《Tower of Babel》 Prologue Deep inside the Tower on Liros, five figures stood in a rough arc facing two tunnel openings. They were surrounded by a handful of floating orbs that emitted a gentle yellow glow. The air around the group was thick with tension and none of the figures moved or dared make a sound. Their eyes were solely fixed on the two dark voids of the tunnels. They were waiting for something. The man that stood in the middle of the group was captain Alistair Fortis, gold ranked frontiersman and veteran warrior of the Natus Vincere guild. Fortis was charged to lead one of the scouting parties ahead of the main army that was slowly pushing their way through the uncharted regions of the Tower. There were seven of them when they left three days ago. A few minutes pass and the captain grunted with frustration and turned to face the group. His tall strongly built figure covered from head to toe with plated steel glimmered in the low light. ¡°Right. That¡¯s enough waiting. We¡¯re heading back to the main line.¡± Fortis said in his commanding voice. ¡°Just wait a little while longer captain. They might be just delayed.¡± said a soft voice on his far left. Captain Fortis looked at the speaker with impatience. The man was a head shorter than him, slender in figure with a heart-shaped face that was further emphasized by a widow¡¯s peak of his long black hair. He wore a robe of green and blue and clutched a quarterstaff with both hands. ¡°They said to wait half an hour, Nestor. A full hour has passed, now we go back.¡± Fortis replied with agitation to the mage. Fortis was never fond of the man. Like most people, the captain did not like Efrans. Nestor moved to reply but was cut short by a piercing stare from the captain. ¡°Very well then. We go back.¡± The Efran mage said, resigned. The party of five prepared to leave. It appears that their two scouts were never coming back. Without them, the party will be walking blind if they explore any further. They have no choice but to turn back. But before they could enter the tunnel they came from, two figures emerged from the shadows of the one they were guarding. One was a man; tall and slender but well-built with a plain-looking face and a head full of long curling hair. The other was a woman, a full head shorter than the man beside her but similarly built. She had a small pointed face, almond-shaped eyes and short raven black hair that was tied with a ribbon at the back. Both were fully clad in green and brown light leather armor. ¡°Felix old friend! Good to see you¡¯re not dead,¡± exclaimed Nestor jokingly, pulling the man into an embrace. ¡°Took a little longer than we thought, but we made it back in one piece,¡± said Felix with a smile. ¡°Are you alright, Kaya? What happened? What kept you guys?¡± Collin the ranger asked the woman, taking both her hands into her own. ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Kaya replied with a sigh. ¡°The tunnel was longer than we expected. And we ran into some trouble along the way.¡± ¡°What sort of trouble?¡± Inquired captain Fortis with concern. The captain was fond of the scout woman. She was the only reason he let the party wait a full hour for them instead of the agreed-upon half. Kaya was a skilled scout; quick of wit, as brave as they come and had the face and body of a nymph. Not to mention she¡¯s a gold rank adventurer like him. She could have any man she wanted frankly. Which made Alistair wonder why such a woman would be with someone like Felix Elrick; silver ranked scout and as unremarkable looking as men can get. As if reading the captain¡¯s mind, Felix unslung a bag attached to his belt and dumped the contents in front of the group in response to his question. What fell out was a creature¡¯s head with its mouth agape. ¡°What in the nine hells is that?¡± exclaimed Ezekiel the rear guard. ¡°That¡¯s a strages.¡± Answered Collin with a gasp. Strages! Captain Fortis thought in alarm. It¡¯s been a while since he¡¯s seen one but his memory of fighting the creatures was all too vivid. Strages are batlike creatures the size of a full-grown man. They walk on powerful hind legs and posses scythe-like claws on both arms. Their mouths are filled with jagged teeth with four pronounced canines. Their name in the old tongue meant bloodbath. ¡°How many? Were you followed?¡± asked Fortis with urgency. ¡°We took care of it,¡± Felix replied flatly. Fortis looked at him and back at Kaya and for the first time took in the full appearance of the pair. Both were practically covered in blood and gore. Dark red stains soaked in their leathers and pieces of flesh here and there. The captain¡¯s blood ran cold. ¡°Were any of you bit?¡± Asked Fortis with ice in his voice, his right hand going for the handle of his war hammer. Strages venom does not kill but infects. It drives the bitten mad for flesh and blood within the hour of infection. There is no antidote. ¡°No.¡± replied Felix with equal seriousness. ¡°What¡¯s with all the red blood then?¡± the captain asked nodding his head to both the scout¡¯s clothing. ¡°Strages bleed white unless they were feeding.¡± Tension filled the air. Collin and Nestor backed off a few feet from the scouts. ¡°They were,¡± replied Felix, tossing something toward the captain¡¯s feet where it landed with a clinking sound. Fortis looked down and saw a bundle of golden and platinum badges covered with blood. Six in total. These were adventurer badges. Fortis understood what this meant; a scouting party had fallen. ¡°Barbo¡¯s group,¡± answered Felix before Fortis could ask his question. ¡°We were too late when we got there. They were all dead. The only reason we stood a chance against those things was that they were too full.¡± Alistair was stunned. The now late captain Anton Barbo was a platinum ranked frontiersman. If Barbo¡¯s men were slaughtered, what chance would his party have against the dangers ahead? ¡°Did you find Teresa? . . .A priestess with red hair? She was with Barbo¡¯s party. She¡¯s. . . she¡¯s an old friend of mine.¡± stammered Thaddeus the priest. The two scouts exchanged a look. ¡°We need to show you something,¡± Kaya said to the party in general. ¡°What is it?¡± Fortis replied looking up at her, hoping that his momentary lack of composure did not show on his face. ¡°I think you need to see it for yourselves.¡± Fortis contemplated the situation; going forward would mean facing dangers that killed more skilled adventurers than they are, turning back however would signify failure and the deaths of Barbo and his men will be in vain. He looked up at Kaya and regarded her for a moment. If this woman is brave enough to do it, then so can I. he thought to himself. After all, he did not want to look a coward in front of her. ¡°Show us the way, then.¡± Monsters! The captain thought These scouts are monsters! The party walked through the carnage as they were lead by Felix and Kaya into a large cavernous room. Strages corpses were strewn everywhere in different states of butchery. Nine in total. The entire group was in shock. How can two scouts take down creatures that killed a whole party of seasoned veterans on their own? ¡°How the fuck did you two manage to do all this, lad?¡± asked the stocky warrior Ezekiel, hopping over one of the carcasses. ¡°Picking them off was easy enough. . . As we said, they were too full,¡± replied Felix. Kaya elbowed her husband in the ribs, scolding him for his insensitivity. ¡±Impressive as usual, Kaya.¡± Collin said with awe. The scout only nodded her thanks to the ranger. Impressive indeed. thought Fortis. The couple has always exceeded expectations. Ever since they joined Natus Vincere, their guild¡¯s notoriety skyrocketed, mainly due to scouting missions. The pair was well known for delving deeper inside the Tower more than anyone and coming back alive with valuable intel. In fact, they were responsible for finding the gate guardian rooms for Jarla and Kratos. ¡°I don¡¯t see Teresa here,¡± said Thad in a small voice, looking at the piles of flesh, bones, and armor that were once captain Barbo¡¯s party. ¡°Her clothing I mean. . .She always wore dark blue robes.¡± Thad continued, his voice becoming stronger. ¡°Quiet,¡± Kaya warned the priest. She nodded her head toward the back of the cavernous room where it was covered in shadow. The party followed carefully not to make a sound. They were surprised to see that there was a large side passage at the end hidden in darkness. ¡°Kill the lights, Thad. . . Stick close to us and stay low,¡± whispered Felix. The scout walked into the hidden passageway, Thaddeus dispelled the glowing orbs with a wave of his hand and the group followed. One by one they were swallowed by the darkness. Fifty yards ahead of the pitch-black passageway was a dim light of an opening. As it got closer and closer, Fortis could see more details; gray stone, green grass and a big tree. The tunnel led to a small field completely encased in stone granite walls where glowing crystals were scattered everywhere giving off the illusion of perpetual dusk. Such fields were a common anomaly in the Tower. Sometimes vast grasslands, frozen tundras or even deserts can be found inside. None of the present great minds of humanity could explain how such wonders could be within the massive structure. They are simply there, existing. Felix held his right hand up in a fist as they near the exit, signaling the column to halt. He beckoned the captain to his side and pointed down the far end of the small meadow. At first, Fortis could not make out what the scout wanted him to see. All he saw was a stone wall about a hundred yards ahead. But slowly his eyes adjusted to the low light. Fine details came to view and there it was; a door. It was massive, gray just like the walls but bordered with a darker stone that could be mistaken for shadows from afar. Fortis knew that this was no ordinary door. This was a Guardian¡¯s gate. Excitement filled the captain. He would surely get a promotion for this, maybe even an advancement in rank. ¡°Excellent work you two.¡± Fortis told the scouts, ¡°We head back for the main line as fast as we can. We¡¯ll take all the glory from this.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°The door wasn¡¯t the only thing we needed to show you,¡± said Kaya. The scout pointed to a cluster of boulders to the far left. Against the grey rocks was a splash of blue and red. ¡°Teresa!¡± the priest exclaimed, his voice echoing in the tunnels behind them. Kaya immediately put her hand up Thaddeus¡¯ mouth. ¡°Calm down, Thad. Look closer before you get too excited,¡± warned Felix. Fortis scanned the field to see what he was referring to, a tightness gripped his throat. Under the shade of the only tree in the field was an assortment of large misshapen human-like figures. ¡°Orcs.¡± Fortis muttered. ¡°We have to save her,¡± Thad said quietly to the captain, pulling Kaya¡¯s hand away from his mouth. ¡°We can¡¯t. Not on our own.¡± said the captain ¡°We go back and return with reinforcements.¡± ¡°She could be dead by then. We go after her. . . Now.¡± Thaddeus protested. The outrage was palpable in his voice. Fortis glared at the defiant priest, meeting him eye to eye. ¡°We fall back. That is an order, Thaddeus,¡± he said through gritted teeth. Still holding his gaze, the priest stepped closer, almost face to face. ¡°Either we save her now, or you go back without me.¡± The captain had never seen the priest like this before. Thaddeus had always been a soft-spoken man; quiet and easy to laugh. This man before him, staring him down, was a complete stranger. Fortis knew the argument was lost. Going through the Tower¡¯s tunnels without a healer was essentially a death sentence. He broke eye contact and looked toward the field and sighed heavily. ¡°Fine. . . We attempt a rescue.¡± he proclaimed to the party. Thaddeus¡¯s posture relaxed slightly in relief. Fortis laid a hand on the priest¡¯s shoulder and pulled him close. ¡°When we get back to camp, . .if we get back, I will make sure you are expelled from the guild for insubordination,¡± he whispered with malice. Thaddeus did not seem to care. He only nodded and shrugged his hand off. ¡°There are seven orcs in total,¡± announced Kaya to the now huddled group. ¡°Six under the tree, and another one circling their perimeter. Luckily for us, it looks like they haven¡¯t seen Teresa yet.¡± ¡°And who knows how long that will last. We need to attack. . . Right now.¡± Thaddeus demanded. ¡°Calm down, Thad,¡± said Felix. ¡°We can¡¯t take those things head-on. . . We only need a distraction, not a plan of attack.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your proposal then?¡± asked Fortis. ¡°Well, Felix and I could take out the patrol. . . After that, the rest of you could go to their flank and get their attention while we rescue Teresa.¡± ¡°Without you two we¡¯ll be outnumbered six to five. . . Not a fan of those odds. Especially against orcs.¡± Collin commented. ¡°We don¡¯t have to fight them for long, my dear.¡± countered Nestor. ¡°We can just slow them down from a distance . . . and if they ever get close, the captain and Ezekiel here are more than enough for a handful of orcs weakened by curses and riddled with arrows.¡± The ranger seemed appeased by this argument and nodded her approval. ¡°I want to go with Kaya and Felix,¡± said Thaddeus. ¡°No. . . You stick with us. We are the ones in danger.¡± said Fortis, his anger rising up again. The audacity of this man! Not only forcing us to face unnecessary dangers but suggesting to put us further in harm¡¯s way by wanting to play hero! the captain thought. ¡°If she¡¯s hurt badly, she will need healing.¡± reasoned the priest. Fortis wanted to throttle the man when Kaya placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s right. It looks like Teresa needs his help. Let him come with us. We¡¯ll be quick, . . I promise.¡± she said with a motherly tone. Her touch calmed him down. ¡°Fine. . . You go with Kaya and Felix. . . Ezekiel; you stick close to me. Collin and Nestor; stay behind us and ready any tricks you have for keeping distance.¡± the captain said with authority in his voice once again. The orc sentry lumbered in a slow circle around the field, passing by the opening of the tunnel where Fortis¡¯ party was. The scouts were laying in wait at the tunnel exit with eyes fleeting between the group of orcs under the tree and the one guarding the perimeter, waiting for an opening. The tension in the air was tangible. Fortis gripped his Warhammer and shield tighter, trying to settle the nerves he always felt before every battle. Then in one split second, the two scouts were gone. By the time the captain spotted them they were almost behind the sentry. The green and brown of their leather armor was nothing but a blur thirty yards away. The orc lookout fell backward as Kaya slid and crashed into the back of its knees. Felix was right behind her and launched himself forward at the falling orc¡¯s back, covering the mouth and plunging his dagger in the creature¡¯s throat to silence it. Kaya rolled on one knee and slid her dagger between its ribs, straight into the heart for good measure. The orc¡¯s arms flailed for a second and stiffened as Kaya¡¯s blade entered. After which it lay still and was dragged into a nearby bush. The couple had timed everything, Fortis realized. From the orcs looking away at the same time to the distance between them and the sentry and even down to the location of the bush to hide the body. Amazing. Thought the captain. Kaya signaled Thaddeus to move to their location. The priest ran with astonishing speed for a man of his build, propelled by the blessing he cast upon himself; God Speed. Fortis and his group were similarly blessed beforehand making them feel light as a feather and yet unhindered by air, though the effects were overly brief. When the priest reached the bush where the scouts were hidden, the rest of the party rushed toward the far right of the field. They reached their destination even before one of the orcs noticed their movement. An uproar came from beneath the large tree. The orcs were clamoring for their weapons, barking at each other in a strange guttural language. Fortis saw the two scouts and the priest heading for the boulders. Ezekiel postured beside him shield and axe in hand and the captain nodded to Nestor and Collin to begin their assault. A hail of arrows barraged the charging orcs. Most of them halted, staggered by the incoming missiles, but two continued to rush toward them. Fortis readied himself. ¡°Collin, . . Nestor! Focus the one on the right!. . . Ezekiel, with me!¡± the captain commanded. The two warriors ran to meet their foe. Before they reached their target, the orc to their far-right was engulfed in flame and bombarded by a flurry of arrows, bringing the creature screaming on its knees. One down. Thought the captain. The orc before them now roared with fury at its fallen companion, swinging around a two-handed club the size of a full-grown tree. The first blow was easily evaded; straight down and sloppy. Fortis swung his hammer toward the orc¡¯s head. It connected with a solid thud at the jaw that sent vibrations down his arm. It had little to no effect. Ezekiel aimed a blow to the creature¡¯s forearms instead, burying his axe deep into tough skin and muscle, stopping at the bone. The orc howled with pain and swung its club toward the axe wielding warrior who caught the blow with his shield, staggering him backward. It then wiped the club sideways to sideswipe Fortis but the captain rolled underneath the blow, stopped squarely on his stance and swung with all his might at the creature¡¯s left knee. The knee shattered on impact; flesh, cartilage and bone erupting from the knee cap, forcing the orc to kneel. ¡°Rahhhh!¡± roared Ezekiel, throwing his shield aside to grip his axe with both hands to deliver a devastating strike that buried itself deep at the orc¡¯s neck. Their adversary fell face down with the axe still lodged on its head, wrenching it from Ezekiel¡¯s hands. And that makes two. Ezekiel laughed a great big ¡°Ha!¡± toward the captain, savoring his first kill of the battle. But before he could retrieve his weapon, a spear shaft sprouted on his belly, hurling Ezekiel backward. Fortis immediately raised his shield to cover himself and rushed toward his injured comrade. ¡°Collin! Covering fire! . . . Nestor! Barrier! Now!¡± The ranger started toward them with bow drawn followed by the mage. But before they could go a few steps, another spear buried itself near Collin¡¯s feet. Nestor, thinking fast, invoked a barrier on himself and stood in front of the ranger, catching the next spear but sending him toppling backward over Collin. Fortis cursed loudly and peered over his shield at their remaining orcs. He saw two monstrous figures still advancing on them and one farther back near the tree, poised to hurl another spear. Ezekiel was loudly cursing his misfortune at the captain¡¯s feet with blood and excrement gushing from his wound. ¡°We need the healer! . . Where in the nine hells is Thaddeus!?¡± Fortis roared, scanning the field for the rest of his party, desperate for reinforcement. Then as if time slowed down, the captain saw something horrifying. Thaddeus was atop the tallest rock, cradling a woman in dark blue robes. The woman reached up toward the priest¡¯s collar with hands covered in blood and pulled him downwards, sinking her teeth at man¡¯s neck. Her skin was pale gray and streaked with blue veins. Her eyes were mad red with strages venom. Then it all made sense; the small group of orcs in such a strange place. They weren¡¯t guarding the gate, they were trapped here. Just like we are now. Why the orcs posted a patrol; They were afraid of something, something that could overpower them if they were caught unaware. And now the captain noticed all along the tall granite walls were a number of large openings similar to the one they came from. Openings that lead to a chamber filled with bloodthirsty strages. His frustration turning into sheer terror as he saw the first of the vampiric beasts crawling out of the holes. ¡°Captain!¡± Collin shouted, bringing Fortis out of his realization. Before he was able to do anything, a blow collided with his shield and launched Fortis in an arc over Ezekiel¡¯s barely moving form. He landed violently on his back. Two orcs towered over him, both about to swing their clubs down. By sheer instinct, the captain invoked the ability that made him one of the most renowned front linemen in their guild. The ability that multiplied his defenses and turns him a human bulwark; Bellator¡¯s Guard. The ability which he now used to cower under. The orcs¡¯ strikes hit him again and again, beating him into the ground, sending vibrations through his body and making his ears ring. He could not move. His mind was blank. We are lost. The captain thought. The blows halted suddenly. Looking up, he saw one of his attackers pull an arrow from its eye. Collin was sending arrow after arrow at the orc¡¯s head only a few feet away. ¡°No Collin! . . .Run . . .Run!¡± he tried to shout, but his voice was weak and barely audible through the ringing in his ears. The ranger went to pull another arrow only to find her quiver empty. Before she could go for her dagger, the orc seized her by the arm and lifted her bodily off the ground. ¡°Nestor! Help her! . . Nestor!¡± cried Fortis in a panic getting up to his feet clumsily and frantically searching for the mage, only to see a retreating figure in green and blue robes running toward the tunnel from whence they came. ¡°Alistair! Help!¡± shrieked Collin. The sound of his first name made him turn. Fortis saw Collin struggling with her captor. Collin; who had been a loyal comrade. Collin; who had always followed him in the deepest parts of the Tower. Collin; who now screamed desperately for him to save her. He was numb. He could not move, paralyzed with fear. All the captain could do was to stand still with shield and hammer at his side, watching his friend hanging by the arm while the orc grabbed her legs and pulled. Collin¡¯s torso stretch. Her mouth opens wide in a scream of agony Fortis could not hear. Her eyes filled with tears and terror. Then her body became two, both parts going limp as they fell to the ground like pieces of a broken toy as the monster released her remains. The other orc stared down at Fortis. It¡¯s black demonic eyes boring into his own and raised its club. The captain felt his bottom half become warm as he wet himself, urine running down his legs. Before the club could fall, the once brave and noble captain Alistair Fortis, gold ranked adventurer of the renowned Natus Vincere, ran for his life in fear. I failed. Fortis thought. Ezekiel; dying. . . Thaddeus; dead. . . Collin; gone. I want to live! Nine hells, . . I want to live! He looked back to see if the orcs were in pursuit, but to his surprise, they were running in the opposite direction A pack of strages on their tail. An incredulous laugh of relief escaped the captain¡¯s mouth. He could not believe it. Had fate deemed it worthy that he may yet live? Has lady luck smiled upon him and gave him another chance? The tunnel exit was just a few yards ahead of him but before he could take another step closer, something heavy landed on his back and sent Fortis crashing forward on his face. Dazed and confused, he crawled toward the tunnels. I want to live! Something was tugging hard at his foot. He felt his right boot come off and then a wet and hot piercing sensation filled his exposed leg. I want to live! He could not crawl further, something was holding him in place. Something very strong. I want to fucking live! Suddenly the thing that was holding him down vanished. He felt the heavy weight lift from his back. ¡°Captain! . . .Captain Fortis!¡± a familiar voice said. A familiar lovely voice. He rolled onto his back to look up and saw the face of a woman with raven black hair and almond-shaped eyes. An angel. Sent to save me. Fotis thought in a daze. The scorching pain in his leg was creeping its way upward to his body. ¡°Kaya, leave him. . . He¡¯s been bitten.¡± the captain heard a man¡¯s voice say off in the distance. The woman¡¯s face wrinkled with frustration and pity. Such a beautiful face. ¡°I want to live,¡± Fortis whispered weakly to the angel. Those kind deep gray eyes fixed on his own. ¡°Don¡¯t worry captain. Everything will be alright.¡± Kaya said with a comforting smile. Fortis smiled at her words, feeling relief. I¡¯m saved. he thought with such gratitude. He didn¡¯t even feel her knife enter his heart. Chapter 1: The Bruin and The Munchkin Dawn was about to break in Iris. A boy tossed and turned in a bed that was too small to fit a tall fifteen-year-old. He had a mop of jet black curly hair, a plain-looking face and light brown almond-shaped eyes. Marius Elrick had been faking sleep for a good part of the last two hours, feeling restless. He found it difficult going to bed last night for today was an especially exciting day; trial day. Today, after four years in Novicius Academy, he and his friends will be given the chance to earn the title of adventurers. Novice adventurers, but adventurers nonetheless. After feigning sleep for another half hour, Marius finally made his mind up to just start the day early. He propped himself up on one elbow and looked around the room to check if Freighly was still asleep. Their room was small and had only enough space to fit two beds perpendicular to each other in one corner and a few pieces of furniture here and there. It had a wooden floor, a single window and a doorway leading to the hallway. Freighly¡¯s bed was at the end of the room directly under the window. A slow steady rhythm of breathing confirms that she¡¯s still sound asleep. Worried he might wake her, Marius quietly got up and sat at the edge of his bed and fished out his boots from beneath the nightstand. Exiting the bedroom, he headed straight for the backyard where the outhouse was, careful not to make the floorboards squeak. However, after a few hurried steps, he found himself stumbling over an assortment of small loud objects on the floor and finally landing on his hands and knees. He swore silently and stopped to listen if he¡¯d woken anyone. Silence met his ears. Breathing a sigh of relief, he turned to see the culprit of his abrupt meeting with the hard wooden floor. He saw a variety of pots and pans strewn across the hallway. Some were still upright and some spilling water on the floor. ¡°We gotta fix that roof,¡± he muttered to himself as he pushed off the ground and cautiously went to the backyard. After relieving himself, Marius walked over to the low fence of the yard and rested his arms over it to take in the sight of the silently sleeping town of Longhill start to wake from its night¡¯s slumber. The rising sun slowly revealed the many small colorful houses along the cluster of hills to which the town was named after. Longhill was always a busy town. Its location made it an ideal rest stop for adventurers. To the west lies the great city of Albertras; the center of trade, guild halls and where Marius and Freighly go to training school. To the east were the mountains of Araya; rich with hunting grounds, hidden dungeons, and farmlands. It was a great starting point for freshly inducted adventurers. And straight north was the purpose for most adventurers; the Tower. It stretched toward the sky and disappeared into the heavens themselves, connecting the many worlds of Babel. There are currently twelve worlds connected, half of which were still inhabitable and the other half had been consumed by the Rot. Marius himself had never visited the other worlds but he devoured every book, scripture, and map he could get his eager hands on about the lands beyond. Marius looked toward the north where the yellow light of the rising sun was slowly creeping up the Tower. He drank in the sight of the goliath structure and felt a sense of excitement. Soon he would be allowed to enter it at last. Ever since he was young, his head had been filled with thrilling tales of adventures within the giant structure. Most of the stories were told by his parents and some were by his dear old grandfather, all of which were great adventurers themselves. The Tower did not only serve as a link between the worlds, it was also an obstacle that needed to be crossed in order to reach an entirely new region where humanity could thrive. ¡®Obstacle¡¯ was an appropriate description for it, based on the stories of those who have entered. Inside, they say, was a complex system of pitch-black tunnels that often lead to traps and dead ends or worse; to packs of crazed monsters ranging from dire wolves to bloodthirsty abominations. But some of those tunnels lead to extraordinary wonders in the likes of giant lakes a mile across, huge mountains and even entire woodlands stretching for acres all of which were still somehow contained inside the Tower. And if you¡¯re lucky enough, a tunnel might take you to a hidden chamber fully stocked with gold bullions, gems, valuable magical scrolls or a vault containing armor and weapons imbued with unique properties that grant the owner powers such as increased speed, strength, intellect or even invisibility. This, for the most part, was the reason why so many adventurers endure the dangers of the Tower again and again and why so many children, like Marius himself, aspire of becoming adventurers in turn when they grow up. The prospect of coming from nothing and becoming unimaginably rich overnight was alluring to most people. But to Marius, the idea of becoming known for one¡¯s bravery, skill, and great deeds was more appealing. He often daydreamed of becoming a formidable warrior like his grandfather, whose name and deeds were spoken of in awe in every tavern or a skilled scout like his parents, whose discoveries will be immortalized in scriptures and songs. The first crow of a rooster sounded off in the distance, signaling the start of a new day. The sun illuminated half of the Tower. The black stone exterior walls seem to absorb the light. Marius fixed his eyes on the north road. ¡°Where are you?¡± he asked quietly to no one. What if they got lost? he thought with concern. What if they¡¯re hurt? What if they''re trapped? What if they¡¯re de¡­ he dared not complete the thought. Somewhere in the frontier at Liros, his parents were fighting for their lives. ¡°Worrying won¡¯t make them come back any sooner, son.¡± said a deep gentle voice from behind. This sudden disturbance from his thoughts made Marius turn his head around so fast that his neck cracked. The speaker towered before him in a plain white shirt under worn-out brown overalls. He was thick of chest and round of belly. He had a wooden peg in place of a left leg and owns a face so bearded it could match a bear¡¯s. ¡°Grandpa Nic,¡± Marius said in surprise. Looking down at the man¡¯s hands he saw pieces of a broken clay pot. Probably a casualty of his earlier fall. ¡°Sorry about that. . . did the noise wake you?¡± he said apologetically. ¡°Nah, I was already up in the kitchen when I heard you¡¯re little tumble.¡± Nic chuckled. ¡°That was quite a ruckus you made. I thought I was the only one up this early. . . nearly made me soil myself.¡± Nic laughed. ¡°And Freighly¡¯s still sleeping if you¡¯re wondering. That girl could sleep through anything. The house could be on fire through an earthquake and a flood and she¡¯d still be snoring .¡± Nic rambled on. ¡°That¡¯s good. . . good to hear.¡± Marius replied absently, his attention back on the north road. Nic frowned, sensing the boy¡¯s concern and let out a deep sigh. ¡°Your folks will be fine, Marius. They didn¡¯t get to where they are by being careless. They¡¯ve come back before and they will come back again.¡± ¡°I know. . . I just hoped they''d be back for the trials. It¡¯s been two months.¡± ¡°Well Liros is a tough nut to crack but they¡¯re the finest scouts in the frontier,¡± Nic exclaimed. ¡°With their skills, they¡¯ll be more than a match for anything in the Tower. Trust me, I¡¯ve been there myself.¡± ¡°I still wish they could be here though. . . you know. . . for a bit of moral support.¡± ¡°Ow, excuse me. . . Is your own dear grandfather not enough of moral support for the likes of the great Marius, soon to be master adventurer?¡± Nic said, his voice filled with false indignation. At this, Marius¡¯ mood lightened slightly and even mustered a smile for his bear of a grandfather. ¡°Now come on. You have other things to worry about. . . Let¡¯s have breakfast. I made rice porridge with salt pork.¡± Nic said in his ever-cheerful tone as he started for the kitchen. His wooden left foot clacked on the stone walkway leading to the house Marius trailed behind and regarded his grandfather¡¯s comforting words. Nic would know what he¡¯s talking about. After all he was a former adventurer himself and a great one at that. Nic the Bruin they called him. Retired adventurers are a rare sight due to the mortality rate of their chosen vocation. But old man Nic was as tough as they come. He survived every battle and sought out every quest he took to completion. Some of those quests even took him to the frontier; the unexplored parts of the Tower. If the stories could be believed, Nic also lent a hand in killing the gate guardian at Helios that opened Iris to the human race. Grandpa Nic had a long lustrous career filled with excitement, danger and it¡¯s share of horrors. In the end he retired at the ripe age of fifty-seven. With Nic¡¯s experience, Marius was reassured that the old man was right; his parents would be fine. The kitchen was filled with the aroma of ginger and garlic from the rice porridge slowly bubbling inside a black iron pot. The salt pork gently roasting over the charcoal stove gave off a scent that made Marius¡¯ stomach rumble. Grandpa Nic ladled a large helping of porridge into a deep wooden bowl and slid it over the kitchen table to his grandson. Marius took the bowl with bewilderment, slightly alarmed to be offered such a hefty breakfast. His grandfather caught the confused expression on his face.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°You''re a growing young man, . . you¡¯ll need your energy for whatever they throw at you later.¡± Marius looked up suspiciously. ¡°You made too much porridge again, didn''t you?¡± he said to his grandfather. ¡°Maybe. . .¡± Nic mumbled and promptly plopped a plate of roasted salt pork on the table. Grandpa Nic always loved to cook, perhaps a little too much. Marius can recall more than a handful of times where his grandfather became overzealous with cooking, especially during celebrations. May it be birthdays, welcome back parties or ascension day, grandpa Nic could be counted on to cook a feast fit for a dozen for their family of five. ¡°Ahhh, here she is. . . rise and shine little munchkin. Breakfast is served.¡± said Nic looking toward the hallway. The munchkin referred to by the old man came in the form of Freighly; Marius¡¯ foster sister shuffling in the kitchen practically still half-dreaming with her short brown hair ruffled, her upturned eyes closed to slits and her tiny snub nose twitching as she sniffed the air. ¡°Wash fer brekfust?¡± she mumbled sleepily through barely opened lips. ¡°The usual. Now eat up, you have to be at the academy before mid morn and you know how long you take to get ready young lady.¡± Nic said to the barely awake girl, offering her a smaller bowl of porridge and sitting down himself. Freighly didn¡¯t reply. She just dropped herself in a chair, picked up a fork and tried very hard to scoop the runny rice porridge into her mouth. Marius and Nic enjoyed the spectacle for a moment trying their best not to laugh aloud. ¡°You know things might be easier, . . and this is only a suggestion, but it would be easier if you use this.¡± Marius said as he presented a spoon in front of her. Freighly stared at the utensil and froze for a moment. Her small round face slowly turned red. Then she snatched the spoon and got back to eating as if nothing had happened. The old man gave out a thunderous bark of a laugh joined along by Marius¡¯ stifled sniggers. ¡°Shud up, . . don laaaf!¡± she protested with a mouth full of food barely containing her own laughter. In an instant, Marius¡¯ spirits were lifted. He couldn¡¯t help but smile and the earlier morning¡¯s anxieties vanished. This is exactly why he didn¡¯t mind having Freighly around when his parents brought her home six years ago. Their parents were close friends and made vows to take care of each other¡¯s family if anything bad ever happened. It must¡¯ve been hard on Freighly seeing her parents go out one day and only receiving red letters containing condolences in return. But her spirit was never broken by the tragedy. It didn¡¯t take long for them to become fast friends themselves. Marius always wanted a baby brother but Freighly was close enough. Her clumsiness and good humor made excellent company growing up. ¡°You slept well last night,¡± Marius said to Freighly over their half-empty bowls. ¡°Not at all excited for the trials?¡± ¡°Excited, . . but not as excited as you I think. I¡¯m actually more nervous than anything.¡± she confessed. ¡°Nervous? . . what are you worried about? You know I have your back out there.¡± ¡°Yeah but. . . but what if we¡¯re in different parties?¡± she asked timidly. ¡°So what? You can manage by yourself. I¡¯ve seen it.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not top of the class like you, Marius. . . what if I don¡¯t pass?¡± This was the problem with Freighly. She always doubts herself when under pressure. Marius placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Freighly, you have nothing to worry about. . . you¡¯re a good support. Any party would be lucky to have you.¡± Freighly nodded and gave a timid smile at his encouragement. ¡°I just want it over with and get my badge. I have a lot more training to do. . . and so do you if you want to be good scouts like auntie and uncle.¡± Marius waved her statement away with his spoon hand, flinging a clump of porridge that landed on grandpa Nic¡¯s black beard. ¡°Apprenticeships aren¡¯t required. You can join a guild fresh off academy. As long as you pass of course. With all the trouble they¡¯re having up at Liros, they¡¯re gonna need all the adventurers they can get.¡± Marius said confidently, stabbing his spoon in the air like a dagger sending another wad of food at grandpa Nic¡¯s facial hair. ¡°Well if you handle a dagger like you handle a spoon then the guardians should be soiling themselves.¡± spoke out grandpa Nic with a flat smile, looking down his beard then at Marius. ¡°Ow. . Sorry. . .¡± Marius said apologetically. ¡°Freighly has a point, son.¡± Nic sighed while dabbing his beard with a greasy kitchen rag. ¡°You¡¯re right that apprenticeships aren¡¯t necessary and some guilds do take fresh academy graduates. But, . . if you want even a chance of getting into a guild of any worth, you need to have a heck of a lot more to offer than academy stuff.¡± Marius had to agree with that. It¡¯s true that the skills he acquired at the academy were pretty basic. Anything from numbers and letters, map reading, history, crafting to basic magic and combat was taught to them in their four-year stay at the school, but come to think of it only a handful of those skills would be useful in an actual quest. Undergoing apprenticeship would mean learning more practical skill sets from a master. Marius had thought of this situation before and he shifted his choice repeatedly from one side to the other again and again over the last year of school. On one hand, having a master would mean more experience, advanced skills and perhaps he could learn an ability or two. On the other hand, apprenticeships are expensive and could take years and he wanted to go questing as soon as possible. ¡°Besides, your parents already saved enough gold to afford it,¡± Nic said, his beard clean once again. ¡°Apprenticeships, I mean. . . for both of you.¡± he continued looking to Freighly as well. ¡°Under any master of your choosing. So don¡¯t be in such a rush.¡± Freighly¡¯s face split in a wide smile. Clearly this was great news to her but Marius was unsure if he felt the same. Since he entered the school, all he could dream of was getting his bronze badge and going off on fantastic adventures with his friends. They had planned it out since enrolment up to the extent that they already decided what each other¡¯s role was going to be in their own party. Marius, of course, was going to be their scout. The last thing Marius wanted after graduation was to let his friends down by going back to studies again. ¡°Does that mean I can go to Madame Fortuna?¡± exclaimed Freighly excitedly back to her cheery self. ¡°The chief herbalist of the Viridi guild?¡± grandpa Nic asked, stroking his beard thoughtfully while Freighly nodded in confirmation. ¡°Yes, . . I think. I reckon we could afford her if she¡¯s willing to teach.¡± the old man replied. The kitchen was pierced with the little girl¡¯s trill of excitement. ¡°Herbology?¡± Marius asked, wiggling a finger in his ear to try and stop the ringing in his head. ¡°What¡¯s so exciting about that? . . And who¡¯s Madame Fortuna?¡± Freighly turned on him, right eyebrow raised and nose scrunched up to one side. ¡°Being a herbalist happens to be a very important job,¡± she said in indignation. ¡°And Madame Fortuna Riao, for your information, is the only platinum ranked herbalist ever in history.¡± Freighly finished with a smug smile. ¡°Platinum? . . What in the nine hells did she do to earn platinum? She grows plants!¡± Marius exclaimed in disbelief. As far as he knows, only people who go into battle attain those types of rankings. People who acquire a trade in non-combat professions like herbalists, merchants and blacksmiths normally retain their initial bronze ranking throughout their career. Perhaps an honorary rank advancement if they invented something or discovered a cure for an illness, but never the prestige of platinum. ¡°She¡¯s a very skilled woman, Marius.¡± interjected grandpa Nic before Freighly could reply. ¡°And an accomplished mage as well if I can remember. I¡¯ve been with her on a raid once. Finest support I¡¯ve ever seen. . . she saved a lot of lives that day.¡± Freighly turned toward Marius again with her nose in the air, her look even smugger as if Madame Fortuna¡¯s accomplishments were her own. ¡°Okay,¡± he said, with both hands held up in surrender. ¡°The seven bless Madame Fortuna then.¡± Grandpa Nic propped his elbows on the kitchen table, his eyes on Marius. ¡°And how about you, lad? Any masters come to mind?¡± he asked seriously. Marius squirmed in his chair under his grandfather''s gaze. The old man and his parents had been pestering him repeatedly about this subject since the start of the school year. Though Marius had expressed his desire to charge head-on in the world of adventuring fresh off the gates, they had persisted that he was not ready, that he needed more training or perhaps he should explore a trade that doesn¡¯t include fighting monsters, finding treasure and any other dangerous pursuits. This suggestion wasn¡¯t even an option in his mind. ¡°Actually, . . my and I were thinking of forming a party.¡± he started, gauging his grandfather¡¯s reaction. ¡°And maybe try quests around Araya. . .¡± Nic looked at him suspiciously, his eyes shadowed by heavy eyebrows. ¡°Well if you want, . . you could try that for a few months and see how it goes.¡± grandpa Nic replied. ¡°But no going near the Tower, you hear? Not till I give my say so.¡± Marius saw a flash of sternness in his grandfather¡¯s usually kind face at this statement. ¡°Of course,¡± he replied innocently. ¡°Good.¡± said the old man, a smile back on his face. ¡°Well, you two better get a move on. You got a big day ahead.¡± After waiting almost half an hour for Freighly to finish one of her notoriously long baths, Marius had freshened up, readied his rucksack, got changed into the academy¡¯s brown and moss green uniform and was now waiting in the kitchen. ¡°Hurry up! We¡¯re going to miss the carriage!¡± he shouted toward their room. ¡°Just wait a minute! . . I can¡¯t find my other boot!¡± Freighly replied, panic in her voice. Marius shook his head and looked around to see grandpa Nic also all dressed. ¡°Are you going out too, grandpa?¡± Nic had traded his overalls for a loose white hemp shirt and brown woolen pants. He now carried a walking cane in one hand and a battered brown leather satchel over one shoulder. ¡°Yup.¡± replied grandpa Nic. ¡°I¡¯m going to the guild halls to see if there¡¯s any news from Kaya and Felix.¡± Marius grew anxious again at the mention of his parents. The old man placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. ¡°Stop your worrying, son. They probably have a letter from them when I get there. And after that, I¡¯ll be going to the markets to buy ingredients for our celebration tonight.¡± Marius forced out a smile. ¡°Found it!¡± shouted a call of delight from their bedroom. Freighly came hopping out in one leg, trying to put on her left boot while moving toward them. ¡°It was under your bed,¡± she said cheerfully. Her hair was slightly ruffled again. Probably from rooting around under the furniture for her lost footwear. Grandpa Nic smoothed out the little girl¡¯s hair with one massive paw of a hand. ¡°Alright. Before we leave, I want to make something clear,¡± said Nic. Marius and Freighly paid close attention. ¡°Today is an important day. You two have the opportunity to join the ranks of noble and brave men and women. It is a great honor to wear the badge of an adventurer. . . But, under no circumstance are you to endanger yourself during the trials. You are to take no risks, you understand?¡± Both of them nodded. Nic had always been overly protective. ¡°No badge is worth your life. Keep your blades sharp and your wit sharper. Got it?¡± Both nodded again. ¡°Good.¡± Nic nodded as he opened the door to the busy streets of Longhill. Chapter 2: The Trial They had been on the road for an hour now. The sun was already high up in the sky but the weather still had a chill to it. So much so that the breath of the draft horse pulling the brake carriage condensed into the morning air. Freighly was sound asleep, leaning against Marius¡¯ left shoulder. Her chubby cheek sliding up nearly covering her right eye. Grandpa Nic was humming quietly to himself with his arms stretched across the backrest of their side of the carriage and his peg leg rested on the empty seat beside him. The road was busier than usual, Marius noticed. A variety of wagons could be seen going up and down the road and from time to time riders on horseback would speed by. Marius also took note that most of the travelers he saw were not adventurers but common folk. Villagers with their families, farmers, traveling entertainers, and merchants could be seen laden with their personal belongings and wares. All of them coming from the direction of the Tower. ¡°Where are all these people coming from, grandpa?¡± ¡°You noticed them too, huh? . . They¡¯re immigrants, lad . . . from Helios.¡± ¡°Helios? Why are they coming up here? . . I thought Helios was a lot better than Iris.¡± Nic looked around and sighed sadly. ¡°There has been troubling news down in Gallatea. Rumors say that the Rot has started there.¡± ¡°The Rot?¡± Marius exclaimed. ¡°But that¡¯s only two worlds down. It¡¯s so close. . . you think it''s true, grandpa?¡± ¡°Well, they say their crops yield less every harvest. Animals keep getting sick. The monsters in the fields got a lot more savage. . . It could be true. Gallatea is nearly sixty years old. The Rot usually starts at that point. People are getting scared and started moving up. Now Helios is becoming overpopulated.¡± ¡°So if the Rot takes Gallaetea, that only leaves Helios, Iris, Jarla, Kratos and Liros,¡± said Marius, counting the worlds in one hand. ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± replied Nic. ¡°Five worlds isn¡¯t enough, . . is it, grandpa?¡± ¡°No. . . no it is not, Marius.¡± Nic replied sadly. ¡°Iris is going to become a more dangerous place to live soon.¡± As if on queue, the carriage passed by a small hill. On top of the hill were five men covered from head to toe in steel armor standing over two kneeling figures in ragged clothing. Two of the armored men drew their swords. Marius¡¯s pulse quickened. He knew what was about to happen. He half expected his grandfather to tell him to look away but Nic made no such move. The heads of the two kneeling men rolled down the opposite side of the hill. None of the travelers on the road even uttered so much as a word of shock or protest. Marius looked up at his grandfather who watched the execution as well. ¡°You know why that had to happen. . . right?¡± Nic asked seriously. ¡°Yes, . .¡± Marius answered hesitantly. ¡°They were criminals, . .¡± ¡°No. They were worse than criminals. They were rogues.¡± Nic said darkly. ¡°Wearing a badge comes with responsibility, Marius. You make a vow to fight in the service of mankind. If you betray that vow, . . you forfeit your life like those two sorry souls. You become less than vermin.¡± Marius had never seen his grandfather speak ill of anyone before. As tall as Nic was, he never looked down on anyone. But Marius could feel the contempt radiating from the old man. Nic¡¯s gaze was still on top of the hill even as they were rounding the bend on the road. As soon as the hill was out of sight, he slowly came back to his usual cheery self. ¡°Time to wake up little munchkin. We¡¯re almost there.¡± grandpa Nic said in a hushed voice to the sleeping Freighly, gently shaking her with the tips of his sausage-like fingers. Freighly stirred and lifted her head sluggishly off Marius¡¯ shoulder. ¡°Whash fer brekfurts?¡± she slurred in confusion, looking around the carriage. ¡°We¡¯re already outside, sweetling.¡± grandpa Nic replied with a deep chuckle. ¡°And tidy up your hair. We¡¯re almost in the city.¡± Freighly rubbed her eyes and combed her hair with her fingers, attempting to flatten down the stray strands standing up to one side. Marius wiped down the left sleeve of his uniform and felt a damp spot. Whether from sweat or drool he did not bother to guess. He simply admired Freighly¡¯s ability to sleep anywhere. The west gate of the great city of Albertras loomed before them as they drew closer. It was easily twelve feet tall, made of thick solid oak and bound by heavy black iron rings. The giant wooden door was in great contrast with the city perimeter walls which were made of white stone veined with faded shades of indigo. It rose nearly twenty feet high and surrounded the vast sprawl of the city. Albertras was the largest and most beautiful of the three cities in Iris and was named the capital for this very reason. The guild high council spent nearly three years building the city with an army of Efran alchemists and mages hard at work day and night. The carriage jolted to a stop and grandpa Nic patted the driver from the back and muttered his thanks while the rest of the passengers disembarked. They made their way to the smaller door beside the main gate of the city where four armed guards were posted. One of the guards gave them a quick inspection and with a nod to his companions, the three of them were let into the city. The outer ring of Albertras is where the markets could be found. It was filled with all kinds of folk at this hour; bustling merchants transporting a parade of their latest shipments, adventurers shopping for supplies and vendors and farmers haggling over the price of produce. Marius often loved to window shop around these establishments every time he was in the city. He especially liked to visit the smith shops along Smith¡¯s End to ogle the latest masterpieces for display, admiring the craftsmanship of the armor and various bladed weaponry that the master smiths managed to forge. Plowing through the thickening crowd of the market streets, they arrive at the city square. This was the central hub of all adventurers inside the city. The sides of the square were lined with buildings that have a spectrum of banners carrying different sigils over each door. These were the guild halls where adventurers would report to their respective guilds or turn in any quest they have completed. At the center of the square was a large pool of water surrounded by seven marble statues wearing various types of clothing and armor. ¡°Well then, this is where we part ways.¡± said grandpa Nic, looking around the guild halls. ¡°Remember; no taking risks and watch each other¡¯s backs. Keep your blades sharp. . .¡± ¡°. . . and our wits sharper.¡± finished Marius. ¡°We know. Don¡¯t worry too much, grandpa. We got this.¡± Nic only smiled at his grandson¡¯s cockiness. ¡°You¡¯ll be adventurers next time we see each other,¡± he said proudly. He gave each a big hug and hobbled off to the Natus Vincere hall. ¡°Should we pray first?¡± asked Freighly when Nic was out of earshot. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Pray,¡± she repeated, pointing at the marble statues. ¡°You know, . . for good luck.¡± Marius was never religious himself. But if it would give Freighly a boost in confidence, he was willing to go along with it. ¡°Sure. . . but let¡¯s make it quick.¡± Freighly made her way to the crowd for the statue of the Priestess where several men and women in long robes bowed their heads in prayer. Marius, on the other hand, walked toward the hooded statue of the Scout. He noticed that there were only a handful of people praying there compared to the other statues. Very few adventurers wanted to become scouts, he realized. It takes a special something to dive headfirst into places where no human had walked before. Marius called it that something courage. His friends called it lunacy. They arrived at academy grounds barely on time. The instructors were already ushering their other cadets toward the training fields where the trials will take place. Marius looked around excitedly for his friends when he heard catcalls from behind. ¡°Well look who it is. . . if it isn¡¯t silver son and the orphan.¡± There was only one person that called him and Freighly by those names. Turning around, Marius saw five large boys approaching them. In the center was the speaker. Tall and muscular, stood Oliver Fortis; the class bully. Marius had become a favorite target of his because no matter how strong and skilled Oliver was, he always fell a place behind Marius in all their courses. Oliver¡¯s taunts had never bothered Marius before, but ever since he found out Freighly was a foster child, Oliver and his goons had included her in their insults and jeers which prompted most of the fights they got into. ¡°What do you want, Fortis?¡± Marius asked aggressively, stepping forward to shield Freighly if things get nasty. He wasn¡¯t scared of them. They may be bigger and stronger than he was but Marius was fast and agile enough to put a few of them on the ground when it comes to it. He didn¡¯t become the top two of their batch for nothing. Oliver clacked his tongue. ¡°Easy there, Elrick. I didn¡¯t come for a fight.¡± he said smirking.¡°I actually wanted to ask you something.¡± Marius was caught off guard. Oliver and his buddies only approached him seeking a brawl and nothing else. This was something new. ¡°Then ask away.¡± For once, in all the time Marius knew him, his nemesis looked unsure and even a bit shy. This was a bizarre sight because Oliver Fortis he knew was confident, rude and brash enough to never give a second thought to his actions even if they lead to near expulsion. ¡°The thing is, . .¡± Oliver started tentatively. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from my brother Alistair in a while. . .and the last news we had of him was that he was with your folks in a scouting mission. . . I wanted to know if you¡¯ve heard anything recently.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. And just like that, the anxiety he felt that morning was back. It seems like no matter what distractions come his way, it will always rear its ugly head. This was even worse because it looked like another member of his parents¡¯ scouting party had not been heard of for some time. He did not want to jump to conclusions. This could mean anything. They might be on their way back now. He might come home and see his parents waiting to congratulate him. Marius did not know what to say, so he settled with the simple truth. ¡°No. . . It''s been almost two months since I¡¯ve heard from them.¡± Oliver took in a deep breath of disappointment. Then he looked up with a menacing fake smile. His face was back to an expression Marius could recognize; the look that always preceded a fight. ¡°Well, maybe they¡¯re just held up. . . It would make sense considering who¡¯s guiding them.¡± Oliver said bitingly. ¡°What are you trying to say, Fortis?¡± Marius replied with a threat. Freighly¡¯s hand clutched his right arm, sensing the inevitable altercation. ¡°I¡¯m saying maybe they¡¯re lost, . . since they have shit for fucking scouts.¡± Oliver stepped closer along with his cronies. ¡°I never got why they let your loser of a father in the Natus Vincere. . . silver?¡± Fortis spat at his feet. ¡°Please. . . within the year I¡¯ll be the same rank as your dad.¡± Oliver laughed. ¡°Your mom advanced to gold I though. . . tell me Elrick; who did she have to fuck to get that promotion?¡± The anger in Marius bubbled over. He did not care that it was trial day. No one disrespects his parents in front of him without paying in blood. He readied himself for a fight. But before he could make a move, they heard a shout. ¡°Ask your own mother then.¡± Oliver whipped around angrily to see a tall slender boy with a thin handsome face, long coal-black hair and grey hooded eyes walking casually towards them. ¡°What did you say, Gray?¡± Oliver asked dangerously, pronouncing the words slowly. ¡°I said. . .¡± the handsome boy said as he approached with confident long strides. ¡°Go ask your own mother, Oliver. . . she¡¯s gold as well isn¡¯t she?¡± Tobias Gray asked with a smile. Oliver¡¯s face reddened and his lips quivered. The boys with him looked wary of Tobi¡¯s presence, unsure of what to do. ¡°Ow, that¡¯s right. . . I forgot. She¡¯s dead.¡± said Tobi with a smirk. ¡°Watch your mouth about my mother!¡± growled Oliver, a few flecks of spittle flying, his face turning crimson. ¡°Watch your mouth with other people¡¯s parents then,¡± responded Tobi threateningly, his face almost an inch from Oliver¡¯s. The fake smile was no longer there. Oliver seemed to be restraining himself from hitting the boy, having second thoughts with the situation. There might be five of them but they now faced the top two cadets in their batch with the addition of Freighly. Tobias Gray was not only Marius¡¯ best friend, but he also happens to be the only student he could not surpass. Oliver grunted and forced a menacing smile. ¡°I¡¯ll get you for this, Gray.¡± he threatened through gritted teeth. ¡°Not now. But soon. . .you too, Elrick.¡± He sneered at Marius and signaled his goons to follow. Tobi watched the boys walk away, shaking his head then finally turning to his best friend. ¡°What are you guys going to do without me?¡± Marius¡¯ smiled, his anger dissipating. ¡°We had it handled.¡± Tobi raised a skeptical eyebrow. ¡°Then Briggs cowering behind you was part of the plan then?¡± ¡°I was not cowering!¡± Freighly protested. ¡°I was restraining him. . . and stop calling me Briggs!¡± she finished, letting go of Marius¡¯ arm. ¡°Why? It¡¯s your last name isn¡¯t it? . . it''s much easier to say than Freighly.¡± teased Tobi. ¡°Never mind that. . . I can¡¯t believe what you said to Oliver.¡± scolded Freighly. ¡°I know he¡¯s a horrible person but still. . .¡± ¡°Ow come on. Oliver¡¯s an asshole. Besides, I¡¯ve been like this since we¡¯ve met. You should be used to it by now.¡± argued Tobi, a smirk back on his face. Marius only let out a chuckle. It was true. The Tobi he knew since the start of school had always been quick of wit and sharp of tongue, making him skilled in both making friends and enemies alike. He always had the guts to speak his mind and talents to back everything he said along with the humility to admit his mistakes when he was wrong. Marius admired these qualities because these made Tobi a good friend and also a competitive rival. Perhaps too competitive. Because for some reason no matter how hard Marius tried he always came second place to Tobi much like Oliver was to him. Except the feelings were good-natured instead of pure hatred. ¡°She has a point though.¡± agreed Marius. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to go there considering your own experience.¡± ¡°My parents died ages ago.¡± Tobi waved his hand dismissively. ¡°I barely remember them. Everybody¡¯s got dead people. They should just move on. Everybody gets a red letter eventually.¡± Marius¡¯ stomach clenched. Sometimes Tobi¡¯s frankness can be very annoying whether he was doing it intentionally or not. He did not want to think of receiving the high council¡¯s letters of condolences. Especially in the current situation. ¡°Hey. . .¡± Marius broke in before his friend could say another word. ¡°Have you seen the guys around?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Tobi replied. ¡°They must be at the grounds already.¡± ¡°Well we better hurry then,¡± said Marius bracingly. ¡°What examples would we be setting if the top two weren¡¯t punctual?¡± ¡°There they are.¡± A group of four greeted them as they approached the grounds. The speaker was Lukas; a stout and very muscular boy with dark skin, a round clean-shaven head, and deep green hooded eyes. Flanking Lukas were the twins; Sean and Sarah. Both were very tall, have long red hair, pale skin covered in freckles and rounded light blue eyes. Lastly, there was Aira; a petite girl with bronze skin and a very pretty face framed by thick black hair that reached to her waist. ¡°Thought you guys already backed off.¡± teased Sean. ¡°Ow I wouldn¡¯t do that to you guys,. . . I mean, who¡¯s going to carry your asses through the trials if we didn¡¯t show up?¡± said Marius. His friends booed and jeered along with flashing a few inappropriate hand gestures. At last his friends, and hopefully, his party for the trials was now complete. ¡°Did you see what they did, Marius?¡± asked Aira, pointing to the training grounds. ¡°No. Not yet. Why? Is it. . . what in Babel happened?!¡± asked Marius in awe when he saw it. The dusty field that usually contained sparring courts and obstacle courses was now gone. Instead, there was a green field that ended in a very tall hedge. ¡°What is it?¡± Freighly asked the group in general. ¡°Sarah thinks it¡¯s a maze,¡± said Sean. ¡°It is a maze, idiot. . . it''s obvious,¡± said Sarah. Before Sean could retort, a booming voice echoed through the grounds. ¡°ATTEEEENTION!¡± All the cadets assembled immediately in neat rows and columns in front of the field like well-arranged toy soldiers. The head instructor of the Novicious Academy walked upfront accompanied by another man and a woman. Behind them trailed a large box covered in black cloth being carried by four hooded figures. ¡°Good day cadets,¡± said Avon Kalizen, the head instructor. ¡°Good day, sir!¡± the cadets said in a snappy reply. ¡°Today I am accompanied by Curtis Melrose of the Viridi Guild and Zelrah Eft of the Manus Auri.¡± Kalizen started, referring to the man and woman beside him. ¡°They represent the guild high council and will be conducting your trials today.¡± ¡°Nine hells, . . that¡¯s Zelrah the puppet mistress,¡± whispered Lukas. ¡°She¡¯s a platinum rank conjurer, right?¡± asked Aira. ¡°The one they call the solo scouting party?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s her,¡± confirmed Marius with an excited grin. He felt a mix of anticipation and anxiety building inside him. Zelrah Eft was one of his idols. But if she was part of conducting the trials, this might be a lot harder than he thought. ¡°Listen to their instructions carefully and heed them as if they were my own.¡± finished Kalizen. Curtis Melrose stepped forward. Marius did not recognize the man but judging by the platinum badge hanging around his neck, he was a skilled adventurer as well. ¡°The trials will be held there,¡± Melrose said, pointing to the now lush green grounds. ¡°My guild has commandeered your training grounds for the time being to build a maze.¡± ¡°Told you. . . idiot¡± whispered Sarah to her brother. ¡°I wasn¡¯t arguing. . .¡± hissed back Sean. ¡°The goal is simple.¡± continued Melrose. ¡°Reach the other side and you will become an adventurer. . . fail to do so and you will not be given a badge.¡± ¡°Sounds easy enough,¡± said Tobi with a smile. ¡°But be warned,¡± added Melrose. ¡°The maze is not the only thing you will be facing.¡± With a snap of his fingers, the black cloth over the large box was pulled off. The thing inside the cage slammed against the iron bars as soon as the cloth was removed. It was the size of a toddler but walked on all fours. Its skin was grey like spoiled meat. Its bald head was too large for its emaciated body and the arms ending in clawed hands were too long. The creature snarled, revealing a mouth filled with jagged needle-like teeth. None of the cadets moved though most of their faces showed alarm. ¡°This is a gobhound. . . we¡¯ve placed several of these creatures inside the maze.¡± Melrose went on. ¡°In addition, Ms. Eft here will provide some of her mannequins to hinder your progress as well.¡± As if there was a queue, the four figures that carried the box moved in unison and removed their hoods to reveal flat wooden faces centered with a singular large rotating eye. ¡°By now you probably realize that we are trying to simulate the Tower,¡± said Melrose. ¡°The maze will be the tunnels, the gobhounds and mannequins will be the monsters within. . . any questions so far?¡± ¡°Rules of engagement, sir?!¡± Oliver spoke out. Melrose raised a thick eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯d thought it¡¯d be obvious. . . eliminate with your discretion, of course.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir!¡± replied Fortis with a nasty smile. Instructor Kalizen stepped forward once again. ¡°As your head instructor, I must advise you that the danger in the trials is very real. There is a high possibility that you will get injured or even killed. The last time a trial of this caliber was conducted there were casualties.¡± Some of the cadets started exchanging hesitant looks. ¡°So if you have any doubts about your abilities, . . I implore you not to take it. . . are we clear?¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± they replied in unison. ¡°Very well. . . those who wish to undergo the trials, present yourselves by stepping forward.¡± Marius and Tobi immediately did so without hesitation. One by one, their friends followed suit, confidence bolstered by their actions. All except for Freighly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± asked Marius in a whisper when he saw Freighly did not move. ¡°Grandpa Nic told us not to take risks,¡± she said. She was shaking slightly. Her eyes were fixed on the gobhound rampaging inside the cage. ¡°Grandpa Nic worries too much,¡± argued Marius. ¡°We can handle those things.¡± ¡°Is there no one else?¡± asked instructor Kalizen. Less than half of the class stepped forward. ¡°Freighly hurry up.¡± Marius urged. ¡°We¡¯ll protect you, I promise,¡± The others gave her reassuring nods. Finally, Freighly took a hesitant step forward to everyone''s relief. ¡°Okay,¡± said Kalizen after seeing that no one else was willing to move. ¡°Those who did not step forward, you are now dismissed.¡± Only twenty-five cadets were left. ¡°You did good, Freighly.¡± Marius reassured her. ¡°We¡¯ll get you your badge. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Freighly gave him a shy and grateful smile. ¡°You will be forming five parties of five,¡± announced Kalizen. This was met with sighs of relief. At least the fear of going in the maze alone was gone. ¡°The party leaders will be represented by the top five students of the class. So step forward when I call your name.¡± ¡°Gray, Tobias, . .¡± ¡°Elrick, Marius Nicholas, . . ¡± ¡°Fortis, Oliver, . .¡± ¡°Marc, Kendra, . .¡± ¡°and Clay, Berthal.¡± The five stepped forward one by one as their names were called. ¡°As the strongest among your peers, you have earned the privilege to lead your fellow cadets,¡± said Kalizen. ¡°Choose the members of your party one at a time. Starting with you, Clay.¡± Berthal nodded and called out; ¡°Carrow, Megan.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take Freighly.¡± Marius whispered to Tobi. ¡°We¡¯ll split the guys between us. Okay?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Tobi nodded. ¡°Race you to the finish line?¡± Marius smiled in agreement. ¡°You¡¯re on.¡± ¡°Ambros, Kaleb,¡± said Kendra. Marius felt excitement. He had been waiting for this moment his entire life. Under his or Tobi¡¯s leadership, all their friends would surely pass the trials. ¡°Briggs, Freighly.¡± announced Oliver Fortis. Marius¡¯ heart stopped. He turned to see Oliver with a smirk of triumph on his face.