We were roughly half way up the mountain by know and we had encountered multiple types of monsteres versions of mountain animals. All of them butchered,there cores harvested and documented. The bag where the meat was stored never seemed too run out of space. It probably was some type of artifact , even without my deductions tuned on it's surface lit up everytime they opened it.
I'd finished another one of those books,this one on the history of essence,the gods and abominations. It
wasn't too hard as there was a lot of time too waste.
I'd also found an abomination I could kill. It was a large brown hare. That bastard was super agile but didn't have that much attack power.
After killing it that voice rang in my ears announcing my kill.
'You have slain "moon stalker". Your soul grows stronger."
It felt a bit weird but I had the sudden urge to drink it's blood. This feeling had come before , everytime I butchered a beast or saw its blood. It was weaker than, negligible infact but this time it felt more potent. I suppressed it nonetheless though.
Then as we continued our trek, the sun that had been shining brightly disappeared. Or atleast we couldn't see it anymore. Everyone assumed there battle stance.
We were In what seemed too be darkness, or shadows? I didn't know but I did know we weren't safe.
Silence, a deafening silence.
We didn't move at all but we felt a chilling gaze upon us.
Almost instantly sorcerer tackled me to the ground, a few metres away from the others. He chanted an incantation, casting a barrier around the both of us.
The others in a daze looked at us before trying too break the barrier crying out pleas of help, for sorcerer to let them in but he simply smiled. His former timidnes had disappeared.
They seemed deadly afraid of the darkness. I mean who wouldn't, all you could see all you could hear was nothing.
This seemed too aggrovate whatever was causing this, as there shadows stirred. They rose and turned into dark spikes. They didn't wait, as they pierced the men outside. The spikes hit everything but their vital organs. Seemingly wanting them to suffer.
The shadows moved there attention to us or atleast tried to. The barrier stopped all there attempts. After trying and failing a few more times they returned to our former companions, and the darkness returned to wherever it came from.
With that sorcerer released the barrier.
"Wha-what was that?" I asked walking closer to him.
"Don't worry about it"
"Don't worry? That THING got through all there defenses and why didn't you let them in? They were begging! They could've survived." I said pointing at there mangled bodies.
"Woah kid,slow down but let me answer your questions. Firstly ,Like I said don't worry, it won't attack us with me around. Secondly I know you didn't really trust us so why do you care if they survive ? Lastly there still alive dip shit and no I'm not healing them. There more useful dead If anything."
'Damn! My intentions were seen through that easly'. I quickly calmed my thoughts and asked. "So what are we going to do with them then?"
"Kill them of course. But I'm going to leave that to you."
"What? "
"Don't you understand? Go and kill them"
"What if I don't?" I said arrogantly.
"You die. I may need you but I can just wait for another one of your kind."
Gulp. Without anymore word's I turned around and walked towards the to be corpses. Unsheathing my short sword I stabbed there hearts one by one. Everytime they looked like they were being revealed of anguish.
The familiar voice of the sigil rang in my ears announcing my kills
[ you have slain, you have slain....]
The sorcerer still with a grin on his face looted them and for some reason drained there blood.
After burying there bodies left continuing our trek. I had tried to reason with the sorcerer that continuing our climb would be a death sentence but he brushed it off saying it would all end up fine.
We walked in a chilling silence for what felt like days. But in reality was only a few hours. We set up camp, sorcerer cast a barrier and we roasted meat.
Breaking the silence I asked " why are we continuing our ascent, is there anything important at it's peak ? "
"More than you can imagine. Earlier I said you need my help and I need yours. More specifically you need my help challenging this trial and I want to escape. "
"Wha- how? " those were the only words I could say in my confusion.
"How do I know about trials? Well that's because of my rank. You see I'm a paragon."
"..."
"Why aren't you surprised? I'm a paragon."
"No offence but I don't know anything about ranks." I said scratching my head.
Sigh
"A country bumpkin indeed. Let me explain it best I can. There are 9 ranks In the pattern of ascension each one herder to reach and stronger than the one before. These include :
Dormant
Awakend
Master
Grandmaster
Saint
Paragon
Apex
Archon
Celestial
Of course there names could've changed over the years.
I would tell you more but we don't want you too die now do we. Now go to bed we have a long say ahead of us. Any questions can wait until tomorrow."
Nodding slowly I stood up and went to bed. This man was strong immensely so. He had rose 6 ranks, but if he was so strong why would he need my help and how was he stuck here?
The questions drifted with my consciousness as a fell asleep.