The staircase ended in a wide, arched hallway lit by floating crystals embedded into the walls. They pulsed with a soft blue glow, giving the corridor a serene, almost sacred feel. For the first time since entering the Tower, Kael didn't feel immediate danger pressing down on him.
He took a slow breath, then stepped forward.
His footsteps echoed across the polished stone, each one a reminder that he had been alone for too long. Too many floors, too many enemies, and no one to watch his back.
But as he rounded a corner, Kael stopped.
Voices.
Not the whispering kind he had heard in cursed rooms or fog-filled traps — real voices. Human.
Cautious, he crouched low and crept closer.
At the end of the hall was an open chamber, circular and lit by a skylight far above. Several figures stood gathered around what looked like a camp — small, rough shelters, a fire burning in the center. A large doorway sealed with golden runes stood on the far end.
Kael's eyes scanned them quickly.
Five people.
They didn't seem hostile.
One of them noticed him.
A young man stepped forward, hands raised to show he wasn't armed. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with short silver hair and piercing green eyes. His armor was light but reinforced at the joints — worn from battle but well maintained.
"You don't have to hide," the man said calmly. "If you made it this far, you're not weak."
Kael stepped out of the shadows.
The group turned to him.
Another figure, a girl with bright orange braids and goggles perched on her forehead, smiled as she flipped a dagger in her hand.
"See? Told you we'd meet someone eventually."
The tall man gestured toward Kael. "Name's Daren. We're all survivors from earlier floors. Not many make it past the ninth, but looks like you did."
Kael nodded. "I'm Kael."
Daren motioned for him to join them near the fire.
As Kael approached, he took in the others.
The girl with the braids introduced herself next. "I'm Rina. Explosives expert. And if something doesn't explode, I find a way to *make* it explode."
Sitting beside her was a quiet boy, younger than the rest, wearing a long cloak stitched with silver thread. His dark eyes never left Kael's face.
"Call him Mier," Rina added. "He doesn't talk much, but he's good with shadow-type shards. Very, very good."
On the other side of the fire, a woman polished a massive axe, her muscles taut and scarred. She gave Kael a once-over and grunted.
"Lira," she said. "I kill things. That's it."
The last member of the group sat apart from the others, his skin pale and eyes glowing faintly violet. He had no weapons, only a thin book chained to his belt.
"That's Veyr," Daren explained. "Scholar. Bit... strange, but useful. Knows more about the Tower than anyone I've met."
Kael sat quietly for a moment, watching them.
They were different from him — loud, confident, used to moving as a team.
He wasn't sure if he could trust them.
But he also knew he couldn't do this alone forever.
Veyr stood and approached Kael, eyeing him curiously.
"You've absorbed many shards," he said suddenly. "I can feel it. They've left marks on your soul."
Kael's body tensed. "So?"
Veyr tilted his head. "Nothing. Just interesting. Most climbers don't survive more than three shards. You've taken more than five. And you're still... mostly human."
Kael didn't reply.
Daren crossed his arms. "You're welcome to stay with us for the next trial. We work together. No one gets left behind. That's our rule."
Kael looked at each of them again.
This was the first offer of cooperation he'd received since entering the Tower.
He didn't have to say yes.
But something inside him — maybe the echo of the Arena trial — told him that moving forward without allies would only lead to one thing.
Loneliness.
Kael gave a slight nod. "Alright. Just don't slow me down."
Rina grinned. "Oh, you'll be the one struggling to keep up, Tower boy."
Lira smirked. "We'll see."
Veyr returned to his place and opened his book, muttering softly.
Daren turned to the sealed golden door. "We've been trying to break this one for two days. Runes keep resetting. But now that we're six, maybe it'll open."
As if summoned by his words, the runes flickered.
Lines of ancient text rearranged themselves, glowing brighter.
The doorway trembled.
Then, it began to open.
Behind it, darkness stirred.
Not the empty kind.
The waiting kind.
Kael rose with the others, heart steady.
For the first time since entering the Tower, he wasn't alone.
And somehow, that made the shadows ahead seem a little less cold.