Unconquered Tower

THIRTY

Tyler bit her lip to keep from groaning as she watched as the rest of the association finished off the undead. Her mist was dissipating slowly, much too slowly for how much effort she’d put into it.

“Almost thirty seconds. High mana density causing a prolonged effect?” Tyler muttered to herself as she watched them fight. Taoya was his normal destructive self as he raced through the dying, his fists flashing with machine-like precision as he broke apart the mana nodes.

They were grotesque but looked similar to something in the family journals. She struggled to recall who had made the notations, but in the aftermath of using her bloodline ability she couldn’t recall. She did remember what the entry had said.

“Faced a corrupted nature spirit that infected other mobs on the level. Infection presented as a wide tumor-like growth with dense mana signature. The growths are both a strength and vulnerability. If not targeted immediately the tumor will slowly drain to heal the injured mob. The healing is a slow transformation. Full transformation creates an upgraded mob. Defeated the nature spirit and saw the deaths of all infected mobs across the floor. Possible hive-mind, but not confirmed.”

Tyler didn’t like the hive-mind possibility, everything in the family annals said they were tough fights. Highly coordinated mobs were always a nightmare. And at this level? Before any of them had managed to start earning anything that could aid them in the fight? It had the hallmarks of a massacre.

“Focus on the now,” she reminded herself as she watched the credits roll in. It wasn’t all of the credits for a kill, but a portion of every one of them was still plenty for her. Having to pay Darren’s little association was frustrating, but they had saved her life. And the Pact was in play.

She looked over to where the independent was. The one who had decided to kite the entire horde rather than getting help. She admired the chops, but the thought process was dumb. It was too early in the climb to be that greedy. It was better to build up a base of support and skills that would support you all the way to the top.

At least that’s what all the family journals said and her family had produced nearly a dozen full climbers. True Tower Conquerors. The backlash she had taken for not following the family footsteps and instead entering the Unconquered Tower had been…severe.

Moira was there, slinging the man over her shoulder and into a fireman's carry with a grunt. Whatever else was going on in this tower, the growth rates were exceptional. She had no doubt that her own physical growth was good and she had been stuck in the saferoom for hours.

She sighed as she straightened up and looked for her robes. She didn’t mind being in the suit, but there was a chill in the crypt level and after she used her power she was always cold. Cold and empty.

The warmth of filling herself with an infused potion made her veins fill like they were on fire. After so long of using the power it was reassuring. Feeling like a deflated balloon afterwards was just part of the journey.

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Muscles cramped and she froze, holding herself still has her legs trembled, her back locked tightly. She reminded herself to buy water and food as she waited out the cramps while watching the others.

They were good. Taoya and a few others were very good, but the lack of talent was obvious. There were a few more in the tower who would be on her level with talent and skill. It was just trying to find them and connect. She could spearhead that while she recovered from her skill use. It would be a day or two until she could use it again, even with the increased recovery time.

“Here,” Darren said as he came up next to her, handing her a water ration. She took it without hesitation, watching him out of the corner of her eye. In her current state she couldn’t defend herself, not truly. Even against someone like Darren who wasn’t a designated fighter.

“Thank you,” Tyler said as she wiped her mouth after finishing off the ration. She tossed the empty container to the side of the wide road where traces of the enriched acid still sat. It dissolved in a second, sliding away into the soup of broken bones and flesh from the zombies.

“It’s always impressive seeing you work. Prefer when you act as a support rather than a biological weapon, but it’s effective,” Darren said. The fight was already winding down as the last of the horde was broken apart. She saw a few of the creatures break away from the rear and run into the depths of the crypt.

“Definitley a hive-mind. Or at least a guiding intelligence,” Tyler decided to herself as she looked back towards Darren. Of course he’d noticed the zombies running, that was his entire thing. He noticed.

“I do what needs to be done. I am going to assume we’re even now? I’m no longer in your association’s debt?”

“Our association. Now that you’re in good standing, I’ll put you in for an officer’s position. You, me, Taoya, Moira, a few more when we get to them.”

“The most powerful that you know entered? Seems discriminatory. Could cause bad feelings as new powerhouses rise up,” Tyler warned.

“Powerful people are already here. We can funnel resources to them and ensure they stay the strongest. Especially if they’re loyal to the Pact.”

“Foolish. You know that towers level the playing field. That even the lowest can rise to be the highest.” She nodded her head toward where Moira had disappeared with the independent.

“Roan? He’s suicidal in his attempts to grow. Don’t know what it is that’s driving him, but it has blinded him.”

“You dismiss him too easily. My family's journals have plenty of instances of this. Being born with talent does not guarantee success.”

“What would you have me do? Throw our limited resources to anyone who acts like a maniac? Who thinks of themselves first and not of our goals?”

“Didn’t say that. Just be careful about how you do this. Hurt feelings may seem petty in the grand scheme of the Pact, but it can destroy a climb.”

“I would love to read your family journals. It would help the entire world if you shared your knowledge,” Darren said.

“That’s grandmother’s prerogative, not mine. Just keep it in mind, alright?” Tyler said as she finally felt her muscles unclench. She turned to start back toward the saferoom as the last zombie of the horde fell. The long line of announcements and how many credits she’d earned made her smile as she started walking to the saferoom. Tyler could feel the credits burning a hole in her pockets and couldn’t help but smile as she started to think about what she wanted to buy.

Darren hadn’t been completely wrong in trying to focus resources toward the strongest. Just ham-fisted. It was easier to finish the race when you started several meters down the track. Tyler had no intentions of letting others catch up to her, whether they were other scions or new blood rising for the first time.