The progress of the caravan was slower the second day. They encountered more enemies but the undead were lower levels. This let the fighters clear the undead quickly but more undead were quick to follow behind their destroyed friends. Alex was slow to hit level 22. The day had brought on more rain but had yet to storm causing him to bottom out his battery early in the morning.

It took a little longer than Alex expected but he was able to hit level 22. The group slowed around lunch time. They had not had time to prepare in the morning, so they took their time eating and resting. A few people went through and double checked the carts, their items, and how the things were holding up for the travel. While they took the break Alex found himself sitting with David again. The man ate quickly while focusing on his bird in the sky.

“How are things looking?” asked Alex casually trying to start the conversation. He looked at the man who’s eyes were up in the sky.

“I’ve found some pockets of lower-level enemies. We are still on track to follow those who have come before but we will take a slightly different path,” he answered while not looking toward Alex. “The path will be tighter up ahead, but it should not be a worry.”

“Anything dangerous out there?”

“Nothing we shouldn’t be able to handle. We will probably still take things slow for the rest of the day. Tonight, will still be dangerous but the night guard will be better prepared, and the earth mages have been instructed on how to build better fortifications. You should be able to sleep through the night at least. I know that you have not been assigned to night watch tonight. Take advantage of it while you can.”

“Then what happened last night?” asked Alex prodding the man.

“Even I need to sleep at times and my bird can‘t see everything. I saw undead gathering but not the giant amongst them. Few on night duty were equipped to reinforce the defenses in time. By the time the giant got close to us everyone was waking up anyway. I know it scared by birds when it started stomping around. I see that you don’t have your pack with you today. I thought that you would have it on,” David finally finished his casting and turned to face Alex.

“The weather isn’t good enough for the pack. Hopefully that will change later today,” Alex said his hope seeping through.

“You should be careful then. There is some wisdom in not being too reliant on your tools. Keep yourself safe and then you can keep those around you safe as well.”

“I hope that you can do the same,” Alex said with a nod.

“I will try. It is my job,” said David. “Alex, why are you here? In the Tower. Running toward the third floor.”

“Initially because it was new and because it provides power to those who grow within it. I think it attracted people like the space race did for us years before. It is a new frontier to explore and is easier to do so than space currently is. The Tower is somewhere everyone can see another world. As for the third floor.” Alex sighed and paused. “I’ve got people I have to meet. They have already entered the third floor by now and won’t be stopping there for me. I need to catch up to them in power and more. And when I do. I will get my payback. They left me behind and threw me away.”

“Revenge is a powerful motivator. In the Tower it is easy to be double crossed in the name of loot, points, and power,” said David. “I just hope you will keep in mind your morals and the path ahead. The third floor doesn’t seem like it will be the last. While there is some merit in being the first on the floor there is not a rush to get there so quickly.” David offered a thin smile. “Instead, keep your focus on the journey and our goal."

After their brief conversation, David rose from his spot, ready to take to the skies again. He began to cast the spell that would allow him to send his bird high above their heads, scouting out the path ahead. Alex returned to his station in the caravan. The carts were starting to move, and the current path was cleared of enemies.

Alex felt uncomfortable without the battery on his back. He was back to his basics without it. The group trotted along, and he had to make do. He stepped in when the time called for it and cut through the undead with his knives. Soon the group sped up working hard to catch up to other climbers long since gone. The paths they made were cut into the ground for them to track and follow.

Alex raised his cloak’s hood as the rain increased in intensity. The clouds were dark with rain but did not hold the charge he could use to power his magic. He kept his head down hoping that the winds would change, and his magic would sprout again.

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Alex noted a larger undead approaching them. It was not as large as the giant but stood out. He leaped forward, his knives gleaming in the gloom as he launched himself at the undead variant. With nimble footwork, he dodged the creature's clumsy strikes and retaliated with well-placed slashes. But the abomination possessed an unnatural strength that Alex had not anticipated.

In a moment of miscalculation, the undead monster's rotting claws caught Alex's arm, tearing through flesh and bone. Its hands quickly shot out with sharpened claws. Pain seared through his body, forcing him to retreat from the fight. Blood dripped from his wound, staining the ground as he stumbled back, clutching his injured limb.

Alex gritted his teeth, his face contorted in agony. He cursed himself for not being careful enough and jumped back. He called for assistance and a mage quickly took up Alex’s place in the fight. Alex clutched his arm and retreated further into the caravan’s center. His arm needed healing. He was already numbing his arm but that would do nothing about the injury itself. Alex turned his sights to the healer’s cart. There he would be able to get fixed up.

Alex held his arm to his side. Blood was seeping into his sleeves and then into the rest of his shirt. His magic numbing the wound made it more bearable and let him focus on getting to the healers quickly.

Staggering slightly, Alex shuffled through the bustling caravan. His wounded arm throbbed in time with his racing heartbeat, creating an insistent symphony of discomfort. He relied on his numbing magic to dull the sharper edges of the pain, but the effects were waning, reminding him all too keenly of his predicament.

The smell of incense and herbs wafted to him as he neared the healer’s cart, a ramshackle affair packed with all sorts of medicinal supplies, from jars filled with creams and salves to bundles of dried herbs. The healer, a stooped woman with a face full of wisdom lines and eyes sharp as an eagle, looked up as Alex approached, her gaze quickly taking in his blood-streaked.

"Sit," she ordered, not unkindly, gesturing to a low stool by her side. Alex complied, gritting his teeth as he moved his injured arm.

With gentle but efficient movements, she unwrapped his sleeve, revealing the ugly wound. As she worked, she spoke soothingly, her voice soft and rhythmic, like a lullaby. She first cleaned the wound with a pungent solution that made Alex wince. Then she applied a thick ointment, it had a cooling effect which lessened the pain further.

"Sorry about this, lad," she said as she wrapped fresh gauze around his arm, securing it with a skilled knot. "It's going to sting a bit."

Before he could question her, she started muttering a spell under her breath. A soft golden glow emanated from her palms, gradually spreading across the gauze. The soothing warmth seeped into his arm, and Alex could feel the torn flesh underneath the bandage knitting together at an accelerated pace. The rapid healing spell was a relief, washing the pain away as if it were mere dust in the wind.

With the healer now working on his arm Alex brought his focus to his status and his progress of the day. He had hit level 22 through time and effort.

<<<>>>

Name: Alex

Path: Magic (Sub-Path: Lightning)

Rating: G

Level: 22 (27%)

Abilities (1/1):

Manipulate Electricity [F]

Tower Points: 1770

Percent Soul Captured: 2%

<<<>>>

"This is as much as I can do at the moment. Your case is not the worst I’ve seen all day and I expect to deal with cases even worse by days end. I wish I could heal every wound that comes through hear to the end, but I would run out of mana. Remember, magic or not, you're not invincible. Rest your arm. Don’t put unnecessary strain on it. Let the spell do its work," she warned him sternly, her eyes piercing into his own.

"Thank you," Alex murmured gratefully, getting up from the stool, his arm feeling considerably better. He offered her a small, appreciative smile.

"Go now, and be careful," she replied, her gaze softening. The healer inspected his arm once more and then she shooed him away, turning her attention to the next person in need.

Alex shuffled out of the rolling carts way and matched its pace. He tested his arm’s movement while sending out echolocation bursts. Not much had changed in the few minutes since he left his post. The caravan was large enough and had enough people to fill in for redundancies. The groups still treaded along the dirt path. Rocks broke up the path and interfered with the line of sight for better or worse. The path had started to narrow and was scattered with fewer undead as a result. The front teams took charge and swept through the undead so that the caravan could go through smoothly.

Alex tried to stretch his magic’s range to sense further beyond the climbers fighting at the very front of the caravan. The signals he was sent back were blurry and unclear. He had honed the echolocation in a short distance around him but the longer the distance he tried to work with the less useful the information he was given.

“I can’t do that again. I need to be more careful. I’m more vulnerable without my battery or lightning actively around me. The higher-level enemies I face and higher floors I go to will have stronger enemies. They will be able to do more with their attacks. It may not be just a few cuts and scratches next time. I have to get better at fighting in close quarters. I am more than my magic. It's not enough to just blast my enemies from a distance. "No matter what happens, I can't let my guard down, not even for a moment. I need to trust my instincts more. Rely on my training. I've survived this long, and I'll be damned if I let some undead have the best of me."