I'd always considered myself decent with heights, but the Tower was vertigo made manifest. When Elena guided me to the railing, I glanced down expecting something like a hotel lobby—and got smacked with the view from the CN Tower's evil twin.
The bottom was visible. A dizzying drop that sent my brain into a brief tailspin.
I stumbled back a step, gripping the marble rail like it was the last solid thing in the universe. Hundreds of suspended glowing orbs lit the entire shaft like an impossible chandelier, casting everything in ethereal daylight.
"That's... significantly higher than advertised," I managed, adrenaline spiking through my chest.
And the people— the sheer number of them. Each person who passed within Bravery's range sent familiar shivers up my spine, though it wasn't the overwhelming assault from earlier. Now it was just the volume. Thousands of people filled these halls, mostly Floran and Vildar, with Gaian and Sentarian faces noticeably scarce.
Monster Hunter uniforms were everywhere—the same linen and jerkin-style vest I wore—but far from the only outfit. Multiple groups moved in coordinated chaos, each sporting distinct looks. Some wore black surcoats like academic robes, each sporting bracers identical to Felix's device. Others preferred metal armor ranging from simple half-plates to full sets of wicked, almost sci-fi plate armor that screamed, "I eat monsters for breakfast." Still others wore leather configurations—full-body suits, capes, overcoats made from hides I couldn't identify.
As we walked, a group of Florans in Monster Hunter garb strolled down a nearby hallway. The corridor suddenly shifted, expanding outward until the space beyond had become a dense bamboo forest, then snapped back to normal marble.
Like someone had opened and closed a portal mid-conversation.
I blinked hard. The overwhelming unreality crashed over me again, yet here I was, standing in the middle of it.
"I wanted to show you we're a sizeable group," Elena said, placing a steadying hand on my shoulder. "We have resources. We're going to do everything we can to get you home."
"This is all just so surreal." I looked around at the organized chaos. "Do I get to wear some kind of armor?"
Elena laughed—a warm sound that cut through my disorientation. "That depends on your preferences, but your Acolyte pin comes with a set when you're ready."
Armor. Healing pills. Magic staffs. I shook my head and seriously considered pinching myself, but after getting my ass kicked multiple times already, I was fairly confident it wouldn't change anything.
A tremendous CRASH echoed behind us.
A stocky Floran with red skin instead of the common bronze burst through a marble wall as if it were drywall, chunks of stone whizzing through the air. Thick leather straps crisscrossed his torso, and his entire body pulsed with a dazzling green aura as he skidded across the polished floor, leaving scuff marks in his wake.
The man sat up, spat blood onto pristine marble, and grinned. He produced something that looked suspiciously like toffee from his palm, popped it into his mouth, and crunched down with obvious satisfaction.
"I'd consider that a solid trade," came a voice from the gaping hole.
A fully silver plate-clad Vildar stepped through the breach, brown fur covering his exposed face and ears. He flexed his gauntleted hand like it was bothering him, metal plates grinding softly. Even in full armor, there was something distinctly mouse-like about his build—compact but powerful.
"You get to steal one of my toffees, and I get to see how much force it takes to put you through solid stone." His satisfaction was palpable.
"?a valait la peine," the red-skinned man replied, smacking his lips. "Delicious."
Elena sighed with years of weary experience. "Repairing the Tower is not free, Alexander."
The armored Vildar turned toward us, sharp dark eyes gleaming with amusement. "Tell that to your Adepts. They keep trying to steal my sweets, I keep kicking their asses. That's the deal." His gaze shifted to me with predatory curiosity. "Who's the fresh meat?"
"Ben Crawford, our new Acolyte. Ben, this is Grand Master Alexander Kane, Archon of the Guardians—one of the three factions that make up the Monster Hunters."
"An Acolyte?" Alexander's nose twitched visibly, whiskers flicking. "You don't smell like a Gaian."
Elena's smirk held secrets. "He's a Terran. Unbidden."
Alexander let out a deliberate, long-suffering sigh. "Ah. Let's hope he doesn't burn anything down before he leaves."
"That was years ago, Alexander, before I ran things," Elena reasoned, though I caught defensiveness in her tone.
Burn things down? What exactly had my fellow humans been up to?
As Alexander approached, he stepped into my aura's range and froze mid-stride. His head tilted, nostrils flaring as he sampled the air with obvious interest.
"An aura? Interesting." His voice carried genuine approval now. "What is that—Bravery? Not bad, kid. Maybe you'll stick around after all." He paused, metal boots clicking against marble. "I won't be around to see it, though. We're shipping out to Virexus tomorrow afternoon."
"Has it gotten that bad there?" Elena's brow furrowed. "I was reading this morning that they had things under control."
"They do. Now it's time to find the source of their monster attacks, and we offered to help."
The red-skinned Floran finally climbed to his feet, dusting marble chunks from his leather straps. Not a single wound marred his body, and the blood around his mouth had vanished—like the toffee had been magical healing candy.
"Archon," he said, French accent thick as honey. "We are late for the Proving."
"Shit." Alexander nodded curtly, then turned back to me. "Best of luck, Ben. Perhaps we'll see each other again."
Without warning, Alexander's entire form erupted in a blazing blue aura that made my eyes water. He sprinted toward the railing and vaulted over it into the vast atrium below, his armored form sailing through empty air in a jump that defied physics.
I rushed to the railing alongside Elena, both of us peering into the dizzying depths. The bright blue light that had been Alexander crashed onto the ground far below with a brilliant flash. Seconds later, a booming shockwave of wind exploded upward, hitting us with enough force to send me sprawling.
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"I'm taking that out of your pay, asshole!" Elena bellowed down the Atrium.
After watching Chas tear reality apart, seeing a meter-tall mouse in plate armor fall hundreds of stories only to walk away—and get scolded for property damage—seemed almost tame.
.
I whooped anyway at the sheer absurdity of living in a world with actual superheroes.
"Holy shit," I said, still processing. "That was awesome... and I'm going to learn how to do that?"
Elena laughed, the sound echoing off marble walls. "If you break my Tower, I'll kick your ass. Alexander's a Grand Master Runebinder—more solid than a mountain. It's not worth fighting him, and I'm not even confident I'd win. Chas sure didn't."
"A mouse beat Chas?" I asked, thinking back to how casually people had made blasting through meter-thick stone look effortless. "The guy who exudes Rebellion and tears open portals? And Diana—my new Master—she's on Alexander's level, right?"
"Your new mentor," Elena corrected, motioning for me to follow. "A Master is a Runebinder who's pushed past their physical limits as an Adept." Something complicated flickered across her face. "And yes, my mother is a Grand Master, though her specialty is flashier. She leads the Arcanists."
We climbed a curved staircase that was thankfully less steep than the thousands I'd conquered today. My legs appreciated the reprieve.
"I'd say you were lucky to be my mother's first Apprentice, but I think you've guessed we don't have the strongest bond." Elena's voice carried years of frustration. "She might be one of the best healers on Ark, but she's a terrible fucking teacher. That she runs an academy is a cosmic joke."
"Again, should I be worried?" I asked, now completely uncertain.
She laughed—not entirely reassuring. "Oh, perpetually. But we have time to build you a foundation before the exams. The rest will be up to you. That Acolyte badge opens doors. Your path is yours to walk."
We emerged into a massive antechamber that reminded me of Grand Central Station—people streaming through portals embedded in walls like doorways to everywhere. The static in the air dissipated as we walked, still present but less oppressive.
When we stepped into the next chamber, my brain short-circuited.
It was a colossal circular room built from dark stone and metal, crowned by a dome that made my neck crane back involuntarily. This was the Sistine Chapel's badass older brother—the one who lifted weights and listened to death metal.
The dome’s apex was the site of a legendary battle of epic proportions. A godlike figure in battle-scarred armor wielded a massive spear of pure, glowing energy, locked in mortal combat with an impossibly gigantic serpent coiled around him. The creature's body writhed with ancient runes and scars, too many eyes blazing with eerie light. They fought atop a mountain of bones—clearly thousands of dead creatures piled beneath them.
The background swirled with storm clouds and crackling lightning, streaked with gold and silver that seemed to ripple and move like living metal. The clouds actually roiled, pulsing like they yearned to break free from paint and return to the sky.
Radiating outward from this central clash, the entire dome burst with scenes of warfare—mounted warriors riding creatures I couldn't name, massive crab-like monsters being slaughtered by groups wielding impossibly large swords.
It was simply too much to process. This place didn't need peaceful chapel music—it needed a death metal concert to pay proper respects.
Vignettes of carnage sprawled everywhere—warriors locked in desperate battle, creatures tearing through armies, blood and glory painted in impossible detail. The overwhelming scope made my head spin. I stumbled backward, lost my footing completely, and reality slammed back into focus as my shoulder collided with the stone floor.
I executed an embarrassingly clumsy roll, landing flat on my back with a loud grunt that echoed through the chamber.
Now at least my view was perfectly positioned to see the ceiling.
"Gaius Valerian," Elena said from above, extending a hand while pointing toward the apex. "Founder of the Monster Hunters around a thousand years ago. You might know that one, though." She gestured off to the side.
Was that—?
I burst out laughing. "No fucking way."
High on the dome, a man with jet-black skin covered in golden runes was punching straight through a mountain. Literally punching it.
"Our very own Chas Blackwood, leveling the Stone Shoulder—a mountain filled with Class-D monsters called Spineridges," Elena explained with obvious fondness. "It was quite a sight."
"Head Mistress!" A massive voice boomed across the chamber.
A mountain of a man bulldozed through Monster Hunters like they were children. Seven feet of pure Viking stereotype—braids, intricate tattoos, and a legendary beard that would make Thor weep with envy. But it was his eyes that caught me off guard.
Cassie's eyes, unmistakably, set in this grizzled warrior's face.
"I received word that my sister was trapped in a spirit realm," he said, urgency bleeding through controlled tone. "I came as soon as I could. Have you heard anything?"
Elena masked her surprise, though I caught the slight widening of her eyes. "She's fine, Adept. In fact, you have the Unbidden to thank for helping get them back."
"Unbidden?" The Viking turned toward me, and I felt dwarfed. "I've never met someone from another world—welcome to ours." He extended a hand that could probably crush walnuts.
"Acolyte Ben Crawford, this is Adept Erik Winters," Elena said smoothly. "Cassandra's younger brother."
Younger? Erik looked at least ten years older than Cassie, with gray threading through his blonde hair like battle scars.
"My enemies call me Ironheart," he said with genuine respect. "You've sworn to the Monster Hunters before binding your Seal? Few I've met have half as much courage."
Elena nodded approvingly. "And my mother will take him as her first apprentice."
Erik's eyes widened so dramatically I thought they might pop out. The expression looked bizarre on this grizzled warrior's face.
"Nana's back?" He turned to me with something approaching awe. "And... you're her first? I need to know more."
"You had better not be bothering Ben," Cassie's voice cut through the conversation from just outside my aura's range.
When she and Felix stepped into that invisible circle, something strange happened. Instead of the usual shiver, I felt protective warmth—like I was keeping watch over them, always aware of exactly where they stood.
"I was going to thank him for saving your ass," Erik shot back with brotherly affection. "Maybe we have a new Guardian on our hands."
"Please," Cassie scoffed. "He's good in a scrap, I'll give him that. Would make a great Striker."
"He's surprisingly sharp with runes too," Felix added thoughtfully. "I'll bet he'd be right at home with us in Sylvarus. Nana's his mentor, after all." His eyes caught the gleam of metal on my chest. "Hey, is that an Acolyte badge?"
"Children," Elena interjected, cutting through what was clearly about to become a recruitment war. "You can catch up later. Ben needs a place to stay. Felix, are there rooms open at Doreen's?"
Felix grimaced like he'd bitten something sour. "Hazel's room is always free."
"I guess that will have to do," Elena sighed, then turned to Erik. "Adept, will you be joining us in the city?"
He shook his head, determination setting his jaw. "No, I have a Proving with the Guardians before they ship out. I've come a long way since my last attempt."
Elena nodded with obvious approval. "I've heard. We passed Alexander recently—if you hurry, you should catch him."
Erik lit up like Christmas morning. "Thank you, Head Mistress!" He shouted, immediately breaking into a jog back the way we'd come.
I shot Elena a look. "Sure, we just passed him—but he jumped down to the bottom."
"Oh yeah, we felt that one in the armory," Felix added with a grin.
Elena shrugged, not bothering to hide amusement. "Erik doesn't know that, and he can use the exercise. Gary will get him there before he’s truly late."
Cassie chuckled as we were led to a lower level, and the atmosphere shifted completely. Gone was the museum of carnage above—this felt like an upscale hotel lobby, all polished stone and comfortable seating. Salt tinged the air, carried by a cool breeze flowing through the large archways.
"We call this building the Citadel—it's the largest entrance to the Tower, but not the only one," Elena explained.
I followed her gesture and stopped dead.
I'd been climbing a tower in a jungle all day. Logic dictated that more sprawling jungle should stretch to the horizon.
Instead, an entire port city cascaded down the hillside beneath us, gleaming in the afternoon sun like something from a fantasy novel cover.
"We call that La-Roc."
I stepped past several people, drawn to the archway's edge like a magnet. The crescent-shaped harbor curved gracefully below, sapphire waters dotted with elegant sailing ships that looked like toys from this height. Countless buildings and spires stretched across the hillside—terracotta tiles glowing warm and golden, connected by bridges that seemed to defy engineering sense.
The scale hit me like a physical blow. This wasn't some fantasy village—this was a legitimate city, as large as any I'd ever seen on Earth.
I tore my gaze away from the spectacular view and looked down at the path ahead.
A long, winding staircase descended toward the city, carved directly into the cliff face.
I let out a resigned sigh that came from somewhere deep within my soul.
"More stairs."
Felix clapped me on the shoulder with far too much enthusiasm. "Look on the bright side, Ben—these go down."
"That's... actually not making me feel better about this."
Cassie snorted. "Just wait until you see what's at the bottom."
Her grin promised that the adventure was far from over.