275 Rather Stay In Bed (1/2)
”I thought you were trying to force Yin to come. I don't see him here. Is he coming?” Gary asked.
”He is.” Cooper said grimly. ”No matter what!”
Oh, by the way, because of the upcoming contest between the Cosmic Guild branches, Cooper was dead set on having the rather-stay-in-bed genius Tang Yin join the training camp.
He was serious. Gathering three other guys from Club Saturn, they went to hunt… err… cordially invite Tang Yin the sleepyhead over to the Compulsory Camp That Everyone Must Go To!
”Spatial Lock!”
”Paralysis!”
”Shock Stun!”
”Living Chains!”
”Binding Vines!”
”Wind Whip!”
”OW!” Tang Yin spluttered. ”What's with the whip!?”
But nobody answered or apologized. They simply hauled him out of there bodily. They bundled him into a carriage and rode off into the sunset…
Actually, no, they went to a large observatory on a tall hill just outside Ecclesia City. It took them roughly an hour, during which Tang Yin couldn't so much as scratch an itch.
”Someone help me scratch my nose!” Yin was half-begging by the time they arrived.
They dashed into the lowest floor of a tower and then shut the doors behind them heavily.
”Finally! Everyone's here!” Cooper glanced about. ”That's the full forty-six members of Club Astral! The Training Camp officially begins!”
”Let me go already!” Tang Yin barked.
Cooper gave his five captors a nod and they finally released him. Yin scratched his nose with vehemence, looking around grouchily. ”Fine! I'm here! So what do you want me to do?”
”Climb to the top of this tower.” Cooper said, simply. ”Same like all the rest of us.”
”That's it?” Yin stared. ”Where's the stairs.”
”Right. About that… there aren't any.” Cooper explained. ”You'll have to ascend by passing the trials. Also, there are no exits below the fourth floor.”
”Ah.” Tang Yin said. ”One of those.”
”What?” Gary blinked.
Cooper explained. ”This is a trial tower. It's for us to learn and test out our understanding of celestial powers. On every floor there are priceless scrolls and books on Sun Magic, Moon Magic, Star Magic, and Astrology. The most basic and easiest ones are on this floor. The most powerful magics are secreted away at the topmost floor. As to how high you're able to ascend, that depends entirely on your abilities.”
Gary's face fell. ”So I have to study your magic to climb up every floor… all the way to the fourth floor.”
”Fourth floor, minimum.” Cooper nodded. ”There's no other way out. Also, there's no time limit, but people tend to get hungry, eventually. We brought enough food and water for everyone to last a week, but beyond that…”
Gary gulped. He surreptitiously glanced at the door they just came in through.
”And that door's sealed from the outside once it shuts. It won't open again till next year.” Cooper concluded.
”So… study or die.” Gary grimaced.
”Pretty much.” Cooper agreed.
***
Keeping in mind Mindy's urging on space magic, Gary found himself staring at Tang Yin as everyone scattered to study.