After a long night of work, I was exhausted. Leaving the office to head to Francesco's to grab breakfast for Jimmy and I, I leaned against the elevator wall. As the doors slid open, the city's brightness greeted me, illuminated by the morning sun. Stepping out onto the street, I made my way toward Francesco's.

The fresh air revived me, infusing newfound energy into my fatigued body. It had been an incredibly long weekend, but we were finally ready.

Approaching Francesco's, I scanned the surroundings to cross the street. However, in that moment, I heard screeching tires. Out of nowhere, a speeding sedan careened uncontrollably, heading straight toward me. It collided with me, propelling me toward the bakery's main window. Time seemed to stretch, elongating the moment as I crashed through the window, sharp fragments of glass tearing into my flesh. Unrelenting, the car didn't stop, smashing through the wall and following me inside the shop.

Headfirst, I collided with the display of baked goods before being crushed between the car and the back wall.

Everything faded into darkness.

"Am I dead?" I pondered, engulfed by an abyss of darkness.

The surroundings offered no answers, only an eerie silence that enveloped me. Despite my immobility, I could still sense the presence of my own body.

Abruptly, a blinding spotlight pierced through the darkness, forcing me to shield my eyes with my hands. Adjacent to me, another light illuminated the space, revealing a woman hovering in mid-air. With messy long brown hair, pale skin and tired eyes marked by dark bags, she appeared to be in her mid-20s or early 30s. Her physique was slim, yet her muscles on her shoulders and arms were visibly defined. Our eyes met as she gazed at me.

"Who are you? Where are we?" she exclaimed, her voice resounding in the empty void.

Glancing downwards, I noticed I too was suspended in the air - trapped in the same position.

"I don't know," I replied, a sense of uncertainty filling my voice.

A thick glass-like barrier separated us, rendering us unable to approach each other. I tried to move my legs, but they remained frozen, and I stood helplessly, floating in the dim chamber.

Turning towards her, I shared my fragmented recollection, "The last thing I remember, I was on my way to Francesco's bakery, and then a car...-"

Before I could finish my sentence, she interrupted, her voice filled with remorse ;

"I'm sorry."

Startled, I stared at her, searching for answers.

"Sorry?" I questioned, my voice tinged with confusion.

Her gaze fell, and she struggled to find the right words.

"I think..." she paused, taking a deep breath, "I think I hit you."

I was struck with disbelief—was she the driver responsible for the crash at Francesco's?

"You were the driver?" I inquired, desperation seeping into my tone.

Avoiding my gaze, she looked away, guilt weighing heavily upon her.

"I think so. I don't remember much, just flashes. I was intoxicated, under the influence... I was...", her voice trailed off.

"You hit me!" I shouted, consumed by anger and frustration.

She averted her eyes, unable to meet my accusatory stare. Memories surged into my mind—images of the sedan, the crash through the bakery window, and the crushing weight that had enveloped me as the car crushed me against the wall.

"How... How are we still alive?" I questioned, my voice trembling with confusion and disbelief.

She looked at me, her expression filled with uncertainty.

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"Are we? And if so, where are we? Could this be hell?" she pondered aloud as her eyes scanned the room.

"I shouldn't be in hell. You hit me. I did nothing wrong," I retorted with anger.

She stared back at me, her voice filled with anguish ;

"No one is innocent!"

Her words struck me, leaving me astonished. What was wrong with her? To inflict such harm and then scream at me?

Before I could respond, a voice emerged from the infinite darkness, capturing our attention.

"Welcome!"

We turned our gaze forward, then towards each other. On her head, a speaker icon with a cross appeared—she was muted?

I attempted to speak, but my voice failed to materialize.

"Shhhh, shhhh, shhh," the voice continued, soothingly.

"Welcome, new challengers! Welcome to redemption... or eternal damnation. Not sure yet."

Confusion etched across our faces as we looked at each other.

"First, let's address the elephant in the room—yes, you are dead. Deal with it. Second, you are currently in NOWHERE—a rather dull place to be honest, but everyone starts here. Lastly, I will offer you a chance to return to your lives, but only one of you," the voice declared, punctuating the words with a childish giggle.

"You have both been selected to participate in the Gem Tower."

As the voice spoke those words, a colossal hologram materialized before us, depicting an intricately designed tower. Its architecture evoked the imagery of the ancient Babel Tower, adorned with a plethora of attached objects and structures— bridges connecting disparate areas and intermingled cityscapes. It resembled a vertical amalgamation of Kowloon city in Hong Kong fused with the mythical Babel Tower.

"Are you happy?" the voice queried with anticipation.

It erupted into laughter, quickly realizing our current inability to respond.

"Oh, right, you can't speak at the moment. I'll take that as a yes. You're welcome!"

I kept my eyes locked on the woman beside me, yet she remained fixated on the holographic tower.

"Alright," the voice continued, "let me explain it to you, newcomers. This is the Gem Tower— a world brimming with dungeons, perils, and adventures -. There are only two ways out."

The voice paused, clearing its throat before resuming.

"One, you reach the top, sitting on the 111th floor, and return to your lives as if nothing happened. Two, you perish within the Tower, damned to eternal damnation in Hell."

Shock washed over me—what was happening? I attempted to capture the woman's attention, but my efforts were in vain.

"However,", the voice continued, adopting a condescending tone, "there are several rules. First and foremost, the most, well, annoying one—you must willingly accept this adventure. I cannot force you. Yet, if you refuse, death shall claim you! So, do you accept?"

Before I could utter a response, my head moved involuntarily, nodding in agreement. I felt powerless to resist.

"Excellent," the voice exclaimed.

"Once again, WELCOOOOOOME TO THE TOWEEEEER!" the voice exclaimed with enthusiasm.

Once more, my body reacted against my will, clapping my hands and plastering a smile on my face. It felt like a nightmare —a reality that could not possibly be true. The woman next to me mirrored my forced expressions, completely out of our control.

"Thank you, thank you," the voice feigned modesty.

"Now, how does it work? Well, both of you will begin in separate locations on the Tower's first floor—we refer to it as the 'noob floor'—where most people manage to survive. Hopefully, you will too."

The voice chuckled mischievously before continuing.

"During this initial stage, you will learn what it takes to survive, guided by this."

As it finished speaking, a white gemstone materialized before me, while another appeared in front of the woman. I turned my head, attempting to touch it with my finger, but my efforts were in vain.

"This," the voice explained, "is your Glossary Gem. It is irremovable, unsellable, and unbreakable."

The white gem pulsated before me, suspended in the darkness. It resembled a small faceted egg, swirling with subtle changing colors. From within the gem, wisps of energy emanated, flowing directly into my forehead.

As the energy touched me, something incredible happened.

I was astounded—a heads-up display akin to a video game's interface appeared before my eyes! It was like an augmented reality experience without the usual accompanying headset. A green bar with the number 100 appeared in the top-left corner, and a series of icons adorned the bottom-right—a chat symbol, an inventory, and more.

Familiarity washed over me ; it was as if I had encountered these elements before. This was like a game! What on earth was happening?

The white gem vanished, and a number "1" materialized next to what I assumed to be the inventory icon. I attempted to focus on it or activate it with my finger, but I found myself unable to move or interact.

"Nuh,Nuh, Nuh," the voice said, adopting the tone of a parent scolding their child.

"You cannot utilize it just yet. First, you must leave from Nowhere."

Glancing at the woman, I noticed a small red skull and the name "Cleo" hovering above her.

Like a foolish gesture, I attempted to gaze upon the top of my own head, only to meet failure.

"Simon," the voice commenced. "meet Cleo. Cleo, meet Simon. You are connected in a way. In addition to surviving the Tower, you shall also contend with each other."

Cleo and I exchanged glances, uncertainty shimmering in the air.

"What does that entail?" the voice inquired with a sneer. "It means you will be competing against one another. Only one of you can reclaim your life. The goal of Simon is to reach the top, the goal of Cleo is to kill Simon."

The voice paused momentarily, before resuming in a childlike manner;

"Hint. Hint. The most effective way to secure that victory is to eliminate the competition, wouldn't you agree?"

A cascade of childish laughter emanated from the voice.

I gazed at Cleo, grasping the implications of our situation.

"Now that you possess sufficient knowledge, kinda, it is time to begin! Bid farewell to each other!" the voice instructed.

Cleo and I waved and smiled at each other, our actions once again forced upon us, before she vanished into thin air and I plummeted to the floor.