The mountain’s incline steadily grows steeper as we hike our way up, the ground going from dirt with a healthy helping of stone threaded throughout to nearly all stone, threadbare and scraggly bushes all the life we can see.
Which bears asking a rather curious question: how is the World Treeling surviving on this?
Hoping for some answers at the top, we continue our climb, Horus staying with us this time in case any other aerial predators call this place home. Seeing as the rest of the Beasts we have seen around here are so high-leveled, I don’t want our youngest member to be cornered alone by them.
Finding a rocky outcropping to use as a path for the next bit of the ascent, we round the mountain slightly and find this side of the incline features far more evidence of life which, considering its location facing the sun for longer, does make sense.
Along with more plant life comes, of course, more animals, or, as is the case now, Beasts…
We catch movement here and there above us, creatures small and large, avian and landbound, hunting and dying and feasting in the ever-turning cycle of life, death and, for the lucky few, survival.
Growing more cautious now that we see evidence of inhabitants, we watch our steps over the gravel strewn ground toward a small, comparatively, false summit about 500 yards further afield.
We reach the plateau, a large open area almost hanging off the side of the mountain, affording us a breathtaking view of what lies on this side of it out to the distant horizon.
A small grassland spreads out from the base before turning into a vast, desolate desert stretching as far as the eye can see.
“Damn, I was very happy with our terrain situation this past month but I really should be more appreciative. I can’t imagine trying to survive out in that, System-enhanced or not it has to absolutely suck.” I say, wryly shaking my head.
“Yeah, not sure I would even want to survive there anyway.” Belina jokes.
Artemis merely looks out across the mirage-enshrouded sand, narrows her eyes, and sneezes in disdain at the thought of all of those little particles getting all over her and in every crevice of her paws. The heat may enter into her distasteful mental image of the place as well, her icy nature oppositely aligned.
Smirking at her expression, I see Horus grooming his feathers, disinterested in anything beyond the next moment, or so it seems. A suspicious little thread of amusement at our flightless selves does seem to emanate from his end of our bond, the sand nothing more than scenery with his natural capabilities.
“Hopefully, we will have plenty of time to explore all that our world now has to offer after the Contest. Let’s keep moving, we don’t have much time left.” I say with one eye on the position of the sun as it reaches roughly a 45-degree angle from reaching the curvature of the Earth.
Turning from the vantage, we cross the plateau quickly enough and are just beginning our climb once more when we hear a loud crash echo into the air from one of the ledges above us only to be followed by even more repetitions of the curious sound.
Looking to each, Belina and I merely shrug, the echoing too pronounced to narrow down a location, all that we can do is be cautious and stay wary.
Finding a line to continue higher, we crawl, hike and climb until, just before reaching a similar false summit as before, we make out another repetition of the sound, only this time it is definitely coming from directly above us!
Quietly, we approach the ledge with carefully placed steps before peaking our eyes just enough above the edge to see three huge goats in some sort of conflict.
The System, identifying them, gives some clues with the naming conventions and a surprising Class…
{Mauling Mountain Goat, Lv. 28}
{Matron Mountain Goat, Lv. 29}
{Mother Mountain Goat, Breeder, Lv. 27}
As the 2 lower leveled goats ram their heads together, the Matron watches on with some satisfaction in her bestial eyes, apparently the matchmaker in this little mating challenge.
Interestingly enough, the lower leveled female one holds a clear advantage, her charges more powerful, her steps far more sure.
A product of a higher Strength and Intelligence compared to its foe, perhaps?
The other has wicked looking barbs on its sure-footed hooves but this challenge seems to involve solely charging headfirst at the prospective mate until one falters. Which, given how long they have been audibly going at it, must be fairly difficult with System boosted attributes.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Suddenly, some of the loose stone beneath our feet shifts, skittering down the incline below us quite audibly!
Jerking our heads down below the ledge in alarm, we wait with bated breath to see if we have been discovered.
“NAHHHHHH-NAHHHHH!” a thunderous bleat rings out into the mountain air.
Belina and I look to each other with wide eyes, before I peek my head over once more and see the old, matronly goat heading towards us with its beady eyes narrowed in suspicion while the one I take to be her son continues his mating challenge.
Ducking back down before my paltry and nearly obsolete cloak loses its last bit of effectiveness, I whisper to Belina, “She’s coming. We will have to take her fast if we want to keep the other two unaware until we can take care of this one.”
After her sharp nod, I continue hurriedly with the scant seconds we have, “I will channel some of Artemis’ Strength with Natural Reinforcement and with that added to my own, I will try and pull the Beast over the edge as quietly as I can. Then you, Horus and Artemis go to town while I try and keep it in place and silent.”
Belina, eyes alight with a thrill for the hunt that I recognize from my own reflection, grips her spear tightly while tucking her shield away, point already aflame but now featuring a ghostly tint from a recent rank up.
Barely breathing, we strain our hearing as we listen to the soft thuds of approaching hoof-steps, the heavy breaths of the enlarged mountain goat soon blowing dust off the edge of the plateau as it draws nearer and nearer.
Then, from my crouched and ready position as it sticks its head over the edge to investigate, I strike like lightning!
Arms outstretched, I loop them around the Beast’s head and with all of my considerable and augmented might, yank the goat over the edge with a wide swing of its body, causing it to land roughly on its back just below me.
It struggles to right itself but my arms keep it locked in place from my position on the high ground which the Beast soon realizes and tries to bite and headbutt me over and over.
But while it has focused on me, the real threats make themselves known….
Belina drives her spear into the meaty side of the Beast, the sizzle of flesh filling the air while I use the distraction to adjust my grip and wrap my arms around the creature’s mouth with a tight embrace to do my best to keep its pain-filled bleats from escaping.
Artemis dives in next, claws ripping into the soft underbelly of the creature before ripping back out only to drive right back in again!
As blood begins to paint the rock and stone below us a bright red, Horus uses his talons more strategically, empowering them and slicing across the Beast’s throat to release a huge gout of its lifeblood.
As the goat’s struggles begin to wane, I squeeze harder and harder until, at last, it grows limp in my arms which I open at last and let the corpse fall to the ground softly.
Congratulations! You have killed a Matron Mountain Goat for 3,000,000 XP!
Sighing in relief, I see Belina peeking over the ledge once more and with her own relieved sigh, says, “They’re still going at it. Don’t seem to suspect a thing.”
Which is quickly confirmed by a loud crash of another impact of heads, or…
wait for it….
….a violent meeting of the minds!
Comedic genius right there, if I may say so myself.
“Woohoo.” I cheer ever so softly, before we make our way stealthily around the plateau and continue our climb, the true summit now within sight as evening begins to fall with only scant hours remain before the Contest shall begin.
As I look up at the darkening sky, my steps quicken as I drive us even harder towards our goal, not just for our sake, but for the sake of everyone left to be saved.
We directly encounter no more Beasts in our climb but hear the telltale sounds of battle echoing throughout the mountain’s craggy hollows and peaks, carefully avoiding them in our hunt to reach the true peak and its inhabitant, plus whatever high-leveled Beasts were attracted by it.
The wind grows ever stronger as we near the top, forcing us to brace against its gusts or be ripped free from the rocky ledges and walls out into open air.
Finally, just before the sun sinks below our view of the horizon, we reach the peak and the massive, half-exposed root system bearing the World Treeling’s towering bulk stretching high above.
This close, I can actually feel dense flows of Mana traveling through the roots like veins, taking nutrients up to the heights of the tree but also, astonishingly enough, back into the mountain as well!
After a moment’s consideration, I wonder if perhaps the tree and mountain are either:
1. Symbiotically joined in their growth
Or:
1. One single organism somehow
Both options seem worth some study in the far-flung future when free time will be a resource we actually have access to.
For now though, I find myself studying the suddenly moving form I see in the lowest branches of the gigantic tree instead.
{Peak Python, Ouroboros, Lv.31}
Warning: This Beast has laid claim to the World Treeling and its mountain home. It will be notified of challengers whenever a foot is set upon its peak.
“Shit….” I whisper softly as the form moves out into the fading light of day from the tree’s canopy.
Nervously, I pull my foot back before I can take another step forward onto the peak.
Its long, sinuous body wraps around a couple hundred feet of the massive branch it hangs from, its roughly helicopter sized head flicking out a long pink tongue to taste the air.
I take note of its Class, the name derived from the massive world serpent from ancient Norse mythology, one that signifies both eternity and self-destruction.
I have concerns over the former but the latter…. The latter could have possibilities.
“Damn….Adept tier? That thing has to be one of the few on the planet!” Belina quietly hisses at me.
“I imagine so.” I say, chewing my lip as my eyes remain glued to the snake, “But it is perfect for our goals….we could reach Journeyman from just defeating one creature. I don’t see us getting another chance with the time we have left. Not to mention, whatever defeating it will do about its claim of the World Treeling.”
After finishing, I check the timer until our Contest departure:
2:38.3…
2:38.2…
2:38.1…
The last hours have arrived....
Time to sprint for the finish, for our world's survival and our own growng power alike.