Tower of Endless: Death Granted Entry

The flame was abnormally loud, which was the reason for Moon’s shouts. But that wasn’t all. Ed’s hammering sounded even louder than the dancing red flame.

The flame for some reason looked like it was thrashing around like a prisoner trying to escape.

Moon’s eyes tried to make sense of it, but he couldn’t understand what that flame was at all; it was both a flame and something that seemed violent at the same time.

Still, Ed’s hammering caused him to headbang lightly amidst the agonizing heat.

’Damn awesome,’ he couldn’t help exclaiming inwardly.

With teary eyes, trying to keep them from drying out in the heat, Moon stepped closer. His eyes now completely shut. ”WHAT CAN I HELP WITH?” he shouted.

Ed pointed with his chin at the tools to his side. ”Grab that tong and extract the metal I left in the burner.”

’FUCK MY LIFE!’ Moon cursed inwardly but didn’t say a word; he walked to Ed’s side and grabbed the forge tongs.

It was hot, obviously, but bearable.

Moon squinted, trying to locate the piece of metal in the burner. After looking for a moment, he saw something yellow at the bottom of the red flames.

He extended the tongs inside, and—

Clip~

Held onto it.

”WHERE DO I PUT THIS?” Moon shouted; the tongs were getting hotter rapidly after touching the flame.

Ed didn’t waste any time; he put aside the piece he was hammering. ”Here,” he gave Moon his next instruction.

”AW AW AW,” Moon briefly expressed his pain in that moment, before successfully—

Clang~

Dropping the piece of metal on the anvil Ed was currently using.

”Drop that aside and catch this,” Ed said. Moon, perplexed, let go of the tongs and caught the hammer Ed was using.

The tongs moved by themselves to Ed’s hands. ”Now strike!” he said while fixing the metal with the tongs on the anvil.

”O... WHAT... O-OKAY DAMMIT!” Moon said, raising the hammer ready to strike.

”You’re not a striker, I’m the master. Keep striking rhythmically and I’ll adjust. Focus on where you will be hitting if you want to learn anything.”

With that said, Ed began adjusting the piece of metal to get Moon’s strikes to land where they should.

Moon on the other hand had his eyes half-closed still, everything drenched in sweat. His hair was stuck to his forehead. His eyes were burning with both heat and sweat running into them.

Still, he sustained his strikes as Ed instructed.

For the next few hours, everything seemed to stay the same.

Moon striking, Ed adjusting, teaching him what to do and what not to do. Moon cursing every once in a while, trying to keep looking at the brightly lit hot piece of metal.

Time ticked for them; hours passed, and it was almost dinner time.

”That’s enough for today,” Ed said, preparing to let go.

Ting~

Ting~

Ting~

”Brat, enough... we gotta go eat, I’m the chef!” Ed said casually, but Moon had his teeth gritted and arms strained, moving without a pause.

Smack~

”ACK!” Moon stopped. ”WHY DID YOU HIT ME?”

”Let’s go for dinner, muscles, right?” Ed reminded him.

”AH, LET’S GO!”

”Go take a shower first; don’t go to the kitchen like this,” Ed said, turning around to leave.

Moon studied him for a moment; he was dry as usual, standing effortlessly. His eyes were fine too.

’Heat resistance, wait for me!’

As for the original reason Moon found Ed for, it was long forgotten. Lost in the realm of oblivion till a new trigger calls for it at another point in time in the future.

It was the day Moon decided that Heat Resistance was essential to have, not optional.

Time peacefully went on, and the next day came.

Since that day, Moon didn’t skip a meal again. And after breakfast it was time for something. Not only for him, but also for Uon.

There was Moon’s first class as an arcanist in the Tower. It was also the day Uon taught Arcane and fulfilled his dream for the first time in his life.

The first class wasn’t much different from what Dorbish mentioned the other day... the types and uses of arcane.

Complexity and other forms that could be used. Production and research.

Moon didn’t learn much, but he knew for a fact Dorbish did receive some education and was not just a slick-tongued dude.

Once the class was over, he made sure to grab a cheesecake fast and a few cheese cubes to snack on between his three meals.

He was too excited for what comes tonight. Not only would he help in Ed’s forgery, he would also have a spar with him.

An all-out spar where he’s not restrained or fighting against someone who’s an ’Old bastard’ and of course, not some ’Cheating brat.’

But a genuine someone he thinks highly of, and maybe it isn’t about strength.

Human emotions work in a mysterious way, and the bond developing between the moody chef and the feral ex-slave was becoming one that neither of them thought would form in the way it did.

Though neither of them recognized it, or gave it a proper name, they were moving forward as a pair, depending on one another unknowingly.

Moon, who lost all his brothers and was left alone with no peer he could lean on when he was at his worst, and Edmond, who was once a legendary tale spoken by all, turned into an anonymous chef in a notorious branch of the Normalization facility on the second floor.

The two were closer than master and student, or even friends.

Moon was starting to believe that Edmond was what a parent seemed to his child, and Edmond was starting to romanticize the idea of settling down and starting his own family after meeting Moon.

Though neither of them knew what kind of fate awaits them, or what decisions they would make or the consequences these small dreams would turn into thanks to them.

Once they were done with the forgery, Moon sprinted to wash up.

Ed lingered behind for a little longer than his usual schedule. He studied the metal Moon had been hammering for two days now.

”Maybe that brat can be a smith for real,” Ed spoke to himself, walking out slowly with a smile on his face.

He looked at the picture on his desk. ”You bastard, see... How many times I invited you but you still didn’t come... It isn’t that bad here, as you can see.”

With that said, Ed shook his head.

He started making his way out of Hall 3; his steps were lighter than ever. ”Maybe that thing you sent a century ago would help...”

Creaaaaak~

Since yesterday, Moon had had his Echo, the round lump, bounce around all day.

In the forge, even in his sleep. He wanted to see if there would be any difference.... He was even starting to fancy the idea of dropping it inside the violent red flames in the forge.

Still, there wasn’t any difference seen... Not in the slightest.

”Maybe I should ask first, maybe dropping it in that fire is good... or not... gotta ask first.” With that, Moon made up his mind.