The forest gradually thinned out, as the curvature of the ground gradually sloped upwards. Light flourished on the pnts as they hugged the patches of gravelly ground.

  "Light, finally light."

  A whisper leaked as I shielded my eyes. Multiple days were walked in near permanent darkness, and only when the light bugs glimmered did I know that a day has passed. I am not a mole damnit!

  Hiking up, I looked back towards the forest.

  'Halfway up the mountain already huh.'

  Musing to myself, I noticed something I never saw before. The fog of blue patched out the pces far away, but there was something like that on the dark forests below as well. Ripples could be seen dancing among the trees, as what looked to be a river of mana flowed above it.

  "Wow..."

  This sight could've never been seen by me if I haven't left. Now I know that mountains are not blue, it is the distance that is seen that causes it, and my pns to look at some pces from far away would never come to fruition. Scouring the nds of Demacia, I could barely see Terbisia through the valley of two mountains.

  Grasping my stick for support, I stood up, heaving in imitation of the old men. The mountain before me looked nigh endless, except that there was a peak. Hardening my resolve, I continued through the not bleak wastend.

  The wildflowers were my only soce as they brightly lived, patches of colors dotting the slope. Eventually even they left, as bitingly cold wind ripped the breathe out of my lungs. My ears felt red, all extremities in various stages of color.

  "This is the furthest I could go with my body?"

  Shaking my head vigorously, I sank into the ground like I was using a staircase. My stick pushed against the ground as I tried to bring it with me. It was too rge to fit within the small pocket of space that surrounded me. Reluctance filled my face as I left it behind. The ground was not much warmer than the air outside, but at least no wind seeped into the clothes, threatening to drain all sembnce of life I had.

  Rubbing my hands together, I blew on them before rubbing my nose and ears. There was a reason why silverwing raptor riders need lots of thick clothes. I never worn one as the areas in Terbisia was mild for most of the year. Feeling my teeth shake for a moment, I suppressed it.

  "If it's this cold already, how cold would it get further up?"

  Wondering out loud, I started moving. Gradually, the ground I was passing through filled with crystalline structures. Touching it, it felt hot, instead of cold. The drain on my mana increased as I moved upwards.

  'At one point, if the drain overcomes my natural regeneration, I will die or sleep forever.'

  Pessimistic thoughts filled my head. Soldiering on, I slept while it was still tolerable.

  A rumble shook the ground, and it only got bigger. Sticking my head out, I was surprised to see something white blocking my way outside. Snow was rarely seen in rge quantities, but occasionally, during the coldest parts of winter, chunks of ice floated on through the river. This yer of snow is at least taller than me.

  Swimming in an awkward fashion to the top, a blizzard strayed right around me, and piles of snow would sometimes sweep downwards, causing the sounds I heard as well as making a chain reaction. Brushing off the snow that accumuted on my head, I burrowed down again.

  'Almost there'

  After another hour, I reached a point some would never reach. A mountain peak.

  "Wow! The view is sure is nice...

  "If only I was here with someone..."

  Sighing, I gasped all of a sudden. The air up here was thin, and there was a different presence of mana in a subtle way. It felt like light, but not light? Something in it felt like I was pushed away from it. Below the mountain, a bnket of snow swirled.

  "I am above the clouds, how is that possible? Wahahaha! I am here!"

  Shouting in triumph towards Demacia, I danced in celebration. One misstep towards doom. Slipping on a patch of ice hidden beneath the snow, I fell backwards.

  "This iiissssnnn'ttt fa-."

  Buried within the snow, the snow starts sliding down, causing a chain reaction of snow, in other words an avanche.

  "I did- ommmph, peh, even get, achoooo! to look at the sights properllyyyyyy! Ouch."

  Rubbing the spot where the piece of ice hit, it was a retively smooth ride down if not for the occasional ridge. Bemoaning my fate, I went straight through some walls, before bouncing on the snow and sliding again. Twisting to a better position, I spotted some trees.

  'Damned trees.'

  Ocean glimmered in the far off distance. My foot caught on something, sending me careening wildly into the ground. Slowing the momentum with my face, I touched my cheek. Looking at my finger, blood was speckled on the snow around it. I sighed, ying down on my back as all I feel is a slow burn across my entire body. Thankfully, partially submerging myself whenever I could has kept me alive.

  'It's fine if I take a nap right?'

  My eyes closed as the excitement from going down an entire mountain on an avanche wore off. Shouts could be heard in the distance, but it went unnoticed.

  "Hey! Someone is wounded there!"