Alonso calmly walked until he stood just in front of his past self. He crouched before him, smiling. Despite all the pain and suffering, despite the hunger and thirst, despite what he had done and become, he was… proud.
“Let’s just finish this, shall we?”
In front of him, only visible in the electromagnetic spectrum, a static field started to appear as the waves merged and interfered with each other. It was like threads forming an embroidery, every piece in its place in a complex puzzle that demanded a level of calculation only computers had been capable of.
> Stage 1 -
He completed the first part. He realized how easy it felt now, how simple and intuitive. How… natural.
“Care to give it the finishing touch, Houston?”
“Finishing? You sure are full of yourself thinking this would just randomly work.”
“It was your idea, wasn’t it?”
“That’s because I, unfortunately, share the poor insight of a lesser intellect.”
“I love you too, Houston,” he smiled as he completed the figure.
> Stage 1 - 1.000%
He calmly sensed the surrounding space. It was quiet.
“Seriously—” but he then noticed his past self’s calm breathing. The flow of time had returned to the EM space.
“Told you it would work,” he grinned.
“I thought it was my idea?”
Alonso shook his head as a smile spread across his face. He had saved himself a load of trouble by pure luck.
He glanced at the projection of his past self.
“We made it.”
The EM space around him shattered. His past self disappeared with it. All that was left was the usual white room. Nothing more.
He looked to the side and noticed the staircase leading up that had just appeared.
He took one last look around and then walked to the stairs.
One step at a time, he continued his climb.
His mood was at peace. He felt calm, relaxed, ready for whatever might come.
As he took the last step, however, his serene state could not hold back the surprise. Above him was a bright, clear blue sky.
image [https://i.imgur.com/EPU265m.png]
> August 2, 2024 - Kerala, India
A small family sat together in their modest living room, the soft hum of a ceiling fan cutting through the morning humidity. The father, a middle-aged man with graying hair, adjusted the volume on the television, while his wife, dressed in a simple sari, brought a tray of tea to the coffee table. Their young son, barely into his teens, perched eagerly on the edge of the couch, his eyes glued to the screen.
The TV screen, which had been displaying a message saying, "Please stay tuned. The United Nations Secretary-General's address to the world will commence shortly," suddenly changed.
“It’s starting,” the father said quietly, his voice carrying the weight of the moment.
The mother settled next to him, her hands resting on her lap, worry lines creasing her forehead. She glanced at her son, who had gone completely still, his usual chatter replaced by an intense focus.
A reporter appeared on the screen, looking serious. "In a few moments, we will bring you a live address from the United Nations Secretary-General, Elena Morales. This speech is of critical importance, and it is highly recommended that you listen carefully."
The family exchanged silent, anxious glances, the weight of the moment pressing heavily upon them. The Tower, the enigmatic phenomenon that had seized the world's attention, was not just a global concern for them—it was deeply personal. Their eldest son had been inside The Tower for days, and they had lived every minute in a state of relentless fear.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
They had heard stories of others—thousands of others—who had returned, some of whom were close family and friends. But in the case of their own son, after he completed the Dark Room trial, he had vanished. The live feed that had allowed them to track his progress went dark, leaving them in a void of uncertainty. They had scoured every news source, clung to every update, but there was nothing. Nothing except for this speech, which they had been anticipating with a mixture of hope and dread for days.
And so it began.
The screen transitioned to Elena Morales, seated at a table, her eyes locked on the camera with a calm intensity.
"Citizens of the world," Elena Morales began, her voice solemn. "We stand at a pivotal juncture in human history. The Tower has emerged, challenging us in ways we could never have imagined. Today, I come before you to share what we have learned and what it means for each and every one of us."
She paused, allowing the words to sink in. "Let me take you back to the beginning. On May 13th, a signal from outer space was detected simultaneously by observation centers across the globe. This signal was unlike anything we had ever encountered—clear, precise, and accompanied by a message that shook us to our core. The message stated: 'You have been invited. The Tower will appear in 77 days. You will be tested.'"
“At first, such a message might have been dismissed—an elaborate hoax or a malfunction in our instruments. But further analysis by our best scientists confirmed the signal's authenticity. It was real. And so, I must state plainly, before all of you: we have been contacted by an extraterrestrial civilization."
She paused, letting the gravity of her words settle. "We do not know who or what this civilization is. We do not know their intentions beyond the words they have sent. But we do know this: the technological gap between us and them is beyond comprehension. We are, in every sense of the word, at their mercy."
"Because we didn't know the nature of the challenge, it was difficult to prepare. We did our best—mobilizing our military forces, training our people, and placing our top scientists on standby. But the challenge came in an unexpected way, even if it did take the form of a tower."
"Exactly 77 days later, as the message foretold, on July 29th at 21:32 UTC, the structure known as The Tower physically manifested in our world. It appeared as a colossal spire, 10 kilometers tall, rising from the depths of the Pacific Ocean. All our tests on its exterior show that the material is impervious to any form of probing. With our current technology, we cannot make even the slightest scratch on its outer surface, and none of our sensors can detect what’s happening inside."
“On that day, at that exact time, one million people worldwide suddenly disappeared into thin air. It is possible that they were physically teleported inside The Tower, but the data is insufficient to confirm this. It remains only our assumption.”
"Regarding the nature of the people selected, our investigation concluded that it was completely random, with the only apparent criterion being that the challengers were between 20 and 40 years old, regardless of gender."
She paused, then continued, “Inside The Tower, those selected, as stated in the initial message, were put to the test. They were subjected to a series of extreme and inhuman trials. In each challenge, they were forced to the brink of despair, enduring isolation, thirst, hunger, and relentless battles. Creatures unlike anything we have ever seen before were set as obstacles in their path. Many of those selected perished inside The Tower. But death inside The Tower is not the end, as all who meet their demise there are brought back, returning to the exact position they were in before being teleported.”
"The returnees, as we call those who have come back, have suffered tremendously. Meticulous care is being taken to treat the PTSD and other mental afflictions most of them are facing due to the brutal circumstances they endured."
She looked up from her notes, her gaze intense. "I will not delve into the specific nature of the trials, but I will say that much of this information can be found easily online. And that brings me to something that became widespread after The Tower and the challenges began: the link. We must make it clear that this link, like the signal and The Tower itself, is an alien concept to us, likely from the same extraterrestrial source. We, as humans, did not develop this link, and we cannot stop it either."
“This link, as many of you know by now, allows anyone who accesses it to observe in real-time the situation of those inside The Tower, or as they are termed: the Climbers. We want to emphasize that we do not promote this act, as it is a violation of the privacy of the Climbers, infringing upon their rights and dignity. That said, due to the nature of the link, we cannot, and will not, ban it either. We simply advise that unless it concerns a family member or a friend, you should refrain from spying on the live feed of other Climbers. We would greatly appreciate your support in this regard.”
She paused, allowing her words to resonate with the global audience before continuing. "Beyond the challenges themselves, The Tower has introduced another variable to humanity. This has come in the form of orbs that can be obtained inside, primarily, though not exclusively, by slaying the abominations that reside there. These orbs have been proven to modify the genetics of those who absorb them. They make their bodies stronger, enhance reflexes, improve regeneration, sharpen memory, and heighten mental awareness. Moreover, they have introduced a new sensory system in those who reach a certain point in their challenges. This sensory system allows its possessor to emit and perceive what has been termed 'mind waves.' Scientists have attributed these mind waves to electromagnetic waves, and research is ongoing to determine their exact nature."
Elena pressed on, her tone resolute. "This new sensory system is not merely an adaptation but a profound change in human potential. We are entering uncharted territory. We urge caution, understanding, and respect for those who return, as they have undergone changes that we are only beginning to grasp."
Her gaze swept across the notes before her, but she barely glanced at them as she spoke. "The significance of this moment cannot be overstated. Humanity faces an unprecedented challenge, one that will define our future. We must come together, as nations and as individuals, to navigate these uncharted waters. The world is watching, and the decisions we make in the coming days and months will echo throughout history."
She leaned forward slightly. "We must pool our resources, share our knowledge, and prepare for whatever comes next. This is not just a test for those inside The Tower; it is a test for all of us. We cannot afford to be divided. We must be united, focused, and ready to face this challenge as one global community."
Her expression shifted slightly, a flicker of hesitation crossing her face as her gaze locked onto the camera. For a brief moment, there was a tension in her eyes, as if she were weighing her next words carefully. "As you may have noticed, we lost communication with all those who passed the Dark Room, with none returning after that. We had nothing to guide us from there..."
She paused, a slight nervousness in the way she held herself, then continued, her voice firmer.
"Until now."