The Tower of Trials loomed on the horizon, a monolithic structure that seemed to pierce the very heavens. Its surface shimmered with an otherworldly glow, the faint outline of its hundreds of floors barely visible against the neon-lit sky.
Dominic and Sincerity approached it cautiously, their journey from the fortress uneventful yet heavy with the weight of their mission. The closer they got, the more oppressive the air became, as if the tower itself exuded a malevolent energy.
They stopped at the base of the massive entrance doors etched with ancient runes that pulsed faintly. Sincerity glanced at Dominic, her expression serious.
"This is it," she said. "The Tower of Trials."
Dominic nodded, his gaze fixed on the imposing structure. "What do you know about it?"
Sincerity crossed her arms, her sharp eyes scanning the runes. "The tower has 100 floors," she began. "Each one is a unique trial designed to test every aspect of a challenger—strength, intellect, resilience and morality. No two floors are the same, and the trials get harder the higher you climb."
Dominic frowned. "What happens if someone fails a trial?"
"They're ejected from the tower," Sincerity said. "If they're lucky. Some of the trials are lethal. If you die inside, there's no coming back."
Dominic exhaled, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. "So, it's all or nothing."
"Pretty much," Sincerity said. She stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm. "But you're not going in blind. You've prepared for this. And you're not alone."
Dominic met her gaze, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Together, then?"
"Always," she said with a small smirk.
The massive doors groaned as Dominic pushed them open, revealing the entrance hall of the tower. The interior was vast and cavernous, its walls lined with glowing glyphs that pulsed in a slow, rhythmic pattern. The air was cool and still, the silence broken only by the faint hum of the glyphs.
In the centre of the hall stood a pedestal, atop which floated a glowing orb of light. Dominic approached cautiously, his footsteps echoing against the marble floor.
As he neared the pedestal, the orb flared, and a disembodied voice filled the chamber.
"Challenger identified: Dominic Ashen-Soul."
The voice was calm and emotionless, its tone neither welcoming nor hostile.
"To ascend the Tower of Trials, you must complete the challenges presented on each floor. Success will grant you passage. Failure will result in your ejection—or worse."
Dominic exchanged a glance with Sincerity before the voice continued.
"Do you accept the trials?"
Dominic tightened his grip on his sword, his resolve hardening. "I accept."
The orb flared again, and the voice echoed through the chamber one last time.
"The trials begin now. Prepare yourself."
The world around them shifted, the entrance hall dissolving into a massive arena filled with towering stone pillars. The ground trembled as a hulking creature emerged from the shadows—a beast of twisted muscle and jagged claws, its eyes burning with a fiery light.
"Looks like they're not wasting any time," Sincerity muttered, drawing her daggers.
Dominic stepped forward, his sword igniting with a flicker of energy. "Good. Neither are we."
The beast roared, charging toward them with earth-shaking force. Dominic and Sincerity moved as one, their years of training and battle-hardened instincts guiding them.
Dominic activated Flashstep, his body blurring as he dodged the creature's massive claws and delivered a powerful strike to its side. The beast howled in pain, but its wounds seemed to heal almost instantly.
"It regenerates!" Sincerity shouted, leaping onto a nearby pillar to avoid a crushing blow.
Dominic gritted his teeth, summoning Judgement Strike as he aimed for the beast's head. The searing energy cleaved through its skull, momentarily staggering it.
Sincerity took advantage of the opening, driving her daggers into the beast's neck with precision. "We need to overwhelm it!" she called.
Together, they unleashed a flurry of attacks, their combined efforts eventually overwhelming the creature's regeneration. With a final, thunderous blow, Dominic severed its head, the beast collapsing into a heap of ash.
The arena fell silent, and a glowing staircase appeared, spiralling upward.
"Trial complete. Proceed to the next floor."
As they ascended the staircase, Dominic glanced at Sincerity. "One floor down. Ninety-nine to go."
She smirked, though her expression was tinged with concern. "They're not going to get any easier."
Dominic nodded. "Good. I didn't come here for easy."
Sincerity chuckled softly. "Of course you didn't."
They reached the second floor, the door before them glowing faintly. Dominic took a deep breath, his resolve unshaken despite the challenges ahead.
"This is just the beginning," he said.
Sincerity placed a hand on his shoulder, her grip firm. "Then let's make it count."
The second floor's door slid open with a low hum, revealing a room entirely different from the first. Unlike the harsh stone pillars and roaring beast of the first trial, this chamber was quiet and sterile, its walls smooth and reflective like polished glass. At the centre stood a large, ornate scale, its two bowls hanging motionless in the still air.
Dominic stepped forward cautiously, Sincerity close behind him.
"What do you think this one's about?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Sincerity studied the room, her sharp eyes narrowing. "It's not strength, that's for sure. Something about balance, maybe? Or judgement"
As if in response to her words, the disembodied voice returned, echoing through the chamber.
"Floor 2: The Trial of Morality. Place your burden upon the scale. Only truth shall grant passage."
Dominic exchanged a glance with Sincerity, his brow furrowing. "Truth? What does that mean?"
She shrugged, though her expression betrayed her unease. "Guess we're about to find out."
As they approached the scale, the air around them shimmered, and two objects materialised on the ground.
One was a simple wooden box, its surface plain and unremarkable. The other was a gleaming silver orb, pulsating faintly with an otherworldly light.
Dominic frowned, picking up the box. It felt heavy in his hands, though its appearance gave no indication of its contents. "What's this supposed to represent?"
Sincerity crouched beside the orb, her fingers brushing its surface. "This one's strange. It feels... alive."
Before they could speculate further, the voice spoke again.
"One item represents your past. The other, your future. Choose which to place upon the scale. Your answer will determine your worth."
Dominic felt his stomach tighten. He looked at Sincerity, who had gone pale.
"It's testing us," she said. "It wants to know what you value more—what you've been through, or what you're striving for."
Dominic's mind raced. His past was a blur of fragmented memories, most of them painful and incomplete. His future, on the other hand, was tied to the system's relentless objectives—and his hope for freedom.
"What would you choose?" he asked, his voice low.
Sincerity hesitated, her expression uncharacteristically vulnerable. "I don't know," she admitted. "My past is... complicated. But so is my future. What matters more to you, Dominic?"
Dominic studied the objects in silence, the weight of the decision pressing down on him. Finally, he placed the wooden box onto the scale.
"My past is what brought me here," he said, his voice steady. "But it doesn't define me. What matters is what I do moving forward."
The scale tipped slightly, then balanced itself. The voice returned, colder this time.
"Truth weighs more than words. Share your burden, or face the consequences."
The air grew heavy, the walls shimmering as a shadowy figure emerged from the glass. It looked like Dominic, but distorted—his face twisted in pain, his body trembling with invisible weight.
Sincerity stepped in front of him, her daggers drawn. "It's another trick," she said, her voice sharp.
"No," Dominic said, his gaze fixed on the figure. "It's not. This is my burden."
He stepped forward, placing a hand on the shadow's shoulder. It felt cold, like stone, but the weight it carried was unmistakable.
"I can't do this alone," Dominic said, his voice raw. He turned to Sincerity, his eyes meeting hers. "I need you with me. Always."
Sincerity's breath caught, her sharp demeanour faltering for a moment. She nodded, stepping closer. "You've had me since the start, idiot."
Together, they placed their hands on the shadow. Slowly, its form began to dissolve, the weight lifting from the room.
The scale glowed brightly, and the voice returned, softer this time.
"Trial complete. Truth shared is truth overcome. Proceed."
As they ascended the staircase to the third floor, Dominic glanced at Sincerity. "You didn't hesitate back there."
She shrugged, though her expression was warm. "I wasn't going to let you carry that alone. You'd do the same for me."
"I would," Dominic said, his voice firm.
Sincerity smirked, her usual sharpness returning. "Good. Because I'm not planning to let you off the hook anytime soon."
Dominic chuckled, his chest feeling lighter despite the challenges ahead. Whatever trials the tower threw at them, he knew one thing for certain: together, they were unstoppable.
The staircase spiralled upward, the air growing heavier with each step. By the time Dominic and Sincerity reached the third floor, an oppressive silence filled the space. The door before them glowed faintly, its surface rippling like liquid.
Dominic pushed it open cautiously, revealing a room unlike the others. It was vast and dimly lit, the walls lined with mirrors that stretched into the darkness. The reflective surfaces shimmered faintly, their depths rippling like disturbed water.
"This feels... off," Sincerity muttered, her sharp eyes scanning the room.
"Yeah," Dominic agreed, gripping his sword tightly. "Stay close."
As they stepped into the room, the door behind them vanished, replaced by another mirror. The air grew colder, and the disembodied voice returned, its tone mocking.
"Floor 3: The Trial of the Mind. You cannot fight what you fear most. You cannot flee from what you truly are. Face the truth, or be consumed."
Dominic and Sincerity exchanged a wary glance before the mirrors around them began to ripple violently.
Dominic's Trial
The mirrors reflected Dominic at first, but as he watched, his reflection began to change. The figure in the glass grew taller, its features sharper, its eyes hollow and accusing.
"You think you're a hero," the reflection hissed, its voice dripping with contempt. "But you're nothing more than a butcher. A messiah of genocide."
Dominic clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. "I'm doing what I have to."
The reflection laughed, a cruel and hollow sound. "Keep telling yourself that. How many souls have you taken, Dominic? How many lives have you destroyed, all in the name of your precious objectives?"
Dominic stepped forward, his hand trembling on the hilt of his sword. "I've saved people. I've protected Sincerity, the Order—"
"Protected?" the reflection spat. "You've used them. The Order follows you out of fear, and Sincerity stays because she has nowhere else to go. You're not their saviour. You're their executioner."
The words struck like a physical blow, doubt clawing at Dominic's mind. His grip faltered, his knees threatening to buckle.
Sincerity's Trial
Sincerity's gaze darted to the mirrors around her as they began to ripple and shift. Her reflection stepped forward, its wings restored and glowing with radiant light.
"You were never enough," the reflection said, its voice soft but cutting. "You failed him before, and you'll fail him again."
Sincerity's breath caught, her hands tightening around her daggers. "Shut up," she hissed.
The reflection smiled sadly. "Do you really believe he needs you? Dominic is stronger than you'll ever be. You're a broken tool, a discarded angel trying to redeem herself for sins that can't be forgiven."
"I'm not broken," Sincerity snapped, though her voice wavered.
"Then why does he bear the burden alone?" the reflection asked. "If you truly cared, you'd take his place. But you're too afraid, aren't you? Afraid of losing him. Afraid of being left behind. Afraid of failing again."
The words sliced through her like a blade, the doubts she had buried for so long threatening to surface.
The mirrors around them pulsed and shimmered, the reflections growing more grotesque and warped with each passing moment. The room itself seemed to twist, the walls closing in as the voice of the system filled the air.
"You cannot escape the truth. You are failures. You are weak. You will fall."
Dominic gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand despite the weight of the accusations. "No," he said, his voice shaking but firm.
Sincerity turned to him, her own expression a mixture of defiance and fear. "Dominic..."
He reached for her hand, gripping it tightly. "This isn't real. It's the system that's trying to break us. But it's wrong. You're not broken, Sincerity. I'm not a butcher. We've made it this far because we trust each other—because we're stronger together."
The reflections laughed, their voices blending into a cacophony of mocking tones. "Empty words," they sneered.
Dominic raised his sword, its blade glowing faintly. "Maybe. But words are all I need to cut through this."
Dominic swung his sword, the blade slicing through the nearest mirror. It shattered with a deafening crack, the shards dissolving into light. One by one, he and Sincerity moved through the room, destroying the mirrors with a combination of raw power and unwavering resolve.
As the last mirror shattered, the oppressive air lifted, and the disembodied voice returned, its tone less certain.
"Trial complete. Proceed."
Dominic and Sincerity ascended the staircase to the fourth floor in silence, the weight of the trial still heavy on their minds.
Finally, Dominic spoke. "That... wasn't just the system. Those were my thoughts. My fears."
Sincerity nodded, her expression sombre. "Mine too."
Dominic stopped, turning to her. "But it's wrong. You're not a failure, Sincerity. You're the reason I've made it this far. You're my strength."
She hesitated, her sharp façade cracking. "And you're mine," she admitted quietly.
They stood there for a moment, their bond stronger than ever despite the system's attempt to sever it.
"We're going to beat this," Dominic said, his voice steady.
Sincerity smirked faintly, her usual confidence returning. "Damn right we are."
With renewed resolve, they continued upward, ready to face whatever the tower threw at them next.