CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: The Tower Test
Transition Hallway – Minutes After Rest Sector Closure
The floor rumbled beneath their feet.
Reina felt it first—the way the air shifted, as if they were descending even though the corridor appeared still.
Noah counted the seconds in his head. When the next door hissed open, he had already accepted what was waiting.
> TRIAL CARD: Q♦ — "THE TOWER TEST"
Players: 12
Objective: Reach the Core Chamber
Rules:
– The Tower contains 6 Floors.
– Each floor presents a logic gate that must be solved collaboratively.
– Only one team may proceed to the next floor at a time.
– Teams may form temporary alliances—but only 6 players will reach the top.
– Every unsolved floor after 30 minutes will auto-lock.
Additional Rule:
– False cooperation will be punished.
Victory Condition: 6 players reach Floor 6 and solve the Core Gate.
Failure Condition: More than 6 players attempt to ascend. All die.
The message blinked out. The doors sealed shut behind them.
---
Floor One – The Tower Lobby
They found themselves in a massive cylindrical chamber with a hexagonal layout. At its center: an ascending spiral staircase blocked by a glowing red forcefield.
Twelve wristbands now pulsed in sync. Their group of five stood near the braided woman and Marik. The remaining players—five strangers—formed a loose line near the wall.
A central console lit up:
> Logic Gate One – "Select 3 Players to Input a Unique Sequence of 3 Digits. The Total Sum Must Be 30.
Each Player Can See Only 2 Digits, Not Their Own.
One Mistake = Floor Locks. Choose Wisely."
---
First Test – Asymmetric Deduction
Noah, Reina, and one of the strangers volunteered.
They stood before three vertical screens.
Each screen showed two digits—one from the person on either side.
Reina saw: 8 and 10
Noah saw: 7 and 12
The stranger saw: 9 and 11
Each had to deduce their own digit so that all three together totaled 30.
Reina did the math: if the other two were 7 and 10, that meant hers had to be 13. But what if she was being tricked?
A 60-second timer ticked.
They all guessed.
> Input Accepted. Total: 30.
Floor Unlocked.
Cheers broke out. The barrier lifted.
But no one stepped forward.
Because only one group could move up.
---
The Decision
Arguments flared immediately.
Dylan: "We did the work. We go first."
Stranger: "She answered right, I backed her up. We're part of this."
Marik: "And if you go first, what guarantee do we have you'll solve the next puzzle before the time locks us out?"
Noah turned to him. "Want to test if we solve slower?"
Tension spiked.
Then the braided woman spoke: "Then form a team. Pick six. We take Floor Two."
---
Alliance: Team One – The Chosen Six
The group selected:
Noah (Strategist)
Reina (Observation)
Dylan (Pattern Recognition)
Braided Woman – Kay
Marik
Eliah
Tayo remained behind, frowning.
> Floor Two Unlocked. Time Remaining: 23:17
---
Floor Two – The Sequence Room
The walls were marked with rotating cubes. A new console read:
> "Each player must stand before a cube.
Only 3 cubes display correct numbers in the Fibonacci Sequence.
Step on a wrong cube = 1 player ejected.
Communicate before selecting. One chance only."
They scattered. Six cubes lit up with random numbers:
34 — 35 — 21 — 55 — 22 — 13
Reina narrowed her eyes. "Fibonacci is additive. 13, 21, 34, 55. The outliers are 22 and 35."
Kay nodded. "We choose: 13, 21, 34."
Dylan disagreed. "I think it's 21, 34, 55. 13 is too early in the chain."
Marik made the call. "Go with Reina. The math checks."
They stepped.
> ✅ Selection Valid. Floor Two Cleared.
Time Remaining: 17:41
---
Back at Floor One
Tayo watched the timer drop. Two strangers debated who would go next.
He leaned toward the silent girl. "We'll be the third group."
She stared at him, then spoke for the first time: "Only six survive."
Tayo's jaw tightened.
"I know," he said. "That's why we go last."
---
Floor Three – Betrayal Trigger
Noah's group hit the next puzzle:
> "Only 4 players may proceed to Floor Four.
Select 2 to remain.
If anyone tries to override this rule, the entire team will be purged."
Noah turned to the group.
"Now we see the game for what it is."
Reina looked shaken. "They're forcing us to thin ourselves."
Dylan whispered, "If we vote wrong, we die."
Kay and Marik said nothing.
Eliah stepped forward.
"I'll stay behind," he said. "I'm slower. But if you survive, take Tayo with you."
Noah looked him in the eyes, then nodded.
Kay added quietly, "I'll stay too. I've done this before. I won't make it again."
The four remaining stepped through.
No alarms sounded.
---
End of Chapter Eighteen
The door behind them closed.
Marik exhaled. "Only two floors left."
And on the far wall, the next message awaited them:
> "FLOOR FOUR — GAME OF SHADOW DECISIONS.
One traitor walks among you. Find them. Or fall."