[ Inspect Cloak ]

*****

Cloak of the Spider

+5 Dex

Spider Walk - Lasts five minutes, twenty-four hour cooldown.

Bonded

*****

Max blinked a few times as he stared at the notification.

What the hell is Spider Walk?

“Goblin shite, Seth!” Fowl groaned, “Tell us what you got!”

Max snorted, then nodded as he tried to figure out what it meant.

“I’m not sure about the part about being made of spider silk, but yeah… It's called the Cloak of the Spider and has five dexterity and an ability called Spider Walk. Do you have any ideas what that is?”

Fowl immediately looked at Tanila, waiting to hear what she would say.

“It seems obvious,” Tanila said as she let go of the fabric she had been running through her fingers.

“Obvious? Like he’ll grow six more legs if he puts it on?”

Batrire groaned. “Gods, he needs to put more points into intelligence… No, it sounds like Max can do stuff a spider can do. I’m guessing climb walls?”

“Was that a question?” Max asked.

“Yes. Yes, it was,” replied Batrire. “If we find a tree that isn’t on fire or a wall not protected by the barrier, I guess you can try.”

“Yeah, but it has a twenty-four hour cooldown.”

The chest suddenly vanished in a cloud of black smoke, and a few seconds later, the portal appeared, pulsing with the usual blue glow.

“That was easy,” Fowl stated. “Should we take it or wait?”

“Why would we wait?” Batrire asked. “We got loot and a portal to the boss room.”

Shaking his head, Fowl tapped his helmet. “Think, woman, think. We’re still getting experience without doing a thing. Sure, it might take a while, but can you really pass up free experience for sitting on yer arse? Even if we take turns keeping watch and leave the moment something shows up, we’re already up half a level. Soon we’ll be forty-four!”

“He’s got a point for once,” Tanila said. “We’ve got food, water, and a campfire. I’m game if everyone else is.”

Max laughed. “Wait a second, I’m getting the raw end of this deal. I’ll be hanging out, getting nothing.”

“Blame the gods who normally kiss yer golden arse,” Fowl replied. “I’d gladly take no experience for the stuff yer getting.”

“Well, if that’s the case, I want to rest first. Some of us don’t get to relax in fights while getting kissed by a spider.”

Extending his middle finger, Fowl grumbled and moved off toward the trees.

“Where is he going?” Tanila asked.

“Beats me, but I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough,” answered Batrire.

A minute later, the dwarf returned carrying a decent-sized rock in his arms. He dropped it a few yards from the group and plopped down on it. “Fine, get some rest. I’ll keep watch for a few.”

No one hesitated, pulling camping gear out of storage and laying it on the ground.

“Try not to snore too much, my dear,” Fowl teased. “I don’t want the entire dungeon coming for us.”

Max was bored out of his mind, and reading the books he kept in storage only did so much to help pass the time. He had gotten some sleep and felt great and even Batrire and Tanila were ready to go.

“Experience has almost stopped,” Tanila said. “It’s been almost an hour with nothing.”

“Sounds like it's time to move on. I’ll get Fowl.”

Max put his book away and rolled up the blanket he had been sitting on. As he did, Max noticed that Tanila was watching him.

“You ok? Need something?”

She shook her head, lips pulled together tight. “Just… trying to figure things out.”

Nodding, Max stored his blanket and stood. “I’m in no hurry. I’ll always be here if you want to talk.”Closing her eyes, Tanila took a deep breath and slowly released it. When she opened her eyes, she smiled at him. “When you say stuff like that, it makes all this harder on me.”

“What? Being honest?”

“No… I know you’re honest. It’s… you know who I am and don’t care. I know you don’t see me for what I was born or the title I hold, even if I don’t care about it. You… don’t treat me differently because I pushed you away for being afraid of your skill. I just need to figure things out. Does that make sense?”If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Moving over to Tanila, Max held out his hand. She paused a moment before putting hers in his. Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, Max dropped to a knee and smiled when Tanila’s eyes began to bulge.

“I’m not doing that, so stop worrying,” Max quickly assured her.

A sigh of relief came from Tanila, and then she chuckled for a moment.

“All I’m doing is promising that I won’t hurt you. Me,” Max said as he tapped his chest. “I’m always going to care about you, and if you decide you want to be with me, I’m here. If not, at least I still have a friend.”

A cough came, and both turned to see Fowl and Batrire rocking back and forth on their feet.

“Not to interrupt whatever this is, but I really need to go,” Fowl said.

“Why is that?” Max asked as he let go of Tanila’s hand and stood.

Grunting, the dwarf grimaced. “Yeah… we need to defeat the boss and then get somewhere with a safe and clean spot to use the restroom.”

Everyone laughed except Fowl, who frowned at the three of them.

“Sorry, some of us can’t just go in the woods like the rest of ya. I really need a place to sit!”

“Use your helm,” Max joked as he moved toward the portal.

“How about I use your helm, and we can call it fair?”

As the two warriors moved toward the portal, Batrire quickly relocated herself next to Tanila.

“Should I ask what that was about?”

Tanila sighed and shook her head. “That man is either a genius when it comes to playing the strings of my heart or the luckiest fool there is because of how he always makes me feel.”Batrire chuckled and pointed at the two men waiting for them by the portal.

“Trust me, if I’ve learned anything about men from Fowl, it's typically the latter.”

Both started laughing, smiling as the men stared questionably at them.

“That was disappointing,” Fowl declared as the boss disappeared and a chest appeared. “You’re really going to have to let me do more. If you don’t, I’m just going to sit back and read a book while you do all the hard work.”

“That won’t happen,” Batrire teased. “You can’t read.”

Max was already lifting the lid before the others had made it to him.

“Sorry, I didn’t expect the boss to die so fast. That was pretty cool, though, if I do say so myself. Regardless, the two dexterity and wisdom I got was nice.”

“Yeah, it's hard to complain about a fourteen-foot-tall spider after facing one almost ten feet taller,” replied Fowl.

In the chest were four pairs of leggings, each black and red to match the spider's appearance. Next to them were black bands with the words "Spider Princess" etched into them.

“Spider Princess… seems a bit...” Max paused, noticing Tanila looking at him. “Regal.”

A raspberry came from Fowl. “That wasn’t what you were going to say, and we all know it.”

Shrugging, Max pulled his leggings out of the chest along with his boss token and sighed.

“These pants aren’t already identified,” Max complained.

“Nothing like normal loot, I guess,” Fowl muttered. “Can’t have everything be nice.”

“So we go turn in this stuff, and then what?” Batrire asked.

“We go back to the inn and shower,” Tanila replied. “We’ve been in this dungeon for a while. I doubt Alexander considers us a lost cause, but I don’t like being gone this long without warning him.”

“You all look like an ogre had its way with you,” joked Alexander as the group relaxed in their usual booth. I'm glad to see you’re back. Is there anything worth reporting?”

“Oh, we just decided to camp out in a dungeon and see what that was like. We've got to prepare for the tower at some point,” Max replied. “Did anything special happen while we were gone?”

Alexander nodded as he poured a drink for Batrire and then started working on Tanila’s before he replied. “There were a few things in the city. An ale fest down in the city's southwest section is going on today and tomorrow. It’s not an official one, but after the dungeon breaks that took place, the brewers' guild wanted to give people something to celebrate. Then there is an eating contest tomorrow in the northwest section of town. Lots of food and fun, again all aimed at helping people to move past the break.”

Max looked at Fowl, who smiled immediately as their eyes met.

“What time does the ale fest kick off tomorrow?” Fowl asked, rubbing his hands together in excitement.

Alexander laughed, grabbing Fowl’s empty tankard and refilling it. “It starts at lunchtime but doesn’t really get going until evening. If you want to partake in some of the games, I’d suggest waiting until around dinnertime when more people are there.”

“Fowl…” Batrire said, her tone so low it almost sounded like a growl.

“No complaining, babe. We earned this. Tomorrow, Seth and I are going to the festival and having a few drinks.”

“Tanila help me out,” Batrire pleaded. “You know how he gets when he’s drunk.”

Laughing, Tanila shook her head and picked up her glass, taking a long drink before setting it down with a thud.

“Sorry, Fowl’s right this time. We all need to go. Even you,” Tanila replied.

After Alexander refilled his glass, Max slid the man a small pouch. “Rent for another month if you don’t mind. I think we can all agree this is our home for another month.”

Grinning from ear to ear, Alexander gave a quick bow and took the coin pouch, putting it in his apron. “I appreciate that, I really do. After all the things that have happened… I had kind of wondered if you four might strike out for somewhere else. Soon enough, though, I know you’ll be leaving me.”

“How’s that?” Fowl asked.

“I hear things,” Alexander replied as he winked at Fowl. “Some say you four are making a name for yourself and have already signed with a Faction. If that’s the case, it tells me the four of you will soon be going into the tower, and once that happens… you won’t be living here anymore.”

“That doesn’t mean we can’t stop by,” Max said. “After all, you make one of the best pineapple upside-down cakes I’ve ever had.”

“And I’ll make one for you all the day before you leave me, if you tell me!” exclaimed Alexander. “It’s the least I could do.”

“I’m always down for cake,” Fowl stated, rubbing his belly with both hands.

Groaning, Batrire poked Fowl in the stomach, and everyone laughed as he started to giggle.

“Well, I’ll leave you four to relax. I’ll have your food out soon. I hope you enjoy the festival tomorrow. If you get drunk, remember to secure transportation home instead of trying to walk back.”

“Bah, no dwarf ever gets so drunk they can’t make it home,” Fowl protested.

Laughing, Alexander left the jug on the table and moved to check on some of the other patrons in his place.

“You’re serious about going tomorrow, right Seth?”

“Heck ya!” Max replied with a single nod of his head. “We’ve been risking our arses every day for the last few weeks. A day off and a night out seems like a good idea. We can hit the faction house to turn in some stuff and then take care of a few other things before hitting the festival in time for the fun.”

“Guess I better start drinking then,” Fowl declared before he started chugging his tankard.

“I’ll blame you for all this, Seth,” Batrire said as she pointed a finger at the dwarf with an upturned tankard and ale running down his beard. “You have no idea what beast you have awoken.”

Glancing at Tanila, Max saw her smile and nod.

“He can get a little out of hand. Hopefully not too bad, though.”