Cold Death

As Dimi woke up from his deep slumber he glanced around. He lay still in the center of the first floor with the corpses of his men littered around him. Next to him lay the Infernal who had chosen death. However, the tower no longer hummed with life, nor did it leave this realm. It had not revived his men and a tear fell down his cheek while he looked down at them. They had served the master well, though it seems their time had finally come. The tower could no longer bring them back. He would take the time to entomb them here with the master that they had served faithfully for centuries. It wouldn't be a trouble finding the stone to form the coffins, there was an abundance left on the higher floors.

He moved the stones in a cart to a workbench he hadn't used in hundreds of years. He had once used it to carve the Coffin for the master. He had been created with a talent for creating, the master wished to have a beautiful tower but did not want to do it alone. These coffins would would not be as nice as the master's, but they would do the job. For the time they served he carved their stories. Each one personalized with their number assigned them.

'Have these stones gotten lighter, or... am I that much stronger than the start...' Dimi made short work of the stone and quickly got his comrades placed inside. He lined the first floor with them with their heads against the wall. In the center he placed a stone tablet inscribed with a poem speaking of their sacrifice that he had heard the master say once.

For love is lost,

where the night is dark,

and the sea meets the soul,

For love is lost,

when the day is dim,

and the mountain crumbles,

For love is lost,

when Morta comes,

and Gaia leaves the world.

It was inscribed in the original tongue, and that is what the master had spoken it in. He had never studied the poem but he felt that it fit so he had chosen it to immortalize them. He knelt in front of the monument to honor his comrades.

'You who have sacrificed all, though you be mere automatons, rest peacefully for all eternity.'

He could feel a pull towards The Master's resting place and so he began his slow march down. The journey was long, but he was used to the long trips through the tower. He had lived there for centuries and knew every nook and cranny, there was only one place he had never been to... The Treasure room. At the base of the stairs a long corridor ran, ending in what appeared to be a dead end. However, he could see the faint shine of the runes that had been engraved there, something the master had mentioned high tier mages could do. Placing his hand in the center and swiping down, the wall reverted to a door and opened.

Inside it was dark, the core at the ceiling had dimmed considerably, the power drain from entering this world must have been immense.

"My child..."

"Master? You are still alive even with this low power?"

"I have used the last of our power to grant you my inheritance. All those who lie defeated before you will increase your power. You shall become a demon even amongst Infernals. Take what is in the treasure room and bring it to He Who Eclipses All Else. You will also find a ring in there, wear it and you will be able to traverse realms so that you may one day find him." The master grew silent, and the light dimmed until it was barely visible.

Dimi gazed down at the master one more time before he left, heading to where he knew the treasure room was. It had been built at the very center of the floor directly above the master's resting place. It was the one place he had been forbidden from going. However, that restriction was now lifted so he made his way there. This floor had always seemed too small compared to the rest, but there was a door at the far end of the room. This door was the end of where he could go, he had never seen the other side. Today was different, so he went and opened the door.

Behind the door was a vast open space, spanning the entirety of the floor. There were only two items in the room placed on pedestals at the center. Around the walls were banners of all manner, one for every realm that they had discovered. The items on the pedestals were a fruit, and a ring. The fruit was a pale white with red flesh that seemed to almost pulse beneath the skin. The ring was a simple band of silver with a small white speckled purple gem at the top. Dimi took the ring and examined it for a moment before slipping it onto his finger. He could feel the power in it and knew how to use it. The ring seemed to want him to use it, urging him onwards. The fruit he took and placed in a small pouch he kept at his side. In his hands it felt warm and soothing, asking to be kept close.

Having taken the items he turned and left the room, he would leave the tower behind today, he would never return. When he found whoever the master had sent him after he wondered if he would get to see the master again... just maybe. At the top of the tower he looked out at the world once again. The barren world with no life. It was empty, and sad. But the pressure was gone, and the portals had closed, perhaps it would survive yet. Turning he looked towards the center and held up his hand.

"Musulumo" (open)

at the center of the room a doorway appeared, and he stepped through. On the other side was a maze of paths made of a shimmering blue crystal linking many doorways to each other. Each doorway connecting to a realm bubble behind it. He marked the realm he came from with a bit of blood. He could feel the residual magic in this place and knew it was the void, though the magic here was almost lower than most of the realms he would be able to survive here without many resources. He looked around, and picked a direction, marking the direction he was going so he would not get lost.