Beatitudes

Episode 82.

A white pike streaking across through the air, which was already somewhat of a signature move from Isaac, that brought the last beast down to the ground. Allowing it to join its fellow wolves in the afterlife, if there was ever one for them.

It came as no surprise or as a big achievement that they were able to handle slaying two groups of beats consecutively. According to Adam, it was always easy for a group although maybe not as little a number as theirs, to handle low level mountains like these. It was all too easy.

So Isaac and the others were already standing casually in wait for the now anticipated red colored, like the color of blood, screen of light to pop up like it did the previous times. They were barely tired, it felt a tad too easy…

// Trial objectives:

1st Objective- Eliminate all tainted beasts (41/110)

2nd Objective- Clear all floors (2/5)

You have cleared the first two floors of the Tainted mountain (Tier one) and completed two more subtasks of the trial.

You may choose to step into the safe zone to recuperate and get prepared, or you may directly head on to the next floor of the tainted mountain to continue the trial of challenging the mountain. //

The same message was displayed across the blood red screen for them, looking just like the one shown to them when they cleared the first floor of the mountain, only a few differences could be seen, both in the number count of the first and second objectives and the clearance message. It still gave them the two options of either heading to the safe zone for a rest or directly challenging the third floor. With the current situation of their group of three, it was a no brainer on what they were going to choose and go with, but just to be sure there was no problem, Isaac spoke out to the other two,

The same message was displayed across the blood red screen for them, looking just like the one shown to them when they cleared the first floor of the mountain, only a few differences could be seen, both in the number count of the first and second objectives and the clearance message. It still gave them the two options of either heading to the safe zone for a rest or directly challenging the third floor. With the current situation of their group of three, it was a no brainer on what they were going to choose and go with, but just to be sure there was no problem, Isaac spoke out to the other two,

“What say you guys…”

Understanding what he meant they both shrugged at about the same time as Harry spoke up for the two of them, involuntarily flexing his muscles as he swung his hammer,

“Let’s just head to the next floor already, I have energy pumping through my body and I don’t want it to simmer down just yet.”

Isaac nodded in agreement, he also felt the rush of adrenaline through his veins, to go now and rest would not help anything and would instead have them relax and leave them trying to build up their momentum again.

“Yeah, you’re right…”

Isaac might not have noticed it yet and even Harry and Hiya might just be going with the smooth feeling flow of things so they also didn’t think much of it, but in their little group numbering only three, probably four if the nightcrawler that was currently waiting outside the mountain was counted as well, they all tended to keep quiet with not much to say while Isaac tended to speak up more as he addressed the others, it was like they had subconsciously allowed him to speak and be the head, while Isaac himself subconsciously took on the post himself. It all felt so natural for them that they just let it all happen.

Now it wasn’t like when they finally realized it, they would end up feeling dissatisfied and used, neither Harry nor Hiya felt any serious need to take on that position anyways. But when they did realize how everything had been, it would definitely come as a perplexing surprise to them, as to how they had easily, with their subconscious mind, chosen to listen to him. Perhaps only Adam would smile at their little bit of confusion as he was the only one who truly knew the amount of charm and sway this young adult with a white sword standing in their midst had. He had already noticed a bit of it even while he was still the one guiding them around like the greenhorns they were, reminiscing silently about the past to himself, he had chosen to do nothing about while it all fell in place. And now as they all stood in place for a while, oblivious to what their subconscious was playing at, it was happening just like he predicted, it all fell in place.

The layout of the second floor of the mountain they were in was pretty much about the same with that of the first floor that they had already cleared, not much out of everything really differed.

The layout of the second floor of the mountain they were in was pretty much about the same with that of the first floor that they had already cleared, not much out of everything really differed.

Isaac stared at the black door that had appeared at an unknown point during their battle, he figured it was probably the sign that they were able to step through into the next floor of the mountain after they had cleared the floor they were currently in. This particular mountain had only five floors in total, which Isaac would be much more in the higher tiered mountains, although that was not much of his concern at this point. Since they had cleared two floors of the mountain at this point, that would leave with three more floors.

He wondered how the higher floors would differ from the two they had already now cleared, most especially the fifth floor which was supposedly the last of the floors in the mountain. Since they had to take care of a mountain king sooner or later, would it be on the fifth floor or would it perhaps be in a separate space of sorts, but considering what Adam had said about the interior of the mountain being a separate space of its own from the rest of the world, the idea of one separate space in another separate space wasn’t very logical, right?

But that wasn’t exactly something of his concern at the moment, when they got there, all would be in place at least.

Looking at the black door that the trio had already begun to approach with steady steps, a thought crossed Isaac’s mind and he turned his head to look behind him. True to his thoughts, the sight behind him had changed, the passageway through they had entered the second floor was nowhere to be seen, what was there to be seen was actually a shimmering barrier of light in its stead. That’s right, if they decided to turn and go back the way they came, they actually wouldn’t end up in the passage that would lead them back down to the first floor, instead they would end up in the safe zone where they would only be able to relax and regain energy. The first floor was now somewhat inaccessible unless another way was created, which would most be done with brute force and brute force alone. This wasn’t something any of them could manage to do at this point, not even Harry with the highest strength among the three could say he could.

Honestly though, as Isaac looked back to see the passageway gone as it had been replaced by the way that lead to the safe zone, he couldn’t help but feel like everything from the passageway itself down to the first floor had been swallowed in some way by the smooth as the surface of the lake barrier of light. It was a little unnerving as once the thought appeared in his mind, it rooted itself and refused to dispersed. Only the knowledge that it was of course impossible served to calm his wild thoughts.

 He turned his head back to the front as he stared at the black door disappearing in front of them as they stepped into a very short distance of it. What had appeared to them previously appeared once again in a display of similarity. The same passageway that was slightly curved at the point where their vision ended was what appeared before them.

Having already expected such a thing somewhat, they barely paused in their steps as they continued on into the passageway. With nothing left behind them but a shimmering barrier of light that leaked out a vibrant aura of life once in a while.

They continued on through the passageway as they decidedly moved faster. Whether it was due to impatience or anticipation, the slightly long passageway felt like a kilometer-long corridor, a very tiring and frustrating thing, most of these emotions being felt by Harry alone.

Finally, after less than five minutes passed that felt more like an hour to some, the proverbial light at the end of the passageway was seen as the somewhat tight passageway gave way for a wider space, showing that they had reached the third floor of the mountain.

One thing they couldn’t be exactly sure of was whether these floors were stacked on top of each other as floors usually would or the whole thing was just one long road that widened up at specific points. It was most likely on top of each other like floors usually were, it was just that throughout their moving to the third floor, there had never been that feeling of ascending or moving upwards that was felt. It all felt like some flat ground, hence the speculation that it was all a long road.

One thing they couldn’t be exactly sure of was whether these floors were stacked on top of each other as floors usually would or the whole thing was just one long road that widened up at specific points. It was most likely on top of each other like floors usually were, it was just that throughout their moving to the third floor, there had never been that feeling of ascending or moving upwards that was felt. It all felt like some flat ground, hence the speculation that it was all a long road.

But nevertheless, they had reached the third floor, the sights that were present on the first and second floor was what they also saw on this floor. At this point, it almost like a repeat of sorts, a loop that they were oblivious too. If not for the number of beast increasing slightly, it would have been a suspicious thing. It was funny to see how they felt so curious and unknowing of everything but they just weren’t aware of how these things worked. Even with how much Adam had explained about everything, there was only so much he could explain or even remember to say. The three of them with their superficial knowledge were only slightly better off than any other that had, through one possible way or the other, ended up in the tainted zone without passing through a fighters’ academy, of which most would most likely be dead in the span of a few days to a single week of them exploring the dangerous tainted zone.

So following the exact same occurrence, a single step was taken as three separately owned legs touched down properly on the third floor, the beasts populating the third floor were immediately alerted as their ears quirked up and their bodies tensed. Now these beasts didn’t actually immediately jump at the uninvited newcomers that they had sensed, but it didn’t stop them from prowling slowly towards their prey.

Isaac, on seeing this sight, sighed faintly as he said with a faint smile,

“This seems to be getting out pretty quickly…”

The other two said nothing but their silence was also a form of agreeing to what he said.

The next moment after those words had Harry hefting his hammer on his shoulder like he previously did as he said,

“We should just take care of some more of these beasts and clear this mountain test.”

“It’s a mountain trial.”

“Uh… oh okay”

“…”