Tower Story -- Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Throwing himself down on his bed, Bax stared up at the ceiling as he completely zoned out. He didn’t want to think about anything at the moment, especially as his stomach was extremely full and uncomfortable.  Stuffing his face at the Meal Hall wasn’t his original plan, especially as he had been as equally impressed by its enormous size as he had by the auditorium earlier.  The massive space was large enough to handle tens of thousands of people all sitting around stone tables of different heights, with stone stools providing a place to rest.  It seemed to go on forever as he looked through the room, and there were so many people there that he was immediately overwhelmed by the crowd.  The only thing that made it bearable was the fact that the ceilings were at least 50 feet high with columns creating breaks in the expanse, which divided the tables up into sections; this helped to provide a sense of privacy, even it was anything but private.

There were numerous lines leading to what looked like a gigantic version of the crystal box in his room, which he was told also acted the same way.  All he had to do was walk up to the crystal box and place his hand on it, thinking about what he wanted to eat – and like some sort of replicator from a science fiction story, the box would produce it exactly as he wanted.  Unlike the highly processed and sometimes imitation foods that he normally ate back on Earth, the burger and massive plate of French fries he received was the best food he’d ever eaten. 

He, of course, went back for seconds once he ate it – this time for a pepperoni pizza that made him nearly pass out in pure bliss as he shoved it into his face.  He’d never been one to stress eat, but he figured that it was forgivable in this instance as he nearly rolled himself out afterwards.  Thankfully, he had found a spot largely by himself to sit and stuff his face, so he didn’t have to worry about anyone saying anything – though he hadn’t needed to worry all that much, at least based on the quantity of food he saw almost everyone else eating. 

Regardless, it was the best meal he’d ever had, and while his location wasn’t exactly ideal, he tried to forget about that as he made his way back to his room via the map he discovered in his APPS screen.  He then used the restroom in his private space after learning how it worked from Guide Azilla earlier before the devil left him to eat, before throwing himself down on his bed.

Glancing around, he saw the crystal box in his room that supposedly made food as well, though he was told that it was much more limited in what it could produce.  Supposedly, it could only create smaller items, more like snacks than anything else, but it was mainly used for hydration more than anything else.  Meals were to be taken in the Meal Hall, after all – or so he was told.

Now that he stopped moving, and his food was finally starting to digest, he thought that this was a good time to look a little closer at his APPS screen.  He easily pulled it back up and stared at it, trying to make sense of it.

First, it had his first name and his nickname together, though his last name wasn’t present – which made him wonder how the Lead Guides had known.  Dismissing that for the moment, he saw that his race was “Human” – which wasn’t a surprise – and that, like some sort of video game, he was Level 1.  Underneath that a listing for “Experience” which read 0/100, so he could only assume he would gain experience by killing monsters or through some other means.

Then there was Health, Health Regeneration, Mana, and Mana Regeneration – which all seemed to relate to his stats.  With a Health of 30, he could guess that was dependent upon either Endurance or Dexterity – which were both at 3; he assumed it was the former, and perhaps also influenced Health Regeneration, which was also at 3/min.  His Mana – which was strange to see, as he would’ve thought he had absolutely no Mana considering his origins – was low at 10, which he assumed was due to something called Unity, which was at 1; however, his Mana Regeneration was at 7/min, likely due to his Intellect being at 7.

How those initial numbers were determined, Bax didn’t have any idea, nor did he know what the average was for a Human or any other race.  He also didn’t know if they could be increased through actions or only through Leveling-up, but he supposed he would find out in his classes. 

Speaking of classes, but not the academic kind, he could apparently choose a “Class” at some point, which also had a Level of its own with a Threshold of some sort related to it.  Again, it was something he hoped to find out more in the next few days.

Then there was a category for “Notable Exploits”, of which he had none; the same went for “Available Spells”, “Available Abilities”, and “Special Equipment”.  The fact that he might be able to cast spells at some point was intriguing, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up; while he’d been healed by what could only be spells being cast upon him, that didn’t mean he could learn to do the same – especially being from Earth and with a low amount of starting Mana.

Next, under “Applicable Traits”, there were a pair of them listed.  Thankfully, he was able to concentrate on them to get a description and better understanding of them.  As he could’ve guessed, Language Translation was a powerful trait that allowed him to speak and understand all of the common languages used in the System; he could only assume that this was given to him shortly after arriving inside his room earlier, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to understand anyone.

The other trait was a bit different.

Quick Learner – All non-Class-based spells and abilities are learned at twice the speed as normal.  In addition, Class-based spells and abilities are ingrained upon the soul at quadruple the speed as normal.  This trait can be upgraded.

The mention of ingraining spells and abilities upon his soul was a little worrying, but he didn’t know enough about things to know if this was a normal practice or not.  The same went for the entire trait, as well, because he didn’t know if this was something that all people had, only Humans, or if he was somehow unique in having it.  It was yet another thing to learn about later in his training classes, he supposed.

Lastly, for his “Current Tasks”, there were also two of them listed.  The latter one was Keeper Tower Completion, and when he focused on it, it expanded with a little more information.

Keeper Tower Completion – [0/50 Floor Cleared]

In order to graduate from the Keeper Recruit program, you must completely clear all 50 floors of the Keeper’s Tower.  This is the final requirement for teleportation of the Keeper to their assigned world.

It seemed straightforward enough based on what he’d been told about what the Keepers were supposed to do at the Co-op.  But what was more important to him was looking at the “Keeper Training” Task, as it had a description and a list of classes he needed to take.

Keeper Training – [0/7 Classes Complete]

In order to graduate from the Keeper Recruit program, you must show competence in all training classes. 

Retrogression History

The Keeper’s Tower

Classes/Party Roles and Mechanics

Weapons and Armor/Item Management

Monsters, Remnants, and Aberrations

Magical Resonance Instruction

Physical Aptitude Training

There was also a list of times for each of them, which were also linked to a clock that was apparently part of the APPS screen, as well – an extremely useful addition.  Room numbers and locations linked to the map portion of his APPS showed him exactly where each of these classes were to take place, so he didn’t even have an excuse for not going.  Not that he would make any excuses, as he was generally interested in learning more about what this whole System thing was; it was the only way he might have a chance to help everyone on Earth, after all.  He’d given up whining about what he couldn’t change by this point, so he embraced his current situation and would use it to hopefully become strong enough to make a difference.

Unfortunately, there weren’t any further descriptions of what the different classes were about, though he could guess what they were based on the descriptions.  Even if they were a bit vague on what he’d actually be learning, he’d be going to them the next day, so he figured he would learn more about them then.

As he settled down even further, idly looking through his APPS looking for any other hidden information – and not finding anything – he felt himself drifting off to sleep.  Rather than fight it, he let the sweet rest of dreamland overcome his consciousness.

                    *

Bax woke up the next morning with another sore throat, followed by a series of coughs that felt like he was hacking up his lungs.  His head felt slightly stuffed up, but it wasn’t too bad; after a few minutes of clearing his throat, blowing his nose, and washing his face, he felt quite a bit better.

I guess the magic healing spells here don’t help get rid of this flu.  They get rid of the symptoms, at least for a short time, but that might be about it.

It was only when he was feeling a little better when he discovered why he actually woke up in the first place.

Wake up!  You have just enough time to obtain something to eat and then get to your first class.

Panicking, he looked at the time on his APPS and realized he had less than an hour now that it took him some time to feel relatively normal, and he immediately rushed out of his door.  He was thankful that he was on the bottom floor of the hallway of Keeper recruit rooms, as he could instantly make his way toward the Meal Hall, where he found himself in line to get food, doing his best to block the few coughs that came up with his elbow instead of coughing all over everyone.  He got a few curious looks for some reason, but he ignored them as it was nearly his own turn to get food; he wasn’t too hungry, especially being sick and after his meal the night before, but he always did better in school when he had a hearty breakfast.  Hunger tended to make his mind wander, and he wanted to be as sharp as possible for the day to come.

Eggs, sausage, and pancakes were scarfed down with a chocolate caramel protein shake that he liked the taste of back on Earth, and while he didn’t eat everything off his plate, he was filled enough to be satisfied for what was to come later.  There wasn’t any indication that they would be stopping for lunch on his schedule, so he needed for this meal to last as long as possible.

With no more than 15 minutes left to get to class, he sniffled as he joined the massive crowds heading out to their own classrooms, and soon enough he found himself moving along with a massive group that all seemed to be heading toward the same place.  Thankfully, the place they were heading was the same one he needed to find, and soon enough he was in Classroom #115, which was for his Retrogression History class.  Finding what, for all intents and purposes, was a massive lecture hall capable of holding nearly a 1,000 students – or, in this case, Keeper recruits – he quickly grabbed a seat in the back, as he figured it would be best if he stayed away from people since he was sick.  He didn’t think he was too contagious yet, given that he didn’t have a fever, but it was better to be safe than sorry.  The last thing he wanted was to give a few dozen people the flu, after all.

Unfortunately for his plan, a familiar figure came and sat next to him just as the last of the people filtered into the classroom. 

“Hi!  So, it seems like you’re the talk of the Co-op, did you know that?” said Serra, the angelic woman from the auditorium presentation, as soon as she sat down.  “It’s been so long since we’ve had a new race here that it has even surpassed the excitement over being chosen to be this cycle’s Keepers!”

“Uh, hello,” Bax responded, trying his best to seem as normal as possible – and likely not succeeding.  “So, I’m the freak that everyone’s looking at, is that it?” he asked jokingly, but he feared that it came out despondent. 

Fortunately, Serra didn’t appear to notice.  “Oh, no – of course not!  It’s actually an exciting time for all of us, because it not only means new people to help defend our homes, but also enormous trade opportunities!  I can only imagine what your people might be able to show us that we’ve never seen before, and the reverse it also likely!”

Her bubbly personality was almost annoying in his current state, but it was genuine and infectious enough that he felt his mood being uplifted.  He smiled back at her, before saying, “I’m sure there is a lot that we have that you’ve never even though could exist, though I’m not sure how much survived the—” 

A short coughing fit hit him before he finish what he was going to say, and he looked over his arm covering his mouth to see Serra reaching out toward him with concern.  He instinctively jerked back, not because he didn’t want to be touched, but because he didn’t want her to get his germs.  She appeared hurt from his reaction, but before he could explain, a large group of Guides could be seen down below, and they began to speak.

“Welcome to Retrogression History!” said a Gnome in short robe that Bax imagined would’ve been perfect for a 4 or 5-year-old kid back on Earth pretending to be a wizard.  “Now, most of this will be a refresher for many of you, but this information is important for you to know before you go out into your worlds as Keepers.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Serra appeared to have gotten over his reaction as her smile was back as she stared down at the Guides speaking to them.  Thankful that she didn’t seem to take too much offense, or at least nothing outwardly obvious, he resolved to explain himself once class was over.  For now, he did the same and listened to the figures down below take turns going over what they would cover in the class.

“We’ll have a comprehensive review of the origins of the Retrogression System, as well as covering what it was like in the universe before it was initialized.  In addition, we’ll be discussing your roles as Keepers for this cycle, as well as breaking down what kinds of tasks you will and may encounter during your tenure, as well as what happens after the cycle ends. 

“Moving on from that, while learning the ins and outs of your APPS is not likely to provide much benefit for most of you, it is still important to understand every part of your screens to take advantage of what it can provide you.  We’ll also cover any and all Applicable Traits and Notable Exploits that you may already possess or what you might encounter as a Keeper, in addition to any non-Class spells and Abilities that you can obtain here at the Co-op.  Everything Class-related, however, will be covered by a completely different class.

“As a Keeper in the Retrogression System, you’ll also be subject to rules and regulations which are more strict than usual, and we’ll discuss the origin of these and how they were implemented by the System.  For instance, Keepers being forbidden from holding any political or leadership position that isn’t directly related to completing tasks, is something that most you may not even be aware of, but it has shaped our societies over the last million-plus years, so it is important to understand how a regulation like that came about.

“We’ll also be digging into the migration of populations from their original homeworlds through the use of connecting portals, and the impact that this has had on both a societal level and on a defensive level.  Understanding the history of our worlds and our fight against the monster threat is important so that we can build upon what our ancestors created and make the future even better for our descendants.”

There were another few things that they were going to cover throughout their time in the class, but it was all starting to blend together for Bax.  He wished that he had brought something to write it all down, but then again, he didn’t see anyone else with a notebook or anything similar.  I wonder if there is a way for my APPS to take notes?  He wasn’t sure, but also he wouldn’t be surprised if it could; it seemed entirely too handy to be used as a simple way to look at his stats, see what time it was, and look at a local map – though that was already impressive enough for something that was essentially in his head.

He didn’t have time to explore that possible option, however, as the Guides actually began the first lesson.

“Can anyone tell me the 5 different phases of a Retrogression cycle?” the Gnome that had started the lecture took charge again, before pointing toward one of the Keeper recruits in the audience.  Bax didn’t see them raise their hand or anything else to indicate that they wanted to be called upon, but he supposed that they’d done something, because the Dwarf that was pointed at answered immediately.

“Reorganization, Dungeon Establishment, Portal Connection, Tower Placement, and Containment.”

“Exactly.  Can someone tell me what the Reorganization phase actually is, and approximately how long it lasts from the start of the cycle?”

This time, an Elf was called upon to answer.  “Yes, the Reorganization phase is a bit of a misnomer, because it can be quite chaotic.  This is the point right after the Retrogression System resets every person and monster back to Level 1, and it also breaks down complicated materials – especially those infused with magical energy.  Rebuilding our towns and cities is done at this point while the danger of the monsters around the world is at a minimum, and defenses are quickly set up to protect those that are most vulnerable.  While this might be the most chaotic phase in terms of what needs to be done to recover from the System retrogressing, it is also typically the safest of all the phases because the monsters are weak and easily killed by almost any adult with a Class and a modicum of defensive knowledge.  This phase also lasts approximately 50 years, but it can vary depending on the rise of energy levels throughout each world.”

“Thank you very much – that was a very succinct answer.  One thing that I will add is that, since this is the safest phase of them all, it is why we have the luxury to train Keepers here at the Co-op, as you won’t be needed much – or at all – during this phase.”

The Guides then took turns asking other students about the other phases, and Bax took mental notes of what they were.

In short, the Dungeon Establishment phase came after Reorganization, and it lasted anywhere from 400 to 600 years.  This was the point where dungeons became popping up throughout the world as concentrations of energy coalesced into singular points, creating what were essentially temporarily warped spaces where large amounts of monsters were spawned.  Once they were cleared, these dungeons would disappear; if they weren’t cleared, there was a chance for the monsters to break out and overwhelm the local countryside.

After that was the Portal Connection phase, which was when the portals between worlds was actually established.  Bax thought about how long, at a minimum, this would take for his own world to reach – around 450 years – and he wasn’t sure if they could hold on that long to ask for help from other worlds.  This was also the phase that dungeons began to increase in size, and the number of wild monsters increased throughout the world.  This lasted for another 500 years or so, before the Tower Placement phase kicked in.

Towers, similar to the Keeper’s Tower but much more dangerous, were extremely challenging installations that contained powerful monsters and numerous floors that needed to be conquered.  Unlike dungeons, which were temporary if they were completed and closed, towers were permanent – at least until the cycle began anew, when they would be eliminated upon the Retrogression taking effect.  While not as numerous as dungeons, they still frequently needed to be challenged and at least somewhat cleared, or else the strong monsters contained within them would spill out in massive hordes, which could wipe out entire cities if left unchecked. 

The final phase was called Containment, and this actually began almost immediately after the Tower Placement phase, and lasted until the cycle reached 4,444 years.  It was basically a time where the worlds worked to contain the monsters that formed within in the wild, in the dungeons, and in the towers – and all of this defense was led and maintained by the Keepers.  It typically became difficult to contain everything toward the end of the cycle because monsters didn’t stop growing in strength as time went on, and by that time, it was possible that most of the strongest monsters were a higher Level than almost any other person in the world but the Keepers – and that was if the Keepers worked hard to Level-up and stay ahead of the curve.  If they didn’t, then they could face overwhelming odds at the end of the Containment phase.

Overall, the information that Bax received was valuable, as it gave him a glimpse into how a Retrogression cycle worked – but it didn’t explain one main thing that had been bothering him ever since he heard about the timespans of these phases.  Fortunately, it was answered at one point before the end of class.

“Which brings us to why you are all here in training at this point, instead of later when it will be more dangerous to the worlds in which you’ll be designated to protect.  In order for Keepers to live long enough to last the entire cycle, they must reach at least Level 100 before they leave the Keeper’s Tower, as it will extend their lifespan significantly.  This will allow them—you— to live at most 500 extra years beyond their normal lifespan by that point, and it will be up to you to continue growing in Level to extend that even further.  By the time you reach Level 300, a Keeper will become essentially immortal to the ravages of time, so they will be able to fulfill their duties until the cycle ends.”

There were a few other tidbits of information that was fed to him, but Bax was starting to zone out a little bit as his head felt even more stuffed up than before, which was why he was startled when the class ended and the Keeper recruits began to exit.  Remembering that he wanted to explain himself to Serra, he only caught a glimpse of her as she waved at him with a smile, before joining the crowd as they flooded the exit doors on their way to the next class.  He wasn’t able to react in time to catch up with her, as he had to wait for an opportunity to join the crowd, but he hoped by her seeming still-upbeat attitude that she hadn’t been too hurt by his earlier actions.

Once he got up and started heading toward his next class, however, he didn’t have time to think about it any further, as his classroom was a bit of distance away, and he had to hurry if he didn’t want to be late.