The Master of Uradan

Rohan felt the sun passing through the clouds and hitting his back as he climbed up the slight slope. He easily stepped on the stones one after another, while the crackings of the rock hitting each other under his feet filled the area.

Around him were also fifty nomads, each figure from the strongest clans of the Barren Lands. They all represented the most powerful warriors of the south of the large continent, and with their mighty constitution, no one had any difficulties climbing up this mountain.

Leading them, an old man with white hair and long thin white beard leisurely walked with his hands behind his back. He was the only member of the great clans accompanying them. It wasn't confidence toward the fellow clans of the Barren Lands, but confidence in his power.

Even if the fifty warriors, with Farkan the rank 6 Intermediate Warrior among them, were to fight all together against him, they would be destroyed. And in only a few seconds. Rohan lingered his gaze a bit on this old man as they walked toward the peak of the mountain.

He was a rank 10 Intermediate Warrior, only a rank away from the Advanced ranks. Could it be that there weren't any Advance Warriors in the Barren Land finally? Or was it that this warrior didn't have to move for a band of weak warriors? Rohan didn't know.

In this group, he could easily tell he was the third strongest warrior, far away from the two Intermediate Warriors, but also far stronger from the other rank 5 Beginner Warriors. This situation helped to calm his heart, as he felt that it would be easier once they would reach the underground source of this magical water.

Before leaving the stone city to the source, the old warrior had explained what would happen from there. Those explanations were directed to Rohan, as he reckoned that all the other warriors should probably be used to it. There weren't enough warriors in the Barren Lands for the ranking to change incredibly every year.

They would pass the day in the mountain. Even with their strength and their bodies far more enduring than any ordinary people, it would still take time to reach the source, which was in the middle between the base and the peak of the mountain, where snow began to fall from time to time.

It was already one hour since the group had started to climb up in silence. The area filled with trees was now far behind, and only rock and moss prevailed there. Some lonely high trees were fighting against the environment, but there was nothing more than mossy rocks on this slope.

Each step forward made his heartbeat pound harder in his chest. Rohan was dangerously reaching the area he had aimed for after three months, and he didn't even know what to do. All he knew was that the source of the water was inside the mountain, where the snow had formed an underground lake.

Horim had explained to him that the powerhouses of the different races and empires had all tried to enter the core of the mountain, only to decree the only way to enter was by using the mana flowing around.

Since everyone could enter this underground lake, Rohan didn't know if it appeared to be the way to enter the core, or if it was in another place. If it was the latter, then Rohan didn't know how to go.

It was his only chance to climb up the mountain since the four great clans had forbidden anyone to walk on the sacred Kolmos mountain. They all kept the four corners of the mountain. The risk was too high if he wanted to sneak in any other day, and this made this day his only chance to reach his goal.

There was too much unknown, and each step forward made his stress climb up along with his body.

Soon, the majestic sight of the snowy part of the mountain stood before Rohan. The temperature was far colder than at the foot of the mountain, but he didn't care at all. If he was alone, he would probably have rushed toward the snow, but he felt it would be better to not appear like a bumpkin right away.

A few more steps later, the crushing sound of the compact snow echoed under the feet of the group of warriors. Apart from the two stronger of them, the other warriors were only in the Beginner Ranks, and the cold started to attack them. It was even colder than the night in the middle of a desert.

Some trees covered with snow grew up here and there, different from the ones below. Those were in a cone shape, with leaves as thin as needles. It was the first time Rohan saw this kind of flora, as there weren't any trees like this in his homeland.

Before long, under the lead from the old man with simple leather clothes as if he couldn't feel the cold at all, the large group finally reached their destination.

Against the wall of the mountain, not even halfway from the top, a huge and dark opening dug a corridor towards the center of the mountain. Without any words, the old man entered, followed suit by the warriors.

No one was talking, as they were now penetrating the sacred mountain. Rohan felt he was walking with fanatics ready to sacrifice themselves to the mountain if they were asked to.

Before entering the cave, Rohan had the sudden urge to look behind him.

The world stretched below him, toward the infinity of the horizon. The clouds seemed to be closer than the land, and Rohan felt as if he was able to watch the whole Barren Lands from there.

Below him was a large part filled with snow, and further away were the rocks mixed with moss everywhere. Nothing was stopping his sight, as he took conscience of how small he was compared to this mountain overlooking the whole world.

Far in the distance, he could see the large desert surrounding the mountain. It was small because of the distance, but also grandiose.

He couldn't see the stone city from where he was, as the uneven slopes of the mountain hid it.

What view he would get if he ever reached the peak? The idea appeared in his mind in a second and didn't want to leave anymore. But the time wasn't to play around.

He decisively turned his body and headed toward the icy cave. The entrance was large enough to let several people pass together and twice as high as himself. Some stalactites made of ices threatened to fall at any time, and the instant Rohan put his foot out of the snow to pose itself on the rock, the cold made him breathless.

"Fuck."

His voice echoed against the walls surrounding him as his body shook under this cold. Even taking a step forward was harder than he ever thought. He was a rank 5 Beginner Warrior, with a constitution far above any normal human. But he couldn't resist the cold eating his body.

His toes and fingers screamed their pain as Rohan put all his strength into his legs. If he wasn't even able to fight the cold when the other warriors were able to do it, how could he expect to fight a Supreme Warrior?