The sun perched atop the Jashu Mountains, its rays casting a golden light over the rough terrain. The jagged peaks seemed to pierce the sky, with clouds lazily drifting by, making it appear as if the sun itself was resting on the mountain's summit.
Footsteps echoed along the narrow path, dislodging small streams of sand and gravel that tumbled down the mountainside.
Below, a horde of monsters lurked in the shadows, their twisted forms waiting with predatory patience, eager for any sign of prey. They shifted and snarled, hungry for whatever dared to fall into their path.
"You'll be fine." Victor reassured, "Just don't look down."
Katherine heeded his advice, doing her best not to look down the mountain path they walked on. This was the only way to Vielat or rather the only way they could use without being turned into an afterthought by the monsters below.
They had left a while ago and had fortunately covered a lot of ground, however, it was here and now on the crippling mountain peaks that she had discovered her crippling fear of mountain peaks.
She exhaled and inhaled faster than Victor could move forward, she could feel her head spin, and her heart pound. "Just focus on me, okay," Victor said, dragging her attention.
He held her arm, that was probably the only reason she hadn't fallen off the mountain yet. Because even if her phobia didn't make her fall, the giant gusts of wind definitely would've.
The sun had begun to set, this time falling behind the mountains. Darkness had hit them like a storm, quick and unavoidable. They needed to find shelter for the day, continuing their journey tomorrow.
"There's a cave by those stones, I saw it when I passed here earlier. We can sleep in there today." Victor said.
"You sure that's safe?"
"Would you rather we use the normal route?" Victor peered over the edge, the snarls of the beasts below cutting through the stillness of the evening like a warning.
"Negative." She responded.
"Dark and gloomy cave it is then."
They followed the winding path along the mountain, nearing a sharp bend that led toward the cavern. As they drew closer, a voice echoed faintly in the distance.
"Perched on this ledge, between earth and sky,
I gaze below where the river winds by.
Time drips slowly, like dew on the grass,
While clouds above like fleeting thoughts pass."
"Hm?" Victor pondered, looking at Katherine to confirm whether she too had heard the voice.
"The mountain stands firm, unmoved by my plight,
Yet shadows grow long, devoured by night.
A lone bird calls, seeking its distant nest,
While I, like it, yearn for eternal rest."
They approached the sharp edge, where the voice was its loudest. Peering down the mountainside, they wondered if someone had fallen from the path on their way up.
"Is this my fate, to linger on high?
A soul suspended, with no place to die?
Or does this cliff, both steep and sheer,
Reflect the life I once held dear?"
"Hey, we can hear you!" Katherine screamed out.
"In life, we climb, we strive to ascend,
Yet oft find ourselves at journey's end.
No path below, no stars above,
Just the silence of night, and dreams of love."
"Wait here." Victor inched closer to the edge, bending down to peer over the side. There, he saw a man clinging to the cliffside below.
"But still, I sing, to fill the void,
A voice in the dark, though hope destroyed.
For in each word, a seed is sown,
To bloom in the heart, where light is shown."
"Need a hand?" Victor called out, his eyes fixed on the middle-aged man draped in white robes. The singing paused mid-note, and as the man looked up, visibly relieved that he'd gotten help.
"Please," He said with a smile.
Victor reached down, gripping the man's arm tightly and pulling him up onto the narrow path. Both of them collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily. As Victor lay there, a laugh escaped him, surprising even himself.
He had truly changed. A few months ago, before Katherine came into his life, he wouldn't have bothered. He would have walked right past the man without a second thought, but now—now he couldn't bring himself to ignore someone in need.
"You okay?" Katherine asked, approaching.
"Yeah," The rescued man said, letting out a calm sigh as he inspected his bag, relieved to find everything still intact. "Thank you for that."
"No problem," Victor nodded, dusting off his hands. "By the way, what are you doing by the path, um—"
"Zahir," The man said. "My name is Zahir."
"I'm Victor and that there is Katherine," Victor introduced, and Katherine waved.
"Well, thanks, Victor and Katherine," Zahir said as he stood up, brushing dust off his clothes. "I'm a passing merchant. I travel and sell my wares while carrying information to other cities. I was on my way to Desta, the second city, but I fell from that rock and down the cliff. I could hear it cracking and thought it was the end until you came along."
"Are you still heading toward Desta? There are monsters everywhere," Victor warned.
Zahir shook his head slowly. "I've lost my strength and forgotten the tales I would tell. I'll return to Vielat to set out another day."
"That's where we're going too," Katherine said, glancing at Victor, who nodded.
"It seems we're headed to the same place. Do you mind accompanying us?" Victor inquired,
"Not at all," Zahir replied.
"Okay then, Katherine. Stay with him, I'll go scan the cave and set up dinner."
Katherine stood silently as Victor disappeared into the cave. Her gaze then shifted to Zahir, who was now rummaging through his bag. He pulled out a worn book and a small vial of ink, setting them carefully on his lap.
Without speaking, she observed him as he dipped his brush into the ink and began writing in the book. Curious, Katherine circled around him, trying to see what he was writing and although she wasn't the best reader or a relatively average one, she could tell that the script wasn't in English.
"I'm not sure you can read this," Zahir uttered, still writing. "It's an Eastern script, a complex language. I'm no scholar, so I can only write using basic words, at least for now."
Katherine tilted her head, "I meant to ask earlier. When we were heading toward you, we heard you singing something. What was that about?"
"Oh, the Lüishi. It's a poem from the eastern region as well, I merely tried my best to convert it to English. It was kinda my way of seeking help, while at the same time comforting myself for what's to come."
"Hm." Katherine nodded, "Is that your job?"
"Well," Zahir chuckled, scratching his head, "It's not really a job anymore. After the Great Lament, jobs aren't what they used to be."
"Do you enjoy it?" Katherine asked. "Singing those poems?"
"Yes," Zahir admitted, gazing at the scenery. "Being able to traverse the world, understand new cultures, learn new languages. It's extremely fulfilling."
"Seriously?"
Zahir chuckled, "Yes," He said. "I spent my entire life honing my skills as a craftsman. But two years ago, I stumbled into history and literature, and I've regretted not discovering them sooner."
Katherine's eyes widened. "You didn't like being a craftsman?"
"Not because I dislike it," Zahir clarified, his smile fading into something more thoughtful. "But because I've missed out on so much. There's a whole world—stories, lessons, and the wisdom of ages—that I never knew. Now, I'm trying to catch up."
He looked down at his book, his fingers tracing the inked symbols. "Craftsmanship gave me purpose, but literature gave me understanding."
Katherine's eyes sparkled with astonishment as she listened, "Can I learn too?" She asked eagerly. "I'd love to know how to make poems!"
Zahir glanced around, searching for Victor. As he'd mentioned earlier, he wasn't exactly a scholar and teaching was the farthest thing from a strong suit of his. "Please!" Katherine added.
He sighed softly. "Okay, I'll teach you a little bit enough for a Jueju."
Katherine smiled at Zahir, who let out another sigh. Bracing for what's to come.
A dull thud reverberated through the cave as a rock tumbled to the ground. Victor grunted as he straightened up, surveying the cleared area in the center of the cavern. This would serve as their sleeping spot for the night. Now, with the space ready, all that was left was to start a fire, and they would be set for the evening.
He gathered small branches and dry leaves, pulling a small flint from his pocket. Striking it, he managed to start a spark, which he blew on until it grew into a steady flame.
Victor stood over the fire, watching as Katherine and Zahir entered the cave. Night had fully fallen, and while they would make their way to Vielat tomorrow, tonight, they would rest.
They snacked on the food Helga had packed. Victor had been too preoccupied to check the contents, but to his surprise, it was quite tasty. Katherine eyed her sandwich, not sure how to bite into it. Zahir noticed her confusion and tapped her shoulder, demonstrating the proper technique on the air.
As the meal ended, the fire gradually went out, leaving only the faint glow of embers. The night sky stretched above them, a curtain of stars scattered across the black canvas. Katherine, exhausted, had curled up in a corner of the cave, snoring softly under Victor's trench coat.
Victor, however, remained restless. He sat near the entrance of the cave, staring up at the stars. The footsteps behind him drew his attention. Zahir approached and took a seat beside him, joining him in gazing at the celestial backdrop.
"You came from Vielat, right?" Victor's voice broke the silence.
"Yes," Zahir replied, keeping his gaze on the sky.
"What's the city like? I haven't been there since the Great Lament. Is it overrun? Are there even people left?"
Zahir sighed, his thoughts drifting to the city he had once known. "It might be different from what you remember. Many who fled to smaller towns don't really know what's become of the main cities."
"What do you mean?" Victor inquired.
"The rest of the people in Vielat have begun living under the Monarch, same with the other main cities."
"Hm?" Victor said, turning to face Zahir. "That can't be true."
"I tell exaggerated tales of grandeur, but I spew no lies." Zahir's voice was steady, though somber. "The Monarch's have complete control of Vielat."
Victor shook his head, "That can't be true, no," His voice was low, speaking almost more to himself than to Zahir. "The Monarchs, the same beings responsible for all this destruction? They ripped everything apart. Why would anyone serve them?"
Zahir's lips thinned, and he cast his gaze toward the distant horizon as if looking beyond the mountains, beyond the reality of their world.
"Fear does strange things to people," He explained. "When you're terrified, you'll cling to whatever gives you a sense of survival, even if it's the very thing that tore your world apart. Vielat has become their stronghold, and the people have no choice but to submit or die. The Monarchs, they don't need to rule with force anymore—they rule with fear and control the people's minds by making them think there's no other way."
"So they're just sitting on their thrones, playing gods while the rest of us suffer?" Victor snapped.
Zahir sighed. "They've positioned themselves as saviors to the people they once tormented. They tell them that without their 'protection,' worse things would happen. And after everything, the people believe them. They would rather live under the illusion of safety than face the dangerous truth."
Victor fell silent, processing the idea of the Monarchs being revered, even protected by the very people they subjugated. His hatred for them burned deeper, but now it was mixed with a bitter understanding of the twisted game the Monarchs were playing.
"I'll kill them," Victor muttered and Zahir glanced at him as if he had just lost his mind.
Zahir placed a hand on Victor's shoulder, "They're invincible, Victor. You know that. And it's not just their power. You'll have to get through an army of believers who think they're gods. They've built a fortress around themselves, not of stone, but of fear and loyalty." He paused, searching Victor's eyes for any sign of hesitation. "It won't be easy for anyone to reach them, let alone kill them."
"Easy or not, I'm going to tear that wall down."
The wind howled in the distance, carrying ash and dust through the air, swirling it past their faces. The rustle of fabric further cut through the silence as Zahir stood up.
"Get some sleep," Zahir said softly and with a final pat on Victor's shoulder, he turned and retreated into the cave, leaving Victor alone with his thoughts and the biting wind.
As Zahir retreated into the darkness of the cavern, lying down on the rough ground, his mind raced. The flickering embers of the dead fire cast small shadows on the walls, but it was the darkness in Victor's eyes that truly unsettled him
He had searched Victor's face for even the faintest flicker of doubt or hesitation, something to suggest he was only speaking out of frustration or anger. But there had been nothing, just a cold, unrelenting resolve that chilled Zahir to the bone.
Was he really serious about killing the Monarchs? The idea seemed impossible, almost laughable. The Monarchs were untouchable, worshipped as gods by those they ruled over. Yet there was something in Victor's eyes that made Zahir question everything.
"There's no way," Zahir whispered to himself, turning to his side as sleep finally took him.