As if the tower heard their conversation, it took them seven hours to get to the fifth landing. They had refused to eat at the fourth landing and were starving. They were exhausted.
They were expecting something chaotic. When they got there a crowd were just seated on the floor. At the far end were two doors, dark blue with black knobs.
"What's going on?" Amir asked a man seated on the floor. The other asked around but no one acknowledged them.
"Gather Round, This is where I got to the last time," The Brooker said, then saw them frown.
"You knew about the other landings and you said nothing? Why won't you share information that could benefit us?" Art asked, he sat on the floor like everyone.
"Listen, the landings are supposed to prepare you for the floors. I had to let you experience it. Otherwise, I would have than you a disservice." The Brooker explained his reasoning. Art understood but he was still upset.
"You could have at least nudged us in the right direction," Amir said and sat down on the floor too.
"I am trying to do that now. Those two doors are tricky. One should lead to the first floor. The other should lead back out the tower."
The Brooker looked at Art. He hoped he had answers.
"You want to know if there is anything in the journals? No, have not seen anything about the doors."
Amir got up and walked over to the door. He examined it carefully. He hoped he could spot the difference. Both doors were deep blue with black door knobs. No scratches or dents that differentiated them.
"If we guess wrong, we go through this whole process again," Art said and the others joined him.
"We can split up, one group choose one. The other chooses the other. If they end up at the exit. They can try again and choose the other door," Oroc said, and Amir and Aria nodded in agreement.
"It will not work, The Brooker has been here before. If that was the case, he would have chosen already," Art said still examining the door.
He took a key from The Brooker and keyed a knot at the base of the door. In real time he saw the same mark appear on the other door.
"I knew it, it's the same door," Art said and walked away.
"Are you giving up? There should be a way to the other side. Others did it, we can do it too," The Brooker followed him as he tried to talk him out of quitting.
"I am not giving up. This decision should not be made lightly. We should take our precious time making this decision. Rushing would be more time-consuming," Art said and tore a piece of paper from his journal. He walked to the door and slipped it under it. He hoped it would come out the other door but it did not.
He sighed and walked back to sit down. The others loitered, Oroc and Amir had a push-up challenge. Aria slept, the floor was hard but she slept like a baby.
They stayed until the horn sounded again. The Brooker went round and stabbed them with light keys.
Aria, Oroc, Amir, and finally Art.
Immediately Art was stabbed he walked over to the door.
"I just solved it," Art said with a smile on his face.
"Okay, how do we get to the other side?" The Brooker was eager to get out of there.
"Do you remember when you said, the keys are bones but does that stop them from being effective?" Art asked with a smug look all over his face.
"No, but that sounds like something I will say. Are you saying glamour has been used on the door?" The Brooker waited anxiously for the answer.
"No, if it has then a scratch would not reflect on the other door. There are two doors, we see both at the same time. The only way to see the other is if we are asleep," Art explained with a smile still on his face.
The Brooker on the other hand did not think it was good news.
"You are saying the only way to get to the other side, Is to give up my memories?" The Brooker asked and leaned against the wall. He then slid down with his back against the wall.
"Yes, I saw it when I lost my memories. A white door with gold knob," Art said and sat by him. At this point, Amir and Oroc had joined Aria in the dream world.
After hours of contemplating, The Brooker took out his keys from the liminal space. They were five pouches full. He even kept some in his satchel.
Art shook Amir, Oroc, and Aria awake.
"Get ready, we are about to leave for the first floor."
The Brooker gave each one a pouch of light keys. They tied it around their waist.
"Who would bring us back after we cross?" Amir asked after Art explained everything to them.
"Do we even know what the first floor is like? This sounds dangerous."
"It seems not everyone is okay with losing their memories. So, let's vote. We do what the majority votes for. Anyone who thinks we should go ahead, lift your hand,"
The Brooker said and raised his hand. Oroc raised his hand with with.
"Okay, tie. Amir, you need to make a decision," Oroc said.
"Okay, I think we should stay and find a way to enter with our memories. What if someone without memories opens the door but others with memories walk through."
"It will not work, it is not the door that changes. It is our perception of it that changes. Even if a white door is opened. You would see a blue door and walk through it,"
Art explained and looked around. He noticed they were all scared.
"Then no, I vote we go back down."
"I guess that's it, we go back down," The Brooker said and sighed.
"Amir, you really want to go back and keep digging. Are you okay not knowing who you are?"
Oroc said and shook his head.
"Okay, let's go buy we bring all of them with us," Amir said and they all agreed.
They went around trying to convince others to empty their liminal space.
"Why are they not listening to us," Aria said as she tried to pick people off the ground.
"They have heard countless theories that have led them to the tower doors. They don't believe anymore," The Brooker said.
"The horn would sound any moment from now. We need to go without them," Art said and walked over to the door.
The others joined him, they looked at each other holding hands. The horn sounded and they opened the door. Some of the others sitting on the floor saw the white door. They got up and followed them.
In there, was a similar room with double doors. Patched guards walked out of the doors. They lunged at them. They ran around the room as they tried to get away from them.
In the room where four knights amour with swords. Each knight had a sword with a different color. They were Red, blue, green, and silver.
As they chased them around, a man knocked over the knight's armor. The guard grabbed him and exploded. Bits and pieces flew across the room. Oroc took the sword and swung it at the guard.
He cut off his head and it fell to the ground. As they ran around Amir fell and pricked himself with a key.
As a guard ran towards him, he materialized his swords and swung at it. The moment his sword touched it, it exploded. He looked around to see chunks everywhere.
He quickly stabbed them with the key. Including, two others who followed them into the room.
"Is everyone okay?" Amir asked, he helped a woman up.
A man walked out of the door. He was thick and tall with caramel skin. Hoop rings dangled from each ear.
"What is your purpose?" he said in a commanding voice.
"To pass?" Oroc said and looked at the others.
"What is your mission?" he said, then panned through the room.
"To get to the top," The Brooker said, he stepped forward and tossed his pouch of keys at his feet.
"Lies," he said and instantly appeared in front of the woman. He punched her in the chest, instantly creating a hole in her.
The moment they noticed it, they started freaking out. Amir who was the closest to her. He turned when her insides exploded. He then stumbled backward and fell on his arse.
"Second chance, what is your mission?"
"To destroy the horn," Art said and sighed when he did not speak.
"What is your purpose?"
The moment the second question was asked their heart sank. A man who joined them tried to run. As headed to the blue door, the man appeared in front of him.
All they noticed after was shards of skull hitting them.
"Cheat"
"I will give you 10 pauses to tell me your purpose, one for each. Anyone living after 10 pauses would pass."