Chapter 30 The Moutain's Toll
“I thought he said the wind wasn’t as strong!” I shout, trying to stay as close as I can to Oberon’s back as the savage wind tears over the mountain pass and threatens to rip all of us off our feet.
Oberon has long since abandoned his attendant. He slipped past Calder and my donkey and put himself in front of me to break the wind. He brought his rope with him, and tied himself to me, bristling at the fact that I turned around and tied Zaries to us as well.
The three of us huddle against the side of the mountain, moving forward inch by inch. I can barely see the flicking tail of my donkey ahead, but I know he’s steadily walking and being guided by the best kid who ever could have been chosen.
“The weather of Dragon Mount is historically unpredictable,” Zaries shouts. “One moment you could be basking in sunlight, the next ducking as hail the size of a horse rains down from the skies.”
“Do you really think we need a history lesson right now, prince?” Oberon jabs.
I can feel Zaries step forward, the rope between us slackening, and I turn just in time to hold him back. “Not here!” I shout, but the wind whips my words away.
“We don’t have time for this!” Oberon snaps. “Come on!” He forges ahead, yanking the rope and making me stumble slightly.
The wind is so fierce it’s making the falling snow pierce my skin like a thousand needles. My eyes burn from the glaring bright white of the morning light, making them tear up. The tears freeze on my cheeks before they’ve tracked more than a few inches down my face.
We’ve been walking for hours already and the sun is now directly above us, marking midday, but there's no fortress in sight. “Is there more than one path up here?” I ask, scared and frustrated. “Do you think we lost everyone?”
“There’s only one path, just keep going!” Zaries shouts.
My legs are starting to ache from the steep hike and fighting the wind. I want nothing more than to stop and lean against the mountain to catch my breath, but that could mean death. Even with my gloves on, I can’t feel my fingers and I haven't for some time. When Oberon turns to check on me I see he’s just as wind-burned as I feel, and he’s taking more wind than I am at his back. He must be in miserable pain.
Far ahead of us, so distant it could be a trick of the ears, I swear a horn sounds. “Did you hear that?” I ask, turning my head back and forth between the men.
“I heard it,” Zaries agrees, standing taller and trying to see through the white-out storm in front of us.
“It’s the horn to sound that they’ve seen us!” Calder squeals with excitement, tugging the donkey ahead faster.
I feel a boost of energy myself and smile at Oberon and Zaries. In that moment, there's no animosity, no hatred, no pain between any of us. At that moment, there’s only excitement that this is all almost over. We’re almost there.
Within a few more steps the wind seems to die down, the snow doesn’t feel like a wall, and the smell of cookfires scents the air. We’re so close!
There was no future that didn’t have you arriving at this fortress.
That was knowledge I could have used yesterday…
If I had told you, would you have been so cautious?
I really despise having a voice in my head, a cocky one at that.
The air seems to thin, making it even harder to breathe as we step closer and closer to our final destination. Ahead I can hear Calder gasp in awe, and within a few moments the clouds clear in front of us to no more than a heavy mist.
Shielding my eyes from the bright sunlight, I wince as I look up at the massive black fortress rising ominously from the jagged peak of the mountain, its obsidian walls blending seamlessly with the dark rock. The castle is a masterwork of grim artistry. Its towers, sharp and imposing, reach toward the sky. The outer walls are scarred from countless battles, and the scent of brimstone and scorched earth hangs heavy in the air. As I gaze upon Hellbane, I feel the weight of centuries of bloodshed and sorrow, a chilling testament to the dragon slayers' relentless war.
But it’s not the fortress that has my breath catching.
It’s the fiery glow of molten lava that bubbles and churns around it. The fortress itself sits in a hollow of the active volcano, steam rising from the buildings and radiating off the turrets and towers.
“Dragon Mount…is a volcano?” I whisper, the awe in my voice stealing almost all legible sounds.
That makes Hellbane more than just a castle. It’s a citadel of dread and defiance, a place where the line between man and monster blurs. I can’t help but feel a shiver of trepidation as I steel myself to enter its unwelcoming embrace.
“Is that—” Oberon starts.
I follow his line of sight, my breath catching all over again as I register what he’s seen.
“The golden rose of Amaranthine,” Zaries finishes in awe and reverence.
The single bloom grows out of the mountain like it’s defying the will of nature and the power of the storms themselves. The rose gleams against the dark mountain wall, a symbol that beauty can exist in the darkest and deadliest environment.
Zaries swallows hard, emotion building as obviously as his eyes gloss over with unshed tears. He strokes the embroidered rose on his collar. The rose that Elysandra told him to find and pick for her if he was serious about taking her hand in marriage. The one and only thing she contributed to the letters over all the years.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper, reaching up as if I can touch it.
Sitting atop his donkey, Calder turns and smiles at us, then follows our gaze to the golden rose just above him. “Do you want that rose, Anara?” he shouts, excited. “I can get it for you.”
“Oh, Calder, don’t do that. Let it live,” I say, smiling fondly at the boy.
“It will never live here! I should pick it and let its beauty be enjoyed, rather than let it wither and freeze up here.”
“Calder, don’t, it’s okay. Really,” I protest, but the kid is already squirming to his knees in the saddle.
“Idiot,” Zaries mutters as he begins to untie the rope around his waist so he can catch the boy if he falls and not tug Oberon and me ahead with him.
Far ahead on the winding path, I can see Thorne is near the gates of the fortress. Silas waves a hand beside him, and the massive black doors begin to swing open. I feel my breath whoosh out of my lungs when I see the armada of alicorns standing in wait on the other side of the gates. They are the chosen steed of the slayers—they’ve come to greet us!
“Be careful, boy!” Oberon shouts.
I yank my eyes back to Calder. He’s on his tiptoes on the back of the donkey and bracing himself against the mountain as he reaches for the rose.
“I’ve almost got it!” he shouts excitedly.
“Calder, it’s not worth it!” I caution, even as I’m shaking my head good-naturedly at his determination. He’s such a sweet kid.
“Calder, get down!” Zaries roars.