The Tower Unbroken: A West African Progression Fantasy (The Architect Cycle Book 1) by Michael Nwanolue

Author:Michael Nwanolue [Nwanolue, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-11-17T05:00:00+00:00

Eleven

Truths and Secrets – Part I

Somadina spent the rest of the walk back to Sinikat chattering non-stop. As the Tower wouldn’t be opening for quite a while yet, they had collectively decided that waiting around was pointless. And in addition, Kainene and Olisa wanted a proper roof over their heads before nightfall.

“Sinikat gets dangerous at night,” had been the response to his query. Now, when they turned a corner, Kainene raised a hand, warding off yet another question.

“Oga take it easy now. Ahn ahn! We’ve only got so many mouths.”

Somadina laughed and let out a sheepish grin. “I know that. I just wanted to know how the Tower worked.”

“Well, as Firstborn artefacts go it’s very unique,” Olisa said, ducking out of the way of three quarrelling merchants. “It’s long been speculated that the Tower’s somewhat sentient. Sages and higher can go in whenever they want, so long as they use it for research and study. In exchange they have to leave an artefact of value they Forged themselves behind as payment.”

“But only dibias can Forge, right? Alufaas or jarumis don’t have Enchantment techniques,” said Somadina thoughtfully. “Will the Tower let them in?”

“Of course,” said Kainene immediately. “Like Sages, you don’t get to Blessed or Gold without picking up a lot of things. All the Tower cares about is that you contribute to its stash. So scrolls on martial arts, bonded weapons, armour and so on are fair game.” She flicked her fingers. “For the rest of us, we have to wait every ten years or so when the Tower opens for everyone. Then we are free to take all that collected treasure as well as the ones the Firstborn left there. But it isn’t easy. The Tower’s defensive scripts have been failing over time and it isn’t unheard of to find a horde of soul beasts and Aberrations waiting when it opens. Add to that the fact that the Tower likes to separate people, putting them in rooms far from each other, the time limit before it kicks you out and the other people competing with you for the same thing…” She took a deep breath. “It can get pretty wild.”

Somadina’s eyes were wide. “You’ve been inside, haven’t you?”

“Once. When I was twelve.”

“I was thirteen at the time,” Olisa chimed in. “Kainene and I hadn’t met yet, though like everyone in Zin Kibaru I knew who she was.” He flicked the staff on her back. “That’s where she got this. I got a sistrum.”

“Really?” Somadina asked, excited. He was imagining the damage Olisa would be able to do with a music instrument amplifying his sound techniques. “Why don’t you have it?”

“I lost it.”

Somadina stared at him, scandalized.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Olisa said, laughing. “It’s not big of a deal. I wasn’t that good a player anyway.”

This boy clearly wasn’t taking this seriously enough. “It was an artefact made by a Sage.”

“I’ll get another one when we go in,” he said dismissively.

A group brushed past them, cutting off Somadina’s retort.

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