34. Do you believe you are worthy?

The ascent up the tower was rather uneventful, a spiral staircase, robust and silent despite centuries worth of disuse and disrepair. Though no one complains, the group complaind through panting breaths, about the Sheer number of stairs, and the fact that both Micah, and silver seem completely unfazed by the climb, as if the hadn't just climbed a dozen floors worth of stairs at a brisk pace. "Not my fault none of you worked on your physique before gaining your class, me and my shadow here, spent many weekends either at the gym or a sparring field." Silver says over her shoulder, ignoring the grumble that followed suite, after ascending for roughly 20 stories, they finally reach the platform. Only to discover its only furniture...was a massive throne, build on the melted bodies of hundreds of tiny machines,from ones that look like miniature rock excavation machines, to cars, even boats, appliances, an historic gem, one that tells the tale of history passing and technology advancing, on the arms of the throne, two small, palm sized orbs partially embedded into the arms are seen, near pristine. At this silver looks it over curiously for some time as the group finish the ascent. Silver's dad, upon catching sight of the throne asks softly, his eyes filled with curiosity and thoughtfulness. "Your plan...all along was to make a new fiefdom...wasn't it silver?..." But before silver can speak, a strange, melodious voice, filled with age and curiosity speaks, the voice coming from everywhere, and nowhere at once. "Cursed child, you've traveled far, and dragged many enemies in your wake...do you truly believe you are worthy of my city?" Looking around as She replies, Silver's eyes are filled with a soft light, reflecting the resolute finality in her decisions. "Am I worthy? No, but I have no where else to go,If you can see my enemies, then..." Silver stops, unsure of what to say, or even who she is addressing, this place giving off the feeling of having experienced eons in silence. "Humble...a first for a cursed child like you..." The voice says, sounding almost as if angry now, more lively than before. "The ones before, accepted my challenge, they all failed, today you will not be taking the same one...but yours will be a thousand times harder, they simply had to practice self control...you...you will fight...every last hunter in the city, prove yourself...or die trying. Do it alone, your people are safe within these walls...so long as you defend them." The melodious voice says, seeming angry at Silver, though its her first time meeting this place. Silver calls out. "Wait! Who are you? And a challenge? For what? Whats the prize? And why alone?" She asks hurriedly wishing for details, and at first she thought she would be ignored, her words falling on deaf ears. "I am the last kings assistant Ai, I have run this city, and have been in search of a new king....why alone? And why? Because those before you were ordinary,weak...you? You are cursed and far from weak, your aura is far greater than any in your group, more than you have given thought to feel...go, kill, defend your city, and your people..." At that the voice fades once more. A moment later, the massive tower shudders, and groans. A thunderously loud Bang! Is heard from deep below the tower, before the tower descends, giving the group the sensation of an elevator going down. Clank...clank...clank...the sound of massive gears slowly rotating fills everyone's ears, leaving them speachless. After some time, it stops, and a once solid looking wall parts, revealing the spot with which they entered, and an awaiting stryker. Seeing this several in the group groan before speaking out loud. "If it could've been this easy from the start why did you make us climb it in the first place!" Receiving no reply. Just as silver moves to take her leave, a large hand is firmly grasping her shoulder. Micah spins her around, forcing her to face him, his eyes searching hers, looking for something as he speaks. "I nearly lost you so many times...don't do this...we can fight together we can win together...please...please..." He pleads with her, looking for some hint, some sort of acknowledgement, something. Seeing this, silver gives a somber smile, cupping his large hand in her one as she speaks softly. "When I get back, and I mean it, When...we will talk okay? We haven't had a real chance to talk about our lives since I started this new journey. Wait here,watch the rest, I will be back." She says before pulling away,dashing out before anyone else can stop her or attempt to pour out their feelings. 'Now is not the time to feel, its the time to act...and for once I don't have to pull my punches...' Silver after leaving the building, listens as the massive doorway is shut behind her, the act a sign of finality, being forced to fight on her own. Silver leaps on top of the stryker, and within the next moment of going prone to the roof, the vehicle peels off, accelerating towards the incoming dust clouds. Her plan? There isn't much of one, drag it out, force them to walk. Watching the distance of miles and the clouds of hundreds of hunters, surrounding her in a massive cage. But she had no intentions of leaving anyway. Rocketing towards the edge, 20 miles...15...10...5...3...1...she makes the stryker to do a hard maneuver, forcing it to whip around hard, the g forces nearly ripping her from the hood, but she manages to cling to it with gritted teeth. With the thrusters now facing the incoming foes, she waits, a slow smile spreading her face. 'The most dangerous of beasts in dungeons...are not those who make lots of noise, or have powerful attacks...nor or they the ones who fight in packs...no...its the ones that remind you of prey...the swift footed rabbit...the thunder deer...but you cant forget the four winged bat...truly fast and efficient ambush hunters... Now...me...' Silver thinks, waiting until the first of the cars are nearly on her before spawning her dozen turrets, only a second later to listen to the sound of dozens of vehicles crashing, the skreech of metal ringing like music, only to be joined a moment later with the sounds of heavy cannon fire, and turrets tearing into the closest vehicles, giving silver her signal.Her and the stryker bursts forward with a massive pulse from the thrusters rocketing up to max velocity rapidly, weaving into the sparse city scape, forcing them to follow or break off down other streets, and as they break off, silver drops her turrets randomly, crashing more as the turret of her own truck is tearing into the lead cars behind her, even as the tings, and small explosions from weapons and skills sound against the rear sending vibrations through the whole truck, she focuses on her path, dipping through narrow alleys to nearly crash into another street full of hunters, only for the ones following her to do it for her. 'Their so focused on me they don't even notice eachother...must be drooling at the mouth for the bounty haha.' Seeing them wreck silver passes by, cutting through another alley, blocking it off with another turret,letting it tear even more vehicles to pieces as they pass looking for other paths to Silver. Like this silver spending nearly an hour, caroling them all into tight lanes, and slowly their numbers grow so cramped, many opting to simply park, blocking main streets, whilst others continue pressing on silver, unaware she had no intentions of leaving anyway, eventually reaching a part of the city with very narrow roads,and alleys only large enough to traverse on foot, the strykers sides, sometimes scrapping buildings and wall edges. Soon, silver is going to have to change tactics, but to what?