Chapter 269: THE CAVE OF FORGOTTEN MYTHS

The days blurred into a grueling test of endurance as five long ones passed. Ced and David pressed on, braving the unforgiving elements as they followed the carrier bird's elusive flight path. The towering silhouette of the mountain grew larger with each passing day, its snowy peaks piercing the heavens like ancient, silent sentinels. The wind howled endlessly, biting at their exposed skin and carrying with it the whispers of the wild.

Ced had brought along a collection of old climbing tools, worn but functional. Rusted carabiners and frayed ropes seemed to defy the odds as they aided the two men in scaling the icy cliffs at the mountain's base. Their breath crystallized in the air as David dug his gloved hands into the frozen surface, his muscles straining as he climbed.

"Don't stop now, old man!" David shouted down, his voice carried off by the wind as he reached a precarious ledge. He leaned over, gripping Ced's outstretched hand and pulling him up with a grunt.