“Humans,” a voice said out of the darkness. David was confused for a moment until his eyes adjusted and he saw the outline of a man standing in front of them. The man chuckled, and David felt the sound resonate in his soul. He flailed his arms, searching for Elisha beside him. Silent as a cutthroat, his brother’s presence grounded him in the absolute blackness they had walked into. The last thing David remembered was the Keeper sending them to the final floor. That meant the man before them was the one who ruled the tower.
The Ruler.
David heard a snap, and light poured into the space from above. He looked up to find the source and gasped at the sight of the night sky, stars twinkling. Around them, columns stretched toward the open sky, holding nothing. Pale light illuminated the ground, revealing smooth, dark marble with drawings that seemed to stay still one moment and move the next. David frowned, wondering if they were illusions.
“No,” Vith said, her voice smoother now that David had grown accustomed to sharing his body and soul with her. She was fully conscious within him, yet they were the same being. It was confusing, but David had decided not to dwell on it. The obstacle before them was a god-like mountain, a being so powerful that nothing could stop or save him—except himself.
That is Ish-Mar, Ignis said, breaking his long silence. I see. So they made him the ruler of their tower. Cruel.
“In all the time I have ruled over this domain,” the Ruler began, his voice rough and grating on David’s senses. David glanced at his siblings to see how they were coping. Chloe glowed faintly, and Elisha was completely wrapped in shadows. The Ruler was doing something David couldn’t perceive—some high-level essence weaving, perhaps a sound spell like Chloe’s—but he couldn’t sense it.
“I never imagined humans would be the ones to come here,” the Ruler chuckled again. “I suppose I underestimated your kind. But of course, you wouldn’t have reached this place so quickly without the luck of being chosen. Amareth blessed and empowered you. And now, you are here to claim his throne.”
David felt dizzy. The Ruler’s voice, combined with the oppressive darkness surrounding him, made it hard to stay focused. He shook his head, wondering if they had come here too soon. Perhaps they should have waited longer, giving him more time to absorb the power of the Soul Key.
“Ah,” the Ruler sighed. “I sense something familiar about you. A Soul Key, hmm? Blessed or not, you must have suffered to get here. I hold no grudg—”
The Ruler’s words faded as David shot forward, ignoring Ignis’ warning scream. He had already made his decision. Behind him, he heard Elisha follow, and a heartbeat later, Chloe began playing a tune.
“I don’t know who the Ruler is, but you must be careful how you approach him,” Vith warned. David closed the distance to the throne, which lacked much decoration. The place was flat, its marble floor smooth.
Spell: A Thousand Wails
A thousand orange fireballs bloomed above David as he charged at the Ruler. They grew to the size of his head. Just before his sword could strike the being veiled in darkness, the fireballs launched themselves forward like missiles. At the same time, David activated the World Tilter’s armor, and the helm’s eyes flared with blue flames. The fireballs stopped before impact and fizzled out, vanishing into the night and erasing the splash of colors overhead. Elisha emerged from David’s shadow, three spears of thick, smoking darkness shooting from his cloak and slamming into an invisible barrier—a wind wall, David realized. The shadows shattered, and the darkness around the Ruler stirred.
David felt the Ruler’s footsteps in his bones, like earthquakes echoing through his soul, shattering the courage that held him up. He shuddered with fear, so intense that it burned his eyes and brought tears. It was dread—the terrifying realization that this might be the end for him. In that moment, the darkness peeled away from the Ruler, revealing a three-faced being. His entire body was formed from essence. Beside David, Elisha gasped. They could see raw energy flowing through his veins beneath sickly pale skin.
The Ruler was a man, a woman, and something else. The final face was horned, streaked with sparkling lights that formed lines and circles across its thin skin. The third face grinned while the woman’s face watched them with muted annoyance. The central face spoke, lips twitching as if amused by David and his siblings.
“Impatience,” the Ruler said, raising his left hand to scratch the beard on his male face. “A very human trait. Once, I possessed it too. But after sitting and watching for endless eons, you lose the need to hurry. Why are you in such a rush to die? There is nothing after death, and all your combined powers pale in comparison to mine.”
“Ours,” the woman’s face hissed. The central face grinned, ignoring the correction.
The rest of the Ruler was draped in a lush blue robe, embroidered with silver and gold threads that formed intricate images. His waist was wrapped in a gold sash, and gold bands adorned his wrists and throat, each set with gemstones. Crowns of light hovered above each of his three faces, different but equally majestic.
David stared in awe. Even the strange face to the left of the male one was beautiful. The woman’s hazel eyes were mesmerizing, like gazing into a pleasant dream.
“Focus,” Vith warned, but her warning came too late. The Ruler’s body split into three fully-formed entities in an instant. Vith cursed. “That’s unfair! Great heavens!”
The woman cackled with delight and vanished, reappearing in front of Chloe. Her hands moved too fast for David to track. He only saw the gaping hole in Chloe’s chest just before Elisha screamed beside him. His eyes widened as he saw his brother engulfed in bright flames. The Ruler, his bearded face grinning, raised his hands as if to say it was all David’s fault.
No, David thought as he glanced from Elisha’s burning form to Chloe gasping for breath on the floor. Both of them were going to die, and they had only just arrived.
No, David thought. Not again. Not ever. He summoned the gauntlet, his mind racing as a wave of fury surged through him. The plan was simple, so clear he wondered why he hadn’t thought of it sooner.
“Vith, you don’t just heal my wounds, do you?” David asked, stretching his gauntleted hand toward his dying brother. Vith didn’t respond, but David felt her agreement. He reached into the flames, which parted for his hand to touch Elisha.
Chaos has been tamed!
All effects have been negated.
You have a high resonance with Chaos!
David watched as the flames surrounding his brother disappeared, and Elisha’s wounds began to heal. Quickly, David extended his hand toward Chloe, his intent reaching her as his gauntlet’s power enveloped her.
Chaos has been tamed!
“One of the faceless god’s blessings?” the Ruler mused, his voice penetrating David’s mind, pushing through whatever mental barriers Vith had set up. David grunted under the weight of the psychic assault, gritting his teeth as he glared at the Ruler. He’d had others in his mind before, but this was different—like having insects buzz in his skull.
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“We must destroy him first,” the woman said, draped in a white regal robe with silver edges. Her loose sleeves moved like wings as she clasped her hands behind her back, eyeing David curiously. The third face had become a humanoid beast. Its long, scaly tail wagged lazily, and when it spoke, David saw rows of pin-sized teeth.
“It doesn’t matter. We are absolute here, Ish-Mar. We will destroy them and send them back to Amareth.”
The Ruler grunted.
“You must destroy Ish-Mar,” Vith said. “He is the anchor for the others. They are like us, but not like me. Ish-Mar will have unique power, so be cautious.”
“Elisha,” David called. His brother looked up, eyes wide with shock. David had undone the damage to Elisha, but he couldn’t erase the memory. Elisha could still recall the agony of burning alive. David glanced at Chloe, still trembling on the ground.
“I need your help. I don’t know how you’ll do it, but I need you and Chloe to hold off the other two. You don’t have to beat them, just hold them for a few minutes while I destroy the one in the middle.”
Elisha said nothing. David took a quick look at him, wondering if he was as shaken as Chloe. What he saw reassured him.
Elisha was furious.
“Can you do it?” David asked.
“I don’t know about Chloe, but I can try. I’ll get to her.”
David nodded. He turned his gaze to the horned, scarred creature standing to Ish-Mar’s left. Its eyes glowed a seedy green, and it watched him with raised brows. The woman smirked, shaking her head as if she couldn’t believe David would charge at them alone.
“Your body can’t handle a rapid succession of high-level spells,” Vith said. “We’ll channel through Ignis’ bone. It will still weigh on you, but it’s better.”
David broke into a run, sword drawn, a wave of apprehension flooding through him from Ignis. He ignored the dragon’s warnings and commanded Vith, “Do it.”
Arcane Magic: Wind Bind
A ghostly leash wrapped around the woman before she could react. David leaped, kicking her against the Ruler’s throne. He turned on Ish-Mar before the woman even hit the throne.
Arcane Magic: Dragon’s Breath
David roared, spitting a storm of flames at the Ruler, blinding him long enough for Elisha’s shadows to ensnare the horned beast before it could help.
“He’s coming!” Vith called out as Ish-Mar’s hand reached through the flames to grab David’s throat. David dodged, but Ish-Mar’s fingers grazed his chest, and the spot immediately began to rot. His shirt disintegrated, and his skin blackened, peeling away as though his flesh were next. David pressed his left hand against the wound, stopping the spell, leaving a raw, unhealed patch of skin that even Vith found surprising.
“I see,” the Ruler grinned. “All I need to do is add my authority to the attack.”
“I can’t heal that,” Vith warned. David nodded and dodged left as Ish-Mar attacked again. His hands struck out, but David moved faster than ever, dodging by instinct, searching for an opening to strike.
“Can we even destroy him? Is he immortal?”
“No,” Vith said. “You already have the power.”
“The Key?” David asked, just as Vith confirmed it. He nodded.
“Mold it,” Vith suggested.
“Ignis, help me,” David called to the dragon. He sensed Ignis’ hesitation. The dragon was scared. “If you cower, we’ll all die!”
We all die just the same, Ignis replied. David ducked under an overhead swing, resisting the urge to strike back, knowing every touch could mean death.
“Then why not help anyway?” David asked. With Vith’s guidance, he drew on the power from the Soul Key. It felt overwhelming, like a waterfall crashing down. His vision blurred, and the Ruler’s hand grazed the back of his neck. David felt no pain, but he knew that part of him would shed like rotten skin.
“Help, you damn dragon!” David yelled through his frustration. Ignis finally budged, and essence flooded David’s body like a maelstrom. He screamed, pushing through the sudden pain and power he couldn’t control. He channeled it into his sword, hearing cracks echo in the air. The sky above sparked with silvery blue, and Ish-Mar looked up in shock. David was shrouded in gold, and his sword hummed with power. Half of it was now visible—thin, bone-white, and sharp. The marks along its flat side glowed.
Your soul resonates with the father of dragons.
You have harnessed the power of the Soul Key.
Soul Elevation achieved.
New Title: Ascender!
“I’ll add a little of mine, too,” Vith said, her voice distant, as if David were underwater. Yet he could breathe perfectly.
Arcane Magic: World Scythe
David swung the sword, and a golden arc of power tore through the Ruler. Ish-Mar staggered back, clutching his royal robe, blood soaking the fabric.
“No, this is impossible,” he whispered, his eyes wide with shock. “I did everything they asked. I stayed!”
David raised his sword again. When the Ruler looked up at him, fear gleamed in his eyes. He moved to attack, but David brought the blade down, slicing through Ish-Mar’s neck. Warm blood sprayed on David, and the body fell with a heavy thud.
Then the screaming began. At first, David thought it was another attack until he saw the other two parts of the Ruler writhing on the ground. The woman was bound by golden strings that multiplied as she tore through them. Elisha’s shadows held the beast.
They disintegrated slowly, fighting against death, struggling for even a second more. In the end, when the woman realized it was futile, she wept, her wet face the last to vanish. The beast howled until it exploded in Elisha’s shadow cocoon.
New Title: Tower Lord!
Will you ascend the throne or destroy the tower?
“You can’t destroy it,” Vith warned. “Think of the millions of lives you’d ruin.”
David nodded. “Not for them,” he said, approaching the Ruler’s chair. Above him, stars twinkled in the distant sky. His bones felt heavy, and unnatural exhaustion settled over him. After everything he had done, after surviving...there was no relief.
The throne transformed as he neared. It became a wide chair of stone, dark as tar, with armrests shaped like giant snakes. The backrest was smooth and tall. Behind the throne lay nothing but endless darkness.
David stood before it, scared. It was like stepping into the unknown, but he knew he had to do it. He turned to look at Elisha and Chloe. Elisha nodded, and David smiled.
He sat on the throne, and immediately, hot pain shot through him, making him scream.
Tower Authority acquired!
You have power over the ten floors of Amareth’s Tower.
First Divinity achieved!
New Title: The Ruler!
David gritted his teeth through the pain, enduring the suffering for the reward he knew he needed—not for himself, but for those he loved. When it was over, a list of skills appeared before him, all acquired from sitting on the throne. At the end was a question he would have to deal with later. First, he summoned Zoey’s orb.
Be Undone!
His authority broke the orb’s spell. David noticed how the tower’s system phrased his request differently now, but he was too focused on the orb to think much of it.
The orb floated from David’s hand, the light within flaring harshly until it splintered. From the growing light, Zoey slowly began to form, like a chick hatching from an egg. It was agonizingly slow, but in the end, Zoey stood there, shaky but alive, looking from David to her hands.
“David,” Zoey whispered, her voice breathless. “What happ—”
Chloe rushed into her, almost knocking her over, but Elisha caught them. David watched from his throne, unable to move, unable to bring himself to meet her. When the final message came, he realized they had no time to celebrate.
Will you ascend or rule?
He knew the answer. They had agreed on it long before reaching this point. Now, he had just enough rage left to push forward.
“Prepare yourselves,” David said, pulling their attention to him. From the throne, he felt detached, distant. He loved them, yet couldn’t shake the feeling. “We ascend soon.”
David looked away from their stunned faces as he selected the option that would take them closer to the ones who had put them through hell. He would make them pay. He would take from them as much as they had taken from him.
His authority spread throughout the tower, and everyone felt the shift in power. The ranking list updated on all floors, with the tower’s new monarch at the top.