Chapter 345: A Display of Power

“Skills? How many skills?” Max asked, realizing now that the entire crowd as well as the four attendants, had gone silent.

“Three…”

Murmurs came from everyone and unable to help himself, Max joined in with Bob, laughing as he shook his head.

Stone began to form around where he stood, and Max held Terrance out until it encased the older man’s body, only his torso and neck not surrounded by a prison.

Moving quickly, Max went to his sister and helped her stand, brushing a few wayward strands of hair from her face before smiling as he pulled her close.

“I’ve missed you. I’m so sorry I couldn’t come back till now!”

She squeezed him, and then Max felt the presence of two others coming, one at a full sprint, the other a staggered state.

Turning and holding an arm out, he caught his mother as she crashed into them, tears flowing but a smile that looked brighter than the sun on the haggard woman’s complexion.

“My boy! My boy is alive! Alive!”

Kisses rained down upon his cheeks as she squeezed him, laughing and sobbing.

“Dad,” Max said as he looked at his father, who was standing a few steps away, unsure of what was going on before him.

“Is… is this a dream? A nightmare? Are you real, son?”

“Don’t worry, Dad. I’m home.”

Like a dam that had broken, those eyes of his father burst with liquid, and he raced to where his son was standing, joining the trio as they laughed and cried.

A few moments had passed before a voice came from out in the crowd.

“What skills?!”

Sniffing, they all turned to see one of the teens still waiting their turn looking at them.

A young boy, obviously from a poorer family as his clothes had patches on even his best outfit.

Glancing at his sister, Max smiled.

“The floor is yours, sis. Tell the people what the gods have given you.”

Rubbing the tears that had flowed so freely, she nodded and took a deep breath.

“I’ve only heard of one, but the other two are things I don’t recognize.”

“It’s okay, just start with the one you know first,” he replied.

“Weapon mastery,” she said with a grin.

“HOLY ELF TITS!”

Fowl’s outburst made everyone turn to see the dwarf who stood there in plate armor, minus his helm, shaking his head.

“Fowl Hammerfall!” Batrire exclaimed.

“What?! Ockrim help me, he loves this family too much!”

Applause came from many as they tried to still comprehend what they were witnessing.

“And it’s an uncommon rank!” Stacy exclaimed.

Their dwarven warrior groaned again but remained silent as more people applauded.

“What’s the next one sis?”

“Holy Crusader.”

“GIANT OGRE BALLS!”

Once more Fowl’s outburst made everyone look at him as the dwarf edged closer to Max and his sister, hands shaking in the air as if pleading to someone.

“I’m not familiar with it,” Max said. “Fowl?”

“It’s a clear skill! A clear skill! A rare one at that!”

“So it’s good?” Stacy asked.

A ten-second-long groan came from the dwarf, who nodded the entire time.

“You could get a place in the dwarf king’s guard with that skill, human or not.”

For a moment, light returned to his sister’s eyes. They sparkled and then vanished.

“I… I can’t. I have a baby,” she whispered. She looked down in shame.

Max took his finger and lifted his sister’s chin.

“I know, and you’re fine. Trust me, we can work it out, and you can still be the adventurer you want to be. Now then. What’s the last one?”

Taking a deep breath, she glanced at the dwarven warrior now biting his finger.

“Uh… it’s Juggernaut.”

Max sensed it but didn’t stop it when Fowl passed out, crumpling to the ground.

“Dear gods… she’s broken,” Batrire said. “Just like her brother.”

Laughing, he grabbed his sister in his one free arm and pulled her close for a second before holding up an arm and turning to the crowd that was beginning to grow.

“People of Alundra! May I present to you one of the greatest warriors who shall ever come from our town! Stacy Hoste!”

The loudest cheers came from the group of teens still waiting their turn to find out their skills. Soon the rest of the crowd joined in, and then a few moments later, Max moved his family from the steps.

“You all go ahead. Find out your skill and share it if you want, but otherwise, keep it to yourself.”

“Can we do that?” the boy who had spoken up first asked, motioning to Terrance who was now awake and glaring at them.

“He’s not going to hurt you. Trust me. Besides, I have a gift for each of you after you get your skill.”

A gold coin appeared in his finger, and Max tossed it to the teen.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“You’re up first.”

The young man had barely caught it. The surprise of the coin and gesture took a second to set in as he stared at more wealth than the teen could probably imagine.

“You… you’re serious?”

“I am. Now hurry up. The guards will be here soon, and I don’t want to have problems when they come.”

Like a flood, the dozen teens still waiting surged forward, each collecting a gold coin before touching the shard and gaining their skills.

“Stop that!” Terrance shouted. “You can’t do this!”

Max gently freed himself from his mother’s grasp and handed her to his father before he strode to where the red-faced attendant was.

“Oh, I can and I will, and we’re going to have a long talk. Now, unless you want me to stick a ball of stone in your mouth, I suggest you shut it.”

Terrance opened his mouth to speak, and as he did, stone began to rise from the ground.

Clamping his jaw so hard it clicked, the older man glared, still seemingly unconcerned with the monster he didn’t truly recognize before him.

Max could see in the distance a group of about twenty guards coming, one on a horse he remembered from the days he had been forced to train as a teen in case he wanted to be a warrior.

“Max,” Cordellia said, holding her bow in one hand.

“It’s fine. They won’t attack, and if they do, it won’t go well.”

He turned to everyone who was standing, wondering what might take place next.

“You all need to go home. Know this, my family is off limits.”

As he spoke, his tone changed, and the threat was conveyed not only by his expression but also by the narrowing of his eyes as he looked at everyone still standing.

“Make sure the entire town knows this because if someone hurts them, I will hunt down them and everyone they love and do far worse than what happens to my family. Any questions?”

Most shook their heads and took a step back, now looking for a way to escape the gaze of someone who singlehandedly destroyed five men in a moment.

“Good, now go!”

Everyone took off, moving at a pace to get away but while not trampling each other.

“Thank you again!”

Max nodded at the teen who had gone first after his sister.

“Mom, Dad. I need you to stand behind me. I’ll take care of everything else. Just stay back here. Okay?”

“Are you certain, son?”

Laughing at his father’s question, Max smiled.

“Trust me, they don’t want to fight, and they already know it.”

As if Max’s words were true, the group of guards slowed down, and most of the men and women had pained expressions at the sight before them.

“Max Hoste… is that really you?”

Stepping forward, Max held up both hands and nodded.

“It is. Captain Molo?”

“You have a good memory, son, but tell me… how are you alive, and why are these men like this?”

Motioning with his head behind him, Max held up three fingers.

“They lied to our town about myself and others being unskilled. They attacked me today when I tried to reveal that truth. Finally, they attacked my sister.”

Frowning, the older white-haired man nodded and slid off the chestnut stallion he was sitting on.

“The fact you’re alive and have done such a thing proves there is an element of truth. Still, they are protected by the queens and the adventurers guild. How can you hope to stand against them?”

“Don’t worry about the queens. They and I have talked, and neither of them are going to interfere the moment they learn I was involved.”

“The queens? You’ve spoken with the queens? When? Why? I mean… you were supposed to be a [ Baker ]. How in the gods are you… like this?”

“I had a skill on my Choosing Day, and they lied about it. What they were going to do to me, I’m not certain, but I’m about to find out. Since then I have been running, trying to get stronger so that I could protect myself and my family.”

Max turned slightly and pointed to the four adventurers standing near the stone steps and grinned.

“They became my family, and together, we conquered dungeons, cleared dungeon breaks around the capital, and passed the 50th floor of the tower.”

Behind Captain Molo, the guards were glancing at each other, asking questions and some backing up.

“That… is quite a… tale. Not that I want to say I don’t believe it,” the older man replied, “but it’s only been a year. How? Lifetimes are spent trying to achieve such a thing.”

“I know… it’s hard to explain, and I can’t tell you everything, just know it’s true. All this was done under the name Seth Pendal.”

Those blue eyes of the captain blinked a dozen times in a few seconds, and his mouth fell open.

“Seth… Pendal. You claim to be him?”

Pulling his adventurer token from his storage, Max handed it to the captain, who stared at it and turned it over and over a few times.

“I… mean there is no way you could have this and be the rank you are unless it’s true… Still, I…”

He stopped himself and set his face, breathing heavily once, and glared at the men in the red robes behind Max and the others.

“We shall leave this matter in your hands then. I hope others will learn to not prey on the weak. And for what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re safe.”

Captain Molo handed back the token and then waited for Max to shake his hand.

“Take care of your family, son. They’ve missed you greatly.”

“I will, sir. And if you don’t mind. Make sure everyone in town knows that if they mess with my family, they will find me knocking on their door, and that’s not a visit anyone wants.”

An unexpected laugh came from the leader of the guards, who shook his head and smiled.

“Judging from how you handled those men, I’m certain no one in town will be foolish enough to make that mistake. Anything else I can help you with?”

Sighing, Max motioned at the street.

“Not right now but later. I seem to have put a damper on the day, and for that I will try to make it up to the city. Let the mayor know I’ll come by before I leave and offer some ideas on how to help.”

“You didn’t ruin this day,” Molo replied. “In fact, judging from the expressions I saw on the last teens and the color of the coin I saw in a few of their hands, you probably made this the greatest Choosing Day our city has seen in a long time.”

Nodding, Max motioned to his family behind him.

“If you don’t mind, I need to take care of them and then clean up this mess. I promise not to spill blood in this city unless someone is foolish enough to attack us.”

“That’s more than I could hope for. Carry on, Max. And welcome home again.”

Smiling, Max turned as the captain whistled and then moved to his horse, climbing back into the saddle.

He could see the smile on his sister’s face, and it was like a dream he thought would never come true.

Behind his family were five men all struggling against the bonds he had placed them in.

It looks like we’ll have to take this party elsewhere. I… thank you for whatever you gave my sister.

Laughter filled his head.

I only made it possible. The system chose the skills. How she ended up with three and those… someone else had a hand in it.

Who could… Ockrim and Phaius?

Perhaps. Worry about that another time. For now enjoy your family. There is much we still must do with those five.

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