Tower of Paradise

The corridor seemed to stretch endlessly, like a labyrinth designed to confuse and trap. It was literally a long hallway, surrounded by an old, rusted wall that created a claustrophobic sensation, intensifying the invisible threat. Over time, the faint voice grew much clearer, closer, and more desperate.

—What’s the plan? —I asked in a low voice, scanning my surroundings for any suspicious movement, calculating escape routes and defensive positions.

—Let’s split up to save time —Alice raised her index finger to emphasize, with a carelessness that struck me as irresponsible given the circumstances—. Let’s get this over with quickly. I want to take a bath.

—Hold on. Take this seriously. Mutants are dangerous —I argued, trying to make her reconsider her reckless strategy.

When I looked up, I thought I saw a vein pulse on Alice’s forehead, a sign of her growing irritation. Suddenly, she closed the distance between us and, before I could react properly, kicked me in the stomach with surprising force for her build.

The impact stole the air from my lungs. I let out a pitiful cry as my body seemed to spin before crashing to the ground, helpless and in pain. The pain radiated like a shockwave from my abdomen through the rest of my body, momentarily clouding my vision.

—A weakling like you doesn’t get to tell me what to do! —Alice scowled, hands on her hips, looking down at me with barely concealed contempt—. Get moving, idiot! —Then she turned and continued down the dark corridor as if nothing had happened, her silhouette fading into the shadows.

—I don’t understand you at all! Why have you been acting like this all day? —I complained as I slowly lifted my body, fighting the sharp pain that still lingered.

—And that’s why you’re a brat! —Alice’s shout echoed from the distance, bouncing off the empty walls like a mocking reminder of my apparent inexperience.

—Damn it —I muttered through gritted teeth, breathing deeply to control both the physical pain and the growing frustration.

I was genuinely annoyed. From the start, I knew coming with this lunatic was a bad idea, but it’s not like I had a choice. The mission required her expertise, and I needed to prove my worth despite my age.

That’s when I felt something move above me. A subtle, almost imperceptible movement. When I slightly raised my head, I saw black claws speeding toward my head at an inhuman pace, slicing through the air with a barely audible whistle.

In that moment, time seemed to slow. In less than a second, I activated a spell I’d kept prepared since we entered the building, a precaution that now proved vital.

The claws cleanly sliced through what appeared to be my head, which flew through the air and fell to the ground along with the rest of my “body.” There was no blood, no real resistance to the cut, only a cloud of wind that obscured my vision.

The enemy had an almost comical presence, its body elongated and hunched, with glossy black fur, four toes on each foot and five fingers on its hands. Its childlike appearance evoked the image of a small, chubby mole. Each of its fingers seemed more like a weapon than part of its anatomy. The creature approached to confirm its kill.

But before it could, the monster sensed the temperature rise sharply as a fireball, one meter in diameter, crashed onto it from behind, engulfing its dark form in blazing flames that lit the corridor with an infernal orange glow.

From my safe position, hidden behind a nearby pillar, I breathed heavily, my throat burning and my heart pounding frantically, as if trying to escape my chest. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, sharpening my senses to an almost painful degree. I thought about how I’d nearly died, how a second’s hesitation would have meant my end. I had used an elemental cloning spell.

The process of casting spells involved constructing a mental model of the spell using mana. Subsequently, energy particles in the atmosphere were drawn in and intricately transformed into a spell through the nature of stellar energy.

In essence, the energy acted as the initiator, while the spell model served as the catalyst. The initiator remained constant, while different catalysts could produce various types of energy spells.

This was the advantage we mages had: as long as we knew different spells in our minds, we could survive almost any situation, even a surprise ambush like this.

Of course, if I hadn’t acted in time, there’s no doubt I would have died; the casting time of a spell was critical for any mage. The line between life and death for a mage was as thin as the time needed to form a complex thought.

Building a spell model was complicated. The stellar energy (mana) itself would be affected if it failed, and it took at least two weeks to recover. This was an obstacle even the most talented apprentices couldn’t easily overcome.

The air carried a burnt smell mixed with charred flesh; the flames showed no signs of dying down as the creature writhed and screeched, gradually turning to ash.

I emerged from my hiding spot cautiously, keeping another defensive spell ready in my mind, prepared to activate at the first sign of danger.

—So that’s where you were —a familiar voice said behind me. I turned to see Alice watching me with an odd expression.

—A wind clone followed by an elemental fire attack. Not bad for a brat —she conceded, crossing her arms—. Though if you’d been more alert, you wouldn’t have needed to resort to desperate tricks.

—They weren’t desperate tricks, but a preventive strategy —I replied calmly, regaining my composure as my reddish-brown hair swayed slightly—. I had the spell ready since we entered.

It was important she understood my actions weren’t reckless impulses but calculated decisions. Alice let out a short, humorless laugh, though not without a hint of acknowledgment.

—Mmm. Looks like you’ve got some brains at least —she said, approaching to examine the creature’s smoldering remains—. That was just a child, a Terragno minion. The Evolutionary Container must be close and now knows we’re here.

I nodded, grasping the tactical implications of this initial skirmish. The situation had grown more complicated, but we’d also gained valuable information about our adversary.

—We should stick together from now on —I suggested, looking at her cautiously, knowing that if I truly wanted to survive, I had to stay by this girl’s side, like it or not—. That’ll significantly increase our chances of success.

Alice frowned before closing her eyes tightly. She seemed to be reflecting on the proposal. Instead of getting angry first, she was verifying if it was true. Then she nodded briefly, her eyes scanning the corridor for new threats.

—Stay alert and don’t get in my way —was her only response before continuing down the corridor, this time at a more cautious pace.