The inside of a Tower never felt natural.
No matter how many times Calix entered one the sensation was always the same.
Wrong.
The Eidolon Tower gate shimmered like a curtain made of liquid glass suspended inside a reinforced chamber beneath the Guild headquarters.
Blue energy rippled across its surface humming softly like a living thing. Beyond that light was Floor 18. Calix adjusted the strap of his bag as he stood with the rest of Exploration Team Seven in front of the gate.
The air in the chamber was tense filled with the quiet metallic sounds of equipment being checked one last time blades sliding into sheaths armor buckles tightening.
Someone loading rounds into a mana powered rifle.
It was strange. Outside the tower the world felt normal. People walked streets bought food laughed with friends.
But here standing in front of the gate always reminded Calix of the truth. Inside the tower humans were prey. "Everyone ready?" The voice belonged to their team leader Lyra Vance.
Calix had learned her name during the briefing earlier. She was a B-rank Esper which already placed her far above most of the team. She stood confidently at the front her short black hair tied into a tight ponytail light combat armor hugging her frame.
Two curved blades rested at her waist. Sharp eyes. Calm posture.The kind of person who looked like she actually belonged inside a tower.
Calix on the other hand felt like a tourist who had wandered into a war zone. "Remember the mission?" Lyra continued.
"Exploration only. We're mapping the northern sector of Floor 18. No unnecessary fights"
A Tall man with a massive shield on his back chuckled. "Relax Captain.It's only floor 18." Calix glanced at him.
Garrett.
Defensive type Esper with enhanced durability. He had the build of a walking fortress and the personality of someone who believed nothing in the lower floors could hurt him.
Confidence like that was common among stronger Espers. Sometimes it kept them alive, sometimes it got them killed.
Lyra gave him a flat look. "That kind of thinking is how people die." Garrett shrugged. The rest of the team seemed relatively calm.
Seven members total.
Lyra team leader
Garrett Tank
Milo Long range rifle Esper.
Sarah wind type support
Jax close combat striker
Ren scout and then Calix the extra body.
Lyra finally nodded. "All right move out." She stepped forward first. Without hesitation she walked straight into the shimmering gate. Her body vanished instantly one by one. The others followed.
Garrick stepped through with a grin. Milo adjusted his rifle and disappeared. Sarah took a breath and went next. Calix found himself standing last. He stared at the glowing surface for a moment.
Three years of doing this and the gate still made him nervous. He tightened his grip on the strap of his bag.
Just another mission. Then he stepped forward. The world twisted.
That was the only way Calix could describe the sensation. For a split second gravity seemed to vanish. Colors stretched and warped sound collapsing into a distant echo. Then solid ground returned beneath its boots. Cool air brushed against his face. Calix blinked.
Floor 18.
The environment looked nothing like the outside world. The sky above was dim and cloudy casting a dull Gray light across the landscape. Massive stone formations rose from the ground like broken teeth scattered across a wide valley of dark soil and dead vegetation.
Strange glowing crystals protruded from the rocks illuminating patches of the terrain with eerie blue lights. Calix always found it unsettling how every floor of the tower had its own ecosystem like separate worlds stacked on top of each other.
"Alright" Lara said scanning the horizon. Everyone gathered around her "Formation Alpha, Garret front, Ren scouting ahead."
Ren a thin man with quick eyes nodded and immediately moved ahead climbing a nearby rock formation to practice ease. Calix took his place toward the back.
Exactly where he usually stood. Support position which mostly meant stay alive and don't get in the way. The group began moving north. Boots crunched softly against the dry ground as they advanced through the rocky valley.
For the first few minutes nothing happened which was normal. Dungeon floors weren't always crawling with monsters.
Sometimes they waited.
Sometimes they watched.
Calix kept his eyes scanning. The terrain daggered loosely in hand. His enhanced stamina allowed him to keep pace with the others though he knew he was the weakest member here.
Milo walked beside him rifle resting casually on his shoulder.
"You done exploration missions before?" He asked without looking."A couple."
"Don't wander off."
"Wasn't planning to"
Milo smirked slightly.
"Good" ahead of them. Ren signal with two fingers.
Lyra immediately raised her hand. The team stopped. Calix body tensed.
"What is it?" Garrett called quietly.
Ren crouched on the rock above them. "Movement Two o'clock."
Everyone shifted their gaze. Calix spotted them seconds later shapes moving between the stone formations low to the ground fast.
Lyra spoke calmly. "Shadow wolves."
Calix stomach tightens slightly. Shadow wolves weren't extremely dangerous but they haunted in packs and they were fast. Too fast for careless espers. 3 of them emerged from the rocks darked verb lending with the shadows.
Glowing yellow eyes locked onto the group. Their bodies were lean muscular predators. Calix grip on its dagger tightened
Garrick stepped forward confidently. "Finally something to stretch my arms." One of the wolves growled, Then the pack attacked. They move like living shadows spreading across the ground with incredible speed.
But the team was ready. Milo raised his rifle.
Bang.
A burst of mana energy fired across the field striking one Wolf in the shoulder and knocking it sideways. Sarah lifted her hand. Wind spiraled around her fingers before launching forward like invisible blades.
The second wolf yelled as it was thrown off balance. Garrick charged the third. His shield slammed forward like a battering ram.The impact sent the creature crashing into the rocks.
Calix moved too. Even if he wasn't strong he still knew how to fight. The injured wolf lunged toward him. Its jaws snapped inches from his arm. Calix stepped sideways and drove his dagger forward.
The blade pierced the wold's side. The wolf howled and collapsed.
Silence returned quickly. Three wolves, three dead monsters. The entire fight had lasted maybe 10 seconds.
Calix exhaled slowly. "Not bad" Garrick laughed.
"See? Easy." Lyra knelt beside one of the corpses examining it. "Stay alert. Wolves rarely travel in packs that small."
Calix wiped his dagger on the ground. Then something caught his attention. The valley ahead seemed darker like the shadows were thicker. Wren suddenly spoke from above. "Captain..."
Lyra looked up. "What?" Ren pointed toward the north Ridge. "There's a structure up there." Everyone followed his gaze. Half hidden behind the rocks stood something unnatural.
A massive stone door embedded into the mountainside covered in ancient carvings. Claix felt a chill run down his spine. Even from this distance the structure radiated something heavy something dangerous.
Lyra narrowed her eyes. "That wasn't on the map." Milo lowered its rifle slightly. "Boss room." Lyra didn't answer immediately.
Instead she stood slowly studying the distant doorway. Exploration teams sometimes discovered things like this.
Hidden areas, secret chambers, unrecorded boss rooms. if that was what this was. It could be extremely valuable information. She turned to the group.
"We check it out carefully, if anything happens we retreat immediately" Garrett grinned. "Now it's getting interesting."
Calix swallowed quietly. Boss rooms meant one thing. Boss monsters and boss monsters meant danger. Real danger.
But the team was already moving toward the Ridge. Calix followed. The closer they got the more oppressive the air felt like something was watching them.
The stone door grew larger with every step. Massive ancient carved with symbols none of them recognized. Lyra approached slowly. "Everyone ready?" The team spread out weapons drawn. Calix heart began beating faster.
Something about this place felt wrong. Even Garrick smiled faded slightly. Lyra placed a hand on the stone door for a moment. Nothing happened. Then the ground trembled. The ancient door began.
Stone grinding against stone. Slow heavy. The entrance opened just enough for darkness to spill out.
Cold air flowed from the chamber beyond.
Calix felt goosebumps crawl across his skin.
Lyra glanced back at the team.
"Stay sharp..."
One by one, they stepped inside.