CH794

<I’m still surprised you didn’t prepare anything.>

What’s there to prepare? Unlike the last couple times, I don’t have the slightest clue about whatever we’re going to have to deal with and more importantly, for the first time taking on one of these stupid things, I’m actually in my element. My magics are all non-affinitied, same with all of my skills. I mean, sure, none of the affinitied enchantments I can make are going to work when we get to the higher floors but I’ll be able to enchant with anything within my status and probably the non-affinitied enchantments on my rings as well, plus I’ll be able to materialize. If there’s anything I need in there I’ll just make it on the fly.

<Mmh, I’ll take some comfort in the fact that you’re at a high level in all your magics at least, even if you don’t have the complete non-affinitied skill.>

What, don’t tell me it’s necessary? I will happily take any and all spoilers.

<You aren’t learning any trial secrets from me, thank you very much, but as for the skill… Obviously, it’s advised to have a person with it when challenging the tower but you’re going with three, it won’t be a major concern. They can pick up whatever slack you leave. Besides, if you have a group with a good range of magics going instead of the complete one it’s still possible, just more challenging. Either way, just do me a favour and don’t go getting yourself killed. No matter how much you’ve improved since taking on your first one, these things always carry a risk.>

Oh, don’t worry, I’m never forgetting that. Still good and traumatized from my time in Galwax’s.

<And yet you’re still looking at taking on another tower after this one is done.> Myriad sighed.

Excuse you, I have it on the highest authority that craftsmans’ tower doesn’t kill people, meaning I’m probably ending on my safest note!

<Probably?>

I mean, if it comes down to it I’m going to challenge another if I really need to, I’ll talk to you guys about it when the time comes.

<Ben->

Oh look, the tower’s in view now, hold whatever thought that is for later Myriad and wish me luck!

<...Just don’t go getting yourself killed.>

Promise.

It seemed they were the first ones there, leaving them time to stare at the entrance, with Ben pushing his mind to try and interpret what he was seeing. All of the magic towers had their doors marked to give a clue as to what trial they would contain and that one was no different, being covered in dozens of squares, numerous lines, five distinct points, and a central circle as he tried to interpret what they meant with that limited bit of knowledge and continuing that thought while they talked, with a question on Thera’s lips.

“So, how are you feeling about this?”

“As ready as I can be.”

“...”

“What?”

“Ben.”

“...Okay, you got me, I’m maybe a little excited,” He admitted despite himself, even with the danger they were going to face and the lingering bits of trauma he hadn’t escaped from past trials. “This is the first tower we’re doing that I actually suit is all, you know? I guess it will just be a little interesting to see how things go when we actually step in there. How about you then? Feeling okay?”

“...Worried,” She admitted. “It’s possible one or both of us will die in there.”

“A risk we’ve had for every tower we’ve taken on.”

“Yeah, but now there’s a child we’ll be dumping even more trauma on if either of us does.”

“You’ve really taken to the whole mother role.”

“Cousin, a completely different branch of family. Superior too, given that even if I’m not stronger, I’m morally better than his actual mother.”

“Ha, your guardian role then, and if you want to pass on this then I won’t stop you.”

“No, I want the extra strength, no matter what. I’d still be a pretty terrible guardian if I died during the third wave, I just didn’t expect this extra bit of stress when I first agreed to do this with you.”

“True, it’s been a hell of a couple weeks, for now though-”

“Guys!” Jake yelled out as he, Amy, and Vasta spotted them from the distance, giving them a wave while they waved back.

“Ahem, for now, let’s do our best to focus on this and then worry about anything else after we’ve safely escaped, and to start that off, let's have a little rundown with everyone first.”

They waited for the others to join them from there, Vasta being the first to speak once they were at their sides.

“You all feeling ready?”

“As we can be. You?”

“Of course,” She laughed. “I’ve long been waiting for this day, it will be good to finally see it through.”

“Cool, and Jake, are you all rested and recuperated?”

“I’m still dreaming about chemistry because of you.”

“But you’re sleeping through the night?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Then you’re fine, that doesn’t even count as trauma at that point. Now though, a few things before we start.”

He pulled a few bracelets from one of his rings as he said it, handing two to each person to take as they looked them over.

“I’m sure you guys have heard about these by now but these are mana and buff bracelets, with the first capable of rapidly filling your soul with it if you’re running low at the cost of just a bit of pain and the second being a bit more pleasant giving you a boost to all of your stats equal to about five percent of my own, at least for the first effect on it. As you can see though, there’s three crystals on that one so you can activate all three at once, even if the effect of each additional crystal halves. Still not sure why they do that, souls are weird and complicated and I’m pretty sure I could spend decades studying the topic and not learn everything, especially when it seems like not all functions of them are going to be relevant to a given universe considering all of the summoned had affinities and resistances despite that being completely irrelevant to life on Earth but I digress. Put them on and give them a spin.”

“Ah, thank you but we’ve already received those bits of your work before,” Vasta told him, rolling up her sleeve to show what she was wearing. “We were considered among the priorities for distribution.”

“Okay, makes sense but still trade them out. Both effects they give are based off of my own attributes and the ones I made this morning will be better than ones I made days or weeks ago and if we’re taking on a tower, I want you guys using the best.”

Accepting the argument, the rest took what he offered as they put on for the full effect, even if Thera eyed his own arms.

“All of those rings and bracelets but I don’t see any of the ones you’re handing out.”

“Hey, you know my rules, I try not to use souls like that outside of the shop.”

“For taking mana from, sure, but the buffs?”

“Mmh…” That was walking a fine line. The difference wouldn’t be so great for him that it would be the end of the world and it was having a soul acting on him instead of him acting on one, but it was still a crutch he couldn’t depend on if he was going to have to try and face off against what was going to be the most powerful god in the galaxy.

But I don’t really want to have that discussion with everyone right now and it looks like if I don’t then they’re going to force the issue. Eh, whatever.

“Fine,” He said, pulling the raw materials from his rings to shape and enchant upon before applying the souls and slipping it on his arm. He had no intention of actually using it but could tell well enough that it would make everyone more comfortable if he had one, giving them that bit of satisfaction before they started again. “Now, let’s talk the first floor-”

“Got us some inside info?” Jake asked, perking up for whatever bit of ease they could take and falling as Ben shook his head.

“God, I wish, all we have to go off of is the door and a few assumptions. See those five points all around it? I’ve gotta assume that’s us, it matches the maximum number of challengers at least which means we’re probably being split up when we go in there. From there, I’d assume the circle at the center is going to be where we’re supposed to go to meet up which only leaves the lines and squares. Now, I’d assume the lines are going to be some sort of attack and they’re being used to denote movement but I could also be way off mark and I can’t begin to guess for the squares. I’m willing to take any ideas on those I can get.”

Not one offered a suggestion, leaving him to sigh. “Yeah, that’s fair. Either way, just do your best to be prepared for some sort of attack, especially if we’re split up. If we’re not then I’m wrong and we can try to re-evaluate together as we progress through it.”

“Sounds good,” Vasta nodded. “In that case, is everyone ready?”

A round of agreement went up among them and the older non-affinitied mage pushed open the doors. “In that case, let’s all do our best to get through this.”

---

The instant he stepped through the door, Ben found himself alone, just as he’d predicted which did give a certain air of comfort to things. He may have been by himself in a place designed to kill him but he’d seen it coming, at least to that point. With the warning given before they entered, nobody would be too disoriented by that turn of events, leaving him alone to be taken completely by surprise over what came next.

A strike hard enough to knock him down and a burst of blood that followed, in the first fraction of a second he’d been in the trial, something tore through his jacket and all of the enchantments placed on it to give it a tremendous level of defense and kept going from there, stopping as his back rib as a baseball-sized object destroyed his heart.

Author’s note

That’s right, I’ve finally killed you this time, Ben! Just try and think your way out of that!