A familiar blue screen appeared in front of everyone's view.
Welcome to the Tower of Trials.
"Tower of Trials? What do you mean?" Sam asked out of reflex, expecting a familiar voice to reply. However, his question was met with silence.
The screen flickered.
There are 10 floors, each floor has its own challenges. Beat them all or die trying. Should you succeed, you will be rewarded and you will be allowed to leave.
"Things just got a whole lot more interesting," Ethan grinned, putting up a front of bravery.
"Faker..." AJ's voice sounded out, and everyone stifled their laughs as Ethan's false front crumbled immediately.
"Enough jokes, guys. This is serious," Victor's cold voice rang out. "This is now a matter of life and death. We can't afford to take this lightly." He poured cold water on everyone's mood, their expressions hardening.
"Ethan will be the tank. His shield will keep him safe as he draws the attention of the enemy. Lily, Walter, and I will flank and do what damage we can. Sam, we rely on you to analyse attack patterns and identify weaknesses. AJ... Well, you're a bit of a wild card, try anything and everything," Victor summarised.
---
They moved cautiously through the chamber, their footsteps echoing softly against the stone floor. As they approached the far wall, they found another narrow passageway, its entrance barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side.
"This is getting cosy," Ethan muttered lightly but with unease. "I don't like tight spaces."
"Neither do I," Lily said "But we don't have much of a choice. Let's just hope it doesn't get any narrower."
AJ took the lead with Victor following a couple steps behind, scanning the passageway for any sign of danger. The others followed closely, their movements slow and deliberate.
The passageway was dark and damp, the walls slick with moisture. The air grew heavier as they continued forward.
The passage then opened up into another chamber. This one was smaller than the first, its walls lined with more of the same eerie torches.
They didn't have to wait long.
A low growl echoed through the chamber. This time there were six of the dog-like creatures that emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing with a faint, malevolent light as they revealed their razor-sharp teeth that made metallic scraping sounds as they snapped in their direction.
The group attempted to get into formation, but the enemies' numbers threw them off. Ethan drew the attention of three of the creatures. His shield was able to block their bites without issue.
Victor dealt with his opponent swiftly, not getting caught out this time. Sam and Lily worked together to fight theirs—Sam drew its attention and Lily stabbed its side a few times, ensuring it was dead.
Walter hid behind Ethan, fending off a persistent bastard that clearly had a grudge against old people. "What's your problem, you damn thing?" Walter's frustrated grumbles escaped his mouth as he repeatedly struck at the creature with his cane.
The problem being it was quick to react and dodge. It stayed just far enough away to be able to run at any time but close enough to attack Walter if he let his guard down.
AJ had noticed Walter's situation and quickly slid around behind the dog. He latched onto one of its hind legs and suctioned himself to the ground, not letting the dog escape as Walter struck it squarely between the eyes.
"Good riddance. Didn't know the monsters here could be ageist," Walter said as he straightened his clothes before turning to help Ethan.
With Ethan distracting them, they were easy pickings for the rest of the group. They struck at opportune moments beating the creatures helplessly.
They paused, everyone breathing deeply. "Another round down," Ethan said.
"Nice work, Mr Tank. Good to see your shield is holding up," Sam patted his back.
"Yeah, Walter and AJ aren't just here to look good." Ethan replied with a quiet laugh.
They once again approached the creatures' bodies, but before they could get close, the bodies turned to dust and vanished.
"Same as before," Sam noted.
The group moved on, unsure of what to make of the disappearing bodies. They looked around and saw the next passage open up.
"Here we go again," Ethan muttered with unease. "Let's hope this one doesn't lead to another, even larger pack of those things."
---
They entered the third chamber. This one was larger than the previous two, its walls lined with more of the same eerie torches and swirling patterns. The group moved away from the tunnel as it closed behind them.
A low, guttural growl echoed through the chamber, and a larger creature emerged from the shadows. It was similar to the dog-like creatures they had faced before, but this one was much larger—about the size of a bicycle.
Its teeth made terrible grinding sounds, and the beast opened and closed its mouth. Its eyes glowed faintly with the power of mana. This one would be much stronger than the ones they had fought previously.
Ethan stepped forward, raising his shield. As it glistened in the torchlight, he let out a battle cry and charged towards the beast to draw its attention. He met the creature head-on, his shield absorbing the brunt of its attack. Its teeth scraped against the scales but the shield held firm.
The others didn't sit around. They moved forward, getting around to its flanks. Sam stood some distance away, doing his best to identify potential weak spots. Even if it turned out to not be all that strong, he needed the practice.
Lily had a plan—she wanted to stab at its joints, reduce its mobility, and it'd become a sitting duck. That was easier said than done, though, as she severely struggled to hit her mark as the beast moved around. But, when she did finally land a blow, it was very effective. The beast howled in anger and pain, turning its attention to her, its eyes radiating hate and bloodlust.
Lily looked into the beast's eyes and stood frozen in fear. She had never experienced that kind of instinctual fear before, she felt as though death was looking her in the eyes. Ethan noticed its attention being drawn away and slammed his shield into the side of the beast's head, it worked—for now, anyway.
Victor and Walter weren't standing idle during this time. Walter's cane thrust at the beast's ribs, landing with satisfying thumps each time. However, the lack of reaction from the creature suggested it wasn't very effective. Victor, meanwhile, was looking for chances to attack at the creature's neck.
AJ was still on the side, trying to think of ways to disrupt the large beast. He had tried grabbing onto its leg, but it was quite wary of him and avoided touching him. As his form gently rippled, he suddenly had an idea.
He got a large run-up, bursting forward as quickly as he could, taking advantage of a gap that the creature revealed as Lily's spear once again found its mark. AJ jumped up and landed on the side of the beast.
His slimy body quickly latching on, he then spread himself out across its stomach and began vibrating his body.
Sam continued watching from the side, occasionally giving reminders to the group, calling out the beast's attacks, helping them time their attacks, and so on. The group's coordination was full of flaws, but they were getting better.
Ethan barely managed to keep the creature's attention focused on him, his shield deflecting its powerful blows. Lily continued to harass its legs, her spear occasionally finding its mark.
Victor and Walter worked in tandem, their attacks wearing the creature down. And AJ, still attached to its belly, continued to disrupt it with his violent vibrations.
It didn't take long for the creature to falter. With a final roar, it collapsed to the ground, its body twitching as the last of its strength faded away. The group stood over it, their breathing heavy.
"Not bad," Walter's fatigue was audible. "We're getting better."
Just like the smaller ones before it, within moments, the creature was gone, its remains vanishing into the air.
Sam, who had been quietly observing the chamber, spoke up. "Seems like the further we go, the more dangerous the creatures are going to become."
The group spent the next few minutes resting. Ethan used some healing salve on his forearms that were already starting to bruise from the repeated impacts.
Victor glanced around the chamber. "We've got a new passage to deal with," he said, gesturing towards one of the walls. Unlike the narrow, claustrophobic corridors they had been navigating, this one was different—a set of stairs leading upward.
"Stairs," Ethan muttered with apprehension. "At least it's not another tight squeeze. But going up? That usually means things are about to get worse."
"Only one way to find out," Lily said steadily. She adjusted her grip on her spear and took the first step. The group followed, their footsteps echoing softly as they ascended.
The air grew cooler as they climbed, the oppressive energy of the tower seeming to intensify with each step. The walls of the stairwell were lined with more of the intricate carvings they had seen below, their patterns twisting and shifting in the torchlight, as if alive.
The stairs opened up into a new chamber. This one was different from the others they had encountered.
The room was circular, like the first chamber, but the walls were lined with strange, pulsating crystals that emitted a faint, otherworldly glow. The mana here felt thicker. In the centre of the room stood a new creature.
It was like a humanoid ant, it stood upright. Its body was covered in a thick, chitinous exoskeleton that gleamed in the dim light. Its limbs were long and spindly, ending in razor-sharp claws. Its head was featureless, save for a single, glowing eye. The creature stood motionless, as if waiting for them.