Chapter 78 - Haven

When Max came up to the outpost cave’s mouth, pointing [The Maverick] at a tired and angry lizard prisoner, everyone’s jaw inside dropped.

“We have returned triumphant, dear peasants and admirers!” Maverick yelled.

“Anyone got a rope?” Max called out.

Christie came up. She was beautiful as was her wont, but clearly tired and emaciated. “You look like hell,” she said in her throaty voice and smiled wanly.

“Good to see you too,” Max said. The lizard prisoner made an attempt to escape, but Max tripped him with his foot. The enemy was so tired that it was all it took. The enemy well with an oof. Max tethered him to the ground and sat on him, sighing contently.

Brian came up to them with Freya and another young girl in tow.

“You look like you almost didn’t make it this time,” Brian said. “You keep proving me wrong.”

“One of my finest qualities,” Max said and smiled. “Look, if we got rope or something to keep this guy down, that’d be great.”

There was a bit of commotion. Brian and two of his men took care to make the prisoner steady. Freya brought him a cup of stale water, that tasted like metal and some dried meat. Max accepted them gratefully.

Christie and a bunch of others tried to chat him up and ask about all that had happened. Max just smiled at them, barely listening. He leaned against the wall of the cave, letting the soft torchlight and the orange evening sun caress him with their warmth. The water tasted pretty bad, but it made him feel better. He hadn’t realized how tired he was.

Maverick noticed his state, and whether it was from his chance finally arriving, or from sympathy to Max, the weapon went on a lengthy and clearly embellished explanation of what happened blow by blow. Max closed his eyes and sighed contently. Maverick was clearly presenting a much more exciting version of what happened and he wasn’t the least bit shy about adding some extra agency on his part. Max could care less.

He was safe. He was alive. They had succeeded against all odds. Yes, he had stirred up the hornet’s nest. The lizards would be alert and most likely try to actively hunt Max and his friends down. The outpost idea was much more dangerous now.

But they also had a prisoner. They would get all the appropriate information out of it. Max still didn’t want to torture the enemy. He didn’t mind killing. In fact, he didn’t even bat an eye at the idea. In a combat situation, it was either him or the enemy, and that was fair.

Max opened one eye and looked at Brian. The man was making an effort at a reform. It was half-forced, Max thought, but it looked like things were looking good here at the outpost. He didn’t know if Brian or Christie was running the show here, but Brian would be the guy to call on to inflict violence on the prisoner, if the lizard didn’t want to co-operate.

Maverick sent a pulse through their bond, going something along the lines of “So you admit I’m right?” Max let out a half hearted scoff and drifted into a well-earned sleep.

*

When Max woke up it was early in the morning. Really early. Everyone was sound asleep. The smell of sweat and sulfur was strong in the still air. Max got up and carefully walked over to a bowl of water and had some to drink. A cacophony of soft snores could be heard. Max sighed contently. He felt well refreshed. If it was around four or five am, as he suspected, he must have slept for over ten hours, which to his high Cultivation was preposterous.

Hundred percent needed. I didn’t even realize what a zombie I was. It’s a small wonder I got here in one piece.

Then Max finally got to look at his notifications. He got the stats out of the way first. He had gotten a class upgrade and the stat boosts weren’t menial at all. In fact the boost was massive. If he’d just get a few levels, he’d leave anyone under level 20 far behind. After some contemplation, he put all his free points into Constitution. Max would be spending a lot more time in the Dreadlands, most likely a big part of that time in dangerous combat, and the extra Health and Stamina certainly wouldn’t hurt.

Name: Max Cromwell

Cultivation stage: Amethyst (lesser)

Class: Gravitician
Level: 20

Health: 900/900

Stamina: 900/900

Mana: 1030/1030

Alliance: Joshua’s Group

Stats:

Strength: 24

Dexterity: 26

Constitution: 90
Intelligence: 103

Wisdom: 68

Charisma: 24
Precision: 47
Toughness: 36
Resistance: 46

Next up Max looked up his skill choice. He was really hoping one particular skill was there that he had been waiting to pick up for a while, but hadn’t done for lack of Mana pool.

[Telekinesis I]

Gain an ability to lift an inanimate object within sight in the air and move it around. The weight of the object you are able to lift, and the speed at which you are able to move them in the air is dependent on your Intelligence.

Cost: 3 or more Mana per second, depending on the weight of the object.

Yes! It’s there. Now if I’m right about this idea I have, this skill could be extremely valuable… It could provide me with offense, defense and mobility…

[Gravity Pulse I]

Send out a wave of gravitational energy in a cone ten feet, throwing back anything in its path and causing damage proportional to your Intelligence modifier. The closer the object(s), the more potent the effect.

Cost: 15 Mana

Yeah, it’s solid. I doubt I am going to need it honestly. Not with what I have planned with [Telekinesis].

Max didn’t hesitate, he picked [Telekinesis].

The first thing he did was cast it on his boots.

He lifted in the air, struggling to keep his balance. With great effort and massive and fast waves of his arms, he managed to stay relatively still. Just enough to try to propel himself forward in mid-air. He immediately fell on his back.

Few mumbles could be heard nearby, but fortunately nobody woke up. Not only because they needed the rest, but because of how embarrassing that had been. Max canceled the spell, which dropped his eerily floating legs on the ground. He glanced at his Mana bar.

Damn, that ate up a lot for just a few seconds.

The spell had sucked up a bit over 20 Mana, which meant that he was probably using 10-11 Mana per second to keep himself afloat.

Well, that wasn’t too bad for a first attempt. But hell yes, I’m going to fly. I’m going to make it work.

Max crept outside and practiced flying around. It didn’t go terribly well. He also used [Telekinesis] to float a big slab of gray rock next to him. It was wide enough to stand on, and that was exactly what Max did. With his new spell he lifted the rock he was standing on. The Mana expenditure was even larger, but Max did manage to stay on top of the slab. It was wobbly and it was clumsy. But he was technically flying. It felt AWESOME!

Max wanted to woop, but controlled himself. But he would not get rid of the big goofy smile he had on his face. The next forty minutes Max spent his time and Mana trying out [Telekinesis]. He was able to make multiple objects float, noticing that the Mana expenditure was additive. Moving a single object through the air using his mind was simple. Trying to make two objects move was like trying to push and pull a shopping cart at the same time. It simply boggled him and actually gave him a bit of a headache.

Most of the time, however, Max attempted to fly. He really wanted to be able to just lift his shoes up, but the balance was an issue.

Maybe I should start dumping points in Dexterity? That might help me move around in the air smoother anyway.

His best attempt at flying was using [Telekinesis] on his arms and feet and soaring a yard above the air like superman. Well, it wasn’t so much soaring as it was awkward tumbling, but it was a start.

Skill upgraded: [Telekinesis I] -> [Telekinesis II]

Wow, that was fast. I suppose I did spam the shit out of it.

As the crown jewel, the last thing Max wanted to do before getting into the business of dealing with the prisoner, he brought up the last notification with the red dot.

Signature Ability Choice available!