Chapter 287 - Expansion (Patreon)

If Zeke hadn’t known better, he would have sworn he was outside. Against all logic, the familiar shape of the sun hung high in an idyllic sky, its rays warm and the light comforting. A few fluffy white clouds drifted across the blue expanse, looking like nothing so much as the real sky.

The floor – or ground, as it were – was no less impressive, with an expansive green lawn and meticulously sculpted topiary.  Artful statues dotted the lawn, each depicting majestic creatures, beautiful men and women in artful poses, or angels with outstretched wings. Zeke had no experience with such things, but to him, it all looked like the grand estate of a wealthy nobleman.

Supporting that impression was the manor itself. A lane paved with stones and lined with ancient oak trees led to a small circle, in the center of which was the familiar statue depicting him and his friends. Notably missing was Abby, though her absence wasn’t surprising to Zeke.  In his mind, she’d been severed from the group, and the tower was a reflection of his own attitude.

The manor at the end of the lane was just as impressive as the grounds. At three stories tall, it wasn’t an imposing structure. Instead, with its ivy-covered walls of grey brick and the sloped roof, it looked like a home, albeit one that could comfortably house a few dozen people.

In truth, it reminded Zeke of Earth. The architecture he’d seen since being reborn had all been fanciful and fantastic; most of it wouldn’t have even been possible back on Earth. Even Beacon or Salvation – both human cities – boasted structures that were only made possible by the existence of magic. But this manor? It looked like a nineteenth century English noble’s country home.

And it only took Zeke a few moments to realize why that was what came to mind. But when he figured it out, he just shook his head, a small smile finding its way to his face. His mother, like many of the people back on Earth, had been obsessed with television period dramas. She’d latched onto one in particular, and though Zeke couldn’t even remember its name, he could recognize that the manor before him closely resembled the setting for that television show.

It felt fitting, though. A reminder of his past. Of his mother.

With a sigh, Zeke pushed forward, following the long lane toward the manor. As he did so, he couldn’t help but notice that the tower was also home to a few insects. Fat and furry bumblebees, colorful butterflies, and a few cicadas were all there, but thankfully, the annoying ones – like flies and mosquitoes – had been left out. There were also birds flying overhead, and Zeke caught sight of a couple of chittering squirrels dancing across the branches of the oak trees.

It was like the Crimson Tower had created an entirely private world for him. The only thing marring that impression was the fact that Zeke could feel the boundaries of the place. The grounds extended for a mile or so in each direction, but then there was nothing. He fully expected that if he reached the edge, he’d find his way barred in some way. Certainly, he intended to investigate that, but for now, he was far more interested in the manor.

When he finally reached the entrance and stepped inside, Zeke was happy to find a fully furnished home. The style, like was the case with the manor itself, wasn’t precisely modern. However, as he explored one room after another, he found that it had all the necessary amenities, including a kitchen, bathrooms, and a multitude of sleeping quarters.  There were sitting rooms, dining areas – both formal and informal – and a library, though it was only stocked with the few books on runecrafting he’d gathered. He even found an expansive sparring room, with wooden dummies that were covered in runes. Finally, he found a spa, an indoor pool, and a room that seemed intended for meditation.

In short, the manor had everything he could ever need out of a home. Which begged the question of what else the tower had in store.

After exploring the manor that would be his new home, Zeke decided to inspect the limits of the area. So, he set off down the lane toward the spot where he’d initially entered. There, he found a slightly raised dais that he hadn’t noticed before. He ignored it and kept going until he reached the edge of his awareness. By that point, the meticulously manicured grounds had given way to a curated forest. That’s when he found a solid wall, over which was an illusion that made it look like the forest kept going into infinity, which explained how the tower had mimicked reality. Up close, it was obvious, but even only a few feet away, it was difficult to recognize as an illusion.

With that mystery solved, Zeke retreated back to the dais. He stepped onto the raised platform and was confronted with the same notification he’d gotten down in on the ground floor. It said:

Please choose a floor: the Hunting Grounds, the Residential District, the Merchant’s Floor, the Crimson Spring, the Craftsman’s Terrace, or the Entry Hall.

Missing was the option to travel to the Lord’s Manor, which made sense because that was his current location. Seeing the various floors, Zeke chose the first – the Hunting Grounds. When he did, he was beset by the now-familiar flash of light before he found himself within a dense and claustrophobic jungle.

As was the case on the floor with the Lord’s Manor, the area was almost completely indistinguishable from nature. There was no indication that the forest was an artificial construction. However, a moment later, he found another notification floating before his inner eye:

You have entered The Hunting Grounds. Be aware that this is a constructed space, and your encounters are illusory. As such, while it may feel real, any injuries sustained on this floor will be healed upon your exit. Current biome: Jungle. Please choose difficulty (based on current strength): Mundane, Average, Elite, Legendary, Mythical, Divine.

Zeke didn’t immediately choose. Instead, he focused on the available biomes, and he was surprised to find that there were hundreds available. Some were self-explanatory, like the jungle, forest, or urban biomes. However, there were others, like the ethereal plane option, that seemed far less obvious in nature. Still, Zeke was impressed and excited that there were so many choices.

The purpose of The Hunting Grounds seemed obvious to him. It was intended for training. At his current strength, Zeke had found that even light sparring ran the risk of destroying the environment. And if he went all-out, it would be far worse. This new floor seemed like it might solve that problem and allow him to push himself during his training. If it worked as he expected it to, that would be an invaluable boon.

Zeke sorely wished he could test it out, but he was still exhausted from his encounter with Fáinn, the dwarven king. Fighting right then, even if the opponents would be illusory, would not be the best idea. However, he fully intended to thoroughly test The Hunting Grounds in the near future. For now, though, he needed to at least visit the other floors before heading back to the manor to rest.

To that end, Zeke selected the next floor on his list: the Residential District. When he arrived, it was as if he’d stepped into a city. The teleportation dais was in the center of a circular plaza, which was surrounded by a series of tall columns that were carved with fanciful designs. From that plaza ran a long, wide avenue that stretched off into the distance. A row of trees grew in the center of that avenue, and its sides were lined by buildings with architecture that reminded him of Rome, though with the caveat that he’d only ever seen it in photographs online. So, his recollection was more about a general theme than actual details.

Zeke stepped off the dais and left the plaza behind, entering the first building he found. To his surprise, it was an apartment building. However, it was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. The cube-shaped building had all the features of a modern apartment building, and the domiciles were surprisingly spacious and well-appointed, with two or three bedrooms, a kitchen, and a couple of bathrooms. They were also thankfully equipped with running water. But, to Zeke, the most interesting part of the building was the courtyard at the center. Open to the sky – which was the same blue illusion he’d seen back on the floor with his manor – the courtyard sported a full and vibrant garden, a gently burbling fountain, and plenty of comfortable seating. The moment Zeke stepped into the garden, he felt a sense of peace wash over him. It wasn’t just the ambiance, either. Rather, it was an effect of the fountain itself, and after a few minutes, Zeke thought he understood its effects. Not only did it serve to relieve stress, but it also helped with fatigue and, if his senses were accurate, minor ailments.

“Incredible,” he muttered.

A cursory examination of a few other buildings told Zeke that they were very similar to the first. Some details were different, but they all followed the same pattern regarding their layouts and the benefits they offered. The only problem was that Zeke had no idea who would ever live there. It seemed that the tower was meant to mimic a city, or at least house a large organization. Zeke had trouble keeping a few friends around, so he had no clue how he’d ever gather enough people to occupy the Residential District. One thing was certain, though – whoever did end up living there would be happy with their accommodations.

Zeke headed back to the teleporter and selected the next option: the Merchant’s Floor. There, he found a similar set-up to what he’d found in the Residential District, though the buildings were structured differently. For one, there were no peaceful gardens. For another, the buildings housed large galleries that Zeke figured were for displaying or storing goods. Altogether, it was impressive, but after what he’d seen so far, it wasn’t enough to capture his attention, so he quickly moved on.

The next floor he chose to explore was The Crimson Spring. After being teleported and seeing what the floor held, Zeke’s eyes widened in surprise as he found himself on a cliffside balcony overlooking a vast ocean. The sea was more than a thousand feet below where he stood, but even so, he could hear the rumble of the turbulent waves. Looking around, Zeke saw that the balcony itself had been carved from the cliff, and behind him yawned the opening of a natural cave.

Stepping off the familiar dais, Zeke left the balcony behind as he investigated the cave. Inside was a pool of water – a spring, if he had to guess based on the floor’s name. He knelt beside it and lowered his hand into the water, and he was surprised to find that the temperature was soothingly warm. More, the moment his skin made contact with the liquid, he felt an influx of vital energy. If he were to submerge himself, Zeke suspected that it would act similarly to the Pools of Serenity back in Jariq in that it would offer accelerated healing. Perhaps the effect would be even more powerful.

A good thing, too, considering how frequently Zeke had been injured. For most wounds, he had [Metallurgical Repair], but that was limited in scope. Certainly, it could rebuild his body, but if he once again experienced something like he had when he’d briefly touched upon a concept he couldn’t handle, Zeke knew that the skill would prove insufficient. And he wasn’t so naïve that he thought he wouldn’t experience other, deeper wounds as he grew more powerful.

So, having a means of healing that didn’t rely on the skill would hopefully be a useful boon. In fact, Zeke was tempted to strip down and submerge himself right then and there, but he pushed that desire aside so he could further explore the floor. As it turned out, there were thirty-three chambers within the cliff-side caverns, each with their own balcony overlooking the ocean. But that was all there was to see, so he returned to the teleporter to check out the final floor.

When Zeke teleported to the Craftsman’s Terrace, he was surprised to find himself on the side of an idyllic mountain. However, the mountain defied expectations in that its face was anything but natural. Instead, it was stepped, reminding Zeke of a layered wedding cake. The first step featured a multitude of forges, each accompanied by every tool a blacksmith could ever need. The next step was home to alchemist’s workstations, recognizable because Zeke was familiar with Tucker’s equipment. After that came a step with dozens of looms, mannequins, and all the tools required by a tailor or leatherworker. Each of the dozen steps after that was dedicated to a different craft, though a few of them were so unfamiliar that Zeke had difficulty figuring out what the product might be.

Before, Zeke had suspected that the tower was intended to accommodate a population of followers or support personnel, but to his mind, the existence of the Craftsman’s Terrace confirmed that suspicion as fact. Why else would he need dozens of forges? Or hundreds of apartments? An entire floor dedicated to mercantile pursuits? Everything but the manor suggested that the tower was intended to house hundreds, if not thousands, of people.

It was too bad that Zeke had become a bit of a loner, then. Certainly, he didn’t have anything against other people. He’d never been particularly antisocial. However, his experiences with civilization in the Radiant Isles had soured him on the idea of associating with other people. Perhaps he needed to rethink that; avoiding society probably wasn’t the healthiest thing in the world. But the very idea of putting himself out there was so unappealing that he dismissed it almost immediately.

It didn’t matter, though. Zeke wasn’t going to suddenly become a social butterfly, regardless of what the tower seemed to want. It did raise an interesting question, though. If the tower was intended to house so many people, what would happen to anyone inside when he dismissed it? Would they die like the shield mage he’d accidently killed right outside of Beacon? Or were the various floors subject to a different set of rules than the spatial storage?

Zeke didn’t have a good answer to those questions, and he wasn’t really equipped to search them out. So, he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind as he focused on the reason he’d summoned the tower in the first place: after his ordeal with the dwarven king, he needed to rest and heal. Now, it seemed the tower was better equipped than ever before to provide those two things.

With that in mind, Zeke returned to the Crimson Spring, stripped down, and submerged most of his body in the revitalizing pool of hot water. As he’d expected, he immediately started to feel better, and after only a couple of hours, he felt better than he had in months. He was still exhausted, though, so he wasted no time before heading back to the manor, finding the largest bedroom, and throwing himself onto the ridiculously comfortable bed.

He was asleep in moments.