[6:01 AM]
Ring ring…
"Hngh… Five more minutes…"
I fumbled across the nightstand for my phone, only to miss, my hand slipping over the edge along with my body.
Crash!
"—Ow!"
I stared at the ceiling blankly for a moment and sighed.
"Fine… I'll get up…"
I stood up from the floor, grabbing my phone and dismissing the alarm.
I walked around my apartment—it was cramped, sure but it served its purpose well.
It was quiet and calm…
Thud. Thud.
The neighbors stomped.
For the most part, that is.
Everything seemed normal, the mirror didn't show anything unusual—no dark circles, no paleness. The shower was alright, neither cold nor warm. I didn't bother to heat it, not that it would work anyways.
By the time I sat down on the couch with a plate of reheated leftovers from last night, the sun was already rising—shining through the thick curtains I had bought to keep it dark how I like it. I turned on the TV more out of habit than any actual interest.
"—Breaking news!"
The news anchor said, her voice sharp and bridled with fake calm despite a looming urgency.
"Overnight, a massive structure has appeared simultaneously in what appears to be every capital city across the globe!"
The screen cut to the footage of a towering silhouette piercing the skyline. It looked like the Leaning Tower of Pisa without the lean and not to mention its size.
Crowds surrounded the base of it. Police tape. Flashing lights. It seemed like it was a new attraction.
"… At this time, authorities are unable to identify the material or origin of the structure. Officials are advising civilians to remain calm and await further instructions."
I kept eating, slower than usual but there was no rush.
It didn't faze me.
It doesn't have anything to do with me.
The screen cuts back to the news' stage. The anchor conversed with her fellow casters, droning on about speculations of what the structure could be. Albeit, none of them sounded convincing.
And then, the camera returns to the tower—zooming in at the base of it.
For a moment, I thought the footage had glitched.
Something had appeared.
The air twisted, wrapping inside of itself, and a figure emerged—hovering over everyone. It looked like a human—humanoid, I should say. She wore robes and floated in the sky with wings. Surrounding her head were three rings, each studded with multiple eyes that all moved independently.
She looked beautiful.
Too beautiful.
Ominously beautiful
It looked so surreal yet, it was too unmistakably clear to think otherwise—it hurts to look at.
The reporter fell silent.
"… Is that CGI?"
"A hologram, maybe…?"
People off-screen whispered.
Murmurs suddenly came from everywhere in the crowd.
Then, the being spoke.
Silencing all of them at once. Her voice reached everywhere, the sound carried through the broadcast—audible—as if she were standing beside the camera.
"Hello." She said, smiling. "It seems you are all quite curious about this tower…"
My eyes widened, gulping down the lump of food lodged in my throat.
The being continued.
"I am an angel, I'm here to answer all of your questions regarding the tower—your guide to the tower, let's say…"
Her gaze shifted—not toward the camera or anything nearby, but beyond. It seemed like she was looking at something far, far away.
"This tower has appeared in multiple other worlds, enlightening them to the infinite possibilities of the universe. Planets have united through this tower and now… It is Earth's turn."
"Across your world, there are now identical towers that stand in the middle of every nation. One hundred floors each. One hundred trials that your species must overcome together. And at the very top—"
She raised a single finger.
"—a reward."
The word settled heavily in the air. Taking root in everyone's mind.
"Anything you desire may be claimed. Wealth beyond counting. Knowledge beyond what you have ever known. Power to reshape your fragile lives." Her eyes gleamed. "Even that which you believe to be simply impossible can happen."
My grip on the fork tightened with her words.
"However," She continued. "Entry is not mandatory."
"You are free to enter and leave at your disposal."
The crowd shared a sigh of relief as everyone murmured to each other once more.
Then someone shouted.
"Bullshit!" A man near the front yelled, the others around him stepped away to give him space. "This is a stunt! Some sick joke! You expect us to believe an angel just appeared and started making promises like a fairy tale?"
The being turned her head.
Slowly.
Her smile vanished, replaced with disgust.
"Ah…" She said, "Doubt..."
"What a funny thing that is."
She extended her hand—not pointing, not gesturing. Simply acknowledging him.
Then, a pillar of light poured down from the sky and swallowed the man whole. As if the man was smitten by God himself. There was no struggle. No say in the matter.
When the light faded, the man disappeared.
The ground where he stood scorched black.
Panic exploded throughout the crowd. Everyone screamed and ran away begging for their lives. People were praying, children were crying, phones were dropped. It was absolute chaos.
Until…
"Stop."
Her voice no louder than before yet, it held a commanding tone that yielded everyone to freeze on the spot.
"Let us establish understanding." She said calmly, a faint nerve in her forehead showed. "This tower is not a negotiation. It is an opportunity."
She looked down at the crowd.
"And refusal has consequences."
The broadcast cut out.
Not faded. Not interrupted by static.
It simply ended—the screen going black right after her words as if it was a parting message.
I stared at my reflection in the dark TV for a few seconds, my own face staring back at me like I expected it to move first.
"… What the hell was that?"
My phone vibrated.
Once.
Twice.
Then it wouldn't stop.
The screen opened up with an amber alert after amber alert, if not for that then the countless notifications from different apps. Everyone was panicking over this.
EMERGENCY ALERT
DO NOT APPROACH THE STRUCTURE
REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
The alert surfaced.
I took a calm breather.
"Right…"
As if anyone was going to listen.
Another vibration—this one different. Not a buzz. Not a ringtone.
A ping.
The sound was wrong. Too clean. Too loud for something that came from my phone.
I looked down at my phone. It was closed.
I tilted my head up and saw the screen hovering in mid-air in front of me.
It seemed holographic, a faint purple glow emanating from it. White text layered on top of it.
[Welcome, Player.]
"… Player?"
My finger hovered over the screen. I didn't remember touching anything.
The text scrolled on its own.
[The Tower has opened.]
[Participation is mandatory.]
I let out a laugh—short, sharp, and completely humorless.
"Ha? Why should I?"
The answer came immediately.
[Refusal will result in termination.]
The word sat there, unnerving and absolute.
Termination.
It echoed through my mind. The word repeating over and over again.
The air felt heavier. My ears rang faintly.
A notification snaps me out of it as the screen changes.
[Designated Tower: Seoul]
[Remaining Time to Enter: 00:59:12]
[Failure to Complete Task: Termination]
That word again.
The countdown whittled away slowly as my heart started pounding.
"No. No, no—wait! I didn't agree to anything! The angel said it was optional!"
The screen didn't care. The timer continued to tick down.
[Remaining Time to Enter: 00:58:56]
I ran out of my apartment, the plate where I ate from shattered on the floor amidst my urgency.
I looked around, other people from my building running down the flights of stairs while pushing each other.
I managed to get through the crowd and out of the building. People were flooding the streets, all immediately rushing to the tower while those in cars ran over everyone.
[Remaining Time to Enter: 00:43:38]
I rubbed my forehead with my forearm, sweat building up as I continued running along with other people.
This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. This was mast hysteria. A prank. Some kind of sick nightmare that I hadn't woken up from yet.
I slapped my cheek.
It hurt.
I slapped my cheek once more.
It still hurts.
"… Damn it."
[Remaining Time to Enter: 00:28:41]
I'm close. I'm almost there.
I heaved.
Just a few more.
[Remaining Time to Enter: 00:21:36]
I'm not going to make it.
My legs are giving out and I'm losing consciousness.
I'm gonna…—
Then suddenly, the hot and scorching sun was covered by a silhouette of a man.
"..."
He didn't speak, simply carrying me despite panting—running out of breath as well.
I stared at his back as he walked outside once more.
[Remaining Time to Enter: 00:16:09]
[You Have Successfully Entered the Tower]