The elevator doors slid open to a sight that made Joe’s brain short-circuit for a second. A kazoo horn blared a triumphant ta-da! No one moved.

  Joe half-expected party streamers to explode in their faces.

  “I thought the last floor was absolutely bananas. This tops that.” Rose leaned on her staff and craned her neck to look up.

  Something was seriously wrong.

  The elevator doors had stopped at waist level, leaving them to hoist themselves out if they wanted to get to the floor—if they could even call it that. Joe activated Quick Wit, letting the system process the bizarre scene before him as squelching and slapping noises echoed from somewhere above, like someone gargling marbles through a rubber tube.

  The usual organic sinewy walls had gone full cartoon nightmare. Everything looked distorted, like they were viewing it through a funhouse mirror. Worse, it was reversed—as if someone had flipped the entire room upside down.

  The "ceiling," now the floor, glowed with a sickly light from what looked like deep-sea anglerfish lamps, their creepy lures bobbing. Above them—or was it below?—the “floor” had sprouted blinking eyes, all out of sync, and lazy tentacles flopped around for no apparent reason. The walls? Oh, they had teeth now. Rows of jagged, chattering teeth embedded in the flesh-like surface, while pustules inflated and deflated in time with something that sounded suspiciously like breathing.

  And then there were the sounds. Teeth clicked in rhythm with the squelching, and a wet popping noise came from somewhere further ahead, making Joe’s skin crawl.

  The kazoo blared again, this time from a crackling speaker in the elevator ceiling, followed by a tinny, mechanical voice. “Welcome. Now leave.”

  Merv stared at his foul smelling pint, then at the glowing fish lamps and writhing tentacles, one eyebrow twitching. “Yeah. Maybe I should ease off the drink.”

  The elevator felt like it was shrinking—or maybe it actually was. Everyone was elbow to elbow, craning their necks to get a better look at the corridor ahead. Joe’s chest tightened as a low growl built inside him, starting like a mild hunger pang but quickly escalating into something sharper, more primal.

  Halcyon’s voice buzzed in his mind, a hungry edge lacing his words. “Come on, don’t let a little wackiness put you off. Get out there. Oh, and there’s something bright and shiny—a new reward in your inventory from the loot box. Open it.”

  Joe glanced at the blinking notification but shook his head. Not the time, Hal. Focus. He brushed past the others, scanning the distorted corridor for any sign of danger. The grotesque angles and unsettling noises weren’t helping, but for now, it looked clear. “I’ll go first.”

  Halcyon muttered something indignant in his mind, but Joe tuned him out

  Behind him, TJ eyed the gap as though debating whether he’d even fit through. Joe hoisted himself out first, his palms tacky, like someone had spilled lemonade on the ground and let it dry. The elevator gave a shudder, and Joe’s eyes snapped up to the doorframe, an unwelcome flash of imagination showing the lift rocketing upward and taking his head clean off.

  Rising to his feet, he forced the thought away. Let’s hope there aren’t any zombie dogs on patrol.

  The cacophony ahead wasn’t helping his nerves. Wet, echoing yowls overlapped with what sounded like an argument. A voice, dramatic and shrill, broke through: “I told you not to put your hand in there! Didn’t I tell him? We don’t have any more healing potions!”

  Joe frowned. Drama Queens, he thought. Had to be.

  KT hopped up beside him with a graceful leap, her faction following right after—all except Andy, who was already somewhere ahead on the eighth floor.

  “This place stinks.” Robyn landed beside Joe, thanks to a boost from TJ. His whiskers twitched, and his nose wrinkled.

  “You’re not wrong. Smells fishy,” Joe said, trying to breathe as little as possible.

  It took Brian and TJ longer to clamber out of the elevator, and everyone ignored Merv’s suggestion.

  “Use my lube to slide through the hole easier.” He offered with a grin, holding up a vial.

  “Fuck knows where that’s been.” Dawn slapped his hand away.

  Joe rolled his eyes. This floor’s already off to a great start.

  By the time all the members of the three factions were out of the elevator, Halcyon had reminded Joe about the reward in his inventory at least a dozen times. His voice in Joe’s head was as persistent as a pop-up ad.

  “Give it a rest,” Joe said under his breath.

  KT gestured toward the long, winding corridor ahead. “Andy’s in the orange zone common room. Says all hell’s broken loose. She’s keeping a very low profile in the bunk area since ratfolk are apparently targets for time-stealing ascenders. Oh, and safety controls are acting up in the common room, so watch your back when you enter.”

  Joe nodded, his gaze darting to the walls lined with gnashing teeth and the anglerfish-like jaws sprouting from the floor. The glowing lures hypnotically swayed, making it impossible to tell whether they were lighting the way or lying in wait. Either way, he kept a safe distance.

  “Before we go anywhere, I need to know. What’s the loot box reward?” Gaia asked, her tone leaving no room for debate.

  “Yes, open it now,” Halcyon echoed with an unrelenting eagerness inside Joe’s mind.

  Joe sighed. “I say we find somewhere less…bitey before I start pulling anything out of my inventory. Gaia, can you use your illusion array?”

  She shook her head, looking annoyed. “It’s on cooldown. Can’t use it for another twenty hours.”

  Joe turned to Robyn, who was keeping close to the middle of the group, his nose twitching as he scanned the corridor. “Robyn, see anything hidden?”

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  Robyn’s nose twitched again as he squinted down the bizarre hallway. “The walls and floor want to eat us. That much is obvious. Nothing hidden, but in a place like this? The truth might be twisted. I’d tread carefully.”

  Joe nodded, filing that unsettling thought away. “Alright, here’s the plan: we’ll take out the rewards one by one and let Brian examine them with his identify skill. If anything’s cursed or dangerous, we’ll catch it before it explodes in our faces.”

  Brian’s face lit up like he’d been waiting for this all day. “Happy to go first.” He handed TJ a healing potion. “Just in case anything happens.”

  Slow to take the potion, TJ’s grip tightened as he watched Brian with cautious eyes.

  Brian stepped forward. A cool, ice-blue glow pulsed in the center of Brian’s palm. Joe forced himself not to blink as the light grew brighter. When the glow finally faded, it revealed a strange object resting in Brian’s hand.

  It reminded Joe of kryptonian crystals, though less angular and more jagged like the tower had made a shiv out of light. Brian turned the crystal over in his hand, studying it with intent. Before Joe could step in for a closer look, a wildfire of greed surged through him. His hand moved on its own, reaching out to snatch the shard.

  Halcyon’s voice growled in his mind, sharp and commanding. “Take it. Protect it. Quickly, quickly!”

  Brian’s eyes widened, his posture stiffening as if he saw something unsettling in Joe’s expression. Without a word, he pulled back, clutching the shard as he straightened to his full height, keeping it out of reach.

  “Okay, that was… interesting,” Brian said, his tone carefully measured. “And by interesting, I mean absolutely terrifying.” His eyes flicked back to the crystal in his hand. “Assuming you all have an exact copy of this, we cannot let these splinters fall into enemy hands.”

  Joe took a deep breath, fighting off the surge of possessiveness clawing at his mind. He sent a mental warning to Halcyon. I’m going to look at mine now, so you’d better calm down and stop going hyper Gollum on me.

  Halcyon’s laughter rumbled in response, low and amused. “Not making promises, but I’ll do my best to behave. Though I will say, the effect I’m having on you is delightful. Your friends are looking at you like a dog licking his own balls.”

  Joe cringed. Enough.

  Turning to the group, he cleared his throat, ignoring the curious stares. “Alright, I’ll go next. Then everyone else follows. Stick to the plan.”

  He braced himself as he reached into his inventory, the weight of Halcyon’s influence lingering at the edges of his mind like a shadow waiting to pounce.

  A soft glow appeared in his hand as he activated his shard. In his mind, Halcyon’s flame swirled like a dog chasing his tail, yipping with excitement.

  The corridor lit up as the shards in everyone’s hands began to pulse. One by one, they floated into the air, coming together like puzzle pieces until they formed a single, larger crystal about the size of a ruler.

  Halcyon’s excitement turned frantic, his voice clawing at Joe’s mind. “Eat it! Raw power tastes so good!”

  Joe groaned, gripping his temple. “I’m not going to eat it.”

  The crystal started to drift toward Rose. Halcyon’s desperation hit new levels. “Quickly! Grab it before it’s gone forever!”

  It took everything Joe had not to reach out. Instead, Rose raised her staff, blocking the crystal’s approach. She took a step back, her face a mix of confusion and unease.

  “What the hell’s going on?” TJ tensed, his posture like a coiled spring.

  A sudden flash of blue light erupted, forcing everyone to look away. When it faded, Rose was gripping her staff, her face pale with shock.

  Joe rushed to her side. “You okay? Are you hurt?”

  “I’m fine…but Gravenwood…” Rose trailed off, holding her staff out. The intricate bloodrose thorns and vines, normally rich with water affinity magic, now gleamed with the crystal embedded in its core.

  “Nice accessory,” Gaia said dryly, though her humor was absent. “Any notifications?”

  Brian was already deep in Identify, his expression distant as if mentally taking notes. Rose beat him to it, her voice shaky. “It leveled up Gravenwood to the Supreme—the last weapons’ tier unlocked. And…there are two options.”

  Joe frowned, catching the fear in her eyes as her face paled.

  “I don’t want this,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “It’s too much. I didn’t ask for it. Where was my right to choose?”

  “You don’t get a choice because you claimed the loot box back at Red Bamboo Lagoon.” Gaia crossed her arms.

  Rose’s voice cracked, trembling with emotion. “Well, I didn’t ask for that either! There has to be an option to pass this on. I don’t want this awful responsibility!”

  The group pressed closer, their concern palpable. Joe shot them a sharp look, silently urging them to give her space. “Rose,” he said, keeping his voice soft, “what are the options?”

  Her eyes filled with tears as she held out the staff toward Brian. But the moment his fingers brushed it, the weapon crackled with energy, nearly scorching him.

  Brian winced, stepping back as he shook out his hand. “It’s soul-bound to you, Rose. I’m so sorry.”

  His tone carried the weight of something deeper, like he was consoling someone at a funeral.

  The weight of his words hit hard, the truth settling over them like a heavy fog. It wasn’t just the staff, it was the loss of freedom, a harsh reminder of the tower’s grip on them all.

  Joe let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “The lich really is a piece of work. Who even bothered to read all the fine print on the paperwork in the induction room?” He sighed, the memory feeling like it belonged to another life. “Not that it mattered. We didn’t have a choice. We’ve been prisoners from the start, no matter what lies he spun.”

  “I’d take it if I could.” Joe glanced at Rose.

  She nodded, her fingers tightening around the staff. “I know. You’ve already shouldered so much for all of us. I should do my fair share, but this—” Her voice cracked, the weight of the shard reflected in her trembling hands. “This is too much. My parents did the same thing in my past life. Every day, I lived in a prison of their traditions and expectations. I was so scared that choosing a different path would devastate them. By the time I realized how wrong they were, how wrong it was to put conditions on love, it was too late…”

  Her voice trailed off, and she glared at the staff, her jaw tightening. “I hate this.” Her knuckles whitened as she gripped it tighter. “But I won’t be broken this time.”

  “That’s the spirit.” Halcyon echoed in Joe’s mind, his voice carrying a wistful undertone. “For now, she has no choice. But this isn’t a burden—it’s a gift.”

  Joe frowned, Halcyon’s words stirring unease. What do you mean? We literally have to destabilize this tower to use the shard for good. That doesn’t exactly scream ‘gift.’

  “The lich loves his games.” Halcyon released a growl of satisfaction lacing his words. “But even he will have to grow up someday. This tower isn’t a prison—it’s a battleground. And we’ve just found a weapon.”

  Joe staggered as a surge of raw power radiated from Halcyon deep within him, the sensation heavy and overwhelming. It seemed like the shard embedded in Rose’s staff was feeding Halcyon’s strength, leaving a pressure in Joe’s chest.

  With caution, the group moved forward, Dawn and Nick taking the lead as they navigated the twisted corridor. They stepped around the gnashing teeth lining the walls and floors, avoiding the grotesque angler-fish lights that snapped at anything too close.

  “Shoo! Stupid fish. Get off me!” TJ growled, shaking his boot free from the snapping floor light. The angler-fish jaws clamped down one last time before letting go with a wet pop.

  Joe bit back a laugh but stayed focused. Continuing, they quickly strategized how to handle any attacks once they entered the common room. According to Andy’s message, it was less of a refuge and more of a full-blown war zone.

  “Poppy, any updates on the safety controls?” Joe glanced around for anything else ready to bite or trip them.

  Poppy materialized in his vision, her oversized, sad eyes blinking at him. “Oopsie, Joe,” she said, her voice a sing-song blend of apology and warning. “No fun when things go wrong. Bots working hard to fix. Watch out for time stealers, but remember that murder death kill still not okay. Big time penalty for that!”