Everything was so much simpler before the tower appeared.
I still remember the day it happened... it rose out of the ground in the center of Philadelphia, reaching towards the heavens as it turned everything around it into rubble. For days it sat untouched, looming over the cityscape and enveloping its streets in a thick blanket of shadow.
I’m not sure how long it was before humanity sent it’s first into the tower, but I’ll never forget that feeling of unease when they didn’t come back. Soon more people were sent in... scientists, soldiers, specialists, all entered those ominous stone doors in search of answers to what lied beyond. But just like the first man, none returned to reveal the tower’s secret.
Time passed and eventually thousands were claimed by the tower, unable to resist the thrill of the unknown, the temptation to glimpse into another world. It almost seemed like a death sentence to enter that blasted thing, and yet so many entered without fear...
Then one day, someone returned.
Armed with an array of divine treasures, a man named Jean Luc emerged from the tower with the knowledge that so many had sought... a knowledge of what lied beyond. With the entire world as his audience, the man spoke of what he saw within those walls. He spoke of a doorway to other worlds, some simple and others vaster than one could comprehend. He spoke of the trials he faced within and the treasures available for those able to take them. Incredible abilities were waiting to be unlocked for those daring enough to fight for them... superhuman strength, mind-altering magic, and the ability to manipulate one’s mana into mighty spells. He even spoke of one man that could shapeshift into a full-sized dragon!
Then... then he spoke of the deaths of so many humans at the hands of the tower’s mighty beasts. But most importantly, he spoke of the tower’s prize... a single divine wish.
Any who managed to navigate the tower’s many worlds (oft referred to as floors) and reach the top were granted whatever their heart desired. Immortality, unlimited strength, and all of the world’s treasures awaited those who could achieve ascension. And this man, Jean Luc the burning blade had proven it could be done!
Once again, people began to flood the tower, unaware of the secrets that the man had kept from them or the true horrors that awaited in their future. And though I tried to escape its grasp, through circumstance and a bit of bad luck even I was dragged into the tower’s cold stone walls, through that stone doorway into another world.
So, this is my story... the story of how the world nearly ended, and how a modern-day bandit used his cunning, wit, and a bit of luck to traverse the multiverse and ascend the all-mighty tower. This is the story of how I, Valin Frost came to be known by many as the legendary arcane thief.
1
The Hall
“Well, hello there,”
A bizarre voice echoed in Valin’s ears, clearing the fog that had begun to cloud his mind. Slowly his eyelids peeled open, revealing a circular stone room illuminated by dozens of sconces flickering with cool, blue flame.
“What the Hell?” he muttered, lifting himself up off the floor as he tried to adjust to his surroundings. Moments ago, he was fleeing for his life, dashing through the streets of Philly with the barrel of a smoking gun aimed squarely at his back. Typically, Valin always had an escape route lying in wait. But things had gone south, and with nowhere left to run, he’d turned to the tower, its massive doors inviting him in like a grinning demon awaiting its next mortal with which to bargain.
Upon entering, Valin was pulled into a realm of absolute darkness, stripping him of his senses, plunging him into an endless void where time was no longer relevant... that is, until he ended up here.
Still a bit shaken, Valin forced himself all the way to his feet before the strange voice once again rang in his ears, this time a bit more perturbed. “Excuse me but ignoring one when they’re speaking to you is quite rude.”
Valin immediately tensed as his gaze shifted upward, locking eyes with the only other person sharing this strange space, the source of that voice. Perched above on a small, stone ledge was a rather unnerving creature... Its body resembled that of a human but it’s face was more like that of a dog, its eyes slightly bulged and its mouth stretched into an abnormal grin. Even stranger though was the small translucent box floating above its head...
~~
The Caretaker
Immortal Being
~~
As Valin read over the text, the creature leapt from its perch, it loose-fitting robes flowing as it made its quiet descent to the stone floor.
“Whoa, you’re gettin a little close,” he said, shuffling away from the caretaker as its robes once again settled at its sides. In its grasp it held a long, pristine staff, its end curved into the shape of a golden crescent.
“Your reflexes are quite good... that’ll do you well in the trials ahead.” The caretaker’s eyes seemed to move on their own volition as they scanned over Valin’s form, so much so that it gave them a crossed appearance.
“Yeah, whatever...” Valin replied, rubbing at the back of his neck as he allowed his nerves to settle. “So... this is the tower? Not quite sure it’s what I expected.”
The caretaker let out a single chortle before re-affixing it’s gaze to Valin’s. “The room you stand in is merely a prelude to what awaits. Beyond here lies Helion’s tower, a structure that defies time and space, that personifies both splendor and misery. In its many floors lie doorways to the vastest reaches of the multiverse. In those worlds are the greatest challenges this cosmos has to offer... and to the one who can ascend to the top, a divine wish awaits capable of granting one anything this life has to offer.”
Valin shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. “What if I don’t want anything?” Truthfully, there wasn’t a person alive who wouldn’t have some use for a divine wish, but he didn’t want to come off too eager. After all, there had to be a reason that thousands upon thousands had entered this place and only one had come back alive.
The caretaker’s head slightly jerked, as if it wasn’t ready for such a response. “Then why have you come to the tower? Surely you knew by now what this place was all about.”
“I didn’t come here because I wanted to,” Valin replied. “I didn’t have a choice... I was running for my damned life.”
The caretaker’s grin suddenly widened, revealing more of its ivory teeth. “All have a reason to climb, and you are no different. Some seek glory, others wealth or love, or even everlasting life. But one constant remains... those that don’t ascend are left to perish on the levels below. You may not enjoy it, but if nothing else then you must climb the tower for your life.”
Valin sighed, averting his gaze to the floor. His life wasn’t particularly grand, but at least it was predictable. He knew how to survive on the streets, how to pick a pocket or boost a car. But fighting for his life against whatever the universe had to offer? He wasn’t so sure about that...
“Does this place at least have smokes?”
The caretaker reached into its pocket, causing Valin to raise his brow. However, what he produced was not a smoke, but rather a small inky black sphere. With a flick of his thumb, the caretaker launched the sphere into the wall, causing it to expand into a circular doorway to the beyond.
“Ready yourself, challenger,” the caretaker said. “For beyond that portal lies the hall of reflection, and beyond that lies the first floor... and your first challenge.”
Valin stepped forward, pausing just inches in front of the doorway as lines of smoky black energy reached out and danced along the seams of his jacket. “Well, let’s get on with it then.”
A mere second later, Valin felt the curve of the caretaker’s staff press into his back as he was shoved into the void. “Hey, what-“ were the only words he managed to get out before his eyes adjusted to the new sight before him. No longer was he in the circular room, but rather he found himself in an endless hallway of stone with those same flaming sconces on either side.
Valin took a glance behind him to see that the way back had vanished. Then he let out another sigh as he began his trek down the stone path. “Why does everything in this place have to be so damn ominous?”
As if responding to his question, the hallway began to transform. Sheets of stone on either side began to melt away, revealing tall panels of reflective glass. Valin paused as he took a look at himself... tall and lean with disheveled blonde hair and pale, grey eyes. He certainly wasn’t a warrior, much less someone prepared to climb to the top of what was shaping up to be a multi-layered death trap.
As Valin began to turn away, a flicker of iridescent light caught his eye. It was then he noticed it... materializing in his vision was a large, translucent screen.
~~
Name: Valin Frost
Race: Human (age: 20)
Wielder Rank: 1
Signet: None
Skill Attunements: None
~~
Valin browsed over the information laid out in front of him, unsure of just how to take it. Ranks? Skills? Were these something that were earned or...
Suddenly another screen appeared in his vision, this one a bit more... well, pushy than the last.
~~
KEEP WALKING!
~~
Valin shook his head. “This damned place...” Then he shoved his hands in his pockets and continued. The first few steps he took went without incident, but as he proceeded things quickly began to change.
More of those translucent screens began to pop up in his vision, each read by the melodic voice of a young woman and each revealing a new piece of information. The first said:
~~
Opening Mana Channels...
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
With access to mana, you may manipulate universal elements to your will
~~
A second later he watched as an arcing line of azure light passed through his body, sending a tingling sensation through every inch of his form. As he continued down the hall another screen appeared:
~~
Configuring Skill Attunements...
With access to skills and abilities, you may perform feats that surpass the capabilities of your mortal body.
~~
This time, a bolt of red energy struck him in the chest, leaving a burning sensation that lingered for several seconds. Then at last the third and final screen appeared.
~~
Imbuing Signet...
With your signet, you’ll be granted access to an ability unique to you and you alone. Your signet is a defining ability based on your personal traits and the way you have lived your life up to now.
~~
This time an arrow of golden light soared through the hall, phasing through Valin’s jacket and slamming into his chest. The light danced through his veins, crawling down his arm before imbuing a marking into the top of his palm. Curious, he pulled back his sleeve and gave his new tattoo a look...
His brow furrowed.
Burned into the top of his right hand was the image of a gold coin accompanied by a pair of crossing daggers.
~~
Signet of the Arcane Thief
Though without great power you were born, with cunning you may make your enemy’s power your own...
~~
“Well then,” Valin said, taking a final look at his signet before readjusting his jacket. He remembered seeing a symbol like this on the right hand of Jean-Luc, though his was the image a large, fiery blade with wings. But no matter… this signet of his sounded promising. It was just rather unfortunate that it came with a rhyme instead of instructions.
With little in the way of options, Val continued on down the odd stone hallway. There were no more screens waiting for him, nor were there strange melodic voices in his head. All that awaited... was the end.
Another circular portal sat mere feet in front of Valin, though this one was located on the floor rather than the wall. Peering inside, he could see what appeared to be an endless sky distorted by clouds that seemed ready to rise up out of the floor.
With a final sigh, Valin stepped forward until the ends of his shoes hung off the precipice. Then he shoved his hands and his pockets and stepped off the ledge into a complete and utter free fall.
****
Wind buffeted Valin’s face as he descended through the open sky, arms outstretched and a rare grin on his face. Despite his rapid fall, he couldn’t help but feel like he was flying, like for a moment all his problems had vanished and he was just another bird amongst the clouds.
As he soared his gray eyes scanned the horizon, gathering what little information he could. Below him lied a vast swampland overgrown with massive trees, their limbs twisting like eerily long appendages grasping at the water. The swamp seemed to stretch on for quite a while, though beyond he could see a large dome-like structure rising above the foliage, along with a singular message in his vision that read Haven. He needed to get there, needed to find somewhere to bunker down and get some answers. But first...
Valin shifted his gaze back down to the swampy area directly below him, an area that was rushing towards him faster by the second.
“Oh cra-“ was all he managed to get out before his body smashed into the water, disappearing into its murky depths before surfacing mere seconds later. Still in shock, Valin wiped the slimy water out of his eyes and gave himself a quick inspection. Nothing broken. All limbs intact... perhaps this place must’ve somehow eased his final descent.
As he gathered himself, another screen appeared in his vision.
~~
Floor 1
The Black Mire
Defeat the floor boss Mazl’Khead to ascend
~~
Valin leaned forward and shook the water out of his ears before making a quick assessment of his surroundings. The water he stood in was thick and murky, far too dark to discern its true depth. When he fell it seemed like he would sink forever, but standing here the water wasn’t more than a couple of feet deep. Indeed, the physics of this place were off...
After re-establishing his equilibrium, Valin took a wider look at the area around him... and he found himself in awe. The smell of the trees, the warmth of the water, the sky that seemed to reflect an almost greenish hue. Everything the man had said was true…it was like he’d stepped into another world, not the first floor of some tower!
Valin allowed himself a moment to soak it all in, then he quickly shed his feelings and began his trek. There had to be a reason only one man out of tens of thousands had returned from the tower, and letting his guard down would only set a dangerous precedent.
Moment after moment passed by as Valin trudged through the knee-deep water, his gaze fixated on the path above. Judging by the glimpse he got earlier, it would only take an hour or so to reach the structure up ahead. He just had to...
THUNK!
Valin stiffened as a crude-looking projectile cut through the air, passing by his head before slamming into the bark of a nearby tree. Immediately, he took cover behind one of the twisting trunks as his eyes scanned the horizon for his attacker. Judging by the path of the projectile, they had to be somewhere just northwest of his location...
There!
Valin went wide-eyed as he finally laid eyes on his attacker, a creature by the likes he’d never seen. It stood at nearly the same height as him and held a similarly slender frame, but that’s where their similarities ended. Its body was covered in dull green scales, working as a natural armor that doubled as camouflage. The creature’s face was no different, sporting a long snout full of dagger-like teeth and eyes that reflected killer intent. What Valin found most dangerous though was the thick tail protruding from the creature’s back. If it got close enough, that tail could be used as an additional limb, putting him at a severe disadvantage in close combat...
On second thought, why the Hell was he even considering fighting this thing? He needed to get out of there!
As Valin prepared to flee, he noticed a small notification appear above the lizard creature’s head, accompanied by a small yellow indicator.
~~
Black mire Drakeling
~~
“This must be one of the tower beasts Jean Luc spoke of,” Valin muttered, carefully eyeing the drakeling’s approach as it stalked through the water with its tri-clawed feet. The way the beast was moving, so slow and so deliberate, made him feel like he was being stalked like prey.
Well to Hell with that... he wasn’t dying in Floor one.
The instant the drakeling took another step forward, Valin took off. He dashed to the left, cutting through the twisting trees as the beast made its approach. As he feared, the creature was much faster than he was, skimming through the water with a speed that his human legs just couldn’t match.
In desperation, Valin made a quick cut and reversed course, dashing back to the area where he once stood... the area where a well-sharpened spear was waiting for him. He hastily pressed his foot into the tree trunk and gripped the spear with both hands, yanking it free just as his attacker closed in.
~~
Item acquired: Crude Spear
~~
Great. Now if he only knew how to use it.
With shaky hands, Valin thrust his stolen spear forward, taking aim at the drakeling’s chest. His eyes widened as the weapon’s stone tip slid connected with creature’s scales, sliding into a crevice in the natural armor as it pierced into its soft under-flesh... Unfortunately, that was as far as his weapon got.
The drakeling let out a screech as it latched onto the spear, yanking the tip out of its scales as it struggled to rip the weapon from Valin’s grasp. The young thief responded with a growl of his own, clenching his teeth as he pressed his chest into his attacker.
With the spear pinned between them, the two danced through the shallow muck, their hands wrestling for control of the crude polearm. Despite the creature’s monstrous appearance, Valin could feel a slight strength advantage as he wrestled with his foe. He could feel himself slowly overcoming the reptilian beast. Hell, he could feel himself winning this battle for dominance. Then, just as he had feared... he felt its tail.
~~
Drake Skill: DragonTail
~~
The drakeling’s tail moved with a deadly elegance to it, sweeping across the top of the water before curling around Valin’s flank and smacking him in the back of the knees. Immediately he buckled under the force of the blow, slipping into the muck as greenish water clouded his vision.
Dammit, don’t lose focus! Valin thought to himself as panicked threatened to seep in and the spear haft slipped from his grasp. Allowing his instincts to guide him, the thief rolled to his left, sloshing through the water as the spearhead came down and penetrated the soft soil below.
Still moving on instinct, Valin found his feet and sprang out of the water, closing the distance as the drakeling dislodged his spear. He shifted to his left, dodging the creature’s upswing as he took aim with a strike of his own. Then he wound up and unleashed his attack.
Had it been Valin’s fist that hit the drake, he would’ve dealt minimal damage. However, while rolling around in the muck he’d managed to lay his hands on a jagged piece of stone... a stone that quickly proved effective in dealing some serious damage.
CRACK!
Warm blood and broken teeth sprayed across Valin’s jacket as he smashed the rock into the drakeling’s face, disfiguring the creature and rendering it stunned. The gruesome sight made his stomach turn but Valin fought through it, allowing his adrenaline to take over as he struck the beast again. A third strike with his rock managed to split the drake’s skull open, causing an odorous fluid to leak out into the water below.
Valin nearly retched as the drakeling collapsed in front of him, its dead body bobbing in and out of the swamp. Sure, he’d seen things on the streets before, things we wish he could’ve forgotten... but he’d never had to kill! This was too much. It was visceral. It was...
“Survival,” Valin muttered as he averted his gaze northward to the translucent screen floating just above his head.
~~
Ascension points acquired
~~
Valin watched as a hollow circle appeared in his vision. A second later, the sphere began to fill as his ascension points were allocated and a sense of fullness swirled in his stomach, like his soul had just eaten a meal. He rubbed at his chin as he studied the little display. This... this was just like a game system where points were awarded for your experiences. He could do this! All he had to do was prey on weaker foes and he could fill up that sphere in no time!
With a renewed confidence, Valin stepped over the drakeling’s corpse and began to head further into the mire. However, as he moved past the fallen beast the signet on his palm began to glow. Curious, Valin opened his hand and held it in front of the creature, unsure of what to expect. Oddly, he began to feel a pulling sensation within his body, as if the natural energy flowing through his mana gates was reaching for something unseen. After a few uneventful seconds, Valin closed his eyes and tried to visualize the energy within him. He pictured the raw mana flowing through his gates like a river, coursing through his body and converging on his signet. Then he went a step farther and lent the energy all of his focus, allowing his mana to branch out and latch on to whatever it was that it was reaching for.
Suddenly, another window appeared in his vision, this one outlined by an array of daggers and coins.
~~
Signet activated: Arcane Thievery!
Drake skills available:
-Dragon tail
-Greenscale armor
~~
Valin took a seat upon the floating body as he pondered his choices. Dragon tail wouldn’t be of much use to him, considering... well, considering he didn’t have a tail. But scale armor? Now that he could make do with!
A pulse of mana left Valin’s signet hand, encapsulating his fallen foe in azure light. A second later, a surge of greenish energy swirled out of the drake’s body, twisting through the air before it was absorbed into Valin’s signet. Then a final translucent screen appeared.
~~
Skill stolen: Greenscale armor
~~
Valin held his signet to his chest, reveling in his small victory as the body below him began to sink. The process of activating his signet had been a bit of a learning experience, but in the end it felt natural. With a bit of focus, he could feel the mana flowing through his gates… He could feel it empowering his physical form. He could feel it dancing in the tips of his fingers, ready to be manipulated into a mighty skill. But more than anything, he could feel it flowing into his signet, the cornerstone of his newly acquired power.
He wondered... with the ability to cultivate mana, perhaps this would mark the turning point in his story, like the beginning of a grand tale chronicling his meteoric rise through the tower.
Or, perhaps not...
Valin tensed as the sound of splashing water began to surround him on all sides. Seconds later he saw them, three more drakelings approached, each armed with crude weaponry and each wearing the scowl of a creature who’d just lost one of their own.
Valin tensed as he managed to rise off the fallen drakeling, putting hands up as if he were going to simply ward the newcomers off. The largest of the drakelings met his challenge with a bestial growl, lifting its stone-bladed axe into the air before beginning its charge.
The young thief’s mind began to race as the drakeling closed in. Did he flee, or did he activate his stolen skill and try to fight off his foes? A dozen different scenarios shuffled through his mind, though none of them seemed likely to end in his favor... Then something unexpected happened.
A dash of wind blew by Valin, trailed by one of the most elegant, most deadly sights he had ever seen. She moved like a swift strike of lightning, her thin frame carrying her across the water at an unmatched speed. On her torso she wore a cuirass of red and silver, accompanied by a pair of shoulder guards and a plated skirt that ended at mid-thigh. Tall boots clung to her tone legs and in her hand, she wielded a rather magnificent weapon, a rapier with true gold etched into its guard.
As the woman closed in on the drakeling, her shoulder-length black hair flew back, revealing a face both beautiful and resolute. Valin didn’t want to jump to any conclusions or anything, but dammit all he was half-certain he could be in love.
~~
Name: Azyr
Wielder Rank: 2
Signet: Lightning Fencer
~~
Valin watched in awe as the girl named Azyr charged in, delivering at least a dozen strikes with her blade before the drakeling had time to respond. He watched as the creature crumbled, its soft underflesh torn asunder and its life force extinguished. Then finally, he watched as Azyr slowly turned, meeting Valin’s gaze with a devilish grin as she rested her blade on her shoulder. “Hey there, newblood. Get ready for a fight.”