~Somewhere in the last town~
"According to the cycle the gate will open within one week and will open again once a week for a month then close for the next five years", said a man wearing a suit after entering the office and handing a file to the man seated on the office chair.
"These are the top five potentials, fifth is the American athlete also known as the super soldier, Forth is from a Korean family that has produced many swordsman challengers, third is also from Korea who shows great potential in fire magic, second is an individual who's main ability is a mystery and the first is the child prodigy from an orphanage in Libya who is the first ever human to have the ability to summon as a main ability."
During the explanation the man seated in the office looked at each written report but his eyes where mostly fixed on the second ranked new challenger who's main ability was unknown.He then looked at his subordinate with a serious face.
"Do you know by the time a group that has entered the tower reaches the 20th floor three quarters of human challengers will be either dead or completely unable to climb higher?Do you know why even after many generations of tower challengers there has only been one human ranker and no human high ranker?, its because humans naturally lack magical power, lack knowledge on magic and above all are relatively new to the tower.We have no magical creatures, no magical rocks or trees.Some say the reason humans are weak is because of our reliance on technology which is useless inside the world of the tower.Whilst most humans manifest some kind of magic after turning twelve years in other worlds it is completely different for examples all elves are born with manifested magic abilities, giants, Beastmen, I won't even mention dragons because .... "
The man paused and took a deep breath.
"That is why we created this organization, to try and improve the quality of human challengers and limit any individuals that might hinder that progress"
Three white buses turned from the main road into the road that leads to the town entrance, they were fully tinted that one could not see the inside and as soon as people on the town entrance saw the buses they knew it was time to make money.The three busses stopped in the town centre and people from all over the town rushed towards the new visitors.The towns people rushed towards the visitors holding, swords, shields, spears and many items that one could carry.
"A sword by the greatest blacksmiths at the Black Chimney"
"A shield that cannot be destroyed by any weapon from the first floor"
"Healing potions that will save you from critical injuries"
The bus doors opened and people wearing the same military looking uniform stepped out.These three buses where filled with youngsters from the three training academies that were located not far away from where the tower gate.The academies was one of the the efforts to create strong tower challengers.
A few minutes after the newbies all exited the bus a black suv arrived and stopped in the the middle of the crowd.The driver opened the rear doors and a man and woman wearing black suits stepped out.
"They are from the organisation"
"Lets step away"
The towns people selling their products opened a way for the two people in suits and backed away from the people from the academies
As soon as the newbies saw the two people in suits they got into orderly lines.
" You are the next generation, you are the next heroes, all your training and money spent on you only require on thing in return, results!!!!!",said the man wearing a suit then stepped back and the woman wearing a suit stepped forward.
"Starting from choosing items in this town, forming teams and so on, all these choices are up to you but remember that your decisions have an impact on the world, I wish you luck and may your presence shake the tower"
The two officials got back in their car and drove off.The newbies scattered in all directions in search of items to buy.
"Beyond basic weapons and experimental potions nothing else is sold here"
" What else can you expect from products made outside the tower"
Two colleagues discussed as they scanned through the many weapons and equipment sold by the towns people.
"Sir they have all arrived, the ones from the academy and the ones from renowned families will be arriving soon and others who have no known official backing"
"Observe each and every one of them"
The newbies arrived three days before the estimated opening of the gate to the tower and with that time they used it to prepare and form alliances which would be useful in the the tutorial also known as floor zero.
"1500usd for the huge sword sir"
A tall strong and muscular guy swang a heavy sword side to side which drew the attention of everyone nearby but as he did so noticed a strange individual in the road. The person was average in height, hands covered in dirty bandages, black boots, brown heat resistant trousers with black patches of exposure to high heart, a ragged cloak covering his torso, black cloth wound around his head that only his eyes were left, a ragged backpack with four iron rods sticking out and walking very slowly without paying attention to anything or anyone.
"Whats up with that homeless looking guy?", said the person selling the giant sword to the muscular guy.Everyones attention was drawn away from the big muscular guy and towards the homeless looking person.
"Those boots and trousers are worn by blacksmiths if Im not mistaken, there is no forgery in this town so whats a blacksmith doing here"
Even though the people paid attention to him non tried to interact with him.He walked in the main road which crossed from one end of the town to the other and eventually reached the town exit gate.Ahead of him was a wide tared road stretching out into the distance.
"This is the only road that leaves the town besides the one I came in through which means if I follow this road I should reach where the gate will open."
Tawanda exited the town two hours before sundown.He slowly walked forward and after a while the sun set and the beautiful bright moonlight showed him the way.Tawanda stopped and looked up at the moon, he glared at it fully embracing its brilliance and beauty just like anyone who naturally enjoys the night time would.
" I can't remember the last time I actually looked at the moon and noticed its beauty like this"
Tawanda said this as he was looking up at the moon, as if hypnotized by the moon and that is when flashes of old memories flooded his head.The memories of him in the bed covers with the other children at the orphanage with a lit touch.
"I am an arch wind mage who can fly"
"I am a great knight with indestructible armor"
Said the other two kids that were with five year old Tawanda under the sheet.
"I want to be the most powerful in the tower with a magical spear", said Tawanda with a big smile.
Tawanda looked down at his hands and starred at them as if he wanted to look passed them whilst lost in thought.He snapped out of it after some minutes and resumed his journey.After about four hours of walking the road came to a stop.Just as the road came to a stop there was a big creator of nearly ten metres in depth just like those created as a result of a strong impact like that of an astroid.Tawanda got up the one metres gentle rise of sand and looked down at a magnificent sight.On the flat surface of the creator where markings like nothing he had ever seen and more mysterious and magnificent more than any of the mysterious ancient human civilizations.
"Amazing, just as I have heard"
Tawanda carefully descended into the creator until he reached the flat surface then crotched down to closely observe the markings using his hands to feel them.The markings had been of great interest as to what they meant that great effort was put into researching them but proved to be fruitless and eventually as the generations went by people eventually stopped researching about them
~The following day~
"Good luck!!!!!"
"Our prayers will be with you"
"Make us proud"
The day the gate opened had finally arrived and as their tradition the towns people all gathered to send off the newbies.The newbies got on their buses and cars and seeing the towns people cheering them on got them fired up and some even emotional.The vehicles drove off out of town towards where the tower gate would open and after a forty five minute drive the vehicles came to a stop as the road had ended. All the aspiring tower challengers got off and walked towards the crater.They put on their equipment and divided themselves into the teams which they formed in the last town.As they prepared themselves a sudden depravity of light occured and all existing colours got swallowed. Everyone could see but non could point out what colour it is they were seeing.The disturbance was followed by a red light mixed with electric sparks and distortion of space itself.The light spread forming a giant gate in the middle of the crater.All the new challenges were amazed by what they had witness and all of them had a feeling which they could not describe.
"Wait, whats that?", said one of the new challengers as he pointed at a brown figure laying on the ground at the far end of the crater surface covered in dust.
"Maybe its an animal" said another.
"No way animals are naturally drawn away from where the gate will open"
The new challengers descended into the crater until they reached the surface
" Maybe its a gate keeper"
" Thats a false rumour there's no such thing as a gate keeper"
As the crowd of newbies got closer and closer to the surface of the crater the figure became more and more clearer,
"Is that a person?"
"No way"
"Wait, those clothes, its the guy I saw walking in the Last town yesterday"
"Yah now that you mention it I remember him too"
"How can someone lay down in this heat not to mention the ground will be hot"
"Maybe he collapsed"
"Or Maybe his dead"
"Maybe he needs help"
"No the way he's breathing shows that he's simply asleep"
The red gate suddenly turned blue which drew the attention of the new challengers away from sleeping Tawanda who did not even move an inch or show any sign of waking up.All walked slowly towards the gate.
" My time has come",said a muscular guy with a huge sword as he quickly moved from within the crowd pushing the other new challengers aside.He drew out his huge sword and dashed into the the gate like a mad man.The other new challengers who had been walking slowly picked up their pace and dashed into the gate as well.More vehicles arrived at the site with more new challengers and amongst those that arrived was a guy dressed in blue who was among the top five new challengers with great potential who's main ability was a mystery.He descended into the crater with many others and just as he reached the surface he stopped and walked towards Tawanda who was still asleep and stopped less than a metre away from him.
"What! he's asleep, to think someone would sleep in such an area and not even wake up with all that has happened."
The guy in blue walked away from sleeping Tawanda and went towards the gate and before entering looked back at sleeping Tawanda then proceeded forward.
~Somewhere in the Sahara desert~
"Sir there is something strange being picked by one of our drones"
A man said as he handed the man seated on the office chair a monitor showing Tawanda sleeping inside the crater.
"He's probably some drunk homeless person with delusional thoughts that he can climb the tower",said the man on the office chair.
"Should we intercept sir"
"No let him be, he will be a good lesson for the other challengers"
By eight o'clock in the morning all the challengers had passed through the gate, no vehicle was in sight and Tawanda was still asleep with no care in the world.Eleven o'clock came and Tawanda was still asleep, one o'clock past midday and he was still asleep with the drone still watching him in. Ten minutes after three in the afternoon the camera feed from the drones began to glitch as if a storm was nearby or something producing strong electric magnetic waves.The person watching the drone feed was confused as to why the feed was behaving like that.
"Ha whats going on, is the drone faulty"
Just after saying so the glitch stopped
"Must have been some error"
The drone captured the whole of the crater and a small part of that feed became scrambled.
" Whats going on now"
The scrambled spot began to slowly move down into the crater surface.
"Hey guys I think the drone is faulty, the whole feed started to glitch and now a certain spot is scrambled"
The man that reports directly to the man in the office rushed to the monitor to see what was going on.
" Its an anomaly, something is happening right now!"
The man who reports to the man in the office rushed to the boss and entered in without even knocking,
" Sir login to the feed of our drone observing the gate I think an anomaly is occurring"
The man in the office logged into the drone feed and immediately noticed the moving scrambled spot. The scrambled spot came to a stop after reaching the crater surface and headed towards Tawanda who was still sleeping.
" Zoom at the moving scrambled spot!!!", shouted the boss.The feed was zoomed to the moving scrambled spot which stopped after it reached where Tawanda was sleeping.
"Move the drone closer to that spot now"
The drone flew towards the scrambled spot but just as it got very close it suddenly went offline.
"What just happened, did the drone get destroyed?"
Long white hair, as white as snow got lifted slightly and swiftly by the wind of the desert, a mystically white veil covering her face completely, she stood in front of Tawanda.She spoke but the veil covered her words.She then slowly walked towards the gate and vanished in it.
"Send a team to investigate now", said the boss.
"Okay sir it will take us two hours to reach the gate"
An hour later after the mysterious lady entered the gate Tawanda slowly opened his eyes.He immediately noticed the bright light coming from the gate and turned to look at it as he stood up.
"Magnificent"
He began stretching his body and warming up then grabbed his backpack and walked towards the gate.He suddenly stopped as he noticed a drone on the ground which regardless of the high temperature was completely frozen and not showing any sign of de-freezing.
"Thats strange", said Tawanda but he did not trouble himself about it too much and proceeded foward.He reached the gate and looked high up at it,
" And so it begins"