The Trial

Ethan blinked a few times rapidly as he realized he was being taken into the underground facility of the post building. He thought he only had to fill out some forms like his personal data and consent letter. But why did he have to go down to the underground facility to do all that? And judging by how long they were moving, Ethan was sure they were already hundreds of meters below the surface.

Jane, the Agent who brought him, turned and looked at Ethan with a guilty expression. "Sorry, you must be confused, huh?" Jane said, accompanied by a helpless smile.

Ethan looked at her. "Where are you taking me?"

"To the trial. Before an Invited enters the Tower, they must undergo several trials first to ensure certain things."

"One of them is the Talent you will awaken."

At the last sentence, Jane looked at him with hope. But Ethan also saw some pity in her eyes.

"Talents? What is that?" Ethan asked.

"Each Invited will awaken a Talent when they are in the Trial. That Talent is an ability that will help you survive in climbing the Tower."

Ethan's eyes widened. He had never heard of that. Apparently, there was information kept by everyone who had entered and survived in the Tower despite hundreds of years since its appearance.

"So... It's like a superpower?" Ethan asked excitedly. He had often watched animated films and fantasy novels where the characters had incredible superpowers. The fact that he would awaken that kind of power made him excited.

"Yes," Jane answered. "But it all depends on luck. Some people awaken very powerful Talents. Some others... uhh, not so powerful."

Jane refrained from saying that some awaken useless Talents. Which meant instant death inside the Tower. 'He doesn't need to know about that now, does he?' Jane thought.

"Hm! But I guess even the less powerful superpower is still awesome, right?" Ethan said.

Jane didn't say anything. She only gave Ethan a small smile.

A moment later, the elevator stopped. Ethan followed Jane out and passed through a corridor before reaching a door. Jane opened it.

They entered the part of the Tower buried inside the earth. It was its base. Ethan could clearly see its surface consisting of some kind of shining obsidian under the dim light from around it.

Ethan opened his eyes wide. "Wait! What is this? Why did you bring me so close to the Tower?!"

Jane turned and looked at him. "When you decided to come here, there is no going back. You won't be able to do anything but enter the Tower. So we decided not to waste time and bring the Invited here directly, to do the Trial."

Seeing the surprised and hesitant look on Ethan's face, she continued. "Well, you have decided to come, haven't you? So there must be something you want. You can get it by entering the Tower so let's go get it!"

Ethan gulped. There is no filling out forms. There is no signing any agreements. He just goes straight into it.

Ethan realized that arguing with Jane now would be pointless. She must have done this many times before and she knew that there was no backing out from the Invitation.

So, Ethan strengthened his resolve. Besides, there was nothing else he could do now. Since he was already here, he might as well focus on the task at hand and do his best.

"Okay, let's go," Ethan said.

Jane, knowing that Ethan had reached his resolve – or rather realizing that he had no choice – nodded satisfied.

"What weapon do you usually use?" Jane asked in front of an electronic panel. She pressed a few buttons and then a box at the end of the room beeped.

"Uhm, just give me a dagger or a bow and arrow," Ethan replied.

Fortunately, before falling ill his father had taught him martial arts and how to use some weapons. He never mentioned where he learned all of this and Ethan wasn't particularly interested to know.

Ethan had never used these skills for anything other than strengthening his body when doing heavy work, because there was no serious threat in the city.

He also wondered why his father insisted on teaching him these weapons because there was no threat that required him to fight. Every story about monsters that he heard from inside the Tower stayed in the Tower. They never got out.

But right now, Ethan can't help but think that maybe his father prepared him for this moment.

The box at the end of the room hissed, opened, and emitted bluish smoke.

"I will give you both. A dagger, a bow, and a quiver containing twenty steel arrows." Jane flashed him a sweet smile.

In a different situation, Ethan would have been captivated by that smile. But right now he didn't have time for that.

"Thanks," he said.

Ethan took the dagger and wore it on his waist. He slung the quiver on his back and gripped his arrows.

Although he was nervous, Ethan knew that at least he could use these weapons. He wouldn't die immediately.

Jane then led Ethan closer to the entrance of the Tower. Like the rest of it, Ethan saw a lot of runes and symbols that were foreign.

Then he saw something surprising. Jane's eyes shone with golden light for a few seconds. Then the black door opened by itself.

"There, you can enter the Trial now," Jane said with a smile. As if she was escorting someone who wanted to go for a walk in the park on a vacation.

"What will I find in there?" Ethan asked, looking into the abyss that was visible after the door opened.

"Monsters, puzzles, etc. I don't know exactly because every Invited will encounter something different," Jane replied.

Ethan let out a long breath. "I see. So I just need to step inside?"

"Yes. And then, the Trial will begin. Come on! I'll cheer for you here!" Jane said, then raising her fist into the air. She smiled cheerfully.

Ethan didn't feel any better even when he saw her cheering for him. But he still responded with a small smile.

"Thanks. I'll be going now."

Ethan stepped towards the door. A moment after he stepped inside, the door closed on its own.

Jane furrowed her brow after he was gone. "I got a strange feeling about him. Could it be that the Lord is finally back to the Tower?"

There was no use guessing. The answer would reveal itself in time.

~~~

Ethan walked through the darkness. His bow was already drawn, with an arrow nocked. His eyes tried to scan the surroundings, but he couldn't find anything except darkness.

Fear began to creep into his heart. What if his assumptions were wrong? What if the monsters in this place were too strong for him, so even though he could use weapons, he would just die immediately.

'Shit shit shit!'

Ethan cursed inside his head. Cursing the foolish decision he made to come in here.

He took a breath. Trying to calm himself. 'Focus on your task right now! You've intended to get the cure for your father, so get the fucking cure!'

Ethan had a habit of talking to himself when he was angry or happy like now. The effect of it, it gave him the impression that there was someone cheering him on, even though it was only in his own head.

Loneliness really does something to people's minds.

A few minutes later, he saw the scene in front of his eyes start to change. Now he was in the middle of a dark forest.

He could see the moon above amidst the cloudy sky.

'This maybe one of the illusions of this Tower,' Ethan thought.

Ethan ventured deeper into the dark forest cautiously. But he still hadn't found anything. Not even animals or monsters.

"Hey!"

A sharp whisper made Ethan swiftly turn his body and aim his arrow.

"Don't shoot! I'm a human." The man raised his hands. "We need to work together if we want to survive."

Ethan was confused. Jane didn't mention the existence of another person in this Trial.

~~~