Bam's ascent is hindered by the presence of The Scribe, who appears as an old man but has the ability to transform into any animal he chooses. He also harbors dark secrets about the tower's past, which will only be revealed in the final chapters of this novel.
The story begins when twenty-five year old Bam learns that his father has been killed in a senseless accident. Though initially devastated by the loss, he soon finds himself at odds with his stepmother and stepsister. When they learn that Bam intends to pursue a career as a singer, they forbid him from doing so, and even try to kill him in a fit of jealousy.
In order to prove their incompetence, Bam seeks out the help of a mysterious woman named Nadeemah, who claims to have worked for his father. She offers him a way to escape the family home and take revenge on his stepfamily.
Bam is then introduced to the Tower of God, a building made up of many different levels, each dedicated to a specific purpose. Its architect was none other than the legendary King Solomon himself.
However, the Tower's existence is kept secret, as it has been outlawed by the Church. It is not long before Bam discovers that his stepmother and stepsister are plotting against him, and that the Tower may hold the key to unlocking his destiny.
***
He woke up and realized he was still alive. He looked around and saw nothing except darkness. There were no windows in the room, and the air smelled stale.
"Hello?" he called out, his voice echoing through the void. "Is anybody there? Hello!"
There was no response.
He sat up and felt the rough stone floor beneath his hands. His head spun slightly as he tried to figure out where he was. He didn't recognize the place at all.
It was just a small room, and yet he couldn't see anything else in it. He reached out and touched the wall next to him, feeling for a door or window Nothing. He turned to the other side of the room and repeated the process. Still nothing.
Bam stood up and stretched his arms. His muscles were sore from sleeping on the hard floor, but he felt good otherwise. He felt energized.
He had never felt so alive in his entire life.
He walked over to the door and tried the handle. It was locked. He knocked on the door three times, waited a moment, then did it again. After a few minutes, the door opened slowly. A young girl with a shawl wrapped around her head peered inside.
"Who are you?" she asked, her eyes wide with fear.
Bam smiled. "I'm Bam."
She stepped back and motioned for him to enter.
"What do you want?"
"To see Nadeemah," he said.
The girl frowned. "You can't see her. She doesn't like visitors."
Bam pushed past her and entered the room. He found himself standing in a large chamber that appeared to be some sort of workshop. Several people were working at various tasks, while others sat around a table drinking tea.
A man sitting alone noticed Bam and rose to his feet. He wore a white turban and a gray robe. He had a friendly face, but something about him struck Bam as being somehow familiar.
"Excuse me, sir," Bam said, bowing politely. "My name is Twenty-Fifth Bam. I was told I could find Nadeemah here."
The man smiled and shook Bam's hand. "I am Ghani. You are the one they call Twenty-Fifth. And you are correct: Nadeemah is here. But she doesn't like to meet with strangers."
Bam nodded. "Then how can I see her?"
Ghani laughed. "I'll tell you what, my friend. Why don't we sit down and have some tea together?"
They both took seats at the table and started talking. They talked for several hours, during which time Bam learned more about Nadeemah and the Tower than he ever thought possible.
After they finished their tea, Bam thanked Ghani profusely and left the room. He walked outside and gazed up at the sky. It was full of stars, and he wondered if he would ever see them again.
He returned to his room and lay down on the bed. He was exhausted, but he couldn't sleep. His mind was racing with thoughts and ideas. He closed his eyes and imagined that he was walking across the desert. He heard the sound of waves crashing against the shore and smelled the salty sea air. Then he saw an old man standing in front of him. He was wearing a long white beard and a black turban.
"Twenty-Fifth Bam," the old man said. "Your journey is almost complete. You must now ascend to the top of the tower. When you get there, your destiny awaits."
The old man disappeared, and Bam was once again lying on his bed in the dark. He sighed heavily and rolled onto his side. He was asleep within seconds.
***
Bam awoke to the sound of footsteps coming toward his door. He sat up and looked around the room. Everything seemed to be in order. He grabbed his sword and slipped it into the sheath at his waist.
He opened the door and found Nadeemah standing before him. She was wearing a white gown and holding a tray with two cups of tea on it. Her hair was tied up in a bun, and she had a smile on her face.
"Good morning, Twenty-Fifth Bam," she said. "Are you hungry?"
Bam bowed politely. "Thank you, Nadeemah. That would be nice."
She placed the tray on the table next to his bed and poured the tea.
"How did you know I was awake?" Bam asked.
"I can hear your heart beating," she replied, handing him a cup. "Drink this."
Bam sipped the tea. It tasted wonderful.
"Where did you learn all of this?" he asked. "About The Tower, about the five hundred men who live here, and about the other towers? Where did you learn all of this?"
Nadeemah shrugged. "I read books."
Bam raised an eyebrow. "You mean you're a wizard?"
She shook her head. "No, not a wizard. Just a woman who reads a lot. I've been reading since I was very little. My mother used to tell me stories, and I loved them so much that I decided to write my own. In fact, I wrote a book about the Tower."
"That's amazing," Bam said. "Do you still have it?"
"Yes, I do," she replied. "It's called The Tower: A Story of Mystery and Magic. I wrote it when I was just twelve years old."
Bam reached out and took her hand. "Thank you for telling me about yourself," he said. "I really appreciate it."
Nadeemah smiled and pulled away from him. "You're welcome, Twenty-Fifth Bam. Would you like to see it?"
"Yes, I'd love to!"
They spent the rest of the day together, and Bam learned more about Nadeemah than he ever thought possible. They ate dinner and then went back to her quarters, where they made love for the first time.
As they lay together afterward, Nadeemah said,
"What do you want to do tomorrow?"
"Whatever you want to do," Bam replied.
"Well, I would like to go back to the library and continue my research. There are many things I need to study and understand before I can finish writing my book."
"Then let's go," Bam said. "I'm sure we can find something interesting to do."
The following morning, they set off for the library. Bam was excited to visit the place, and he felt as if he were returning home. They entered through the main gate and walked along the path until they came to the entrance of the building. They climbed the stairs and found themselves in the library. It was much bigger than Bam expected. There were rows upon rows of bookshelves lining the walls, and Bam could see that there were thousands of volumes on every shelf.
"Wow," he whispered. "This is incredible."
"I know," Nadeemah replied. "There are hundreds of books in here. Some of them are written by famous scholars, and some of them are handwritten notes by ordinary people."
"How do you keep track of it all?" Bam asked.
"I use the index cards," she replied. "Each card has a number on it, and the numbers are organized alphabetically. I can search for any particular book or subject by using the index cards."
"That's clever," Bam said.
They continued to walk down the center aisle of the library. As they did, Bam noticed that there were several ladders on the floor. He also saw that there were a few desks scattered throughout the room.
"Why don't you sit at one of those desks and start searching?" he suggested.
"Okay," she said. "But I think I'll take a look around first."
Nadeemah wandered around the library, looking at all of the books. She moved slowly, carefully, as if she were afraid of disturbing anything. Bam followed behind her. After a while, she stopped and looked at the desk closest to her. It had two chairs, and Bam sat in one of them.
"I'm going to make some coffee," Nadeemah announced. "Would you like some?"
"Sure," Bam said. "I'll have some too."
He watched her move toward the kitchen area. Then he turned his attention back to the bookshelf in front of him. He ran his finger along the spines of the books. Many of them were written in English, but others were in different languages. Bam tried to read the titles, but they were in a language he didn't recognize. He sighed and leaned forward. He placed his elbows on the table and rested his chin in his hands.
A few minutes later, Nadeemah returned with mugs of coffee. She handed one to Bam, then sat across from him. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"Yeah," he replied.