They passed dozens of guards during their ascension, all dressed in armour that was in much better condition than that of their comrades down below. Many were rushing this way and that, though most didn’t appear in any hurry. The area was generously lit by long, compact rows of lanterns that lined both sides of the walls.

The sounds of an intense argument echoed throughout the tunnel, originating from one of the small, door-less rooms that had been carved into the walls. It was a lot busier up here than Alistar imagined it would be, since he’d always thought that most of the guards stayed within the barracks.

Up until the workers had tapped into a vast network of beast-made tunnels, Crystellum had originally been a manmade facility. Eventually, a larger tunnel more appropriate for the scale of the operation was hollowed out at the base of the mountain, or so his uncle had once explained to him.

Wow…

Alistar had never been in such a brightly lit area, and could only blink endlessly as his eyes grew more agitated with every step. At least ten minutes later, Raidon murmured that they had finally reached the end. By this point, Alistar had lowered his head and placed his left forearm above his brow to help shade his eyes. He felt as if he might sneeze at any second.

Very carefully, he opened his eyes and tried to get a look at the cave mouth, but they became overly sensitive and he had to cover them once again. Half a dozen guards stood at an outpost by the opening, but he hadn’t so much as taken in their silhouettes before his eyes had begun to water.

Ahead of him, the exit seemed to have been draped over by a wall of the purest white. That’s how it seemed to him at first, though his eyes slowly began to adjust. What he saw must have been light from outside. Daylight, the light that the sun gave off.

He was gripped by a knot of excitement that didn’t seem like it would ever come undone. Next to him, his uncle gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. A few more steps and they would be outside, Raidon for the first time in nearly ten years, and Alistar for the first time in his life.

The closer they came to the exit, the more their eyes watered. Even Raidon was having trouble after so many years confined below.

When they passed the final outpost and stepped out of the mouth of the tunnel, Alistar’s eyes were jammed shut. Even beneath their lids, they were irritated by the vibrant light, which appeared reddish from behind his eyelids.

“Give them a moment,” the young guard grumbled.

Alistar barely heard him. Warmth had washed over him the moment he stepped out of the tunnel, a sort so foreign that he couldn’t help but giggle as it heated his skin. It was as if he’d been enveloped by hot blanket. He basked in that warmth as the coolest, most refreshing breeze washed over him, bringing with it a lively, healthy scent. The artificial breaths of stale air down in the tunnels couldn’t even compare.

And the sounds. With the breeze came sounds that might have been a thousand sheets of parchment rubbing together. Light squeaks trilled softly from every direction, though they seemed to be coming from high above. What beautiful sounds, he thought with wonder.

It wasn’t long before Alistar was able to open his eyes and take in the sights around him. And what sights there were to behold!

How can there be this many trees? Another breeze rolled by and rustled every leaf in the area, which set the forest dancing to the tune of the wind. Aside from the vicinity around the cave mouth, everywhere else was shadowed by the looming upper canopy, a dense mass of healthy green.

“Un—Uncle!”

The squeaking was actually the sound of birds singing from the treetops. Real birds, with real beaks, real wings and real feathers.

Perhaps the most astounding sight of all was the boundless azure sky that dominated everything up above, at the centre of which sat a massive orb of blinding light. Alistar knew immediately that he was staring at the sun. The heat that stuck to him came from the sky, from that great ball of brightness that lit the land in its entirety.

Raidon stood nearby with a bitter smile on his face, nostalgic eyes hiding countless memories. “Look well, Alistar. This is but a speck of the world outside of Crystellum.”

“Sometimes I surprise myself with how nice I can be.” The young guard spoke sarcastically, ruining a monumental moment in Alistar’s life. “But now that your eyes have adjusted, it’s time to leave.” He nodded to a nearby guard.

Servan stepped forward holding a moderately-sized sack that was made of rough, brown material. He handed it to Raidon and turned around without a word, falling back into formation with trained precision.

Alistar waited for his uncle to speak as the two groups eyed each other.

“Go on now, you’re free to go.” The young captain shooed them away as if he had a demanding schedule to return to.

“Aren’t you going to remove our limiters?”

“And why would we do that?”

Raidon remained silent.

“I’ve grown tired of seeing your face these past months, so do everyone a favour and get moving. There are many leagues between here and Malford, and night doesn’t delay for any man.”

Begrudgingly, Raidon turned and nudged Alistar to follow him.

Why wasn’t he meaner?

It was strange that the young captain hadn’t struck or cursed at the two of them since he’d retrieved them from the work tunnel. He’d even given them time to get their bearings. Was it because they were free now? Alistar had half-expected another surprise beating once they had finally stepped outside. Maybe now that they were freemen, the young man wasn’t allowed to treat them the same. He’d already been punished for hurting slaves, after all, and they were regular citizens now. Alistar was ignorant of law so he wasn’t sure, but all he knew was that, after today, he would never see this detestable person again. The captain would stay at the mines with the rest of his family.

Stolen story; please report.

A broad trail of matted dirt led away from the tunnel’s mouth and went on for a great distance. A near-straight line, the path was walled in by hundreds of trees. Alistar followed his uncle without a backward glance, his gaze directed down the path ahead. The sheer distance awed him.

Everywhere he looked, the forest was thriving with life, abuzz with the sounds of unseen animals and insects.

Only after they had gone a considerable distance did Alistar look back. Their escorts had disappeared into the dimness of the tunnel, which was shockingly dark now that he’d left it. Those at the checkpoint stood just beyond the entrance, which was marked by a billowing white flag centred by a red serpent.

“Uncle, that’s…”

The trees, the trail, the curious white clouds; all sat beneath a grandly imposing mass that could only have been Mount Barosh. Alistar almost lost his footing as he gazed at its distant peak, astounded that the Crystellum mines resided beneath its massive mound.

Raidon smiled at Alistar’s reaction, and calmly explained that Mt. Barosh was fenced in by countless other mountains. Together, these parts were known as the Tall Mountains, an area that spanned several provinces of the two bordering empires. His father had once said that the range was so extensive and the mountains so large, that they prevented conflicts between those that laid claim to the rugged territory.

In the wondrous backdrop, Alistar could see dozens of peaks reaching for the sky, all heavily clad in lush forests that slowly faded into a white curtain after a certain height. That must be snow, Alistar thought as he took in the peculiar sight. He didn’t realize that he’d stopped walking. The looming figures made him dizzy, his legs quivering and his mind numb. That such a tremendous anything could exist was sheer madness.

“It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?” Raidon spoke softly, traces of wonder in his own voice.

“U—Uncle, you climbed these mountains?”

“I did,” he laughed heartily. “Back in my day, I climbed more mountains than anyone around.”

“You sound like an old man when you say that, Uncle.”

“Sometimes I feel like one,” he sighed. “Every day, my back aches and my muscles are so sore. I doubt you’ll find another twenty-eight-year-old so aged as me.”

“You’re not old, Uncle,” said Alistar as he was tugged back into a steady walk. “Grandpa Talon is in his forties, and Mr. Loyos was fifty.”

They walked on for a time, Alistar pointing to each and every plant and animal within his sight as he asked Raidon about them. The trail showed no signs of ending, and Mt. Barosh was just as massive in his sights as it had been thirty minutes ago when they had set off down the trail.

Alistar pointed to a patch of wild purple flowers. “What’s that?”

“Elmsmere,” said Raidon, “a medicinal herb that helps to fight off many sicknesses.” He walked over after a moment’s thought and plucked out several of the stalky plants.

“And that?”

“A robin, another type of bird.”

Running to the edge of the trail, which was perhaps ten paces wide, Alistar pointed to an eight-legged creature that hung onto the trunk of a broad tree. The thing’s colour matched the bark splendidly, and it was only because of Alistar’s keen eyesight that he’d been able to differentiate its general shape from the rough surface it clung to. “And this?”

“Alistar, come here!”

Though he hadn’t finished observing the creature—an insect, he was sure—he ran back at his uncle’s words.

“But Uncle, it’s just an insect, and it’s only the size of my hand.”

“That’s a barkwood spider. One bite will inject enough venom into your body that you’d be dead within the hour.”

Alistar drew back in fear, regretting that his ignorance had just put him a hand’s length away from possible death. “Oh,” he leaked. He decided that it would be best if he stuck closer to his uncle.

“Don’t wander off on your own.” The look in Raidon’s golden eyes matched the intensity of his voice. “The Tall Mountains are a dangerous place, especially for single man without his magics and an ignorant child.” He paused abruptly and squatted next to a jagged rock that was partially buried in the dirt of the trail. Without warning, he began smashing his silver bracelet into the rock, repeatedly straining his bulky muscles with each powerful thrust. Five minutes later, he had a scratched-up bracelet and a very sore wrist.

“Blast it, this won’t come off.”

Alistar watched him in silence. Although he’d seemed happy to be out of the mines, his uncle seemed on edge. Raidon, who was always calm, was somebody that once killed a cave lizard without a proper weapon. Were the Tall Mountains really such a dangerous place?

Raidon remained on the ground, panting deeply and covered in sweat from the strain of repeatedly hitting the rock. Meanwhile, Alistar’s stomach began to grumble ravenously as the heat of the sun bore down on him. After standing around for ten minutes or so, he was also sweating a great deal, so he stepped off to the side of the pathway and into a merciful stretch of shade. As magnificent as the sun was, he felt that too much exposure couldn’t be a good thing.

“Uncle, that bag they gave you. Is there food in it?”

Raidon frowned and picked up the bag, which he’d placed on the ground. “It doesn’t feel like they gave us much.” He opened it and sifted through the contents. “Just a few pieces of bread, a hunk of cheese, and a waterskin.” He made an unpleasant face. “Stale bread, moldy cheese, and a half-empty waterskin. This is supposed to last us three days? That slive!” He took out the cheese and made to tear off a piece for Alistar, when a tiny, folded paper fell off of the wedge’s underside. “Oh?”

“Uncle? Is everything okay?”

Raidon’s eyes had grown wide, his body tensed. His head snapped up the second he finished reading, and he shot anxious glances up and down the long trail.

“Servan…” He tore the note into little pieces. “So that’s why they released us. I knew it was something like this.” He stood up and turned to Alistar, resting both of his hands on his shoulders. “There’s been a change of plans. Up ahead, the trail becomes a long and confusing series of winding turns. There are several ambushes lying in wait for us along this path, which is the only reliable trail for leagues. We’re in danger, Alistar.”

“Ambushes…?”

“They never intended to set us free. We need to stray from the path, and quickly. Our only chance is to head into the forest.”

Alistar peered out at their surroundings, where it was much dimmer than on the sunlit path. He felt uneasy. It wasn’t the darkness that bothered him, not after a lifetime in Crystellum. He was scared of what might be out there. Servan had once told him that there were many frightening animals in these forests, but that the real threats were the danger beasts. They were found in places with high concentrations of natural energy, for instance, around mountains. Apparently, the larger the mountains were, the deadlier the danger beasts in the area would be.

Alistar stared up at the towering mass that was Mt. Barosh, and suddenly the mountain was less awe-inspiring and more foreboding.

“I won’t lie to you, Alistar. This will be very dangerous. Not many people can survive in these forests. Many would say that we’d be better off taking our chances with the ambushes.”

Alistar suddenly found himself shaking. Even his uncle looked a little paler than usual.

“I’m not trying to frighten you. I’m being blunt, so that you’re best prepared for what we’re about to go through. Think of your mother. Think of Kaila. Would you throw away all that they’ve sacrificed, here at the very beginning of your journey?”

Thoughts of his loved ones filled his mind and stilled his shaking limbs. Things had just taken a turn for the worst, and he was terribly frightened. Their only options were being murdered by an unknown group of men, or killed by one of the mysteries that dwelt within the forest.

“I’ll follow you, Uncle.”

He was scared, but he couldn’t afford to just keel over and die, not on the day that he was finally freed from the mines. People were depending on him, suffering for his sake even as he stood there, timid and scared.

“If you’re Rodei’s boy, then you should be fine. I might not have my magics, but growing up I spent almost every summer in this area of the kingdom. I know the safer routes, even if it’s been almost ten years.” He stared into Alistar’s eyes, encouragingly, lovingly.

“Let’s escape,” Alistar managed. “I’ve always dreamed of walking through the forest.”