Believing in Myself

Another quick chapter! And in record time for me too! My writing slump is over! Sweet. Now to continue my writing!

Chapter 27


John, Jessica, and thier newest companion, Avion, had reached the base of the mountain path. They stared up into the bounds of the sky, the peaks towering over as a natural sign of dominion over the ground below. Avion turned to the others, Jessica in awe, and John with determination.

\"You, know, it\'s still not too late... if you want to go back and, try to find another way around...\"

\"No, this is the shortest way, we can\'t waste time going around all this. We are just going to have to climb up and brace ourselves for whatever happens.\"

\"John\'s right. Let\'s get started.\"

They all begin the walk up the trail that scaled the mountain. The path seemed clear and well worn, as though many before had used this path since it was first made. Along the way, they found a split in the road, one path leading a bit higher up the moutain then the other. Avion, however, told them that the path was more for those who like climbing, which, nowadays, was no one with the increase of monsters. Deciding to abandon the path for now, they continued along the trade route path, which was, as far as they knew, safe. That was, until they saw a sign.

\"Danger... road out. That\'s what it says.\" John said, a frown over his face.

\"So we have no choice... we need to take the mountain path. That\'s really... bothersome.\" Jessica said.

\"More like strange. I think whoever managed to close this road knew we were going to take it.\"

\"Your saying a demon might have done something up ahead Avion?\" Jessica asked, bewildered.

\"I wouldn\'t put the idea past you. But it\'s definately a possiblity that we can\'t ignore.\"

Turning back, they walked the path until they reached the spilt and traveled the more rocky, less traveled path that led them high up. At times, the path completely vanished, and they all had to traverse over rocks and cliffs to relocate the path and get their positions straight. It was obvious to anyone that thew didn\'t want to take this path, but they clearly had no choice. John had wondered how people could possibly climb up this path. Hgher and higher they went until...

\"Wow!\" John smiled wide, like a kid with a new toy. His hands touched the small traces of powdery white snow on the ground. \"Unbelievable! I\'ve never seen this before!\"

\"Is he serious?\" Avion asked Jessica.

\"Just let him have his fun. Chances are, this won\'t be last time he acts this way.\" Jessica said, smiling a little.

The two walked after John, as he rushed foward, the snow starting to cover more of the ground, until soon enough, the ground was no longer visible beneath their feet. John bend down to scoop some into his hands, admiring the cold feel to it, the texture as he let it fall to the ground.

\"I think we went too high up...\" Avion said, looking at his surroundings. \"We better not stay long... once it\'s nighttime, I doubt this place will become friendly to us. We don\'t know what lies here yet.\" They all walked away yet Jessica looked back every now and then. Something had felt off to her, and she could tell that someone was watching then. That or something. She walked again, hoping to gain some ground and catch up to John and Avion, when a low growl was heard. Jessica turned around in time to see a white wolf, that had hid in the snow, bound at her.

\"Water!\" The water spell hit the wolf, but for all the good it did, she might have cast a healing spell. The wolf, unfazed by her attack, continued it\'s charge, until a earthen wall rose up, cuting off it\'s path. Avion had his hand out, which was a sign he had made it. John pulled out his blade and rushed in. John tried to strike out, but the wolf jumpped back to avoid the atack. As if a sign, more wolves popped out of the snow, rushing in to surround their prey.

\"Flare Storm!\" The fire spells failed to strike thier targets, but the wolves no longer approached, but silently circled thier prey, growling all the more. Avion, Jessica and John stood together in a circle facing the wolves so they wouldn\'t be taken by surprise.

Avion punched his hand on the ground, and shouted \"Rock Shower!\" Shards of the earth flew up and started to go after the wolves. Some were able to get away, but others had not been so lucky. One, who apparently was the leader of the pack, seemed to be hurt and retreated. The other wolves, still growling, followed suit.

\"That seems odd... they gave up, right in the middle of it.\" John said.

\"Do you hear something?\" Avion asked.

They all looked around, definately more aware that there was a rumbling sound coming from somewhere nearby. \"Look out!\" Jessica pointed to the moutaintop, where piles of snow were falling, threatening to bury them all alive.

\"Earth Wall!\" Avion tried to make a wall of earth to shield them all. The snow pushed against it, threatening to break through. John tried to cast the same spell, in order to strengthen the effect, but the snow broke through, and they all tried to run, before a deafening darkness was all they would be able to recall.

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Warm... so warm...

A warm fire was burning nearby, although the man didn\'t know it. John woke up painfully, trying to remember what had happened...

\"Jessica! Avion!\" He looked around, trying to get awhere of his surroundings. He was in a cave, probably a deep one, as he couldn\'t see the entrence from either end, nor could he tell how far back the cave went. A fire was burning nearby, which seemed to have warmed hm considerably, dispite the bitter cold he was feeling.

\"Your wasting your breath. They aren\'t here.\"

John looked over to where the voice came from. He saw him again, that strange man who wore the scarf and cloak. Added to his attire, it seemed, was a pendant with a strange marking on it. A small light emitted from it\'s center, yet that light seemed dark somehow, evil...

\"What do you mean they aren\'t here!? Where are they?\"

\"Calm down. Someone came by and found you. I assume that person is out seeing if there were others.\"

\"And how do you know this?\"

\"That isn\'t your business.\" The man noticed John was looking strangely to his pendant, which stopped glowing, and which was hidden away inside his clothing. \"Anyway, I\'m glad to see your not dead. Which means your friends are still alive out there too.\"

\"So, where am I?\" John asked, not forgetting that pendant and it\'s dark glow.

\"A cave, higher up the path you were originally taking. A snowstorm is out, and it\'s bitter cold at night, so I wouldn\'t go thinking of looking for your friends the way your dressed. You\'ll freeze to death out there. Just let her take care of it.\"

\"Her? Who\'s her?\"

But the man was already heading off to the left, apparently to the outside of the cave. He returned the black pendant to it\'s original position. \"You\'ll find out soon enough. And I expect a better perforance for next we meet.\" The man left, his pendant starting to glow again, as John reached out his hand. He knew it couldn\'t stop him, and if the strangers\'s words were to be trusted, then someone was already looking for Jessica and Avion, or at the very least, they were trying to find him. He settled down next to the fire, trying to get his own magic to help warm him some. Then he realized another thing, that neither of them could use fire magic to help survive the cold.

Jessica... Avion... be careful out there guys... I don\'t want to lose you...