First Mountain

The morning air was cold and sharp, announcing the arrival of dawn. The campfire that had kept them company through the night had dwindled to dying embers, casting a faint glow among the forest shadows.

Fenix slowly opened his eyes, feeling the stiffness in his body after the exhausting journey of the previous day. It didn't take long for him to notice that Vanya was still awake, standing near a tree with her bow slung over her shoulder, her gaze fixed on the horizon.

Ron and Rhen were the next to wake up, stretching and muttering complaints about the mountain's cold.

"I always hate this part of the journey…" Ron grumbled, rubbing his arms.

"You always hate any part that involves waking up early,"

Rhen replied with a lazy smile.

Vanya ignored their remarks and turned to the group. "It's time to move. The sooner we reach the base of the mountain, the better."

Fenix stood up, dusting off his coat. He looked toward the distant silhouette of the first mountain, its peak shrouded in a thin mist. Today, the real challenge would begin.

Without another word, the group gathered their belongings and set off. The crunch of dry leaves beneath their boots was the only sound accompanying their first steps toward the ascent.

The journey was mostly uneventful. From time to time, a wolf would appear between the trees, but Vanya would take it down before it became a real threat.

Even so, Fenix still found it fascinating how creatures nearly three meters tall could be killed with a single shot.

Once they reached the mountain's foothills, they stopped for a short rest and to prepare for the climb.

Ron, resting a hand on his sword, decided to share what he knew about the mountain.

"It's going to be a tough climb. This might be the smallest of the three mountains, but it's still dangerous…" He paused briefly before continuing. "The monsters that live higher up are even more lethal, so we need to stay alert at all times. And the higher zones have incredibly strong winds. Vanya, when that happens, your role will be crucial, since your ability is wind-related."

After a few moments of silence, he continued in a more serious tone.

"We don't even know exactly what we're looking for. It may not even exist—after all, it's just an ancient legend. But one thing is certain: this journey won't be easy. And Fenix…" Ron looked at him directly. "You'll have to be extra careful. There will be times when we won't be able to protect you while we're fighting, so you'll have to manage on your own."

Fenix analyzed Ron's words.

'Well, I don't really have any other choice but to go up with them. It's definitely better than heading back into the Beast Forest alone… They're Awakened, so it makes sense to stick with them. If things take a turn for the worse, I'll just have to improvise.

Also, I've learned that Vanya's aspect is related to wind—though I already had a hunch.'

Fenix decided to speak.

"So, what do we do about the cart and the horse? Leaving them here doesn't seem like the best idea."

At that moment, Vanya took something out of her pocket. It looked like a ring. As soon as she slipped it onto her finger, it gave off a faint glow before a beam of light shot toward the horse. In an instant, the animal disappeared, leaving the cart behind.

"Don't worry about the horse. It's a familiar I bought some time ago," Vanya explained nonchalantly as she put the ring back into her pocket.

'Fascinating,' Fenix thought. He knew what familiars were, but he had never had the chance to see one up close—even if this one just looked like an ordinary horse.

Vanya continued.

"We'll leave the cart here and cover it with branches and foliage to conceal it. We'll distribute the food and water equally."

She pulled out four backpacks and handed one to each of them before slinging hers over her shoulder.

"There's rationed food and water in each. It probably won't be enough, so we'll have to manage carefully. It looks like there's snow at the mountain peaks, so we can melt it to get more water."

Rhen interrupted her.

"As for food, if we come across any beasts, I can try cooking them. It won't be the tastiest meal, but it's what we'll have to do to survive."

Vanya nodded.

"Then, are we all ready?"

The three boys nodded before setting to work covering the cart with branches and leaves. Ron and Rhen did most of the heavy lifting since their strength far exceeded Fenix's.

With everything ready, they began their ascent. Ron led the way, followed by Vanya. Fenix took the third position, while Rhen stayed at the rear.

With this formation, they could defend themselves from attacks from any direction—or at the very least, react in time to avoid them.

Before them loomed the First Mountain, the smallest of the three, but by no means the least dangerous. Its base was covered in a layer of jagged rocks and winding trails that zigzagged between deep crevices. The black stone that formed its surface absorbed the sunlight, giving it a dark and menacing appearance, as if it were a shadow frozen in the landscape.

As the eye traveled upward, the slopes became steeper and more treacherous, with sections where the path seemed to vanish entirely. Further up, the wind howled between rocky outcrops, creating an eerie echo that resonated through the mountain.

The peak, nearly touching the clouds, was shrouded in thick mist, obscuring whatever lay beyond. From below, it looked like a sleeping colossus, waiting for the few fools brave enough to challenge it.

Though it was the lowest of the three mountains, its danger didn't come from its height, but from its unpredictable terrain and the creatures that inhabited it. There were no marked trails, no signs of travelers who had successfully crossed it and lived to tell the tale.

For Fenix, this mountain was not just an obstacle—it was a threshold into the unknown.