Ultimate Level 1-Chapter 469: A Dragon in the Tower

Rakonath roared after releasing a stream of fire upon one of the four ships the group was engaged with.

Tanila sent fireballs at two of the ships while helping Max summon air walls to deflect incoming attacks.

“I got a hit!” Fowl shouted as the cannon he was firing left a smoking hole in the ship on their port side.

“You’re still behind!” Cordellia called out as she raced to the third cannon on the starboard side and after a second to adjust aim, scored another successful attack.

“They’re jumping in the water again! Prepare to be boarded!”

Batrire’s warning came as dozens of the fishmen abandoned the sinking vessels they had used to get close.

“Leave the cannons! To the middle!” Max called out as he watched his dragon rip off the sails of the third ship.

Only a few are escaping from my ship. You’re about to be assaulted again. It looks to be like a hundred this time.

Grunting, Max was glad that Rakonath could communicate from the air with him, providing a viewpoint that they wouldn’t normally get.

“Rakonath says there may be a hundred this time!”

“Damn that’s a lot of fish food,” Fowl joked as he twirled his hammer a few times. “Are we keeping score?”

“You’ll lose! My pet counts, too!”

“These two are having way too much fun,” Tanila said as she prepared a lightning spell. “Don’t they realize we’re so far ahead it doesn’t matter?”

All Max could do was smile as her gold hair bounced with every step she took.

Seconds later, men with heads like fish, their mouths filled with three-inch long teeth, began to appear.

Their claws easily dug into the ship's side, and soon over twenty were coming at them from both sides.

***

Fowl bashed the last corpse that was still twitching as Max used his wind magic to push the rest of the corpses to the ship's edge.

“They’re not as strong as I had thought they might be,” Cordellia stated. “It’s just their numbers.”

He nodded as Rakonath finished tearing apart the last ship, leaving any of the remaining fish crew on them unable to catch up as their own vessel sailed away.

“I could see how it would be worse for many if they didn’t have a dragon and mage taking out ships. Still that’s one ship more than the last four times,” Max replied. “If you all are good with cleanup from here, I will go check on him.”

A single hand wave was his reply as the archer used her wolf to help drag a few of the corpses near the main pile, these were not vanishing like all the other tower floors and created a mess as well as stench if left alone.

***

“Aerthen was right about your control with fire. You've been completely on target every time you’ve used it!”

Their weapons are not an issue as the cannons do not aim high enough to hit me. With no bows or magic, they present little threat. Still, thank you. I feel foolish when I keep saying how much this moment means. Getting to fight side by side has my blood pumping like never before.

Patting a scale on his dragon’s neck, Max couldn’t help but grin.

“I feel the same way!”

Remember you don’t have to shout… I can hear you over the wind.

His excitement had made him forget that and instead, Max just laughed, scratching scales with both hands as the wind rushed over him.

“We can fly ahead again. Since these ships do not suddenly appear as before, we can keep scouting as long as you can see ours.”

Something large is already on the horizon in our traveling path—much bigger than any ships. I think it is land… or well not land but something like it. ꭆâ₦О฿È𝐒

“Is it too far away or something else?”

I’ve never seen anything like it.

Max nodded and felt Rakonath begin to beat his wings faster, rising higher in the sky.

Go back to the others, and I’ll tell you what I find. If we go together, they may be attacked, which could spell problems for them without you.

“You think they are in danger without me?”

Since Tanila has changed, they are much stronger, but if four ships suddenly appeared, and you and I were not there, they would possibly be overrun. She could handle the defenses, I believe, but with that many of those fishmen swarming the ship at the same time, I fear it would put them in danger. The last thing I want is my presence here to cause more problems.

“That wasn’t your fault.”

While I cannot argue that we are right or wrong, your friend is not responding. I can sense your worry and feel burdened for being part of that. We both know I’m right. Go back to them. I’ll be safe and return shortly.

Max stood up and smiled, giving Rakonath’s neck a few more scratches.

“I still can’t believe I’m about to run and jump off the back of a dragon. And to think all I ever wanted for so long was to bake.”

Do you still want to bake?

Laughing, Max nodded.

“Maybe one day I’ll make you something!” he shouted as he ran with ease along his dragon’s spine, leaping into the air and using his wind magic to fly back to his friends.

***

“So he says there is an island of some kind with lots of sharp-colored rocks sticking out of the water. It’s shaped in a circle with a single opening that leads to a large water area about a mile wide within the ring of rocks and land. He saw movement in the water and on the small beach area.”

“Probably coral of some kind,” Tanila said as she tapped her chin. “I’m guessing that’s where the ship is taking us.”

“And you all were worried I was going to crash this thing. It literally sails itself,” Fowl complained.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Do we need to discuss the cart incident again?” their archer asked.

“That was the donkey’s fault not mine!”

Max rolled his eyes and clapped his hands.

“Focus… this is our first boss fight with Rakonath, and I want to make sure we’re ready for whatever comes. Remember our last battle at sea. We don’t want to fight in the water.”

“Yeah… lightning is bad,” their mage muttered.

“So we’re expecting hordes of fishmen trying to climb on our ship and stop us?” Batrire asked. “Are we going to stay on it as long as possible or what?”

“I could do the easy thing of dimensional space or carrying you all. The real question is which one do you prefer.”

He watched as they all grinned and nodded at each other.

“Dimensional space. No one likes being strapped to your chest like a baby,” Fowl stated.

***

Max sent another chain lightning spell at the fishmen on the port side, watching as dozens of them fell dead, the heavenly scent of it all out of place in a battle that was going sideways fast.

“WE NEED TO GO! Get in the vault!”

Tanila unleashed her spell as more enemies climbed over the mountain of their dead comrades, glowing red eyes locked on them all.

Hurry! Whatever this boss is, something gigantic just flew from its arm!

Knowing he would have to apologize later, Max closed the vault as Tanila jumped inside and ran to Fowl, grabbing their warrior by the back of his plate armor.

“What the–”

“No time!”

Jumping and using his magic, Max flew off the ship's deck, getting high enough to see a gigantic white harpoon obliterate the front portion of the ship.

Hundreds more of the fishmen were swarming in the water around the boat.

Max finally got a chance to see the boss, and his mouth fell open.

“Is that–”

‎ “A shark?” Fowl asked. “It’s a bloody shark”

“It’s like thirty feet tall, at least!”

Half of its body stood out of the water, thick grey skin with countless scars and glowing runes all over.

Max watched as the harpoon that had eviscerated the ship returned to its outstretched left hand, a yellow glow of some kind covering the weapon.

In its other was a large curved sword with a hook on the back of the tip.

Glowing green eyes looked up at him and it roared, sending out waves through the water from where it stood.

“Yeah… don’t want to fight that in the water,” Fowl stated. “I see a beach.”

“Already on it,” Max stated as he flew toward it. “Just wish it was bigger.”

He landed near the back part of the patch of sand, a thick canopy of palm and coconut trees creating a wall before ending about a hundred yards against a mountain of coral.

“We’ve got like what? Seventy-five yards?” Fowl asked as Max set him down.

“Maybe… the water’s rising. Or maybe it’s the waves. Still, let me get the others.”

Soon the three women were all standing next to them.

“That’s an ugly boss,” Cordellia said.

Careful! It’s doing something! Let me know when to attack!

Max summoned his shield and moved to get before everyone.

“Rakonath says something is happening.”

His eyes strained to see what was happening, but with a half mile between them, all he could notice was a dark bluish glow where the boss hadn’t moved.

The water at the base of the beach began to vanish, moving further and farther away from it.

“Uh… where’s the water going?”

Frowning, Max couldn’t answer his friend, holding a hand over his eyes as he stared hard.

It’s rising up. The water is lifting it higher and higher!

He could see Rakonath circling above.

“Max…” Tanila said, her voice not hiding her concern. “I think I know what it’s about to do.”

He realized it as well.

“Crap!”

Like someone had drank all the water up through a straw, fish flopped on the sand where it was missing, and then the large mountain of water that had formed under the boss was immediately sent downward.

“GET CLOSE!”

As everyone huddled against him, Max used his Sand Mastery.

Mounds of the beach raced toward him, building a bubble with a sloped front, hardening into glass.

A gigantic wave of water, at least seventy feet tall, came, racing at them at an almost impossible speed.

Everyone hunkered down behind him, and Fowl had their shields out, still drawing more sand and creating glass anchors running deep into the beach.

The sound of the impact made his ears feel like they would pop. Unbelievable pressure struck them all as the water slammed against the barrier he had created.

It took half a minute for the water to stop washing over them and retract back to its original position.

“Ogre nutts,” Fowl cursed. “What kind of ability is that?”

Shaking his head, Max didn’t have a response.

The water is pulling away. It should be safe now.

Using sand, he forced the bubble upward, leaving it there in case it was needed again, but moving it to the side.

“Uh… where are the trees?”

Max turned to see that every one of the trees that had been behind them was gone.

“They're in the water,” Tanila replied. “It looks like we’re up against our first hard opponent.”

Cordellia scoffed as she summoned her wolf and knocked one of her bigger arrows.

“Bring it to shore Max. We need to see just what we’re up against. And make sure you don’t kill it on the first blow. It’s time to see what we can do.”

He felt each of his friends setting their feet and preparing for a fight.

Damn, Bob… I wish you were here. It’s been a while but I’m excited about this moment.

“Guess I’m on round up duty,” Max said. “I’ll be back soon with a boss. Try not to steal my kill this time.”

Laughter came from behind as he ran toward the water.

All he could do was grin, ready to see how this fight would go.

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