“ What were the demons like in your tutorial?” Dan looked up from his notes at the question.

  “ Scary. I still sometimes smell the fire even now, “ Dan’s eyes glanced to the side as he remembered, “ They came in every shape and size. The one thing that was consistent was the smell. Like brimstone, it was everywhere. Everytime I died I swore it was still in my nose. The demons only got bigger and the green energy that was everywhere… it was not fun.”

  The boy across from him nodded at that. Dan continued.

  “Still, there was a certain rush that came with the climb. That sense of progress when you’re forced to push your skills to their limits. That moment when you realize that you hadn’t thought of everything your abilities could do. Even with all the pain and terror it was addictive at times. Some of the others in the Tower agree. I’m assuming you understand where I’m going from too.”

  “ Yea… I do,” a part of Kelford seemed to relax as he admitted that truth, “The Tower is nice in that regard. Every second feels as if I’m missing out on progress. I can feel an itch to go back.”

  “ Even with the threat of dying?” Dan leaned forward slightly as the kid finally started opening up.

  Kelford shrugged, “ At first. After running the Tower enough times I found that they became fairly easy to manage. There’s only so many times something can kill you and be killed before the fear loses its edge.”

  “ Not in my experience. For most, each death is traumatic. Even some of the front runners had to take some time to recuperate. Those that experienced dying that is.”

  “You can get used to anything if you experience it enough.”

  Silence.

  “ Kelford, the tough guy act isn’t fooling anyone. You experienced long periods of isolation and suffering there. Just how many times do you expect me to believe you died in the Tower?”

  Kelford met Dan’s eyes, “ I lost count”

  Dang , this kid had gone through it . The thought crossed Dan’s mind but he didn’t let it show on his face.

  “ Well , if that’s the case I am impressed with your resilience. We do have an onsite therapist and psychiatrist if you need any…”

  “ It’s not necessary.” Dan fell silent at Kelford’s words not missing the heat behind them.

  “ Alright just wanted to offer,”

  It was awkward for a moment as Dan went back to writing his notes down but inevitably it was time to go back to what he came for.

  “ So you fought these creatures? We don’t have records of them in our database and they seemed to have given you trouble. How did you beat the last one?”

  Kelford shook his head as if remembering an embarrassing moment, “ It took a second but I remembered that my class had more to offer than what I had been doing. I just had to get a grip.”

  …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

  Slamming into another corpse Kelford barely registered its movements as his mind fixed on the object of his terror. The veritable cyclone of Shadow Essence tore after him, long tendrils of energy reaching for his mind as it wailed. Kelford’s psyche bowed under the psychic assault. Kelford mustered all his willpower just to dodge the blows again. Staggering to the side, the tendrils missed by inches tearing the bloody carcass into scraps. Blood splattered all over him only heightening the supernatural fear. Kelford could barely look at the thing even as he tried to stay within range. It wailed again, essence crashing into Kelford’s mind like a tide. He couldn’t hold on like this. Tears threatened to flow down his face.

  What should I do? He didn’t dare retreat and he couldn’t conceive of fighting. Each tendril seemed like a death sentence and those purple eyes fixed upon him. Then Kelford tripped. He crashed to the blood soaked ground with a cry, sword forgotten. His mind seemed to roil with the doom that was upon him. It was over. He was going to fail. He was a failure. What would T.U.I say if she saw how pathetic he was acting right now? Tendrils shot for him and Kelford felt death approaching. Pain rocked through him as he crunched into the stone. Blood spewed from his mouth as the tendrils coalesced into a massive claw that had him in its clutches. A wail of victory echoed from the Shadow fiend but Kelford wasn’t listening. The fear was all encompassing but the pain gave him just a hint of clarity. Enough to push back.

  Boon of the Black Sun

  Shadow Essence was blanketing him like a cloud and he could almost see the essence transforming into something else around his head. This wasn’t him. This thing was just messing with his head! The fiend drew him closer, crushing his body. Kelford’s rage fed on the pain as he channeled essence into his skill.

  “ Get out of my HEAD!” with a roar Kelford tore past the resistance and shredded the cloud around him. The fiend wailed as if bit as it threw Kelford away! All was light until Kelford slammed into a bruising roll across the ground. With a growl he found his feet, bruised and bloodied, free of the fear. In his rage he didn’t even remember that his sword was lost in the muck.

  “ I’m gonna tear you apart!”

  Boon of the Black Sun

  Kelford’s will tore forward, fixing on the essence the fiend was gathering as he dispersed it. He couldn’t afford to let it get another spell off. Mind clear, Kelford dashed forward with a roar. Boon of the Black Sun turned the entire space into a vibrant collection of violet as the fiend drew more and more essence towards it. Bloody teeth bared in a grin Kelford contested the creature's control of the environment's essence. The resistance strengthened as it realized what he was doing and Kelford felt his control be slapped away as it kept pulling more towards its center. Cursing Kelford skidded to a stop. This one was stronger than the ones before it. Enough that he’d have to stop and focus on it. His sword was lost in the muck again so it seemed he would have to come up with a way to kill his thing with the tools at his disposal.

  Kelford put his full focus on his skill as his will crashed against the fiends control. It wailed as they contested wills and the essence raged around them. Kelford wasn’t used to this type of conflict but the fiend clearly was more practiced as it kept its dominion over the lion's share of the essence. Kelford eyes widened as the fiend condensed much of the essence into a complex working. He pushed forward establishing more control over the environment's essence but the fiend didn’t seem to care as it weaved impossibly delicate shapes into existence. Then with a wail of triumph it released it. Kelford’s mind began to reach for the spell only for his grasp on the environment to falter. Gritting his teeth Kelford released his grip on the environment as he tore at the spell coming for him. It wasn’t enough. Liquid fear tore through his veins as Kelford almost forgot to breathe. Tendrils of shadow raced for him as he wrestled with himself. Fear wrestled with rage and Kelford only had one thing he could do. He pulled on his internal essence and slammed it into his aura.

  Radiance of the Black Sun

  Shadows raged from his feet as the tendrils slammed into him! He went flying but a grin still found its way to his face as he heard the wailing. The fiend’s tendrils snaked back to it but each seemed to have diminished in size. Finding his feet Kelford roared into the air “ IS THAT ALL YOU GOT !”

  Boon of the Black Sun

  His will dominated the space around him as he channeled the essence into Radiance . Shadows burst from his feet like ever growing flames. Kelford’s grin grew as the Fiend struggled to stop him. It seemed that was the key to this kind of fight. It wasn’t enough to stop your opponent's control of the area, you had to cast while doing it! His aura was much easier to channel essence into then casting complex spells like the fiend had been doing. Kelford began trudging forward. The creature wailed as Kelford came closer, nearly messing up its casting. Kelford slammed his will against its control like a hammer, finesse sacrificed on the altar of force. More and more essence was drawn into his embrace.

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  With a roar the shadow fiend released its spell , now only a fraction of its previous size. Kelford took it to the chest! Tendrils raced after it! Kelford’s grip on his skills seemed to slip as the shadows around his feet disappeared. The tendrils wrapped around him as they squeezed with boneshatter strength. More and more wrapped around him desperately trying to kill the climber. Essence still raged around the combatants but in its desperation the shadow fiend realized it made a mistake. With a wail it tried to assert control over the essence in the environment but found its control rebuffed. Its gaze returned to the coil of its tendrils only to see violet eyes staring back. Two pairs of violet eyes locked and only one flinched with fear. Shadow Essence rushed all around Kelford like a drain as he roared with rage.

  EMPOWERED STRIKE

  The tendrils were torn asunder. Claws of shadow seemed to rip and tear their way out of the tendrils of the shadow fiend. It screamed as it stuttered back ,now limbless.

  “ I promised I’d tear you apart, didn't I !”

  Eyes burning like violet flames Kelford’s will slammed into the shadow fiends form. His grin was bloody as he threw himself forward.

  “ Let’s keep that promise!”

  Kelford’s will flayed the fiend like a scourge. Chunks of its body tore away as its flagging will failed against the mental onslaught. Then Kelford reached it.

  Empowered Strike

  Boon of the Black Sun

  Hands swallowed by claws of shadow tore into the shadow fiends body as Kelford’s aura burned it away. Its wails reached a fever pitch as Kelford tore its body apart. Pressure squeezed his brain as he juggled his skills and contested the fiend’s will. Kelford pushed even farther, chucks of essence repurposed for his own use. With a savage laugh he stabbed his hand through its chest and tore everything free. Everything exploded with vibrant essence sending Kelford flying back . With a final wail the Shadow fiend died leaving Kelford the only living thing left. Blood and viscera covered him head to foot. Kelford roared his victory all the same.

  Banish the Shadow Fiends

  4 out of 4

  Quest Complete

  Essence began to roil, cutting Kelford’s victory celebration. Blood and corpses began to swirl with the growing storm of essence sending Kelford running away. Bones and carcasses flew through the air tearing into Kelford’s skin. There was only one escape. Kelford’s eyes locked on the massive double doors in the distance. Legs pumping he closed the distance as the storm behind him grew bigger and bigger.

  “ Come on Come on”

  Kelford tried to squeeze more speed out of his already tired body as he felt the power behind him swell in potency. More and more scraps slammed into him as Kelford felt some of the blood on him begin to float away into the storm. With a crash he slammed into the double doors almost not expecting to make it. Turning around he saw the center of the store condensing in a nauseating mixture of essence and blood. For the first time he saw different essence types in the room, a sickly green and red mixing with the violet. Gripping the door he pulled with all his considerable might. With a groan the doors opened inch by inch. Each second the bomb behind Kelford grew bigger and with a growl Kelford ripped the doors open just enough to squeeze through. The minute his feet touched the other side the essence imploded. His back slamming into the doors Kelford closed his eyes as he braced against the howling force trying to drag him back into the previous room. Then almost as soon as it started it was over.

  Collapsing against one of the walls Kelford laughed in relief. He made it! Suddenly a bright light burst into being before him!

  “ …Room! Wait, what happened?” A familiar voice said. Kelford blinked the light out of his eyes. T.U.I floated before him and a weight around his heart seemed to disappear. She was okay.

  “ Hey T.U.I it seems you missed the last room.”

  “ Oh… well,” T.U.I’s voice stuttered for a moment before taking it’s customary happy tone, “ Congratulations on your victory Kelford1”

  Kelford hugged her. Cupping her form between bruised and battered palms, he brought her close to his chest.

  “I’m glad you’re okay”

  ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

  The shadows of the hallway echoed with the rage of winter. Worn images of ogres and gnoblars in different times and poses leered down upon the figures walking their decrepit halls. It wasn't the best place to say goodbye but Kelford and T.U.I did so anyway. Kelford was bruised and bloody. His sword carried numerous notches and scars from his mad rush up the floors. His Furs of the Warlord hug loose on his frame. After floors of being ripped, torn, and bitten the relic was on its last legs. Kelford’s body was not much better. The ministrations of the Healing Room were long gone, scars and bruises lining his body despite Enhanced Constitution. Even as Kelford leaned against the wall talking to T.U.I he knew he was not doing too well. Within three rooms he had begun to approach his limits and now he was at the precipice of all he had been working towards.

  Or at least the half-way mark for it. His attention came back to T.U.I as she waited with him. A few hours had passed of them talking, trying to keep the growing concern everything up until now had caused. The last room and T.U.I’s disappearance , the increasingly common anomalies on his climb, and the passage that held his last challenge before the safe room. However,there was one issue that held the majority of his attention right now.

  “ Is this really going to be the last time we see each other?”

  “ If you succeed then most likely,” T.U.I said, “ Though there is a possibility we will see each other again.”

  Kelford nodded as he closed his eyes , “ I would like that. It’s so strange to think that our time together could potentially end so quickly. Especially after all you’ve seen me through. “

  “ It is alright Kelford. I am just a guide created for this leg of your journey. One part in what is hopefully a long climb to the top of the Tower.”

  “ If I lose here.. “

  “ You will win,” T.U.I said with conviction, “ Kelford you are ready. You have trained hard to get this far. The Tower will recognize your dedication to improvement. Unlock more of its secrets , invest in your training and you will find that you can become stronger than you think possible.”

  T.U.I floated to be right in front of Kelford’s face, “ It will be people like you that will save your world. The ones willing to push forward despite all odds, are those able to complete the Tower’s challenges . I am just happy I got to see the start of it.”

  “ Where will you go if I win?”

  “When you defeat the 5th floor I will be reintegrated with the Tower. I will maintain your connection with the Myriad Index. So I will still be here in a sense.”

  Kelford nodded, not quite understanding. “ So you’ll be asleep in some sense?”

  “ More like unnecessary parts stripped away to improve performance until the need is there again.“

  “ That sounds awful.”

  “ It does not harm me in any way.”

  Kelford shook his head as the truth of the matter was pushed into his face once again. In so many ways T.U.I had been there for him. The shoulder he leaned on, the only source of conversation and meaningful interaction he’d had since coming to this place. Yet, she was still a construct of this place. An alien mind or construct built to assist him with the flipping of his world. The potential extinction of his species if he didn’t play the game the Tower held within itself. Each floor had held reminders of what all he had ever known could end up as. How he could end up. His mind went back to the 4th floor and the ogre skeleton underneath the ruined farm. The Ogre Youngling left to uphold the honor of a civilization long since dead. T.U.I was a part of that. Yet, she had pushed him forward at every opportunity. Slipped pieces of information he wasn’t supposed to have when she could. Brought him out of his depression and back to helping him out of here.

  “ I’ll find a way to keep that from happening to your T.U.I.” Kelford’s voice was hard with certainty. It surprised him but not as much as he thought it would. “ I’ll bring you along through all my adventures just as you are. No parts stripped away.”

  T.U.I floated there silently for a moment before her light began to brighten slightly.

  “ I would like that very much Kelford, “

  He smiled as he pushed himself to his feet. Notched sword appeared in his hand as he began making his way to the end of the 5th floor. “ Then goodbye T.U.I , It’ll be awhile before I see you again,”

  She disappeared in a flash of light and Kelford couldn’t help but feel complete in a way he hadn’t in a very long time. He would beat this floor and the ones after. Then he’d see T.U.I again.

  He had a promise to keep.