Cade managed to haul himself up to the window’s ledge without the rope snapping and sending him to his untimely death. The tower was much taller than he thought, and his lungs and muscles burned from the effort. Despite that, however, he didn’t fail to notice that the window - which hardly looked ancient, and even had some pretty little lines painted along its sides - was shut. Odd, since the tower’s supposed to be abandoned...

“Are you coming or what?” he called back down to the others.

“... Owww man, my back! I don’t think I can make it, kiddo.”

“And I have to keep watch over the old man here. You can do it, Cade! We believe in you!”

The blonde made an exasperated noise. He was sure now that the boss only sent them on this mission because he’d opened his mouth and criticized their methods. Well, then. Just had to get this over and done with.

He would’ve normally kicked the window open, but it was too artful to ruin. So he pushed with his hands instead, and when it wouldn’t open all the way through, used the dagger he had with him to deal with the lock.

Then he finally stepped into the tower, and into darkness.

“Hello?”