The new apartment was still half-empty, but it already felt more like home than anywhere I'd ever lived. Sunlight streamed in, painting golden rectangles on the floor. Lila was humming in the kitchen, organizing dishes with military precision. Eli was sprawled on the couch, sketching wild ideas for our "family crest"—a sword, a vine, and a chicken drumstick.
I left early, nerves buzzing. Today was orientation at Gilded Path, my first real step as a Hunter. The walk to their headquarters was short—a few blocks through the city's morning bustle. Every window I passed showed a reflection of someone new: taller, stronger, tattooed with a sword and vines that only I knew the meaning of.
Inside, Gilded Path's lobby was all glass and gold. Hunters in uniforms, staff in business suits, a steady hum of anticipation. The receptionist greeted me with a practiced smile.
"Name?"
"Abel," I replied, trying to sound confident.
She checked her tablet. "Orientation's on the third floor. Follow the signs."
The elevator ride was silent except for my pounding heart. I flexed my hand, feeling the faint tingle of telekinesis—the Mind Tyrant's gift. I'd been practicing all morning: spinning coins, nudging pencils, making a pebble roll across my palm. It was weak, but it was mine.
The orientation room was full of rookies—maybe thirty of us, all shapes and backgrounds. Some looked bored, some terrified, most somewhere in between. I found a seat near the back, quietly practicing lifting my pen off the table with my mind.
A tall woman in a sharp uniform strode to the front. "Welcome to Gilded Path. I'm Captain Reyes, your orientation lead. You've all survived the Tower's tutorial. Now you'll learn what it means to survive as a team."
She tapped a remote, and the guild's emblem glowed behind her. "The Tower adapts to your numbers. Solo, you might face ten goblins. With two, it's twenty. With five, the monsters may not multiply, but they'll get tougher. The challenge is always the same for everyone on a given floor, but the Tower scales to your team."
A hand shot up—a wiry guy with a shock of blue hair. "Can we go solo if we want? Some of us did the tutorial alone."
Captain Reyes smiled, but there was steel in her eyes. "Good question. Guild policy is no solo runs for new recruits. Until you reach Floor 5, you'll be on a team with a mentor. Solo runs are only allowed after six months and ten successful team expeditions—by then, you'll know what you're up against."
A few people groaned quietly. I felt a little relief. I'd survived alone, but I knew the odds. With a team, maybe I'd have a real shot.
She continued, "Your mentor will accompany you until Floor 5. They're there to observe and advise, but they won't intervene unless your life is truly on the line. Severe injuries? That's on you. The Tower is harsh, and so is the world outside it."
She let that sink in, then moved on. "Most teams are three to five Hunters: a tank, a healer, at least one DPS, and sometimes support or scouts. We build balanced teams for a reason. Trust your team, and you'll survive."
The rest of orientation was a blur of paperwork, safety briefings, and gear fittings. I got standard-issue armor—light, tough, nothing fancy—and a new sword. I kept flexing my hand, practicing telekinesis whenever I could. I managed to make a paperclip float for a few seconds before it clattered to the floor.
After lunch, we were split into teams based on sponsor, skills, and personality. My team:
• Maya: Healer, quiet and sharp-eyed, with a bracelet of living vines. Sponsor: Verdant Hand.
• Tomas: Tank, big and broad, his armor reinforced with extra plating. Sponsor: Iron Eidolon.
• Jin: DPS, dual daggers, quick and cocky, a fox tattoo curling up his neck. Sponsor: The Veiled Matron.
• Rhea: Support mage, stormy aura, dry sense of humor. Sponsor: Stormbound Herald.
Tomas grinned and shook my hand. "Abel, right? Glad to have you. I'll take point, Maya keeps us alive, Jin's our glass cannon, and Rhea keeps things interesting."
Jin flashed a grin. "What's your trick?"
I hesitated, then shrugged. "Telekinesis. Still working on it."
Maya's eyes lit up. "That's rare. You'll fit right in."
Rhea smirked. "Just don't throw me at the monsters."
We laughed, tension breaking. I felt like I might actually belong.
Captain Reyes gathered us for a final briefing. "Your first run is tomorrow. Floor One. Standard goblin challenge. You'll go in as a team, with your mentor observing. Remember: stick together, communicate, and trust your training. If you make it to Floor 5, you'll hit your first joint floor—a rest hub. You'll meet Hunters from all over the world there. The Tower translates everything, so you'll understand each other, even if you don't speak the same language."
Jin raised his hand. "What's the deal with joint floors? Can we stay there as long as we want?"
Reyes nodded. "Joint floors—5, 11, 21, and so on—are global rest hubs. You can rest, resupply, and trade. Some Tower floors take weeks to clear, so you'll need those breaks. But remember: no fighting on rest floors. The Tower enforces that rule itself."
Maya asked, "What if someone's badly hurt before Floor 5?"
"Your mentor will intervene only if you're about to die. Otherwise, you're expected to handle injuries as a team. Learn to rely on each other."
The rest of the afternoon was drills in the training hall. Tomas was a wall—nothing got past him. Maya's healing magic was subtle but steady, her vines knitting cuts closed in seconds. Jin darted in and out, his daggers a blur. Rhea called down bursts of wind and lightning, scattering imaginary enemies.
I practiced with my sword, blending street-fighting instincts with the guild's style. Every break, I practiced telekinesis: making a pebble roll, lifting a water bottle, nudging a training sword. It was weak, but I could feel it growing—like a muscle I'd never used before. Sometimes I caught Maya watching, curiosity in her eyes.
After drills, our mentor arrived: Ms. Calder, a veteran Hunter with a scarred cheek and a gaze like a hawk. She wore simple armor, a battered shield slung over her back.
She looked us over, voice brisk. "I'm not here to hold your hand. I'll watch, advise, and step in only if you're about to die. If you're smart, you'll never need me."
Jin grinned. "So, basically, don't die and don't embarrass you?"
Calder's lips twitched. "Exactly. And don't embarrass yourselves, either."
She handed out our expedition schedule and a map of the Tower's first five floors. "You'll start at Floor One tomorrow. Goblins—basic, but don't underestimate them. The Tower's challenge is the same for every team, but it'll scale to your numbers. Expect twenty goblins, maybe more. Some will be stronger than you remember from the tutorial."
Tomas nodded. "We'll be ready."
Calder's eyes lingered on me. "Telekinesis, huh? Rare. Don't rely on it too much at first. Use your head."
I nodded, feeling the vines on my back pulse with anticipation.
As we left, Rhea nudged me. "You always practicing that power?"
I shrugged. "Every chance I get. If I can get it strong enough, maybe I can save someone's life. Or my own."
She grinned. "Let's hope you don't have to. But if you do, throw Jin at the goblins first."
Jin laughed. "Hey, I'm fragile!"
Back at the apartment, Eli and Lila were waiting.
"How'd it go?" Eli asked, bouncing on his toes.
I flopped onto the couch. "Team's good. Mentor's scary. First run tomorrow. And I get to meet Hunters from all over the world at Floor 5."
Lila's eyes widened. "Really? That's amazing. What if you meet someone famous?"
Eli grinned. "Or someone with a pet dragon. You gotta get a selfie."
I laughed, feeling the last of my nerves fade. "I'll try. But first, I have to survive goblins."
That night, I lay in bed, the city lights flickering outside. I practiced telekinesis until my head ached—lifting coins, rolling a pen, trying to move my pillow. Each time, it got a little easier, a little stronger. The sword tattoo on my arm glowed faintly in the dark, the vines on my back warm and alive.
Tomorrow, I'd face the Tower again. Not alone, but as part of a team—with a mentor watching, and a power that was slowly becoming my own.
The future was waiting. And for the first time, I felt ready to meet it.