22 Years ago

Was when “IT” appeared

And no I don’t mean the Steven King’s “IT”, but something else

Because it was something else

From another world

Or perhaps another universe?

A different realm?

Somewhere… Beyond, at the very least

A tower

A giant spire rising from the ground, a spire so large, so tall that it grazed the surface of the moon

A feat of engineering and architecture that was utterly impossible, yet it exists

And along with this tower, a message

Written in a language no one knew

To every being on that planet

And somehow able to be understood by all

[THIS UNIVERSE HAS BEEN CHOSEN. THE TOWER HAS NOW OPENED]

And thus began the apocalypse no one could predict

[MAY FORTUNE FAVOUR YOU]

…
…
…
…
{99th Floor}

I stepped in front of the door, my chest heaving as beads of sweat drip down my head in nervousness

{136th Subjugation Attempt}

Looking to my side I mumble something under my breath

“Status”

[Carrion Quarry - 12 Stars
Title: The Tower’s Vulture
Constellation: Mother of a Broken Home
Strength: SS+
Speed:SSS-
Endurance: A-
Mana: S+
Reflex: S-
Talent: F-]

I down the contents of a plastic water bottle with red insides

In a grotesque fashion, the bone of the missing limb attached to my chest sprouted out, as steam rose and muscles wrapped themselves around it, before the skin grew back

“That was the last of the Rhoavza…”

[Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” sheds a tear for their avatar]

“Relax, i’ll be fine… probably” I say with a sigh

The doors to the 99th Floor were massive

I took a deep breath, and pushed open the doors without much effort

My grip tightened on the Foil in my hand

[Heavenly Demonic Blade (Modified) - 5 Stars]

It was a bad weapon. A strong weapon for the first 50 Floors but subpar for the ones after

But I was simply too accustomed to the weight and feel of it to use any other

A cold wind attacked my face, a blizzard unlike anything i’ve ever felt before

I was now within the Piste of the boss monster

A shiver ran down my spine as the sweat on my face instantly crystalized into ice

I readied myself, pointing my sword upwards in a basic stance

“En Garde”

My right knee was bent slightly in front of me, and my left hand was by my side, a basic magic spell locked and loaded, the magic circle spinning as runes I could only barely decipher floated around my arm, pulsating with power

The ground beneath me shook as a giant worm with rows and rows of massive teeth burst from beneath the layers of snow

It let out a devastating screech, the snow falling from the unending sky trembled at the force of the sound waves

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” speaks from her throne “Pret”]

Once the monster had fully risen, it launched itself at me with impeccable speed, the speed at which it moved created a shockwave that would’ve killed anyone below C rank Endurance

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” shouts at the screen “Allez”]

In a singular instant, I lunged forwards at faster speeds, the snow beneath where my body was previously now devoid of anything, revealing a thick layer of ice that was cratered, small amounts of water seeping from the metres of frozen liquid

I ducked underneath the snow-worm and stabbed at it multiple times with my foil, puncturing it many times in quick succession

Purple blood flooded from the holes as it screamed out in pain

It buried itself in the snow at lightning speeds

Since my reflex was low, it took me too much time to react…

But that didn't matter, i’ve had 136 attempts already, I didn’t need to react, since I was changing direction to the head anyway

A worm has no brain, no vital organs, nothing.

The only way to kill one is to completely demolish it

Or burn it

“Magnus Ignis!”

I point my free arm at the head of the worm, launching a burst of flame that melted the surrounding snow, and the head of the worm

“It took me 3 Years to write that spell… this just seems anticlimactic” I mumble

[“The Tower’s Vulture” has become the second Climber to conquer Floor 99!]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” cheers for her Avatar whilst shouting “Arrêt”]

[Head Directly to 100th Floor?]

“Yes”

[The Tower asks if “The Tower’s Vulture” is sure]

I didn't take any damage from that boss because I hyper targeted its weakness

Worms are weak to fire, and so are snow based creatures, so me winning so easily was a given

Sad though… I spent so long trying to recover and write down the strongest fire spell “Flame King” had…

Well I have 19 more talismans with that spell written down… but I probably only have enough Mana to use it 3 more times…?

Well if I don’t chip into my life force at least

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” urges her avatar to go back and proceed with caution]

“You know I can’t do that, ‘Mother’, I have to reach my world… after the Tower Break… Well there must be some people alive, right? It’s my duty as a climber to help those few survive” I murmured to her

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” Says that there isn’t anyone left]

“Hera” I spat out

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” is silenced at your reaction]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” apologises for what they had said]

“Thank you” I utter and recentre myself

I look towards the message from the tower

“I am sure”

[May Fortune Favour You]

In an instant, I find myself at the door to the final floor’s boss

It was a strange door…

Because it was blasted open

I knew who was in there…

“Sunset…”

She was an incredible person

A beautiful woman

My Highschool Crush

My “Maestro”

And the strongest Climber to ever live

The Rank 1

“The Anomaly of Talent” I mumer the name out loud and shuddered at it

I walked forwards

As I turned the corner, I saw what she had become

Incredibly vascular, every single vein visible, her skin red and a hazy smile on her perfect face

Shoulder blade length fiery hair of red and yellow, now a mess, stained with blood and oil, not being washed in 19 years

The same clothes she has been wearing for those 19 years

The same… everything as 19 years ago

Her first 3 years in the tower were normal

But that day she entered the 19th floor…

She was… corrupted, somehow

She began a massacre

Killing every single climber in the tower

And it only took her a single year

After she was done, she climbed the tower and reached the 100th floor in less than 2 years

Doing the math, If she never got corrupted, the tower would’ve been cleared in a mere 5 years

And the Tower Break would’ve never occurred

Yet because of her insanity, we were held back

Well, I was held back

I am the last one

The only climber left

Apart from her, of course

I like to think it's because she remembers me fondly enough to not kill me

She looked as young as when she left on that subjugation attempt

When people enter the tower, the various energies they learn to manipulate rejuvenate and stop them from ageing

So of course she looks young…

My hands trembled

Yeah…

I really am weak

I can’t even bring myself to hurt her

I still love her, it seems

She had already killed the boss

Probably over a decade ago

Yet she stayed within the tower anyway

Was she waiting for me?

She glanced back at me, and I felt a sharp pain in my throat

I coughed up the blood that began to build in my throat

A blade was piercing my skin, straight into my Adam’s apple

I looked into her eyes

Her beautiful eyes…

And she was not there

Me thinking that she didn't kill me because she loved me was a pipe dream

Because I know deep in my heart...

That she didn't kill me because she simply couldn't remember I even existed

After all, she killed her best friends who were with her way longer than I was

There was so much of my life I missed out on because of this damn tower…

My 17th birthday

My 18th to my 38th

And all I have to show for it is…

A subpar sword

A subpar martial art

A subpar Personal Skill

A subpar Constellation

A subpar body

With subpar stats

And subpar talent too

…
…
…

If only I knew how to use my skill sooner

If only I stopped her from going first on the 19th Floor raid

If only…

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” Shouts out in anguish and pain at your death]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” begs the tower to help you]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” begins to cry]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” weeps at the loss of her avatar]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” weeps at the loss of her son]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” weeps at the loss of her son]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” weeps at the loss of her son]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” weeps at the loss of her son]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” weeps at the loss of her son]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” weeps at the loss of her son]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” weeps at the loss of her son]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” weeps at the loss of her son]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” weeps at the loss of her son]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” weeps at the loss of her son]

[The Constellation “Mother of a Broken Home” weeps at the loss of her son]

[You have Died]

[The Last Climber has Died]

The last climber?

What about Sunset?

[The Last Human Has Died]

Oh…

So everyone else died

And Sunset is no longer…

[The Tower Has Reached The Bad End]

[The Tower is Calculating The Climber With The Greatest Impact]

[ERROR]

[Climber With Greatest Impact Is No Longer a Climber]

[The Tower Searches for the Climber with the second most Impact]

[Climber Found]

[The Tower Presents an Opportunity To “The Vulture of The Tower”]

[Do You Accept?]

[The “The Vulture of The Tower” Is Dead]

[Automatically Accepting Offer In 10 Seconds]

[Reject Offer?]

[10]

[9]

[8]

[7]

[6]

[5]

[4]

[3]

[2]

[1]

[Offer Accepted]

[Unique Scenario “Absolute Regression” has Activated]

[May Fortune Favour You]

Author's Note

[May Fortune Favour You]