Facing The Mountain Novels & Stories

Each day that went by reminded me of my last memory with Castro; hearing his sinister laughter with Jasmine's as I faded into a big, dark oblivion of emptiness. It's a pity that those were the last things I remember. And with that, I found the will to get up once again and leave this goddamn maze-like forest. "Over there!" Fera says excitedly. "There's a mountain" I let out a frustrated hiss. "With the way you were excited I thought you saw a pond of water or something" "We would never know until we get there right?" Staring at the high mountain, I instantly got discouraged. "No. There's no way I'm going to climb all the way up there"

and she shut her eyes while her mind raced with crazy thoughts on where he might be taking her. When the bike came to a halt he hopped off “keep them closed” he said and next thing she was being scooped up off the bike bridal style. She felt him moving and when he had stopped he gently put her on her feet. “Open your eyes” he encouraged her. She slowly opened her eyes, they were atop a hill overlooking the city. The dun was just now setting and the city lights glowed. It was truly a beautiful sight. “Do you have any idea where we are?” He asked her. She shook her head no, still too mesmerized by the beauty of the view to make a sound. “Look behind you” he turned around and was now looking i

"If I go, you take him! Do you understand? You take him!" "I’m not taking anything without you!" "You will! You have to!" The light expanded, swallowing the remains of the cabin, the trees, the horizon. It turned the night into a blinding, featureless noon. Richard felt his skin prickling, the hair on his arms standing up as the static electricity in the air became a physical weight. "The mountain," Richard shouted, clutching Joshua’s hand. "The mountain is splitting!" "It’s not splitting," Joshua’s voice dropped to a whisper, intimate and terrifyingly calm. "It’s opening."

**Scene Change to the Mountains of Purity:** "So these are the Mountains of Purity," Zack remarked, his voice tinged with awe as he took in the breathtaking sight before him. The mountains loomed majestically, their peaks soaring high into the heavens, shrouded in mist and mystery. The sheer size and grandeur of the range left him speechless. Petra's eyes were wide with wonder, a glimmer of tears forming as she gazed at the ethereal landscape. Zack noticed her reaction and asked gently, "Are you okay?"

A statement. They stood at its base, a tiny cluster of figures against the immense, silent bulk of the mountain. The wind here was a constant, roaring river of cold. "Well, boy," the man Kael said, his voice almost swallowed by the gale. "This is it. Can you talk to this one?" Kael, the child, stepped forward. He was twelve, but he seemed both smaller and infinitely larger before the mountain. He didn't answer. He simply walked to the rock face, still streaked with old snow, and placed his bare hands against the stone.

She is truly alone in the world. … Dmitri is staring at the sight of the snow capped mountains. In front of him is an endless ditch which is known as the Valley of the Dead. One slight slip from the edge of the mountain and the person’s body will never be found again. The dark ditch is gleaming under the bright sun, looking very inviting. He steps forward and stands on the very edge of the mountain. There is no fear of death in his heart because he has defeated such frivolous feelings a long time ago. Instead, there is a look of arrogance on his face as if he is taunting death to try and kill him.

Something came to mind, and it was a risky one because the giant might see that as the biggest opportunity to destroy me. I stood in front of the mountain, and fear gripped me. It could be my last, or it could be the last day of the giant. I stood firmly and watched him run to me. Little did he know what he was running to. As he raised his leg with force to kick me, I dodged it, and he stepped into the empty space of the mountain. As he was about to fall inside, his body scratched mine. I fell down in front of the mountain. My legs went inside, and I was hanging with my two hands, but this was a sign of the heaviness of the giant. The marks started shaking and were about to break. I struggle

(POV: Deniel) I sense sweat dripping down my forehead and ending on my chin. I've been chopping wood for the stove and the campfire for nearly five hours straight. It seems like a cold front is coming. I've traveled all over the world in search of a home, from north to south, east to west. Vismanyerous cities with diverse cultures, but nowhere did I sense at home. Until I found this place at the top of Mirage Mountain. The climb is very dangerous, as it's surrounded by rock on all sides. But when you reach the top, the view lives up to its name, and it makes you glad you faced the danger to get here. The view from up here is so incredible... Hence the name of the mountain.

The First Voice Saxa The mountain does not like what I just did. It lands in my chest a heartbeat before the sound follows. The roar that rolls down the ridge this time isn’t the deep mechanical pulse we’ve been feeling all night. It’s sharper. Angrier. Like the mountain itself has just realized someone grabbed the wrong lever inside its machinery. Snow slides from the trees along the slope. The threads beneath the valley flare so bright they cast silver shadows across the clearing. Half the creatures remain pointed toward the mountain. Half now face me.

“We haven’t eaten since noon. All our provisions were on the horses that bolted when the earthquake hit.” Ki Randu Alas shook his head. “We’ll eat after we reach Mount Wijil. I’m hungry too, but if we stop for food now, we’ll arrive after dark.” “But if we don’t eat, how are we supposed to climb?” “You’ll manage. All you need are legs willing to take a few more steps than usual.” Wisnumurti frowned. “Why does that sound so familiar?” A faint smile crossed Ki Randu Alas’s face as he walked past him.