Ch. 3 — Threshold of Trials

Between worlds, the calm before the storm.

Caidyn stepped off the telepad, the cold metal floor giving way beneath her boots to the rough concrete of the Tower's outer grounds. The harsh whiteness of the training floor faded behind her, replaced by the muted hum of distant machinery and the soft rustle of wind through sparse trees.

In the parking area, a sleek black car waited. Leaning against its door was Maris Lorne, her aunt, eyes fixed on the Tower's looming silhouette. Without a word, she glanced toward Caidyn.

"You done?" Her voice was low, simple—a question weighted with more meaning than it carried.

Caidyn gave a brief nod.

Without waiting for more, Maris opened the car door. Caidyn slid inside, the faint scent of leather and motor oil filling the quiet space between them.

The engine hummed to life, and as they pulled away from the Tower's base, Maris finally broke the silence.

"So... what did you awaken as your class?"

Caidyn's fingers flexed lightly against the door panel, steady. "CodeForge primary. Eclipsedancer secondary."

Maris gave a measured nod. "Good."

The rest of the ride passed without further words, the quiet between them heavy but comfortable—a shared understanding that the climb ahead demanded more than conversation.

At Caidyn's home, the car slowed and came to a stop. Maris's eyes met hers briefly before she opened the door.

"I have some business to take care of," Maris said quietly, "I'll see you later."

Caidyn stepped out, the weight of the Tower still lingering in her bones. The front door closed behind her, shutting out the world and leaving only the quiet hum of the house.

She went inside, ate a simple meal, and let exhaustion take hold. The night stretched before her—dark, still, filled with the promise of tomorrow's trials.

Caidyn's eyes blinked open to the gentle wash of morning light filtering through the blinds. Though sleep still tugged at her limbs, the neatly arranged gifts on the table beside her bed drew her attention immediately.

She sat up and leaned forward, fingers tracing the contours of the carefully organized basket.

Inside were five new components, each promising fresh versatility and edge:

Extended Precision Barrel: A sleek, elongated barrel designed to boost bullet velocity and accuracy over long distances. Perfect for precise, surgical shots beyond the reach of her current loadouts.

Dual Pistol Bodyframe: Compact and lightweight, this bodyframe was engineered for dual-wielding pistols. Equipped with integrated synchronization tech, any modification applied to one pistol automatically replicated on the other, ensuring seamless balance and performance.

Plasma-Infused Rounds: Ammo charged with low-level plasma energy, capable of piercing light armor and temporarily disrupting enemy electronics and shields. Their slower ballistic speed demanded careful timing but promised powerful effects.

Corrosive Acid Core: A compact elemental core pulsing with a faint greenish glow. This core infuses bullets with acidic compounds that degrade enemy armor and inflict damage over time, weakening defenses and creating tactical openings in sustained combat.

Adaptive Recoil Stabilizer (Augment): A compact device that analyzed recoil patterns in real time, counteracting them to deliver smoother sustained fire and quicker target reacquisition during prolonged engagements.

Beside the basket, folded atop a soft cloth, rested a pair of combat gloves. Constructed from reinforced synthetic leather with flexible armor plating, they promised versatility: enhanced grip for weapons, knuckle guards tough enough for devastating strikes, and palm sensors to improve fine motor control and tactile feedback.

These gloves were as much for close-quarters combat as they were for steadying her firearms—tools for moments when fists spoke louder than bullets.

Caidyn's fingers brushed over the gloves, feeling their subtle weight and texture. This was no mere gift—it was a call to balance her prowess with adaptability and control.

Kairos's voice chimed in her mind, smooth and precise.

"These components expand your tactical options. The extended barrel improves ranged accuracy. The dual pistol bodyframe supports synchronized dual-wielding—alterations to one side automatically apply to the other. Plasma rounds disrupt shields and armor; the corrosive acid core degrades enemy defenses over time, inflicting damage and lowering armor effectiveness. The recoil stabilizer enhances firing stability. The gloves improve weapon handling and hand-to-hand combat."

A faint smile touched Caidyn's lips.

Today, she would make these new tools extensions of herself.

Today, the true climb resumed.

The Tower's lobby was quiet this time—no other climbers in sight, no ambient noise save the soft hum of system conduits buried in the walls. Morning light filtered in from high, thin windows, casting long shadows across the polished obsidian floor.

Caidyn Ver walked with quiet precision, the Twin Viper pistols holstered at her hips—sleek, silent, and gleaming faintly under the ambient light. She didn't fidget. Didn't hesitate. She moved like someone who'd already decided how the story would unfold.

This time, there was no trial floor waiting to calibrate her. No simulated walkthrough. This time, she wasn't a candidate. She was a climber.

As she stepped onto the telepad, the system registered her presence instantly.

[System]

Floor Access Request Confirmed.

Target: Floor 2 – Initiating Load-In Sequence.

Standby for Adaptive Environment Sync…

Loading User Appearance Protocol… Complete.

Equipment Verified: Twin Viper – Dual Modular Pistols.

Status: Ascension Approved.

A soft pulse swept upward from her boots, and the world folded.

Not shattered—not like Whitebox's sterile fracture. This transition was smoother, intentional, like stepping sideways into something that had already been waiting for her.

The light shifted.

And so did she.

Her body reformed mid-transition, clothes and skin flowing like liquid code. The training outfit she'd worn before melted away, replaced by something forged from function, legacy, and digital memory.

She emerged clad in her Tower Load-In Set—black tactical jacket trimmed with silver circuitry, molded over her athletic frame with a subtle, perfect fit. Beneath it, the mana-threaded mesh undersuit shimmered faintly beneath the movement of her limbs, responsive and alive with stored energy.

Her hands flexed inside the new combat gloves, rune circuits flaring softly along her knuckles and palms. Glyphlight danced there—gentle arcs of code and magic blinking to life with her breath.

The half-mask settled naturally across her lower face—sleek, matte, emotionless. It revealed only her eyes: grey, sharp, threaded with that faint silver pulse that gave her gaze its edge.

And behind her, barely visible in the flicker of ambient distortion, Kairos stirred—a ripple in the static, watching.

[System]

Load-In Complete.

Transferring User to Floor 2…

The world snapped.

Stone, mist, motion.

She was no longer in the Tower lobby.

She was inside the first real trial.