Synopsis

The chapter opens with a ceremony honoring those who protect Gorgon. The Fortress Master then discusses the dangers of the Tower of Nightmares, where excessive time magnification is causing mental harm to challengers. They reveal the need for adaptation, not just awakening, for survival and discuss the possibility that the world itself is someone's unique awakened state. Finally, the Fortress Master announces their intention to step down in a week, despite objections from others who fear the consequences for Gorgon and the wider world.