The secret of Mount Voran

The cold wind howled around Vin Greyrat, a 25-year-old man with a strong build and sharp blue eyes that reflected his toughness. He was climbing the steep cliffs with Allera, his beautiful and spirited girlfriend. Her face was flushed from the cold, but her smile never faded. Behind them, the third member of their small group, Arthur, walked calmly, as if the dangerous terrain was merely a playground to him. "How much farther, Vin?" Allera asked, her voice barely audible over the wind. "About a hundred meters. Look, the summit is just ahead!" Vin replied, pointing upwards. Allera laughed, but the laugh sounded hollow, and Vin was too busy ensuring his footing to notice. Arthur, on the other hand, wore a sly grin. There was something in his eyes—something sinister. As they neared the summit, Vin stopped and turned around to check on Allera. He didn’t expect to see a flash of sadness mixed with guilt in her eyes. Before he could ask, Arthur moved with lightning speed. "Sorry, Vin," Arthur whispered. Before Vin could react, a strong push from behind sent him off balance. "Allera!" Vin screamed, his eyes wide as he saw Allera standing still, tears frozen on her cheeks. There was no effort to stop Arthur. No attempt to save Vin. Vin fell. The world seemed to slow as his body slid down through the snow and sharp rocks. He tried to grab anything, but gravity was too strong. His last thought before everything went black was betrayal. *** Vin woke up with his body partially buried in the snow. The biting cold pierced his bones, fully waking him. His head throbbed, and pain coursed through his body. However, what startled him more was the unfamiliar face of a woman kneeling in front of him. She had golden-brown skin with eyes black as onyx, glimmering in the light. Her long black hair swayed in the wind, and a thick fur-lined cloak protected her from the cold. She looked like a princess from another world. "You're alive," she said in English, with an odd yet beautiful accent. "Amazing. I’m Princess Dea." Vin tried to speak, but his voice was hoarse. "Where am I? Who are you?" "You're in the valley of death, far from the mountain summit. I found you buried under an avalanche. If I hadn't passed by, you would be dead," she answered seriously. Vin forced himself to sit, despite the pain. "I have to go back. I need to find them..." "Them?" Dea stared at him sharply. "There’s no one else here. You're the only one who survived." Memories of Allera and Arthur hit him like a storm. The image of Allera standing still, her hands not moving to save him, made him feel betrayed. But he had to be sure. "I have to go," he said, trying to stand, but Dea forcefully grabbed his arm. "You’re foolish if you think you can survive alone. This terrain isn’t for someone half-dead like you," she said firmly. "If you want to live, come with me." Vin hesitated. He trusted no one now, but he knew she was right. He wouldn’t last long without help. "Alright," he mumbled finally. "But I’ll go back up once I’ve recovered." Dea merely shrugged and helped him to his feet. "We’ll see. For now, let’s find shelter." *** The descent down the mountain was just as intense as Vin’s fall. The harsh wind made each step difficult. Slippery rocks and deep snow were invisible enemies. As night fell, they found a small cave sheltered from the wind. Dea quickly started a fire in a way that amazed Vin. With flint and dry wood she pulled from her pack, a small flame flickered to life, offering a bit of warmth in the darkness. Vin sat near the fire, shivering. He watched Dea, who seemed to know exactly what she was doing. "Who are you really?" Vin asked, trying to distract himself from the cold and pain. Dea smiled faintly. "Someone who knows how to survive. I’ve been living on this mountain for several months, looking for something." "Looking for what?" Dea didn’t answer immediately. Her eyes focused on the fire. "Ancient ruins. They say there's something valuable hidden here. Something that outsiders shouldn’t find." Vin chuckled weakly, though his lips were stiff. "Sounds like a fairytale." "Maybe. But I have reason to believe," she replied seriously. "What about you? What brought you here?" Vin fell silent. He didn’t know where to start. Finally, he said, "I thought I was on a hiking trip with my girlfriend. But then..." His voice trailed off. Dea stared at him intently, as if she could read more than what Vin said. "You were betrayed." Vin nodded slowly. "Yeah. By the one person I trusted most." Dea leaned in slightly, her gaze full of understanding. "Then you should know that on this mountain, you can’t trust anyone." Her words hit Vin like a blow. Could he trust Dea? Or was this woman just using him for her own purposes? As that question filled his mind, the sound of footsteps outside the cave made them both tense. Dea quickly extinguished the fire, plunging them into darkness. "Quiet," she whispered. They listened intently. The footsteps grew louder. Vin could feel his heart pounding. Was it Arthur? Or maybe Allera? But as the figure appeared at the cave entrance, Vin knew they were facing something far more dangerous. A large creature with a muscular body and a face covered by a rough wooden mask stood there, holding a long spear. "Primitive Tribe," Dea whispered, her voice full of fear. "We need to leave. Now." *** Vin felt his body stiffen as the masked figure stepped into the cave. The dim moonlight made its shadow seem even more terrifying. The large body and sharp spear in its hand left no doubt—this was not someone coming to help. Dea gently pulled Vin’s arm, signaling him to move back quietly. However, Vin was too stunned to react quickly. When he finally moved, his boot scraped against the gravel, producing a small sound—enough for the creature to turn its head toward them. In an instant, the creature growled loudly, like a wild animal that had found its prey. Without thinking, Dea yanked Vin’s hand and ran out of the cave. "Quick!" she shouted, breathlessly. Vin followed her, despite his body still weakened from the fall. They sprinted through the thick snow, their feet struggling to move quickly on the tough terrain. Behind them, the sound of heavy footsteps from the creature echoed, accompanied by a high-pitched screech that sent chills down their spines. "What is that?" Vin asked while running. "One of the mountain tribe’s guardians," Dea replied without stopping. "I don’t know their names, but they don’t like outsiders." "You said you’ve been here for months. How can you not know?" "Because I always make sure they don’t find me!" Their steps halted abruptly as they reached the edge of a cliff. Below them, only darkness seemed to stretch endlessly. Dea looked around frantically, searching for another way, but the sound of the creature’s footsteps grew nearer. Vin scanned the area, then noticed something—a tree leaning toward the cliff across the way. It didn’t seem strong, but maybe enough to cross the gap. "We can use that!" he said, pointing at the tree. Dea shook her head vigorously. "It’s too risky!" "Better than dying here!" Vin started moving, pulling Dea along with him. They reached the tree just as the masked creature appeared from behind the trees, its spear raised high. Without hesitation, Vin began walking across the trunk, grabbing at the branches to maintain his balance. Dea followed, though her face was filled with doubt. Midway across, the tree creaked, signaling that their combined weight might be too much. Vin glanced back and saw the creature stop at the edge of the cliff. The creature let out a low growl before stepping onto the tree trunk, its spear still tightly gripped. "Hurry, Dea!" Vin shouted. Dea quickened her pace, but just as they neared the other side, the tree swayed violently. Without slowing down, Vin leaped toward the cliff’s edge, pulling Dea along. Just as they landed on solid ground, the tree snapped in the middle, sending the masked creature plummeting into the abyss. Both of them were panting, but there was no time to celebrate. Dea yanked Vin to his feet. "We need to get farther before the others arrive. They’re never alone." *** They walked through the night, trudging through the dense forest covered in snow. The tall trees blocked their view of the sky, leaving only dark shadows that felt like they were watching them. Vin couldn’t take it anymore and stopped, holding his knee. "We need to rest. I can’t keep going like this." Dea glared at him in frustration, but she knew Vin was right. The man wasn’t fully recovered, and if they pushed too hard, they’d be even more vulnerable. "Alright," she finally said. "But only for a bit. We need to find shelter before dawn." They found a small gap between two large rocks just enough to shield them from the wind. Dea quickly started a fire, this time with more speed. As they sat by the fire, they finally felt a little safe, although the fear still lingered in the air. "You need to know something," Dea said suddenly. Vin raised an eyebrow. "What?" Dea looked at him seriously. "This mountain isn’t just about bad weather or dangerous terrain. There are darker things here. People like those chasing us—they’re guarding something." Vin tilted his head. "Something like the ancient ruins you’re looking for?" Dea nodded. "Yes. I don’t know exactly what they’re protecting, but there’s a legend about a treasure that could change the world. Something too valuable to fall into the wrong hands." "And you think you’re the right person to find it?" Vin asked skeptically. Dea smiled faintly, but her smile didn’t hide her exhaustion. "Maybe not. But I don’t have a choice. I have to try." Before Vin could ask more, the sound of footsteps echoed in the distance again. This time, there were more than one. Dea quickly extinguished the fire, pulling Vin to hide behind one of the large rocks. They peered out, watching a group of other masked creatures pass through the forest. "We can’t keep doing this," Vin whispered. "We have to fight them." Dea looked at him as if he were crazy. "It’s just the two of us! Fighting them is suicide!" "We can’t keep running forever," Vin hissed. Dea paused for a moment, then let out a long sigh. "Fine. But we need a plan." Vin scanned the area, looking for something useful. His blue eyes stopped on a broken branch from a large tree. With a lot of effort, he dragged it closer, then pulled out the small knife Dea had given him earlier. "We’ll make a trap," he said, his voice filled with determination. *** With careful teamwork, they placed the branch over a shallow hole they had dug, covering it with snow. Dea arranged sharp rocks at the bottom of the hole, while Vin made sure the trap looked like ordinary ground. As the masked creatures drew near, they hid behind the trees, holding their breath. One of the creatures stepped into the trap, and the branch snapped loudly, trapping it in the hole filled with sharp stones. The creature let out a horrific scream, drawing the attention of its companions. Amid the chaos, Vin and Dea fled once again, holding onto a faint hope of surviving in this dangerous mountain. To be continued...