Seven seconds remained on Haste when Max had made it back to his allies, the boss’s ability finally stopping and its stone’s color returning to the muted brown. He had run past his friends, angling so the boss would run past them.

“Be ready! I need a wall!”

Max didn’t wait for Tanila to respond, trusting her to do what he needed, and ran straight toward the boss.

It thundered at him, but it wasn’t prepared for the speed at which Max was moving.

Max ran through its massive legs as its left arm slammed down toward the ground in an attack that would never connect, seeing a stone wall materialize behind it.

Allowing himself a small smile, Max jumped against the wall, twisting and turning thanks to his improved speed and dexterity. He leaped off the wall and swung his halberd at the same cracked spot on the boss’s back.

The hit connected, more stone pieces falling to the ground, and as both the rock and Max raced toward the dirt floor, a wall of air appeared, catching Max and allowing him to plant his feet and swing again.

A two-foot-long chunk of stone fell free, and the slight shimmer of a magical crystal could be seen.

With no time to waste, a third blow landed. The last layer of stone that protected the crystal fell away, leaving a white gem, over a foot in diameter, vulnerable.

Max leaped back, barely avoiding the right arm coming at him, its shortened length whipping as it twisted quickly.

The air wall he had been on vanished as the boss spun.

Max fell to the ground, rolling and running the second he hit it, hearing the sound of the boss’s foot connecting with the dirt.

“I can see it!” Max shouted. “Tanila, you’re up!”

Unsure it would work, Max lured the boss so its back was to their mage.

He wanted to watch but could barely catch glimpses of the spells forming in the air above the elven woman who always impressed him.

Between the boss’s legs, he could see Tanila’s magic begin to form. Ice, stone, and fire appeared, each as a long spear.

A smile appeared as he saw them racing across the room floor, all three coming for the boss.

An explosion filled his ears, and he felt the power that was released as her spells connected against the crystal in the boss’s torso.

The boss froze mid-stride, and Max stopped when he was about fifteen yards from it.

It began to shake, and cracks started appearing in its outer edges when an itch inside him told him things would get worse.

“RUN!” Talina shouted.

He didn’t need to hear that a second time, turning and racing for cover as fast as he could, spotting one of the rock pillars nearby and leaping behind it.

An explosion erupted from where the boss stood, rocks flying across the room with such force that the impact from the ones that hit the pillar Max was hiding behind made him concerned for his friends.

The tiny window with their party bars showed no one was hurt and after, a moment, Max glanced around the rock formation and saw Fowl sprinting toward the smoldering broken crystal on the floor.

“Goblin shite,” Max cursed as he ran, storing his halberd on the first stride and pumping his arms and legs as fast as he could.

At that moment, Max wished he still had his haste spell, knowing time wasn’t on their side, but he actually hoped one of them would make it.

Less than twenty yards remained for both of them when the crystal began to fade, and they both slowed down, knowing it was too late.

‘FACKING OGRE SHITE!” Fowl cursed, waving both hands in the air as he slowed down.

Snorting, Max trotted to where his dwarven friend was, smiling slightly as he drew near.

“I sure wish you had longer legs,” Max teased, watching his friend pull his plate helmet off and store it.

“You should have saved that haste skill till now. That crystal…”

Both nodded and looked around the room, spotting the chest that had just appeared.

“Holy elf tits,” Max said, not even concerned that Tanila was around.

“Mother of holy elf tits,” Fowl added right after. “That chest is huge… like I’ve never seen a chest that big before…”

Both men stopped and looked at each other and started laughing.

The women arrived a little after, and both had cocked eyebrows wondering why the men were laughing so hard.

“Should I ask?” Batrire questioned as she looked them both up and down.

“No… I don’t think Fowl would like to explain his last comment,” Max replied, getting an elbow to his side from his dwarven friend.

“Look at the size of that chest,” Tanila said, awe in her voice over what she was looking at.

Fowl and Max started laughing again, and it took Batrire only a moment to realize why.

“Gah, you boys,” muttered Batrire, “and your fascination… Not everybody likes big chests. Right, Seth?”If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Max coughed, his sonar sensing Tanila turning. “I think there are lots of perfect-sized chests. Perhaps this one has really good loot.”

Batrire bobbed her head as she said, “Uh huh…” Her expression told both men she didn’t believe Max’s words.

“This thing is wider than Fowl,” Max stated, looking at the chest, which was four feet tall and six feet long. “And it looks like some kind of stone, but I know it’s not.”

Tanila tapped it, nodding in agreement. A giant golem was drawn on the chest, holding up a crystal, and flanking on either side of the giant golem were smaller ones, all holding up their arms.

A hum could be heard from the chest, and Fowl was practically salivating as he waited for the other three to stop inspecting it.

“I’m going to ask because I figure you three know. Why would a chest be this big?”

Tanila snorted, and Batrire smiled.

“Well, I’m sure we will all find out one day. This size chest is usually reserved for a tower floor,” Tanila answered. “So… yeah. This should be a fairly unbelievable chest.”

“Better than the ogre one?”

“It better be,” Fowl replied. “Especially since Tanila killed the boss.”

Their elven mage’s cheeks turned bright red, and she winced at Fowl’s words. “About that… I’m sorry. I can only imagine what you would have gotten had you killed it.”

Shaking his head, Max shrugged. “I won’t entertain that thought. Personally, I think it was better you killed it than me.”

“Why?” Tanila asked, her eyebrows drawn together, showing her confusion.

“First, I don’t always need to be the one doing the killing. It’s good when I can, but we are going to get to a point where someone has to take the kill versus risking us getting injured waiting for me to. Second, I can only imagine the possible skill I might have gained. Not getting it, I think, is going to upset whatever is inside me. Sure, I’m curious, and a part of me really wanted it, but the part of who I am that matters is glad I didn’t.”

A smile appeared on Tanila’s lips.

“That said, I think everyone would agree our arse-kicking mage should open this chest!”

Fowl cheered, not concerned with who opened it but only that someone was going to.

Batrire motioned toward the chest, and Tanila moved to its front, putting both hands on the massive stone lip.

The lid popped open with a shove, and all four moved to peer inside.

“Need to stand on your tiptoes?” Max asked as he saw Fowl peering over the edge.

“Suck it,” the dwarf replied, about to say more when everyone went silent.

“It’s a raid chest,” Tanila whispered.

Inside were the individual items that always appeared for each of them. Next to those four were crystal clear rings with Earth Golem Prince etched on them. Past those rings were four more items, each changing as they waited to be rolled on and won.

“Four extra items,” Fowl whispered. “Four… I mean… there’s one for each of us.”

Looking at his dwarven friend, Max leaned over and held up a hand, getting a high-five from his buddy.

“Well, I want to check this out first,” Max said, leaning over and taking out a belt he knew was his.

It formed in his hand, made of a material that seemed like stone but felt cold, like metal. Clear crystal lines ran along the two-inch wide brown belt.

[ Inspect Belt ]

*****

Belt of the Golem

+ 4 Strength and Constitution

% Resistance to Slash and Piercing attacks

Bonded

*****

“Uh… guys… you can see its stats,” Max said as he quickly removed his raptor belt and put it in storage.

Each of the other three leaned in, taking their items, and smiles started to appear as they inspected them.

“Holy dwarf balls,” Tanila said as she held the stone band. “Are each of yours a bonus of eight stat points?”

Fowl nodded, holding at a belt that matched Max’s. “Four to strength and constitution and resistance to slashing and piercing.”

Max smiled and then started to chuckle. “Yes! Belt brothers!”

Batrire groaned as she held a band that looked just like Tanila’s. “Wisdom and Constitution?”

Tanila nodded and then grinned. “Resistance to spells?”

Laughing, Batrire nodded and smiled.

“I guess that seems fair,” Fowl said with a shrug. “Now… what about the other four?”

Having finished putting on his belt, Max turned his attention to the chest and the four items that were changing colors.

Two rings and two sets of earrings made up the four items. Each of them shifted slightly within the chest, the color of the stone a different hue or with a little bit of more clear crystal.

“Can men wear earrings?” Max asked, winking at Tanila.

“They can… but typically, the earrings are more for casters as the stats focus on that,” she replied. “I am sure a non-caster has taken a pair of earrings at some point, but usually only after the casters have theirs.”

Playing with his ear lobe, Max glanced at Fowl and gave a wink. “Want a pair of earrings?”

Frowning and groaning a little, his fellow warrior didn’t seem excited about that notion. “I’ll pass if I can. Let’s just say my father and mother were never the kind to like a male dwarf with earrings. Some are ok with that, but I’d prefer not to have one more thing for them to be upset about when I finally go home.”

“I guess that means the earrings are for you two. Can you wear more than one pair?”

Batrire nodded as she pointed to one of the sets in the chest. “You can wear up to three, but depending upon the power, they may interfere with each other. Most never do more than two on each ear.”

Tanila nodded and watched as Batrire touched the first pair.

After thirty seconds, when no one else touched them, she withdrew a pair of earrings with a slight brown tint and a weird symbol made of crystal.

“That’s a dwarven rune,” Tanila muttered while Batrire’s hands shook as she held them up.

“By Ockrim’s beard, it is!” shouted Fowl.

Their dwarven healer’s eyes went wide as she held them, obviously having identified them.

“So?” Fowl asked, leaning close so he could watch his partner’s face.

Batrire’s voice was soft and low. Max wondered if the rest of them heard her when she finally spoke.

“Fi… five to intelligence and wisdom and… fifteen percent bonus to my heals…”

“Holy…” Fowl stopped, seeing Tanila’s glare.

“I know,” Batrire said. “This is raid quality… people would kill for this. Tanila, you get yours.”

Tanila smiled then quickly touched the other remaining set of earrings, and when she could take them out, her face went white as her jaw fell. They had a slightly different hue to the stone's color; this time, an elven crystalline rune was on them.

“And?”

Tanila shook her head, closed her mouth, and took a moment to collect herself. “Five to the same stats and fifteen percent to spell potency.”

“Potency? Like damage, duration, and strength?” Max asked.

“Exactly.”

Fowl was groaning as he tapped the edge of the chest with his fingers.

“You want to go first or me?”

Max smiled. “You go. It looks like you might pass out if we wait any longer.”

Fowl let out a whoop and touched the first ring, waiting for it to finally allow him to take it out.

Holding it near his face, the dwarf studied the dwarven rune on his dark brown ring.

“Ockrim’s beard…”

“What is it?” Batrire asked, anxious to hear what Fowl’s ring gave.

“It’s…