Chapter 20: A Wish for Potataoes

The spiral staircase seemed endless, or maybe that was just how it felt for Kay. His heavy steps fell rhythmically, the only sound after the dissolution of the silence spell. After an eternity, he finally reached the top.

Atop the tower, he saw the same flat platform he'd seen in the dream, however, there were various objects that were new. The three prior finishers didn't acknowledge his presence.

Lying in a large bed was the cyborg boy. He snored sporadically as he shifted under a mound of thick sheets and pillows. 

The remaining two were eating. Two ladies sat at opposite ends of a long table, engrossed in their meal. While the vampire lady took long sips from a steaming cup of tea or coffee, the moth girl was devouring several dishes that Kay couldn't recognize. 

In a flash, the god appeared before Kay. 

"Took you long enough," said the god.

With a clap, the god's magic wrapped around the exhausted Kay and Sanson. Any tenseness from his muscles unraveled and his weary mind felt rejuvenated. He felt like he'd just indulged in a twelve hour rest after pulling an all-nighter, kind of weird but totally refreshed. 

Sanson hopped off Kay's back, cured of his mana exhaustion. 

"You won't have as long as the others, but I'll give you half an hour to relax. Ask me for any one thing, just the one mind you."

Kay could only think of a single thing.

"Could I get some mashed potatoes with gravy… oh and a cheeseburger."

"Technically, that's two things"

"Please." said Kay. 

The god reluctantly granted his wish, telling him to eat quickly. At the table another seat materialized with his plate of desired food.

"A grimoire please. Any kind will do." asked Sanson.

A moment later, Sanson carried a small book written in a language Kay didn't recognize. Another seat popped up at the table. 

"Let's sit down, Sanson. I'll even let you try some of my food," said Kay.

"I'll pass," said the old mage, a voice like sand. 

Ignoring the table, he walked in the opposite direction, sitting cross-legged by the snoring boy. Kay stood still for a moment, before approaching the table where his food lay, hot and steaming. 

As he waited for the food to cool, he gazed in Sanson's direction, but the mage appeared immersed in his new book. The thought of apologizing did occur to him, but he decided against it. 

'I don't regret what I did.'

Despite his desire to maintain a relationship with the old wizard, there were things holding him back from acting on it. In life, friends were a scarcity for him, and friends that he'd reconciled with were nonexistent. Those that knew Kay always seemed to resent him eventually.

When tensions became high, Kay had never apologized. He simply waited, for the friend to attempt reconciliation, or for new friends to come into his life. The latter was rare, the former a wishful fantasy. So, Kay decided to wait for Sanson. Though he wanted to hear the mage's thoughts and opinions, Kay would not be the one to engage.

Digging into his food, Kay shoveled the mountain of potatoes into his mouth. They were his favorite, just like his mom made. Combined with thick and rich chicken gravy the butter infused mess of spuds seeped into the corners of his mind. He forgot why he had felt agonized seconds ago. 

He switched to the burger, admiring the harmony achieved by bread, cheese, and meat. By the time he snapped out of his food frenzy, only half the burger and a few bites of potatoes remained. 

'I must've been hungrier than I thought. Although, to be fair, I hadn't been eating three meals a day recently.'

He began enjoying his meal at a slower pace, savoring the precious few bites that remained. 

"You eat like a pig, without grace or dignity."

The voice came from the far end of the table where the vampiress sat. She took another slow sip from her cup, perhaps in an attempt to show off graceful consumption.

Kay sized the woman up. She was undoubtedly beautiful, with fair skin and silky hair, she was the kind of girl Kay fantasized about. However, her superior attitude ticked him off. He hated anyone who judged his way of life. 

'I know that I'm trash. You don't need to remind me.'

Kay often compared himself to others. There were those more attractive than him, those possessing skills he did not, and even in the absence of all those things there were always those with more friends than him. The rest of humanity was a constant reminder of his shortcomings, so he tended to isolate himself.

"I guess I underestimated you. I thought you were a lost cause, but you did it," chimed in the moth girl. She had finished her feast, and peered at Kay with her big, bug-like eyes. 

Kay felt his pride swelling. Though it came from someone who had abandoned him, he wasn't often praised. Maybe the moth girl was actually pretty nice.

"Thank you," he said.

"I thought you'd die within a day. Compared to that, last place seems like a huge step up," she said. 

As far as Kay could tell, she was being serious. At the very least, she wasn't laughing. Either way, the blunt words had little effect on him. The first trial had been a mess. He knew that the girl's words were true; he had been lucky to earn three points

For some reason, he couldn't bring himself to dislike the girl. Certainly, had anyone else abandoned and insulted him he'd be pissed, but at the moment he was glad for the girl's company. She reminded him of his little sister: independent, frank, and very capable. 

It also helped that he knew the girl had died an early death. Hating someone that young and unfortunate was kind of impossible. 

He finished his food, ready to nap after the hearty meal, but it seemed like the god had waited long enough. 

"I will now announce the results for the first trial"

Similar to the dream, the translucent screen hovered over their collective heads, displaying their faces and point totals. The moth girl had scored seven points, the vampiress six, the cyborg boy five, Sanson four, and Kay with three points. Now, only the knight and businessman had zero points in addition to a red outline around them.

Another clap from the god, and the two unsuccessful contestants teleported to the tower's top. They were both in perfect health, though they wore menacing stares directed between themselves and Kay. The murderous triangle was somewhere he hoped never to be a part of again.

'It's not even certain that I killed him,' thought Kay unconvincingly. 

" For those who failed to reach the tower, as promised, there will be a punishment. But we'll cover that in a bit. First, allow me to explain the second trial." 

Kay swallowed, the spit scratching his dry throat. He glanced briefly at the others, thinking about his position in the trials. Sanson was still upset with him, four he barely knew, and the sixth was likely set on revenge. 

'Please let the second trial be solitaire'

Though he directed his silent wish towards the god, he had little faith it would be granted. After all, he had already devoured the mountain of mashed potatoes.