“I swear that was the funniest thing I have ever seen,” Tanila said, chuckling as Fowl held his finger up at the three of them again. “The way you moved was so graceful.”

“You all keep laughing,” Fowl muttered as he lifted the lid to the chest made of ice that had appeared. “I’ll be pissing in your waterskins when you all aren’t looking!”

Batrire groaned. “Don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you tonight, my love. Now, stop your foolishness and tell me what’s inside.”

“It’s trash,” Fowl grumbled. “It's four rings, four tokens, and no random stuff, either.”

Max glanced into the dimensional storage's swirling portal and saw the rings inside.

“They look just like the ones Tom gave us,” Max pointed out, removing his chained glove and holding up his hand.

“I may not be a smart dwarf,” Fowl stated, “But I know what a magical ice ring looks like.”

They pulled their ring out and nodded, as it was already identified.

[ Identify Ring ]

*****

Ring of Cold Resistance

% Resistance to cold effects. Does not reduce damage from cold attacks.

*****

“I guess the Faction just shares them?” Max asked. “Makes me wonder what other items are required for the tower floors.”

“Who cares?” Fowl grumbled, still pouting. “Let’s get the loot and blow this frozen treat stand.”

“Man, my balls are sweating,” Fowl stated. “How did we go from so cold to so hot?”

“That’s why they call it the fire dungeon,” Batrire replied, frustration seeping through her tone.

“What’s wrong with Fowl?” Max whispered to Tanila. “He’s been moody lately.”

“It’s the date,” Tanila replied quietly. “It’s his birthday next week, and it's a big one for his race. Not having his family…”

Max stared at Fowl and saw his friend was looking flustered, but not just because of the massive heat waves pouring over them. He was sweating from head to toe.

Max felt the same frustration of the heat as sweat ran from the top of his bald head down his neck and back.

Looking around the dungeon at the wave of heat rising off of the black rock and the rivers of lava that snaked through it, Max wondered what the boss room was going to be like.

“At least we can see farther than inside the ice dungeon, but the path is going to be dangerous. Some areas only have a few feet of stone between the lava flows.”

“And don’t forget,” Tanila added as Max continued looking around the floor, “the lizards hide in the lava. Everything about this place is designed to damage you with fire.”

Max nodded and pointed at the ice familiar floating in the air next to her. “I can feel the cold from that… it’s not a lot, but it does help some.”

She nodded and grinned. “Perks of being a friend of the god's favorite adventurer.”

“Are you two done flirting?” Fowl snapped. “I’d like to finish this floor as soon as possible.”

“Ready here!” Max replied, doing his best to not upset Fowl more.

The dwarf grunted and started making his way along the rocky floor, avoiding the holes and sharp edges of the black stone.

“HEAL ME!” Fowl shouted as Tanila sent an ice spear into the fire salamander’s head, killing it. Steam came from the wound she had created while Fowl moved his glowing metal vambraces next to the ice still sticking out of the corpse.

“I’m on it!” Batrire snapped back, her frustration at Fowl's attitude reaching a boiling point. “I haven’t let you die yet, so stop acting like I’m about to!”

Groaning, Fowl was covered in a green light as her spell went off. His metal vambraces began to return to their normal color. “I’m sorry, my skin was melting to the–”

“Enough!” Max shouted, his voice louder than he had expected. “We’re done. We can visit Tom tomorrow and get the rings to help here, but you two will not act like this!”

Fowl started to open his mouth, but Max cut him off. “Don’t! We’re friends, and I think of you like the brother I wish was acting like the man I know he is. I’m unsure what is happening, but I won’t stand by and watch this anymore. If I have to, I’ll pick your grumpy dwarf arse up, run you to the portal and throw you out myself. Now let’s go!”If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Fowl glared at Max and then at Batrire, who was biting her lip even as she frowned.

“Fine,” Fowl replied. He stomped off, moving toward the entrance, his boots slamming against the stone.

Batrire started to speak, but Max just shook his head.

“Talk to me,” Max said. “We’re friends, and I know something is going on with you.”

The short dwarf grunted, keeping his eyes focused on the path he was taking to the portal. Tanila and Batrire were giving them a little space while Max tried to defuse the situation.

“It’s nothing,” Fowl finally stated in a gruff tone. “Dwarf stuff, you wouldn’t understand!”

Max took a deep breath, then wished he hadn’t, as the awful taste and heat of the air filled his lungs and tickled his throat. “Listen, bud, we’re your family. I know a little bit, but I don’t want to intrude too much. I trust you with the others and my life. You know my secrets. If you feel that’s not enough for you to be willing to share what's going on, then I’m not sure what else I can do to prove what you mean to me.”

Fowl’s plate boot caught on a jagged edge of the rock, and he stumbled. Max reached out and grabbed his friend's shoulder, keeping him upright.

A minute passed before Fowl finally turned his head toward Max. A few tears appeared, then were gone a second later, stolen by the heat of the dungeon. “I’m turning fifty,” Fowl grunted, “in four days. For dwarves, it’s one of the biggest birthdays there is before one hundred. Normally, it’s spent with one's family, leading to a huge celebration…” Fowl paused, choked up by what he was saying. “I can’t imagine what my parents are going through with me not being there. It’s hard enough for me to be away. Someday, I hope… no, I plan on returning home and them welcoming me back instead of feeling the shame of when I ran away.

Max’s memories of his parents, along with what Caleb had said about how his mom, dad, and sister were doing, tugged at his heart. He felt the pain of being unable to return home and not knowing if they were safe and doing well.

“Four days… I’m not sure that’s enough time…”

Fowl raised an eyebrow, glancing at Max before turning his attention to the ground he was about to trip on again. “For what?”

“To plan the greatest birthday party Alexander has ever thrown. I need to make sure my brother gets the celebration he deserves.”

Stopping, Fowl turned and grabbed Max’s arm. “You would do that?”

Nodding, Max put his other hand on Fowl’s shoulder and smiled. “You’re the closest thing I have to a family now. I understand the pain of not going home. If a party to celebrate your life and who you are is all I can do, let me make it the best one a human can come up with!”

Fowl reached up and took off his helm, finally allowing his face to be fully seen. The dwarf’s chin was shaking, making his beard bounce up and down slightly. His big brown eyes throbbed from the emotion behind them. “I… I don’t know what to say…” Fowl started, shaking his head slowly before a massive smile appeared. “Other than that, I expect a lot of ale, presents, and cake!”

Max laughed and ruffled the sweaty mess of hair on his friend’s head. “That I can do. Think you can stop acting like a kid who lost their bag of candy?”

Smirking, Fowl nodded and then groaned. He glanced at Batrire and Tanila, who had stopped a few yards away and were anxiously watching what was happening.

“I, uh… am sorry, my love,” Fowl muttered.

“For what?” Batrire asked, tapping her foot as she leaned against her staff, frowning at him.

“Gah, you’re going to make me say it?”

She nodded at his question, grinning at her man.

“Fine!” he exclaimed, storing his helmet as he threw both hands into the air. He took a few steps over to her, getting down on one knee and smiling. “Forgive me, my love. You’re my ore in a deep mine, the gold I hide in a chest. There is no other drink, even ale or hard liquor, that I desire more than you. I love you.”

Max stood shocked as Batrire reached out with both hands and grabbed Fowl by the beard, yanking him to his feet and pulling his lips to hers. Fowl gave a small cry from her quick movement, but the two passionately kissed in the hottest place he could ever imagine doing so.

Tanila moved over next to Max, trying to give the two dwarfs, who were making grunting noises as they pressed their lips together, some privacy.

“Well…that seemed to make things better,” she said with a grin.

Max looked at her, staring into her eyes. “When people stop hiding behind their pain and fears, admit their feelings for the other, stuff like that happens.”

Tanila coughed and looked away, knowing her face was flushed from the heat and thankful it couldn’t get any redder.

“We’re going to leave, you two!” Max declared as he turned. “I'd do that somewhere else where you don’t have to worry about a salamander burning your beards off.”

Fowl and Batrire started laughing, pulling away for some hot, volcanic air.

“He’s right, my love. We can pick this up back in the carriage.”

“Gods, no!” Tanila exclaimed. “If you want to do that, get your own damn carriage or wait till you get back to the inn.”

Both dwarves laughed, walking hand in hand, as they moved past Max and Tanila.

“That would have been an awful carriage ride,” Max said as they followed the pair. “There was so much grunting.”

Laughing, Tanila nodded.

“A party?” Alexander said, a hint of excitement in his voice. “For a dwarf turning fifty… that is a big thing. Tell me what you are thinking.”

Pulling out a list Batrire and Fowl had helped him write, Max handed it to the proprietor of the Heavenly Pineapple and watched as the man’s eyes grew large. His eyebrows lifted and continued to move upward as he read further down the list.

“This… this is a lot of stuff, and are you certain about that?” he asked as he pointed to an item on the list.

Max shrugged and nodded. “Apparently, dwarves love it. Besides, if I understood them right, you should expect at least two hundred people, mostly dwarves, to attend. It could be as high as four hundred when word gets out about this party.”

Grimacing, Alexander looked around his dining area, glancing at the booths and tables. “Do we have to host it here? I mean, not that I don’t want to, but dwarves are known for being rowdy, and all of this won’t fit inside my place.”

Max started to laugh and nodded, pulling out five gold coins from his pocket. “I’m not sure of the cost, but if this isn’t enough, let me know. Find a place outside or a massive warehouse for all I care. The only thing that matters is that Fowl knows we love him, and his fiftieth birthday is one he will never forget!”

Alexander nodded and started tapping his chin. “I actually have an idea about where we can do this. Four days, right?”

“Yes, sir, and we would like to start right as the sun goes down. Otherwise, I’m certain there won’t be enough ale in town to cover all of this.”

Laughing, Alexander put the list away and grinned. “I think we can make this a party the entire city will talk about for years. Just leave it to me!”