The air at the base of Mount Union was thin and frigid, carrying an unnatural stillness. The sky above stretched endlessly, the peak of the mountain lost in the swirling clouds.
Kol took a step forward, feeling the weight of the journey ahead. The Witches had warned him—this was no ordinary mountain.
Two days.
Even at his full speed, that was how long it would take to reach the summit.
He exhaled, his breath visible in the cold air. Then, without hesitation, he began his climb.
The first few hours were uneventful. The terrain was harsh, the steep incline forcing him to slow his pace. Jagged rocks jutted from the earth, and the higher he climbed, the colder it became.
Then, the ground beneath his feet rumbled.
Kol immediately tensed. His eyes scanned the path ahead—nothing.
Then, a crack split through the rock.
A massive form began to rise.
A creature, forged from stone, towering over twenty feet tall. Its body was a jagged collection of boulders, glowing cracks running along its form like veins of molten fire.
Its eyes—if they could be called that—flared to life.
A deep, earth-shaking growl echoed through the mountain.
Kol exhaled. "Of course."
The rock monster lunged, its massive arm swinging down like an avalanche.
Kol dodged effortlessly, the impact of the strike shattering the ground where he once stood.
He landed on a nearby ledge, watching as the creature turned toward him. It moved slowly, but every step sent tremors through the mountain.
Kol cracked his knuckles. "Let's make this quick."
The monster roared, charging forward. Kol vanished in an instant, reappearing above it.
Black Thunder surged through his fists.
With a single punch, he drove his fist into the creature's head. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, the glowing cracks along its body bursting apart.
The monster froze.
Then—crumbling into a pile of lifeless stone.
Kol landed softly, dusting himself off.
"Well… that was easy."
He turned back to his path. The mountain wasn't done with him yet.
By midday, Kol had reached the halfway point. The climb had grown more treacherous, with freezing winds and unstable footing.
Then, he heard something unexpected.
A voice.
A child's voice.
"…Stupid mountain…"
Kol stopped. His eyes narrowed.
Then—movement.
A small figure emerged from behind a rock, struggling to climb over a ledge.
A little girl.
She looked no older than seven or eight, wrapped in tattered clothes that barely seemed fit for the cold. Her hair was wild, her cheeks flushed from the icy air.
She grumbled to herself, attempting to pull herself up—only to slip and land flat on her face.
Kol blinked.
The girl groaned, rolling onto her back. "Ugh… this mountain sucks."
Kol folded his arms. "You're… kidding."
The girl shot up, her wide eyes locking onto him.
For a moment, they just stared at each other.
Then, she pointed at him. "Who are you?"
Kol arched an eyebrow. "I should be asking you that."
The girl pouted. "That's rude."
Kol sighed. This was ridiculous.
He turned to leave.
"Hey! Where are you going?!"
Kol didn't stop. "I have more important things to do than babysit."
The girl huffed, quickly scrambling to her feet. She ran after him, struggling to keep up.
"Hey, wait! You're climbing the mountain too, right?"
Kol glanced at her. "Obviously."
"Cool! Then I'll just follow you!"
Kol stopped. "No."
The girl grinned. "Too late. I already decided."
Kol closed his eyes, exhaling through his nose. Why was this happening?
He turned fully toward her. "You're a child. What the hell are you even doing here?"
The girl rocked on her heels. "Climbing."
Kol stared at her. "You're joking."
"Nope."
"…Why?"
The girl blinked. "I dunno."
Kol ran a hand down his face. Of course.
The girl tilted her head. "You're pretty strong, huh?"
Kol ignored her, continuing his climb.
She followed.
After a few moments of silence, she spoke again.
"So… what's your name?"
Kol sighed. "Kol."
The girl grinned. "Cool! I'm kira."
She nodded. "Nice to meet you!"
Kol just kept walking.
Kira jogged beside him, smiling brightly. "So, Kol… you ever fought a giant bird before?"
Kol frowned. "What?"
Then, a deafening screech echoed from above.
Kol slowly looked up.
A massive, winged beast swooped down from the sky, talons extended.
Kira grinned. "Oh good, here it comes!"
Kol sighed.
This was going to be a long climb.