“You have defeated [Floor 3 Hidden Boss] [Snow Sentinel]

Clear Rating: A

Clear Contribution: 42%

Clear Rewards: 1000 Tower Coins, Tundra Zone Key Piece, Mark of the Snow Sentinel [C], Glacial Pace [D] Spell Guide, Snow-Capped Gauntlets [C]”

Will ignored the voice of the Tower in favour of sprinting to where Daphne was pinned underneath an icicle that had driven itself through her torso. Unk had been knocked aside by another as he tried to reach her, and was sprawled on the floor in a daze. Will arrived at her side at the same time as Metrodora and Okembe, who both joined him in kneeling beside Daphne’s injured form.

“Okay, Okembe you need to remove the icicle, Met give her the Last Resort Potion!”

Will’s voice shook as he shouted orders, taking his own Last Resort Potion from his ring and pouring it down Daphne’s throat. Her eyes snapped open and she began to shudder, blood oozing from the sides of her mouth as Okembe strained to pull the heavy spear of ice from her body without jostling her too much.

“The Potions are still only a prototype, I don’t know if they can handle all this!”

Metrodora’s voice was even shakier than Will’s, and he could see tears forming and freezing on her cheeks as she fumbled the cap off of the elixir and repeated his method of administration. He had to thrust a hand out to steady the younger woman’s head so she didn’t miss, and as Unk came over shouting in panic he shoved the other in the man’s face.

“She’ll be fine! Verten’s Vitality!”

He gestured with one hand to Metrodora, who got the idea and began grabbing all of the Last Resort Potions from the rest of the group, including fishing one from Daphne’s robe pocket, as he cast the Spell and hoped what Mana he had left would be enough.

Already, her less severe wounds were healed, and he gritted his teeth in annoyance. Nothing they had access to this early would prioritise healing the worst wounds first, and that meant that keeping Daphne alive long enough for the worse wounds – to her lungs, liver and stomach – to heal was the struggle. At least when Metrodora had been wounded by the Denmother, her wounds had largely been cauterised by the heat of the flames.

“She’s healing, look!”

Unk’s voice betrayed the tears that were flowing from his eyes, wobbling and breaking as he pointed to his niece’s ruined midsection with a trembling finger. Will spared him a quick glance, seeing the normally jovial face twisted in guilt, blood from his head wound mixing with his tears and running freely across his armoured chest. His own chest tightened at that, but he stayed calm, drawing a Temporary Med-Tent from his Spatial Ring and getting the others to help Daphne inside.

It was only the Last Resort Potions that saved her, and Will would have hugged Metrodora if not for the fact that Unk had beaten him to it. His Mana was totally empty, and if he drank another potion he’d be sick. They’d had a stockpile before entering the fight, but having to periodically drink them throughout and the weak nature of Store-bought potions would have been the finishing blow. Daphne’s torso was now covered with a fresh layer of new skin, and though she was still asleep and occasionally spitting blood, she’d be okay with some more time.

“Okay, we got a Key Piece. I assume that’s the secret item the Hunter Squad were hinting about. Daph’s stable enough to move, so I say we whip up a stretcher and get her to the safe area. We can deal with everything else once she’s totally safe.”

Though Unk was initially opposed to moving his niece in this condition, Metrodora reminding him that she was going to wake up in a few hours and suffer the backlash from 5 Potions that weren’t totally safe to drink one of being the only thing that changed his mind. Okembe was silent as he used telekinesis to lighten the stretcher that Unk and Will carried, and the cold felt extra harsh as they trekked back to the safe area without the ever-present firebird flitting about their heads.

Thankfully, once they returned to the safe area, brushed past the gawking crowd and got Daphne into one of the huts, they could use the Store and help speed her recovery. A few hours after they’d returned, her eyes cracked open again and she croaked out some words.

“I got a new Spell from that”

Unk burst into a storm of both laughter and tears, and the tension in the room deflated substantially. They let her sleep and continue to recover after a brief conversation, and Unk pulled Will aside outside of the hut.

“Look son…”

The “dad voice” was out, and Will felt heat rising in his cheeks. He waved his hands and spoke frantically.

“I understand, I fucked up. I was in charge and Daphne got hurt. I could have planned more, could have trained more, and I get if you guys don’t want to Climb with me any more, or even if you want to leave the Tower altogether.”

Although Unk shook his head, Will could see that he agreed somewhat with the blame. He hadn’t known that the environment would be destroyed by the backlash of defeating the Boss, but from Unk’s perspective he’d just lead them all into a fight that nearly killed his niece, and that would make anyone upset.

“I wanted to stop Climbing the first time she got cut and it actually hurt. She’s an adult, but I’ve been like her Dad for as long as she can remember and I couldn’t let her Climb alone. Metrodora says she’ll be out of commission for at least two weeks from the Potions, and I think it’s best we take the time.”

Okembe had stepped outside at some point, and he spoke in his usual calming tone.

“I was going to suggest we all take a break. We have pushed very hard in the last few days, and I think we’ve forgotten how real this Tower is. The other Climbers believe the Governments of the world will be announcing the Tower’s existence publicly soon, and perhaps it is best we leave before it becomes regulated or worse.”

Though Will knew that wasn’t exactly accurate, since Climbing only got more popular once it was revealed to the masses, the group had been discussing this possibility for a while. With Daphne injured, and everybody traumatised by the experience to different extents, Will couldn’t deny their request for time off.

“I’ll keep Climbing in one month, either alone or with whoever I can recruit. Don’t feel in any way responsible for that, because it would have happened regardless. I’m glad to have been able to work with you all, even if it was only for this one Zone, and even if none of you decide to come back and join me in a month I’ll keep in contact and do anything I can to help you out.”

His party were arranged around him in a semicircle, Daphne trembling and sniffing from the sickness of the potion backlash against Unk’s chest and Metrodora twirling her hair absently as she blinked back tears.

“We’ll be back, don’t worry about that!”

Daphne’s voice was upbeat, even though speaking forced her into wracking coughs, and Unk didn’t bother to restart the previous night’s argument. The group said their goodbyes, and went their separate ways. Daph and Unk went back home so she could recover and they could discuss their future. Metrodora wanted to see her family and her cat, but promised to be back soon. Okembe stayed, but begged Will’s forgiveness and descended to Floor 2 to train.

“Powerful Shout!”

Will screamed the words, feeling the hilt of his sword vibrate as he activated its’ new Skill. Augmented by Vigorous Sharpen and Empowered Buffs, the edge of the sword was projected out to a size of 10 feet and shot across the sand to impact against the chest of the Sandstone Golem as it charged. Blood trailed from his scalp and he shook his head to get matted hair away from his eyes, watching a chunk of stone explode from the Minibosses torso but not slow its’ advance. He dashed forwards, threading extra power into Glacial Pace to ensure that the Golem’s movements couldn’t keep up, and leapt up to pierce its’ exposed core with Whisper. The rumbling and pelting of stone shards knocked him to his back, where he looked up at the searing sunshine of Zone 3 and panted.

“You have Cleared [Hidden Event] [Desecrator of the Golem’s Ruins]

Clear Rating: A

Clear Rewards: 500 Tower Coins, Stoneskin Spell Scroll x 3, Damaged Golem Core”

He smiled and opened his Sheet quickly, letting the his body sink into the sand and ignoring its’ persistent burn against the skin.

William Sutton/Pioneer [E]

PARTY LEADER: Unnamed Party – Okembe/Trucker_1972/Daphne/Metrodora

Class: Fighter/Enhancer

Strength: 27 (+3)

Endurance: 25 (+8)

Agility: 29 (+2)

Reflex: 26 (+2)

Mind Power: 19 (+3)

Mind Depth: 18

Skills: Tough Conditioning [E], Ambidexterity [E], Empowered Buffs [D]

Spells: Vigorous Sharpen [E], Alacrity [C], Verten’s Vitality [C], Endure [D], Glacial Pace [D]

Bonded Items: Jungle Shaman’s Coronet [C], Ogre-Hide Leather Chestpiece [E], Soul Anchor [D], Spatial Storage Ring [D], Whisper [E], Shout [D], Yeti-Hide Leather Trousers [D], Deflection Amulet [D]

Active Effects: Mark of the Snow Sentinel [C] – 50% Resistance to Cold and Cold damage

Tower Coins: 3249

The last few weeks had been gruelling, but as he punished himself for Daphne’s injury and trained to ensure he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice, he’d made some significant gains. Not only had he managed to evolve Shout and unlock its’ first ability, but he was close to doing the same with Whisper. His new Spells and the constant combat had not only let him purchase some single-use items like the Deflection Amulet for himself but also led to his Stats raising even further. He missed the party, and he was anxious to resume the hunt for the Key Pieces, but only worrying about his own progression was undeniably profitable. The Roaming Miniboss who'd given him a replacement for the dryad helm had been a particular treat, since the Jungle Shaman's Coronet boosted his magic Stats better.

He got to his feet, swigged down a stamina potion and winced at the taste. Metrodora was getting better at brewing effective elixirs, but she’d not figured out how to make them taste like anything other than a swamp without ruining the benefits. Hopefully one of the new wave of Government sponsored Climbers would have a use for the Golem Core, since he didn’t think she would. He headed back to the safe area, satisfied with the day’s hunting. The spell scrolls he’d probably give to Brunjar to distribute as he saw fit. The man had become Will’s unofficial lieutenant, handling the constant requests by Climbers to speak to him and giving out the information and resources he chose to share.

Sighing and cutting a desert viper that got too close in half with an unconscious swing of Shout, he looked at the Party Interface and confirmed again that Okembe was not on the same Floor. He’d spoken to the man twice since the party took their hiatus, and apart from improving his Spells and spending a lot of time meditating, Will wasn’t sure if his goals included returning to the group for the next three Zones. Daph and Unk had emailed Metrodora, but Will hadn’t left the Tower, trusting instead in the other Climbers he spoke to when it came to sharing his information on Earth. They were still debating whether or not to come back, but Daphne was mostly back in working shape at least.

The sun beat down harshly, and Will paused between two sand dunes to take a drink from an Infinite Waterskin he’d finally dropped the Coins on. A glint in his peripheral vision caught his eye, and he swivelled into a dodge just in time to avoid a silver dart that flew past his face. Dropping the waterskin and drawing his swords, he caught a glimpse of a figure clad in beige leaping behind a dune and put on a burst of speed to pursue it. He landed on the other side of the dune, not yet bothering to cast a Spell, and looked at the slight form of his attacker.

“Don’t move or I’ll make you a pincushion! I want the loot from the Golem! A-and your Key Piece!”

That was odd. Despite his bold words and the fact he somehow knew of the Key Piece, something Will and the handful of other groups to acquire one had not shared yet, his voice was high pitched and squeaky and the sharp barbed darts he juggled were being tossed between trembling hands.

“Why are you doing this?”

Will tried to use a sympathetic tone, but he was tired and annoyed so it didn’t come out quite like that. In response, the boy – since the would-be thief couldn’t be more than 18 years old – threw a dart and he was forced to swing Whisper up to deflect it.

“If you attack me again, I’ll fight back. You don’t want to do this.”

Robberies and fights had become more common as more and more Climbers reached the 3rd Floor. In the safe area, things were mostly fine and it had expanded to accommodate the greater numbers. Still, out in the Zones, Will had killed two thieves and beaten a half-dozen more in the last few weeks and from Brunjar’s reports he was not alone in that. Still, this kid didn’t strike him as a seasoned bandit.

“Just give me the Key Piece okay!”

The boy’s voice broke, but his hands stopped shaking as he launched a flurry of darts at Will. He backflipped twice, launching into the air, and Will had to take a step back to avoid being filled with holes. He managed to dodge or deflect four of the five darts, but the fifth punctured his side and caused him to grimace in pain.

The Acrobat – because with that backflip and the thrown weapons, his Subclass was obvious – threw more darts, but Will didn’t have time to waste on drawing this fight out. He cast Alacrity and surged forwards, moving between the darts as though they were in slow motion, and brought Shout’s pommel down on the boy’s temple with an annoyed grunt. The acrobat went down like a sack of bricks, and Will removed some rope from his ring to tie his hands and feet. Flipping him over, Will dashed back to retrieve his waterskin and poured a small amount onto the teenager’s face.

“Agh, please don’t kill me!” The boy shouted as soon as he was done spluttering, realising that his hands and feet were bound and panicking.

“Why did you try to rob me?” He asked calmly. If the boy didn’t talk, he’d take him back to the safe area and see if anyone happened to be in law enforcement or the government from the same country. They could deal with it, on Earth.

“I...because you have the Key Piece and I have to get it!”

That wasn’t really a good answer, but Will leant down and gave the boy a more friendly expression.

“Look, I’m not going to hurt you, but I don’t think you decided to try and rob me on your own.”

The boy clammed up, and Will gave a sigh. He hiked the boy onto his feet, used Whisper to cut the ropes binding his legs and then gestured for the teen to walk towards the safe area.