Chapter 20: The Second Floor
The second floor of the tower is nothing like the first. The room they step into is massive, its ceiling high and arched, giving the impression of a grand, ancient cathedral. Stone pillars rise up on either side, their surfaces carved with intricate, twisting patterns. At the far end of the chamber, a massive, ornate door looms, its surface shimmering with an unearthly light.
Ryo and Hana exchange a wary glance as they move forward, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the vast, empty space. There's an oppressive silence here, a sense of something powerful and dangerous lurking just out of sight.
"What do you think this trial will be?" Hana asks quietly, her eyes scanning the room.
Ryo shakes his head, his gaze fixed on the massive door ahead. "I'm not sure. But we need to be ready for anything."
As they approach the center of the room, a low, rumbling sound fills the air, and the ground beneath them begins to shake. Ryo's heart pounds as he looks around, his body tensing.
Then, from the shadows between the pillars, figures emerge. They're humanoid but twisted, their bodies cloaked in darkness, their eyes glowing with a malevolent light. Each one wields a weapon — swords, axes, spears — and they move with a deadly, coordinated precision.
"Great," Ryo mutters, his hands tightening around the branch. "More enemies."
Hana's grip on her weapon tightens. "We've dealt with worse. We can handle this."
The figures spread out, circling around them, their weapons gleaming in the dim light. Ryo and Hana move back to back, their eyes darting between the approaching enemies.
"Just like before," Ryo says, his voice calm despite the tension in the air. "We watch each other's backs."
Hana nods, her gaze steady. "Got it."
The first figure lunges forward, its blade slicing through the air with a speed that takes Ryo by surprise. He parries the blow with his branch, the impact jolting through his arms, and then counters with a quick strike to the side. The figure recoils, its form flickering, but it doesn't fall.
"They're tough," Ryo grunts, dodging another strike. "Be careful."
Hana ducks under a swing from a second figure, slashing at its legs. The figure stumbles but doesn't go down. "We need to find a way to break them," she says, her voice tense. "They're not like the others."
Ryo's mind races as he fends off another attack. These enemies aren't just physical — there's something else, something deeper. He can feel it in the way they move, the way their eyes seem to pierce through him. It's like they're testing him, probing for weaknesses.
Then, he realizes something. The carvings on the pillars — they're glowing, pulsing faintly with each move the figures make. The pillars and the figures are connected somehow, and the carvings might be controlling or even empowering them. If they can disrupt that connection, they might be able to weaken their enemies.
"Hana!" Ryo shouts, blocking another strike and narrowly avoiding a spear thrust aimed at his chest. "The pillars! They're linked to these things! We need to break the carvings!"
Hana's eyes dart to the nearest pillar, her expression sharp as she takes in the glowing runes. "Got it!"
She lunges forward, her blade striking at the base of the pillar. The stone chips under her attack, and the glow from the carvings flickers. One of the shadowy figures lets out a guttural roar, its form wavering and fading slightly.
"It's working!" Hana shouts, her voice filled with hope. "Keep hitting the pillars!"
Ryo nods, dodging another blow from a sword-wielding figure. He rushes toward the closest pillar, swinging his branch with all his might. The wood smashes against the stone, splintering but leaving a visible crack across the carved runes. The figure nearest to him stumbles, its movements slowing.
They press the attack, darting between the pillars, striking at the glowing runes with everything they have. Each blow weakens the figures, their forms flickering like dying flames. But the figures don't retreat. If anything, they fight harder, more desperately, their attacks becoming frenzied and erratic.
One of the figures charges at Hana, its spear aimed directly at her heart. Ryo sees it just in time, his heart lurching. "Hana, look out!"
Hana spins, her blade coming up just in time to deflect the spear. The force of the impact knocks her off balance, but she regains her footing, slashing at the figure's arm. The figure recoils, its form dissolving as the runes on its pillar flicker and fade.
"We're almost there!" Ryo yells, slamming his branch into another pillar. The carving shatters, and the figure in front of him collapses, its body crumbling into shadows that melt into the floor.
They fight with everything they have, their bodies aching, their breaths ragged. But they don't stop. Pillar by pillar, they break the runes, shattering the connection that gives the figures their strength.
With a final, desperate swing, Ryo smashes the last pillar. The carving explodes in a burst of light, and the remaining figures let out an unearthly scream, their bodies dissolving into nothingness.
The chamber falls silent, the oppressive weight lifting. Ryo and Hana stand in the center of the room, their bodies trembling with exhaustion but their spirits unbroken.
"We did it," Hana says, her voice filled with relief.
Ryo nods, his breath coming in heavy gasps. "Yeah… we did."
The massive door at the end of the chamber begins to open, the light beyond it bright and welcoming. Ryo feels a surge of hope. They've passed another trial. They're one step closer to the top.
But as they approach the door, a figure steps out of the shadows. Ryo's heart skips a beat as he recognizes the tall, imposing silhouette of Gregor, his mechanical arm gleaming in the light.
"Impressive," Gregor says, his voice calm and controlled. "I knew you two had potential, but this… this is beyond what I expected."
Ryo tenses, his grip tightening on the branch. "What do you want, Gregor?"
Gregor smiles, a cold, calculating smile. "To offer you a choice. You've proven yourselves worthy, but there's still a long way to go. I can make it easier for you."
Ryo narrows his eyes, suspicion and anger flaring in his chest. "What do you mean?"
Gregor steps closer, his mechanical arm whirring softly. "Join me. I can give you the power you need to survive the trials, to reach the top of the tower. All you have to do is swear loyalty to me."
Ryo's heart pounds. He can see the cold, ruthless ambition in Gregor's eyes, the promise of power — and the threat that lies behind it. He glances at Hana, whose face is pale but resolute.
"No," Ryo says, his voice steady. "We've come this far on our own. We don't need your help."
Gregor's smile fades, replaced by a look of cold disapproval. "You're making a mistake, Ryo. This tower will destroy you. You've barely scratched the surface of what lies ahead. Without me, you don't stand a chance."
Ryo shakes his head, his gaze unwavering. "We'll take our chances."
Gregor's eyes narrow, his mechanical hand clenching into a fist. "So be it. But remember this: I gave you a choice. Don't expect mercy when you fail."
He steps aside, his expression hard as stone. Ryo and Hana walk past him, their heads held high. The door looms before them, the light beyond it promising new challenges, new dangers.
But they're ready. Together, they've faced their darkest fears, their greatest trials. And they're not going to stop now.
They step through the door, into the unknown.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone