The 14th floor presented them with a surprisingly simple challenge—a single stone tablet covered in riddles. The chamber was well-lit and comfortable, with benches arranged before the tablet.
"Is this it?" Ethan asked, poking the tablet suspiciously.
Sam was already transcribing the riddles, his pen moving rapidly. "These are complex, but... hmm, not impossible."
They worked together, calling out suggestions. Victor, surprisingly, proved adept at unravelling wordplay.
Walter contributed historical contexts that illuminated several answers. Even Ethan, between complaining about "brain puzzles," found the answer to a riddle.
Half an hour went by as they solved the riddles on the tablet. Once they had figured out the answers to all of them the tablet sank into the floor without fanfare, revealing the exit.
"Well, that was anticlimactic," Lily remarked as they moved towards the exit.
"Be grateful," Walter said. "Not every challenge needs to leave scars."
The passage leading to the 15th floor was longer than the previous ones. As they walked through it, a faint scent of fresh grass and clean water drifted over to meet them.
"I smell... outside?" Ethan sniffed the air, his pace quickening.
They emerged into a space that defied logic—a vast meadow stretching beneath an open sky. Soft grass cushioned their feet, and in the distance, a small lake reflected the sunlight.
Trees heavy with fruit dotted the landscape, and comfortable-looking shelters had been erected near the water's edge.
Above it all, floating in midair, glowing blue numbers counted down from 12:00:00.
Victor surveyed the idyllic scene with narrowed eyes. "The calm before the storm," he said, voicing what they all suspected. "Whatever comes next, they want us at our best for it."
Walter lowered himself carefully onto the grass, leaning his cane against his leg. "Then we'd be fools not to take advantage."
They explored the meadow, discovering that the boundaries were invisible barriers—the space was large but finite.
The shelters contained bedding, the trees bore edible fruit, and the lake water was clean and refreshing.
As the fake sun fell, an artificial twilight that somehow felt completely natural came into view, they gathered around a fire pit near the shelters.
"These past couple of floors..." Sam said, flipping through his notebook. "They've been quite relaxed, almost too relaxed. Like Victor said, I get the feeling the tower wants us at our best for the upcoming storm."
Lily hugged her knees to her chest. "So what comes next will be worse than even that beast?"
"Different," Walter corrected gently. "Not necessarily worse."
"Doesn't matter," Ethan mumbled through a mouthful of fruit. "We'll handle it."
AJ had spent a lot of this time absorbing as much mana as possible. "We have close to 10 hours left here, we should definitely sleep, but we also need to train."
As the artificial night deepened, they fell into exhausted slumber. Except for Lily who found herself joined by AJ, who didn't need sleep like they did.
"You were troubled by the meditation," he observed quietly.
Lily poked at the fire with a stick. "Weren't we all?"
"More or less. But your questions... seemed to cause you particular pain."
She was silent for a long moment. "I keep trying to make myself useful," she finally whispered. "To all of you. I'm scared of finding out I'm not needed."
"Being useful or needed isn't the same as belonging," AJ said, his voice soft. "You're part of this team because you're Lily, not because you're useful. That's not to say you aren't useful though..."
---
Once Lily had settled into a deep slumber, AJ began his work, he moved with quiet purpose to a flat area near the lake's edge. His translucent form rippled in the moonlight as he absorbed the team's weapons.
Victor's dagger took shape first. AJ extended a tendril, the materials flowing and reshaping within his form. Iron core for strength, obsidian steel wrapping it like liquid shadow.
The blade emerged thin and deadly, its edge so sharp it could split hairs. The handle formed around a wooden core, ravager scales moulding to create grip grooves that would fit Victor's hand nicely.
Ethan's weapons required more mass. The axe head bloomed from AJ's substance—iron heart wrapped in obsidian steel, the cutting edge a line of absolute sharpness that caught the artificial moonlight.
The shield came next, layers of metal forming a defensive surface strong enough to turn aside the heaviest blow. Both handles followed the same pattern: wood wrapped in scales, designed for Ethan's larger hands.
Lily's bow demanded delicacy. AJ carefully shaped the frame, wood providing flexibility while iron added strength.
Her arrows were works of miniature artistry—wooden shafts made with wood and obsidian steel points honed to punch through thick armour.
Sam's spear stretched longer than the others, requiring careful balance. The wooden core ran the full length, obsidian steel forming the blade and iron reinforcing critical stress points.
The shaft, wrapped in precisely placed scales, would serve equally well for attacking and defending.
Walter's cane proved the most complex creation. AJ crafted what appeared to be a simple walking stick—wooden core, ravager scale surface for grip and durability.
But hidden within lay a sword, the blade, nestled in a concealed sheath, ran the full length of the cane. Iron and obsidian steel formed a weapon worthy of Walter, disguised as a walking aide.
Each creation took hours, AJ's form fluctuating as he poured his essence into the work. By dawn, the weapons lay arranged on the grass. The slime's usually vibrant green had dulled slightly from the effort, but satisfaction rippled through his substance.
---
When the others stirred at dawn, they found AJ resting by the lake's edge. But it was the gleaming weapons arranged on the grass beside him that drew their attention.
"AJ?" Lily called softly, approaching the display with wide eyes. "What... when did you do this?"
"While you slept. Thought you might need upgrades for whatever comes next."
Victor knelt beside his new dagger, running his fingers along the ravager-scale handle. The grip felt moulded to his hand, as if AJ had memorised every callus and contour.
"This is..." Victor paused, uncharacteristically at a loss for words. "This is seriously good."
Ethan hefted his new axe and shield, testing their weight with obvious delight. "AJ, this is incredible work. How long did this take you?"
"Most of the night," He admitted. "Wanted to get them right."
Sam examined his spear with careful attention, noting how the obsidian steel blade seamlessly merged with the iron-reinforced shaft.
"It's beautiful," Lily held the bow in her hands. "And these arrows... they'll punch through anything."
Walter had discovered his cane's secret, drawing the hidden blade with a soft whisper. The sword emerged sharp and deadly.
"Ingenious," he murmured, testing the blade before sheathing it again. "A gentleman's weapon, disguised as an old man's necessity."
"AJ, you must be exhausted," Lily said, kneeling beside him with concern evident in her voice. "You shouldn't have pushed yourself so hard."
He rippled with what might have been amusement. "Worth it. We're stronger together, and now our weapons match that strength."
Ethan grinned. "Thanks, mate. These are going to save our lives."
"That's the idea," AJ replied, his satisfaction evident.
---
They then ate some breakfast, freshened up and got to training, they started with some light exercises before taking the time to adjust to their new weaponry.
"Spar with me," Ethan challenged Victor. "No weapons, just hands."
Victor raised an eyebrow as he stretched. The ribs where the shadow beast had struck him gently protested with a dull ache. "Alright, bring it on tough guy."
They faced each other on a flat stretch of grass, the morning dew had already evaporated.
Ethan rolled his massive shoulders, the sound of joints popping like distant firecrackers. His leg—the one that had been injured during their escape from the falling pillars—bore only a faint trace of the bruising though it was still sore.
Victor adopted a loose stance, noting how his body felt different after the trials and the subsequent healing.
He felt lighter somehow, as if the tower had stripped away more than just physical wounds. The healing salves had done their work.
"Start easy," Ethan said, throwing a slow jab that Victor deflected.
They circled each other like cautious predators, testing range and reflexes. Victor's attacks minimised wasted movement. Each motion calculated, no energy wasted. Ethan fought like the avalanche he resembled, building momentum with every strike.
Walter supervised from beneath a fruit tree, his cane resting across his knees. His eyes tracked their movements. "Victor, you're still favouring your left side," he called out. "The ribs may be healed, but your body is still weary."
Sam made notes on their form, occasionally glancing at AJ who had spread himself thin across a warm rock, slowly absorbing the morning light.
Lily practised with her bow nearby, the whisper of arrows cutting through air providing a rhythmic backdrop to the sparring.
The two combatants gradually increased their intensity. Sweat began to bead on Victor's forehead as he ducked under one of Ethan's wider swings.
His side twinged—not with sharp pain, but with the ghost of it, muscle memory that made him move just a fraction slower than he should.
"Come on," Ethan taunted, his breathing still steady. "I thought you were tougher than that."
Victor's eyes narrowed. He feinted left, then drove his shoulder into Ethan's midsection. The larger man stumbled but didn't fall, instead wrapping his arms around Victor in a bear hug, lifting him off the ground.
"Still got some moves, huh?" Ethan grunted, before Victor elbowed him in the ribs, forcing him to release his grip.
They reset, both men now breathing harder. The casual sparring was becoming something more serious—a test of how far they'd truly recovered.
"Try using your mana," Walter suggested, his voice carrying across the meadow. "Don't overexert yourselves though, just find your limits."
Ethan nodded, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, a faint luminescence rippled beneath his skin.
His next punch came faster, harder. Victor barely managed to deflect it, the impact sending vibrations up his arm.
"So that's how we're playing," Victor muttered. He reached for his own inner reserves, feeling the mana that had been slowly replenishing itself respond to his call.
Their next exchange was different. Victor's strikes carried an edge that cut through the air, his movements quicker and harder to predict.
Ethan's blocks resonated with contained power, each contact producing small shockwaves that rippled the grass around their feet.
They broke apart, both men studying each other.
"Your leg's still bothering you," Victor observed, watching how Ethan unconsciously shifted his weight.
"Your ribs aren't playing nice either," Ethan replied, noting the slight hitch in Victor's breathing.
They came together again, this time with mana flowing freely. Victor's style remained precise, but now each movement was quicker and carried more power.
Ethan's approach grew more direct, his enhanced strength making Victor's whole body tremble with each contact.
A particularly powerful exchange sent both men skidding backward across the grass. Victor's feet carved small furrows in the earth as he fought to remain upright. Ethan, meanwhile, stood firmly in his spot.
"Stop now," Walter called, rising to his feet with the help of his cane. "You're both pushing harder than you should."
They stood there, chests heaving, sweat staining their clothes. Victor wiped his brow with the back of his hand, tasting something metallic—a reminder that healing was a process, not an instant transformation.
"Not bad, for an amateur." Ethan joked, extending his hand.
Victor clasped it, feeling the lingering thrum of mana in their grips. "Yeah, yeah."
Lily approached, having finished her archery practice. "How do you feel?"
Victor considered the question seriously. His body ached in new places, but it was the good kind of ache—his muscles were responding well. "Better," he said. "Not perfect, but better."
"The salve helps," Ethan agreed, gently stretching his leg. "But some things just take time."
"That was impressive," AJ commented from his rock. His voice was clearer now. "Your mana circulation has improved despite the injuries."
Sam looked up from his notes. "The tower's environment seems conducive to recovery."
They spent the next hour rotating through different sparring partners. Lily worked with Walter on footwork and positioning, her youthful energy contrasting with his measured movements.
Sam, despite his preference for research over combat, practised defensive techniques with Ethan..
By the time the counter showed 00:30:00 remaining, they had all worked up a proper sweat. Their bodies moved with renewed confidence, though each still carried subtle reminders of recent trials.
Victor's ribs protested certain twisting motions. Ethan's leg occasionally stiffened. Lily's shoulder—injured during their desperate fight—was slowly recovering its range of movement.
AJ had grown noticeably, regaining his original size. He showed off a little by extending a tendril that mimicked the basic forms they'd been practising.
They used the last half hour to catch their breath and prepare for the upcoming trials.