Tower: Murky and Charming

Chapter 4: Adaptation

It's been about a while since the new resident came into the tower. Getting tired and used to her clumsy behavior, the wizard allowed Athanasia to wander around in the tower but not let her outside. It's impossible for her to do that anyway.

On the outside, it may seem very peaceful and comfortable. However, it's still a deadly game of life. Whether she's alone or not, a serial killer is still with her and has the temptation to exterminate her. Not only that but she's also being hunted for poisoning the favored princess of Obelia when she was framed! Everyone is out for her!

And every night, she has to survive a painful experiment only to hope for the best. If failed then she lives another day but if successful. What will become of her is unknown.

"Mister Wizard, how old are you?" She asked curiously while going through his library. He stands at his table and ignores her presence, only to focus on his own work.

"Just grab your damn books and leave," He tells her with an obviously annoyed voice.

Pouting cheeks and letting out a huff, she frowns and scrunches her nose. "Ugh. Fine, I'll just climb down and be on my way" She held two books in one hand while the other held on the ladder.

As she steps down blindly because her dress blocked the view. An accident occurs as her foot misses the step below. Her hand slips and her body loses balance as she falls in the air.

"Ahhhh!" She screams while heading toward the floor fast.

Then lands, hard.

THUMP SHATTER

She hits the table, then the floor, and a glass beaker breaks. Which alarms the warlock in the same room. He lifts his chin but doesn't turn his body to the situation.

"Did something break?" He mumbles and then goes back to researching while she groans and whines.

"...my...back" she whimpers with her eyes shut. 

"Ah! It was one of my things wasn't it?" he turns around and finds her laying on the floor, trembling and aching in complete shock and embarrassment. "What are you doing? Get up and out of here" He smirks slyly, knowing what had happened.

Then she suddenly forgot her pain for a second and glared at the wizard who didn't seem to care at all. Fury is all she can feel as blood boils to her brain. A vein pops and lips are bitten, she forces herself up which was a very bad idea.

CRACK

Her bones moved in a concerning way and the sound was definitely not a good sign.

"Ack!" She held her back and struggled to stand still properly.

"What are you? A grandma already?" He snorts and she turns to him with a menacing face that didn't bother him. "I'm much older than you and you're already aging faster than me"

He goes back to work while she stays hurt and leaves the room with her shoulders heavy.

"It's probably because of those times sleeping while sitting" She murmurs under her breath and rubs her spine. "Maybe if I get a pillow but..."

She thinks back into the past, all those times she requested something would piss him off.

'I'll just make the books my pillow and sleep on the floor' She silently cried to herself and limped back.

*Flashback*

"And here is another one!" The elderly wizard surprises her with another glittering gem straight out of the pockets of his sleeves.

"Thank you very much" She accepts it wholeheartedly and keeps it in her hands while admiring it deeply. "I'll put it in my collection along with the other gifts you gave me"