"Who created the tower?"
It was another question that many people didn't have an answer to. Most people thought that the Tower of Challenges was created by the Academy of Element, but only a few knew that it wasn't the case. Even before the Academy was established, the Tower of Challenges had been here, standing tall.
No one even knew just how old this tower actually was in reality. If there was someone who could know, it was most probably Cylix and Novius, as they were claimed to be the founders. They were also the first people who entered the tower that were presently known.
"This tower?" Cylix asked to be clear since Gabriel didn't mention which tower he was talking about. There were a lot of towers in the world and even in the Academy.
"Yes." Gabriel nodded, still gazing at the beautiful sky. "The Tower of Challenges."
"That question is one even we don't know the answer to," Cylix confessed right away. Even when he was alive, he never tried to lie about it and take credit for it. He never told anyone that they were the ones who made it.
It was just that somehow this story kept spreading with the future generations of the Academy that the founders of the Academy created this tower.
As it only increased the prestige of the Academy, the future authorities didn't clear this rumor, and with time, the rumor took the place of the truth. At this point, it was impossible in the outside world to distinguish this lie from the reality.
"When we discovered the tower, it was the only existing structure in the barren land as far as the eyes could see. Even we were slightly curious about it, wondering who could've made a Tower in the middle of nowhere and why?" Novius chimed in.
He could remember it perfectly since, for them, it wasn't long ago. It was right before they had entered the tower and left a small part of their consciousness behind to protect this Tower.
"A tower in the middle of nowhere?"
As soon as Gabriel heard the description, he couldn't help but think of the tower he had seen in the dream before. The Tower inside which he was standing seemed to be in the middle of the sea, also matching this description.
Could it be that there was another Tower like this? If yes, then it meant that these Towers predated even Karyk's Timeline. No wonder Cylix and Novius didn't know who made it. If the towers were that old, it was impossible for them to know.
However, the question still remained the same. Who made these towers, and why in the middle of nowhere? One in the middle of the sea and one in the middle of a barren land?
Just how many more were there? And for what purpose were they made? Were they made by Karyk? Or the other gods? Or was it something of even more significance? Instead of his questions going down, they only increased at this point.
"If you want to know who made the Tower, you might need to get to the hundredth floor. If anything, that's the place where you'll get your answers. Even we don't know if those answers would be enough to satisfy you or not though..."
For a moment, there was only silence as none spoke. Gabriel found their words to be making sense. The Hundredth floor might be able to give some clues. Moreover, these two had no memories of the Hundredth floor since they were separated from the main body right after they cleared the ninety-ninth floor.
At the moment, in this place were only three people: Gabriel, Cylix, and Novius. The Infernal King wasn't present here as Gabriel had already sent him back.
Since it was going to be a long training where he wasn't going to be needed, Gabriel didn't feel like wasting the Infernal King's time. Moreover, even in the battle, he wasn't allowed to use the Infernal King, so it was all on him.
He sent the Infernal King back to the realm of the dead, which he was eager to get back to. Not only did Gabriel send the Infernal King back, but he also promised the Infernal King that he wasn't going to call him again for at least a month unless he was really facing a life or death situation. The Infernal King could finish his business in the Realm of Dead.
Immersed in the beautiful silence under the moonlight, Gabriel didn't even realize when he fell asleep. It had been a long time since he had a sleep like this, where he wasn't as stressed as he usually was.
Moreover, even though he was expecting these bizarre dreams, it had been weeks since he had seen something like that. He felt as if he was healing and his Grimoire had stopped showing him such dreams... At least for now.
After a long time, he was once again seeing ordinary dreams, sleeping in the gentle embrace of Earth.
After Gabriel fell asleep, Cylix glanced at him. Noticing him sleeping, Cylix sat up, folding his knees. Novius also sat up.
Both of them glanced at the peacefully sleeping face of Gabriel, who looked like he was in a deep sleep. After observing Gabriel for a few seconds, they both glanced at each other momentarily.
They both stood up and disappeared.
****
The Academy had been under a lockdown for close to two weeks, and no classes were going on. However, it was only now that classes had resumed. The only place which was forbidden for the students to go to was the Tower of Challenges which was still being guarded by two Head Teachers every second.
Now that the class had resumed, Teachers once again started interacting with the students and found out things that they didn't before because of their distraction.
"When is Lord Izen returning?"
Other than the two Head Teachers who were protecting the Tower of Challenges, all the other Head Council Teachers were sitting in the Dean's office with Eliana.
