[Tower of Death has reached Level 4 - New features are available.]

[Tower of Death - Level 4]

- Since the passing of the last Master, a new one has taken their place. The tower has regressed back to its original state but is slowly being rebuilt. Unlock new features by performing sacrifices and granting souls to the Tower of Death.

Current floors: 3

Sacrificial souls: 0

Features needed to advance: 4

Features available: 4

- First floor challenge (1 - 4)

- Second Floor (2)

- Summoned soul (1)

- Customisation (1)

'That answers the question about challenges. Can I see the tower's description?'

[Tower of Death - As master of the tower it is your duty to grant blessings to souls who pass your trials. Those deemed unworthy can be used to advance the tower to greater heights.]

'Ok. That's still not everything I need to know, but it's not a bad start. Maybe I'll be able to choose blessings from a list? We'll see. It's a shame there's no more grand necromancer master around to gain insight from. Although, you would think his best friend, Solus the talking murder door, would know more, but no. That senial old codger is about as useful as my outdated books.'

Making her way to the first floor, there was nothing to note except that it looked identical to the ground floor. Passing straight through the empty space, Sarah continued down the next set of stairs to check the ground floor makeover.

The biggest change was the woman floating behind the receptionist desk. She had blonde hair that curled just above her shoulders and her sharp blue eyes immediately notice Sarah's arrival in the room.

"Greetings, Master. My name is Ariel and I will be your loyal receptionist from this day forward." The see-through lady bowed politely to Sarah before throwing her a thumbs up. A gesture that couldn't be further away from the polite greeting she had just received.

'At least thumbs up are a thing here,' she conceded. 'Wait a minute.' Sarah took a deeper look at the female apparition hovering in front of her. She was wearing a stunning red dress that would likely be found in high society galas and other noble fitting functions. Certainly not the getup of a human answering machine. She was trying not to entertain the fact that her receptionist was kind of see through.

"Are you my Immortal receptionist?" Sarah asks even knowing the answer.

"Yes, Master."

"Why do you look like... that? And how are you supposed to perform administrative jobs like paperwork and filing when you're... body-less?" Struggling jot to hurt her new servant's feelings, Sarah stumbled through the best she could without actually referring to the girl as a ghost.

After an awkward back and forth, Sarah discovered that Ariel was able to solidify her corporeal body, becoming flesh and bone in the process. She was also left with a vague understanding of how souls functioned in her new world after a lengthy lecture by Ariel.

To sum it up, souls are little balls of energy that are unable to retain knowledge of their previous life. Memories are stored in a person's brain and stay with the body even after the soul has left it. That's only if what Ariel had to say was believed to be true, but it's not as though she had a reason to lie.

Ariel was unsure if a person's memories were able to be retained by other means, much like Sarah's own, but she was grateful for the knowledge she would otherwise not have known. Although, she was still a bit skeptical about how someone like Ariel, so new and - for lack of better words, fresh, could possibly know so much when compared to someone as old as Solus, who seemed to know so little. Nonetheless, Sarah was appreciative of the lesson. The soul that had been used to create Ariel gave her life, but her thoughts and emotions were drawn from the tower that served its master.

'That was a lot to take it, but how are my memories still intact if what she's saying is true?'

Sarah sat in one of the chairs that furnished the ground floor, her mind blown. Beside her were three identical chairs in the same design, lined against the wall. A rug, made from the pitch-black fur of a bear that was large enough to classed as an elephant, was laid out across the middle of floor. On the opposite side of the room was Ariel's desk and a few other furnishings. The desk itself was nicest feature in the room and Sarah began to wonder whether it was oak or mahogany. She then realised it would probably be neither as her new world would more than likely have its own trees.

'Either way, that desk is lovely.'

Engravings ran down both ends and a flowered pattern had been carved across the front. Beside the desk was a bookshelf that had more books on than Sarah possessed in her own room.

'It actually looks really good in here and the ground floor can be classed as operational. It wasn't too bad for the cost of two souls.' Sarah distracted herself from unanswerable questions about her own soul by giving the room another thorough inspection.

Behind Ariel's desk was a chair that looks almost as comfy as her own. "Do you mind?" Sarah asked as she got up and headed toward the chair.

"N-not at All, Master. Please. Do as you wish." Ariel moved away from her desk as Sarah rested her staff against it and took a seat. The sharp-eyed Lance Corporal didn't miss the slight quiver in Ariel's response and would refrain from asking to sit in another person's seat again. It just looked too comfortable to resist. "Thanks," Sarah smiled and took her staff from the table.

'I don't know why, but I really like this thing,' she thought as she gazed at the purple gem. Four boney hands holding it securely to the wood.

'I'll have to store it before I go outside though. Some people just won't appreciate the fine craftsmanship. OK. Probably most people. It's safer in my storage anyway.' Sarah stored her staff and moved towards the entrance. 'Deep breaths.'

"Ariel, I'm going out. I'll be back later. I doubt anyone will enter this place, but if they do tell them we're closed. The first floor is empty and I don't need some hero one-shot'in Solus and making me homeless. OK?" Realising that she may have laid it on a little too thick after her talks with Solus, Sarah was about to correct herself when Ariel responded. "Yes, Master."

'Why can't Solus be like that?' She wondered, before remembering he had a reason to drag out conversations after being alone for so long. "Ok, then. See ya." Stepping outside, she closed the door behind herself and let out a deep breath.

The sun had set since Sarah had last been out and the cold evening wind washed over her. The sun had almost set and the previously busy street was empty save from four people. An extremely large wolf and an even larger pig were approaching a man who had collapsed against the wall.

A good amount of oddities about the scenario playing out infront of her were strange to Sarah. First of all, both the pig and wolf were standing upright and walking on two legs. Not comically either. Like animal do on the internet. No. They had large muscular legs, just like humans. That wasn't the strangest part though.

Mr. Wolf and his friend Mr. Pig were both decked out in what could only be described as medievil armor. Sarah was able to tell their species, however, as neither one was wearing a helmet.

Strangest of them all, was the fact that both animals were capable of speech. As they conversed with each about what to do with the person on the ground, Sarah was astounded to find that she was able understand every word they said.

'This fucking world. I tell ya. Let's see what we're actually dealing with.'

[Guard - 18]

[Guard - ??]

[Corpse - 8]

'They're the guards?'

Putting Identify to good use brought Sarah new information. Not much, but she hoped that would change if she continued to level her skill.

'It makes sense. More levels will mean more information. That corpse though. I wonder...'

Pulling out the book of souls, Sarah opened it up to see if it was just that easy. She watched as a green ball of light slowly emerged from the lifeless body. It floated towards her before it was absorbed into the pages of the book.

'Oh Shit. Is it really was that easy? I won't have to sacrifice anyone at this rate.'

Closing the book, Sarah stored it away and continued to watch the two guards carry the body of someone Sarah didn't know away.

'Thank you. Your sacrifice won't be vain.'

She offered a quick thought to the deceased before retreating into her tower once again.

"Welcome back, Master." Ariel got up from her chair.

Sarah deliberately waited a while longer to respond than she normally would to see if her receptionist had anything else to add. She didn't.

'I shouldn't keep comparing her to the guardian. She's nothing like Solus.'

"Thanks Ariel. I'm only back for a quick second. I had an idea when the tower upgraded but I didn't have any souls left, so I'll be going back out shortly." Explaining more than she needed to, Sarah was just happy to talk to another person. Even if she was a tower created being. Heading up stairs she reached Solus shortly after. "Hey bud."

"Master. You're back." The door beamed happily.

'Wait for it...'

"You weren't gone for that long either." Solus added causing Sarah to smile. She was growing fond of the needy guardian. With that in mind, Sarah brought up the tower menu and chose to purchase the summoned soul.

"This one's for you buddy." A small light was sucked out of the Book of Souls inside Sarah's ring. Solus watched as the soul took on the shape of a man in his late thirties. His hair was combed backwards and was as dark as night. He had brown eyes and, just like Ariel, was dressed in clothes that befit nobility. The suit he wore gave Sarah the impression that he was a butler and a damn fine one at that. As soon as his body had become solid, he turned and knelt toward his summoner.

"Greetings, Master. My name is Sebastian. Thank you for granting this soul life." He bowed eloquently.

'The whole master-thing is a bit cringy, but I do feel proud in a way. For granting them life in a way. Not that this necromancy gig is growing on me or anything.' Solus hadn't spoken a word since Sebastian arrived.

"Not a problem, Seb. I can call you seb, right? Either way, I summoned you because my friend Solus here is feeling a bit blue..."

"You may address me as you wish, Master. I do not understand what you mean by blue, however? Solus looks mostly brown and gold if I'm correct." Sebastian looked confused at Sarah's choice of words.

"Master!" Solus, even whilst confused, had understood exactly what she was talking about.

"Ok. Anyway, he needs someone to chat with while I'm out. That is going to be your job, as well as other light duties in the tower that may need taking care of."

""I will do my best, Master. Greetings Solus. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Sebastian held his hand out to shake the door's hand and Sarah decided that now was the best time to escape the awkward situation.

'They'll be best friends in no time.'

She stopped for a quick drink from the waters of sin before heading straight down both stairs to the ground floor. 'I need at least five souls to get the tower to the next level. Eight seems like a high number and I know they won't all be as easy as that last guy. Poor bastard. Especially when I have no idea where I'm going.'

"Im off out again, Ariel. See ya."

"Safe travels, Master."

Sarah left the tower and once again stood in the empty street. As the light of day had almost completely faded away, the moon began to make its appearance above Sarah's small corner of the world.

Where her street met the others, Sarah could see the familiar flickering of torches lighting up the darkness. She was hesitant to leave her little haven of safety. Even though she had died inside the Tower of Death multiple times, Sarah still considered it to be the safest place she knew.

'Get a grip, shithead. This is a new world with magic and animal people. Yes, it's scary. It's also cool as fuck. Stop being such a child and get those feet moving soldier.'

As Sarah stepped out from whatever made up the tower's defensive-like cloak, she turned around to find that the entrance had vanished. Panic flooded her system and she immediately dashed back to where she just was. The moment she drew closer the door appeares as though it had never been gone to begin with.

'So it's like optical camouflage? No wonder it's still here.'

Stepping away, Sarah lost sight of the door once again. This time, however, she didn't panic as she knew the tower was only protecting itself. She took a good look at the white cottage, wedged in between two larger buildings.

'I better not go too far. I don't want to end up getting lost right off the bat.'

Taking another deep breath, Sarah set off into the night and towards the light.