Chapters (122)
- Tower Climber
- Jakob Tanner
- Contents
- Newsletter
- Dedication
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
- 80
- 81
- 82
- 83
- 84
- 85
- 86
- 87
- 88
- 89
- 90
- 91
- 92
- 93
- 94
- 95
- 96
- 97
- 98
- 99
- 100
- 101
- 102
- 103
- 104
- 105
- 106
- 107
- 108
- 109
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“Congratulations! You have all passed the test. Welcome to your first day at the climber academy.”
25
You have all passed the test.
With those words, all the student climbers in the courtyard sighed with relief.
The only student who didn’t was Cyrus Archer, who had a big smug smirk on his face. He wasn’t relieved because he had known all along the exact parameters of the test beforehand. Max had no doubt in his mind that the boy would have happily gone into that battle chamber to kill another student if it had been legitimately encouraged.
“What happens to all those who entered during the test?” asked Casey.
“Each and every one of them will be handed the paperwork necessary to remove them from the school,” said the instructor. “There are times when climbers need to make quick difficult decisions and then there are other times when they truly don’t.”
Everyone nodded along and listened to the instructor closely. Even in this stressful test lay a lesson.
“The ten minutes on the clock was a false pressure added by me, but there really was no need to do anything other than stay put and let the situation unfold on its own,” explained the instructor.
“Doesn’t it still seem a bit harsh though?” said Max. “All of those who went in might have become great climbers.”
The instructor nodded and crossed his arms. “Perhaps you’re right,” he said. “But here’s the thing: those who climb the tower can grow in strength and ability that defies imagination. It is my duty—as with all the instructors at the academy—to make sure the opportunity to gain such power goes to those who will wield it the most responsibly.”
The instructor started to shake with anger as he continued to speak.
“Someone, whose desire for power is so strong they would be willing to kill another student simply because of arbitrary rules set up by me, has no right to become a climber.”
Casey’s head fell to the ground in shame. She had almost walked through those doors during the test.
They all had.
It had taken Max great strength to stay back and risk his goals for what he thought was right.
He gulped. He’d never felt the sheer weight of what it meant to become a climber until that moment.
“But,” continued the instructor. “You all showed the fortitude and resolve to stay right here on the grounds. Good work all of you. Now we can go ahead and start today’s actual first lesson. One last bit of housekeeping. I’m Blake Cedarwood. I’ll be your instructor for the year here. Now, how do you all feel about going to the second floor of the tower?”
Everyone stood up straight at that.
They were going to enter the tower!? So soon? On their first day of classes no less?