Broken Tower Novels & Stories

Sienna yelled, looking back over her shoulder. The massive, biomechanical Deluge Spire the machine designed to flood the world was leaning dangerously. The tectonic eruption had entirely shattered its foundation. With a deafening, metallic screech that tore through the water, the colossal tower began to topple, crushing thousands of paralyzed Abyssal-Strikers beneath its falling iron mass. Dax was the last one through the Phase-Shield. He threw himself over the threshold, his suit smoking and covered in localized frost from the pressure differentials.

“Adrian… tell me that glass won’t break.” There was a pause. Too long. “I can’t guarantee that.” Director Vale turned toward her sharply. “If that thing explodes, what happens?” She didn’t answer. Because Adrian did. “Energy feedback will destroy the entire lab level.” Vale stared at the screen again. “That’s eight floors underground.” “Yes.” “And above it?” Vale pressed. “Structural compromise likely.” The meaning was clear. The tower could collapse. Her hands tightened on the edge of the console. “Adrian, stabilize it.”

A thick steel structure with antenna arrays climbing into the sky. “Found it.” My breath catches again. Adrian runs over. I follow. Bolted to the base of the tower—a massive black case. Much larger than the first device. The digital screen glows red. 02:14 Marcus swears under his breath. “That’s a real charge.” Adrian studies it quickly. “How much?” Marcus shakes his head. “Enough to cut the tower in half.” My stomach twists. “If that tower collapses…” “The top floors collapse with it.”

He finally wanted something that glowed on its own terms. "Consider it... an upgrade," he grunted, the heat already starting to singe his brows. He tripped the final circuit. The basement collapsed into a supernova of sound and light, an architectural swan song that stripped the Ivory Tower of its final shred of sentience. Outside, a hundred yards away, Anji and Sarah ducked behind a line of rusted barricades, bracing themselves as the earth jumped, the Ivory Tower screaming for the last time before its entire center section sank into the ruined earth of the district, plunging the entire city grid into a sudden, perfect, dead-silent black.

Ben called from his crate, “If he throws you off the tower, yell.” I looked at him. “What exactly will you do?” “Complain at him loudly.” “Helpful.” “I have a role.” I climbed the broken stairs. Each step groaned under my boots. The lantern flame flickered yellow, normal and small, which felt comforting after all the blue fire and red magic and gold command. The upper level of the tower was half-collapsed, open to the night on one side. Snow drifted through the broken wall and gathered in the corners. Cassian stood at the edge where the stone had fallen away.

We rocketed down the dark exit tunnel just as massive slabs of concrete began falling from the ceiling behind us. The transport burst out of the tunnel entrance and into the open morning air, airborne for a terrifying second before slamming back onto the dirt road outside the city perimeter. "Look!" Leo said, pointing out the rear window. We all leaned back to look through the glass. The Spire, the majestic, terrifying tower of white glass that had dominated the skyline of Oakhaven for generations, was smoking from top to bottom. The giant weather-control grid overhead—the artificial blue sky that had kept us in a fake paradise—was cracking apart. Huge panels of glass and metal were falling

For everything I’d already failed at today. I collapsed into the nearest chair as the conference room emptied. Mum was right. I was a worthless mess of failed attempts. “Approved?” Chiara’s voice anchored me. Staff trickled back in, subdued. I shook my head. “Why do we all look so solemn?” Kaia tried, voice bright. “Jaxon Carrington is a hard man to impress.” Seraphina silenced her with one sharp glare. Chiara wrapped her arms around me — warmth. Shelter. With her hug, the tears finally broke free.

My eyes flung open, as I breathed heavily. I was still in the medics hub and Doc. Ramirez wasn’t back yet. I tried to make sense of what I had just seen and before I could do so, the medics hub shook. The hinges that held doors broke, without any trigger and the doors fell off. The chair I sat on shook, vibrating violently that I was almost knocked down on the ground. I managed to get a grip of myself and prevented myself from falling off the ground. I looked up and almost everything was crashing to the floor.

Trembling with her insecurity. Stronger, I urged. Pouring my own golden light into the mortar to help her hold it. Use the love. Use the Pack. Barzil is the foundation. Viggo is the gate. Wolfy is the mortar. And I... I am the roof. She took a breath. The walls solidified. The tower rose. High and terrible and beautiful. It blocked out the wind. It blocked out the fear. Inside the tower, it was quiet. Good, I said. Now, the weapon.

That had her putting down her walls she had fought to build after the last break up. She couldn’t do that to herself again. She couldn’t afford to let her guard down and let everything she had crumble down. Almost everyone she’d loved left her. Her mother had just died recently, she just started mending her relationship with her father and with Tan he had left before, this was bound to be a repeat of the past. If he hadn’t told her she might regret this after there might be a glimmer of hope for them both, but she already knew it. Tan’s loyalty was to his father and mother.