The tower stretched before us, oppressive and ominous in its beauty, I couldn't tell if it was blue or black, it's colour shifted and curled at certain angles making it look like it was rippling.
It was night, and the waves hadn't settled, the only thing we could do was admire the building.
Though for me, I admired from a distance.
Something about it was just too unapproachable.
Though, that just might be from the ominous ring of clouds surrounding it, pouring out rain.
There was just something about it, something that caused my senses to scream out warning, to be on high alert.
'What are we even doing here really?
Do we need to be here?'
'Is our happy ending really in this tower?'
I doubt that.
Ael called this a test or a punishment, after this, we still have to know why he summoned us.
For all we know, our lives outside this world might already be forfeit.
And if it is?
If I had to spend the rest of my life in this world....
Now that I think of it, that isn't so bad.
Well apart from living with a talking bird.... I just hope Alex is alright.
Dahlia stood by my side, watching— just like I was.
She hadn't really talked to anyone, not since the attempt on her life, and I knew she only stayed by me knowing full well I wouldn't start a conversation.
With Dahlia, it was impossible to know how she felt, small things could hold high importance to her, while grand gestures mean nothing.
With her its all about something none of us can truly see.
The world we saw and perceived was nothing like the one she lived in, and so no one could truly say they understood her.
And how could you comfort someone if you didn't even know what they were suffering from?
So, we both stood there, watching the rest of the group from a distance.
Dad and Ren seemed to be making a plan, I wonder if they even noticed our absence.
"How do you do it?" Her voice spoke quietly, almost like she wasn't talking to me.
I turned in surprise, Dahlia was staring right at me and in her eyes I saw no emotion, atleast none I understood.
"Do what?" I replied.
We stared into each others eyes for a while, then she looked away.
"It's nothing."
I kept watching her, but she didn't meet my eyes anymore.
'What do I do now?' I stood, fidgeting awkwardly in the air.
Then, Dahlia left.
Once she reached the group she blended in just like her usual self, I guess I had no reasons to worry.
No matter what happens she'll always find a way to flow with people, it almost made me want to join in.
But I am fine where I am.
Just when I started to feel comfortable, Kendali approached.
As I saw her leave the group, heading straight in my direction, I focused intently on the waves below me, Feeling stupid as I did so.
"What are you doing Vicas?" She asked.
"Just observing the waves I guess" I said without facing her.
She flew below me completely blocking my view.
"There's water everywhere, why here?" She asked, forcibly locking eyes with me.
Something about her light brown eyes made it so impossible to look away.
"I just like it here" I said plainly.
An awkward silence stretched on, intensified by an even more awkward staring contest.
"Well, good then" She said, breaking the awkward stare-off by turning towards the group.
"Come join us, Theo and Ren made something that purifies water. We now have something to drink."
She stretched her hand towards me and I stared at it before she forcibly grabbed my hand dragging me along.
Hand in hand—reluctantly, we head towards the group.
Everyone had already gotten their fill of water, and Dahlia gave me a strange look I'll rather not think about.
I waited my turn with a fake mask of calmness.
Theo and Ren only made a flask that purifies water, and the only water available would be the waves that are totally capable of killing us.
Despite how thirsty I was, personally I'll rather stay thirsty than to dive into that storm below, but everyone was watching... and so I took the flask from Ren.
It's smooth exterior was marred by scars— runes I assume held magic.
I clutched it for a while before gently motioning for my shoes to take me down.
What happened next was something I would never forget.
My shoes tugged me downwards, like the ground beneath my feet had suddenly opened.
I screamed in shock desperately clutching on to the flask.
Unfortunately, the sound of the waves drowned out my scream.
'Shit!!!! I'm gonna die.'
The closer I got to the waves, It got much more loud and cold, at this point, even I couldn't hear myself scream.
As I clutched the flask to my side, using my free hand to wildly signal for help, my boots let out a whistling sound, and I slowed to a halt.
I stared at my feet with murder in my eyes.
"That was not funny" I said slowly, but the words were not audible with how badly my teeth clattered from cold, fear, and the loud thundering of water.
There was nothing I could do.
Shakily, I fetched water into the flask.
Once the flask was full, a single rune lit up.
I couldn't tell what that meant, but I drank it anyways, wincing as I spilled most of it on my clothes.
A quick motion sent me hovering back upwards, by the time I arrived, everyone was discussing again. Seemingly about how best to fight if a situation arose.
At this point it was clear mum would stay as a healer, with Theo and Dahlia as support.
What they were discussing was how useful I would be.
After a round of questioning, which didn't turn up much use— since I myself have never explored my powers, the sun started to rise, and the water ceased.
It flowed downhill, leaving the ground as a soaked, blood-red mess filled with many deep gouges.
The thing I was most grateful for was the sound. Finally it was silent again.
We landed regardless, the ground was muddy, yet firm enough to stand on or maybe that was only because of the boots, I still heard them whistling with each step I took.
I would have taken mine off, only if that didn't mean I'll have to walk barefoot in mud.
Right before us was the tower, and the dense rainclouds surrounding it.
"OK everyone" Ren said, calling our attention to him.
"This tower is the only building in sight."
"The only hope we have to get back to the house." He paused there, but we all knew the building meant nothing.
Or atleast I knew.
There was no proof we would ever get back home, or that the building would give us any clues.
All we had was hope.
As far as we know.... those who stayed behind at the start had it better than us.
"No one knows what we are gonna face here. But we know one thing...." Ren continued, but the way he kept pausing for no reason frustrated me to no end...
"This tower is the best shelter we can find" Ren spoke again, this time excited.
Atleast now he had a good point. If we stayed at the top, even the flood wouldn't reach us.
"No matter what happens, this—"
Boom.
Red mud splashed in all directions, everyone turned at the sound— instantly alert.
Behind us stood The Barrier— Muri. His black outfit was untouched by stain... dust, sand, tree bark or even blood.
Unlike us he still looked clean.
He walked past us silently. Only stopping once he was standing in front of us.
"Is this everyone?" He asked, his voice sounded mellow and dull— like he'd been waiting for us, and disappointed.
There was a brief silence before Ren answered.
"What do you mean by everyone?"
"Everyone that is here. Is here." Ren said with a shrug. Muri didn't seem to like that answer as he remained silent— seemingly counting our numbers.
I wonder if there's a number requirement, in total we were nine— not really a special number in my opinion.
"What's in the tower?" Kendali asked.
Muri gave her a look was only found in strict and oppressive school environments.
Even though we all wanted the same answers, none of us said another word.
And he didn't give any answers.
"Inside the tower is dangerous." Muri said as he walked into the rain— droplets falling atop an invisible umbrella. "If you choose to enter, you must be ready to die."
He didn't wait for us.
And no one stopped to give any speeches or words of advice.
We all followed after him.