Kaelen's heart raced as he stepped into the tower. The high doors groaned shut behind him with a heavy finality, shutting him in. He could feel the hum of magic in the air, and the oppressive quiet of the stone hall made him ill-at-ease. The world about him was alien-cold, sterile, endless.
And so it starts.
His gaze darted to the high walls, the ceiling high above, and the soft, ghostly shine of blue runes carved into the stone. There was no going back now. This place, this tower, was a prison. But it was also a puzzle. And Kaelen had learned from his brief moments outside that he couldn't rely on others. He had to trust in his own instincts to survive.
The voice of the White Man, deep and commanding, sliced through the tension as if a blade.
"Welcome to the Tower. The first floor is a test of endurance. You have seven days in which to clear it. Fail, and you die."
Kaelen's breath caught in his throat. There was something chillingly crisp in the White Man's tone, allowing no margin for error, no chance to redeem oneself.
A screen flickered to life in front of him out of nowhere, his Status Window exactly like he had seen in the flash before. His XP was barely filled; his Health, after taking a hit in that battle with the monster, was regenerating very gradually. His Mana was even low; only a faint glow was left from the brief usage of his abilities.
He frowned, eyes flicking across information.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Kaelen
Class: Dragon Disciple (Tier 1)
Level: 1
XP: 60 / 144
HP: 85/100
MP: 0/100
Attributes:
Strength: 10
Vitality: 8
Agility: 7
Intelligence: 5
Active Skill: Draconic Strike - Unleash a powerful, single-target strike infused with draconic energy.
Passive Skill: Dragon's Resolve - Increases strength and durability the longer a fight lasts, emulating a dragon's unyielding nature.
He grimaced at his stats. His Strength was his primary asset, but he needed to level up to be effective against the monsters lurking ahead.
He looked into his Inventory-a single broken stone soaked in blood, and only one Healing Herb. His equipment seriously needed to be changed. He could already feel the air chill from the gaps in the tears in his clothing.
"I need to find a way to repair these. or at least find something better," he muttered under his breath. His clothes had seen better days after the fight with the tuskers and the forest crawlers
As Kaelen stood still, adjusting his thoughts, the White Man's voice rang out once more, this time with a new message.
Those who want to survive must form groups. The trials ahead will be beyond the unprepared. Choose your allies wisely, for not all will be trustworthy."
That was a warning Kaelen couldn't ignore. Form groups. It made sense. Alone, he wasn't strong enough for what lay ahead. The thought of trusting others, however, made his stomach churn. In a world like this, betrayal was almost a certainty.
Still, he didn't have much of a choice. And with the looming deadline of seven days, Kaelen knew he couldn't wait long.
"Okay. Time to move.
He took a deep breath, looking around the room. There were others who had entered the tower with him-some faces he knew, some he did not. He had noticed a few people forming groups in the moments immediately after entering the tower, but he hadn't joined anyone just yet. His instincts told him that jumping into a group too quickly might be a mistake.
He saw a few people hanging about on the periphery; most of them looked confused or nervous. One man in particular was tall and large, clenching a sizeable battle-axe tight. His class wasn't readily discernible, but by his posture, Kaelen knew a frontliner when he saw one-a warrior of some sort.
Another group included a woman with a bow slung over her shoulder and a younger man whose aura seemed to crackle with magic. A mage, most likely. Kaelen didn't know whether to approach them or not.
Before he could make a decision, a voice called out, interrupting his thoughts.
"Hey, you! You there! New guy!" A woman yelled waving at Kaelen. She was short-haired, dark-haired, with keen eyes, her stance light, yet confident. Her class: Explorer-a class Kaelen had never seen before. She carried little more than a short sword and a small pack, but the way she moved was quick, lithe.
"You look like someone who can handle himself," the woman pressed on, taking a step closer. "I'm Lira. Let's team up. I don't trust those other groups, and we're better off sticking together."
Kaelen took his time sizing her up. She sounded capable, her posture confident and sure. Yet, there was something in the way she spoke-like she was testing him.
Lira was the first person to approach him, and Kaelen had learned long ago to trust his gut. Her boldness wasn't necessarily a bad sign, but there was an edge to it. Was she simply looking for protection, or was she more calculating?
"Why me?" he asked in a low voice. "Why not join one of them?" He jerked his head toward the larger group near him, which consisted of two men and a woman.
"Because they are already too full," Lira replied with a snide smile. "And you seem to be someone who has experience in keeping alive. Besides, every second we waste is only making our lives more difficult. Your name?"
"Kaelen."
"Alright, Kaelen. I'll let you keep an eye on my back, and I'll do the same for you. Trust me, we don't want to take the risks alone."
Kaelen hesitated. Could he trust her? Could he trust anyone here?
"Fine," he said finally, nodding. "Let's stick together. For now."
Lira gave him a quick, sharp smile, and they moved to find the others. Kaelen felt the weight of his decision, but there was no turning back.
They trudged toward a small collection of others-two men and one woman-who eyed them warily. Kaelen could feel the tensions emanating, yet the warning from the White Man set against the crowd. There was, therefore, no choice other than getting them to work together should any be able to survive.
Now among a growing group, Kaelen searched each face and appraised the risks. The man with the battle-axe introduced himself as Rurik, and was very obviously a warrior type. His class was a straightforward Berserker, focused on raw strength. The younger mage, Tylar, had an almost frantic energy about him. His class, Elementalist, seemed like a good match for Kaelen's party, but he still didn't trust the kid's nervous glances. The woman, Kaia, was quiet but observant, her eyes darting between the others as she assessed the situation.
"Alright," Kaelen said, breaking the silence. "Let's get moving. We don't have long. Stay close, and keep your eyes open."
The first floor now looming before them, tension mounted as Kaelen's group started their way downward into the unknown. They had come into an uneasy alliance, but in truth, this was just the beginning of a test in strength, trust, and survival.
Going down to the first floor, stone walls stretched endlessly, the air growing cold with every step taken. Above, the glow of the runes pulsed faintly, sending strange shadows to dance upon the walls. Every step was a loud echo in the silence, except for those few whispers of wind that carried the chill of the depths. Kaelen felt it-the weight of being trapped in this cold, desolate place with only his new, uneasy companions to rely on.
They moved in a tight circle, with Kaelen on point. His gauntlets were plain leather and still lacked the infusion of power he had once depended upon. The absence of any elemental force in his body made him feel hollow, his mind always weighing options for what he'd do next. No fire, no lightning, no ice—just flat, brute strength and wits.
Lira matched his speed with quick, guarded steps as he walked beside him. Behind them, Rurik's heavy tread and Tylar, the Elementalist, skipped along almost in nervous jerks, his bright gaze darting about shadowy recesses where nothing was-hopefully, he added-waiting for him. Kaia merely followed, nearly silent of foot, darting her watchful eyes back and forth across the corridor.
"I don't like this," Tylar muttered, the soft whisper barely audible. "It's so. wrong. The ambience here is off."
Kaelen looked at him, and already Tylar was looking back toward the shadows, his eyes big with fear. Kaelen couldn't blame him. The tower seemed really unnerving, and they hadn't even had to fight a monster yet.
"Focus," Kaelen said, his voice very low but firm. "Stay close. Keep your wits together."
Lira threw him a sideways glance before she said, her tone clipped, "Kaelen's right. Panic won't get us anywhere. Let's just keep moving and be ready for whatever."
They walked for what felt like hours, though it was impossible to tell. The path they followed was a maze of corridors and chambers, each more desolate than the last. The faint sound of water dripping somewhere in the distance echoed through the stone to add to the unnerving atmosphere. Still, there was no sign of monsters, no traps-just endless corridors and oppressive silence.
"This place feels like it's waiting for something," Kaia said in a hushed tone, breaking the silence. "I don't trust it."
"We don't have a choice but to trust it," Kaelen replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "We need to find whatever's at the heart of this floor and clear it."
With tension in the air, the group continued on. Every little movement, each noise, made them all jump. Still, nothing came. It was almost as if the tower was testing them, forcing them to face their own personal fears before anything real happened.
Then, without warning, the air in front of them seemed to shimmer and a low, guttural growl echoed through the corridor. Kaelen's instincts kicked in immediately. His gauntlets, simple as they were, felt heavy against his hands, the leather straps snug, ready for action. The Troll emerged from the shadows, its massive form nearly filling the corridor, its greenish-grey skin thick and rugged, its eyes glowing with a malevolent hunger.
Stay sharp!" Kaelen commanded, his voice slicing the tension. His heart racing, adrenaline coursed his veins. He had nothing left in the tank to fall back on; he had burned out his Mana in the scuffles beforehand. No fire, no lightning. Just his strength, his stamina-and his passive skill, Dragon's Resolve.
He felt the power of the ability wake deep inside him, its effect like a furnace that gradually started to heat his body. Dragon's Resolve was not some flashy ability, and it did not give any sort of immediate power. It was subtle, a slow burning of endurance that steadily increased the longer the fight went on. It made him resilient, unyielding, like a dragon standing firm against the storm. And for now, that would have to be enough.
Rurik roared and charged forward, his battle-axe held high. Lira darted to the side with her grace, positioning herself to attack from the creature's flank. Tylar and Kaia hung back, ready to support.
The Troll swung its huge arm at Kaelen, a blow powerful enough to shatter stone. Kaelen sidestepped, just barely avoiding the full force of the attack. His gauntlet-covered fist shot out in retaliation, striking the Troll's exposed ribs. The hit was solid, but the creature's thick hide absorbed most of the impact. His wrist ached, the pain of striking such a durable enemy only adding to his frustration.
Quick in, quick out, Lira darted in, striking at the Troll's arm with blow after blow, seeking weak points. Her blade glanced off its tough skin, but she did not stop. "Focus on its joints!" she yelled, remarkably calm in the chaos. "The arms, the knees—aim for where it's less armored!"
Kaelen gritted his teeth, acknowledging the truth in her words. He darted forward again, targeting the Troll's unprotected side. His gauntlets, while simple, were heavy and strong, and each punch landed with a thud against the creature's flesh. But the Troll wasn't an easy foe. It reeled back, swinging wildly, forcing Kaelen to jump back.
Rurik was relentless, time and again slamming his axe into the Troll's thick skull, but it barely made a dent in it. The creature was too tough, its size and stamina making it an adversary difficult for all of them to fight.
Kaelen felt the burn of Dragon's Resolve begin to settle in. His body ached, yet this fatigue didn't set as it should have. It was taking more and more punishment. Every strike from the Troll had Kaelen absorbing that bit more, the passive energy inside of him making him less fragile. His movements grew calculated and fewer frantic. He could take the damage. He could just keep going.
"Kaia! Distract it!" Kaelen yelled. "I got this!"
Kaia's eyes darted to him for one brief moment, a nod. With a sudden burst of quickness, she danced past the Troll's wild swings and slashed at its unguarded legs, opening it up for the others. It howled, wheeling towards her, and gave Rurik and Kaelen their opening.
Rurik charged in, axe raised to deal a blow. From the sideline, Lira flung a dagger well-aimed at its eyes. The distraction worked as the Troll screamed in agony and covered its face, blinded. That gave Kaelen his opportunity.
He charged forward, his gauntlets slamming into the exposed chest of the Troll with as much strength as his body could muster. The force of the blow was enough to stagger the creature, and with one final roar, the Troll fell to its knees, blood gushing from its wounds.
Kaelen stepped back, his heavy breathing slowing as the adrenaline started to wear off. His body burned with exhaustion, but the passive effect of Dragon's Resolve kept him on his feet, the power within him steady and unyielding despite the toll of the fight.
"Is it. dead?" Tylar asked, his voice filled with awe and disbelief.
Kaelen nodded, glancing at the massive, bloodied Troll lying still on the ground. His muscles ached, his gauntlets slick with blood, but the battle was over. For now. "Yeah, it's dead. But don't let your guard down. There are more like this in here, and we won't always be this lucky."
Lira approached carefully, eyeing the Troll's lifeless body with a mixture of respect and caution. "I can't believe we took it down," she said, wiping the sweat from her brow. "That thing was huge. If we'd tried it alone—"
"Exactly," Kaelen interrupted, his voice low. "We wouldn't have survived. Not without backup."
"Yeah," Tylar said, still catching his breath. "I was just about to lose it when it charged at me. But we all hit it from different angles. We actually worked together."
Rurik, who had been surveying the scene, suddenly turned to face them, holding up a faintly glowing status window. "I don't know if you guys noticed, but. we got XP for that."
Kaelen looked over at him curiously. The words upon Rurik's screen were the same that had popped up after the battle for him as well.
XP Window:
Kaelen: 50 XP (Shared XP)
Lira: 50 XP (Shared XP)
Tylar: 50 XP (Shared XP)
Rurik: 50 XP (Shared XP)
Kaia: 50 XP (Shared XP)
Kaelen's eyes squinted, his mind furiously connecting the dots. "Shared XP." he whispered. "We each get a share, depending upon our contribution to the fight."
Tylar frowned. "But that means. if we fought it alone, we'd only get a fraction of that. And we wouldn't have had a chance against something like this."
Lira exhaled a breath, still somewhat shaken. "This Troll. it's worth more than I expected. We got 50 XP each, but that's a total of 250 for the whole thing. That's a lot more than those Tusker or Forest Crawler we faced before."
Kaelen nodded, his expression grim. "The Tusker and Forest Crawler were worth 60 XP in total, 12 XP each if split among us. This Troll. it's a mid-tier monster. Bigger, stronger. It took everything we had, but we did it because we worked together. If any of us had tried to take it on alone, we would've been crushed."
Kaia, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "So, these monsters—" She gestured to the remains of the Troll, "—they have different 'worths' depending on their strength. And the stronger ones. the more we'll need to team up to survive."
Rurik chuckled slightly. "Looks like we'll be relying on each other more and more as we go deeper. This floor might've been tough, but I bet the next one will be worse."
Kaelen's team stood over the fallen body of the Troll, the weight of victory settling in. It was a hard-won fight, and all were exhausted, but it was worth the shared XP and sense of camaraderie. They took just a moment to catch their breath before Kaelen's gaze roved over the huge monster corpse. Something suddenly struck him.
"Hey," he said, breaking the silence. "Are we just going to leave it here? There's got to be something useful on it."
Lira tilted her head, considering. "Like what? It's not like we can just carve up a giant like this for armor or weapons."
The mage in their group, Kaia, who had been watching quietly, now spoke up. "Actually. we could, if we knew what to look for. There are parts of the Troll that might be useful for crafting or potions. Its claws, teeth, maybe its hide could be turned into armor. Or its blood…" She trailed off thoughtfully. "It's hard to say without knowing more. In this tower, every monster probably has something valuable, but we're too inexperienced to know what to take."
Kaelen nodded, taking in her words. "I suppose we're not exactly trained in monster parts. And it's not like we have the time or tools to butcher it right now."
"Exactly," Kaia agreed, raising a finger. "Plus, we don't even know if this thing's parts are valuable to anyone in here. It could be completely useless, or it could fetch a decent price with the right person. But the problem is we don't know who would even want this stuff."
"We've seen merchants or traders in dungeons before in stories," Tylar said, crossing his arms. "Maybe someone will pop up down the line who deals in monster parts. There's a lot of strange things that can happen in places like this."
Kaelen thought for a moment. The idea had potential. In a world like this, with no real way to go back, the possibility of finding someone who might deal in monster parts wasn't far-fetched. They could use that to their advantage later.
"Alright, so for now, we leave it," Kaelen decided. "But if we run into someone who can make use of this kind of thing, we'll know where to look."
Lira's brow furrowed. "You think there will be people like that in the tower? Merchants, or whatever they are?"
"It's worth considering," Kaelen replied. "The tower is strange. And if it's anything like other worlds in these kinds of stories, there might be NPCs or other entities who trade in things like this. We should keep an eye out."
Kaia nodded. "And maybe, just maybe, some of the parts can help with crafting things for ourselves. A few lucky breaks could change the course of our journey."
"Right," Kaelen said, clapping his hands together. "But for now, we really need to survive. We'll come back to this if we have the chance. For now, let's move out."
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Kaelen
Class: Dragon Disciple (Tier 1)
Level: 1
XP: 110 / 144
HP: 65/100
MP: 0/100
Attributes:
Strength: 10
Vitality: 8
Agility: 7
Intelligence: 5
Active Skill: Draconic Strike - Unleash a powerful, single-target strike infused with draconic energy.
Passive Skill: Dragon's Resolve - Strength and resilience are increased the longer the battle prolongs, emulating a dragon's unyielding nature.
[INVENTORY]
Basic Leather Gauntlets-soaked in blood
1 Stone-Damaged
1 Healing Herb