Ultimate Level 1
Chapter 484: Goblins and Tutus

“All bow in the presence of Grand Lord Zenk!”

Max and the rest looked at each other before slightly bending their heads as they stared at the goblin who sat on a stone throne. His red eyes stared at them behind a pair of spectacles.

His clothes seemed to shimmer, black fabric that went well with his light green skin. His top hat gears moved, and a variety of lights illuminated them, drawing one's eyes to them constantly.

“Tower climbers, welcome!” Zenk said as he rose from his chair.

Max had already warned Fowl and Cordellia, who he saw were biting their lips.

The apparent ruler of this city and Grand Lord was standing on a stone block, making him seem taller than the four feet he was otherwise.

“Thank you for the welcome,” Max said, giving another small neck bend. “Tell us, what seems to be the problem your guards said we might help you with?”

A bigger grin appeared as the goblin rubbed his hands together.

“Yes! Such wonderful citizens I have! They get straight to the point and understand the blessing that you all are! Tell me, have you ever encountered any beings so far in your travels like my children?”

Something about how he spoke would have made Max’s hair rise if he had had any.

His children… does this mean he can create these things?

“Nothing as fine as the ones before us,” Max replied. “I did visit a world and saw some… automatons and robots–”

“Bah! Do not use that word!” Zenk snapped as the expressions changed on every guard that was present.

Each of them scowled, and he was certain one had spat after hearing the last one.

“My children are not such filthy and worthless things! No! They are alive, and each has its own volition! No mindless tool that can only accomplish a single task or two!”

His voice carried over the dozen yards between them, and Max could sense his friends shifting as they stood there.

“Forgive me, I didn’t know. As I had mentioned, I only saw some of those lesser ones. Nothing near as… perfect as your children.”

A smile appeared on all the guards and the goblin, his head bobbing at Max’s words.

“And you shall most likely never see such greatness again. For I am one of the gifted! Touched by my god with the knowledge of the spark of life.”

Hopping off the stone block, Zenk made his way to where the party stood and snapped his finger.

A creature resembling a goblin, the only one Max could sense or see, came moving from the side. The stone block in its hands was set down before the Grand Lord.

Zenk stepped up, rising to match his height and stared at them.

“So… the trouble the tower has sent you to help with. No doubt you endured the rain that tries to wash us away. The beanstalk, you have seen it as well?”

“We did,” Tanila said, not flinching when the goblin’s gaze snapped in her direction a single eyebrow raising.

“And did you go up it yet?”

Something inside warned him, and Max could feel the goblin's hat moving slightly faster, the gears turning just a bit more rapidly than before.

“We did. It was a very long climb.”

Grunting, the goblin scowled.

“Did you see the land that is above? Such a horrible place! The monster that lives there comes out whenever it wishes, causing the weather to change and to assault us with a variety of things. Rain is only one of the many tools it has employed to try and get us to leave this wonderful place.”

He snapped one of his green fingers and smiled, all of his teeth displayed with a massive grin.

“Your mission is to climb it again and destroy the monstrous abomination! Do that, and we shall be free of its curse! Do that, and I shall reward you all!”

He waved his hands in the air, and a trio of guards moved forward, a chest in each of their arms. Outside on the surface of the green metal boxes was the image of the Zenk, etched into the side along with other designs.”

“Can I ask why you haven’t gotten rid of it?”

The Grand Lord turned his gaze to Fowl and almost appeared to frown.

“We are not a race that fights. My children are not designed for such a thing. No! We are designed to reflect the grace and beauty of life!”

Twirling on his stone block, Zenk rose up on a single polished shoe, spinning around like a dancer a few times.

“You… uh… dance?” their warrior asked.

“YES! Dancing is the greatest! That is why we must be free of this weather! To celebrate and dance whenever the mood strikes! In fact, if you want, we could put on a show right now!”

Max could feel Zenk’s heart racing. His eyes seemed to pulse with a fire to show whatever it was he believed they needed to see.

Each of the guards who were present looked at them all with the same expression.

I’m so going to owe everyone for this…

“Well… if you believe there is time… perhaps a small show–”

“PERFECT!” Zenk shouted, clapping his hands and leaping off the box. “Please, take a seat and give us just a moment. My children and I shall allow you to partake in the greatest display of life you will ever experience!”

A low mutter came from Fowl as the Grand Lord dashed across the room.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“This way, if you please,” the goblin creation said. “I shall direct you to your seats.”

“Someone is going to owe me big time,” their warrior muttered. “Big time.”

***

The room erupted in applause as the now-filled hall was packed with the children of Zenk.

He was breathing hard. The Grand Lord was wearing a bright yellow tutu and was held aloft in the hands of one of the other dancers.

“What did I just witness?” Tanila whispered as she leaned over next to him. “Is he saying he is the sun?”

“Shh.. we’ll talk later.”

“Big time… I’m talking giant ogre-sized big time,” Fowl said as he rose like the rest.

They all joined in clapping for a good minute before finally being able to stop as Zenk made his way to them.

“Tell me, have you ever witnessed anything like this?!”

“No, no, I have not,” Max replied. “I doubt I ever shall either. You were right.”

A grin appeared, and the goblin bowed slightly.

“Well then, with that blessing granted, you all must set off on your quest! I shall peruse my vaults and see if there is anything else I might add to your reward!”

The same goblin creation that had led them to the only seats in the area beyond the stone throne motioned to them.

“This way, if you please.”

Max could feel every eye of those gathered upon them as they followed their guide.

***

“Okay… I’m just going to say this right now,” Fowl began, growling as they passed the gates. “In all my life, I could imagine not wanting to see certain things, and that right there… it has now taken that number one position!”

Cordellia held up her hands in the air. “Preach it, my hairy little friend!”

“I mean–”

“I get it, Fowl… I do,” Max said, cutting off his companion. “Had I known–”

“WHAT?! You’ve got enough intelligence points to know that when a goblin asks you if you want to watch him dance, say no! If I asked, what would you say?”

Looking down at the dwarf standing before him, giving him the stink eye, Max sighed.

“I would have said no.”

“EXACTLY! Because we both know that’s not a good idea. And the second I start to put on some outfit like he did…”

Everyone shuddered at the same time, their mental image of the goblin in various skin-tight outfits showing way more than any of them desired.

“I’ll make it up to you… I promise. Even if we have to name our child Fowl or Fowletta.”

His friend began to smile and wagged a finger at him, before starting to laugh. “No… don’t do that. I can already see that Tanila is about to make you suffer for saying that.”

He turned to see the expression on her face and knew that his warrior friend was right again.

“Yeah… uh maybe I’ll find another way to make it up to you,” Max replied.

***

Standing at the entrance to the world above the clouds, all five gazed at the same view.

“So what’s the plan?” Fowl asked. “Sneak inside? Draw it out?”

“I’m pretty sure those animals might be hard to fight at the same time as the gnome thing,” Cordellia said. “I doubt even my bow will pierce them.”

Max just nodded, listening to them as he considered a dozen ideas and plans, wishing Bob were there to bounce stuff off.

“You’re thinking. What’s on your mind?” Tanila asked.

Running his tongue over his teeth, Max couldn’t help but grimace slightly.

“Something seems off… I was thinking about it as I headed over here, and all I could think about was how weird this felt. Two different worlds in a single tower floor. Connected by a large plant. Both are different kinds of… robots or automatons. This one supposedly controls the weather below, and up here it's nothing but barren metal, a few clockwork or whatever animals, and a single giant. It just feels weird.”

“Like we’re tasked with the wrong objective?”

Max nodded at Tanila.

“How that Zenk guy seemed to know about us and what he expected was also frightening. It makes me wonder how each tower floor will be from now on. Are all of the beings or creatures on it going to know who or what we are?”

“So, what are you thinking we need to do?” Fowl asked again. “I mean… Chromie mentioned that we had never talked with that fire creature before killing it. You planning on walking up there, banging on the door, saying, ‘ Hey there Mr. Robot. Zenk sent us up here to kill you, is that the right plan? ’”

Shrugging, Max gave his friend a gentle shove.

“That’s not a bad idea, except I was going to have you do it instead.”

“Gods, no, I’m too handsome to die like that!”

Their healer and archer both laughed, but Max turned his attention back to the massive metal door.

“How about you four stay here. I’ll go and see what I can find. If things go wrong, you can all start moving down the beanstalk, and I can catch up. Cordellia is right. Fighting out here with those animals wouldn’t be a good idea either.”

“You sure?”

He nodded at their mage and winked at her.

“I’ll be fine. Trust me.”

A few groans came from all of them at those words.

“So, just remember if things go sideways, it was his words and not mine,” Fowl informed Batrire.

Shooing them away, Max waited until they were on the first step toward the world below.

I feel like an idiot talking to myself… especially since you never answer.

Taking a deep breath, Max let it out and flew into the air, moving toward the door.

As he moved, the animals stopped their grazing and watched him. A loud moo came from the cow as he passed overhead and drew near to the building.

The closer he got to it, the larger it became, and the true realization of what must live inside started to set in.

If we have to fight, this would be the largest boss we’ve faced. Who in their right mind would just walk up and attempt that?

In his head, he went through all the potential items he had that might help against something this large and considered possible options.

When he was about a hundred yards away from the door it swung open, and the same gnome creation stepped out, staff in hand and blue eyes fixed upon him.

“It appears someone has come to die,” it proclaimed, stopping in the doorway.

Stopping his approach, Max held up both hands, hovering midair at about eye level.

“Wait! I just want to talk!”

A rust-colored eyebrow raised over one eye, and the gnome leveled its staff at Max.

“You speak the words of my kind… I’ll give you a moment to talk. Convince me your death isn’t required and quickly.”

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