Tower of Lore

Chapter Three: Alexandrescu

“Wait, who said you get to be the guide?” Raz had got to his feet. “I did not make that decision yet.”

Alexander raised an eyebrow. “You are aware that I am the one that has ascended the tower the highest out of everyone assembled here, correct? I have made it to the 25th floor without losing my life. None of you others have made it past the 10th floor.”

Dusty stared at the beast and glanced over to see how Lindsey reacted. Instead of being fearful like he assumed, she was staring at him in awe. Pinpricks of jealousy stabbed his heart but he pushed the feelings down. She didn’t even know this guy, and he was clearly a fox, not exactly someone he’d have to fight to get her affection.

“Alexandrescu,” Liana’s voice lost it’s warmth and had turned into a chill. “I have not summoned you. Please, go to your quarters and await my command. I had no intention of introducing them to you like this. We have to discuss how to defeat those beasts.”

“Beasts?” He shook his head just a fraction of an inch. “They are no more so than are we.”

“They are hostile to us, remember?” Liana gave a stiff smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“I am aware that we are enemies at this time, yes. But I also believe it should be remembered that all of us guardians came from outside these tower walls. If they are demons and monsters, then I am afraid so are we.”

Princess Liana didn’t respond. She stood with her eyes staring straight ahead and her fists clenched in the ragged remains of her dress. Her lips were pressed together so hard the young woman was shaking.

Alexander’s brown eyes flashed as he bowed his head. “Apologies, Princess, I did not want to waste any of our precious time. I merely wanted to introduce myself to my pupils before the climb starts. I seek to take them both with me and verify for myself what type of training they have received. However, if you so desire it I shall leave for now. Please see to it that they are delivered to the weapons room when they are able.” He bowed low with his hand behind his back before straightening and leaving the room.

Dusty watched the fox-man go and took a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. “I’ve never seen a non-human in your family’s history,” he whispered.

“My history?” Liana’s eyes widened as she scooted closer. “You know of my history, Hero?”

Dusty was all too aware of Lindsey’s attention on the space between him and Liana. He liked making her jealous, it sparked a kind of happiness inside him. “I do, I’ve played all of the Tower of Lore video games, except for the latest of course.”

“Video games?” Liana c****d her head reminding him of a small dog. “I’m not familiar with the term video.”

“He means to say that he’s spent most of his life playing games based on this world, so if he was chosen as your hero it’s most likely because of his knowledge. But neither of us have combat experience. What exactly are you needing to be done that the tower needs climbed?”

Dusty almost smiled. He could hear the jealousy in her voice like a growl. Maybe she wasn’t as over him as she had claimed. Liana glanced from one to the other her smile not so confident anymore as it wavered on her lips.

“Ah,” the princess shook herself. “I never did tell you what was going on did I? I’m sorry. My power is keeping this tower in place as it were. This tower itself is magical a blessing and a curse. Up above us are numerous floors and on those floors, you will find three artifacts. These will give me a surge of power I desperately need.”

“How are you even running out of power? You’re not a battery.” Lindsey frowned as she glanced up.

“Keeping this tower intact and my people safe. I was not as gifted as my ancestors when it comes to magic. When I can’t keep it up, the tower will fall completely and the monsters outside will finish the job of eradicating humanity. I am all that stands between them and that cruel fate.”

“So we just go up a few floors and fetch some artifacts? That doesn’t sound too hard,” Dusty observed. “What are these artifacts anyway? How high up are they?”

“This isn’t a game, Dusty,” Lindsey hissed. “You need to take this seriously, for once in your life please do.”

He glared at her. “I always take things seriously, Linds. I took you seriously for so long and look where it got me.”

“Not serious enough,” she spat as she turned her back on him. “Hey, Liana, not to stop your important quest giving or anything, but where exactly are we going to rest? My energy is flagging after being sucked into my television like that.”

“We’re fine,” Dusty nodded at the once more confused princess that glanced back and forth between them. “Go on, the artifacts?”

The princess coughed into her fist and straightened once more with a less dazzling smile now. “I have no idea what the artifacts look like. They’ll most likely be guarded, or have a puzzle surrounding them. This tower doesn’t want anyone unworthy touching them as the whole charging thing is a ritual my family performs to keep up our guardianship.”

“You want us to climb a tower full of traps and monsters and look for items we don’t even know to save you? Why do we even have to do this? This entire place is crazy. I just want to go home, can you do that? Can you send me home so I don’t have to spend another minute around that forgetful pathetic man?”

“Hey!” Dusty glared right back at her. “Stop being such a b***h, Linds!”

Lindsey’s glare deepened. “I’m the b***h? We’re going to die here, Dusty. Do you understand how much danger we’re in? This isn’t a video game, we can actually die if this is all real! I don’t want to die, I’m not going to die for some princess I don’t know. Princess, can you get us back or not?”

Liana blinked and took a step backward. “I can’t right now, I don’t have that kind of power. But,” she held her hands up as Lindsey’s took a step forward her fists clenching, “when I have all of the power from the artifacts I will be able to, I know it.”

Lindsey sighed. “So we have to climb the tower, find your artifacts, and risk death so you can send us home? What are we even getting out of this?”

“My eternal gratitude?” Liana chirped.

Dusty grinned. That was a cute answer. “Calm down, Linds,” he demanded again. “Don’t worry, Princess we will be sure to get your artifacts back and free your magic once more.”

Liana sighed and gave a small timid smile. “Thank you, Dusty. Now, if you two need to rest I have a room prepared, I’m sorry I wasn’t expecting two heroes so you’re going to have to share.”

“f**k that,” Lindsey snapped. “His ass is sleeping on the ground.”