In a big brown jacket made out of fur and a new blanket he bought in Riverwand, Max was riding an unknown animal. A cross-breed of a goat and a horse he’d say, very confusing to look at.

It was nice once for a change to be riding instead of walking, especially now that they were climbing. A small road, carved into a giant cliff, covered under white snow, led them to The Silver Peaks.

They had been climbing for about 3 hours now, and it seemed as if the journey to The Silver Peaks wouldn’t take too long, but Max was definitely mistaken.

“For you and your small friend there, you’ll be needing two Mountain Hoars and definitely something warmer than what you’re wearing.” a woman told them when they reached the small village under The Silver Peaks. “And for someone to lead you and show you the way, that all will be 1 golden coin.”

“1 golden coin!?” Max looked in shock. “Isn’t that a little bit too much?” He wasn’t long here in this unknown world, but long enough to see when someone was trying to pull more money out of him.

“It might be a little too expensive, but you want to cross The Silver Peaks,” the woman said. “And you’ll need our best Hoar for both of you and the best guide, so you don’t fall off the mountain and die. You don’t want that, do you?” She looked at Max, and then she looked down at Snickers. “And it’ll be enough to keep my mouth shut for that friend of yours. Many people are not welcoming them in these parts, you know that.”

“And you’re one of them I assume?” Max said.

“Whatever brings me money, I don’t mind them. They can be demons if they want to, I simply don’t care if you pay me enough, and 1 golden coin is enough,” she smirked.

And then Max had to pay 1 golden coin for this climbing adventure. When he thought about it, he was even fine with it. Yes, he did overpay, but Snickers and he would be safe, they would cross the mountain and then they’d be on their way. That was until they saw their guide.

“She’s like 10 years old?!” Max yelled.

“And she’s the best guide that I have.” the woman, named Elise, said. The golden coin was shining brightly between her fingers.

“Are the rest of your guides fucking 5 years old?” Max was upset, he didn’t feel safe traveling with a child. He felt as if he would need to take care of her, and not the other way around.

“Look, my daughter, Saeer is the best guide there is, she crossed this mountain so many times I can’t even count. So get on your saddle and let her do what I pay her to do.” Elise said, irritated.

And now Max was grumpy. Snickers didn’t say much, he had been feeling down ever since that woman, Elise, threatened them. Max should’ve used a fireball back there, perhaps things would have been different. He would be probably dead in a pit somewhere.

This little girl, Saeer, didn't say much. All she said was: “Sit on them, they know the way, they’ll follow me. Just don’t mess with them and we’ll cross the mountain in 6 hours.”

The road was wide at the start. Snickers and Max could talk a little bit, but not much since Snickers was feeling low. For 2.5 hours he just sat and didn’t say anything, freezing to death.

The view was something special in a way. Max could see everything from up to where they were. The town of Riverwand was also visible in the distance, barely a dot on the giant green carpet that spread for miles in front of Max’s eyes.

The view made him feel even colder. Max adjusted his fur, pulling it tighter around him as the icy wind bit at his cheeks. He looked over his shoulder, Snickers looked more depressed, his eyes fixed on the ground. Max wanted to say something to cheer him up, but the cold and the tension made it difficult to find the right words.

“How much longer, Saeer?” Max called out, his voice muffled by the fur he wrapped around his face.

“Not far now,” she replied without turning around, making it a bit difficult for Max to understand. “We’ll reach the peak in about an hour, it’s all downhill from there.”

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reached the summit. Max gasped at the breathtaking view that unfolded before him. The world stretched out in all directions, with all the colors he could imagine. Some white and green, with the occasional glint of blue where rivers cut through the landscape. Flowers were barely visible, but their bright colors could be seen.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Saeer paused, letting them take in the view. “We rest here for a bit,” she said, her voice barely reaching Max, getting carried by the wind. “Then we begin our descent.”

Max got off his Mountain Hoar, grateful for the small pause. Saddles weren’t as comfortable as he thought.

He stretched his legs, feeling the cold get into his bones. Snickers did the same, his spirits lifting slightly as he took in the stunning panorama.

“This is incredible,” Max said, looking around.

"Yeah," Snickers replied, a small smile forming on his lips. "It's not every day you get to see something like this."

“Are you feeling okay Snickers?” Max asked. “You look to be down.”

“It’s okay, just…” he took a deep breath and let it all out. “These parts really can harm a kobold. Can’t wait to get out of this area.”

Max took a deep breath, feeling the cold air bite his lungs. He noticed something stirring in the distance. At first, he thought it was just the wind and the snow playing tricks on him, but the ground beneath his feet began to tremble, and then the burning sensation in his hand.

“What the…” Max muttered, slipping and falling on his ass. “Not the curse again.” he thought.

Saeer’s eyes widened with fear. “We need to move. Now!”

Before any of them could react, a deafening roar echoed through the mountains, and a massive creature emerged from a nearby cave. Its fur was white as the snow around them, its eyes glowing with a menacing light.

“What in the monkey is that?!” Max screamed. His heart pounded in his chest. Now he was sure that this was his curse at work, attracting the most dangerous creatures to him.

“RUN! SNICKERS!! RUN!!” Max shouted, grabbing Snickers and pushing him toward the safer side of the peak.

Saeer tried to lead the Mountain Hoars away, but the monster was too fast. It charged at them, its giant feet making the ground shake with each step. Max’s mind raced, what to do in this situation?

“Fireball!” he yelled, his voice trembling. He aimed his hand at the monster, but his aim was off as always. The fireball shot past the creature, hitting the ground near its feet.

The explosion sent a shockwave through the snow, and to Max’s horror and amazement, it triggered an avalanche. The snow started to slide down the mountain. carrying the monster with it. The beast roared in anger and confusion as it was swept away by the rushing snow.

“Get to that ledge!” Saeer shouted, pointing to a small piece of rock that was safe from the avalanche.

Max and Snickers, followed closely by Saeer, climbed to the rock. The snow roared past them, carrying the monster further down the mountain.

For a moment, they just sat there, breathing heavily and trying to process what had just happened. Max looked at Saeer, expecting her to be furious, but she just shook her head with a warm smile.

“This had never happened to me, ever. You have the worst luck,” she said.

Max laughed, though it came out more like a gasp. “You have no idea.”

Snickers, still clutching his new blanket, looked up at Max. “That was… intense.”

“Yeah,” Max agreed, looking over the edge to see where the monster disappeared. “But at least we’re safe now.”

“We have to keep moving, it’ll take us about 2-3 hours to get down,” Saeer said.

The mountain Hoars were scattered, they all found a safe place. Saeer took them to Max and Snickers and they climbed on their backs once again. The rest of the descent was uneventful, the near-death experience having silenced any need for conversation.

Slowly, the snow thinned, giving way to patches of grass and rocky terrain. The air grew warmer, and Max had to take his fur off.

Finally, they reached the bottom, and a small village welcomed them. Saeer led them to a stable, where they dismounted and handed the reins to a stable boy.

“Thank you Saeer,” Max said. “Sorry for doubting you.”

“Thank you, sir,” she said. “Safe travels.”

They watched her as she took a fresh Mountain Hoar and slowly followed the road that went back to the top of the mountain.

Max’s XP bar changed once again.

(XP +750. Level up! LvL: 5.)

“Why the fuck did I level up?” he thought. “Weird.”

Saeer rode the fresh Mountain Hoar back up the mountain, the cold, biting wind now a familiar companion. This was her craziest climb yet, who would’ve thought that such a monster lived there, where she passed by every single day?

Descending the other side, she noticed the snow had shifted more than usual. Her village was just under the base of the mountain, it slowly became visible. But something looked wrong. The usual hustle and echo from the village were absent, replaced by silence.

As she approached, the devastation became clear. Houses were buried in snow, and the protective magic barrier that surrounded the village was flickering weakly. Her heart sank as she dismounted and ran toward a pile of wood, what was once her home.

“Saeer!” a familiar voice. She turned to see Jeer, one of the village elders, leaning against a broken fence, his face pale and bloodied.

“W-what happened?” Saeer asked, running towards him.

“An avalanche… it came out of nowhere.” the old man said. “The barrier… it held, like always, but then… a monster… it fell from the sky.”

“A monster?” Saeer’s blood ran cold.

Jeer nodded weakly. “A giant beast, like nothing we’ve ever seen. It tore through the village. We fought, but…”

“Where is it now?” Saeer asked, trembling.

“We managed to kill it, but at a great cost,” he said. “So many…” he couldn’t continue talking further.

Saeer’s eyes scanned the wreckage. Bodies lay scattered, and the few survivors sat together, their faces covered in blood, tears, sweat, and pain. She saw her mother’s dead body lying in the snow. Next to her, was a golden coin, shining brightly in the red snow.

She had led those strangers through the peaks, and now her village lay in ruins.

“I’m so sorry,” Saeer whispered, tears streaming down her face as she picked up the golden coin from the red snow.

“It’s not your fault, child,” the old guy said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “We’ve always known the risks of living here. The mountain is as unforgiving as it is beautiful.”

She looked at the golden coin in her hand. “We’ll rebuild, we’ll make through this.”

“Yes, yes we will,” the old guy said. “But first, we mourn.”