God's Tower System

[Modified Challenge Completed!]

[You have located The Keystone, an instrumental item to navigate La Novena Isla! Danger can lurk around every corner. Not everything is as it seems, and even the greatest failure can turn around into your most significant success!]

[You have located the Keystone within three hours! +15 Available Points!]

[Reward: 8/10 Modified Challenges Completed! Complete all ten to receive the reward!]

Jackson dismissed the windows and stared in awe at the bright feather in his hand, examining the intricate design carved into the calamus. The room flashed red as the portal sprung to life in front of the young man and his two partners.

"Hold on, Megan... I'm coming!" Jackson muttered, recalling Khione and Umbra back into his body before quickly stepping through the portal as he was violently dumped onto a beach with black sand. The skies were blackened as a thick haze-like smoke hung in the air.

Jackson looked around, unable to see his hands hanging around his hips. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked up, gasping for air as he saw the sky above him, "What the hell?!" He exclaimed, turning his head around as the notification window appeared in front of him:

[Modified Ninth Floor Challenge]

[The path to La Décima Isla has been blocked off by the Hollow scourge. The way is dangerous, and you may just be able to make it through the depths to reach Fort Novae. Careful though, stray too far from the path, and you will never be able to find your way to safety.]

Jackson dismissed the windows, looking around the shadows in concern. A brilliant white light illuminated from within his Gobbii Bag as he reached in and pulled out the Keystone. It glowed brightly, casting a glow over everything around them; Jackson could feel himself being drawn towards it like moths to a flame.

He took one last look behind him, seeing nothing but darkness beyond where he stood, then turned forward again and began walking down a long sandy shoreline with no end in sight. Jackson continued onward along this endless stretch of beach, the bright feather increasing and decreasing as he changed directions.

Jackson looked around at the black mist and clouds of smoke surrounding him. The sand, blackened with slight shades of greyscale, crunched underneath his boots. The shadows covered him, attacking the light, trying to snuff it out before retreating as the Keystone's illumination was too much for them to bear.

As he walked further away from the source of light shining from inside his fist, he noticed something strange about its appearance... It seemed darker than usual, 'Wasn't it supposed to be bright white?!' He thought to himself confusedly.

He stopped suddenly in his tracks when a dozen meters away from him, he could see his mother sitting on a tree swing holding a swaddled baby as his father stood behind her as both smiled and laughed.

He squinted his eyes and hesitantly stepped forward, 'A memory from my childhood..?' He thought as he remembered how beautiful she used to smile whenever they played together outside under the sun while laughing joyously!

"Kyu!!!" A loud noise rang inside his head, snapping Jackson back to reality as he looked around the shadows surrounding him, looking at the Keystone as he turned frantically and quickly sprinted as the feather lit up brightly.

His feet kicked up small waves washing across the dark surface of the sand until he finally reached an opening between two large rocks blocking his path ahead. However, as soon as he entered it, he felt a sudden tugging sensation pulling him backward.

He turned around and saw his grandmother holding her hand out to him. Jackson shivered as goosebumps covered his body, tears welling in the corner of his eyes as he looked upon her soft wrinkles and loving smile.

"Fuck, even with Dad's warning, this is hard..." Jackson muttered, shaking his head, tuning out the calls from the shadows as he stared into her wanting eyes. The Land of the Dead called to those of the living, preying upon the living to abandon hope and join the Hollow's Legion.

This was the curse of the Hollows.

They were mindless creatures, but each held a hive-like mind controlling millions of their kind, all working together to what end, no one knew...

Jackson sighed heavily after thinking carefully for several minutes before turning back around and continuing on, ignoring the various calls of the children from Saint Mary's that he cared for, his friends he had made in Duskgate, and anyone else perceived as close to him.

"I can do this." Jackson whispered quietly to himself as he ran faster, still heading straight in the direction the light shone brighter from the Keystone,  tightly clenched within his fist.

Jackson slowed down once more after running for nearly half an hour without stopping or slowing down even slightly despite feeling exhausted already due to lack of sleep since hearing Megan's call for help. He wiped the sweat dripping down his forehead with the back of his wrist.

There was another pull at him now; not quite strong anymore, but enough for him to notice it nonetheless... It was faint compared to earlier but growing stronger every second passing by... He shook his head, clearing thoughts from his mind as he focused.

Shortly after, the Keystone shined brighter than ever before as it burned in his hand, forcing him to release it as it floated higher into the air. High-pitched screeches were unleashed as the rays grew more vigorous, pushing back the shadows.

The feather grew brightly, illuminating the colors of the landscape around him as the plant's greenery and blue skies rushed back to the island.

The shadows were pushed back, struggling against the Keystone's light as massive black clouds formed as the smaller maskless Hollows crashed and exploded into smoke against each other, creating huge hulking behemoths.

Jackson's eyes widened as they began crashing toward him, the Keystone growing brighter before smashing into fragments and dimming into the ground a dozen meters in front of him.

He turned to look at the remains of the Keystone, his heart racing as the shadowed monstrosities charged closer. Moments later, a blue portal ripped open in front of him, spiraling where the feather had exploded.