Day 33.3

There was something very ominous about having your eyes sewn shut, I decided as I watched Qwata approach. His steps echoed strangely throughout the large chamber.

Turning to Jester, I asked. “Should we try to get back to the infinite mana?”

Jester just chuckled, his face towards Qwata. “...you don’t understand what is about to happen. You are still playing around on the 3rd floor, so your ignorance is… unavoidable. But this creature… this is not one who will play games any longer.”

The surviving ghosts howled their fury at this interloper landing amongst them. The Geist raised a finger at pointed at Qwata. Snorting quietly, Qwata took a step forward.

The sound of the echo disappeared, but I felt it. And for the first time in a long time, the hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up in warning. This enemy… was not to be trifled with. Which is why I was so confused as to why Jester didn’t seem interested in reclaiming access to the infinite mana on the central platform.

Surging forward, all of the ghosts approached Qwata, their eyes blazing with ethereal vigor. Although it didn’t seem like they could do as much physical damage, their great agility and the waves of energy sucking anguish would hopefully slow Qwata down.

“Think of this as a lesson,” Jester continued. “And not a loss.”

Qwata’s foot soundless touched the ground.

For a moment, everything was still.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

The central platform shattered, bits of metal and debris flying everywhere. Continuing outward, the ripple from the step hit the first of the ghosts.

They dissipated instantly, as if they were never even there, their howls dying off like a child in the desert. The geist furrowed its brows; after a moment, it raised its hand and screamed. Where above there was once just darkness and the slowly descending other Deeds, now a moon rose, fat and low. It looked so close that I could reach out and touch it.

As its rays hit the Geist, it seemed to swell, growing to become a huge, ghastly spirit. It reached out its clawed, spectral fingers towards Qwata.

“You see, just like you were restricted by having the belts, we were too. But you are just fresh meat; the floor controller likely didn’t have to take away any of your toys. But we… Qwata and I had a bit more that we were restricted from doing.”

Qwata took another step, his gait completely ordinary, his speed average, but he seemed to teleport forward 10 m, eviscerating the central Deed and landing on the edge of the outer disk that was to house the other 8 Deeds.

The Geist’s body was but mist, ripped to shreds and dissipating in front of him. A shred of the Geist’s face managed to survive, and it was slammed back towards me. Slightly in shock, I watched as the last bit of its spectral body phased within in me, where I could feel its remnants shivering in fear.

Jester flexed his fingers and muttered numbers to himself, then looked up at me, his grey mask seeming especially strange and foreign in this moment. “Based on what I know about him, my chances of emerging victorious are almost exactly 50/50. Let me assure you, you don’t want him to be the victor of this engagement. However… If you can provide even the slightest distraction, slowing his advance…”

He seemed to hesitate, and then said. “I would likely have a 51% chance to win.”

The central Deed had been shattered in the last step, mana flooding the entirety of the platform, pooling and swirling. A warm, needy heat was rising in me again, demanding release.

“...That’s all I can do? Raise YOUR chance of victory 1%?” I asked, almost disbelieving.

In the way he spoke, I could tell that Jester was smiling. “Honestly, I’m likely overestimating you. Anyways, good luck. I need to prepare for when he makes it to me.”

Without another word, Jester began making complicated hand gestures, the air around him filling with violet spheres. Clutched in his hand was a sphere that was abruptly changing color; very quickly, it had become a regal, rich purple.

Qwata stepped again, ripping apart more of the platform, coming 10 m closer. Something in that movement must has snapped a support structure, because the structure began to list and groan ominously.

I channeled all the mana I could muster and stepped forward.

***POV Change***

“You can’t honestly believe that challenger? The speed of his ascent… that’s impossible!” Ren gesticulated wildly, almost throwing off his hood and revealing his face.

Thomas Karman had answered their questions simply, seemingly honestly, and with a smile on his face. Then he was led away, to allow them to deliberate.

Oct sighed. Not that maintaining secrecy was necessary once they were on the Solicitor Recruitment Counsel, but Ren too easily forwent the gravity that should be held by individuals in their position.

Quin giggled. “Why would that man lie? And it’s not like he’s all the way up here yet, he only just passed the 40th floor.”

“Completely without an administrator’s assistance.” Ren said through gritted teeth. “You can’t honestly believe that is possible? In 30 or so days? And he has 100 skills! Explain THAT.”

Shrugging, Quin said simply, “What did the investigation into Humanity as a race reveal? Perhaps there is a simple explanation that we are missing.”

As one, the 6 figures who were present turned to the shadow who had brought in the challenger suspected of cheating.

The shadow coughed lightly. “The thing is… we never did any specific investigations into the capabilities of humans… they arrived so quickly…”

The shadow tried to continue speaking, but the very air he was breathing froze in his lungs. The central chair was emitting a chilling aura that was slowly crushing the life from the shadow’s body.

“You...didn’t investigate.” Oct’s voice was expressionless. It wasn't a question. The air seemed to tense and shrivel. “How long will an investigation take?”

“Less than a day,” The shadow gasped.

Oct’s hood nodded, painfully slowly. The tension in the air tightened, and then snapped. Vomitting blood, the shadow fell to his knees. “Then begin immediately. And inform the prisoner that we will render judgement in 24 hours.”

***POV Change***

Tens...

Hundreds...

Thousands…

I filled the available air with wind blades, just creating them and holding them, preparing for one huge burst. I even received a notification.

Congratulations! Due to your actions, your skill has changed to “Wind Blade Lvl 7”. Blades have become slightly more deadly. The cutting edge of wind blades has become sharper. Mana costs slightly decreased.

My heart was pounding, flooding my system with adrenaline. I could feel every sense and reaction with perfect clarity; I was as ready as I would ever be. All at once, I released them, a veritable hailstorm of blades of air raining down on Qwata.

He stepped forward , and they all were blasted away. The force of his step smashed against me, shattering most of my ribs and knocking me back. A dull pain thudded behind my eyes, a strange, mental weariness coming out of nowhere. Suddenly a voice whispered how easy it would be to give up. The voice told me I was weak, worthless, and doomed to die.

-This is what your aura of the predator inspires in others. This is fear.

I shivered. Then I reached down, grabbed my index finger, and snapped it.

Howling, my eyes stretched to their limits. My Cheshire grin appeared again, riding the wave of pain and heat to fill me with a devil’s will.

“I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU!”

The rushing, glittering luminescent mist arose, lunar energy flooding through me. I could feel my body shudder at the strain of channeling all of this mana. There was something like magical friction, and I was starting to heat up in a bad way.

Whirling up, the lunar energy condensed into a huge pearly hammer. With but a thought, I poured more energy into it. The brilliance of the hammer was difficult to describe. Even after his body was shattered, the Geist’s summoned moon remained full above us, boosting the strength of the Lunar Affinity by x2.

The hammer smashed downwards. As if noticing such things was beneath him, Qwata stepped forward again.

There was nothing for several long seconds.

“Eh?”

I spoke reflexively, my voice sounding so incredibly distant. I was falling, slowly drifting towards the ground. I could feel the mana, but it felt abruptly obtuse and slippery, evading my gasp.

My eyes widening, I turned slightly, seeing that Qwata was a foot behind me, still calmly walking, as if he had walked right through me.

I looked down. A thick mist of blood was below me, slowly spraying outward and falling to the ground. About an inch below my neck, my flesh stopped.

Still, I could see my right leg below the knee, and my left foot resting on the ground. And my left arm spinning aimlessly in the air next to me. But everything between that was gone, ripped to pieces as Qwata walked right through me.

My eyes narrowed, pupils focusing. He was so close. All I needed to do was distract him slightly…

Why? That voice of fear seemed to whisper. Jester has done nothing but trick you and lead you around. Why help him? You are dying. Just go peacefully.

I twisted, the this bit of tendon holding my right arm to the rest of me straining. My hand seemed to move so slowly.

Why? The voice repeated. Other Me remained silent as well, seemingly waiting for my answer.

-No. I’m you too. I know exactly what our answer is.

Grinning, I strained further, extending my fingers towards Qwata’s back. Although I had no air, or lungs, or vocal cords, my every action seemed to scream my answer to the voice of fear within me.

‘You think too much! I hate this creature in front of me, and I’m alive; what more reason do I need to fight?!?’

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

My fingers extended.

I probably wouldn’t have even thought about this had not Jester brought it up. But now that I had a clue.

But I groaned. My body was falling too fast. I had no abdominal muscles to aid in turn. I was just drifting through the air.

Mana was slowly coming back under my control as the shock wore off, but it was much too slow.

Straining, my long, marbled nails were a hair away from him. And Qwata was still moving forward in his unhurried manner, his sewn shut eyes likely locked on Jester. I was nothing, just a vanquished foe.

-Dammit!

I shared Other Me’s frustration. My arm was now only on the level of his lower back, and he’d already moved away to a finger length. I wouldn’t be able to make up this distance in time…!

As if sensing my will, that small remaining portion of the Geist phased out of my body, formed a ghostly hand, and pressed against my neck, giving me that last bit of distance.

My hands touched Qwata’s back. The edges of my vision were going black, but everything was tingling with hot rage. I reached within, deep to my very core, and drew out everything I had.

“Freeze.” My last breath wheezed out through my stiffening lips.

Every ounce of mana I could muster slammed into the air, lowering the temperature as abruptly as I could. There was no effect, but I was expecting that. With my last bit of consciousness, I fueled Lesser Ice Affinity with Essence, expending it all at once.

A small layer of frost formed on the skin I was touching.

Although I couldn’t see it, Qwata’s eyes narrowed. Jester tilted his head to the side and unleashed the technique he had been charging.

My last strength expended, I collapsed.

***POV Change***

“So how have you been?” Kettle adjusted her glasses. Jen just wiggled back and forth, remaining silent.

Kettle sighed. “It can’t be that bad-”

“Kettle! I lost everything! All of my bets turned out to be nothing. I have no more capital to my name. I’m a failure as an administrator. Challengers don’t trust me, I don’t know anything about the dangers in the upper floors or entertaining viewers… And the solicitors I meet…” Jen jellyed side to side. “They look at me with such fish eyes.”

“That’s because the resident solicitor on the 5th floor is an Aquarian.” Kettle said calmly. “If it’s capital you need, I have had several smaller, successful investments pay off-”

“No, no, no, it’s not that. I’ll just lose it anyway.  It’s just… I just pictured myself being Predator’s administrator… helping him, guiding him… giving him orders… directing him… making him… do… whatever I want….” By the end of her sentence, Jen had produced about 30 tentacles that were twisting around each other in an extremely strange manner.

But then Jen just sighed, her slime body collapsing into a puddle. “Maybe I’m not cut out for this line of work…”

Very nonchalantly, Kettle adjusted her glasses. In an extremely casual manner, Kettle reached over to pat Jen on the back.

‘Three pats,’ Kettle decided. ‘She must be able to detect nothing. This is what Gillette wanted.’

“Well,” Kettle said. “Even if you aren’t very experience, Predator is probably enough to make it no matter what. He doesn’t even need your- Oh, Jen, I didn’t mean-”

“No, you’re right.” Jen said, becoming a sphere and rolling out the door of Kettle’s office. “He doesn’t need me.”

Kettle watched Jen go, then turned back to her monitor. Another series of challenges were starting today, and she planned on making money.

She allowed herself a small smile. Everything as planned.

***POV Change***

Gasping, I awoke, my hands flew to my chest, surprised to find myself alive, if a bit in agony. I patted all of my limbs, then laughed, sitting up.

“Don’t worry, everything grew back correctly. It’s the least I could do. You made Qwata frown, which was all the opening I needed.” Jester was facing away from me, three portals open in front of him. One was blue, one gold, and one was just a jagged rip in the fabric of the world.

Blinking, I noticed that a shattered grey mask was laying on the ground by my feet. I narrowed my eyes and looked at Jester’s profile, which was obscured somewhat by the strange energy coming off of the portals.

“I also took the liberty of removing the warning you received from slaying a floor controller from your record,” The maskless Jester continued, his voice sounding surprisingly young.

Not a child.... But also not an adult.

-I wonder how old we are…

“There was another warning… but I think that you earned that one with your own strength and deserve to keep it,” Jester said cheerily. Then he pointed to the blue portal.

“This will take you directly to the 5th floor. Another free service, if you want it.” Then he pointed to the golden one. “This one leads to the 4th floor. That is where an old, old test sits. Nowadays it is not used. Once you go there, you cannot be bailed out. No one has passed the test in 10,000 years. No tricks this time. You pass or you die.”

Jester paused, then said. “But the female who passed… would later become God. Choose well. This portal…”

He gestured to the final, smaller one. “Is mine, made personally by yours truly. Feel no fear, for I shall not use my great power to crush you, peon. But this is my exit. If you make it to the 25th floor, I will contact you again. Nice doing business with you~”

Jester hopped through the portal and left me alone.

***POV Change***

The huge marble doors swung inward, revealing a young man with his hood down. His face was covered in intricate tattoos.

Oct’s voice boomed out. “Sven! Your hood. And what took you so long? What could be so important on the 9th floor that it took you almost a week?”

“Sorry, sorry,” Jester said with a grin, his sharp features twisting. He pulled up his hood. “It was a family matter. So what did I miss?”

Before anyone could answer, a shadow entered the room in Jester’s wake.

“Sirs and madams…” The shadow stammered, seemingly shocked. “Someone… someone restored the connection. The Lower Tower is once more coming online.”

“WHAT!” Oct’s voice shook the chamber. Jester’s widening smile was hidden in the shadow of his hood.

***POV Change***

Someone had restored the machinery of the platforms, I assumed Jester, but at least I wasn’t in any danger of falling into the abyss below, and the mine below that. I looked for a long time at the portals.

When I woke, I had two notifications: one about my max essence increasing, and another that simply read:

Congratulations! Due to your actions, your skill has changed to “Implacable Will Lvl 2”.

-No explanation?

-Maybe because it’s self explanatory?

-Well anyway…

I looked at the portals. I looked up at the sky, where the other Deed’s were still slowly approaching. They would likely arrive within 4 hours. Walking quickly, I went through the gold portal. It soundlessly closed behind me as I stepped through it.

For a few seconds, it was entirely dark around me. Then a voice spoke.

“Welcome.” A grey creature with 11 eyes hobbled forward. “You won’t remember me, but we’ve met before. So you have chosen to be tested. It has been quite some time, but I haven’t forgotten the protocol; we begin immediately. Good Luck."

***POV Change***

A woman with wings forged of gold lay in her bed, looking up at the ceiling, upon which was a beautiful mural of shifting constellations. As her eyes followed, they moved, dancing amongst each other, tracing a bull, a hero, a medusa, a betrayal, a great mountain collapsing, all the multiverses fates mushing together into brown filth.

But the woman’s eyes were so incredibly sharp that she could pick out some of the threads of brighter colors.

Then she gasped. Her pale skin darkened, swiftly becoming ebony. Something was flowing into her. Something that had been long restricted. A connection had been restored, one that she had severed herself.

It was a bittersweet moment.

She took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly.

“For if I stir… so does he…” She realized then how much she missed him.

Humming an old tune that he had taught her, she scanned the stars for signs of her death. Seeing none, she smiled and closed her eyes, dreaming of the future.

***Author's Note***

Wooo. Sorry for missing a chapter yesterday. Overwatch has done terrible things to my work ethic.

Well anyways. Congratulations. We are almost finished with what I would consider the prologue of this story. We have enough characters to move forward and let things almost run themselves. There is just one chapter, this 4th floor test, that should take only a chapter. It might be a long one though.

For the people who sent me a message about proofreading, Thanks! I haven't forgotten about you. I just am really, really busy. I expect I'll get to it Tuesday, which is my day off. I'll message you the details then. It will just be editing I suppose. Maybe I'll ask you to predict an outcome of a cliffhanger as bonus points? Who knows.

Anyways, thanks for all the support and questions. Oh that reminds me. Read this if nothing else. At the end of the next chapter, Predator will have a chance to ask the Ilium questions. And I will use any interesting and relevant questions I find in the comments to this chapter to be some of his questions, as a way to pay back any of you out there who are supportive and curious about the world of The Great Tower. So if you are interested, post a question that Predator might ask ^.^