Trapped on Mount Voran

Vin Greyrat, a 25-year-old man with a sturdy build and sharp survival instincts, gazed up at the clear sky. The winter sun shone brightly, making the peak of Mount Voran glitter like a white gem. Beside him was Allera, his beautiful girlfriend with long blonde hair, looking full of excitement. This hike had been her idea, and Vin had agreed, thinking it would be a bonding experience for their relationship. “Are you ready, Vin?” Allera asked with a wide smile, her eyes shining with enthusiasm. “Of course. You know I’m always ready,” Vin replied with a grin. However, behind Allera’s smile, something didn’t feel right. Vin had sensed it since they started the hike. Allera’s gaze sometimes drifted, and she seemed nervous whenever Arthur, another hiker who had joined their group, came near. Arthur was a tall man with brown hair and a confident attitude that often annoyed Vin. As they reached one of the cliff peaks, Vin paused for a moment, enjoying the expansive view. But that moment was soon interrupted by approaching footsteps. “Vin, look down there!” Allera said, pointing to the steep valley below. Vin crouched down to get a better view. But before he realized something was wrong, he felt a strong push to his back. “Allera?! What are you doing—” His voice was cut off as his body slid down the cliff. The world spun rapidly around him as snow and sharp rocks battered his body. He tried to grab onto something to stop his fall, but it was in vain. Eventually, everything went dark. *** Vin woke up with a sharp pain in his head. His eyes fluttered to adjust to the bright light of the surrounding snow. His body was half-buried, and the cold pierced his skin. “Hey, are you awake?” A soft yet firm voice woke him. A woman stood in front of him, wearing a thick fur coat. Her hair was jet black and flowed down her back, with a face that radiated warmth despite the freezing environment. “Who… are you?” Vin asked hoarsely. “I’m Dea. I found you lying here.” Vin tried to sit up, groaning in pain. “I… fell. Someone pushed me.” Dea looked at him with a sympathetic gaze. “You need to move. This place isn’t safe. There’s something on this mountain… something that makes people disappear without a trace.” Vin was shocked by that, but he had no choice. With Dea’s help, he stood up and tried to walk. “Why are you here?” Vin asked, trying to understand the situation. “I’m stuck too. This mountain is like a trap. I had a friend who got separated from me. We need to find them,” Dea replied. Dea led the way through the thick snow. Along the journey, they spotted strange tracks in the snow. They looked human, but larger and irregular. “What is this?” Vin asked, stopping to inspect the tracks. “That’s what I’m afraid of. They’re here,” Dea whispered. “They? Who are they?” Dea didn’t answer, only pulled Vin to continue walking. But before they could go any further, loud noises sounded around them. *** A group of strong men and women emerged from behind the trees. They wore primitive clothing made of animal skins, wielding sharp weapons in their hands. Their eyes glared at Vin and Dea with menace. “Run!” Dea shouted, grabbing Vin’s hand. They ran through the snow-covered forest, while the primitive people chased them with echoing shouts. Despite his injuries, Vin tried to keep up. His survival instincts kicked in as he scanned for obstacles in their path. However, they were soon surrounded. Their pursuers appeared from all directions, raising spears and arrows. One of them, a large man with a tattooed face, stepped forward and spoke in a language Vin didn’t understand. “We’re cornered,” Dea whispered. Vin scanned their surroundings, his brain racing for a solution. He spotted a large tree branch nearby, half-broken but still strong. Quickly, he grabbed the branch and swung it at the large man, knocking him back. Dea took advantage of the moment to throw a handful of snow into one of their pursuers’ eyes, blinding him. The two of them fled once again, this time toward a narrow gap between the rocks. When they finally squeezed through, the primitive people didn’t follow them. They only stood in the distance, glaring at them with hatred before eventually leaving. “What happened? Why didn’t they chase us?” Vin asked, panting. Dea looked around nervously. “I don’t know. But I’m sure this place... this place has something to do with the mountain. Something they fear.” Inside the gap between the rocks, Vin and Dea found something strange. The walls were covered in ancient carvings, depicting a large figure with glowing eyes. Below it, there were symbols they couldn’t understand. “What is this?” Vin asked. Dea shook her head. “I don’t know. But this isn’t a coincidence. I feel like this mountain holds more secrets than we think.” Vin stared at the carvings carefully. Though his body was tired and his mind was clouded, he knew one thing: he had to get out of this mountain, no matter what. *** Vin and Dea walked through the narrow passage inside the rock crevice. The damp aroma mixed with the smell of earth filled their nostrils. Their footsteps echoed softly, creating an increasingly ominous atmosphere. "It seems like they're afraid to come in here," Vin said, glancing back to ensure their pursuers weren't following them. Dea nodded, though her face remained tense. "I'm not sure they're afraid of us. It's more likely they're afraid of something in this place." Vin paused for a moment, examining the rocky walls covered in strange carvings. "Do you think this is some kind of temple?" Dea carefully touched the carvings. "Maybe. But this is older than any civilization I know. I've read about this mountain. There's a legend about an entity called Voran, said to control the universe." "Voran?" Vin repeated skeptically. "Sounds like a fairy tale." Dea shot him a sharp look. "You say that, but you don't know what's here. I've seen things that don't make sense since I got trapped on this mountain." Before Vin could respond, a rustling sound came from ahead. They immediately went on alert, Dea gripping a small knife from her pocket, while Vin grabbed a sharp rock as an improvised weapon. "Did you hear that?" Vin whispered. Dea nodded. "We're not alone." Suddenly, two figures appeared from the darkness. One was a dark-skinned woman with her long hair tied back. She wore a cloak torn in several places, and in her hand was a wooden staff that seemed like a weapon. Beside her stood a muscular man with dark skin and a bald head, his eyes sharp like an eagle. "Dea?" the woman exclaimed in surprise, lowering her staff. Dea let out a sigh of relief. "Priya! Kwame!" They quickly approached, and Priya immediately hugged Dea tightly. Kwame, though less expressive, seemed relieved to see her. "How did you survive?" Priya asked. "It's a long story," Dea replied, glancing at Vin. "This is Vin. He fell from the cliff but managed to survive. I found him under the snow." Priya and Kwame eyed Vin warily. "Can we trust him?" Kwame asked coldly. Vin raised his hand, showing that he was unarmed. "I don't know what's going on here, but I just want to get out alive." Kwame nodded slowly, though his gaze remained suspicious. The group began moving together, venturing deeper into the passage. Along the way, Priya explained that she and Kwame had also gotten lost after hiking the mountain several days ago. They had encountered strange occurrences—mysterious noises at night, large footprints, and occasional shadows moving swiftly between the trees. "We have to be careful," Priya said. "Something is watching us here." Dea added, "And those primitive people... they're not just a tribe. They're like the guardians of this mountain." "Guardians of what?" Vin asked. "No one really knows," Kwame answered. "But they hunt anyone who goes too deep." *** When they emerged from the rock passage, the atmosphere outside changed drastically. The sky had become overcast, and the cold wind blew fiercely, bringing a heavier scent of snow. Ahead of them was a dense forest with tall trees whose leaves were like needles. "This isn’t an ordinary forest," Priya said, gripping her staff tightly. Vin noticed that the atmosphere in the forest did indeed feel different. The air was heavier, and every step they took was accompanied by unnatural rustling sounds. "Stop," Kwame said suddenly. Everyone went silent. From behind the bushes, they heard a low growl, like the sound of a large animal. "We’re not alone," Kwame whispered. Vin grabbed a branch lying on the ground, ready to defend against whatever appeared. Suddenly, a large creature leaped out from the bushes. It was a wolf-like creature, but much bigger, with glowing red eyes and teeth as sharp as knives. "Voran wolf," Dea hissed, her voice trembling. The creature attacked with incredible speed. Vin swung his branch at its head, managing to strike it, but only made it angrier. Priya and Kwame also fought back, using their staffs and sharp rocks. Dea, showing unexpected bravery, plunged her knife into the side of the creature. The Voran wolf howled in pain before running off into the forest. The group stood still, their breaths heavy. "What was that?" Vin asked, still gripping his branch tightly. "A creature that shouldn’t exist," Priya replied, wiping blood off her staff. They continued their journey, though fear still haunted them. As night fell, they found a small cave to take shelter in. Inside, they started a small fire to warm themselves and plan their next steps. "We have to reach the Illusion Peak," Dea suddenly said. Kwame furrowed his brow. "Are you crazy? That’s a forbidden place." "But it might be the only way we can get out of this mountain," Dea answered. Priya nodded in agreement. "There’s something at that peak. Something that might explain all of this." Vin stayed silent, contemplating everything he had experienced so far. He didn’t believe in legends or mystical entities, but he knew one thing: they couldn’t keep hiding. "Alright," Vin said finally. "We’re going to the Illusion Peak. Whatever waits for us there, I’ll face it." The group exchanged looks, determination in their eyes. But outside the cave, shadows moved in the darkness, watching them.