Chapter 6: special chapter

Chapter 6: The Tower of Trials

The Trial wasn't just a dungeon—it was a tower, a colossal structure that loomed over the city like a monument of divine cruelty. No mortal knew how it was built or when it first appeared, but its purpose had remained unchanged for centuries: a test of strength, a path to power, and a graveyard for the weak.

To ascend the tower was to challenge the gods themselves.

Each of the ten layers was ruled by a boss god, a divine guardian chosen to stand at the end of the layer, barring passage to the next. To move forward, challengers had to prove themselves worthy—not just by surviving the floors, but by defeating the god that awaited them at the top of each layer.

Structure of the Tower

Each layer contained ten floors, making a total of 100 floors in the Trial. The deeper one ascended, the greater the danger—and the more divine power they would face.

Layer 1 (Floors 1-10) – The Gate of Mortals

The first challenge of the Trial. This layer tested the basic survival skills of challengers. The floors were filled with low-tier monsters—goblins, wolves, and undead soldiers. Those who lacked combat experience or a strong will would fall before even reaching the boss god at the top.

Boss God: Aros, the Gatekeeper – A lesser god of war, tasked with filtering out the unworthy. He wielded a massive iron halberd and tested combat ability above all else.

Layer 2 (Floors 11-20) – The Beastlands

This layer was a savage battlefield, ruled by monstrous creatures. Giant serpents, mutated beasts, and ancient predators roamed the floors. The environment itself was wild and untamed, forcing challengers to become hunters—or prey.

Boss God: Kaelis, the Beastlord – A god in the form of a massive chimera, commanding the beasts of the tower. His strength was unmatched in physical combat.

Layer 3 (Floors 21-30) – The Cursed Citadel

Unlike the layers before it, this was not a place of beasts—it was a fortress of the dead. Spirits of fallen warriors haunted the stone halls, and ancient curses poisoned the air. Those who entered risked losing their sanity or being bound to the tower forever.

Boss God: Nythra, the Phantom Queen – A goddess of the afterlife, ruling over the lost souls. She wielded illusions, necrotic magic, and the ability to pull her enemies into an endless nightmare.

Layer 4 (Floors 31-40) – The Labyrinth of Shadows

Here, darkness reigned. The entire layer was a shifting maze, filled with assassins, shadow beasts, and traps designed to break both body and mind. Vision was limited, and the sense of direction was constantly warped by illusions.

Boss God: Veyros, the Shadow Reaper – A god of darkness, striking from the void. He was nearly invisible in the shadows, making him a nightmare to fight.

Layer 5 (Floors 41-50) – The Warfields of Eternity

This layer was an unending battlefield. Legions of warriors, both mortal and divine, clashed in endless war. Challengers had to survive wave after wave of battle, proving their ability to lead, strategize, and fight on a grand scale.

Boss God: Solmara, the Warlord Goddess – A deity of conquest, clad in golden armor. She commanded an army of divine soldiers and tested the strength of those who wished to ascend beyond mere warriors.

Layer 6 (Floors 51-60) – The Elemental Crucible

The environment itself was the enemy here. Each floor shifted between extreme conditions—raging infernos, blizzards, storms, and deserts of living sand. Challengers had to master the elements or be consumed by them.

Boss God: Zephiron, the Storm Tyrant – A god of the skies, wielding thunder, wind, and rain. His wrath could shake the entire tower.

Layer 7 (Floors 61-70) – The Realm of the Forgotten

This layer was a graveyard of old gods. Forgotten deities, stripped of worship, lingered here in ruins of past civilizations. They were not weak—if anything, their resentment and hunger for recognition made them more dangerous.

Boss God: Eryndros, the Forsaken One – A god abandoned by his followers, now seeking vengeance against all who ascended. His power fluctuated unpredictably, making him an unstable but lethal opponent.

Layer 8 (Floors 71-80) – The Titan's Ascent

Here, the challengers faced beings of pure power—giants, colossi, and elemental titans that once stood alongside the gods in ancient wars. Each step forward required defeating creatures as large as mountains.

Boss God: Ogranos, the Earthshaker – A god in the form of a living mountain, whose every step could shatter the land. His power was overwhelming, making him one of the deadliest guardians of the Trial.

Layer 9 (Floors 81-90) – The Divine Judgment

At this stage, the challengers no longer fought monsters or forgotten gods. Instead, they faced the trials of the divine themselves. Each floor was a personal test—of morality, of loyalty, of will. Failure meant obliteration.

Boss God: Seraphis, the Judge of Heaven – A god of divine law, wielding both holy fire and unbreakable decrees. He judged whether challengers were worthy of facing the final layer.

Layer 10 (Floors 91-100) – The Throne of the Gods

The final challenge. No one knew what lay beyond the 90th floor, but it was said to be a place where gods themselves set the rules of battle. Some believed it led to ascension—others, to certain death.

Boss God: ??? (The Nameless One) – The final guardian. Some whispered it was a god above all others, the ruler of the Trial itself. Others said it was something far worse, something beyond mortal or divine understanding.

The Road Ahead

Elias now stood before the path that would define his fate.

Ten layers. Ten gods.

To survive, he would have to defy not just monsters or men—but the very will of the gods themselves.

And he had no intention of bowing.