Tower of Endless: Death Granted Entry

Moon stood still, looking at the familiar face. Dorbish, taken off guard by random clumsiness, found himself in another unfavorable situation.

He took a look back, trying to understand what actually happened, only to see Roran’s panicking face, holding one hand by the other... his mouth was wide open and his body was leaning backwards. His face had the ”What have I done?” look that Dorbish would enjoy seeing in any other situation, but the one he was currently in.

The clashing voices and the noises of the masses went silent. Everyone was watching without saying a single word... Dorbish looked around at the faces; some held excitement, others looked at him with pity. He also felt pity for himself.

He looked back at Colten, who recognized him but was silently questioning what he was doing here. He avoided looking at Moon for the longest time, but Moon’s eyes were fixed on him with an unfaltering smile. Dorbish’s eyes finally made contact with Moon’s, and when he did, he felt his chest tighten.

’That stupid bastard, I knew an arm’s distance was necessary,’ Dorbish thought, unable to blame Moon, whom he had only met once, only to stand again in a very familiar situation.

”Oii, fellow ascender, glad to have you here.” Moon waved excitedly, greeting him in his very way of speech that didn’t feel polite or pleasant to hear coming out of that face of his.

Dorbish straightened his back. ”Likewise, fellow ascender, it’s always a pleasure seeing your face.” He spoke reluctantly, spewing an obvious lie.

Moon nodded, pleased. ”Are they also not your friends?” Moon mocked their previous interaction, eyes falling on Roran a little over a meter from Dorbish.

Dorbish thought about a way to explain, but Moon spoke again. ”Fellow ascender, did you rush in such a manner to show your support?” He was taunted right away.

On the other side, Colten was confused. He had heard that Moon was the first to come, but he didn’t know Dorbish knew him, nor did he know which side Dorbish would join. Moon didn’t clarify which side would get supported, but Colten wouldn’t believe Moon was inviting him to join his side. Colten only heard what Roran said, and it was that they met once... Right now, they seemed to know each other well.

Puzzled, he asked, ”Brother Dorbish?” Dorbish’s face collapsed instantly, but he ignored that fact. ”Do you know him?”

Dorbish cleared his throat slowly. ”Ehm, I met fellow ascender at the platform when I first reached the facility.”

Colten looked at Dorbish in anticipation, his face softened with a slight smile. ”Right, Brother Dorbish...” As if he remembered something important, forcing Dorbish’s face to seem in slight pain. ”We happened to have a rather unfortunate conflict with fellow ascender Moon; I seek your wisdom to mediate, if you may.”

Colten, as opportunistic as he was, now instead of seeking a new member for his group, was trying to drag two—and maybe a third if Roran followed. He had avoided both Roran and Dorbish since they only act upon the orders of their clans, but maybe he could drag all three to his side. The mess of today was a suitable price for having all three of them on his side.

On the other hand, Dorbish’s mind was racing. This was unpleasantly problematic... Everything was moving in a direction where he would be involved in a meaningless mess that had nothing to do with him. He glanced at Moon, only to find that damn smiling face fixed on his, and more than ever, he just wanted to avoid the guy. He assumed Colten was trying to win everyone over, but he was also sure that Moon wouldn’t allow this outcome.

He decided to clarify things politely before moving on his way, promising himself that if he managed to get out of this mess with just words, he would never check commotions again. Clearing his throat again: ”Actually, the two of us only met once. We happened to hold a short, fruitful conversation. Esteemed fellow ascender, he was a man of virtuous and great might, yet he avoided associating his name with his reputable clan, living the utmost path of the warrior.”

Dorbish spoke, defusing most of Colten’s anger and causing a vein on Moon’s head to bulge. His plan was clear: to give high standings to both sides and move out of the mess. Colten was now studying Moon deeply, and Moon was glaring daggers at Dorbish’s face. Dorbish raised a hand and started walking. ”With that said, if you may excuse me, I was just passing through. My apologies, but I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”

Colten leaned forward, attempting to stop him, but Dorbish wasn’t going to pause. Though one thing he didn’t expect:

”Reputable clan, my ass,” Moon spoke words that made everyone’s gaze shift to him. Meanwhile, Dorbish started sprinting away.

”I’m a mercenary of the first floor, you bastards! How dare you associate me with something like a clan!” Moon shouted to the masses.

”What?” Colten wasn’t the only one who exclaimed. Moon spoke while raising his fist, showing both pride in his own background and disdain for all clans. It wasn’t something you would see on a normal day... or an abnormal one.

Colten turned around for Dorbish—he wanted to ask, he needed clarification—but Dorbish was nowhere to be found. Apparently, he successfully managed to escape, which made Colten feel even more anger... It was like he was being played with since the beginning, running through a meaningless wave of disappointment and expectations until, at the very end, he found nothing.

Leaving aside the exploding discussions of the masses who couldn’t even believe the attitude of one who was antagonizing every possible clan publicly.

”Was he insane?”

”He can’t be normal.”

”Kill that bastard, Lord Colten!”

Screams erupted.

Though, amidst his anger, Colten could see something that everyone else failed to see. The first floor: the Echo black hole. A place where no one could use Echo, but whoever survives there is by default an exceptional fighter under the right conditions. And this was exactly what he needed to understand.

Moon... he wasn’t as strong as he made himself seem. He was just fighting under right conditions, where no one could use Echo... only their bodies. Living unreliant on Echo his entire life, where he could never feel or have it support his speed, strength, or endurance. Where weapons are as sharp as made, and cannot be enhanced. Where no combat art could ever manifest, nor anyone could train anything but their bodies.

Colten felt his heart falter. Now he knew what that bastard was about; he also knew how to deal perfectly with him. Someone who has only been in contact with Echo for only two days at most—it was impossible for him to use it efficiently unless he was a world-class talent that all clans would aim their weapons at each other’s throats to have. But looking at him now, the fact that he didn’t radiate the lightest Echo spoke volumes.

Now everything has finally fallen into place. Colten’s mouth parted, whispering to himself:

”How about I send this vulgar Echo noob to his death.”