"Alexander Stone! Where is Alexander Stone?!"
'No, no, no, no, this can't be real,' Xander's mind raced in doubt and fear.
As he stood there with the crowd around him dispersing, he stared off into space in shock and terror.
'I'm going to die.'
That's when a guard walked up, grabbed him by the arm, and started to pull his small frame along toward the platform.
He slowly dragged his feet up the stairs, where he found himself standing in line with the other four kids that were selected.
The short woman turned and looked at them with a smile, then said into the microphone, "Congratulations! Let's all give a round of applause to our five future climbers!" She began to clap, but she was the only one.
'This can't be happening. No, this can't be happening,' Xander couldn't believe it.
After a couple more minutes of standing around, lost in his own head, Xander was whisked off to the spaceship that was going to fly them to the capital in Division 1.
***
Xander found himself sitting around a table in the spaceship with the other four kids and the short council woman.
After they all sat down, several servants came in and placed down more food than Xander had ever seen at once.
Each of the kids just looked at the food, still clearly in shock from being picked.
"Well, dig in. This will be the last time you get to eat before you enter the tower," the alien said.
Xander, who had been starving this entire time, was the first to start eating, and as if on cue, the other kids put aside their fear and began to eat as well.
"Well, it is a pleasure to meet you all. My name is Zyra, and I will be with each of you every step of the way throughout your tower climb. Well, of course, I won't be with you inside the tower, but every step outside of it. So, I think we should get to know each other a little. I'll go first."
"Like I said, my name is Zyra. I've been a part of the council for the last 10 years. I was awarded the position after I hit F-rank, and I have enjoyed my job ever since."
"So, who would like to go next?"
No one jumped forward, each kid still eating their fill and likely scared to start.
Zyra looked to her right at William and said, "Well, William, why don't you start us off?"
William looked just as shocked as when his name was called, but he eventually began, "My… name… is William Reid… and I… am the son of a doctor." He began to tear up, thinking about the life he was leaving behind.
"Well, that is wonderful. Maybe after you get out of the tower, you can be a doctor as well."
"So, Laura, why don't you go next?"
Xander watched as she looked up and gave off a small smile then said, "My name is Laura Park… and my father is a cook for the canteen."
Xander couldn't help but think how pretty she was, with her blonde hair and blue eyes.
"That is lovely. Noah, why don't you start?"
Noah introduced himself, and then Leo. Finally, the entire table was looking at Xander.
"Alexander, what about you?"
Xander thought for a moment, then let out, "My name is Alexander, but everyone calls me Xander. I'm just a kid from the outskirts, and… my brother Austin… died in the tower."
The room visibly shifted when he talked about his brother.
Zyra was clearly at a loss for words and finally let out, "I'm so sorry about your brother. How high did he climb? If you don't mind me asking."
"I... I don't know; he didn't tell me," Xander replied.
"Well, I'm sure he did great, and you should be honored that your brother got to test his fate in the tower. It is truly a miraculous place."
Xander frowned and began to think about all the moments with his brother before his name was called four years ago.
Before long, they landed in the capital, and Zyra led them off the ship and into a large building that was clearly brand new.
'Wow, I've never seen such a clean place before.'
"So, this is where you will be staying when you're not inside the tower. This place is state of the art, with training rooms and teachers and, well, everything you could ever possibly need."
"Now, if you would follow me, I will take you to the room where you will take the serum that will allow your soul to be taken off to the tower."
The kids dragged their feet, but each of them made their way behind Zyra to an elevator, where they were sent up to the 2nd floor.
"Okay, kids, this is our laboratory where we make the serum."
Xander looked around the large room and saw tons of kids, all led by council members just like Zyra.
'They must be the other kids that got selected from the other divisions,' Xander thought.
Another council woman, this one quite tall, walked up to Zyra with a briefcase and handed it to her.
"Thank you very much."
Zyra then began to open the case, and inside, they saw five different bottles.
"Okay, William, you're up first." She then handed him the serum and said, "Drink it all."
William was reluctant but did what he was told.
Next was Laura, who took it like a pro.
And before long, it was finally Xander's turn.
"And last but not least, Xander." Zyra handed him the bottle.
The bottle was cold. He looked down at the yellowish liquid and opened the top.
'There's no going back after this.' He looked up at Zyra with eyes that pleaded, 'Please don't make me do this.'
"Go on, sweetie, drink it up."
Xander looked back down at the liquid and forced the thick liquid down. It was surprisingly sweet; it tasted a lot like an apple he had once a couple of years ago.
"Ok, congrats to you all. You are now officially going to be tower climbers," Zyra said with a smile and a clap.
"Guys, don't look so down. The tower is a wonderful place. Yes, it's a little dangerous, but trust me, it's worth it."
"Now follow me. I'll take you to your rooms. This serum will make you tired, and once you fall asleep, your soul will be sent to the tower."
The kids followed her back to the elevator and went up to floor 6.
The kids got off to a long hallway that had doors lined up on each side.
"This is where you will be staying when you are at the tower. In each room, there is a capsule that will keep your bodies alive while your souls are in the tower."
Zyra then led them down the hall and into one of the rooms on the left.
"Ok, this here is William's room, but I'm going to go ahead and show each of you the room."
They walked in. It was a 10 by 10-meter room with a bed on the right and a capsule on the left.
"Well, this is it. As you can see, it's not too complicated. It's just a single bedroom with a bed to sleep in while you're here, and the capsule is what you will use when your soul goes into the tower."
She then showed them how to use the capsule.
"Well, William, I wish you the best of luck in your climb, and I hope to meet you again."
"Th… thanks," William barely let out a whisper as the door to his room closed. There was a high chance that that would be the last time he ever spoke to a person in the real world.
She then walked down to the next door on the left and said, "Laura, this will be your room. I wish you luck as well."
She did the same thing to Noah, Leo, and Xander.
Now, Xander found himself all alone in his room, the first room he ever had.
He sat on the bed and just stared at the capsule. He could already tell he was getting tired.
He walked over to the capsule and put his hand on it.
'I can't believe this is happening right now.'
Then, after a moment of thought, 'Austin must have stood right here the same as me, only he was looking forward to this.'
This small thought gave him a little confidence boost.
He climbed into the capsule, shut the lid, and attached himself to the thing with all the tubes and needles that Zyra had just shown him.
When he saw the green light turn on, he knew he had done it right, and now he just had to wait and fall asleep.
At this point, his eyelids were getting heavy, and before long, he drifted off to sleep.
[Welcome to the Tower of Fate]