After a quick goodbye to Nick, Joe followed TJ and Dawn through the archway leading them to the orange zone hallway. The elevator doors closed with a mousy squeak.

  TJ smashed the floor three button and with a sudden jerk, Joe stumbled forward as the box zoomed backwards. The overhead speaker crackled with an announcement and what seemed like circus music playing in the background. “Round and round, what goes up must come down.”

  Dawn steadied herself, pursing her lips into a frown. “I never liked carnivals.”

  Joe offered them seaweed from his pack, but they refused. He crunched away as the familiar circus music intensified and the elevator tilted enough for him to slide his boots into the edge of the wall to prop himself.

  TJ grabbed the sheath of his blade. “At least all that work on the second floor leveled up BK.”

  Joe glanced at his own weapon’s stats. He’d not made any upgrades, like Rose had done with the thorns, but his blades gained a level indicating sharper edges. His QRL increased as well, meaning another flex point he’d need to assign. A quick flash of the alliance chat shifted his attention.

  Ryan: Nick’s here. We’re heading out now. The titan is the closest to the exit. If we wait for you, it’ll move further away, costing us time that we can’t waste. Sending Rose back to y’all.

  Joe crammed the last paper-thin seaweed into his mouth, and shoved the trash in his backpack with more than strength than he’d expected. Once they saved Brian, he’d refocus on evening out his attributes. “The Blanche Brigade is already heading onto the floor.

  Joe: Rose, meet us in the common room. Ryan, once us Titan Slayers are back together we’ll meet you on the floor through the alliance map connection.

  Rose: Don’t bother to wait on me, I can join when you exit. Wait…

  Joe: What is it?

  Rose: The screens flickering again. Where are you?

  The elevator bounced to a stop, the doors opening with two bizarre toots of a bicycle horn. TJ stumbled out, clutching his stomach while Dawn wiped a drop of sweat from her brow. “This is mana poisoning.” She glanced at Joe. “You barely look ill.”

  “I still have a high mana capacity.” He dusted away some of the green crumbs from his fingers. “Or, maybe it’s the seaweed. You should try it and we’ll find out.”

  “Come on, guys.” Rose gestured to them, her raven hair flowing behind her as she cut around the corner into the dining hall. “I think it’s,” she paused, dropping to a whisper and cupping a hand beside her mouth, “the Time Hacker.”

  Sure enough, the black and gray clown face bobbed backwards and the Time Hacker raised a whipped pie in front of him. “This is a typical clown. He probably hacked our elevator ride.”

  “Yeah, and he brought cake.” TJ licked his lips. “I hope that’s stocked here.”

  An ascender from behind them raised his head off the table. “Did someone say cake?” He groaned. “I love cake, but I’m too sick to get up for some.”

  Joe shook his head, mesmerized by the clown’s vacant black eyes. “It’s not cake. It’s a pie.”

  TJ shrugged, before leaning a hand against the pulsing wall next to the screen. “Well, I’m calling it a cake.”

  “I’m only clowning around.” The Time Hacker crowed before smashing the creme pie at the tv screen. Rainbow confetti burst across the screen before fading away. “The cake is a lie.”

  The screen flickered, turning into another hollow cam. The aerial shot hovered across the third floor, more industrial cityscape than any of the other floors. “These are your eyes.” The Time Hacker’s voice cackled as the camera slowly zoomed in on a couple of ascenders digging through mounds in an alleyway.

  “Walking cameras.” Joe twisted a green cord of his hoodie. Joe’s gaze blurred as he drifted into thought. “He’s hacking the hollows. If he can hack them, then he can…”

  He pulled up the party chat to finish his thoughts with a smile and strengthening hope.

  Joe: All of this goes against what the lich said. The Time Hacker can still access the hollow’s interface.

  “Cahoonas, is that Lucky?” TJ exhaled, his breath fogging the screen.

  Blinking his vision into focus, Joe wiped the screen with his sleeve. Lucky’s graying ears and chin were visible as he tucked his long rat tail around his ankle. “It is. He’s found something, but…” Joe’s heart thudded against his chest.

  No, not Lucky too.

  The camera angle shifted to a first person perspective, honed in on Lucky’s backside, his ears twitching. “He’s going to get the Touch of Madness if he doesn’t move.”

  “Flicking rocks, Lucky!” TJ pounded the wall. “Not you too.”

  The hollow’s who’s vision had been hacked rushed forward, plowing straight into the green hoodie.

  Rose spun around, gasping. “I can’t watch any more.”

  Lucky fell to the ground, eyes widened with fear. Joe’s breath caught in his mouth. “That’s not Lucky.”

  Dawn shook her head. “Another ratfolk ascender. Why even show us this?”

  The screen shifted back to the aerial camera angle, Lucky bobbing his head side to side like he’d been listening to music.

  The Time Hacker’s voice cackled. “You’re not connecting the right dots. You see two different things, yet, you draw your own conclusion, believing with such little evidence.”

  Joe mentally kicked himself. He’d fallen for the oldest trick in the book—something he’d seen in countless movies and TV shows. Just when you think someone’s about to be caught, there’s a separation in space or time. It was just like that scene in Speed. Joe couldn’t help but wonder if the Time Hacker saw himself as the hero, Jack, or the villain, Howard.

  “Thanks for the lesson, I guess?” Joe muttered, glancing around. The soft snoring of an ascender with his head resting on the table caught his attention. “What do you hope to achieve with this little stunt, now that you’ve got our attention?”

  “I am not responsible for what happens out there on each floor,” the Time Hacker said, still hiding behind the clown mask. “The Lich shaped the ecosystems and summoned the monsters and titans that inhabit them. By sending out these broadcasts, I’m lifting the lid on what’s really happening. It’s not my place to interfere or save anyone—I’m simply opening your eyes so you can save yourselves before it’s too late.”

  Dawn approached the screen, her eyes narrowing. “Last time you were all tippy-tappy with your messages, you never spoke directly to anyone. Why chance speaking now when the Lich can hear you? The longer your message, the easier it’ll be for him to trace the source and find where you’re hiding.”

  “That was true before,” the Time Hacker said, a hint of confidence in his tone. “But I’ve got a stronger hold now—I’m a ghost in the machine. The Lich will never find me. This is a personal broadcast for your eyes and ears only. Other ascenders will see screenshots and captions, nothing more.”

  Dawn took a guarded step back, lowering her voice to a whisper as she leaned toward Joe. “This sounds a little too convenient. I don’t trust him. Could be the Lich playing mind games with us.”

  Joe gave a subtle nod.

  “Okay, you’ve made your point, but why us and why now?” Joe crossed his arms.

  “I am but one person. I can be killed or imprisoned, and my voice silenced. But an idea is like an immortal seed. Once planted and nurtured in the minds of many, it takes root. You can kill creatures of flesh, but an idea, once spread and taken hold, is truly immortal. I speak to you directly because you’re among the few capable of truly opening your eyes. Everyone else is so caught up in the jackpot they refuse to see what’s really in front of them.”

  “Sounds like something my old man would say.” TJ nodded. “‘You have eyes, but you cannot see Mount Tai.’”

  With that, the screen went blank. It was only then that Joe noticed the rippling walls and ceilings had been still, as if the tower itself had been holding its breath. The return of the tower's rhythmic pulse matched the pounding of his heart.

  TJ walked over to the snoring ascender and gave him a gentle shake. The poor guy jolted awake, raising his hands in defense. “I didn’t do it! Nobody saw me do it! You can’t prove anything!”

  “Chill, brother.” TJ grinned, offering the guy a healing pellet from his tin. “I come in peace. You look a little green around the gills—this should help with the mana sickness so you can join your pals on the floor.”

  Fully awake now, the ascender gratefully took the pellet and swallowed it down. “Appreciated, brother. My faction was under strict orders from The Andras Alliance to get out onto floor three. Used to scale mountains in my old life, dealt with altitude sickness, but this is something else.”

  “That’ll help for now.” TJ patted his shoulder. “I’m TJ, by the way. And you are?”

  The big guy looked at TJ like he’d just slept with his mother. He got up and backed away, eyeing TJ with caution. “You one of the Titan Slayers?”

  Joe stepped forward, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah. How about you?”

  The big guy didn’t answer, only inched toward the door. “Yeah, got a notification there. Best be going. Watch your back out there.” He was gone like a bullet, heading straight to floor three.

  Rose shook her head, watching him leave. “If he’s in an alliance with Andras, no surprise his faction is hostile to us.”

  Dawn placed a hand on TJ’s shoulder, voicing what they were all thinking. “Ungrateful bastard—didn’t even say thanks.”

  “Good riddance.” TJ crossed his arms. “I’ve got no time for Andras’ bootlickers.”

  An urgent message flashed red in Joe’s vision, pulling him back to the situation at hand.

  Ryan: Everything okay? Bad news—opportunity for titan battle has come and gone.

  Joe: Sorry, we thought our pal Lucky was in danger. Can you explain more? I’m a little confused.

  Ryan: Get Dawn to check the map, then get your ass out here—you’ll see for yourself.

  Joe glanced around at his friends, their expressions mirroring his concern. Dawn’s gaze cleared as she checked her interface.

  “Got a sweet level-up on my map.” Dawn’s voice held a hint of excitement as her gaze glossed over. “Floor three is divided into four quadrants. Right now, the titan is in the warehouse. It’s a crapshoot which quadrant we’ll land in once we enter the floor, and we’ve got no time to prepare.”

  TJ nodded, his jaw tight. “Only ten hours left on Brian’s timer.”

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Without another word, they took off, charging through the door and spilling out onto floor three.

  Another notification popped up in the alliance chat.

  Ryan: What quadrant are you in? I dropped a pin to show our location.

  Dawn: We’re in the Metro Valley. I can see exactly where you are.

  Ryan: Don’t even think about wasting time or energy coming to join us here. Get to the warehouse.

  Nick: I’ve uploaded all the information I have—you can update your map.

  Dawn: Thanks.

  Gaia: You’re not welcome! Where the hell have you been? We’ve been grinding away, taking damage—we could’ve really used your help.

  Dawn sighed, rolling her eyes. “Such a drama queen. She’d cry over a broken nail. She needs to give it a rest.”

  Ryan: No use crying over spilled milk. We’ll meet you in the warehouse. Don’t wait for us to enter—just get there.

  Joe: Copy that. Stay safe out there.

  Rose tightened her hoodie strings, rubbing her hands together and blowing into them, her breath puffing out in little clouds. The chill in the air was biting, the kind that made Joe wish he’d brought a second hoodie.

  “Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.” Dawn’s breath visible in the frigid air. Above them, the navy sky stretched out like a velvet blanket, dotted with stars sharp as pinpricks. The moon hung there like some grim reaper’s sickle, casting an eerie glow over the ruined city.

  “This place is nothing like the last two floors.” TJ squinted up at the towering, ruined buildings that loomed over them like something out of a dystopian nightmare. The streets seemed to twist and turn in every direction, like a maze designed to get you lost. “So, where do we go from here?”

  Dawn pulled her green hoodie tighter, warding off the cold as she looked at her map. “We’re in the Metro Valley,” she said, her voice strained as a shiver took over her body. “This whole floor feels like someone tried to recreate the end of the world. Where we are is…” She trailed off as the ground suddenly shook beneath their feet, and a deep, bellowing roar echoed through the air.

  Joe’s heart flipped in his chest as shards of glass swayed in the windows above, sharp as daggers.

  “Yeah, I think we should move—like, now.” Joe glanced at Dawn. “Which way?”

  She pointed down the dark street ahead, where the only light came from those freaky, glowing pools of sludge seeping out of the pavement cracks. The greenish glow made everything look even creepier, like they were walking onto a horror movie set.

  They’d barely taken a few steps when a loud crash behind them made Joe whirl around. Glass splinters were flying at them like a thousand tiny daggers. But before he could even think about ducking, Dawn threw up a wall of flame. The heat was intense, and the glass shards melted mid-air, dropping to the ground with a hiss.

  “Go! Now!” Dawn snapped, and they all picked up the pace. Joe’s eyes darted up, half-expecting the buildings to come crashing down on them.

  Everywhere he looked, there was nothing but destruction. Towering skyscrapers lay in ruins, their once-majestic forms now shattered, their remnants jutting out like broken teeth. The streets were littered with rubble, fallen signs, and abandoned vehicles. Electrical discharges crackled and sparked between twisted metal beams, creating an ominous, buzzing hum that set Joe’s nerves on edge.

  They took a sharp right down a side street, and the remains of what looked like motorized vehicles and bikes lay scattered in their path. The vehicles were unlike anything Joe had ever seen, with sleek, futuristic designs that reminded him of something out of Blade Runner.

  “What the hell are these?” TJ asked, his voice a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

  Joe took a closer look. “They kind of remind me of dune buggies and motorbikes from back home, but, you know, with a magi-tech vibe.”

  As they moved deeper into the alley, trash cans—knocked over by who-knew-what—littered the ground, and graffiti covered the walls. One piece caught Joe’s eye, and he snorted as TJ read it out loud: “The cake is NOT a lie!”

  “It’s like the exact opposite of what the Time Hacker typed out on his screen broadcast,” Rose murmured, her staff’s thorns lengthening like they were on alert for trouble.

  “I smell something… funky.” Dawn’s wary tone echoed as she scanned the shadows. “Don’t think we’re alone here.”

  Joe slowed his steps as the strong stench of urine hit him, his hand instinctively retrieving his butterfly knives. With Quick Wit activated, the shadows suddenly seemed alive with movement—flickers of something darting around just out of sight. He could see the faint glow of nocturnal eyes peering back at him.

  The thunk of wood on metal echoed as Rose's staff struck what looked like a sewer lid twice the size of a manhole cover. It had a rune on it, barely visible through the claw marks and pockmarks left by oozing decay seeping up through the storm drains.

  “Watch your step.” Joe gestured to the ooze. “Dawn, you seeing anything on your map? Any ascenders hanging around?”

  Dawn shook her head. “Nope. The red zoner numbers must’ve dropped off on this floor. There’s a few greens and oranges near the warehouse, but no monsters showing up yet.”

  “Or hollows.” Rose’s knuckles whitened as she gripped her staff.

  The familiar squeak of rats echoed from rusted drain pipes running up the walls. Joe could see their beady eyes watching them from the shadows. One particularly bold rat, about three times the size of a typical sewer rat, darted across their path. It looked like it had a bad case of mange and it flashed yellow teeth as its whiskers twitched like electrified steel cables.

  Its mottled tail and patches of exposed red skin, with only tufts of black fur remaining, like it had been through hell and back. The beast jumped over a puddle of that toxic sludge, and Joe watched as its fur started to smoke where the stuff touched it.

  Before the rat even landed, something blurred past Joe, forcing him and Dawn to jump back. TJ maneuvered to avoid bumping into them from behind, as did Rose, their four-person formation tighter in the enclosed space.

  A guttural snarling and snapping sound drowned out the rat's pitiful cries as whatever had pounced on it rolled around in a ball of fur and fury. The beast’s black and gray tail whipped around in a frenzy.

  When the rat's cries finally faded, the furball uncoiled and sprang onto its hind legs, its black forearms flexing as it stared at them through eyes masked by a bandit-like pattern of fur. Like everything else in this twisted world, it was much bigger than the critters back home. Its eyes were wild, froth bubbling at the corners of its mouth, while entrails dangled from its neck like a gruesome necklace.

  “Uh, Dawn, can you, like, reason with it?” Joe didn’t take his eyes off the crazed creature.

  “I’m a paladin, Joe, not a ranger,” Dawn shot back, her voice a little gruff. “My skills aren’t strong enough to control a level 20 Craic Coon.”

  TJ’s machete made a soft zing as he swung it in a practice arc. “Say the word, and I’ll put this little psycho down.”

  The Craic Coon bared its sharp fangs, blood dripping as it growled, “Mine.”

  “Did that thing just talk?” Joe blinked, not sure if he’d heard right.

  The monster crouched, yanked the head off the rat, and started gnawing on it like it was a drumstick.

  Suddenly, the sewer lid behind them exploded into the air, and a massive green scaly claw slammed down on the pavement with a thud that shook the ground. Another claw followed, and then the huge head of an alligator beast emerged from the sewer. Its glowing yellow eyes were as big as lanterns, and it leapt with shocking speed, the ground cracking beneath its weight as it landed on all fours.

  The Craic Coon didn’t stand a chance—the reptilian beast snapped it up in its jaws, the crunch of gristle and bone making Joe’s stomach churn.

  “Fall back!” Joe yelled as the monster whipped its tail around, forcing them to dodge and weave to avoid getting crushed. This thing was huge, and its scales had this weird metallic sheen that made it look like it had been through some serious modifications.

  Joe’s Quick Wit kicked in, analyzing the beast’s movements. “Dawn, it’s favoring its right side—looks like it’s injured. Hit it with fire, now!”

  TJ knew better than to charge in close without weakening the beast first. Joe threw one of his butterfly knives, and it struck true, sinking into the monster’s eye with a sickening pop. Black blood sprayed out as the beast roared in pain, shaking its whole body and sending them ducking for cover from its armored tail.

  Rose swung her staff at the tail, trying to catch it at the peak of its deadly arc, but the blow barely made a dent. The force of the impact almost knocked her off balance, but Dawn grabbed her, swinging her out of harm’s way in a move that was half-ballet, half-desperate survival. They narrowly avoided another tail strike that smashed into the ground where they’d been standing seconds before.

  “If these things aren’t some mutant freaks,” Joe exhaled, taking another step back, “then they’ve definitely been experimented on.”

  The tail came crashing toward him again, and Joe barely had time to react before Dawn’s hands glowed white-hot. She unleashed a geyser of flame, scorching the beast’s flank and forcing its tail to thrash in the opposite direction. Rose lashed out with her water whip, the two attacks combining for a solid hit that made their tandem strike bonus flash in Joe’s vision.

  The monster’s legs trembled under its massive weight as its HP plummeted, giving TJ the opening he needed. With a fierce battle cry, TJ lunged, his muscles bulging as he delivered a powerful double-handed strike with his machete. The blade sliced through the notch between the beast’s eyes, cracking its skull open like a coconut. The monster let out one final, pitiful groan before collapsing to the ground.

  Joe wiped his brow with the back of his hand, heart still thudding in his chest. "Well, that was... something." He glanced at the Amphetagator’s massive, lifeless form. The creature had swallowed the Craic Coon whole, leaving nothing behind but a few scraps of fur and a bloody smear on the pavement.

  TJ was already at the Amphetagator, his machete ready to cut through its thick, scaly hide. "Let’s see what goodies this bad boy is hiding." TJ grinned, clearly enjoying the post-battle adrenaline.

  Joe nodded, stepping up to help. He didn’t have to dig far into the beast’s chest before he found what they were looking for. The Amphetagator’s core was large and pulsing with a sickly green glow, its energy thrumming in his hand as he yanked it free.

  "Got it." Joe held the glowing orb up for the others to see. The core was warm to the touch, almost vibrating with stored power.

  TJ let out a low whistle as he took the orb from Joe. "Just wait until Brian recovers and gets his hands on these bad boys. Can't wait to see the look on his face," he said, his voice cracking slightly with emotion. He pocketed the core, giving the Amphetagator’s massive head a final tap with his machete before stepping back.

  "Nice haul." Joe wiped his knife clean on the Amphetagator’s tough hide. "But we’re in a rush. Let’s get out of this alley before something else decides it’s snack time."

  They moved with caution toward the end of the alley, Dawn and Rose keeping a vigilant watch on the shadows. The eerie quiet of the Metro Valley didn’t last long. As they emerged from the narrow passageway, they were greeted by a sight that made Joe’s eyes go wide.

  In the distance, a trio of titans were locked in a vicious brawl, their massive forms towering over the ruined city. Each strike they exchanged sent shockwaves through the ground, making it feel like the whole city was trembling beneath their feet.

  Buildings crumbled under the titans’ feet like they were made of sand, debris flying everywhere as they raged. One of them let out a deep, guttural roar as it took a hit, and a spray of dark blood arced through the air, splattering against the remaining buildings. The blood flowed down the shattered streets, creating rivers of gore that ran deep red under the night sky.

  "Holy hell, this is straight out of Rampage." Joe couldn’t hide the tinge of fear in his voice.

  "Keep moving." Dawn pointed towards a bridge that spanned what looked like a river of blood. But Joe quickly realized it wasn’t water flowing beneath the bridge—it was the blood of the titans, endlessly pouring from their wounds, turning the river into a churning, crimson torrent. The sight made his stomach uneasy, but they had no other way across.

  As they approached the bridge, the atmosphere felt heavy, like a thick fog of dread had settled over them. The bridge creaked and groaned under its own weight, the blood-slicked stones looking treacherous underfoot.

  "This is like crossing the Billy Goats Gruff bridge, except instead of a troll, we’ve got… what the hell is that?" TJ’s voice, barely more than a whisper, as he pointed to a massive shadow lurking beneath the bridge.

  Before he could finish, the water erupted in a spray of blood, and a creature the size of a bear hurled itself onto the bridge. Its body was bloated and grotesque, swollen with the blood it had absorbed from the titans. Its skin was a sickly, mottled red, dripping with the viscous fluid, and its eyes were dark pits, glistening with malevolence.

  "Blood parasites." Joe gasped, recognizing the creature from one of the tower’s more disturbing lore entries that he’d from the last book he’d read before he died—A Titan’s Core. "Of course it’s blood parasites."

  Another parasite burst from the river, landing on the bridge with a wet, bone-chilling thud. The creature moved with a horrifying speed for its size, its six legs skittering across the blood-slicked stones as it charged at them, its gaping maw dripping with titan blood.

  "Keep it together!" Joe yelled, adrenaline spiking as he drew his knives. "Take these things down fast—we don’t want to be stuck here!"

  Dawn’s hands flared with light. She summoned a burst of flame and hurled it at the nearest parasite. The creature screeched as the fire seared its flesh. But it kept coming.

  Rose flung her water whip across the other parasite, trying to keep it at bay, but the beast was relentless, snapping its jaws just inches from her face.

  TJ swung his machete with precision, aiming for the parasite’s head, but the creature dodged, its claws scraping against the stone as it lunged at him.

  Joe moved in, slashing at the beast’s side with his butterfly knives, and the parasite howled in pain, its blood spraying across the bridge, mingling with the river below.

  "These things are tougher than they look!" TJ grunted, narrowly avoiding a swipe from the parasite’s claws.

  [Blood Parasite HP: 145]

  "Just keep hitting it!" Joe shouted, dodging the creature’s snapping jaws as he drove his knife into its side again. The parasite thrashed, its movements becoming frantic as it realized it was outmatched by numbers.

  With one final, coordinated strike, they managed to bring down the first parasite, its bloated body collapsing onto the blood-soaked bridge.

  The second parasite hissed, but before it could attack again, Dawn and Rose combined their powers, sending a torrent of fire and water crashing into the creature. The party boon attack flashed in his vision:

  [Dual Strike deals 20% damage.]

  Overwhelmed, the parasite let out a final, gurgling roar before it tumbled over the bridge’s edge back into the river, its form disappearing beneath the surface with a sickening splash.

  Breathing heavily, Joe scanned the area. "Everyone okay?"

  "Yeah." TJ panted, wiping his machete on his pants. "But I’m really starting to love this place."

  "Yeah it’s one hell of a vacation spot." Joe eyed the river of blood with a grimace. "Let’s get across this bridge before anything else decides to join the party."