The group had continued to rest, their bodies slowly recovering from the gruelling fight. The healing salve they had discovered was truly a life saver—it helped them recover from their injuries faster, but it didn't completely drain their stamina whilst doing so.
Ethan, who was now walking around, broke the silence. "I think we've rested enough. Although it would've been nice to train we'll have to be happy with a warm up, I get the feeling the tower is pushing us to move on, and I'd rather not test its patience too much."
The group nodded, their expressions serious. They knew Ethan was right. The tower wasn't going to let them stay there forever.
"Let's get moving," Victor said. He stood up, his movements slow as he adjusted the bandages on his arm.
Lily groaned as she pushed herself off the ground, her side still tender. "I'm not sure I'm ready for another fight," she admitted, her voice still a bit weak.
Sam nodded, his expression thoughtful. "We'll take it one step at a time. If we stick together and stay focused, we'll make it through."
AJ rippled slightly, his voice echoing through the air. "I'm ready... Let's do... this."
They approached the stairway, their footsteps echoing softly against the stone.
After climbing the stairs, they walked into the next chamber, their weapons gripped tightly, expecting another fight. As they looked around the room, they were met with an unexpected sight.
The chamber was unlike any they had seen before. The walls were lined with soft, glowing crystals that emitted a warm, soothing light. The air was calm and peaceful, a stark contrast to the oppressive energy they were growing used to. In the centre of the room was a large, circular platform, and above it floated a glowing blue screen.
Welcome to the Rest Floor.
The group froze, their eyes locked on the screen. The words shimmered in the air, their meaning clear but almost too good to be true.
"A rest floor?" Ethan muttered, his voice filled with disbelief. "You're telling me this tower has a rest floor?"
The screen flickered, and more text appeared.
You have 24 hours to rest, train, and prepare before moving on to the next floor.
As the words faded, a timer appeared in the centre of the screen, counting down from 24:00:00.
---
Lily let out a breath she didn't realise she had been holding. "A rest floor," she said, clearly relieved. "I didn't think this place had any mercy."
The group moved to the far side of the chamber, where the soft glow of the crystals created a tranquil atmosphere. The tension in their bodies began to ease as they allowed themselves to fully relax for the first time in days.
Ethan stretched out on the ground, his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. "I don't think I've ever appreciated a floor in this tower more than this one," he said with a small laugh.
Lily sat cross-legged, her eyes closed as she focused on her breathing. She could feel the ache in her side slowly subsiding, the healing salve was still doing its work. "This is... nice," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I almost forgot what it feels like to just... breathe."
Victor leaned against the wall, his bandaged arm resting on his knee. He watched the others, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
Having overcome various challenges together, there was a sense of camaraderie that had grown stronger between them. Let's make the most of this." he said quietly.
Sam lay on his back, his hands resting on his stomach as he stared at the glowing crystals above. "We should take a few hours to just... be," he said. "No training, no planning. Just rest. We'll need it for what's coming next."
AJ rippled gently, his form shimmering in the soft light. "Agreed, Even though... we've rested... we need... the mental reset... from proper... sleep."
The group got up and stood in a circle, doing some light exercises with a series of gentle stretches, easing the stiffness from their muscles. Ethan led the way, demonstrating slow, deliberate movements to loosen up their shoulders and backs.
Lily followed along, wincing slightly as she stretched, her injured side not playing nicely. Victor focused on his bandaged arm, moving it carefully through a range of motions to prevent it from stiffening up.
Sam and Walter worked on their legs, bending and flexing to improve circulation, whilst AJ rippled gently in place, his form shifting subtly as if mimicking the group's movements.
The exercises were simple but effective, a way to ground themselves and prepare their bodies for the rest they so desperately needed.
After about twenty minutes, they transitioned to a few minutes of deep breathing, sitting in a loose circle with their eyes closed. The rhythmic inhales and exhales helped calm their minds, some of their accumulated stress melting away.
By the time they finished, the group felt more centred, their bodies relaxed and their minds at ease. With a collective sense of relief, they settled into their spots, ready to let sleep take over.
One by one, they began to drift off, their bodies finally succumbing to the exhaustion they had been fighting. The rest floor had given them a rare gift—a chance to recover, to take a breath and a proper break from the high-intensity fights.
As the timer above the platform continued its steady countdown, the group slept, their dreams filled with the promise of strength and the hope of survival.
---
Ethan was the first to wake, his body feeling better. As he sat up, he glanced at the timer—18 hours remained. He knew they couldn't afford to waste any of it.
After a quick meal of dried rations, Ethan decided to focus on his control of mana first, then his shield and axe techniques.
The last fight had shown him that brute force alone wouldn't be enough to survive the higher floors. He needed to be sharper and more calculated.
He sat cross-legged in a quiet corner of the chamber. Closing his eyes, focused on the flow of mana within him, trying to guide it more precisely through his body. At first, it was difficult.
The mana felt like a herd of animals—he could guide them in a direction, but the herd wouldn't always cooperate nicely. He gritted his teeth, feeling the strain of trying to control something so intangible.
The more frustrated he got, the more he tried to force it, and the more he could feel the energy surging unevenly, causing chaos. He opened his eyes, taking a deep breath. "This isn't working," he muttered to himself. He stopped for a moment and calmed himself down.
He then closed his eyes again, this time slowing his breathing and focusing on the rhythm of his heartbeat. He imagined the mana as a river, flowing steadily through him, and instead of trying to make it go somewhere, he guided it gently.
Slowly, he felt the energy respond, becoming more controlled. The mana wasn't fighting him as much—it was beginning to feel like an extension of himself.
His control wasn't perfect, but it was better—and that meant he could channel more strength without putting as much strain on his body.
Next, Ethan turned to his shield and axe. He started with the shield, practising his blocks and deflections against an imaginary opponent. He focused on his footwork, ensuring he was balanced and ready to absorb or redirect attacks.
His movements were stiff at first and he overcommitted to each block, leaving himself open. As he continued, he began to find a rhythm, his shield moving more fluidly.
He felt a growing sense of confidence as his movements became more instinctual—eventually he wouldn't have to focus on his movements much in battle, but until then he still needed to pay attention.
Finally, Ethan moved on to his axe. He swung the weapon slowly at first, focusing on precision rather than power. Each strike was deliberate, aimed at specific points in the air as if he were targeting weak spots on an enemy.
He practised combining his strikes with his footwork, ensuring he could move quickly and strike accurately without losing his balance.
As he trained, he began to incorporate his newly improved mana control, channelling small amounts of mana into his movements. The axe felt lighter in his hands, more responsive, and his strikes became sharper.
By the time he finished, Ethan was drenched in sweat, but he felt a deep sense of satisfaction. He had started the day frustrated and uncertain, but now he felt stronger, more in control.
Victor woke up a little after Ethan, his body feeling more rested than it had in days. As he sat up, he glanced over in Ethan's direction, noticing that he was up and already training.
He stretched cautiously, as he shook off the drowsiness. After a quick breakfast, Victor decided to focus on his ability to hide his mana, and finally, sharpen his speed and precision strikes.
The last fight had shown him that he couldn't rely on brute strength like Ethan could—he needed to be fast, undetectable, unpredictable and precise.