It's still early in the morning when we reach the secret entrance, they scouted out the day before. It's not a small thin narrow tunnel like I imagined, but a looming narrow entrance that blossoms into a wide open space. It travels impossibly long narrowing in some places and splitting in others, and all of it is covered in trees from the side to the top. I watch birds flutter from the walls to the ceiling like it's traveling across flat land. Gravity is topsy-turvy here too. 

Rehnen's tall elven form leans against the wall taking glances around the entrance. One hand atop a scimitar, the other lightly tapping a pouch by his side. His voice is soft as he speaks just barely above a whisper, "Paula, Scha-rei you two go ahead and scout the place, do not engage. Laphra, Terry you both stay in the rear, I'll stay in the middle with the mages, healers, and our newbie." 

Paula and Scha-rei give us all thumbs up before stealthily stalking through the tunnel disappearing over the ledge into the open forest beyond. 

I lean down to Daretmatelin, Dare, "Why are we splitting up? Isn't it better for us to stay in a group than to wander off?" 

Dare smiles brightly from beneath her velvet white beard, "Sometimes it's best to be in a group, and other times specialists should do what they do best. Those guys are amazing scouts, nothing will get past them. No beast, no traps, or any dangerous situation. And those silly guys," She points to Terry and Laphra who are laughing at some joke, "They will make sure if anything gets behind us, don't get past them." She points to the rest of us, "We are the main position. Bait if we need to be. Captian will keep us safe and alive even if something like that does happen." She thumps her chest proudly, "I am the head mage, the greatest mage in our guild." 

"If everyone plays their part all together we are safe then," I have a lot to learn, "Is this how all other squads function?" 

"Not everyone, there are some people who have a more militaristic style, others who do gorilla warfare, we tend to do scout and pouce strategy." Dare shrugs, "Everyone has different tactics to help themselves survive." She nods to the tunnel, "Last time we scouted we split into two groups, and found ourselves in a pickle. A lot of Drake-type Uraqur live here, hunting the middle sky and waiting to swoop in and strike. Not only them but there are plant-type Uraqur on the ground. Almost got strangled by one." She rubs her neck, "It was a choker, nasty fella that grabs chocks, and then digs into a person and drains them of blood."  

I shiver, "How did you escape?" 

"Laphra saved me, sliced right through them." She smiles, "We watch each other's back, and help one another no matter what. That's what makes us a squad." 

"When you guys decided to come here, did you know how bad it would be?" 

Dare shakes her head, "We had no idea the tower would be like this. It's labeled a Level four, but... sometimes I wonder if we need to add more to our definitions." 

I want to ask more questions but Rehnen waves for us to follow him. We follow not as stealthily as Scha-rei or Paula, but still very quiet and careful. 

Behind us, only ten feet away is Laphra and Terry keeping an eye out. It's interesting the massive difference between the two of them in every way imaginable. The size difference, to walking strides, and armor. Laphra wears fur and leather with gold rings that glow whenever the sun hits them. On her back, she has a long spear with a sharp edge and a long bastard sword half her size and almost as wide as she is. 

The total opposite of Laphra is Terry wearing his heavy armor of thick leather and metal plates painted with splashes of dark colors like blue, green, and yellow. Held in his right arm is a tower shield taller and wider than he is. There are strange dips and curves around the edges. Blue paint coats the shield and there are car stickers all over it, from bright baby on-board stickers to horses, suns, moons, and funny sayings. 

While traveling Dare pulls out a journal where she's drawn maps and a bunch of other things in it. Flipping through the pages she finds what she's looking for, "Here, this is where we are in Malkuth." 

I can read the map, but not the words, "It's not in common?" 

"It's Dwarven, I made all the maps and notes myself. It says the Island of Death, and right in the middle of it is the tower we are stuck in." 

"You're really good," I mention amazed by her artistic skills and the details of her notes. "Can you teach me Dwarven?"

She beams, "Of course! I'll even teach you how to write in it too. I am getting rusty with no one else around to speak my language." 

I giggle, "By the way, while I am grateful you're here, why did you guys come to such a dangerous place?" 

At the end of the tunnel is a thin ledge that drops a good thirty feet down. We all work together to get the climbing gear out and tie it up

We get to the ledge and have to pull out our climbing gear to get down. Along the way, Rehnen who's been listening answers my question. "We were given an order by our leader Allures Mudison. We are to enter this tower, destroy its core, and retrieve its keys." He has a serious look on his face, "If we are asked to jump we jump, if we are told to swim we swim. It's our pride, our honor, and everything we stand for that gives us the strength to continue our fight." 

"What are keys?" 

Dare asks, "Do you know what portals are?" 

I shake my head, "I don't recognize it."

"Well, portals connect worlds in a network that allows people to travel from one planet to another. But Malkuth is disconnected because of the evil god. The only way to escape the world is to collect keys that drop from the cores of high-level towers and open a portal. Seven is needed to open a portal that can only let so many people leave." 

I stare at her in utter surprise, "How many keys does a tower drop?" 

"If we are lucky, three to four max. And they only come from named towers like this one. Iskar, a rainforest storm tower." 

"Named towers?" 

We get to the bottom of the ledge, unclipping and putting up all our gear. Dare explains as we do so, "Towers slowly mature over time, and when they reach level three they get named. No one knows how or why but when you touch a tower you can hear its name like the very voice of its core is reaching out and challenging us. There are four documented types of named towers Tiamat, Iskar, Enlil, and Abzu. 

"Are named towers common?" 

I sling the bag over my shoulder, and we quietly march on through the rainforest. It's slow going and difficult because of all the foilage in our way and the amount of time I have to climb over logs and rocks. The others make it look effortless. 

Dare continues, "Not recently... Papilio has a great program for keeping towers away from civilizations to protect citizens from harm. We have to go out into the wilds or undocumented land to find named towers now." She smiles slapping my back after helping me up a rock, "Think of this as hands-on training." She hops down the other side, "You are a part of our little family, and we don't leave anyone behind." 

Family... the words hit my heart for several reasons. I miss my own family, it's only been a day and I ache to call or text them. And these kind, honest people are doing all they can to help me, "I am the luckiest person there is." I give her a half hug, "Thank you." 

Cornelian politely leans over my shoulder, "Let fate guide our course but choose our fate we must. It's a saying we shamans have. Fate sent us here because she knew you would need our help." He smiles softly, "And I am glad I was here to help," 

I tease, "So am I," I lightly elbow his stomach, "It's great having my personal panacea." 

 

He blushes lightly, "I... Yes... I... Pleasure to be of assistance." 

Rehnen raises a hand and we all go dead silent. Scha-rei slithers over to us, low to the ground keeping his hands to his side until he reaches us, and slowly curls back up. His voice is low, "We are close to a patchwork of Nectors. They weren't there yesterday. Paula went ahead to see if there is a way around them, but they've completely wrapped around the place." 

Rehnen frowns, "Then we wait." He motions for us to settle down, and set up a mini-camp. 

Eating a yummy sandwich I ask Cornelian, "What's a Nector?" 

He kindly explains, "They are small blue flowers that smell very sweet like fresh raspberry honey. If you get close to a large cluster of them, you fall asleep and drown in their pollen. If there are in large enough colonies, like this one sounds like, it can have other things hidden in with it." 

I shiver, "That... sounds terrifying." 

Cornelian smiles, "Don't you worry I have just the thing for it. I can make a potion we can soak in handkerchiefs that will protect us from their scent." 

I smile back, "Super cool," 

Paula steps out from the forest and reports to Rehnen her finds. "It's thin, but there's a small enough walking path we can get across with minimal difficulty." 

"Good," Rehnen says, "Cornelian how long do you need?" 

"An hour to boil and stir, then another hour to have it cool down." He finishes his food standing up, "Scha-rei can you help me gather all the ingredients? Dare, can you set my area up?" 

I stand up, "What can I do?" 

Laphra roars grabbing my shoulder and pulling me to her, "No can do, it's time you start your swordsmanship!" 

"Right now?" I gasp, the larger woman not taking a no for an answer and dragging me away with Terry who's laughing his butt off. 

I spend ten minutes training by swinging a heavy sword over again. Soaked in sweat, Iower my blade, "I can't do it anymore..." 

Laphra nearly roars in laughter, "You did a good job, but this is just the beginning. Veterans can swing their swords a thousand times a day." 

I gasp, "A thousand?!" I stare at my already sore hands and aching arms. "Is that even possible?" 

A daring grin spreads across Laphra's face unclipping her huge bastard sword, "Look here," She takes a stance, both hands gripping her hilt as she lifts it and swings downward. Dust flutters around as it whips up air making this huge swooshing sound. "I started with a small sword like yours and once I got to a thousand I took up an Axe and spent time learning it." She swings the blade with her left hand effortlessly like someone would a toy stick. "And every time I succeded, I picked a new larger weapon. Because in Malkuth there is no limit other than what you put on yourself." She tossed the blade to her right and swung it in an arch, "I said I would become the greatest warrior alive, one who would be a mountain of steel." She points the tip of her blade my way, "You need to think, how am I to become the strongest." She grins proudly, "Never put limits on yourself, push and push until you break all reasons."

I watch her in awe as she continues her strokes, her mind and confidence unwavering. 

Scha-rei slithers over to us, "Hey meatheads it's time for our meds." 

Laphra squinches her face already complaining, "I don't wanna, it smells." 

Terry and I burst out in laughter, my heart full of merriment and steel.