Tower of Avarice: A LitRPG story

The elevator door opened without a sound. Stepping out, Emily's feet met concrete ground. The soft hum of a breeze greeted her ears, along with the city sounds that she had once been so accustomed to.

She stood on the rooftop of a skyscraper, one that was impossibly high, in the center of New York City. Emily recognized the world that stretched out around her at a glance. It was her world, her home.

The skyline glistened beneath a flawless blue sky, and sunlight spilled over glass and steel like molten gold. Other buildings reached toward the heavens in all directions, but none managed to reach the same height as her. She could see cars moving on the streets below, and it made everything seem peaceful and safe.

It felt real. It was a place she hadn't seen in what felt like a lifetime.

Emily took another step forward and breathed in the fresh, warm air that held a hint of spring. No divine pressure weighed on her shoulders; there was no distant echoes of battles or the screams of fighting gods. There was just the wind, the hum of the city, and the feeling of loss that had carved out a hollow in her chest.

Waiting near the edge of the rooftop was the grey-suited young woman who Emily referred to as the Administrator of the Tower. No one really knew who she truly was, just that most people encountered her at some point during their journey through the Floors.

The young woman stood with her hands folded neatly in front of her, and the faintest curve of a smile hung on her lips that was neither cold nor warm. It was polished and professional, filled with expectations.

"Congratulations, Emily." She greeted her in a voice that was smooth and polite.

"You've reached the Hundredth Floor of the Tower of Avarice, the summit and the end of your long journey. Few reach this point; you should be proud." The young woman said.

Emily didn't answer at first. Her eyes were still scanning the view, not in awe of where she was or disbelief at finally reaching this point, but in grief and contemplation of her loss. She was remembering her life here with Mathew, and for a moment she was unable to speak.

"I thought it would be different." Emily muttered and gestured vaguely at her surroundings with her hand. She had expected something grander and had pictured a place fitting for the 100th Floor. But that was before losing Mathew.

She had spoken to delay speaking her wish; the fear that she would be denied or rejected was heavy on her heart.

"It usually is. I thought it was appropriate to keep things simple, more straightforward in appreciation of all you have been through. It was difficult for you to lose him, not just once, but twice." The grey-suited young woman said gently, her tone understanding.

"For some, this is a momentous occasion worth celebrating. But for others, for people like you, it's an opportunity and a choice." The grey-suited woman finished, her eyes boring into Emily's as she waited for her to speak.

"Can you do it? Can you bring him back?" Emily whispered hopefully. The other woman frowned and hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"In a way. Are you aware of the cost? Things will not be how they were. That is beyond the power of the Tower to provide." She replied, and Emily nodded quickly.

"I'm aware of the shard of divinity and what it will mean for us." Emily stated firmly.

The young woman waited for a moment, her eyes judging, before she nodded.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Very well. If you are resolved, speak your wish."

The wind whispered softly across the rooftop, stirring strands of Emily's hair as she stood beneath the endless blue sky. The sun cast its golden light across the city that stretched out in every direction.

Emily opened her mouth and said the words that she had prepared. The wish came from her heart, filled with all of her emotions, her longings and her dreams. It came from the depths of her soul, from every moment of pain, every loss and every battle fought in blood and grief. Her voice trembled, not with fear, but with the sheer weight of the meaning behind what she was about to do.

"It is done." The grey-suited young woman said, her voice resonating with the world around her. Emily's vision turned white as reality disappeared.

Page Break

The sun was just beginning to dip toward the horizon, casting the world in a soft, golden glow. The ceremony took place in a secluded garden nestled on a quiet hillside just outside the city. Everything felt alive; lanterns hung from branches overheat to light against the coming dusk.

A canopy of white fabric framed the altar, woven through with fresh flowers.

Aliva stood in front of it in a simple, elegant white gown of soft silk that caught the sunlight. Her hair was swept back with delicate silver pins, and she held a bouquet of flowers in her hands.

Greg waited for her at the altar, barely able to stand still as he absent-mindedly tried to smooth the slightly wrinkled suit he wore. His smile when he looked at Alivia was the kind that made time stop. It was as if she was the only person in the world.

When the ceremony was over, the reception was just beginning, the guests came to congratulate them. There were dozens of people from their time in the Tower, all gathered to help them celebrate.

Rehn came forward and happily kissed Alivia on the cheek before giving her a hug. The Psion was wearing a dark blue dress that matched her perfectly and was drawing the attention of several young men who were waiting to ask her to dance.

When Rehn moved away, Louis replaced her. The Prince of Francia offered the pair a palace for his honeymoon in his homeland, where he would be returning soon. After speaking for a moment, the young Prince had barely walked a few feet before he was swarmed by young women looking for a dance partner and had set their eyes on him.

Standing near the back of the wedding grounds was a tall woman who looked out of place. Lunara the Celestial looked as radiant as ever, with an inner light that shone stronger than the sun in the sky. Her tall frame towered over those around her as she explained the Song of Creation to Emily.

"Am I interrupting?" A voice spoke softly beside them. A young man, handsome and elegantly dressed in a tuxedo, walked up to them and drew Emily's attention. He had dark hair and bright blue eyes that were filled with contentment, happiness and love.

"Not at all. I was just attempting to teach Emily some of our Celestial ways. I believe she will be a much quicker study than you, Student." Lunara replied, and her normally expressionless face showed a hint of pride as she looked at the young man.

"I have no doubt she would be." Mathew replied with a smile and a chuckle as he wrapped his arm around Emily's waist.

"I'll leave you both for a moment. Remember, Mathew, Unyielding Declaration requires your assistance soon." Lunara reminded him as she slowly drifted away toward Rehn. It seemed the Celestial may have had her eye on more students, and the Psion was a good candidate.

Emily leaned against Mathew's chest and let out a contented sigh. Things were so perfect at that moment that she didn't want it to end.

"It was so good of you to do this, Mathew. To gather everyone together and allow them to travel as they want." Emily murmured, closing her eyes as Mathew held her gently.

"Apostles should be treated well." Mathew stated, and there was a faint hint of something in his voice that made her open her eyes to look at him.

"Is everything alright?" She asked in concern, and he shook his head slightly.

"Nothing, just bad memories. I'm glad we've had this time together." Mathew responded.

They spent the rest of the evening with their friends and family, enjoying themselves and sharing stories of their adventures. No one mentioned the bad times or the hardships, and when the moon was high in the sky, and people began to retire for the night, Mathew and Emily walked down the deserted street outside the wedding venue hand in hand.

A divine glow surrounded them, brighter than the moon in the sky. The shard of divinity within Mathew, granted by Emily's wish to the Tower and delivered by Unyielding Declaration, flared to life and gathered the Aether in the air to it.

With their friends and family safe, the couple disappeared into motes of light as they returned to their domain.

The domain of the god of Enduring Resolution and his Apostles.

The End

Author's Note:

I want to thank everyone for reading my story, The Tower of Avarice! What a journey it's been, almost 2 years of writing. It hasn't been easy, but I'm proud of the story I've created, and I hope you like it! To everyone who has supported me along the way, I want to thank you so much. This wouldn't have been possible without you.

Thanks again,

TGP