Chương 1: Start Reading

ONE"Are you the tower master?" Roan asked the creature seated across from him. A loud snort issued from its large pink nose, twitching in time with its long whiskers. Old scars ran over its face, puckered and faded with its gray fur not growing over the old wounds.

"Do I look like a tower master?" Its voice was very deep for something that looked like a rabbit. The large ears, pink nose, and fur all looked just like a rabbit. If Roan hadn't known about the beast-kin servants who lived in the towers he would have been shocked by the man sized creature.

"Not really. Just figured I'd ask, just in case." Roan looked over the room as he spoke. Every inch of the room was filled with classical weapons. Swords, bows, axes, flails, maces, crossbows, bolos, and other things that he couldn't identify. The rabbit-kin's desk had a massive stack of other items, rings, bracelets, loose papers, vials of bubbling liquids, and a glittering emerald crystal the size of his fist.

"This will go faster if you listen to what I have to say without interruptions. Then you can get to dying," the beast-kin said. Roan just nodded along, there had been plenty of knowledge that had come from the other twelve conquered towers. This was well in line with what he expected.

"You are entering a tower. Inside this tower is ten floors, made of ten levels each for one-hundred levels. Each floor is themed with every level an increasing difficulty. At no time may you leave this tower until every level has been cleared. After clearing the final level of the final floor, you will be allowed to challenge the one-hundred-and-first level. If it is cleared then the tower will open and those who have survived may leave from any safe point."

The battle scarred rabbit-kin stopped to grab a bottle of amber liquid from its cluttered desk, unpopping it and drinking from it deeply. He belched a little bit, wiping at his mouth with the back of his furry wrist.

"At the end of every level there is a safe room where you may rest and train until the next level opens. There is a timer for every level that will allow you to enter the next level. You may explore any level you have cleared until the floor is finished. Every safe-room allows you access to the Market. You earn credits for slaying mobs, completing puzzles, or finishing floor or level quests. Each floor will have unique items to be harvested or items to be bought in the Market.

Any changes you make to yourself inside of the tower are permanent." The beast-kin paused and stared hard at Roan.

"My own ancestors started as tower climbers. They weren't rabbits." The old beast-kin let that hang between them before it looked back to a series of folded pages it was reading from.

"Where were we… ah, yes. The tower is populated by mana constructs, known as mobs, and servants such as, well me. There is a bounty on everything inside of the tower, though servants are not restrained by floor or level power constraints. They will not attack you unless they are attacked and they can not hinder your climb in any way, though they can aid you if they wish. Basically, don't fuck with us and we won't turn you into mulch," the old rabbit said. That tracked with what Roan knew about the other towers.

Aside from the Market and not allowing anybody to leave. Most towers allowed an exit after a floor clear, allowing others to come back in at the floor they'd cleared. Roan had just figured out one of the mysteries of why no one had ever left this tower before. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"That's about it. Rest you can figure out as you climb. As our tower master has removed the safeguards from the tower he has had to add benefits. One of them being the Market place. Another benefit is a starting item that you can choose right now," the rabbit leaned back and waved at the collection of clutter that filled the office.

"Anything in here?" Roan asked.

"Pick and I'll tell you. Some of my personal items are mixed in," the old rabbit said. Roan looked at the mystery orb of crystal on the desk, but had to fight back asking. It could be something powerful, or nothing at all. In the century since the towers had landed, no one had managed to clear this tower. It alone had stood unconquered. Taking a stupid risk like gambling on a mystery rock was the easiest way to die.

"What's the most valuable thing I can pick?" Roan asked. The beast-kin leaned back in the chair and stared at him, a smile slowly started to spread.

"That is smart. I'll tell you that the weapons in here would be useful, but you'll be able to find more later that'll suit you. Got a couple bags of holding stored around here somewhere, those are always useful but you can buy them on the first saferoom. The most valuable thing here is myself, or the information I have. I'll answer three questions." Roan licked his lips at the thought of a bag-of-holding, those had been pulled out of plenty of towers and we're valuable. Very valuable.

But the information could be better.

"What's the best way to survive the tower?" Roan asked.

"Don't be stupid. Buy proper skills. Find a team that you trust. Your question is too vague."

"What's the best skill I can buy?" Roan asked.

"Again, too vague, but something that compounds. It grows with you or drives your growth. Buy it early on or don't buy one at all. One question left." Roan hissed as he sat back and thought of what he could ask. But there was something he needed to know. A question that had plagued humanity for the last century, with only hints of answers brought back from the other twelve towers.

"What is the purpose of the towers?"

"Waste of a question. It won't help you survive." The beast-kin sighed and shook its head before continuing.

"You're not the first to get me here, you know? Answering questions…in fact," the beast kin took a long sniff of the air and nodded to himself.

"Not even the first of your bloodline to do it. Brother and sister each were smart enough to get here." Roan stiffened at the beast's words. His heart picked up its pace in his chest as he leaned forward to the point he was crowding the creature's desk.

"You knew them?"

"You're out of questions. The purpose of the towers is to prepare your world for further integration. They are terraforming engines when they are fully operational, managing the mana flow through the planet to limit future mutations amongst the native lifeforms."

"Fully operational?" For whatever reason it was that part that stuck with Roan and not the greater universe and terraforming.

"Out of questions, kid. I hope you got your information worth from that. I got a few thousand more of these to go before I can release you all into the greater tower. Maybe if you're lucky you'll find the rest of your family." Before Roan could respond his world went black.