The departure of the Second Expedition became the defining event of the week.
Tower City had witnessed countless arrivals since its creation. Merchants, adventurers, scholars, nobles, and mercenaries continuously flowed through its streets like rivers converging toward a single destination. Yet the sight of hundreds of elite climbers entering the Tower together was something else entirely. It wasn't merely an expedition. It was a statement.
Humanity had stopped observing.
Humanity had started climbing.
For days afterward, the city remained consumed by discussion. Taverns overflowed with speculation. Scholars debated likely outcomes. Merchants adjusted investment strategies based on potential discoveries. Every citizen possessed an opinion regarding what the Second Expedition might encounter beyond the First Floor.
Unfortunately, opinions were all anyone possessed.
The Tower remained silent.
No messages emerged.
No communication arrived.
