Tower of Souls

”What took you so long?” Cam hissed as his clone finally returned- after what felt like hours rather than minutes... Because it probably was. ”I was almost starting to think you had died and my Notifications had somehow gotten screwed up!”

”We both know that isn’t possible.” Eron huffed. ”It isn’t possible for them to get messed up... Well, I think I remember we read something about higher Floors having creatures with illusions that were detailed enough that people wouldn’t see their Notifications, but-”

”I remember that too, obviously, but that isn’t until higher Floors... And it’s not the point!”

”Things changed, so I checked it out- which you would have done as well!” Eron shot back quickly. ”We’re the same person, remember?”

Cam opened his mouth to respond, then paused as it sank in: He was snapping at Eron- at himself. But why? Sure, his clone was gone longer, and even with the lack of Notifications about anything happening, it still left him a little on edge... But that still didn’t explain why he was getting upset. Was it just from being on edge and not knowing what was going on.

Leaning back against the tree he had hid behind, Cam took a minute to really think about it- and, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Eron doing the same. He hadn’t felt like this on the First Floor- or not exactly, at least. Sure, he was still tense, worried about things going wrong and enemies surprising him, but it wasn’t this bad. So what had changed?

Other than fighting two groups of the Kawe, all he had done was wait another week for his cooldown... But nothing had happened during that week! He had just back tracked closer to where they started and sat there waiting.

For a week.

On a Floor that he knew still had enemies.

”It creeps up, doesn’t it?”

He nodded slowly, knowing what his clone meant; Being alone didn’t bother him- especially with Eron to talk to, even if that was really just talking to himself... But the slight, nagging worry? The constant tension and fear that an enemy could show up? It didn’t hit all at once... But it lingered and built...

Until he was snapping at himself.

”Yeah. That’s probably why most teams don’t drag their feet like us when climbing... And it probably contributes to why some of them don’t climb as far or as hard.” He agreed, knowing their thoughts were in sync. ”I know our teachers talked a lot about the stress of climbing, and leaning on your team, but I didn’t realize it would just... sneak up on us like this.”

”Seeing the problem is the first step in fixing the problem.” Eron added with a weak grin, clearly just as embarrassed by their spat. ”That’s what Davis always tells us.”

”So... How do we fix this?”

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Both fell silent once more, thinking about the problem. It was obvious that they couldn’t really stop the tension they were feeling- they would have to be some sort of a psychopath or something to not feel it... And, while he knew he wasn’t exactly normal, he also wasn’t that bad...

”I think it’s worse when there are still enemies on the Floor.” Eron said after thinking about it. ”It wasn’t as bad on the First Floor because... well, I don’t think we had really processed how dangerous this is, you know?”

”But now that we really know... ” Cam sighed as he got his thoughts in order. ”Our options are to either only wait after we clear the Floor-”

”Which would mean we only get one new Ability each Floor.”

”-or we figure out some way to reduce the tension... which I don’t really see many ways to do.” Cam finished the back and forth with his clone. ”I mean, on one hand, the Boss usually has the best Ability on the Floor- if they have one-, but, on the other hand-”

”We’re greedy and want all of the Abilities?” Eron grinned. ”Look, I feel that- which, of course I do, since we’re the same person-, but... One Ability per Floor is already more than even Legendaries will get!”

”And this is still just our first climb; Assuming we don’t die in here, we’ll be able to do the same thing again the next time we enter the Tower... Also assuming the Families and Guilds don’t toss me in a cell or threaten me into working for them, or any number of things they may try to control me...”

”Eh, one of them may just kill us!” Eron laughed, somehow breaking the tension with his grim joke... Even if it wasn’t really a joke. ”I mean, if they really are squabbling for power, the people that don’t get their claws in us may decided it’s better that no one gets us!”

Even though he also chuckled at it, Cam knew it wasn’t much of a joke; He could easily see some greedy assholes doing exactly that... Which was another reason he wanted as many Abilities as he could get, as quickly as he could get them! The stronger he was, the less likely anyone else could take his choices away from him and force him to do what they wanted...

”You know, part of the problem is just how open this Floor is...” Cam said, slowly circling back to the problem. ”I mean, it feels like a monster patrol could just wander by at any moment! Maybe if it was like the First Floor, with better places we could hole up and hide...”

”With all our thoughts about taking advantage of the environment, why didn’t we think to hide up in the trees?” Eron asked suddenly, staring up at the leafy branches above. ”I mean, the treehouses are up in the trees, right? Couldn’t we climb a little higher and hide there?”

”I...” Cam’s mouth hung open at the question, realizing that neither of them had thought of that... And, while he wanted to chastise himself for missing it, he also realized a simple fact: he had never climbed a tree, so it was only natural he didn’t consider it at first.

Hell, he had barely ever even seen a tree before this Floor- and that was only at a distance!

”That... probably would have helped some...” He sighed softly. ”Still, I think you’re right that we should switch to only grabbing one Ability per Floor; It’ll be safer, and reduce the stress we’re feeling... And, again like you said, we’ll have plenty of opportunities to grab Abilities in future Climbs... Assuming we don’t die.”

”Or end up thrown in a cell, kidnapped, maimed or murdered... You know, the usual.” Eron joked, shooting himself a grin... Though that grin faded and turned sheepish after a moment. ”Ah, going back to when I mentioned that things had changed... and also you talking about patrols...”

”There are monster patrols ahead?” Cam groaned, already knowing the answer- they were the same person and thought the same, so he naturally figured it out quickly.

”Yep. That and more.” Eron said, grin returning in force. ”It looks like there’s a big circle of treehouses, all spread out, with patrols roaming randomly between them...”

”Well, at least we have a good guess on where the Boss is: right in the center.” Cam grunted, mildly annoyed that he had been right to worry about patrols... But also glad that the patrols were further in instead of out where they had waited.

He had definitely dodged an arrow there- probably literally!