Chapter 8

Like most places, there is a legend known to many about how the Mist Mountains came to be.

A few millennia ago, these erected mountains were just like any other ordinary mountain. That is, till a lady of some famous noble family runs away from home due to a marriage she didn't want.

The lady hoped to offer her whole lifetime praising and singing to the gods, but her family never understood nor supported her.

She was miserable for days upon hearing the news of the day when she would marry, so she took off and hid in the mountains.

She lived secluded, sang beautiful songs of praises and gratitude to the heavens day and night, and was even able to ascend.

Her years of hardships living alone and doing nothing but worshipping gods had made the Mist Mountains what it is now.

Amaryah felt the fluctuating energy after half an hour of walking. She looked up to the foggy view and was once again reminded of how much of a waste it is to hide the glory of Mist Mountains from the rest of the world.

It is said that the spiritual energy of this place is so abundant that it creates a physical form: mist.

But every time Amaryah remembers the legend, she knows what this mist actually means.

The lady of the said noble family who ran away is still in hiding. The gods must have seriously taken a liking to her to continue helping her till now.

"Walk closely to me. Don't lose sight of my back." Lucian, after having said that, still looked a little doubtful, so he added: "Or just grab onto my sleeves."

Amaryah feigned a speculating expression and looked at Lucian.

"I hear rumors on the streets and they can really be exaggerated at times, but I think they are not wrong when they say you need a token to enter your clan," Amaryah slowly said, hinting that Lucian should just sing and get on with it already.

She has been tolerating the pains on her body, and Lucian was not even gentlemanly enough to offer her anything to at least ease her wounds nor make their journey comfortable for her.

She wished they could just forget about the permission and quickly get to rest already.

Amaryah watched his serious expression as he talked, and Lucian didn't retract his gaze either.

"Even though I have a fairly high position, I still need the agreement of the other council members to give someone that token."

She almost humphed in protest upon hearing his words, but thankfully, her patience and control seem to have improved suddenly.

That's how much she needs to use the Mist Mountains.

Instead, she ranted in her mind: "Who is Yaron Lucian fooling now! Was it not you who said a few years back that this is your mountain and everyone bends at your words! Or is it because it's been a few years that you already forgot about it?

"Where has your arrogance gone now that I need it?"

Unimpressed, Amaryah proceeded to clutch onto the flowing sleeves of Yaron Lucian's neat robes.

She purposely tightened her grip and crumpled the part of the clothes she held just to see something that is at least untidy about him and also as a form of revenge.

Aside from strengthening her body and training it to get accustomed to the level of her current spiritual energy, she also needs to catch up to the past years' events.

A token would be ideal to allow her to sneak in and out whenever she pleases.

If only the Mist Mountains weren't so far out of nowhere, she wouldn't feel the need to be sneaky! But the Mist Mountains' followers are so closed off and away from common mortals' issues.

How will she get ahold of news from other clans?

Amaryah was a bit frustrated. This is the first time she hated people for minding their own business. What a pain!

Lucian and Amaryah walked into the mist without conversing.

Amaryah saw a familiar mark from one of the trees, and she absently held onto Lucian tighter, but not because of her childish motives from before anymore.

The familiar stone paths, the tingles she gets from the spirits once again stirring inside of her because of excitement over the overflowing spiritual energy, and the strong scent of the wild mixed with incense, everything was overwhelming Amaryah.

There were still the little gusts of wind, the vibrations from a nearby waterfall, and even the sound of birds and other animals living in the mountains' forests heard at first.

But once Amaryah started getting cold over the memories, she was just blank.

Lucian felt her stiffness and tension, but he dared not ask yet. He believes this girl is the person he has been looking for.

She might be a little different in appearance and attitude, but the uncanny resemblances he can see in her bothers him. And if he was wrong…

No, he can't be.

He would never mistake her.

"We are past the mists," Lucian announced after a few more minutes of walking.

Lucian's voice was anything but loud, yet Amaryah was still a bit startled from the sudden wake up call to reality.

She can only shake her head as she lets go of Lucian's sleeves, thinking of how she must be remembering so many memories of the past because she has only arrived.

She has to stop and focus on the task at hand. Anyway, after this, she will be able to finally clear everything, fulfill the wishes of the witches, and then do whatever she wants after.

There's no hurry, but it would be better not to drag this longer.

History must not repeat itself again.