Chapter 47 - Mountain

Three wagons rolled to a stop at the base of a steep incline. The path ahead too rough for wheels, the mountain beginning to show its true face.

As soon as the slope grew difficult, the group acted as one.

Without needing to be told, everyone dismounted, stretching stiff legs and shaking off the weariness of the long ride.

Ren stood beside Becca, without conscious rubbing her head as his sharp eyes swept the landscape.

The mountain air was thinner here, cooler, carrying scents of rock, moss, and earth untouched by men.

"We can stop here," Ren said at last. "Park the wagons. This is as far as they'll go."

There was no hesitation. The group set to work, securing the wagons in place, tying down supplies, checking their gear.

Ren continued, voice steady but firm. "Me and Sera will scout ahead. I want to make sure there are no mana beasts, no hidden threats waiting for us. I don't know what lies beyond this point, so I won't take any risks. Stay here. Rest. Keep watch, but don't follow."

After days of travel, the chance to stand, breathe, and rest their bent, aching bodies brought visible relief. Some slumped against the wagon wheels.

Others busied themselves with small tasks, anything to shake off the fatigue.

With a nod to Sera, Ren started forward, map unrolled in his left hand, boots crunching on loose stone as they began the climb toward the mark he'd made on the map.

The higher they went, the quieter the world became. No birdsong. No insect hum.

Just the soft scrape of boots, the occasional clatter of a dislodged pebble, and the wind sighing through the rocks.

Hours passed as they ascended.

Ren checked the terrain carefully, senses sharp. Again and again he paused, scanning the ridges and gap, feeling for any sign of mana beasts. But the mountain felt... empty.

Too empty.

Finally, they reached the spot. And there it was… embedded in a jagged outcrop, half-hidden by scrub and stone. The stone they'd sought.

Veined with strange patterns, dark with an inner gleam that seemed to drink in the light.

Ren crouched, brushing dirt away with gloved fingers, studying it.

He felt no familiar hum of power. Just... something else. Something quiet and heavy beneath the surface. It made the hairs on his neck rise.

Sera stepped beside him, gaze thoughtful, fingers hovering near the rock without touching it. She was frowning.

"There's no mana beast here," she said quietly. "None at all. Nothing for miles. No marks. No trails. No signs they ever even come this way."

Ren glanced at her. "And?"

Sera shook her head slowly. "I don't think this stone's power comes from mana, but I can feel some magic in there." She hesitated, searching for the right words. "I don't know what it is. But it's not mana. I can feel it... something different. Something strange. Like it doesn't belong here. Like it shouldn't be here."

Ren rose, dusting off his hands, eyes sweeping the empty, silent peaks. "I have a thoughts about this. But, whatever it is, it's ours now."

But both of them felt it. The weight of something ancient beneath their feet. A mystery buried deep within the mountain's heart.

Neither spoke of it yet. But in the years to come, as the village grew and the land's fortunes changed, they would remember this moment.

For hidden deep below, the true source of the mountain's power waited. Silent. Watching. The seed of a myth. The reason the East would one day be called the Cursed Land.

***

Ren and Sera finished their scouting. They had found what they came for. The source stone, dark and veined with that strange inner glow.

Ren called down to the waiting miners. "Bring your tools! Start here. Dig around this spot. Carefully."

Without delay, the miners gathered their gear and got to work, picks striking stone, shovels biting into the earth.

The clink of metal on rock echoed through the quiet mountain air.

Ren watched them for a moment, but his gaze soon drifted higher-up toward the peak.

An idea formed. A pull he couldn't ignore.

He turned to Sera. "Sera, can we go further?"

She raised a brow. "What are you chasing now? We just found this big stone and who knows how much more is buried beneath it. There could be a fortune down there."

Ren nodded. "Yeah, I know. But from what I've learned... from my theory," He hesitated, searching for the right words. "I need to be near hidden relics, hidden places. There might be something else. Something we can use. Maybe if we find another piece, put it on the map, it'll reveal more resources. I don't know exactly. But my gut tells me we have to try."

Sera crossed her arms. "So now I'm babysitting you again?"

He grinned. "You remember… I share everything I find with you. If there's something magical up there, wouldn't you want to see it with your own eyes?"

Sera sighed, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "You're too good at talking. Fine. Let's go."

Leaving the miners behind, they climbed higher, pushing toward the peak.

The wind picked up, thin and sharp, carrying the scent of salt and stone. They moved steadily, boots scraping against rock, the mountain growing silent around them.

When they finally reached the top, Ren unrolled the map, scanning it with hopeful eyes.

Nothing.

The map showed no signs, no hidden paths, no clues.

Sera smirked. "Told you. There's nothing here."

Ren frowned. He couldn't let her lose faith, not yet. His eyes wandered beyond the peak.

"Look," he said, pointing. "There's a beach down there."

Sera followed his gaze. "Yeah. I see it."

"It's nice, right? Quiet. Beautiful view. Maybe we should come back here sometime... just to relax."

She narrowed her eyes. "Stop making excuses."

Ren chuckled. "Ah, you caught me."

He sank down onto a flat patch of rock, resting the map on his lap. He held it up, scanning it again. There has to be something... For days, the map had revealed tunnels, veins of stone, blueprints of forgotten structures.

Was it done helping now?

Then… the map pulsed. A faint glow beneath the surface of the parchment.

Ren's eyes widened. He realized his mistake. The map worked best on a flat surface, not crumpled in his hands. Quickly, he smoothed it over his lap. And there, faint but clear. The beach began to glow on the map's surface.

"Sera," Ren said, his voice low.

"What now?" she asked, half-expecting another joke. "The stone? The peak? The view? The quiet? What is it this time? Honestly, I'm starting to doubt you a little. After dragging us up here to find nothing."

"I found it," Ren said simply.

Her expression changed. "Where?"

He pointed. "There. The beach."

She folded her arms. "You just said that was a nice view."

"No. This time, it's not an excuse. There's something hidden there. I don't know what, but it's there."

Sera stared at the beach, then at him. She saw the fire in his eyes, the certainty.

Ren stood, rolling up the map. "Let's head back to the miners. We'll set up camp, eat, rest. I'll think more on that beach tonight."

Together they made their way down, the mountain quiet once more.

The miners welcomed them back, and soon the camp filled with the smells of cooking, the glow of firelight.

But Ren couldn't shake the feeling.

Something about this place was wrong. Strange. The map kept showing signs, but never gave answers. Only paths to follow.

And the rest... that was up to the man holding it.