The blood wouldn't come off my hands.
I wiped them on my pants again, but the black goblin ichor just smeared, sticky and cold. My arms trembled with exhaustion, my breath coming in ragged gasps. Nine goblins down. Eleven to go. The stone corridor stretched ahead, torchlight flickering, shadows dancing on the walls. Every sound made me flinch—a distant scrape, a guttural growl, the echo of my own footsteps.
I pressed my back to the wall and closed my eyes for half a second, just to breathe. The world outside felt impossibly far away. Eli and Lila, the cramped apartment, the smell of burnt toast and cheap soap—gone. All that remained was the Tower, the sword in my hand, and the next enemy waiting in the dark.
I remembered the first time I'd seen someone die. Not in the Tower, but in the real world—an alley behind our building, a deal gone bad, a knife flashing in the dark. I'd been twelve. Eli and Lila had been with me, clutching my arms, too scared to cry. I'd told them to look away, but I hadn't looked away. I'd watched, and I'd learned.
People always said the Tower was fair. That was a lie. The world wasn't fair, and neither was this place. The only thing that mattered was surviving. I'd done it before. I'd do it again.
A low snarl snapped me back to the present. I raised my sword, stepping into the next room—a wider chamber, the ceiling lost in shadow. Four goblins waited, crouched low, eyes glinting with hunger and something like fear. They'd seen the blood on me, the bodies I'd left behind.
One of them barked, and the others fanned out, trying to surround me. I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to move. No hesitation. That's how you die.
The first goblin lunged, slashing with a chipped blade. I sidestepped, swinging my sword in a tight arc. The blade caught its arm, bone cracking. It shrieked, stumbling back. Another goblin rushed me from the side—I ducked, feeling the knife whistle past my ear, and drove my elbow into its gut. It doubled over, and I brought the sword down, ending it.
Pain flared in my leg—a third goblin had slashed me, shallow but burning. I spun, kicking it away, then lunged forward, stabbing it through the chest. The last one hesitated, then ran. I let it go. I needed a second to breathe.
[Goblin slain: 10/20]
[Goblin slain: 11/20]
[Goblin slain: 12/20]
Time remaining: 44:12
I dropped to one knee, clutching my leg. The cut wasn't deep, but it hurt. The Tower had healed my old wounds, but it wouldn't save me from new ones. I tore a strip from my shirt and tied it around the gash, hands shaking.
For a moment, I wanted to quit. To curl up and let the darkness take me. But then I saw Eli's face in my mind—worried, hopeful, trusting me to come back. I pushed myself up, teeth gritted.
"Not yet," I whispered. "Not today."
The next corridor was narrow, the walls closing in. I moved slowly, sword raised, every muscle tense. My mind drifted—back to the night before, Lila's arms around me, Eli's forced jokes, the weight of their hope pressing on my shoulders.
I'd lied to them. Told them I wasn't scared. But I was. I was terrified.
A goblin dropped from the ceiling, landing on my back. Its claws raked my shoulders, hot pain flaring. I staggered, slamming it into the wall. It bit my ear, sharp teeth tearing flesh. I howled, grabbing its head and smashing it against the stone until it went limp.
Blood dripped down my neck, warm and sticky. I spat, wiping my mouth. The world spun for a second, but I forced myself to keep moving.
[Goblin slain: 13/20]
Time remaining: 41:03
The next room was empty, or so I thought. I stepped inside, heart pounding, and the door slammed shut behind me. Three goblins dropped from hidden ledges, surrounding me.
This was it. No more running.
They came at me together, knives flashing. I blocked one, ducked another, felt the third slice my arm. Pain exploded, but I didn't stop. I swung the sword in a wide arc, catching one in the chest. It screamed, black blood spraying. The second grabbed my leg, biting deep. I kicked it away, slamming the hilt of my sword into its skull. The third leapt at my face—I caught it by the throat, squeezing until it stopped moving.
I was panting, covered in blood—some mine, most not. My vision blurred, but I forced myself to count.
[Goblin slain: 14/20]
[Goblin slain: 15/20]
[Goblin slain: 16/20]
Time remaining: 38:17
Four left.
I stumbled into the next corridor, legs shaking. The pain was everywhere now—shoulder, leg, arm, ear. My hands were numb, the sword heavy as lead. I wanted to stop. I wanted to sleep.
But I kept going.
The next goblin was waiting, crouched in the shadows. It was bigger than the others, its knife longer, its eyes brighter. It grinned, showing rows of broken teeth.
I raised my sword, but my arms trembled. The goblin lunged, faster than I expected. I barely managed to block, the impact jarring my bones. It pressed in, knife flashing. I twisted, slamming my head into its face. It shrieked, stumbling back. I swung, catching it in the side. It howled, slashing wildly. The knife caught my ribs, burning hot.
I screamed, rage and fear and pain mixing into something sharp and bright. I drove the sword through its chest, pinning it to the wall.
[Goblin slain: 17/20]
Time remaining: 36:02
Three left.
I staggered on, vision swimming. The world narrowed to the next step, the next breath. My mind drifted again—back to the slums, to the night I'd made my first kill. A man, bigger than me, stronger. He'd cornered Eli, knife to his throat. I hadn't thought. I'd just acted.
After, I'd vomited in the alley, shaking, while Eli cried and Lila held us both. I'd promised myself I'd never let anyone hurt them again.
The Tower was just another alley. Another fight I couldn't afford to lose.
The last room was a dead end. Three goblins waited, crouched together, eyes wide. They saw the blood, the sword, the madness in my eyes. They hesitated.
I didn't.
I charged, swinging wild. The first went down easy, blade through its neck. The second tried to run—I caught it, driving the sword into its back. The third fought, slashing my arm, biting my hand. I screamed, dropping the sword, and grabbed its head, slamming it into the ground again and again until it stopped moving.
Silence.
I lay there, gasping, blood pooling around me. The sword was gone, my hands numb, my body broken.
A chime echoed in my head.
[Goblin slain: 18/20]
[Goblin slain: 19/20]
[Goblin slain: 20/20]
Objective complete.
Time remaining: 32:44
The world blurred, the pain fading. A new message appeared, bright and cold.
[Tutorial Complete]
Ranking: 537 / 12,842
You have survived.
Prepare for transfer.
stared at the number, barely processing it. Five hundred thirty-seventh, out of nearly thirteen thousand. Not the best, not the worst—just another survivor in a world that didn't care about names or stories, only numbers.
But I'd made it. Barely. But I'd made it.
For Eli. For Lila. For the promise I'd made in the dark.
The Tower hadn't beaten me. Not yet.