Kai's POV
In this world, to become a great man, one must not only know which path to choose but also how to walk it. Some paths seem straight and easy yet hide obstacles, while others appear treacherous but lead to greatness. It's not the road itself, but the choices we make along the way that define us.
As I stood on the mountainside, the cold wind biting at my face, I couldn't help but reflect on my journey. Aiming to become the Commander-in-Chief of Eldarion's army was the dream that fueled me, but here I was, struggling with a much simpler challenge—getting to the capital in time for the royal academy entrance exam. The road ahead was uncertain, both literally and figuratively.
"Hey! What are you doing, daydreaming? Hurry up, or we'll be late!" Akio's voice cut through my thoughts, snapping me back to the present.
He was right. If we didn't pick up the pace, we wouldn't make it to the capital in time. But his words irritated me. I shot back, "Yeah, you're right, but we wouldn't have to worry about being late if a certain someone hadn't misread the map and taken us down the wrong path in the first place."
Akio's face tightened with annoyance. "I've already apologized for that, haven't I? What more do you want?"
His words were defensive, but I wasn't ready to let it slide. "An apology doesn't magically fix things. Look around—do you see the peak anywhere? We've been wandering through these mountains for over a day, and we're completely off course!"
Akio clenched his fists but bit back his frustration. "I know, okay? But we don't have a choice. The innkeeper said the capital's just half a day ahead if we can make it through this mountain pass."
After he said that, I recalled our conversation with the innkeeper.
"Um... do you know how long it will take to reach the capital from here?" Akio had asked.
"Capital, huh? If you go by carriage, it should take about four days to reach," the innkeeper replied.
"Four days?" Akio's disappointment was palpable. "But there's a way for both of you to reach the capital in about two and a half days," he exclaimed.
"Is that so?" the innkeeper replied, his eyes narrowing. "There is one path, but I don't recommend it."
"Why's that?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
"Come with me," the innkeeper said, leading us to the exit. "Do you see that mountain range?"
"Yes. Can we reach the capital if we cross that mountain?" Akio asked.
"Yes, you should reach the capital after you cross those mountains. You'll reach the grasslands, and it should take half a day to get to the capital," the innkeeper explained.
"Thank you, old man! Let's go, Akio," I said as we turned to leave.
"Wait…" the innkeeper called out, making us stop in our tracks. "That path is indeed short, but it's narrow and dangerous. I wouldn't recommend going through there."
Akio nodded. "We'll be careful. Thanks for the warning. Bye."
And here we were now, walking through the mountains. I let out a heavy sigh, the tension simmering between us. "Fine. Let's keep moving."
We continued along the trail, the rocky path beneath our feet growing narrower with each step. As I glanced to my right, my stomach twisted—a sheer drop stretched down into a dark abyss, hidden beneath a thick layer of mist. One wrong move, and it would all be over. The edge was so close that the wind seemed to pull at us, daring us to lose our footing.
The mountain loomed on our left, a jagged wall of stone pressing us closer to the precipice. The only way forward was to keep going, one careful step at a time. The mountain didn't care about our dreams or our fears—it just waited, merciless and indifferent, as we struggled to navigate its treacherous paths.
Suddenly, a dark shadow swept across the rocky terrain, sending a chill through my bones. My head snapped up, and my stomach dropped in fear. Soaring above us was a wyvern, its leathery wings beating against the wind with a deep, resonating thrum that made the air vibrate. The creature was massive—larger than I had ever imagined, its black scales glinting menacingly in the fading light. Its eyes glowed like embers of hate, fixed on us with the cruel intelligence of a predator sizing up its prey.
The beast's jagged teeth jutted from its snout, each as long as a sword, and its sharp talons gleamed like steel in the sunlight. Its snarl was a low rumble that echoed through the mountains, a sound that made my blood freeze.
Akio froze beside me, his face drained of all color. "Did it see us?" he whispered, barely daring to breathe.
"I don't know," I replied, my voice shaking despite my efforts to stay calm. We crouched low behind a boulder, every muscle in my body tensed as I tried to become invisible.
But then the wyvern's head jerked toward us, its slit-pupiled eyes narrowing as it locked onto our position. A roar erupted from its throat, louder than a thunderclap, reverberating through the mountains.
Akio's breath caught in his throat. "Damn it! It saw us!"
My heart pounded, fear clawing at my mind. "Run!" I yelled, and we bolted down the narrow path. The wyvern's wings beat against the air as it swooped closer, each thrum a reminder of the death looming over us.
We sprinted down the rocky path, each step unsteady on the uneven terrain. I could feel the wyvern's shadow enveloping us, its massive shape hovering above like a storm. Panic surged through me, making my hands shake as I ran. But as fate would have it, my foot caught on a loose rock, and I went down, tumbling toward the cliff's edge.
"No!" The word tore from my throat as I clawed at the ground, desperately searching for something to hold on to. My fingers scrabbled against the rocky earth, but it was too late—I fell from the edge.
Without hesitation, Akio lunged toward me, his hand catching my arm in a tight grip. He held me with one hand, his knuckles white as he strained to pull me up. I felt the sudden rush of air as my shoe slipped off, plummeting into the abyss below. The force of my weight nearly pulled Akio down too, but he gritted his teeth, both of us dangling precariously over the edge.
"Run, you idiot! That thing's coming!" I shouted, wild with fear as the wyvern's roar grew louder, its hot breath washing over us.
"I'm not leaving you behind!" Akio shouted back, his voice fierce. His grip on my arm tightened, his muscles straining as he tried to lift me.
But the ground beneath him began to crumble, and we both fell from the edge. Just as I thought we were done for, Akio gritted his teeth, summoning every ounce of strength. "Tempest Gale!"
A blast of wind exploded from his hand, sending a powerful gust upward. The force of the wind lifted us both, pushing us away from the cliff's edge and onto a narrow ledge below. We crashed onto the rocky outcrop, the impact rattling every bone in my body. I gasped for breath.
Everything spun, darkness creeping into my vision as my head hit the stone. Pain burst through my skull, and then… nothing.
When I finally regained consciousness, my head throbbed like it had been split open. Blinking against the fading light, I tried to push myself up, my limbs heavy and sluggish. A sharp ache shot through my right knee and elbow.
"Huh… what happened?" The memories flooded back, and I jerked upright, ignoring the pain shooting through my leg and arm. "Akio?" My voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.
To my right, Akio lay sprawled, clutching his head. His shirt was smeared with dirt and torn, and blood seeped from his temple, staining his cheek with a dark crimson trail.
"Finally awake, huh?" he muttered through clenched teeth, his voice laced with exhaustion.
My stomach twisted at the sight of blood trickling between his fingers. I stumbled closer, worry sharpening my voice. "Did you hit your head? That doesn't look like just a scratch. Take your hand off—let me see."
He waved me off, his hand slipping from his head just enough for me to glimpse the deep cut on his temple. He winced, pain flickering across his face. "It's nothing… just a scrape."
"Akio, that's not a scrape!" My own voice shook as I tried to steady my hands, reaching for his injury. "Let me help."
He hesitated, exhaustion etched into his features, then nodded slightly, relenting. The blood on his face had already started to dry, leaving a dark stain on his cheek.
I tore a strip from my shirt, pressing it to his wound to slow the bleeding. He winced again, eyes narrowing. "Forget it… Anyway, where are we now?"
I glanced up at the steep cliff towering above us, a sinking feeling settling in my stomach. "Seems like we landed on a ledge sticking out of the mountain."
Akio wiped the blood from his face, hissing in pain as he pulled his hand away. "Great. So now we're trapped on this ledge, bleeding and bruised, with no way up and no way down."
I nodded, though doubt clawed at me. The path back up was daunting, and looking over the edge made my stomach churn. My shoe was gone, lost to the chasm, and my knee throbbed with every movement. "But… how are we going to get out of here?"
Akio's gaze hardened, scanning the cliff face above us. "Let's find a way."
Silence settled between us as we caught our breath, only broken by our labored breathing. I looked down at my scraped knees and the torn fabric clinging to my leg. My right leg was swelling where I'd fallen, and the ache in my elbow grew sharper with every heartbeat. Above us, the wyvern let out one final screech before it vanished over the mountains, its shadow retreating from our battered forms.
"It's gone," I whispered, relief mingling with lingering dread. My hands still trembled with adrenaline.
Akio lay back, exhaling slowly. "Gone, yeah… but now we're trapped on a ledge with no way up and no way down."
The sinking sun cast long shadows over the rocks, a chill seeping into my bones. Beneath my fear, something else stirred—something more powerful than panic.
I was terrified, but I wasn't broken. We were alive, and as long as we were breathing, there was hope. This wyvern was just the beginning. Many more challenges awaited, but as long as we stayed together, I wasn't giving up.
I couldn't.