Chapter 2
Mountains
Towards the start of my journey, I had to climb massive mountains. Usually, travelers try to avoid these mountains because of the wild animals and dangerous weather conditions. Avalanches at any time, rabid wolves and bears, storms that would last for days—these were some of the stories people would tell. Unfortunately, I did not have the option to go around the mountains because I needed to reach a village situated at the summit of a massive mountain known as Severed Hand. It was named Severed Hand because the first person who tried to reach the village at the top had his hand cut off after it froze, and then a rock fell on it.
I brought proper equipment such as a sword, warm leather armor, and a sheep coat to go over the armor. The start of the trek up to the summit was quick because I had nothing much to worry about, Besides the animals. But I was relatively safe and I knew how to avoid them. My plan was to walk until nightfall and then find a cave to start a fire. Unfortunately, halfway through the day, I started to get an uneasy feeling, there were no wild animals and I felt like I was being watched. All the sudden i saw a flash of yellow eyes, and a howl. I was being ambushed by a pack of wolves, I looked left and right and found a tree that I could climb. I dashed in that direction , time seemed to slow down as I ran to the tree. i managed to get then just in time as right as I got high enough, snap* a wolf's jaw shut just where my leg was. The wolves waited at the base of the tree for me to come down all day, I was trapped inside the tree with no supplies for a fire or food. When the sun started to set, I was presented with two options: make a fire somehow in the tree or leave the tree in the dark. Both options were really bad, as I didn't know how to start a fire in a tree and I had not gathered food, and if I left at night, I might freeze to death. After about 15 minutes of contemplating, I decided to go with option two. If I managed to leave the tree, I could still start a fire somewhere else. So, in the middle of the night, I snuck out of the tree and ran. Unfortunately, at some point, I made quite a bit of noise, and the wolves started chasing me. I ran as fast as I could, trying to stay ahead of them. I was shaking as I ran, terrified by their drooling maw. After what felt like an eternity, I spotted a cave in the distance. I dashed towards it, hoping the wolves wouldn't follow me inside. Luckily, they stopped at the entrance, perhaps wary of what might be lurking in the dark. I quickly gathered some dry wood and managed to start a fire, which kept me warm and safe for the rest of the night. The wolves eventually lost interest and left, allowing me to get some much-needed rest. The next morning, I continued my journey up the mountain. The weather was harsh, with a sudden snowstorm that made visibility almost zero. I had to navigate carefully to avoid getting lost or falling into hidden crevices. There were also times when the path was blocked by fallen rocks, forcing me to find alternative routes. Despite these obstacles, I pushed on, determined to reach the village at the summit. As I climbed higher, the air grew thinner, making it difficult to breathe. I had to take frequent breaks to catch my breath and regain my strength. The cold was relentless, and I could feel my fingers and toes starting to go numb. I knew I had to keep moving to avoid frostbite or worse. The wind pounded my back with eminence strength, my breathing was labored. Finally After days of climbing I made it to the summit and saw it. The village was a beautiful sight to see, the snow covered the streets and there was a warm glow to it. It struck against the night sky like a bolt of lightning in a storm. I was proud of seeing the village and climbing the mountain. This was one of my first things I did on my journey. A tall task that any traveler would pale at. This was at the beginning of my journey right after my father passed away in that tragic accident. I enjoyed writing about my journeys and hope to see you sometime in my life, maybe we can talk as you are probably interested in my journey. Thank you for reading my last letter about my time in Eldenwood a few years after I climbed this mountain. I hope this will help explain my absence.
Sincerely, Vermileya