The wind howled as Viole, Yoru, Bubble, and Alisa reached the steps leading to the 15th floor. The Tower had grown colder, the air dense with anticipation. Each step felt heavier, the tension between them palpable as they prepared for the final trial. Viole’s hand clenched around the hilt of his sword, the weight of everything they’d been through gnawing at his resolve. This was it—the final climb.
Alisa broke the silence first, her voice calm but carrying an underlying concern. “Viole, you’ve been quiet since the last floor. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
Viole didn’t meet her eyes, his thoughts still tangled in the trials they’d faced. The illusion on the 14th floor had left him shaken, but not broken. He knew what was coming—the last trial wasn’t just a test of strength or mind, but of the heart.
“I’m ready,” Viole said, his voice steady, but Alisa wasn’t convinced. She stepped in front of him, forcing him to stop.
“Look at me.” Her tone was firm, but not harsh. “We’ve come this far together. You don’t have to carry everything by yourself.”
Viole’s jaw tightened. “I know. I just... I can’t afford to fail. Not after everything.”
Yoru stepped forward, his calm presence grounding the moment. “No one’s asking you to be perfect. We’ve got your back, Viole. This trial isn’t yours alone to bear.”
Bubble, always full of energy, chimed in with a grin, though her eyes betrayed her worry. “Besides, you’ve got the strongest team in the Tower! There’s no way we’re letting you do this on your own.”
Viole’s gaze shifted between them, feeling the warmth of their support. For so long, he had fought alone, pushing everyone away. But now, as they stood on the cusp of the final trial, he realized how much these people had come to mean to him. They weren’t just comrades—they were his friends.
He finally met Alisa’s gaze, his eyes softening. “Thank you.”
She smiled, the tension in her posture easing. “You’re welcome. Now, let’s face this last trial together.”
As they ascended the final steps to the 15th floor, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. The Tower’s dark walls gave way to an open, endless sky. The floor was a vast expanse of clouds, with no visible obstacles or enemies. In the center stood a single, ornate door, glowing with an ethereal light.
“This... doesn’t feel right,” Yoru muttered, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the horizon. “Where’s the trial?”
Bubble stepped forward, squinting at the door. “Maybe it’s behind that fancy door?”
Alisa shook her head, her eyes sharp with suspicion. “No. The trial has already started.”
Suddenly, the sky darkened, and a deep, resonant voice filled the air, sending chills down their spines.
“You have come far, climbers. But the final trial is not one of body or mind. It is a test of your bonds, your trust, and your will to sacrifice.”
A figure materialized in front of the door, cloaked in shadows. It was tall, imposing, with eyes that gleamed like molten gold. Viole instinctively stepped forward, drawing his sword, but the figure didn’t move.
“To reach the summit,” the figure continued, “one of you must offer your life. Only then will the door to your wish open.”
The group fell silent, the weight of the figure’s words sinking in like a stone. The air grew thick with tension, as each of them processed what the trial demanded.
“One of us... has to die?” Bubble’s voice was barely above a whisper, her usual humor nowhere to be found.
Alisa’s eyes darkened, her hand instinctively going to her weapon. “That’s absurd. We’ve come too far to lose anyone now.”
Yoru’s expression remained calm, but his voice carried an edge of tension. “There has to be another way. This trial is testing our resolve—there’s always a solution that doesn’t require sacrifice.”
Viole, however, remained silent, his mind racing. He had known, deep down, that the final trial would be the hardest. But this... this was cruel. To sacrifice one of his friends, after everything they had been through together—it was unthinkable.
The figure seemed to sense Viole’s hesitation, its voice dripping with malice. “You, Viole Grace, have climbed this Tower for a single wish. Do you value that wish more than the lives of your companions?”
Viole’s heart pounded in his chest, his grip on his sword tightening. He could feel the weight of their gazes on him, waiting for his answer. His wish—the reason he had climbed the Tower—flashed in his mind. It was so close, just within reach. But at what cost?
Alisa stepped forward, her voice firm. “We’re not playing your game. We’ve faced every trial together, and this will be no different.”
Bubble, with a shaky smile, raised her hand. “Yeah, what she said. We’re a team. We don’t sacrifice anyone.”
Yoru nodded, his eyes locked on the figure. “There’s always another way. We’ll find it.”
The figure let out a low, rumbling laugh. “Foolish. You cannot deny the rules of the Tower. One of you *must* die, or none of you will pass.”
Viole’s heart twisted. He had fought so hard, climbed so far—but this wasn’t how it was supposed to end. He looked at his friends, at the trust in their eyes, and made a decision.
“I’ll do it,” Viole said quietly.
The group froze, shock and disbelief washing over their faces.
“What?!” Bubble practically shrieked, her eyes wide. “No way! You’re not doing this, Viole!”
Alisa’s face twisted with anger. “You’re out of your mind if you think we’re letting you sacrifice yourself.”
Yoru, always the voice of reason, stepped closer to Viole, his gaze hard. “We didn’t climb this Tower just for you to throw your life away. There’s another way, and we’ll find it.”
Viole shook his head, his eyes filled with a calm resolve. “I’ve already made my choice. This trial... it’s testing me. I was the one who started this climb, and it’s only right that I’m the one who finishes it.”
Alisa’s hands balled into fists, her voice trembling with emotion. “We’re not letting you die, Viole.”
For the first time in a long while, Viole smiled, a small, bittersweet smile. “I’m not dying. I’m just... letting go of the past.”
He stepped forward, toward the shadowy figure and the door behind it. The figure’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
“As you wish, Viole Grace.”
But just as the figure raised its hand to deliver the final blow, something unexpected happened. A brilliant light exploded from the door, enveloping the entire group. The shadowy figure let out a howl of fury as it was consumed by the light.
Viole stumbled back, shielding his eyes from the brightness. When the light faded, the figure was gone, and the door stood open, glowing with a soft, inviting light.
Yoru blinked, stunned. “What... just happened?”
Alisa lowered her weapon, her expression a mix of shock and relief. “The trial... it’s over?”
Bubble let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. “Wait, does that mean... we don’t have to kill anyone?”
Viole stared at the open door, his heart pounding in his chest. “It was a trick. The real trial wasn’t about sacrifice—it was about trust. We passed because we refused to turn on each other.”
Yoru smiled, a rare warmth in his eyes. “We did it. Together.”
Alisa stepped closer to Viole, her eyes softening. “We’re not losing you. Not today.”
Viole’s heart swelled with gratitude as he looked at his friends—his true companions. Together, they had faced the impossible, and together they would continue to climb.
With a deep breath, Viole stepped through the open door, his friends by his side.
The Tower had more trials waiting for them, but for the first time in a long time, Viole felt ready to face whatever came next. Not alone—but with the people he trusted most in the world.
And with that, their journey continued.
FIRST SEASON END.
STAY STUNED FOR THE NEXT SEASON<3