Single Wish: Rise Of The Omniscient Paragon

Azgul Fortress

Close to the Stairs of Ascension was one of the most unique cities in the Shattered Dimension, the Azgul Fortress, otherwise known as The City of Endless Steps.

The first thing one would notice when approaching this unique city was that the city seemed to have grown out of the cliffs it occupied. It was a towering city of stone and countless lanterns that seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky.

It was built into the sheer rock face leading to the Stairs of Ascension, with buildings stacked one on top of the other in a chaotic yet mesmerizing pattern. The city had a total of 25 'floors', and the distance between each floor was three hundred meters (300m).

Everywhere you looked, there were stairs, narrow, winding staircases and wide stone steps carved directly into the cliffside. They crisscrossed the city, connecting everything like an endless web. Bridges arched between the buildings, and their edges were lined with glowing lanterns that had a similar rune. They flickered softly, casting a warm light over the stone streets.

The fortress was known for its ingenious transportation systems- Chain Lifts.

Chain Lifts were massive platforms suspended by enchanted steel cables. On this platform were runes with defensive capabilities and could also block the sight of those outside the platforms.

The Chain Lifts moved people and supplies between its many floors. These lefts which were powered by chaos crystals were a lifeline for those navigating the fortress's dizzying heights. There were also tunnels carved into the mountain, twisting passages that connected hidden chambers and allowed for quick movement during sieges.

Another striking feature of Azgul Fortress was the bridges called Mistward Bridges. They were a network of translucent walkways that floated midair. These bridges were constructed from a mix of the precious crystals of the Underworld and an alloy called Xyrenium.

They shimmered faintly and offered breathtaking views of the city below. Walking on them required nerves of steel, as they swayed gently with the wind, but they provided crucial shortcuts and strategic vantage points.

The centrepiece of the city was the Obsidian Pillar. It was a massive black spire that rose from the middle of the fortress like a blade piercing the sky. Its surface which was etched with glowing crimson runes that seemed to move when you weren't looking, shimmered faintly.

Rivers of crystal-clear water flowed down from the cliffs above, creating waterfalls that tumbled through the city. These rivers carved pathways through the stone streets, their glowing blue waters casting dancing reflections on the buildings.

Small stone bridges arched over the streams, connecting homes, shops, and taverns that lined the edges. The sound of rushing water was everywhere, blending with the lively noise of the streets.

The buildings themselves were carved from the cliffs or built from sturdy stone. They rose in uneven tiers, with balconies and windows jutting out in every direction. Colourful banners that fluttered in the wind hung between the buildings, while small gardens sprouted from pots and ledges, adding splashes of green to the gray and brown stones.

Azgul's inhabitants had adapted to their precarious environment in remarkable ways. The streets were narrow but vibrant, lined with shops that were also carved into the rock itself.

Merchants shouted over the noise, selling rare goods like glowing crystals, enchanted weapons, and fresh bread baked in stone ovens. Adventurers in battered armor and rune tattoos on their bodies bartered for supplies, and those who were not familiar with the Shattered Dimension would be surprised to see so many adventurers rushing to buy fresh bread before it ran out.

Two Tainted Adventurers haggled over the price of a loaf of bread, and curses and insults could be heard from the two Tainteds as both threatened to kill the other over a loaf of bread. Others saw this scene, but none was surprised by this or came to stop it.

After watching for a while, most went back to their businesses, leaving the two Tainteds to their fates.

Three individuals wearing black cloaks walked past the quarrelling Tainteds. They took a glance at the two Tainteds for a few seconds, and then they looked away. However, one of them kept on looking at the quarrelling Tainteds without pausing his steps.

"Can you imagine, kid? They're fighting over a bloody loaf of bread, and they don't look like they're starving or deprived of food. This dimension just keeps on getting mad and insane the longer I spend in here." The cloaked individual who kept on watching the two Tainteds insult one another said, and then with a click of his tongue, he looked away. Experience more on My Virtual Library Empire

"Good food in this shattered dimension is a luxury. The type of bread most Tainteds eat is hard bread or spoilt bread. They can't eat the meat of abominations and some monsters because they might mutate and lose control. Because of this, what most of them eat is vegetables and fruits."

"Most of them don't even know how to cook."

A female voice rang out from the cloaked individual in the middle, and the cloaked individual who spoke previously and was at the left of the three scoffed.

"That's too bad for them then. They don't know what life is."

The cloaked individual turned towards the last cloaked individual at the right, "Are you sure it was a wise idea for us five to split up before we came here?"

The cloaked individual at the right glanced at him with raised brows, "Why are you asking me? You're the one that suggested it."

The cloaked individual at the left shrugged, "I know. I just wanted to talk 'cause I'm tired of walking on these damn stairs that are so bloody high and long." The cloaked individual cursed with a frustrated voice as he gestured at the never ending and extremely complicated stairs.

"I'm going to die of old age if I ever try to walk to the 25th floor, damn it!" He cursed once again, and then a voice reached his ears.

"We're here."

"Huh?" The cloaked individual was stunned and he stopped walking. He looked to his front, but all he saw was the never ending and complicated stairs of Azgul Fortress. He glanced at the cloaked individual to his right and he saw the individual approach him.

He was stunned once again, but when his two partners walked past him he looked to his left, and to his surprise, he saw an inn with a plaque at the top that wrote Stormcliff Rest.

"..."

Without bothering about their partner, the two cloaked individuals entered the inn.