Chapter 27: The First Floor

The gates of the Tower stood open, but not unguarded.
Two armored sentries stood at the entrance, their presence enough to slow even the most confident climbers. There was no hostility in their posture, only scrutiny. Every person who approached was checked, measured, acknowledged—not as citizens, but as climbers.
Kael stepped forward first.
She didn’t hesitate.
She took out her license and held it steady.
The guard took it, glanced at it once, then at her, his gaze lingering just long enough to register her face before handing it back. “First floor only,” he said.
Kael nodded.
Aerin followed next, far more familiar with the process. His movements were quicker, more relaxed, as if this part at least belonged to him. Mira came last, her grip on her license tighter than necessary, her eyes flickering between the guards and the towering structure behind them. She handed it over with a mix of nerves and determination that she didn’t bother hiding.
The guard returned it without comment.
“Proceed.”

And just like that—
They stepped inside.

The transition wasn’t dramatic.
There was no flash of light, no overwhelming force.
It was… quiet.
Subtle.

But undeniable.

The space inside the Tower was nothing like the outside.
It wasn’t a corridor.
It wasn’t a structure.

It was a world.

People moved around them, some clearly experienced, others just as new as they were. Small groups gathered near the entrance, discussing routes, tasks, or supplies. A few individuals moved alone, their expressions focused, their steps confident.
Kael’s eyes moved across everything, taking it in without lingering.
Aerin, in contrast, seemed more at ease. He had seen this before, knew what to expect, even if only at the surface level.
Mira didn’t hide her reaction.
Her eyes widened, her steps slowing as she looked around, trying to take in everything at once.

“This is…” she started, but didn’t finish.

Kael didn’t comment.
She just walked.

They moved forward.
Deeper.

And then—

The first floor revealed itself.

It didn’t feel like entering something.
It felt like arriving somewhere else entirely.

Grass stretched beneath their feet, soft and real.
Trees stood tall in scattered clusters, their leaves shifting gently in a breeze that shouldn’t have existed inside a tower. The air was fresh, carrying the faint scent of earth and greenery.
It looked like a forest.
A living, breathing one.

Mira stopped.
Completely.

“…This is inside?” she whispered.

Kael didn’t answer immediately.
She didn’t need to.

Because the answer was obvious.

Above them, the sky stretched wide.
Bright.
Clear.

Daylight.

Aerin glanced up briefly, then back at Mira. “Time works differently here,” he said, his tone casual but informative. “Two days inside the Tower is one day outside.”

Mira blinked. “So… it’s daytime here, even though it’s night outside?”
“Yeah,” Aerin said. “Depends on the floor, but the first one usually stays like this.”

Mira looked around again, slower this time, more deliberate.

Kael watched her for a moment.
Then turned.

“Move,” she said.

Mira snapped out of it immediately and followed.

They didn’t rush.
They explored.

The first floor wasn’t dangerous.
Not truly.
It was designed that way.
A starting point.
A place where new climbers could learn without being immediately overwhelmed.

Small creatures moved through the grass—nothing aggressive, nothing threatening. Plants grew in clusters, some familiar, some not. Scattered across the area were small resource points—basic herbs, low-grade materials, things that held value but not enough to cause conflict.

And then there were the tasks.

Every climber received them upon entry.
Simple.
Routine.

Gather a certain amount of materials.
Map a small section.
Report basic findings.

Kael didn’t need to be told.
She already understood the pattern.

“We take what’s assigned,” she said. “Nothing extra.”

Aerin nodded.
Mira followed.

They moved through the area, slower than the experienced climbers but more focused than most beginners. Aerin handled the physical tasks, gathering materials with growing efficiency. Mira stayed close to Kael, learning quickly, watching how she identified what was worth taking and what wasn’t.
Kael didn’t explain everything.
Only what was necessary.

“Not that one,” she said once, stopping Mira’s hand before she could pick a plant. “It looks useful. It isn’t.”

Mira pulled back immediately.

They worked like that.
Quietly.
Carefully.

Time passed without them noticing.

And slowly—
The Tower stopped feeling like something distant.

It became real.

Something they could walk through.
Something they could learn.
Something they could survive.

As the light above them remained steady, unchanged, Kael paused for just a moment.
Her hand brushed against her pocket.

The shard pulsed.
Stronger than before.

She didn’t take it out.
Didn’t react.

But she felt it.

Clear.

Whatever it was—
It had followed her inside.

And it wasn’t quiet anymore.

End of Chapter 27