Ascending the tower with my SSS class

Was he supposed to accept something like that so easily? Some might have seen the boy’s actions as a display of praiseworthy courage, a sacrifice for some kind of greater good; however, Uriel did not see it that way. The only thing he could think about was the tragedy that was about to unfold before his eyes. If he had to be part of something like that, then he would rather face Soliel himself to save his family than be a part of this.

His heart, which had been dormant during the time he spent in nothingness, slowly began to demand that he act in this situation.

"Listen to me, Soliel. If finding that light of yours is so important to you that you’re willing to sacrifice this child, then I refuse to go with you."

Soliel looked at Uriel in silence before the vibrations arrived.

"It’s not like I enjoy the idea, you know? But what other choice do we have? We still need weapons powerful enough to ascend through the caverns. I’ve thought this decision through far more times than you can imagine. Even knowing that all these people will inevitably die, it still hurts... but at least I can give their deaths meaning."

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted, becoming far more tense. Soliel’s face turned toward Uriel.

"Besides, I thought I’d already mentioned it. Even if you don’t want to come, I’ll drag you along. I’ll break your legs and tie you to me if I have to."

It was rare for Uriel to be verbally threatened by anyone, but one thing was clear: he didn’t like it, and he wouldn’t tolerate it.

"Then try it. What are you waiting for?"

Uriel stood up, positioning himself directly in front of Soliel. They were close—close enough to land a blow—yet neither of them followed through on their provocation. The sound of a hammer striking steel rang out.

Soliel looked toward the source of the noise. She seemed just as surprised by the sudden interruption.

"Silence. This is my shop, and I allow no fights inside or outside of it. Soliel, take me instead. I’ll serve you just as well as the boy, won’t I?"

She was somewhat surprised by the sudden proposal; however, she didn’t like it much. Of course, Soliel could understand the decision he was making. After all, she was not an unfeeling being.

However, in the end, it was still an action devoid of meaning. They were going to die anyway. Letting him live would only mean that the boy would now be without his father, fully aware that, at most, he only had a few weeks left to live.

"Why are you backing down so easily all of a sudden? Are you that easy to convince?" A hint of Soliel’s dissatisfaction slipped through; she didn’t like wasting time. The sooner she found the light she was searching for, the more people she could save. "If you know I don’t even know blacksmithing, how am I supposed to do it?"

The blacksmith was visibly calmer. The fact that she asked that question meant that, at the very least, she was considering it.

"I’ll teach you the process myself. You should be able to learn it after seeing it just once, right?"

Uriel also felt more at peace with himself, but what Soliel said was still true: he had no idea what these people were facing. Yet, after his previous escape from the village, he understood that the enemies they faced would show no mercy—not even to a small child.

In the end, he might have made the boy’s fate even more miserable, all because he refused to witness a tragedy unfold right before his eyes. Even so, he felt more at ease with himself—and that angered him.

Slowly, both his body and mind were regaining a certain spark he once had.

But that was his own problem. He also wondered whether Soliel would be capable of mastering this craft in such a short time. The answer came from her directly.

"Of course I can. After that, we’ll leave... if it gives you any comfort, I promise that once I find the light, something like this will never happen again."

Once again, Soliel directed her vibrations specifically at Uriel. It seemed to be something they were capable of, though he did not understand how it was done.

"I hope you’re satisfied... whatever. I’ll be busy thanks to you. In the meantime, I think it would do you good to take a walk around the village. If you need me, I’ll be right here."

Once those words reached Uriel, the blacksmith and Soliel headed into the blacksmith’s home, likely toward the forge that would give rise to Soliel’s weapon.

Before leaving, the boy ran into the blacksmith’s arms in a moment of filial affection and hugged him as if he were the most important thing in the world, as if he never wanted to let go.

The blacksmith embraced him as well, but neither of them said anything. That would only have made the farewell even more terrible than it already was. After a few moments, the boy finally released his father, who then entered his forge.

Now only two people remained in the room: Uriel and the boy. Honestly, he didn’t know what to say. That everything would be alright now? That would be a lie.

Uriel noticed the boy’s horns vibrating, so he was probably trying to say something, and the message soon arrived.

"Sir... um... would you like to take a walk around the village?"

The truth was, Uriel liked that idea far more than staying there in silence. Besides, he wondered if he might find a way to at least cheer the boy up a little, or help him somehow.

The thought that some beast from the depths, like that black mass, might kill him tormented him.

"Sure... let’s go."

Uriel replied without thinking too much. The boy nodded slightly, as if that simple answer had eased something within him, and began walking toward the exit. Uriel followed in silence.

As soon as they crossed the threshold, the air of the village enveloped them once more. Everything was made of stone: not only the houses, but also the tools, the roads, and even the smallest details. However, it was no ordinary stone; some surfaces appeared polished like marble, others rough, as if they had just been torn from the mountain.

The light was dim. It came from cracks in the walls and ceilings, as if something were glowing from within the rock itself.

They walked down a narrow street. On either side were structures that were likely dwellings, though they lacked traditional doors; they were more like openings carved directly into the stone.

Uriel noticed something he had already perceived before.

"Has it always been like this?"

The boy looked at him, confused.

"The village... all made of stone?"

The boy hesitated for a second before answering.

"Yes... well... not exactly."

His horns vibrated softly.

"They say we weren’t always like this... that our bodies were different... but over time... we changed. Or at least that’s what Miss Soliel always tells us."

Uriel said nothing, but that answer did nothing to reassure him.

They continued walking. In the distance, rhythmic sounds echoed: hammers striking hard surfaces. It wasn’t just the blacksmith; there were several. Some were working on structures, others seemed to be shaping smaller pieces.

"Everyone works..." A murmur escaped Uriel; he still hadn’t learned to fully control his new means of communication.

"We have to," the boy replied. "If we don’t reinforce the village... the things outside get in."

Uriel frowned slightly—or at least tried to.

"Things?"

The boy did not answer immediately. He pointed toward one end of the village.

In the distance, barely visible, stood a kind of irregular wall. It wasn’t perfect; it looked more like an accumulation of rock reinforced over and over again.

"They come from there..."

Uriel felt a slight weight in his chest.

As they walked, some of the inhabitants watched them. Their faces were strange: no visible eyes, no ears, with that single closed frontal cavity. Even so, Uriel had the uncomfortable feeling that they were looking directly at him.

They passed by something like a plaza. It wasn’t really a plaza, but it was a wider space where several people gathered. Some seemed to be resting, others simply sat there, motionless.

"They...?"

"They’re listening."

Uriel looked at him.

"Listening to what?"

"The vibrations... from the ground... the walls... everything."

Uriel fell silent. This world felt more alien by the moment.

They continued walking until they drew closer to the wall. Now he could see it more clearly. There were cracks, reconstructed sections, darker areas—as if something had struck them with great force.

The atmosphere changed.

Uriel felt it before he understood it.

Something... was not right.

The boy stopped as well.

His horns began to vibrate more intensely.

"Sir..."

But he didn’t finish the sentence.

A deep sound traveled through the ground.

It wasn’t a blow.

It was something moving beneath the earth and stone.

The vibrations spread quickly, like a wave coursing through the entire village. The inhabitants stopped what they were doing. Some stood up abruptly; others turned their faces toward the wall.

Uriel tensed.

"What is that?"

The boy took a step back.

"They’re coming..."

The ground trembled again, this time with greater force—so much so that a section of the wall deformed. It didn’t break immediately... it first sank inward, as if something enormous were pushing from the other side.

Then—

It split.

The stone burst outward.

And from the rubble, a black mass emerged.

It had no defined shape. It was as if darkness itself had gained weight. It dragged itself forward, yet at the same time seemed to expand, like a living substance.

Uriel felt a chill run down his spine.

It was... the same as the one he had seen before.

The creature emitted a deep vibration that made the air tremble. It had no eyes, yet it clearly knew where every inhabitant of the village was.

The boy stepped back even further.

"Run—"

But Uriel did not move.

His gaze was fixed on the creature. Was he going to run again? His heart pounded.

That spark... that feeling that had begun to awaken within him, once again, slowly...

Now it burned. The embers that had gone out flared back to life with force.

Slowly, he took a step forward.

"Stay behind me."

The boy looked at him in shock.

Uriel did not wait for any kind of response. He knew what he had to do—the reason he had climbed this tower, the reason he had sacrificed so much on that first floor.

The black mass lunged toward the interior of the village, extending parts of its body like makeshift limbs, crushing stone in its path.

Uriel clenched his teeth.

He had no plan.

But this time...

He would not run.

As long as he was here, he would be the one to protect these people.