Chapter 276
The two purple, grape-colored portals sandwiched him, and before he could take a breath, Max found himself standing on a four-by-four-foot platform.
His eyes focused almost immediately, and glancing around, he saw a pool of lava that stretched for over a hundred yards in every direction. He was in some dome, carved out inside a mountainside from the way the rocks looked, and off to his left was a small ledge with a single door.
“Let’s see what you can do!”
The voice of his captor echoed through the area, and Max didn’t see the man anywhere.
Thoughts?
Silence was his answer, and for a moment a fear of being alone came over him.
We’re ten feet above the lava. The ceiling is fifty yards above us at its highest peak. Based on the distance to the door and the amount of space we have around us, we can make it, but we’ll have to reveal one of our spells. Two would be easier, but for now I think we need to continue to hide what we can do.
Use your stone wall. Summon it on the platform, pick it up, and toss it about one third of the way when I tell you to. While you do that, summon a boulder, aim it for the other third, and time your running.
The stone wall shouldn’t sink that fast, but you won’t have a lot of time to waste.
Anything else?
Get dressed.
Chuckling, Max wanted to reply but knew his skill was right. He was going to need every ounce of power he had from his equipment to pull this off.
[ Status Check ]
*****
Max Hoste
18-Year-Old Human Male
Level 1
Exp 406/1000
Tower Experience: 40.00%
HP: 18,680/18,680
MP: 6340/6340
Stamina: 4670/4670
STR: 900
DEX: 942
CON: 934
INT: 634
WIS: 634
Defense of the Dragon - 20.0%
Defense of the Demon - 20.0%
Demon Essence: - 293
Gold Walkers- 20% Stat Increase
Merfolk King’s Gift - 75 STR/DEX/CON/INT/WIS - Merfolk Water Attunement
Sand Worm’s Skin Chest - 10 STR/CON + 10% Magic Resist +20% Crushing Damage
Cubed Bracers - 25 STR/DEX/CON
Belt of the Golem - 4 STR/CON +25% Damage Decrease Slashing/Piercing
Scout Spider Helm - 5 STR/DEX/CON Invisible State, Grants Minor Poison Resist
Cloak of Spider - 5 Dex. Spider Walk - 5 Mins / 24 Hour Cooldown
Green Ring - 1 DEX
Black Rabbit Ring - 2 DEX
Ring of the Golem Prince - 4 CON +25% Magic Resist
Black Boss Band - 20% Stat Increase
Ring of Growth - 10% Stat Increase
Bracelet of Sand Worm - 10 STR/CON Minor Acid Resist
Bonded Heart - 50 STR/DEX/CON/INT/WIS -
20% Mana Regen 10% Spell Potency
Tentacle Ring - 40 STR/DEX/CON
Ring of Casting - 40 INT/WIS 10% Spell Casting Speed
Conqueror of the Broken Prince -
40 STR/DEX/CON +30% Damage Larger Enemies, Cleaving
Legendary Free Bow - 100 DEX 50 CON
*****
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Remind me how we got caught?
I wasn’t paying attention… I’m guessing you want me to put on an act?
Yes. You could easily span this gap with just the stone wall, but that would show your potential. Revealing you are capable of casting is far better than giving up the information about your stats. And you look silly holding a bow and a halberd, but I understand why.
Putting away both for a second, Max summoned the stone wall on the platform and snapped it off from the side, holding the large fifteen-yard section of rock in his hands.
Toss it and start summoning your boulder, and jump a second after the wall lands.
His throwing skill told him exactly where it needed to go, and with a small flick that he made look harder, it soared about thirty-five yards.
Max was moving, knowing when it would hit, jumping from the platform and controlling his body with ease. The boulder he had forming ahead of him was pushed farther as he moved, and when he landed on the stone wall that sent out a shower of lava, he took another two steps and jumped again.
His feet touched down on the ball of stone, and one step was all it took to propel himself the remainder of the distance, landing on the small rocky ledge near the closed door.
Laughter echoed through the cavern, and the simple wooden door vanished as he got close to it. In its place was now a pulsing green portal.
“Impressive, Max. A warrior with the ability to cast spells. Tell me what all can your black skill do?”
“Does this take me back to my cell? If not, I’m going to be honest, I’d rather it did,” Max replied.
No reply came, and seconds turned into a minute.
“Seriously? I can pull out my chair again.”
Storing his bow, Max’s simple chair appeared, but before it touched the ground, an angry voice boomed across the cave.
“Who do you think you are?! Do you not realize I can kill you at any moment I desire?!”
Smacking his lips, Max sighed and put his chair down and plopped down on it.
“Can you? I mean if you could, why don’t you? I’m guessing that was your poison that failed. From what I heard it isn’t cheap.”
Is the room shaking?
No… it’s your captor’s presence. They are angry, and it is bleeding over whatever they have control over here.
Where is here?
I am not certain.
Another minute passed, and with no response, Max took out a book and began to read, ignoring the portal not far behind him.
His senses were focused everywhere his Sonar skill reached, and his body was ready to move.
Frustration had eaten at him for the first few days. Being distracted and thinking he was finally safe had led to him getting caught. He hadn’t been sure if his captor had been waiting, watching and preparing for a moment when his guard was down.
Pages turned, and soon a third of his book had been read through, when he sensed the portal above and below him.
Don’t!
Max fought the urge of trying to dodge the two purple portals that once again were at his feet and head, sending him wherever this crazy person wanted.
His arm moved, and he grabbed his chair which was tipping over, landing on his feet as he found himself in the cell once more.
The walls hadn’t changed since he had been taken from the room. The vertical columns, which allowed him to see another room surrounding his, remained. Slowly turning, Max saw that his captor had not returned.
Do you have any idea of the spell or ability he is using? Thoughts on the cooldown?
There are lots of spells and abilities that allow one to move between their own world and others. Ones that permit travel between worlds are very demanding and often have either a long cooldown or cost enormous amounts of power. You might be correct in your assumption. He couldn’t move you so quickly back here…
Setting his chair down in the middle of the room once more, Max opened his book and read, waiting for the silver eyed individual to return.
***
“You vex me!”
The sudden outburst caught Max off guard. His captor was a man, which he had determined after the silver eyed man showed up in a sheer, see-through outfit about twenty minutes ago. He hadn’t said a word, simply standing there in that god-awful outfit.
“Sounds like your problem. You brought me here, remember?”
“Do you even know why?! Do you understand what you represent?!”
Glancing up for a moment, he held the man’s gaze and shrugged.
“Tell me. Otherwise, put on something more decent. It’s obviously cold on that side.”
Both eyebrows raised as the man put his hands against the stone columns and sneered at him.
That one was below the belt.
Did you just make a joke?
Max couldn’t hide the small grin that formed, not because of how the crazed man was acting but how his skill was starting to reveal more than just simple instructions or information.
“You… you…”
For a moment Max would have bet his captor was beginning to foam at the mouth as spittle flew each time he sputtered.
Those silver eyes shook with rage.
The man took quick, ragged breaths, his face redder than any apple Max had seen in a while.
Suddenly he stopped his temper tantrum and then began to howl with laughter.
Tears began to appear from how hard he was seemingly enjoying the moment. Each breath of air returned as a giggle, then a cackle or occasionally a loud howl.
Did he break?
No… he is… changing. Do you see his stature?
Max began to see what his skill was talking about. Ever since he had first seen the man, there was a slight hunch of his shoulders.
After he appeared and was wearing that horrible sheer outfit, he stood cocked to the side.
Now the man was almost upright, appearing confident even amidst the laughter.
His captor’s outfit changed to simple leather armor in a heartbeat. It was a muted brown, nothing that would stand out in a crowd of people on the street. Even the knives that were set in sheaths on a leather strap across his chest looked simple.
“You are a troublesome pest.”
His voice…
It has changed. He has changed.
“Max Hoste, it has been a long time since I have had someone of your caliber to play with. I am impressed with how you dealt with the others. Most would not have withstood their childish attempts for as long as you did, but the constant jabs were too much for their fragile egos.”
He cracked his neck, rotated his shoulders, and then smirked.
“I believe it may be more fun to see what is possible than to simply end you, and yes, I can easily end you.”
Those silver eyes began to glow, and a purple ring formed around the silver side, making holding the man’s gaze difficult at best.
“Who are you?”
“Who am I? As in my real name or what I go by?”
“Are you too afraid to tell me your real name?” Max replied.
Shaking his head, still smirking as he leaned against the stone columns, his captor sighed.
“I’m not going to be taunted like the others. The truth is I’m bored when someone hasn’t hired me. You have been one of three targets that I have been paid for that didn’t die on my first attempt.”
Max watched as his captor suddenly burst into laughter, this time his voice sounding like it was filled with pure delight.
A wave of power assaulted Max, and he stood up, taking a step back and sending his chair clattering to the floor.
Even though his eyes couldn’t see it, his Sonar could detect the waves like heat from a bonfire.
He is revealing his true self. Whatever he is, whoever he is, this has all been part of his plan. Forgive me Max. I didn’t recognize what we are facing.
What is that?
Someone who has most likely defeated the tower.
The smirk never left his captor’s face as he watched Max wince. He snorted once and shook his head.
“It appears you can somehow stand and not fall as most would. That is a very rare thing indeed… I know you have a black skill, and what I have learned about them is… dangerous. Just how dangerous are you, Max Hoste?”
“To you?”
“You’re no threat to me… not yet, and I doubt for some time. You still haven’t finished even half the tower, and that means you’re nothing more than a toy to play with.”
The man leaned his face forward, pressing his head between the stone blocks, letting it pull his facial skin back some as he gave the most sinister grin Max had ever seen.
“My toy to play with.”
Everything changed so fast even his mind and body couldn’t react.
One moment they had been standing there, separated by the walls and distance, the next he was bound by the very stones that had caged him.
A stone wall was pressed against his back, and both arms were encircled with stone twice, once on the wrist the other right after the elbow.
Somehow, they had been lifted, stretched out like a scarecrow.
His legs were bound at his ankle and above the knee.
Panic set in when Max realized that all the hope he had once had for escaping or defeating this man was gone.
Compared to his captor, he was powerless.