett had not given her enough.
“She’s not looked away once,” Tanila whispered as they chatted with others. “Is there a problem?”
“I doubt it, but eventually, I’m sure there will be. I’m still working on a plan for dealing with her.”
After about an hour of sharing the story of what they faced, Tom and the party moved downstairs to deal with the items they had acquired on the boss floor.
Fowl had managed to secure the bottom half of the boss’s leg and the horn Max had broken off. Hundreds of smaller horns rested upon the table, piled high and flowing onto the floor.
“You all realize how much you accomplished, right?”
Everyone bobbed their head.
“Fowl, you mind going over the last of the details with Tom? I need to ask Everett something in private.”
Without missing a beat, both men moved to the clipboard with all the items listed and verified that nothing was out of order.
“I changed my mind,” Max whispered. “I want to make some items.”
A small smile appeared on the leader's face, and he nodded slowly.
“You and I both know that stats are important, just like skills. One is easier to come by, and it seems foolish not to use both. Besides, I’m thinking of how I might improve for all of us.”
Stroking his chin, Everett glanced at the others from his group and saw how they were standing.
“Did everything go okay? I mean, you said it was a tough fight.”
“These foes were smarter, building a wall of ice to lift Fowl up and then hit him, using the walls to block spells, going after the stronger opponent, and more. Everything was harder, and without stats to combat that, even ten points would mean a massive difference. You know that.”
Pointing at the three crystals resting on the table, Max watched Everett’s eyes.
“Tell me those have to be worth getting to craft something. You know I’ll also gladly craft for the rest of the Faction.”
A piece of paper appeared in the older man’s hand, and he handed it to Max.
“Here’s my list. Every two you make for me, you can make one for your team, but just know, I can only allow one legendary item per ten you make for me, so choose wisely.”
Max nodded, taking the list and scanning it, trying not to wince at what he saw.
“You’ve got some serious needs,” he replied. “And you want me to not make anything but a mythical grade on most of this?”
Everett started to stare at the ceiling and then sighed.
“Baldin was a good weapon crafter, but even he struggled to make what you did so easily. He had the same skill as you, yet ninety-eight percent of what he made was mythical at best. How you managed to make those elemental cores bind as you did boggles my mind. I’ve seen countless failures. Even the ones that worked, the stats were never as good as the quality wasn’t as high.”
Turning his attention back to Max, Everett shrugged.
“I’m learning not to ask how or why but to wonder what you are going to be able to accomplish. Tom is fine, realizing that you have your secrets. Just as I mentioned, we all have ours. Just know if I could pledge to you that unless you actively attempt to hurt our Faction, I won’t betray you or your group.”
Smiling softly, Max nodded once and then pointed at his team.
“Their family, even Cordellia.”
Both watched and listened as laughter came, especially when Fowl shared again how their ranger had used Tom’s training to shoot so many giants in the eyes, blinding them over and over.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“Let me tell them I need to work, and I’ll start on a few of these tonight. We’ll take tomorrow off and then focus on finishing up our tower level.”
“How close are you? I mean to level ten?”
Smacking his lips, Max grinned.
“You sure you want to know?”
“No,” he replied, shaking his head, “but I really need to know. The suspense kills me.”
“We’re almost level nine, and Cordellia is capped out, so it's moving faster. Once we're all ten, I'll give you every yellow gem we get. Once we hit fifty, we’ll grind through the levels again.”
“Almost nine,” Everett said, his voice low and in shock. “That's… unheard of. Surely, the gods must have a hand-painted picture of you hanging on their wall to bless you with that kind of luck.”
“While a band of elf zealots is passing out papers with a hand-drawn sketch of me, trying to get me killed.”
Both of them laughed and moved back to where the party was, listening to Tom share a story of his old tower-climbing days. For a moment, things were as all adventurers desired.
Tanila watched Max occasionally, reading the book she had, watching as he worked the different items simultaneously. His mind could see everything he needed and how to use the time best. While one piece allowed magic to settle inside, he could focus on working another. Time flew by, and soon, Max noticed his favorite elf standing a few feet away, watching him twist wood together with a skill that seemed impossible to believe.
He heard the exhaustion in her voice, looked up, and smiled.
“Another hour? Maybe two tops, but you can head upstairs and go to sleep. After this one, I’ll store the other two and work on them another day.”
She nodded, hid the yawn she could not hold back behind her hand, and winked at him.
“Oh, I want to see the final product. I also want to be there when Everett gives Batrire the staff.”
She moved back to her seat and watched as Max continued to work. Using his own magic combined with the skill inside him, he made the wood gathered from trees in a higher dungeon move with ease.
She doesn’t have any idea how you are doing this because you haven’t told her.
Max ignored the voice, but it was right. He hadn’t mentioned to Tanila that he had been getting guidance from his skill.
No point in making her more anxious. You know how she feels about you… or the threat of what you are.
Neither spoke for a moment as Max worked, lost in the beauty of what he was doing.
I am at a loss. No matter what I have tempted you with, bribed you to do, forced your hand by, or put in your way, you don’t react like every other being that has ever possessed me. It didn’t matter what creature it was, the power I offer, what they can become is too much to resist, and yet… somehow you do. You are different, Max Hoste. Why?
Twisting the wood again, making the cord of branches he was shaping together even tighter and stronger, Max took a moment to consider his answer.
I don’t want power for myself. I only seek it when it allows me to protect those I care about. Had you gone to someone else, I can’t begin to imagine what this world would be like. Think about an elf who hates humans. How many would they have slain, and how strong would they have become? Every time I kill someone, I feel a part of me is changed, and… that’s what scares me.
Do you have any idea how many beings have died at the hands of the strong? How many worlds have been destroyed by a god because they were upset or bored? Yet what are you going to do when faced against one of my brethren? Will you fight against them? Will you attempt to consume them?
His hand almost slipped, and Max took a deep breath, focusing on the work he was doing. Even now, the weapon he made was for their healer, and the goal was to help her be stronger and able to keep everyone alive. Everett understood and agreed it was a great choice.
He had considered making Fowl a weapon, but right now, Batrire needed a little extra help. Her healing was good, but as their hitpoints grew and the damage they received also went up, the scaling of her heals had fallen off.
If they threaten my family or me, then yes.
A chuckle came and then stopped quickly.
Stop that. Get the essence.
Max saw that the skill was right. It was time to attempt what he had been preparing for.
“You’ll want to watch and see,” he said, glancing up at Tanila, who looked ready to doze off.
She moved forward quickly, storing her book.
From the box on the worktable, Max withdrew a light essence. The Faction only had three, and he would only get one chance at this, but even though he didn’t have the magic for it, he felt that it wouldn’t matter.
Slowly, he traced the runes he had carved in the different branches before hand-binding them together. A white light began to glow inside them, and the wood almost started to hum.
Over and over, he repeated the process until the final moment came.
Slide it inside and then tighten it down.
His weapon crafting skill and Consume skill told him the same thing.
Using his fingers, he ignored the pain of the essence and wedged it between the small hole he had left in the middle of the staff. A bit of pressure was there, fighting to move between, and then it popped inside, sending a wave of magic through the wood.
Picking up his tools and putting the wood back into the vice, he began twisting and closing up the staff. Each time, the lines continued to pulse slightly.
Right there, that’s the spot, right?
Yes. Use your magic and pour some in. Slowly.
Max grabbed the top of the staff and then put his hand over the spot where the wood widened slightly. Holding the essence inside, he began channeling his earth magic into the wood.
Tanila’s eyes widened as she saw what he was doing.
Unable to watch her, Max stared at the staff, watching the brown wood turn a shade of green on some branches. More power flooded into it, and then suddenly, he felt the weapon shift in his hand.
[ Legendary Staff Created ]
Six sticks he had used were now green, the other six still brown, each wound together in a weave that looked like someone had braided hair or a cord.
The white runes were starting to fade, and at the top of the staff, a single green leaf was there for a moment.
Touching it with his finger, the leaf wilted and fell toward the floor, dust before it ever met the stone blocks.
“That was… did you use magic? Earth magic?”
Sighing, Max nodded and held the staff out to her.
“You inspect it. I’m not a fan of checking the first time.”
Tanila’s hands trembled slightly as he handed it to her, and she gripped it tightly.
“Seth… it's unbelievable.”
Legendary Light Staff
+ 60 Constitution, Intelligence
+ 10% Healing increase on all healing spells
“Batrire is going to love this.”