God Rising: Battle of Atela

"What you're saying is that someone locked up my powers?"

Ludovic shrugged, "Just a guess. I learnt something about that from my Father's research."

"What was the research about?"

Ludovic wasn't sure if he should let him know too much about the things his father kept covered up. Especially because he was a Livingston descendant.

"Please tell me. I really want to build my strength and be able to use my magic."

Ludovic turned around, "Hm" He stroked his chin "Well—" He stressed on the word before telling him the condition he had to meet "Look forward, you'll see a mountain, and a dead tree at the pinnacle."

Darren tilted his head and could perceive what the wolfman was pointing. A dominating mountain that soared upward as if determined to kiss Walhalla and challenge the sky.

"I can see it…"

"Go to the top and come back...Alive."

"W-what?" the mention of the word 'alive' frightened Darren. It implied going up there could kill him.

"You want to be strong, go to the top, get a twig and bring it to the bar. You have before midnight to do so. Fail your task and forget about ever being strong. Well, see yah" He wasn't a beastkid, Ludovic didn't want to treat him like one.

Darren clenched his fists and gave what might be his last look at Ludovic's home. Then he switched his gaze to the green mountain.

He walked through the courtyard stables and passed the pecking chickens, making way for the forest paths leading to the high rock.

There was no trace of civilisation in the wilderness apart from a worn out path that snaked through the blanket of grass.  He thought minimal about the wet mud that adhered to his boots, the brutal breeze, hard leaves and mossy obstacles. He thought more on the distance he had to cover in order to reach the top.

Darren lifted his eyes to the sky, touched his fingers to his lips and offered a kiss heaven-bound. Maybe it might not be so hard as it looks. Just another regular mountain the same as all the others, just one boot hold, one handhold at a time - no more, no less.

He wrapped his fingers around the first cold rocky outcrop, his fingers making firm contact. His mind only had room for victory and the next movement for each limb. As the breeze blew around his disheveled hair, he continued advising himself to not surrender, yet the farther he got, the more it was difficult to climb with his bare hands.

Part way up, the cloud prevented him from seeing the peak. He cast his right eye to see how much progress he'd made since noon, and he could no longer see the clear river below. He looked up again, anxious to get to the top, and claim the twig that was his motivation.

He didn't want to think too much of the total distance to a summit, so he wouldn't stress too much on why he hadn't reached the peak. He followed his theory of one step at a time until he's eventually done.

More time passed, and his fingers already ached, and his nails had split a lot from the contact with the hard surface. He didn't know how long he could hold on, but he forced himself to keep moving because tumbling to his death was certainly not a decent alternative

As he finally reached the summit, his eyes opened wide, and he regained composure. The beauty and the thinness of the air overtook his senses. It was so beautiful. He allowed his eyes to trace the sinking sun, and the distant hills towering above the horizon. His sense of awe enhanced, and a smile came to his face as he remembered his childhood.

Vincent and his friends had hiked so many times, but they never allowed him because they claimed he was too weak and useless. They'd already crowned Vincent the king of the mountain, and he had the authority to pick who would and who would not go with him.

But that day, atop the rocky surface, Darren raised his arms in triumph. "King of the Mountain" was one title he loved the most as a beastkid and now was the "king" of the highest mountain he'd ever seen.

"I did it," He whispered to himself, his purple lips curved upward in gaiety. "I really did it. I am on top of the world!" The climb to the peak had been a long one. Faltering over rocks and slipping on pebbles, but it was worth it. He doubted himself while climbing, but the beastman blood coursing in his veins proved there's still hope for him, and his hidden potential would soon be unlocked.

A thirst for more experience and the joy of achieving goals awakened in his heart and flowed out to every point in his body, making him want to run straight into the embrace of what the future had in store for him.

He glanced back down the rocky trail he'd climbed and realised it might be too early to celebrate. He turned his attention to the tree standing mute and enjoying the view from its place at the top.

He placed his hand against the ancient bark, and his eyes rested on the chaotic patterns. He pulled out a small twig, then positioned himself to climb down.

The harsh evening wind whips around him, and he barely could hold on to the rocks. He inhaled to calm himself and made sure he didn't panic too much. "Crap." He clawed the rocks after he slipped, but it wasn't good enough. For a full half-minute he went downward at a speed that constricted his throat so he could hardly draw breath.

His perception of time distorted, everything was a dark haze, and he braced himself for the pain coming. The impact made his bones move in a way that it shouldn't. Without looking, he could tell there was blood seeping from skin that was smooth before he started his task. At the moment, it was just him, and the sky above, the sky that seemed to swallow him whole.

He was tempted to close his eyes and surrender. His body hurt too much to move, his clothes were torn, his skin dirty, red and weeping. "I'm a dire wolf of the Livingston household… I am stronger than this" He forced himself back on his feet, clutching his broken arm, and dragging his worn out legs.

He moved away from the mountains and followed the dirt path leading to town. He passed by what looked like white cattle grazing in the shadows, then he came across a stream he had to pass to get to the other side.

He braced his feet, attempting to guard against the inevitable rolling in random directions, but his ankles tumbled left and right regardless. His boots were soaked, and so were his eyes. He refused to let the tears run, he'd keep them in there no matter what.

"Oh, look who's shown up…" Ludovic was surprised Darren made it. And from his present state, it seemed like he fell. The Prince moved towards the older wolf and plopped the twig on the table.

"Tell me...please" He winced as he took a seat.

"You did well, young lad. Now drink up" He put the twig into a cup full of water, and with the fire from his fingertips, he heated it until it was bubbling hot.

"Don't blow, drink it at once."

Darren couldn't imagine the pain he'd get from a hot liquid tasting like a burned out twig. It would burn his throat and tongue, but he didn't have much of a choice. There were a lot of things he wanted to learn and know. He couldn't let go of a chance, no matter what he had to pass through.

Ludovic watched him drink it all, and soon his body stopped aching and his wounds closed up. It didn't burn while drinking it, maybe it was like the pearl of the fountain, it wasn't to cause pain; it was to relieve people of it.

"You were lucky you survived the fall, and you should be happy because you didn't only survive, but it also spared you time." Ludovic called over a young girl, and she bowed once she got close to the table, before dropping a jug full of pomace wine.

When the Liquid settled to Darren's cupid lips, the ale burned on the way down and he spluttered like a child. Everyone had their eyes on the masked bestman after his little display, and to make up for his foolishness, he downed the rest in one-go and asked for another.

"This isn't a place to look soft. It could get you in a whole world of trouble." Ludovic advised before closing his eyes to dwell on the flavour of the amber fluid settling in his mouth.

"I'll reward you more. Pick any girl, a maximum of two, and go to the room around the corner."

"W-what?" Darren's face was closed to revealing how sensitive and flushed he could get by the mention of things.

"What's Wrong?" Ludovic narrowed his brows, and he grimaced once he realised the reason for Darren's whimsical response to sex.

"You're a VIRGIN?!!" he made sure the last words were loud enough for everyone to hear, and Darren could already hear the muffled laughter of some beastmen behind him.

"Please keep down your voice."

"BUT YOU'RE A VIRGIN!!!"

"Fine...fine...I'll pick…"

"But that still makes you a—"

"Please don't."

"Virgin" He whispered before he winked.

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