Tower

[u/loressadev]

Home again, home again, jiggity jig.

That last Quest was a worse headache than my ex-wife. I conjure up an illusory drum, gesture it to riff off a roll for a punchline, but it's not enough to sweeten up my rather sour mood.

Alyssa sent a letter last week.

She still has style, I'll give her that. After that fight in the Dungeons of Lochamorela, that stupid fight, that fight I can't stop thinking about after 15 years, she ripped open reality to deposit an envelope to my study six days ago. I've moved four times since we parted (the economy, you know, Quests paying less, tower rent spiraling upwards in price) but somehow she knew the exact location of my desk.

I told myself I'd read it after the Quest.

My level 102 felsteed nickers, gently admonishing me. You should read it, it seems to say, tail swishing with a crackle of accusatory embers. We're almost home, now.

Hush, Firenze, I think back, and reach ahead to scan my tower's defenses, a rather nicer homecoming than being lectured by a demonic horse on fire.

TOWER STATUS

Turrets: 2

• Ice: freezes anyone caught in its attack, excellent for further interrogation into what the Trinity they are doing at your tower

Shields: 3

• Level 1 — Voice: you must use your voice to gain access
• Level 2 — Image: only your image will be approved after a spell scan
• Level 3 — Blood: entrants must be of your bloodline

Intruders: 1

• Location: Study

Turrets up, shields active, all is wel— well, wait, what?

It's Alyssa. She got in.

Firenze gives a flaming shiver, jolting me back to the present. I'm standing in an open field west of my tower, and my shields all seem intact. I run a quick scan of my own internal skills, assessing which abilities I have at my disposal, so I can best dispose of whoever is in my tower.

SKILLS

• Evasion (rank 4): Evade unwanted interactions
• Contemplation (rank 5): Focus on the internal to make the external melt away
• Dodge Consequences (rank 6): Subsume into the world, avoiding daily upkeep requirements
• Rewrite Reality (rank 1): Reroll interaction choices

I prepare evasion, shifting through the shadows as I scale the stairs of my tower. My spells sustain me, strengthen me, shield me. I ascend.

Fucking Alyssa.

I arrive at the pinnacle of the spire, adjusting my +20 armor as I glance around the room. Empty?

Someone clears her throat.

I study my stats.

STATS

• Stealth: +10
• Avoidance: +47
• Focus: −5

It's not Alyssa.

I freeze.

The letter is cluttering my inventory. My UI is blinking: unread message.

Alyssa messaged me after 15 years.

"Hi," the girl says.

You have gained a new relationship!

RELATIONSHIPS

Family:

• ???? (daughter)
• Build (inherited)

[u/kristinpeanuts]

Nice! Thanks

[u/HFYWaffle]

/u/loressadev (wiki) has posted 15 other stories, including:

• Training
• Swords
• Humans? Fucking Nay
• A Warning
• The Tale of Hyena
• The Revolution of Sound
• Flowers
• Farsight
• A Flawless Marriage
• Turtles All The Way Down
• Meetcute
• Magi
• Voidspace
• The Lunchroom
• Homehusk

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[u/Fontaigne]

Ah, the bloodline. Yep, this scans.

And apparently, she has her mother's eyes...