Tier 3+ - Accidental Champion (Book 2) - Chapter 67 - Forest City of Mithraela (Patreon)

Xavier grasped the doorhandle, ready to enter the seventh floor of the Tower of Champions. He was a little worried that the System would force a break on him—like it did after he’d completed the third floor. Back then, he’d not been able to enter the next floor for ninety hours as he’d passed the first Milestone.

That better not happen again.

A notification appeared as he touched the handle.

Congratulations! You have cleared the first six floors of the Tower of Champions! You have reached the second Milestone in the tower.

As you have reached the second Milestone and are the leader of the pack, moving through the floors faster than anyone from the five different planets included in this instance of the Tower of Champions, you may choose whether or not to enforce a break at this point in the floors.

If you enforce a break, you need not worry about losing your lead, as every Champion who reaches this Milestone will have to pause and reflect for the same amount of time before re-entering the tower.

If you do not enforce a break, be sure you are prepared for what comes next.

Your options are:

1. 0 hours between floors.

2. 24 hours between floors.

3. 90 hours between floors.

Choose wisely.

Xavier raised his eyebrows as he read the notification. He sighed in relief. Without thinking about the options, he chose the first one. The other parties could take whatever breaks they needed. He wasn’t about to slow down.

The seventh floor of the Tower of Champions was not what Xavier had been expecting. Though, if he were honest, he hadn’t knownwhat to expect.

The System dumped them in the middle of a magical forest with trees as tall as the skyscrapers back in Fronton, the city his university was in.

“Whoa,” Justin said. The Airborne Duellist had a hand on the hilt of his sword as he took a step forward. “This is amazing!”

They stood in the middle of a small clearing. Ten large, standing stones surrounded them. He tapped the ground beneath his feet. Wood. There was a trapdoor just beneath the dirt. This must be the Safe Zone, and that’s the exit to the Staging Room. There was a small barrier between them and the rest of the forest. Unlike on other floors, he was able to see through it.

Justin was right. The view was amazing.

The trees weren’t only tall, they had houses built into them. Houses that looked like they’d been half-grown and half-made by humanoid hands. They were on raised platforms, with wooden supports attached to the massive trunks of the trees, allowing the houses to stretch out from the base of the trunks.

The buildings each had large windows and wrap-around balconies. It was dark in the forest, but candles burned in the houses. Narrow walkways connected one tree with another to the point where it looked as though whoever lived up there would never need to put their feet on the ground to get around the forest.

Xavier spotted shadows passing by the windows. Every one of those buildings was occupied.

“This place is quite something.” Siobhan stepped over to one of the standing stones. “These remind me of Stonehenge, or some sort of druidic circle.”

“I wonder what the System has in store for us here,” Howard said. He narrowed his eyes at the buildings. “Seems like a peaceful place.”

Xavier frowned. The man was right. He couldn’t see any enemies around them. He’d be able to spot their auras, as they should be low enough level that they weren’t able to shield them yet.

“Let’s find out.” He walked out of the Safe Zone. The sound of the forest met his ears the moment he did. Night birds hooting in the trees. Small animals scampering through the underbrush. And the sound of chatter, coming from the windows of the buildings.

Welcome to the Seventh Floor of the Tower of Champions.

The Seventh Floor of the Tower of Champions is a test of your ability to escort and protect someone.

The Princess Narella of the Forest City of Mithraela has sought your protection on her travels to the neighbouring realm of Galavantian, a human kingdom where a treaty of peace is to be signed between the four races of the world.

You and your party are tasked with protecting her on her journey to the neighbouring kingdom.

“An escort quest,” Siobhan muttered. “That’s different.”

“We have to babysit someone through the forest?” Howard crossed his arms. “Sounds… easy.”

Xavier frowned, realising he probably wasn’t the best suited for this kind of mission. He hadn’t bothered summoning Charon’s Staff, so he played with his Storage Ring, turning it around his fingers as he contemplated its contents.

Horns sounded. Xavier’s head snapped up, his body tensing, coming to full attention, as though another wave were about to come—

But this wasn’t the fifth floor. There were no more waves anymore. And these were not the horns of war, as he was used to, these were more like trumpets. He had no idea where they were coming from, but a moment later a platform floated down from one of the treetop buildings.

A woman stood in the middle of the platform. An elf who wore the shining armour of a warrior. The armour was white, and there appeared to be some kind of ethereal glow about her.

Is that some sort of spell?

She wore no helm, instead a crown adorned her head, her golden hair weaved around it, keeping it in place. Around her were an honour guard of ten elves. Five warriors, three archers, and two mages.

The elven queen somehow managed to look elegant even in her full-plate armour. “Champions.” She greeted them with a regal nod. “I have summoned you for an important task.”

She’s summoned us for an escort?

It baffled Xavier that a queen of all people would need an escort through her own forest. Certainly she would be able to fight against any threats she found?

How far away is this other kingdom? And how long will it take me to get her there?

He much preferred the last floor. All he’d had to do to gain the record for that floor was kill a bunch of enemies using a single spell. This might prove more complicated. He imagined the record was still based on time.

At least I’m fast. I guess I could throw her over my shoulder and carry her.

He smirked as he imagined the regal princess’s reaction to such treatment.

Xavier glanced out at the forest. That’s when he noticed there was a barrier around the city he stood in. A barrier that was only visible when the light hit it at a certain angle. Maybe that was why he couldn’t sense the auras of any of the beasts out there. There would certainly be a lot of them if this woman needed the protection of others.

This must be a very weak world. Or perhaps just a weak realm.

Your escort quest starts in 1 minute.

Princess Narella must reach Galavantian in two days’ time.

If she does not reach Galavantian within the time limit, the peace treaty will be compromised.

Xavier’s forehead creased as he read the new notification. It had him worried. If he travelled all the way to Galavantian with the princess, how was he supposed to get back to the exit, and the Staging Room door?

He’d been careful not to sacrifice the king’s life at the top of the goblin keep on the last floor, now that he knew these people were real, and not just fabrications created by the System. But this might be a little more difficult.

If it was a two-day journey by foot to this other kingdom, he would need to get her there fast even if he didn’t plan on clearing the floor that moment. He didn’t wish to just abandon the princess in the middle of the forest, after all.

Certainly not something a hero would do…

The princess pointed through the trees, kicking Xavier out of his thoughts. “The Galavantian Kingdom lies at the far edge of this forest. Though there is a safe route to the east, it is a circuitous one. I have just received news from my allies in the giant’s court of a threat to the summit. An assassin has been sent by those who do not wish for peace in this world, an assassin sent to kill the king before the summit can begin.”

Your escort quest starts in 35 seconds.

“If this assassin succeeds, war will once more break out between the four races. All chances at peace will be dashed. I have no way of communicating with the king’s court and must journey through the most dangerous parts of the forest if I am to arrive on time to deliver this warning. Will the four of you help me in this journey?”

Xavier stepped forward. His hands were together in front of him, one finger tapping his Storage Ring, thinking about his Portal Stones, and trying to puzzle out how to do this. “We will protect you on this journey, Princess Narella. You have my word that you will arrive at the king’s court in time to warn him.”

Princess Narella raised her head. “Then we must leave at once. My guards will lead the way.” She motioned them all forward through the trees.

I suppose I’ll need to know how to get to this other kingdom before I can race over there…

For this run through of the floor, he would let it play out normally. As the guards moved forward, the warriors moving to the front, and the archers and mages staying at the rear, Xavier came to walk beside the princess.

“Could you not simply send a guide and have us Champions traverse the forest in your stead, while you take the safe route to Galavantian? We could warn the king’s court for you,” Xavier said. Though he wouldn’t do such a thing on this run through, he did wonder if the princess’s presence was even necessary.

“The King of Galavantian will be suspicious of any warning. I fear he will not trust this threat is real unless I am able to convince him, and he may only listen to one of royal blood.” The princess said those last words with an apologetic smile.

“Of course, Your Highness. I promise I and my fellow Champions will see you through this journey safely.” Xavier glanced behind him, up at the buildings in the trees. Noise still flowed out through the open windows. People chatting and laughing. He was certain one of those buildings, the largest of them, must have been an inn.

Part of him wished they could spend some more time in this place. Talk to the people. Learn about their lives. Grab a drink at the inn. Meet some crafters or blacksmiths. The universe was so much larger, so much more interesting than he’d ever known.

He’d spent weeks at Queen Alastea’s castle, but he’d never had a spare moment to explore it.

That will change, one day.

His mind turned to the long-term threat he’d just learnt of, that his sector—the Silver River sector—was under threat of being purged. There were still thirty days until he could gain another insight from his Otherworldly Communion ability.

When the spell was ready to be used again, hopefully he would learn when this threat would come.

Please tell me it’s a thousand years away…

Xavier, Howard, Siobhan, and Justin followed the princess’s warriors as they led them through the city, toward the wild, untended parts of the forest, and through the barrier into the unknown.