by Prax Venter
Floor 49 Boss Critical! -1,500 | HP 4,054/6,200
The three-eyed minotaur bellowed again, its hoof crashing loudly against the glassy surface that made up the ground in this world. The thing stomped and snorted around in the hollowed-out side of the mountain, and they let a few minutes pass to see if it did anything else.
When it didn’t, the next part of the plan was for their Bastion to climb up their wall and stand within view of the trapped Floor Boss. Jack watched her carefully as the love of his life went to serve as bait, and Lex stood bravely behind her shield as she faced her fate. She was the only one of them with over a thousand hit points, and she was also able to turn invulnerable at will, so she was the obvious choice to see if the creature had some horrible long-range special ability.
The massive monster bellowed again and stomped its hooves as flashes of crackling blue energy lit up the area, yet Lex stood fast, untouched by the attack.
“His ability can’t reach!” she shouted, then she turned to Farah. “And you were right. It is indeed lightning out of his third eye.”
“Then let me end this,” Haylee said.
The two women traded places once again, and the Dark Prism proceeded to cheese the hell out of the Floor 49 Boss.
Over and over she sent regular Light Rays into the enraged monster for a little over 300 damage at a time. The three-eyed minotaur made a last-ditch effort to reach Haylee and attempted to charge across the glowing liquid rock Jack had spilled in front of their wall, but the Boss defeated itself with environmental damage.
Floor 49 Boss Critical! -1,500 | Defeated
The final monster exploded into a brilliant shower of sparks that reflected off the smooth obsidian blocks, and Jack, Lex, Haylee, and Farah all advanced to Hero Level 50.
“Woo!” cheered Farah as Lex threw her arms around Jack for a tight squeeze.
Haylee turned from the top of the wall and caught everyone’s attention.
“I’m not sure if it really matters, but…” She cast a longing back look out over the shimmering heat below. “The Boss chest and the door to 50 are both surrounded by lava.”
“Huh,” Jack said with a frown. “I guess it was worth the tradeoff. We can always use our Tier 3 superpowers to get it again and again.”
The Shadow Rogue sighed. “Guys, it’s been life-changing climbing with you four but, I’m headed back to Emberstone with Kron tomorrow. I can’t ignore these begrudging responsibility pangs that call me to that place.”
Jack smiled. “It was great climbing with you, Mayor.”
Farah had already said she was going to return to her recaptured home at Hero Level fifty, but he could see the change in her eyes after everything that happened today.
“Besides,” the roguish woman said with a smirk, “someone has to teach other climbers how to abuse the Tower- I’m not calling it cheese, by the way.”
“Maybe we’ll come south with you,” Jack said. “Now might be a good time to scout out that Town called Pinefall.”
Haylee hopped down from their wall and joined them.
“I would enjoy that trek,” she said.
Jack nodded his head down the glassy trail wrapping around the floating island.
“Let’s start heading back while we talk about our skills.”
Farah started them off. “You all get surprises, but I’ve known about Throw for a long time. It’s a nice ranged attack with a bonus to critical damage.”
“I received new abilities in both my Light Archer and Vexer Paths,” Haylee said, her large gray eyes focused on her Path interface. The young Hero began to describe them, but Alt augmented Jack’s interface to so he could see everything.
PATH Vexer [3]
► Withering Stare - [Channeled | 3MP/30 Seconds | Target in sight 50% Slowed]
~ How dare they…
► Expose Weakness - [Activated | 10 MP | Illuminate Target’s weakness for entire Party]
~ See the faults of others. Strikes targeting a weakness have a much higher chance to be a critical hit.
► Rejecting Whispers - [Activated | 20 MP | One Target in sight must face away for 5 seconds]
~ Demand to be ignored.
PATH Light Archer [3]
► Light Ray - [Passive | All arrows replaced with Light Ray | 1 Mana | Dmg: Main-Hand + Magic Power]
~ Your focused will creates beams of pure energy.
► Blue Shift - [Activated Charge | 10 Mana | 10-minute recharge | Next Light Ray deals double damage]
~ A burst of stored power.
► Red Shift - [Activated Once per Floor | 20 Mana | Next Light Ray Heals target for 100% of Damage instead]
~ Light can regrow that which has withered.
“Healing from a bow?” Lex said. “We are becoming a diverse group.”
“That Rejecting Whispers is interesting,” Jack said. “I bet we can find all sorts of ways to abuse that.”
“Great for backstabbing,” Farah added.
Jack gently bumped his hip against Lex. “You go next.”
The Bastion gave him a warm smile then opened her Path interface. As before, Alt displayed her abilities for him as well.
PATH Aether Song [3]
► Healing Melody - [Channeled (Touch) | 2MP/Second | 5% of Target’s MAX HP Restored/Second]
~ Your voice soothes and mends.
► Aether Tone [Activated (Self) | Once Per Floor | Choose: Sharpen, Knit, Aether]
~ Aligning yourself with the universe.
► Uplifting Chorus [Activated | Once Per Entrance | Party’s Max HP and MP are increased by 15% | Dispelled at Exit]
~ You inspire the best in everyone around you.
PATH Defender [3]
► Shield Master [Passive | Take 0 Damage from blocked attacks]
~ It’s your destiny to defend.
► Shout [Activated | 10 MP | All enemies in effect radius must attack you]
~ Take it all upon yourself.
► Shield Rush [Activated | 20 MP | Deal Shield Def value as Damage | 90% chance to stun for 3 seconds]
~ Bring the fight to your foe. Rush farther at higher tiers.
“I knew I was getting Shield Rush,” Lex said, “but this Uplifting Chorus… it’s a surprise I’m happy with.”
“I like that it grows with us,” Jack said, stepping through the doorway back to the raw meat and blood version of Floor 49. “Why don’t you try it out now?”
“Now?” the Bastion said, wrinkling her nose as their feet squished into the wet muscle at their feet. “I would hear the third-tier Paths for an Irrelevant Hero first.”
Jack grinned and opened his own interface as if he were a child running down the stairs to what was left for him under the tree on Christmas morning.
PATH: Dimensional Blade [3]
► Double Strike - [Activated | 5 Mana | Main Hand Damage x2]
~ Your blade becomes a blur attacking the target twice in a single moment.
► Omni Strike - [Activated Charge x 1 | 10 Mana | 20-second recharge | Main Hand damage dealt to every visible enemy | 100% Hit Chance | 0% Crit Chance]
~ You are everywhere at once.
► Teleport - [Activated Charge x 1 | 30 Mana | 15-minute recharge | Instantly move to a location in sight]
~ You are somewhere else, at once.
PATH: Data Mining [3]
► Mining Laser - [Channeled | 2 Mana/Second | Main Hand Damage + Hero Level /Second]
~ skill.activation(rewrite_v1.58) include{ error.correction(target, !total, local) unif
► Data Detonation - [Activated Charge x 1 | 20 Mana | 2-minute recharge | Main Hand Damage x3 | Damaged Enemies are knocked back]
~ Blast open a way forward. Radius increases at higher Path tiers
Jack was about to tell them but decided to show them instead.
“All eyes on me,” he said before facing forward again. With his mind already envisioning synergies, Jack targeted a space about twenty yards ahead near the path down this disgusting skin-covered
volcano then activated one of his exciting new abilities.
The universe seemed to stutter for a heartbeat and then he felt the undeniable jolt of movement despite not being affected by momentum.
He looked over his shoulder to see Lex, Farah, Haylee with their mouths hanging open- and a seven-foot, blue dinosaur behind them whose reptilian face somehow conveyed mild amusement.
Jack then held up his fist and activated his second new ability.
There was a time not too long ago when such a loud and concussive force of flaming energy bursting forth from a part of his body would make him cower. There was even a time where it would have made him flinch. But Jack had seen enough of this world and its wonders to embrace everything he was. Everything they both were.
The explosion of power echoed around the eerily quiet world made of flesh, and he couldn’t help but grin at how much damage he was going to do to the enemies of System Sana.
“That’s not fair at all,” Farah said when they crossed the distance to meet up again. “But I suppose the King of Blackmoor ought to be laden with powerful abilities.”
“A teleport and an area of effect?” Lex asked her eyes wide. “How often can you do them?”
The group discussed the finer details of their abilities and how to abuse them as they moved back through the next doorway near the ocean of blood. Jack breathed a sigh of relief when they stepped under the blue skies and sandy paths of this island’s first iteration. They were still in the Tower, but this layout was one of the exceptionally pleasant ones, and Jack was tempted to spend some time with Lex just relaxing on the beach. On the other hand, they had already been in the Tower for what felt like days and getting back to his kingdom won out in the end. After traversing the last island volcano, the party returned to the Exit Orb where they started.
“It was wonderful climbing with you, Farah,” Alt said, extending one of his four monster hands.
Farah grabbed it firmly. “And it was life changing to meet you. Perhaps we’ll fight together again some time.”
“I’ll see you in a few days,” Haylee said after she patted Alt’s snout and then tapped the orb.
Everyone else was not long after her, and the party of Heroes found the normal crew waiting for them outside the Tower at Exit.
“Fifty!” Sol said, his dark eyebrows moving up his forehead. “You pushed up that extra Floor?”
His daughter nodded. “We learned a lot today about abusing the environment. I’ll be needing more books.”
“Congratulations, Heroes!” Ryea called out into the low-hanging layer of clouds. “I’ll wager you’ve all got some fancy new skills!”
“Some fancier than others,” Farah said, hitching her thumb toward Jack.
“Oh, I hope I win!” Jip said from Ryea’s side. “I could be a Hero tonight and join the fight beating back the Corruption!”
Harrak shot the young Farmhand an uneasy glance before turning to Jack. It had been 30 days since Alt created the job Combat Master, and the old man would finally be able to promote a Townsfolk to a Hero. Jack was surprised that only four people actually wanted to be promoted. Reno had been all about Heroes when he spawned at the gates, but his role at the Inn and Demi’s embrace had completely turned his priorities around. Irun wanted to stay a Guard and be close to Kev, and the pair did a marvelous job handling the Wall together as a team.
Harrak couldn’t bring himself to randomly choose a person to Promote to Hero, so over the last few days, he had used the Arcade’s large arena to pit the applicants against each other. Jip had won a decisive fight against the Fisher Wyben, and the new Guard, Cabe, had won against another Guard looking for the honor. No one expected Jip the scrawny Farmhand to best the silent pile of muscle called Cabe tonight, but Jack didn’t rule anything out.
“All you can do is your best, Jip,” Jack said out loud to the young man. “Lex taught me long ago that there is nothing wrong with failing as long as you live and learn something.”
“Hey!” Ryea said, spinning on Jack. “Stop trying to steal my workers. I happen to be rather fond of this here string bean.” It was no secret that the Farmer and the Farmhand had become closer, and Jip had started joining them for their Exit meal.
As the group approached the Eye o’ the Storm, Jack noticed something new up against its stone wall, just to the left of the door. It looked like a meal display case with no glass.
He pointed it out. “What is that?”
Sol chuckled before answering. “That was a special project Demi had Pan working on. A visual menu of sorts to tempt Townsfolk and streamline the ordering process. Our clever Innkeeper had originally wanted it inside by the bar, however, since the piece of furniture is a unique object created by hand, it is not an item that can be held in one’s inventory.
“Pan was mortified when they discovered that her request was too big to fit through the door, but I believe the display will work much more effectively outside where passersby can see it.”
Sol finished as they walked up, and Jack’s nose was assaulted with the smells of about fifteen different dishes- one of which appeared to be a faithful recreation of chicken and dumplings.
“See it and smell it,” Jack murmured.
“Yes,” Alt said, telepathically answering the question that had only begun to form in his mind. “Since the plates of food were created using System Sana’s crafting interface, they are indestructible and will never spoil. You’ve really started something here. Something truly amazing.”
Jack added speaking with Pan about using indestructible items from the Tower in his projects and then contemplated including him as a fourth Town Leader in charge of new construction. There was always so much to do.
Everyone walked past the new display of infinitely fresh plates of food into the clamor of the Inn and were immediately mobbed with cheers and congratulations for hitting the next tier in their Hero Levels. Jack was surrounded by his friends and the good people of Blackmoor Cove- and there was nowhere else in any universe that he would rather be.
- 22 -
Shortly after dinner, the King and Queen held an abbreviated Town Meeting in the Hall of their underground castle. The group decided their next move was for Jack, Lex, Haylee, and Kron to scout the land to the south. Kron had already begun making sweeps around Emberstone and had yet to see any Corruption, so there was a good chance that Pinefall was still holding out. If it was, Jack was determined to add the Town to the Kingdom of Blackmoor. No one knew exactly how to do that if the place didn’t need recapturing, but it was something they needed to figure out anyway.
After their meeting, everyone relocated to the Arcade. Most of the Town had turned out for this fight over Harrak’s Hero promotion, yet the benches around the massive arena were less than half full. Jack reached over for Lex’s hand after they sat down, and they shared a silent glance of clear communication.
“I was thinking,” Sol said, leaning out to get Jack’s attention from behind of Lex. “We should set up a tournament called Topple the King, or something similar, where contestants face off against you for a prize of a purse of coin- for a small entry fee, of course.”
“Sure… but let’s see how things go with Pinefall first. When I get back, we can work this out, maybe even send out more fliers asking Heroes to come take a shot at me.” Jack paused and shook his head. “You must be making a fortune off this place.”
“Everyone is,” Sol said, an unusually warm smile on his owlish face.
Jack knew he meant that Our World Arcade brought in more visitors every day and that the whole Town was benefiting, but he’d noticed something else in the other man’s eyes.
Alt offered an answer within Jack’s mind. “I can tell you that he’s putting much of the profit back into the prizes that can be won here. I also believe the Arcade is getting monetary donations from the Innkeeper, the Dockmaster-”
“Townsfolk of Blackmoor!” Harrak’s commanding voice hushed the crowd and drew Jack’s attention to the barrel-chested
man standing in the arena. “Tonight, we let physical combat decide System Sana’s new Hero as Jip and Cabe stand toe to toe. The first combatant to 1 HP or touches the red sand around the arena will be defeated and the decision will be made.”
Jip stood tall next to the Combat Master with a leather harness similar to the one Jack had borrowed from Kron for his first Floor 1. They’d flipped Jip’s job to Guard before the match to ensure both fighters were on a level playing field. There was no way a Townsfolk could take on a Guard whose stats were enhanced by the Town’s level.
Cabe stood next to Harrak on the other side, and he wore a heavy plate chest and leather for the rest. All Townsfolk could wear armor and equip weapons found on Floor 1 of the Tower, and Jack had recently made some sizable deposits into the Wall’s armory. As they had no Hero Class, there were no restrictions on which types they could wear, only personal preference. The brawny man could take more hits, but he was slower, while Jip could dodge everything Cabe threw at him, if he was fast enough.
But Jack had learned there was more to it. Being swift was one thing; knowing how to use that swiftness was something else entirely. He also noticed that the quiet man, Cabe, had equipped mismatched types of armor to gain some movement speed. It was clever and had to be for this specific opponent.
“Now,” Harrak said, pointing into the middle of the sandy pit, “get out there, and may the most skilled warrior be victorious.” He stepped out of the ring, and the two contestants moved to their places inside.
“Get him good, Jip!” Ryea yelled and a few other people started to cheer. Some cheered for the underdog, but there were many others in the stands who just cheered because they were excited to see something different in their lives.
Harrak waited a handful of heartbeats before he bellowed out one word.
“Fight!”
The bigger man was so calm that he appeared cut from stone. He was equipped with a two-handed sword, and his smooth movements stood out against his jittery opponent. Jip danced around the larger man and held a small buckler and a sword clutched in his fists.
Cabe stepped forward, one foot after the other, his focus never broken from the flighty fighter and made the first real move by swinging his long heavy blade in an attempt to hack Jip in half.