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2024-10-29 19:42:56Honestly, I didn't know much about the Tower.
I've spent my whole life in it but that doesn't automatically make me a guru about it.
I never really thought much of it too, since the outside world was more appealing to me.
Sure, there were schools on each floor to educate children on the basic arts and sciences but I never attended.
Not like those that went were better than me though… I dare say I would be one of the smartest in my generation, after all, I received tutoring from both dad and Leila.
So it wasn't hard to understand those subjects but the problem came down to the Tower structure.
Anyway, while staying with dad, everything I had was natural to have so I didn't think much of it.
I considered it normal for the rest of the tower… that was until I moved in with Leila.
Some might call me a spoilt brat but that's not an insult but the truth.
I am a spoilt brat and that's all because of dad.
Dad's position allowed him to enjoy the same status as those people in the Twelve Great families.
If not for his insistence on remaining a scientist, our Walker family would be dubbed the thirteenth Great family.
Leaving the 20th floor and coming down to the 101st brought with it the shock that the hierarchy in the Tower was slightly messed up.
Things that were normal in the first hundred floors were pricy for the next hundred floors and based on what Leila commented about the remaining two hundred floors… let's not talk about it.
It took me three years to adjust to the mere thought of sharing a bathroom with a stranger…partly because Leila had to force me after I stayed several days without bathing.
Hah, good times.
I smiled while knocking raptly on the toilet door.
A few seconds passed and no response came through.
Thankfully, no one's inside.
I pushed open the wooden door and stepped into the toilet.
Inside, there was a hose for water and on one side was the toilet while on the other side was a square area, slightly lower than the rest of the surface area with a hole at the center.
That was the bathing area.
I looked around before closing the door behind me and taking off my clothes.
Getting used to this takes everything within me.
Humming a tune randomly stuck in my head, I bathed and took a ceremonial shit… ahem, I believe that one must wash both the inside and outside of a person's body to be considered truly clean.
Weird?... Yes
But that doesn't stop me from doing it.
I stepped out of the bathroom and made my way back to the apartment before peeping through the window to ensure she was nowhere near the door.
One couldn't be too careful.
Ahem.. anyway, the coast is clear.
I moved my hand to the doorknob and pushed at it… wait, why isn't it opening?
Shit!
"Leila, don't do this!"
I struggled relentlessly to open the door to no avail.
It didn't take long before the neighbors caught wind of what was happening as they peeped through their windows.
Kill me now…
I was completely naked with only a towel covering my loins.
This has got to be the most embarrassing moment in my life.
I was about to rush back to the toilet to avoid the stares when I heard a click followed by the door opening.
"Oh, Jerry, it's you," Leila said with the most innocent look on her face.
I kill you!
My eyelids twitched at her shamelessness.
How could she be so petty?
"What's wrong?... Did something happen?" she quickly added with a worried look.
If one were none the wiser, they would think she was genuinely worried for my sake.
Fucking hell!... I should skin you alive!
I nearly spat blood due to her shameless acts but held myself back.
Never would I admit defeat like this… it's only getting started.
Revenge!
I walked past her without responding and rushed into into the room to get changed.
Leila snickered and the urge to strangle her nearly got a hold of me but I restrained myself.
Today was very important so I couldn't ruin it with petty revenge.
But soon…
No way shall I take this lying down!
Anyway, sometime later and I'm out of the room, dressed in a black sweater with black pants and a pair of dirty sneakers.
This set was a present from dad before he passed away.
The sneakers were from a store he encountered in the outside world.
After some adjustments, they turned out to be my favorite pair.
I wore them for good luck… and maybe a bit of nostalgia.
The scene of dad coming back home with a leather bag and a happy-go-lucky smile on his bearded face replayed in my mind.
I couldn't help but smile like a fool.
Those were good times.
"You look so handsome." Leila's compliment jolted me out of my trip down memory lane.
I faced her only to be taken aback by her breathtaking appearance.
She also wore a sweater and a pair of jeans with sandals but her face… she seemed hotter?
"Got anything to say?" Leila asked mischievously.
"Hmmph, don't think I've forgotten. Revenge is a dish best served cold after all."
She chuckled at my remark, walking up to me before using her delicate hand to brush away my hair while staring deeply into my eyes.
For a moment, silence reigned as we kept eye contact.
Just then, Leila spoke up. "You look a lot like him… I'm sure he'd be proud of who you've become."
"…You think?"
She cracked a smile, grabbing my hand as she pulled me to the room.
Placed against the wall, opposite the bed was a broken mirror dad had salvaged on another of his outing.
He gifted it to Leila for her twenty-first birthday and had been a part of her memories of him ever since.
I silently stared at my reflection in the mirror.
White hair, dark skin with brown eyes, and a relatively fit physique… I looked pretty good.
"What do you see?... Because what I see in that mirror is a fighter… a guy that, even with the dangers, is still willing to do what it takes to live up to his father's legacy." Leila said smilingly.
…. Yeah, should I cringe or smile?... It felt good though.
I already lost dad and Leila was scared to lose me just like I was scared to lose her.
So I decided… no matter what, I'd protect my family and avenge those taken from me.
This was my promise!
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At World's End Entry 6
The elevator made a humming sound as it was turned on. It was made of transparent glass with an octagonal shape, The elevator floors and edges were lined with metals with the roof hooked up to a tough line that connected it to the higher floors. Quite some time had passed since I used one of these. The last time was when I left the 20th floor to move in with Leila.Right now I was in the elevator with Leila, heading for the 50th floor. After Leila helped to boost my confidence… hateful witch!... I felt much better about myself. With such a big supporter by my side, no obstacle could stand in my path to fulfilling my dreams. Don't worry dad, you can rest easy. I will finish what you started. Uhmm, where was I? Oh yeah. The elevator was located at the center of the floor, with enough room to fit thirty people at a go. Connected from the 101st to the 81st floor, it enabled the transport of people and goods between floors. This was the only way to move between floors and one ha
At World's End Entry 7
The time to part had come. I couldn't but sigh because even though I prepared mentally for this moment, it was hard to let go. Spending time with Leila, I realized that even though dad was dead, I still had someone I could call family. She did everything to make me forget but I always kept the memories of dad. But I was grateful. If not for her… there were several nights I couldn't sleep because the memory of five years ago kept coming back. Darn it… my eyes stung a little as I tried to hold back my tears. I turned to face Leila to say goodbye when her slender finger touched my lips. She applied no force but I didn't try to speak. For that brief moment, we met each other's gaze, and the world around us seemed to disappear. "Don't say anything. I'll be waiting for you so do your best and come out on top, okay." She spoke softly but her words resounded deep within my heart. With no words to respond, I merely nodded while smiling sheepishly. Wrapping my arms around her, I dra
At World's End Entry 8
Blood… gore… despair… pure, unrestrained horror. they were displayed before my eyes. People got hacked to pieces, their guts spilling out as their blood dyed the floor red. People were in the air with a spike through their stomachs. A pregnant woman getting stoned to death. A baby's head was crushed with a hammer. At some point, I collapsed to my knees and threw up. It was too much to bear. Were they real?... Had such things happened out there in the real world? Just what sort of barbarism was this? Once again, I threw up. I wasn't the only one reacting adversely to the images as I heard a few thuds, most likely because some had fainted. I tried to turn away but where could I turn to? I looked up but a screen was there as well. Below… same. What the hell was this? What sort of madman would do such a thing to us? I could have sworn I heard someone crying. Was it from the video or amongst the aspirants? Shit… I felt nauseated again. I gripped my stomach as I closed my
At World's End Entry 9
Each year the Academy accepted new entrants, depending on the number of spaces available.Registration normally took place on the 15th day of the first month when the Tower was at its hottest, Eos.From then till the 25th, candidates would show up with hopes of getting accepted in the institution.Each day a different age group was accepted…And today being the 15th, my age group which was 18-20 were the ones being tested.The red haired guy looked 30, especially with his muscular physique and… wait, he already has a beard?So, lucky… Ahem, I digress.I shook my head to get rid of the unnecessary thoughts when the military man suddenly spoke.“Well, well, it seems the maggots accepted this time are much better than last year’s set. Quite impressive. I’ll enjoy breaking you lot.” His tone of speech sounded quite sinister.But what was he talking about?He continued after a quick scan. “I’m sure you are wondering what just happened. Well, in short form, you all just passed the first ac
At World's End Entry 10
Hah, it’s fine I guess.Can’t keep on hating every doctor I came across, it’s too much work.Taking a deep breath, I retained my composure.With that, the doctor blitzed through the checkup, going as far as to ask about my medical history and if I had any problems up there.“No.” I answered bluntly.She nodded as she penned down something.After that, she took my blood and urine for some more tests before coming back out with a smile on her face.“You are quite healthy, Jeremy.”“...I try my best.”“Here you go.” She handed over an ID card with my face and basic details on it. “Welcome to the Academy for the Gifted.”“Thank you.”“I hope you enjoy your stay.”“I hope so too.”After I took possession of the ID card, she allowed me pass the door behind her which led me to yet another hallway, even though this one was shorter than the previous one.I walk down the hall until I got to a split.Following her direction, I took the left split and walked down till I got to another door.Ugh,
At World's End Entry 11
I couldn’t answer his question.Even though I answered a variant of said question yesterday, I hesitated.Leila had asked and now this rude bastard asked me again.It was at a level where I had to step back to reevaluate what I understood.I bit my lower lip to keep calm. Recalling what I read in dad’s journal, I pondered on what I’d do if faced with those situations.Even though the outside world was a beautiful place, right now it was crawling with Otherworldly, creatures residing in the Fog with only two goals.Death and destruction.They were part of the reasons why humanity had to abandon that world and live within a Tower.And even now, their existence threatened ours.Would I be able to handle it?I couldn’t be sure any longer.Fear slowly crept into my heart and the crazy captain seemed to notice as he cracked a mocking smile upon seeing my expression.He must think of me as an impulsive teen with only big dreams and no idea on how to fulfill them.Meeting his gaze aggravated
At World's End Entry 12
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At World's End Entry 13
“Today being an introductory class, we will be discussing basic information about Explorers, who they are, why they are important to the Tower and what mindset to have as a candidate.”A middle aged man wearing a dirt brown suit with glasses and a weird moustache, stood at the podium, addressing us.He looked familiar with his slightly large build and chubby cheeks, maybe because I had seen him quite a few times in Dad’s lab.He was one of his fellow Explorer buddies that was more inclined to seeking knowledge than fighting monsters.Anyway, his name was Professor Charles Webber and he completely disappeared after my dad’s death.Just like several others that acted friendly when he was alive and left the moment his death was deemed as suicide.What Leila said was right that Dad’s death had something to do with the Twelve since no-one had the guts to step up to refute the claims of Dad committing suicide.The problem though was which of them did it?If I remembered correctly, most were
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Entry 174
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Entry 173
It was the first time Vampires became a thing.Once Creatures of folklore told around campfires in the old world, these creatures were tame compared to what was before them at this very moment.A few reasons remained as to why the Otherworldly abomination was called Vampire but two stood out.One was because these monster feasted on blood and the second was that they had insane regenerative abilitiesMore than that, the third and last one was their dislike for light.They thrived in dark place as the mines and even the entire tower was meant to be.It’s quite understandable why the higher ups wouldn’t want the Vampires reaching the heart, now, no?Unlike normal Otherworldly that just don’t like light, the light for Vampires was a lethal weapon that could deal incredible damage in proportion to the intensity of the light.Which meant if they got to the Heart and by some stroke of luck, succeed in destroying it, that would mean the entire tower would be destroyed without a chance to sav
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Entry 172
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Entry 171
The All-seeing Eye would have never believed it would come across the Void Wanderer again, after all, ever since that day, the Void Wanderer was pronounced dead.It should have died but even in death, it seemed as though it wouldn’t rest until it had done what it wanted which was to cause chaos amongst them.You will never get away with this!... Your kind is already doomed!... Do not waste your time fighting against the inevitable. What you should do is swear your allegiance to the one who watches and accept his reign.[Bold of you to assume that I would waste my time having a conversation with you. Please… enough with the noise.]The All-seeing Eye wanted to say but before it had a chance to, space about it began to constrict, growing tightly about it until it could barely move in any direction.No!... You cannot do this!.... You cannot do this!Unfortunately, Lord had no more words to share with him and a moment later, his body exploded like a watermelon that received the full brunt
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Entry 170
The Otherworldly were graded according to a system created by mankind after constant bouts with them.From E, it ascended thusly; E, D, C, B, A, S, SS and lastly Godspawn.Two things were used in the grading process.One was the destructive capabilities of said monster while the second was the utility of their ability.Which meant a flame monster could be lesser than a monster that can’t be seen simply because the monster that can’t be seen won’t be easily beat.For the flame monster, there would surely be ways to counter since it’s seen but the other… the first step would be to see it no?Other criteria was put into consideration as well, like how hard was it to kill one or like how fast were their regenerative capabilities.Of course this applied to most Otherworldly.Yes, most.The SS and Godspawn were different.They were a class that defied natural laws and created conundrums that defied everything humanity had come to understand.The difference between an SS and a Godspawn was t
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Entry 169
It was a simple plan with a simple purpose in mind.Reginald, Veronica and Jeremy.These three had abandoned the pain and suffering from that time during the newbie massacre to come together for a singular reason.What was the reason you might ask?... It was purely revenge.Revenge for their fallen comrades that had died unjustly at the hands of scheming bastards that hid within the shadows.The fact that they had found out whom the perpetrators were made it all the more better.At least they wouldn’t move like headless flies.Now they could move with the desire to kill the one that caused them the grievance they were still suffering even as they sat in Jeremy’s room, talking with smiled on their faces.Leah hadn’t been fooled when she saw them smile and laugh so energetically.It was most likely because they didn’t want her to worry.Unfortunately, she no longer had eyes that could be deceived.Leah only listened to the hearts of those she communicated with and currently, as she list
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Entry 168
Veronica sighed as she rose from her bed and walked over to the door to open it only to find her father standing outside.“Dad, you?” Veronica said.Her father nodded. “Were you sleeping?”“No… not yet.” Veronica shook her head in response.“I thought as much. Alright, let me come in first.” With that said, he casually entered without giving Veronica much of a choice to refuse or anything of that sort.She watched on as he sat on her bed and made himself comfortable before tapping on the bed.“Come sit.”Veronica pursed her lips before letting out a sigh. “still as intrusive as ever.”Sitting beside her father, she waited for him to talk.He pondered for a bit before he spoke. “how are you feeling?”“Fine.” Veronica replied.Her father glanced at her and after a bit of scrutiny, shook his head. “that’s a lie.”“If you already know, then why ask?”“To know if you are willing to tell yourself the truth.”“…The truth is too painful to accept.”Her father stared at her solemn face and aft
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Entry 167
It all happened so suddenly.One moment, the thugs were trying to take down Jeremy and Marcus to take away their belongings and the next moment, they were writhing on the floor like worms that had salt poured in them.As they groaned and gasped for air, Jeremy looked on with an expressionless look on his face.Meanwhile, Marcus was somewhat terrified.Just what power had Jeremy used?He couldn’t even begin to fathom it.But then he wondered. If he had such an ability… wouldn’t Ria still be alive now?Wouldn’t he have been able to save Ria and ensure nothing happens to her?As that thought came, Marcus found himself pondering on it more and more until he could hardly think of anything else.Then he heard Jeremy’s voice. “This not power you should hope for.”His voice snapped Marcus out of his reverie, causing him to realize that he had Ben staring off into nothingness for a bit too long.Then he glanced at Jeremy who was staring intently at him.“how did you do that!” Marcus immediatel
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Entry 166
“You heard about the fire?” Jeremy inquired with a raised brow.Reginald nodded. “It was a dangerous affair after all. It’s one of the few times when an entire floor was threatened. If anything had gone wrong, we would have seen casualties in the thousands.”“I agree. And that was just a side effect.”“A side effect, you say?” Reginald raised a brow.Jeremy replied. “Yeah. Apparently, Marcus only had to kill some mafia leader that had his hands on the black market on that floor, engaging in unsavory activities including drugs, prostitution and slavery.”“that… wait, you said the orb is a Vestige?” Reginald asked.Jeremy nodded. “it is.”“so how did he use it?... Aren’t Vestiges objects that only react to variance?... So how did he activate it?”“I have no idea.” Replied Jeremy in all honesty.He was also quite curious to figure out how it happened.It was a known fact that even ordinary Explorers could not use Vestiges because of their lack of variance.But Marcus managed to do so des
