Hunter raced back to the guild room, his boots squelching against the soggy path, barely registering the leeches that clung to his boots. His recent check on the water dragon and He Xiangu’s pet komodo showed they were content, thei r bellies full and plump, relishing the humid atmosphere.

One question hammered in his mind.

"Now that the renovation task is wrapped up," said Hunter, scraping a stubborn smear of slime from his hands with a grimace, "you mentioned there've been some changes in Delphare. Big, small, good, or bad?" The tower parasites were a nuisance, breeding faster than rabbits in the water garden.

Tower: Do you need a bath? And you haven’t checked your notifications.

Hunter waved him off. “No and no. Tell me what’s going on…?”

Tower: It’s important for both your progression and mine that you pay attention to system notifications and renovation tasks. Four renovation tasks completed in my Foundation phase. There are nine more milestone tasks until I reach the next phase.

"That’s all great, Tower, but you were about to tell me something important about Delphare..." Crossing his arms, Hunter stood firm, a mix of impatience and unease knitting his brows as he urged Tower to continue. It wasn’t like Tower to dodge direct questions, and it put Hunter on edge.

Tower: Well, remember the Black Temple?

Hunter's stomach lurched as if he'd nearly slipped off a cliff’s edge. He steadied himself and slowly nodded. Anything related to that death cultist-run temple spelled trouble, especially since they'd stormed it to rescue his sister, Jo.

Tower: There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to say it…

A suspenseful pause stretched. If Tower had a physical form, Hunter might have lost his cool and shaken the answer out of him.

"Just spit it out, Tower. I can handle it."

Tower: There is a bounty on your heads.

“What about Jo?” Hunter’s voice sharpened with urgency, the need to leave the tower and find his sister wrestling with his desire to learn more.

Tower: Your sister is fine. There is no bounty on her head. However, she is confined to her room in the Xuthos’ compound as before. Your uncle has ensured she is protected for now. Neither Xuthos nor Vassilus would dare cross a cultivator as powerful and ruthless as him.

Hunter nodded, a flicker of relief shadowed by distrust. His uncle, the city's feared leader, wouldn’t hesitate to crush anyone who crossed him—not only them, but their families and associates too. Protecting Jo meant she was still a valuable asset. Last they spoke, she planned to leverage the accounting books as evidence of their corruption. Smart. If they’d fled while Hunter was still refining his skills, their uncle would have hunted them down without mercy.

Hunter's gaze drifted to a pillar where his mother’s medallion lay. It felt like a beacon of salvation, in more ways than one.

"What about Mercos and Lyra?" His pulse spiked, fearing for his friends unprotected by his formidable uncle.

Tower: After your little excursion to the Black Temple, there’s been a fallout causing some inter-gang strife. Your uncle deployed guards to feign order, but we both know he’s in bed with the death cultists.

Hunter recalled his own sabotaged initiation, orchestrated by his uncle. He was among the few privy to the truth.

“My uncle knows it was me. Who else knows, and what exactly do they know?”

Tower: There’s some confusion since you operated under the alias Jacob of House Tannerus. However, there's no such confusion regarding Mercos and Lyra; they were spotted fleeing the Black Temple. There's a bounty on their heads too. It's risky for you to be seen in the city by day.

“Daytime right now?” Hunter asked, aware that time within the Tower crawled at a snail’s pace compared to the outside world.

Tower: Yes, it is 0.152 tradaka moments, or approximately nine Earth hours until nightfall.

“That seems to be quite a bit more time than I anticipated. How many Earth hours does that convert for here?”

Tower: You have two Earth days to train in here before daylight ends outside my walls.

“I’d risk daylight if it means life or death for my friends. Mercos isn’t at his blacksmith shop anymore, is he? And Lyra, she and the rooster, are they okay? Any word on Nic? I assume no one's bothered him on Death Island?”

Tower: Correct. Nic remains unnoticed by those in the city. It would be a fool’s errand to confront him unprepared. Mercos, his very talkative bird, Monty, Lyra and your rooster companion, Buckie, are under the protection of Mercos’ old mentor, the master alchemist that lives among the hedge maze on the city outskirts.

Hunter arched an eyebrow. “Always figured there was more to Nic than met the eye. It’s a relief that he and my friends are safe, though facing my uncle would be a different story.”

A sinking feeling in his gut told Hunter a showdown was inevitable. He straightened, checking his notifications and inventory. “Looks like you’ve got plenty to keep me busy before nightfall,” he said under his breath, making a mental note. “I need a quick training session with the Night Mare, and I’m all out of her favorite apples. A trip to the orchard is due, though I’m not thrilled about it, especially if the Night Mare decides to dump me into the ocean again. I’ve had enough swimming to last me days.”

Tower: True. I better understand the saying, 'You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.'

Hunter chuckled. “That’s especially true with the Night Mare.”

He glanced at his mother’s medallion, the symbols of Holly and Horse etched beside it on the pillar. A glint in his periphery shifted his attention to the newly spruced-up guild room. A copper cauldron had been fashioned into a sink, the walls now lined with shelves and a cozy nook carved out for cultivation near the library. Touching the medallion, he felt a deep connection, as if his mother’s love endured beyond death itself.

“Once I've finished with the Night Mare, it'll be time to challenge the Founder Gate.”

Tower: I sense some apprehension, but know this, Hunter of House Filo, you’ve more than earned the right to take your next step on the path of Holly and Horse.

A surge of excitement raced through him. “Thanks, Tower. Can’t wait to see what the Founder Gate holds for me. Now, it’s time to train the Night Mare.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

***

Alice, the Night Mare, slowly approached with hesitant steps and wary eyes. If Hunter made any sudden moves, that might change. He kept his breathing steady and his voice soothing, maintaining a casual demeanor. "How about you and I go on a little visit to the orchard?" He enticed her, trying to sound as tempting as possible.

Alice’s head lifted, her midnight mane flowing like a waterfall against the obsidian sheen of her coat. Her dark eyes, gleaming with a hint of mischief, locked onto him with intense interest. She paused her slow circle, then trotted over to him as if he’d said the magic word.

She gently nuzzled his palm.

"Sorry, Alice, I’m all out of apples. You know I gave you my last one." She snorted and gave him a haughty look, her expression saying clearly, "Really, that's your excuse?"

Hunter clutched his chest, pretending to be heartbroken. "It's a tragedy, I know." It didn’t worry the Night Mare in the slightest, her demeanor as cool as an ocean breeze.

"Okay, let's do some training, and then we'll leave the tower." Hunter proposed, checking the stats for the nightmare; a big grin spread across his face.

[Name: Alice

Age: 108 Earth hours

Energy type: Mana

Bond type: Summoned. Unique

Relationship: Stood down from Passive Aggressive to Tolerable

Specialization: Undetermined

Training Progress: Novice]

"See, Alice? I knew you liked me..."

She let her head fly, butting him in the chest—not forceful, but enough to send him staggering back a few steps. He flung his hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, maybe 'like' is a strong word." He chuckled, brushing off the dirt from his clothes.

The Night Mare nodded, then whinnied as if she was laughing at the situation.

Hunter joined in, patting her soft, velvety snout. "You've got quite the sense of humor, don't you?"

Looking around, he hatched a plan. "Okay, we need to work together on this. Whether we're up in the air or on the ground, you need to be familiar with me and my movements, and vice versa. How about we try an obstacle course? This place is perfect, right here in the tutorial room."

It wasn't long before Hunter had transformed the tutorial area into a scene resembling a barren wasteland, complete with treacherous crevices and ominous lava pits.

"Let’s time this," Hunter said, more to himself than to Alice. The real sign that they were improving would be when they cleared the obstacle course faster and faster. He was determined to use his time in the tower to the best advantage.

Tower: I approve of this practice. It will benefit you when you are outside of the tower.

Hunter nodded and heaved himself onto the Night Mare's back. He took a moment to settle in, feeling the familiar rush of excitement as they trotted back and forth before stepping up to the starting line. All he could see was a tall hedge, daunting as it spanned in both directions, towering like two men standing on each other’s shoulders.

A notification flashed: "Begin."

"Yah!" Hunter urged the Night Mare forward. She charged, and he held tight, channeling chi into his limbs to enhance his reflexes. An ordinary man would have been flung to the ground, but Hunter was a peak star refiner cultivator.

The ground churned beneath her powerful legs as she stormed towards the first hedge. His stomach knotted as she leapt, soaring higher and higher to clear the first obstacle. He braced himself for the impact, but she landed on the far side, her hooves barely making a sound.

The wind whipped his face, his eyes watering from the rush. His fingers tangled tighter in her mane, thighs pressed against her mighty form as they approached the next challenge. The heat from a nearby lava pit made his heart race with a mix of fear and thrill.

A fiery geyser exploded into the air, startling Alice. Her eyes bulged, and she neighed, but Hunter calmed her through their growing bond. "You can do this," he said, reassuring her, while his Dust Storm Whip shot out to force the geyser's flow down and away from them.

Alice, demonstrating her impressive aerial skills, skillfully dodged the sudden firewall that erupted in their path. As flames licked the air around them, her speed wavered. She descended with caution, her front hooves sliding on the scorched earth as they struggled for stable grip. For a heart-stopping moment, it seemed they might not regain their momentum. But once her hooves found solid ground, Alice surged forward with renewed energy, Hunter clinging to her mane, his knuckles white as he tightened his hold.

As they recovered their pace, the earth trembled beneath them. Without warning, the ground cracked open, a gaping chasm swallowing them whole. They plummeted into the void, Alice twisting her body in midair, banking sharply left then right, her wings beating in frantic motion against the rush of air.

Hunter's heart raced, his breath caught in his throat as he felt the sheer drop intensify their descent.

With a heroic effort, Alice managed to stabilize their fall, her powerful wings catching an updraft. She beat her wings with all her might, pulling them out of the chasm in a dramatic ascent. Her muscles rippled under Hunter's thighs as she fought against gravity, her resolve unyielding.

As they soared out of the pit, Alice let out a defiant neigh, the triumphant sound echoing across the obstacle course. They crossed the finish line in time, a mix of relief and adrenaline flooding Hunter as he patted Alice's neck, praising her bravery and skill.

Tower: That is… satisfactory. If you try again, you may level up some stats and strengthen your bond.

Hunter caught his breath, patting Alice’s neck. "Well done, Alice. That was nothing short of spectacular." She nodded with great vigor, as if she completely agreed with him.

"We should do it again to improve our time." Hunter gave Alice a gentle pat.

She paused and gave him a look that could curdle milk.

“Think about how much faster you’ll fly to the orchard to get those juicy apples…” That was all the convincing she needed. Alice bowed her head in agreement.

“Hey Tower, we’re ready to go again,” Hunter said with a confident grin. The tutorial room morphed, resetting them to the starting line. The disorientation was brief, but it soon passed. It took several attempts before they shaved seconds off their best time.

A notification flashed after their final run through the obstacle course.

Hunter's eyes lit up as he read their gains. A swell of pride and confidence filled his heart over their improved partnership.

"With you by my side, Alice, lava pits and fiery geysers don't stand a chance," he said aloud, his tone playful yet filled with admiration for his companion.

Tower: Speaking of which, if you wish to leave by nightfall, I suggest you head to the Founder Gate so you have enough time to make progress and break through to the Founder stage.

Alice looked downcast, bowing her head. "Don’t worry, it won’t be long before we head to the orchard, and I’ll stuff my ring full of apples this time, and I have the guild locker with extra space.”

Alice neighed at that thought.

Leaving the tutorial room, Hunter strode with confidence towards the Founder Gate. It loomed larger and more imposing than the Refiner Gate where he had started his chi cultivation journey. As before, his dominant horse trait meant the symbol was embossed in gold, with holly leaves in deepest black.

Hunter clenched his fists, pumping them with determination. "I'm ready to take on whatever tower monsters and offenders there are on the other side," he said, his voice firm and echoing slightly in the vast space.

Tower: If you wish to level up your fighting skills, I suggest using the training buildings in the tutorial room. You have a new spear that you should practice fighting moves on; the training dummies could help you with that.

Hunter shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "I know I have time, but not that much time. You know I'm not one for reading training manuals—I'd rather learn by doing. What I have to read, I read, but I prefer practical learning, hands-on. I remember it better that way. Fighting tower monsters feels more real, especially when compared to wooden training dummies."

Tower: Objection noted. I hope you can apply what you learned on the Blood Lotus Battlefield to aid your progression and level up your fighting skills along with your cultivation level.

Hunter gave a sharp nod, his gaze set like steel. "Do I have a choice this time between monster or defender?"

Tower: You will be happy to hear that you are free to choose. Will it be a tower monster again? If so, be aware that you will not face the same creature as before.

Hunter shrugged, his expression resolute. "I’m in no rush to face monster bunnies again. But this time, I want to face warriors, so I choose tower defenders. He Xiangu is a fierce warrior skilled with the sword. I held my own out there, but it’s clear I’ve a lot to learn when wielding long-range weapons."

Tower: Your choice is noted. Please enter the gate as soon as you’re ready. And Hunter...

"Yes?"

Tower: May the fortune of the heavens be with you.