Upon finally making his way back to the city, Dharen raced across the cobblestone road, twisting around passerby and obstacle alike with admirable dexterity. The city of Yraos was beginning to awaken. All around, the people began to go about their day. Here, a bakery’s door opened and the scent of freshly-risen bread set into the air. There, a soulseed artificer tinkered away. Yet he had no time to take in the familiar sights and smells. Having acquired his own soulseed in the nick of time, today was the day that he had finally qualified to take part in the Tower’s Challenge - the only chance he would have for the next year. And. He. Was. Late.

Panic fueled his muscles, his legs tearing through the distance. And then he saw it. Spires that rose to the clouds. Walls set in formidable blackstone, ringing the famous compound. A massive gate of iron. Which was closing. Quickly.

With a burst of speed, he dashed towards the imminently closing entrance. Body contorting and twisting, he managed to slide underneath the descending metal gate, earning himself some angry shouts. Without a moment to waste, he continued his desperate sprint to the next set of doors. Paying no mind to the beautifully manicured gardens that lined the smoothly paved path from the gate to the main building of the Guild, he poured what felt like everything he had into pumping his legs.

Finally, he caught up to the line of Challengers as it snaked its way through the hallway of the facility. Fatigued but exultant, he took his place in the back of the line. Mind enraptured in daydreams and excitement, it felt like only a few seconds before he found himself at his final destination.

He entered a grandiose great hall. Brilliant torchlights were ensconced in every nook, sending lights dancing across the room. Shadows flickered in and out, playfully cavorting between the legs of the crowded room’s inhabitants. Just as joyous was the crowd itself, an amalgamation of excited, yet nervous, individuals. Among these stood a few with more certainty than others. These were the grim, standing in harsh juxtaposition to the groups around them.

Adorning the walls were murals that depicted the history of the world. The primordial chaos that reigned supreme in the world’s beginning, the monsters that ravaged the land. The desperate resistance of humanity against the darkness. The ascension of humanity’s greatest warriors, the Progenitors, into godhood. The collaboration of the ascended deities in pushing back the monsters. The newfound strength of humanity as they went forth under the strength of their new boons.

He joined the milling crowd of people, a mixture of the eager and apprehensive. Abruptly, a hushed silence suppressed the crowd. A man with a golden guild medallion approached with a reluctant air. He cleared his throat before speaking.

“My name is Stern. I have drawn the short straw and will be in charge of this coterie today. This is the part where I give a rousing speech and you all are lit afire with passion and hope. “ He glanced over the crowd slowly, slight derision in his eyes. “But I don’t see a reason to waste the energy when none of you have yet proven yourselves of potential use to humanity. So, dispensing with the formalities, it is time to begin.” Following that concerning speech, those gathered in the room veritably shook with anxious nerves.

“As all of you have gathered here, I will assume that you have gained the chance to sacrifice your first soulseed and received the potential to Awaken. Some of you may have already done so, forcing yourself into an Awakening immediately. As is commonly known, monsters can achieve their own form of Awakening and become boss-class when encountering emotions or desires that resonate so strongly that it pierces the veil to the Heavens. Yet, humans are not so lucky. The world was fraught with danger, as we hid in caves and holes in the ground. It was not until the time of the First Heroes, after the Progenitors ascended, that humanity gained their own method to awaken. Now, by sacrificing the soulseeds of Awakened monsters, we have become strong!”

“Your primary mental state at the time of the initial sacrifice and the emotion that you Awaken to will determine your subsequent available Boons. Remember, you may only Awaken once in your lifetime. Hence, those of you who have already formed your Awakened Seeds must accept the strengths that come along with your Awakening - as well as the weaknesses. Those of you have chosen rashly will find yourselves constantly on the hunt for ways to shore up your weaknesses. As for the rest of you, choose carefully. Surviving the Tower’s training may depend on it.” And with that, the taciturn man turned on his heel and made his leave.

Each member of the crowd was then directed to the exit, whereupon they received a wooden guild medallion - the symbol of those who have made known their aspirations to join the Guild - and, even more exciting, it was a Token used to enter the Tower of Challenges. With a glint in his eye and a squeeze of his hand, Dharen pressed his will upon his own medallion.

The world faded away. A kaleidoscopic array of pigments twisted in his vision, a hallucinogenic cacophony of color. With nausea-inducing abruptness, the world returned. Dharen fell to his knees, dry heaving as his stomach rebelled, attempting to exit his body through his throat. After squashing the rebellion mercilessly, Dharen straightened himself. Using his hands to push himself back to his feet, he finally managed to survey his surroundings.

Finding himself in a cramped room, he allowed himself to relax. Tiny and bare, the room seemed to hold only a few necessities: a pool of water, a bed, and a small wooden chest. The stone walls were bare of any furnishing, devoid of any decoration.

Dharen approached the chest, rubbing his hands across the well-worn surface. He grabbed the latch, opening the chest with a slight creaking. Inside lay a single item: a dull crystal the size of a pebble. He placed his hand upon its smooth surface, causing a stream of energy to flow through him. The energy materialized, spilling information into his mind.

As he accepted, his mind was assaulted by a wave of new information. After a moment, his embattled psyche stabilized and a new notification was available.

The crystal appeared to offer a variety of categories of information. However, currently only a few were available: Waiting Room and Floor 1. Though there appeared to be options for an extremely large number of floors, he was unable to access any of them. Presumably, this was because he had not yet progressed far enough in the tower to receive information regarding higher floors. He selected the Waiting Room option, and information flooded in.

According to the information placed in the crystal, the Waiting Room was akin to a rest area between floor challenges. Inside were some basic necessities, such as storage and a place to sleep. In addition, it contained a divine aura to allow challengers the option to fully recuperate between challenges. Dharen could faintly detect the aura, now that it was brought to his attention. Aches and pains that he had no longer even paid any mind had now disappeared.

The last basic component of the Waiting Room was the Tower Shop. After the completion of the first Floor, an entrance to a magical Shop would appear in the Waiting Room. Based upon an individual’s performance, various purchases to aid in climbing the Tower would be available.

Having familiarized himself with the basics of the Waiting Room, he selected the Floor 1 option next. Unlike before, he was not engulfed in a deluge of information. Rather, the message was quite simple.