Chapter 16

The inside of Climber’s Rest was just as impressive as the outside. Magical fires burned against massive columns which supported the structure above us, some twenty feet high at least. The floor was polished to a shine, reflecting the dancing flames, while a sculpture of the Tower stood in the middle of the giant room, gleaming with power, while water flowed all around it.

We continued to file into the building, uncertain and more than a little unsure about what to do next. Commander Phyr, following his dismissal of the platoon, had left wordlessly back towards the Tower. The mysterious woman had been the first inside, and now she stood in the very back of the room, behind an ornate counter, watching us file in.

Once all hundred of the new Climbers made it in the room, our numbers nowhere near grand enough to make the space feel even slightly crowded, the doors closed behind us on their own. We stood there, silently glancing about, taking in our surroundings. There were plenty of doors along the massive room, which I felt must have been some sort of gathering or meeting area. The trickling water, the flickering flames, all gave it a calming, peaceful feel, and I noted more than a few benches and small tables scattered about, where Climbers could spend time.

Other than the mysterious woman behind the counter, and my platoon, I saw no one. All of the doors, of which there were at least a dozen, were closed. Two larger doors stood out to me, one on each side of the massive counter. The one on my left, had the symbol of Dawn, the golden, flaming orb. The one on the right, the symbol for Dusk.

“Welcome, new Climbers,” the woman said once the doors closed. “Welcome to your new home.”

The faint murmuring which had begun to disturb the silence faded as we looked towards her. Most of the new Climbers had begun to shuffle into their own little groups, huddling together with their squad members.

“It is my great honor, to officially welcome you into the ranks of Climbers,” she continued. She looked over the crowd, and while a large smile crossed her features, her eyes were calculating, pausing for just a moment on each and every one of our faces as she looked over our members.

“I am sure many of you have questions, and others may be tired from the Reaping. I will keep this short, so that you may all get settled in.”

She took a breath and continued.

“First, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Alexandra Crag. I serve as the Overseer of Climber’s Rest and have the distinct honor and duty of caring for all the Climber’s who reside within these walls. If you ever have any questions, or need guidance, you may always seek my aid.” Her smile was warm, but all I could do was think of how Commander Phyr had regarded her. How did someone so young possess such authority?

“A few things to note about Climber’s Rest, and your official duties now as Climbers.” She motioned towards the walls on either side of her. There were boards placed into the walls, and from those boards various sheets of paper hung.

“As Climber’s, our Marks grant us the Blessing of the Tower. We must use this Blessing to ensure our city can thrive. It is expected, therefore, that we put our lives on the line, each and every day, for the people. Because, as you all know, and have experienced firsthand now,” she grinned devilishly, “death holds no power over us within the Tower.”

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She motioned for us to move closer as she continued, and our groups slowly gathered back together until we were mere feet away from the counter.

“Death in the Tower is permanent, however, for all without our Mark. Yet they must still venture into the lower floors, in order to harvest resources and gather what our city needs. Those boards are requests from those people. They are jobs for Climber’s, asking for escort services, bodyguards, exploration, you name it. Our ranks are smaller than any of the other professions, meaning the demand for our services is always high.”

“And of course,” she clapped her hands together, “there is also the calling of all Climbers. To reach greater heights, and push onward in the Tower, discovering new floors, and new secrets. If you do not find a job on the boards that calls to you, then you will be expected to climb.”

“What’s in it for us?” Someone asked from our group. “Do we get paid?”

Alexandra’s smile stayed, but her eyes immediately narrowed in the direction of the man who’d asked the question. Her voice was sweet as poison as she responded. “Other than fulfilling your calling as recipients of the Tower’s greatest gift,” she said slowly, “each job has a different reward associated with it. They range in difficulty, the easiest of jobs being listed as F ranked, and the most difficult as triple S. Obviously, the harder the job, the better the rewards. Though,” her tone grew firm, “I must approve you for the jobs you take. I’ll not risk the lives of our cities people to ignorant or weak fools who are likely to fail.” The whole time she spoke, her eyes stayed trained on the man who’d asked the question.

The intensity of the gaze, the venom of the words, made me want to hide behind one of the stone columns. There was something threatening about her. Something that made every bit of my being tell me to be wary of her. Even though, by all appearances, she looked just like an average climber.

“Completing jobs successfully,” she continued, finally letting the poor fool free of her piercing gaze, “can build your reputation within Climber’s Rest. Doing so will increase your standing with me, meaning you’ll be more likely to be approved for harder jobs, if you seek to do them. While levels are important to gauge your capabilities,” I saw her eyes linger on Jaxon, whose large size made him easy to pick out. “and especially early on they can denote potential,” her smile was predatory as she took him in, “successful completion of jobs holds more weight in my eyes. All the strength in the world is pointless if you don’t know how to use it. Additionally, your level may be high, but if your stats aren’t appropriately managed, you’ll be less effective.”

She looked away from Jaxon and pulled a book from beneath the counter. It was massive, bound in gleaming gold. She flipped to the middle of it, to the first empty page, and nodded towards the crowd in general.

“If you will all be so kind as to form into an orderly line, I will now register you within Climber’s Rest.” She pulled a quill and an inkpot from underneath the counter. “I’ll also assign you a Climber’s ID, which will be stored within your inventory. It will be linked to your entry within my ledger, and when I deem your deeds great enough, your card will automatically be updated to show you your new standing.”

She set a stack of cards on the counter next. “Additionally,” she continued, as we all began to move into a singular line. It was seamless. We’d done this more times than I could count over the past eight years, lining up for everything from grabbing chow, to using the restroom, to even getting ready for bed. “Your Climber’s ID will denote which room within Climber’s Rest is yours and will allow you access to it. Once I’ve assigned an ID to all of you, I will give you a brief tour of your new home, and then, well,” she clapped her hands together, “the rest is up to you.” She looked at the line, and her gaze seemed to bore into each and every one of us at the same time. Like she was individually speaking to us, and yet, addressing the whole platoon at the same time. “It all depends, on what type of Climber you wish to be.”