“David. David… It’s time to get up.”

  I forced my eyes open. Marlena stood over me, her voice soft but urgent. “Vaktar says we’re getting close. You can see the capital from the lounge.”

  I swung my legs off the bed, pausing to steady myself before rising. Marlena guided me through dressing, her hands gentle, though her eyes betrayed worry. I hated needing the help, but my body wasn’t keeping pace with the weight pressing down on me.

  By the time I reached the sitting area, I had to collapse into a chair before I spoke. “Allyson, how many combat golems do we still have off guard duty?”

  “Twelve, Master,” she answered immediately.

  “Good. When we land at the tower garden, put them under Allira’s command. She’ll clear a path to the door. No killing, just push through. Allyson, once we’re off, take the ship up and circle the tower. Stay mobile.”

  “Yes, Master,” she said, bowing. A maid slipped a cup of tea into my hand, and another set down a plate of food.

  I looked at my wives, their eyes fixed on me. “The rest of us… We go into the tower. Allyson, have two maids ready to assist me.”

  “Only two?” she asked, concern flickering across her face.

  “That’s enough,” I said, though my voice lacked conviction. Marlena’s arm slid around me as I pushed to my feet. My body felt heavier with every step.

  By the time we reached the outer doors, Allyson’s voice rang clear through the corridor: “We are descending.”

  A low hum vibrated through the walls, building to a deep, bone-shaking thrum as the Enterprise tilted into its descent. The air shifted, pressing heavier with every heartbeat. My ears popped once, then again, a sharp sting that made me wince. The deck trembled beneath our boots, loose cups rattling in their trays as the ship cut through the air at speed.

  The scream of straining engines filled the corridor, a sound like metal clawing at the sky. My hand tightened on Marlena’s shoulder to keep my balance. Then, with a final, shuddering roar, the Enterprise touched the ground. The impact jolted through my legs, a violent lurch that threatened to drop me where I stood. The walls quivered as though the whole vessel resented being forced down from the heavens.

  We had landed.

  The hatch hissed open, and daylight poured in. Allira leapt out first, her command cracking across the garden: “Secure the area!”

  Combat golems surged from the cargo hold as soon as the ship kissed the grass. The cries of panicked citizens rose around us, a wave of voices pulling back from the armored wall we were forming.

  I stepped down onto the garden lawn, my knees nearly giving way. A maid’s hand steadied me. Above, the Enterprise rose, lifting from the ground, banking into a circling climb.

  My passengers were going to hate me for this. I knew it. No explanations, no warning, just dropping into a city square and sending them back into the sky to panic and rumors. But telling them in advance would’ve been worse; half of them would’ve tried to stop me, or worse, betray me before I ever reached the tower. Better to carry the blame than risk the door staying closed.

  The tower loomed before me. Dark. Monolithic. The central doorway yawned ahead, a massive arch of stone, twin to Vaelthorn’s.

  Behind me, the crash of steel and the shouts of men carried over the garden. “Stop the intruders!” Knights were forcing their way through the chaos, their armor clattering in rhythm with their charge. The combat golems locked shields, their formation tightening at Allira’s barked command.

  “Hold the line! Keep it tight! Don’t let them through!” her voice cut sharply above the din.

  I stumbled forward, each step heavier than the last. My legs refused to obey, trembling beneath my weight. Marlena slipped under one arm, her shoulder supporting me. On the other side, a maid took my hand, steadying me with surprising strength. Seraphina hovered nearby, her arm wrapped around my back, offering support while never taking her eyes off the growing storm behind us.

  Allira’s voice rose again, closer this time, her boots crunching over the grass as she paced alongside us, sword drawn and eyes blazing. “Move! Keep the wall tight! Cover your master!”

  The clash rang louder, the scent of churned earth and steel filling my lungs as we reached the tower’s looming door. My chest burned, every breath a battle, but I forced myself through the last few steps with their help. The massive slabs of black stone dwarfed me, smooth and seamless save for the faint grooves where two halves met.

  Shaking, leaning hard on Marlena’s arm, I raised my hand.

  I pressed my palm against the door.

  That familiar grinding answered me, ancient locks releasing, tumblers falling into place, the sound like stone and memory shifting. The seam widened, a slow, deliberate invitation into blackness.

  I leaned into the shoulder of the maid supporting me and turned my head just enough to speak. “Allira… once it’s open, bring everyone inside.”

  “Yes, my husband.” Her stance never wavered, her back to me, sword raised against the threat behind us.

  The doorway split wider.

  The darkness waited.

  And I stepped toward it.

  Vaktar stood in the observation lounge, hands clasped behind his back, gazing out at the sprawling capital below. The Enterprise swooped in low from the west, its trajectory neatly aligned with the major causeways as if heading toward the Mage Cathedral until the black tower filled the windows.

  “This isn’t the way to the Mage Cathedral!” Mage Veralt’s voice cracked, sharp with alarm.

  The deck tilted backward a few degrees as the airship slowed down. Through the large glass, the tower grew larger, dark and unyielding. A wave of panic spread among the gathered officials, their faces pale, their backs stiff, and whispers turning into frantic questions. Only young Drew laughed out loud, thrilled by the sudden turn.

  Then came the jolt of impact, brief, hard, controlled. Through the window, Vaktar watched as the airship settled into the gardens at the tower’s base. A heartbeat later, the whine of the mana engines surged again. With a predator’s grace, the ship clawed its way back into the sky, ascending in a tightening spiral until it vanished into the clouds.

  “What just happened?” Prime Minister Halbrecht snapped, rising halfway out of his seat, his voice filled with outrage.

  Vaktar turned slowly, his tone controlled and almost flat. “That would be our Earl. Making a dramatic exit.”

  “Why were we not told this was going to happen?” Halbrecht’s voice sharpened, the politician’s control fraying.

  Before Vaktar could answer, Prince Darian leaned forward, one arm lazily draped across his knee, though his eyes gleamed with tension. “As you all know, our Earl is… eccentric. He does things no one else would dare and somehow, he survives them. Luck of the gods, or the gods’ own amusement, I couldn’t say. But he warned me of his plan. He didn’t want to drag the rest of you into what he called…” Darian paused, lips twitching faintly, “…his ‘ring of crazy.’”

  Several mages exchanged confused glances. One aide muttered something under his breath about sacrilege.

  “I thought the intention was to present him at the Mage Cathedral!” Halbrecht pressed, his outrage rising.

  “Change of plans.” Vaktar’s voice cut through, low and steady, carrying the weight of a soldier used to giving orders. “We will disembark at the Black Tower once the doors open. Those were the Earl’s instructions before I left his side.”

  Mage Veralt leaned forward, eyes wide, his voice a whisper of disbelief. “So… he opened it?”

  Prince Darian exhaled slowly, his gaze locked on the obsidian silhouette through the glass. “We will see.”

  I walked into complete darkness, Marlena’s hand in mine, leaning heavily on the maid’s steadying arm. My boots made faint echoes against unseen stone, the sound nearly swallowed by the void around us. Step by step, it felt less like walking into a hall and more like being swallowed whole.

  Then a voice cut through the blackness: “Everyone is in now. Hold the doorway.”

  Light first flickered in threads across the floor, then in veins that spread along the towering walls, awakening the chamber with a slow cascade. The darkness faded, replaced by a vast entrance hall alive with a quiet hum, as if the tower itself was drawing breath after centuries of slumber.

  I steadied myself, waiting for it, and then it came. That voice, familiar yet not, resonant as the stone itself:

  “Welcome, Engineer.”

  Seraphina moved from behind me, stepping to my side, her presence steady and grounding. Across the chamber, a doorway shimmered, pulsing with soft blue light. From it, a figure emerged.

  She was tall, impossibly graceful, with every movement deliberate, as if a machine were relearning motion after years of stillness. Warm copper skin shimmered faintly under the tower’s glow. Metallic lines traced across her arms and throat, glowing like veins of light etched into flesh. Human at first glance. But not. Not truly.

  Her gaze locked onto mine, unblinking, unreadable. Her head tilted, curiosity flickering through her calm demeanor.

  “Engineer,” she said again, this time shifting her attention briefly toward the maid at my side. “I welcome you.”

  I forced a breath. “Is there an engineer here I may speak to?”

  “No,” she said, her voice smooth, unhurried. “I am waiting for the next engineer to accept this tower.”

  “How?” My voice was raw. “How does one accept this tower?”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “There is a test.” Her words echoed softly, as if the chamber itself repeated them. “Do you not already know this, since you come from another tower?”

  “Yes,” I admitted, straightening as much as my weary body allowed. “We are from Tower Six. What tower is this?”

  “This is Tower One.”

  My chest tightened. Tower One. The first one.

  “To accept this tower,” she continued, her gaze never wavering, “you have to answer one question. And the tower’s control is yours.”

  “A single question?”

  “Yes.” She took one slow, measured step closer. “Do you wish to take the test?”

  I looked down, squeezed Marlena’s hand for strength, then lifted my gaze back to the attendant. My throat felt dry, but I forced the words out. “All right then. Let’s do this.”

  She turned, her movements precise, and a single glowing blue panel unfolded in the air before me. Lines of light traced themselves into being, intersecting and bending until the shape of an equation pulsed before my eyes.

  “This,” she said, her voice carrying the weight of centuries, “is an arcane engineering formula. It represents a selection that the previous masters deemed vital for the next to know. They want the next to not only know it, but also understand it. Identify it and its purpose.”

  Seraphina’s arm braced me upright, holding me steady. I leaned forward, squinting at the familiar structure of the symbols, the way the vectors crossed and twisted. My breath caught.

  “I know this,” I murmured.

  Marlena leaned in, her voice gentle. “You know what that is, right, dear?”

  “Yes.” The certainty surprised even me. “It’s slightly different from the one I’ve used before, but… It’s the Lorentz force equation. It describes how charged particles move in electromagnetic fields.”

  The glowing lines pulsed brighter, as though acknowledging my words.

  I pressed on, the words spilling out now. “It underlies everything from the operation of motors and accelerators to the behavior of plasmas. Even lightning obeys it.”

  Marlena tilted her head, surprise lighting her features. “So… you really do know it?”

  “Yes.” I allowed myself a small smile, even as my legs trembled. “A few months ago, I wrote an entire dissertation on it.”

  “A what?” Seraphina asked, brow furrowed.

  “A book,” I clarified, forcing myself to stay upright. “I wrote a book on the force… and on particle accelerators.”

  The blue panel dissolved into motes of light, scattering like fireflies before vanishing into the air. The attendant bowed her head, and in that same calm voice, she spoke the words that struck deep into my core:

  “Welcome, Master.”

  My vision flared white. The world tilted beneath me. And then I collapsed.

  “He did what?” King Theran’s voice cracked through the council chamber, reverberating against the marble walls.

  General Kitch didn’t flinch. His composure was iron. “He landed an airship directly in the garden of the black tower, Sire. And then he disembarked from it and entered the tower.”

  The king’s fingers tightened on the armrest of his throne. “How did he open it?”

  “Here are the reports from soldiers,” Kitch replied evenly. “They say the Earl simply walked up to the door… and it opened. As though it had been waiting for him.”

  A hush settled over the chamber.

  Theran leaned forward, voice lower now, dangerous. “Anything else?”

  “Yes, sire.” Kitch’s face was serious. “A group of constructs followed him inside, combat golems, by all appearances. And the airship that carried them lifted off immediately afterward, circling the tower like a hawk over prey. The witnesses on the ground have never seen an airship that looked like that before.”

  He hesitated before continuing. “Reports also state that as the Earl and his retinue disembarked, our soldiers tried to block their path. They were… swept aside. These constructs moved like black knights, shields locked, pushing through with mechanical accuracy. No casualties reported, but our men were left sprawled on the grass, scraped and bruised for their trouble.”

  The king’s hand clenched into a fist on the armrest. “So, he marched into my capital, brushed aside my guards, and claimed the tower in plain sight of half the city?”

  Kitch inclined his head. “That is correct, sire. To the citizens, it must have looked less like an arrival… and more like an invasion.”

  The king slumped back into his seat, his crown tilting slightly as he rubbed his temples. “Gods preserve us. Half my nobles want that tower burned to ash. But the other half would tear each other apart for the right to claim it. And now…” His voice trailed off, bitter with disbelief. “Now this engineer simply walks up and takes it as though it were his by birthright.”

  For the first time, the mask of calm cracked from Kitch’s face. “It may well be his, Sire.”

  Silence.

  The king’s eyes flicked up sharply. “What does Vaktar say?”

  “Vaktar remains on the airship. His last message stated the Earl was seriously unwell and needed the tower to recover.”

  “So.” Theran leaned back, exhaling slowly. “A health issue.” His tone sharpened, seizing on the thought like a lifeline. “We can work with that. Tell the aristocrats, guildmasters, even the priests that the Earl was stricken with an ailment, and the tower was the only place he could take refuge. Nothing more.”

  “Yes, Sire. And if they ask what sort of ailment?”

  Theran’s lips twitched into a humorless smile. “Make one up. Paint the guy like he looks half-dead. A wasting sickness, an old curse, call it whatever you like. But hold the line, General. The last thing this city needs is panic.”

  Kitch saluted crisply. “As you command.”

  The king slumped again as the general turned to leave, gazing past the chamber windows to where the shadow of the black tower cast over his capital. “And gods help us,” he muttered, “if he truly is what the stories claim.”

  “Father!” The doors opened with a hurried creak as Princess Theresa rushed inside, skirts gathered in her fists. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes wide. “I heard there was commotion at the tower. An airship, soldiers being pushed aside. Are you well?”

  King Theran straightened at once, forcing the weight from his shoulders. He patted her arm as she reached his side. “I am fine, child. Do not trouble yourself.”

  “But…”

  “I knew something would happen,” he interrupted gently. “Though… not to this extreme.” He squeezed her hand, offering the smile of a father rather than the mask of a king. “All will be well. Let me carry this burden. Times are changing fast.”

  Theresa pressed her lips together, still pale with worry, but she bowed her head and remained by his side, her presence softening the shadows that loomed beyond the window.

  One moment, I was collapsing, my body buckling under exhaustion. Next, I thought I was standing in an endless sea of white. I looked down and saw my hands, my boots, the familiar lines of my clothing, beyond that… nothing. No floor, no sky. Just light without a source or shadow.

  “Welcome, Engineer. Or should I say… David Robertson?”

  The voice came from everywhere and nowhere, rolling through the blankness, brushing against my ears and my bones alike.

  I spun around. Pointless. There was no one to face. “Where am I? This has to be a mental breakdown. I read some reports that it would be like this. Hmm.”

  “No, David,” the voice said, calm as still water. “Why would you think that?”

  I barked a laugh, sharp and tired. “Let’s see collapsing, white void, disembodied voices. Pretty standard checklist. If this were any respectable hospital, they’d be ordering a CAT scan right about now. Probably an overloaded synopsis of my mind.”

  “You don’t have a tumor.” Sounded everywhere in the voice of Arnold.

  That cracked me, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I laughed. A full, chest-deep laugh. “Thanks, Arnold,” I muttered under my breath, then louder: “You’re a goddess, I presume? By the way, I liked Commando way better than Kindergarten Cop.”

  “You don’t appreciate art,” the voice replied without missing a beat. “Kindergarten Cop was and is a classic.”

  “What about Twins? Danny DeVito was at his best. It was right before his time as the Penguin.”

  This time, the laughter came from her soft and stifled, like someone covering their mouth with both hands. “I’ll give you that,” she said, amusement rippling under her words. “David, you asked if you could speak with me. And here we are. Now… I have a job for you.”

  My grin faded. “Goddess, I don’t want to go all Ethan Hunt on you, but do I get a choice?”

  “You have free will,” she said gently. “But unlike his missions, you have no choice but to accept it.”

  The chill that ran through me wasn’t from the void. I straightened, my hands balling unconsciously. “All right. What’s the job?”

  “Straight to the point. Good. We need you to locate the other towers. You’ve found two. There are six more.”

  “Six?” My heart kicked. “I thought there were six in total.” I started to count them off on my fingers.

  “There are eight,” she corrected. “When all are awakened, when all are bound, the other world will be sealed away forever. To put it simply, no more demons. We want to protect this world, and this is the path that we chose for you to accomplish this task with.”

  “So that’s it, then,” I said finally. “My divine to-do list. Guess that means no vacation?”

  Her expression remained steady, but her tone grew sharper with quiet urgency. “You must begin soon before winter arrives. Travel north to the vaults. Items are waiting for you there, including a map to the remaining towers. You won’t be able to read it at first, but over time, as you gather more of the puzzle pieces, the map will become clear to you.”

  I rubbed my temples, half-laughing again, though the sound was hollow this time. “You know, all of this, I’m just going to chalk it up to stress. Maybe a dream. Yeah. That’s safer.”

  “True,” she admitted. “Your people rarely take gods’ words at face value. So, to prove this is no madness, I’ll leave you a gift. And words of wisdom.”

  I lifted my head, pulse quickening. “And what’s that?”

  “Picard was better than Kirk.”

  My breath caught. “Picard?”

  The laughter faded, giving way to silence. The white surrounding me seemed to pulse and grow brighter, as if the answer was not meant to be spoken.

  [Ding]

  [New Quest]

  [Open the Vaults]

  40,000 Class XP upon completion

  [DING]

  15,000 Class XP Gain

  [Congratulations]

  [Class Level Up – Engineering - 31]

  5,310 XP Until Next Level

  [Congratulations]

  [Class Level Up – Engineering - 32]

  5,863 XP Until Next Level

  [Stat Points Available: 16]

  [Allocate Now? Y/N]

  I blinked and focused. A familiar interface unfolded before me, translucent and humming with quiet energy. Categories hovered like etched runes in the air. Where should I allocate them? Could I put ten points into strength? That would bring it to an even fifty. It would be my highest, but my lowest is still charisma. The remaining six go into agility. Yes, I answered, and assigned all of them to strength and agility.

  I felt my body loosen, the nagging weight of exhaustion peeling away like a heavy cloak shrugged from my shoulders. The gnawing fatigue that had dragged me down for days was gone. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt… whole.

  That’s when I heard her voice, faint, trembling, achingly familiar.

  “David. Please… come back to me.”

  My eyes fluttered open, and there she was: Seraphina, her radiant smile blurred through fresh tears, cradling my head in her lap. The sight made my chest ache in the best of ways.

  “This is getting to be a habit,” I murmured, my voice rough. “Waking up on your lap. But it’s a place I’ll never grow tired of. Can I stay like this for a while?”

  She laughed softly, wiping her cheeks, her hands warm against my skin. Relief shone brighter than her tears.

  With her help, I rolled to my side and pushed myself up, legs steady beneath me. The clamor of shouting and steel clashing echoed faintly from the massive doors behind us. Trouble still pressed at the walls, but before I could even think of that, my gaze fell on the figure who stood quietly nearby, watching me.

  The tower’s attendant.

  I straightened, brushing myself off, and addressed her first. “What is your name?”

  She lifted her head with mechanical grace, posture snapping into flawless form. “My designation is Informational Unit.”

  Seraphina frowned instantly, her healer’s heart recoiling at the sterility of it. “That’s not a name. Call her Melissa.”

  I turned toward her. “Melissa?”

  “She was… a friend. From years ago,” Seraphina said softly, a shadow of memory in her eyes.

  I nodded. “Melissa, then. That will do.” The name felt right, unforced like it belonged.

  The being paused, then her voice shifted, faint but unmistakable: the flat edge of protocol softened, wrapped in the slightest thread of warmth.

  “Melissa. Acknowledged. Thank you, Master.”

  “First order, Melissa, close the door.”

  The booming scrape of ancient locks answered a moment later, the heavy gates beginning to seal with ponderous finality.

  “Allira, the door is closing,” I warned.

  I stumbled as the weight of the last few hours pressed into me again, but Marlena’s arm was there, catching me before I pitched forward. I gave her a grateful look before turning back to the attendant.

  “Now, Melissa. Is there space in the flight bay for another airship?”

  “Yes, Master. This tower’s hangar is designed to accommodate three vessels of your current model.”

  Three. My eyebrows lifted. Three ships like the Enterprise could be housed here at once. The thought struck deep, potential, responsibility, and possibilities I hadn’t yet dared to imagine.

  “Good. Then open the flight doors for an incoming airship.”

  “Yes, Master.”

  I turned toward the maid standing nearby, giving a small gesture. She dipped her head once and relayed the command across whatever link she had to the Enterprise.

  “Melissa,” I added, “these women, Seraphina, Allira, and Marlena, are my wives. You will treat them as you treat me.”

  The being’s luminous eyes flickered faintly, and she bowed. “Yes, Master. Acknowledged.”

  “Then let’s go and greet our guests. Melissa, please lead the way.”

  We followed her through the vast, echoing expanse of the great hall, our footsteps whispering against polished stone, until the waiting elevators opened like silent sentinels. The ascent was smooth, almost unnervingly so, and when the doors parted again, a sight unfolded before us that made me pause.

  The flight bay stretched out like a cavernous cathedral, its ceiling lost in shadows above. At its heart, our airship, the Enterprise, was descending gracefully, guided by unseen mechanisms into a berth. The faint hiss of vents and the groan of machinery filled the air, steady and precise.

  And behind her… two other ships already rested in place, their forms half-shrouded in the ambient glow of the chamber.

  The great outer doors sealed shut once more, sealing away the chaos outside. A soft clunk echoed as the airship settled on her struts, and then her port-side hatch slid open.