The guide spoke.
We have arrived.
Ash walked through a massive stone gate.
Beyond it stood a wide arena surrounded by towering walls.
And on top of those walls stood a single guard.
"Participant Ash," the guard said calmly.
"This is the evaluation for Floor One, to determine if you're ready to enter Floor Two."
Ash stepped forward.
"Participant Ash, your animal is the crow. Show me your three abilities," the guard continued.
Ash nodded.
"My first ability…"
He tapped the side of his head.
"Photographic memory."
The guard raised an eyebrow.
Ash continued without hesitation.
"On the way here there were ten participants standing outside the gate. Five guards at the entrance. Two on each side and one in the center."
The guard remained silent.
Ash kept going.
"There's also a large statue in the courtyard. And the last words of the participant the Ruler struck down with a lightning bolt the day we all woke up were:
'Who do you think you are?! Some kind of god? I'm not playing this sick game—'"
The guard's eyes narrowed slightly.
Ash raised a finger.
"My second ability."
His eyes focused upward toward the guard.
"Corvus Vision."
He tilted his head slightly.
A fly drifted through the air and settled on the guard's shoulder.
"You have a fly on your shoulder… right shoulder."
The guard froze.
Slowly, he turned his head toward his shoulder.
Ash was right.
He continued calmly.
"There's also a tattoo on the left side of your neck."
Silence filled the arena.
Then Ash smiled.
"And my third ability…"
His wings exploded outward behind him.
Massive black feathers spread through the air.
Ash lifted from the ground.
"Black Wings."
The guard remained silent.
Measuring.
Judging.
The wind from his wings echoed across the arena.
The guard studied Ash for a moment.
Then he nodded.
"Participant Ash… you have successfully completed the final evaluation of Floor One."
Ash waited silently.
The guard straightened.
"You are now authorized to ascend."
Suddenly—
A deep hum echoed through the arena.
At the center of the stone floor, light began to gather.
Ash stepped back slightly as a circular portal slowly formed, swirling with blue energy.
Wind rippled across the arena.
Ash stared at it.
"…What is that?"
The guard answered calmly.
"That portal will take you to the Second Floor."
Ash looked between the portal and the guard.
"So that's it…?"
The guard nodded.
"You may proceed whenever you are ready."
Ash hesitated for a second.
Then he took a slow breath.
"…Alright."
His wings shifted slightly behind his back as he stepped toward the glowing portal.
The light reflected in his eyes.
"This is where the real climb begins…"
And without looking back—
Ash stepped inside.
The portal swallowed him in a flash of light.
For a moment, everything went white.
Then the light faded.
Ash blinked in surprise.
He wasn't inside another arena.
He was standing in the center of what looked like a massive city.
Tall stone buildings surrounded him on all sides. Wide streets stretched into the distance, filled with people. Bridges connected rooftops, and banners hung between towers.
But what shocked him most was the noise.
Dozens—no, hundreds—of climbers crowded the streets.
© 2025 Moku. All rights reserved. The Tower of the Animal Kingdom is an original work by Moku. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is prohibited.