Exiting the first platform did not take them long, their journey only stymied by the speed of their journey and the need to watch out for attacks. Thankfully, they didn’t have to participate in any other major battles, at least none that slowed the group down significantly. Using the cleared paths, paying the minor tax to the two groups they ran into who kept the place clear, helped a lot with that.
Ascending to the second platform of the fifth floor and dealing with the gathered lizardkin tribe that had tried to ambush the first three of their climbers to ascend was a rough moment. Thankfully, they had packed the first three ascenders with their heaviest hitters: Rick with his shotgun, Arthur with his Refined Exploding Energy Darts, and Mel, whose ability to extend her spear and sweep it around to strike those at a distance kept the lizardkin away. When that didn't work, she would trigger the fiery elemental energy that coursed through the spear to explode upon impact, sending her victims flying into the distance.
Once the rest of the team had managed to climb up, the lizardkin had predictably fled once again. Not before leaving a number of their corpses behind. As the group dismembered their corpses for the monster cores, Rick had time to grouse about ammunition for his shotgun.
After that, it was just a matter of finding the most recent trail that had been broken and following that, keeping an eye on the direction they were moving in, of course. The second platform’s trails were less well kept, what with the fewer number of teams that managed to make their way to this platform and were attempting to get through the third. Most that did traverse the second platform often did so to collect monster cores or to complete random gathering quests rather than with the intention of making it to the third platform.
Like Arthur and his team, few intended to spend more time than they needed on the third platform. Once they pushed through to the third platform, it was often time to break into the next floor, especially since the third platform was more dangerous than the first two and but the monster cores weren't significantly better. If not for the fact that there were decent quests for picking up on the second platform, it probably wouldn't even have been as trafficked.
That didn't mean they didn't have to spend at least a few nights on the second platform, though.
"What's the first thing you're going to do when you're out?" Rick asked, late at night after the group had a quick bite. Nothing too sumptuous, but the fruits that could be picked from trees and supped on led to a pleasant meal, even if it was an unnecessary one for the Tower climbers.
"Chee chap chuk!" Yao Jing said immediately, conjuring memories of pork porridge for everyone else who’d ever eaten it. "The one close to Masjid Jamek. And I'll get some of the beef noodles there too. And maybe the chicken."
"The chicken is very good," Arthur said. "I prefer the noodles, though."
"Visit family, lah." Jan shook her head at both Arthur and Yao Jing. "They been waiting for us so long, why you don’t go see them first?"
Yao Jing waggled a hand. "If during the day, they’re all working, what."
"Let's not talk about family," Rick said with a sigh. He glanced at Casey as he said that, the pair of family heirs sharing a moment of mutual understanding. "What do you want to do, if you didn't have to deal with family or obligations?"
"Irresponsible," Uswah said. Then, after a moment, she added, "I'd visit the mosque."
"I said no obligations!" Rick said.
"It’s no obligation." Uswah smiled briefly. "Some of us actually believe."
Rick opened his mouth, then at Arthur's warning look, shut it. He turned to Casey then, expectantly.
"A spa. I feel like I haven't been able to get clean in months." She stared at her nails which had soil underneath them and had chipped a little. "A hot stone massage, a facial, exfoliants and scrubs and a hot soak..."
"Sounds expensive," Arthur muttered.
"Oh, and what would you do?" she challenged him, glaring at Arthur as she hugged herself defensively.
"Sorry, sorry. I just..." Arthur paused now, as he considered what he would do. What he wanted to do. "I guess, I don't know what I'd do. If I didn't have obligations. I mean... that's all I have. Out there."
Beside him, Mel nodded. She went next. "I have family, brothers and sisters to meet with. My father is in the hospital, I need to make sure he's fine." She sighed. "Pay for his bills, sell whatever I can." She glanced over at Arthur, then added. "Help set up the clan outside."
"Oh yeah, that," he grimaced.
"So boring," Rick said. "And don't worry about the clan, my parents will take care of it."
Casey opened her mouth, as did Arthur to reject the high-handed offer of help. Only for the pair to be beaten by Eric.
"Arthur’s always like this," the big man drawled.
"Like what?" Arthur said, dangerously.
"Boring! Always training and working, lah. We had to drag him out to go drinking, his first time. Then he complained, complained, all night about how it affected his training. Why, if we didn't tell him, he'd never see how little Yew wanted to—owww!" He grunted, rubbing his side where Leia had elbowed him hard in the side.
"Sweet lah," Leia said.
"Sweet or stupid."
"Oh, and you guys are much better?" Arthur groused.
"I am. Someone owes me a proper date," Leia looked over at Eric, who offered a half-smile and shrug.
"Tsui. Really, ah?" Arthur said, looking between the two. Sure, he'd had hints but still... "You know he still picks his toes with his fingers, right?"
"Not anymore." Leia looked inordinately proud of that. "He doesn't dare. Or else I won't sleep with him."
Eric growled a little but then stuck his feet out and waggled his feet side to side. Not that anyone could see his toes, what with his boots still on. Eventually, they'd pull them off and put on some boat shoes; the simple plastic of the slipper and straps meant they held up well. No one with any sense hiked through the undergrowth and floors with open-toe shoes though. Even toe shoes were considered a bad idea, since you never knew when someone might want to stab your foot. Steel-toe boots or the equivalent were the most popular form, closely followed by simple sneakers for their affordability and comfort, and then boots.
"Too much information," Arthur said, sticking fingers in his ears.
The group laughed quietly, before their attention turned to Lam Kor. The man had been silent all through this, and he shrugged. "I'm with Ms. Jan. I will visit my family. It will have been many months since I saw my children."
"What?!" The shouts and exclamations from the group were loud, so much so that a creeping salamander that had been closing in on them chose to flee instead.
"You're married?" Arthur said.
"How come you didn’t say?” Jan demanded.
"How many?" Uswah asked, more importantly.
"I am. And three," Lam replied, serenely. The man eyes glittered with amusement at their surprise, though Casey at least did not look surprised. Which was for the best, Arthur figured, what with him being her closest employee.
"Your poor wife," Mel said, touching her stomach. Probably thinking about the pregnancy, though Arthur figured the whole process of bringing up three children alone was difficult. It did, however, explain his presence here. Having three must have cost quite the penny. And he must be making quite the penny, risking his life for the Chins.
"If you die, they get paid ah?" Yao Jing seemed to have jumped to the same conclusion as Arthur, asking curiously.
"My salary is guaranteed for a period of ten years," Lam confirmed. "We have enough savings that that should be sufficient for my family—all of my family—to find jobs or some form of education or hobby."
"Good deal," Yao Jing said approvingly and nodded to Casey, who smiled at that. Many others nodded too, though Arthur, Leia, and Eric shared a long look before turning aside. In the silent communication, they replayed old discussions about the value of a life, the price one put upon freedom and, finally, the undeniable separation of Tower climbers. A discussion their sifu had held with them again and again, because to do otherwise was to fail his students.
Yet, none of the three chose to speak. After all, that was a conversation for outside the Tower. Here and now, the choice had been made. There was nothing they could do, for Lam, for themselves, for any who were here. They could only accept their new lot in life, the railway path that led them from Tower to Tower and, finally, oblivion.
Or success.
And none of the trio ever expected to see the final Tower. After all, twenty years in, and not a single Tower climber had managed that.