Broken Tower Saga: The First Swordsman

          "We have arrived," Sophia said and looked at the youths before her. "I can't go further than this with you."

          They were before the large gate of the sixth floor, though Sophia could enter using some of her privileges, she could not go with them during the test. It had been a few days since she was here and the day of departure came again. She had to take Tanya with her, but before that Michelle proposed to have another mission with everyone else before she leaves.

The redhead learned Tanya was not well with this violence and gore, but she still could not let go of her like that. Tanya was easy to agree with and Sophia compiled as well.

"To my knowledge, the sixth-floor test is not about fighting," the blonde woman said. "It's mostly finding the right place and solving the puzzle."

        "We are off then," Wrik said, taking the first step. "I do not know how long it will take though."

        "Don't worry about anything," Sophia said. "I will be here waiting when you all finish the test."

        The test on the sixth floor of the Maha tower is about the same as the second floor, though the inside was different. A person could go in individual or in  duo. Wrik looked at the person he wanted to partner up with, but the short-haired girl was already with Michelle. He looked at Anton to find he already teamed up with Kevin.

        They seemed to have made some deal within themselves and joined together, leaving only him and Tanya alone.

        "We were going first," Michelle said while clasping her palm together with Byul. "Whoever finishes last will bear the cost of it."

        The two of them jumped at the warp gate as it lit up in drifting lights. The other two duos jumped after that as well. Davin gave a last look to Tanya and a nod to him before jumping in.

        "We should go as well," Tanya said, and I nodded.

        Wrik brought his palm before her, and she caught it. We did not exchange glances before both of us jumped inside the warp gate.

        Sophia gave a rueful smile and shook her head, seeing the scene before them.

.. .                                                                                 

        [Welcome Mahasayer Wrik Everknight and Mahasayer Tanya Syfinn in the Sixth-floor test.]

        [To succeed in the test, you have to find your way out of the mage.]

        The inside of the testing region was somewhat different compared to the other floor they had succeeded. It was dark, but not like the fifth floor that seemed to strangle them within it. Even without using his ability, he could easily see that the inside was a mage. Tall walls stood around the two of them. It went as far as their eyes followed. Other than that there were some runes marking on the wall, Wrik looked to find it was clearly written in Elnin though a little more complicated than what he knew. He could read, though only a little.

        "Shall we go?" Tanya asked him as her eyes moved around at the wall as well.

        "Wait a second," Wrik said and brought out his sword. Without another word, he brandished it with mana and made a mark on the wall. This was supposed to be a maze, so it was better to mark the path they were taking and not to mention how bad he was with direction. "We are good to go now."

        They strode the way then. On any cross in the path, Wrik had made a mark with his sword while Tanya was silent the entire time, only watching him. None of them tried to take the initiative to converse as they wandered.

        Other than that, he had another worry in his mind. He very much feared he would come last in the test and if that happens the two of them might do something embarrassing that the other selected for them. That was what Michelle decided. He wholeheartedly disagreed with it, but everyone agreed between themselves and in the end, the consent of the two of them did not matter.

        "Can we pick up our pace a little?" Wrik said to her. "I don't really want to be the last to finish the test."

        Tanya nodded as they almost doubled their speed. They moved like that for about an hour. He was in no way tired, but Tanya had sweat all over her face. In the end, he decided to take a short break as she stood leaning against the wall. in the way they have picked up some colourful rubies she started fidgetting with them, even though they have no idea what it was for.

        Wrik first did his usual marking on the wall with the sword before joining her. 

        "Have you ever wondered what you will do with your life?" Tanya asked suddenly.

        Wrik stared at her for once and she looked down.

        Tanya started on her own, looking down at her foot. "For once when I was a kid thought I wanted to be happy and live happily with my family for all my life," she said. "I wanted an affectionate mother that I did not have, but Elder sis took that place and pamper me well. She even tried to complete the family, though she had failed and I know it was not her fault. She did her best, and I'm eternally grateful to her for that.

"I decided to help my sister in whichever way I can. That path leads here, and I'm still drifting, struggling. I already failed, and I did not even try my hardest."

Tanya did not lift her head up while Wrik kept on staring at her. He did not know how to soothe her. He clearly knows how she feels, yet he could not do a thing for her.

"I'm insensitive," he said finally and caught her palm. Tanya looked at him with almost teary eyes. Her eyes showed a glint that told she did not believe it.

"It's the truth," he said again, clasping her arm. "It has been a decade since I've been like this. In truth, I did not care about many things. I do not know what's wrong with me. I did not feel a thing when looking at other people's suffering. I have seen the crippled beggars in the slum, the helpless children, yet I did not feel a single thing about them. No pity, sorrow, anger or anything. Worse, I have not felt anything looking at the pitiful slaves that are working even knowing they will die in the few years."

        Wrik broke eye contact and looked forward blankly.

        "All I feel is indifferent looking at their suffering," he said releasing a deep breath. "And fear. Fear that my fate will turn out like that or worse."

        His hold tightened unconsciously.

        "My aunt and two brothers were worried sick for me, but I did not want them to," he continued in a slow and quiet tone. He had never shared these things with anyone. "That's why I learned to act. I act like everyone else so that my family will not worry about me."

        Tanya released a breath. "You did that for your family meant you cared about them," she said and a question arrived in her mind. "You are not insensitive entirely."

        Wrik nodded in agreement. "But I feared if those feelings left me what would be left of me.. ." Can I be considered as a human?

        "Do you care for me?" Tanya asked suddenly.

        Wrik looked at her and saw her quivering, though she still held onto the eye contact.

        "Do all the care you showed in the dungeons and against all the obstacles in the path are real or are your acts to be a normal person?"

        Scenes of the ordeal they faced together came into her vision. The time he jumped to save her from a fall, the battle against the bargemen, the time he saved her and Byul from a few scumbags. Are all those acts? She did not want them to be.

        "I think. .. I think they were real," Wrik said finally and broke eye contact. "I do care about you."

        Tanya did not ask for anything more, mustered her courage and pulled herself into his chest. Her lips sought for him and they had their first contact of intimacy since the time they met.

        Her face heated up, and she felt this feeling was the sweetest she ever had. Her heartbeat rose abnormally, yet she did not leave his lips, and neither did Wrik. His warm palm touched her cheek as she sought warmth from him. They explored a whole new realm of affection that they have never wandered before.

In that short moment, Wrik learned that there was still hope for him.

They finally broke the kiss and looked at each other with hazy eyes. Nobody spoke a word, only gazed at one another.

How good would it have turned out if they lived life together, but both of them knew that was not possible. At least not in the current position.

"You care about me means you are getting better, not worse," Tanya added with a red face.

They broke the contact together and turned silent. It was the embarrassment after their first kiss. Not only Tanya was flustered, even Wrik was red with hot breath.

"What the hell?" he shouted out abruptly, looking at the wall. The mark he had made on the wall was nowhere to be seen. That meant they have noway known if they were running in circles or not. 

At least their time here was not wasted. 

___________________

End of the chapter: indifference. 

Next chapter: Undercurrents.