The next morning only brought harsher weather. Standing at the periphery of the Third Temple, Soren stared silently at the tall tower, unsure of what to feel. The wind was slowly picking up, signalling a new snow storm.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Myrin's voice reached him from behind. "I hope not. I prepped a lot of food in that Spatial Bracelet you're wearing. All our arrangements are already complete."

Soren continued staring silently at the tower, unsure of how to reply. Seeing this, Myrin decided to do the same. The colossal spire piercing through the snow clouds looked ethereal from a distance.

"They say the Third Temple has remained locked away since before the Vyak calendar's spread. Not even Yvain, the first Witch of Star Fate could enter inside. Its subspace cannot be manipulated at all."

Soren's lips curled up slightly. "Why are you telling me something so obvious? The Three Temples correspond to each layer of fate—Epoch, World, Celestial. With Yarian's Celestial fate frozen, the Third Temple cannot operate."

"Because the path you tread will end that history."

"....."

Soren breathed in the frigid air and sighed. And what if that path isn't what you think it is? What then?

For the first time in a while, he didn't have the courage to say his thoughts out loud. He decided to ask Myrin something else instead:

"Why are you coming with me then? You accompanied me on this journey to help with mistress Senna's prophecy, and you've already achieved that. I have already reached the Upper WInds, thanks to your help. All that's left is for me to ascend this wretched mountain and reach the Celestial Heights—something I can definitely do on my own."

The Elven Songster frowned. "What kind of lame question is that?

"We're friends, you idiot. You want me to abandon you and go about my day? If TIna was here, she would kill me!"

He shook his head. "Besides, that bastard ambushed me during my Soul Alchemy Ritual and kidnapped my junior disciple! And more than likely, he's still holding Mistress Sienna as his prisoner… And you're stupid enough to think I would let you face that monster alone?!"

Soren stared silently at the Soothing Bard for a while, a smile slowly tugging at his lips. "Good. I would have questioned our relationship so far if you didn't say that."

He reached his arm and tapped him on the shoulder. "Regardless of Sienna's goals, I will personally make sure the Whispering Dream pays for everything he's done."

Myrin smiled back. But just as he was about to reply, his mind suddenly began to feel heavy. A wave of weakness washed over him, drowning even his thoughts beneath its weight.

"What…"

Soren continued gripping tightly to his shoulder, his smile unchanging:

"Mesmerize… This was one of the first spells I learned after reaching the 1st Circle. A pity I must now use it on you."

The Elven Songster tried to resist, but it was too late. His mind… couldn't overcome sleep's call.

"Goodbye my friend. Perhaps we will meet again someday… Perhaps not. Oh and, thanks for the food."

These were the final words Myrin heard. His body began to slump backwards—Soren caught him before he reached the snow. Glancing quietly at his face, Soren's smile finally began to crack. He quietly dragged him toward the temple where he found someone familiar leaning silently against the wall.

"Venissa…"

Her disheveled crimson hair reflected her emotions perfectly. Even though the guilt of her actions weighed heavy on her shoulders, she did not run away from her responsibilities.

Frowning, she glanced at the pair of magi quietly before sighing.

"That weak spell of yours won't last for long, you know? He's a 4th Circle magus with far more experience at anima control than anyone I know at that stage."

Soren chuckled, "I would expect nothing less from my senior apprentice."

She shook her head. "Well hurry up then. Before he wakes up and beats you half dead."

Soren smiled then gently placed him against the wall next to her. With a quick nod, he turned around to leave.

After only a few steps, he was interrupted again.

"If you see Sienna, please tell her I forgive her."

Soren paused and looked back, only to find both her and Myrin missing. He shook his head and smiled.

"How impatient…"

With that said, he continued walking forward into the unknown, letting the snowy fog consume him whole.

His fated ascension… has begun.

Frozen ice crackled beneath his feet as Soren made his way up a narrow ledge. With the frigid wind threatening to sweep him down the ravenous mountain, he didn't dare to make any drastic moves. His skin creaked as he flexed his fingers into claws, splintering like ice as they grabbed tightly the rocky wall behind him. Every step forward was a struggle against nature itself.

This can't go on for long… I have to continue forward quickly!

If only I didn't stupidly decide to follow that damned Asterix...

During his journey up the mountain a few days prior, he was met with a dead end—the path he was walking on ended with a cliff. If not for the clearer weather at the time, he might have accidentally stepped forward and fell down to his death.

But just as he was about to consider turning around, a strange Spirit Beast emerged suddenly before him. It was a colossal goat-like creature with a strange glowing halo that hovered over where their horns should have been. With every hop it took, the beast would disappear then reappear somewhere else, as if it was jumping through space itself.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

After observing it for a bit with [Eyes of the Fairy], he learned that it was an Asterix—a powerful and rare kind of Spirit Beast that dwelled among the highest peaks of the Upper Winds. Seeing that it meant no harm, he got the idea to follow it up the mountain since it likely knew its way better than him.

However, that turned out to be a horrible idea…

Unlike the Asterix, Soren (obviously) doesn't have the ability to teleport! The paths it took were far too strange for a human like him to cross. And yet, he decided to foolishly try anyway.

"How amusing…" Tazzith's voice reached him through the endless screams of passing wind. "Although we call you a Foolish One, the meaning isn't meant to be taken literally."

"Shut the fuck up…" He grit his teeth as he took another step forward, watching the frozen ice crack under his weight. "I'm trying to focus here…"

"Why not simply use those Fairy Blades of yours to fly around? Surely that is safer than whatever you're attempting now…"

His eyes narrowed in anger. "Are you telling me to die? Did you not see how powerful this storm is? Call me foolish all you want, but my choice to follow that Asterix is still correct. The winds reaching this side of the mountain are far weaker than what's out there!"

If there was one thing Soren learned in the past few days, it was to not underestimate the weather. The snowstorm he experienced at Statue Town was already deadly enough, but this… This was far from just a normal snow storm. This was more akin to the wrath of a god who wishes to freeze the entire world…

During his harsh ascension, Soren had spotted several bodies layered in ice, frozen across time. Some were Spirit Beasts who were caught off guard by a sudden influx of wind, others were human—likely from previous expedition attempts by the Staterran Kingdom. If he looked close enough into the ice, he could see their last moments—their horror-filled expressions that were now inscribed into the snowy terrain…

There were many moments during his climb that Soren thought he would join them. At times, it even felt as if the storm had a mind of its own—chasing him from one cliffside to the other incessantly. Whatever sinister force was behind it, Soren was sure it was intelligent.

Fortunately, the shape of the mountain offered many places for shelter. The rigid cliffs were all mangled together like strands, creating massive gaping caves within that siphoned away the powerful wind. The entire geography was strangely alien and unnatural, completely different from the base of the mountain that he could see beneath the clouds.

It felt as if this was the result of some cosmic being who, in their boredom, decided to smear this world's geography as a prank.

But regardless of the reason, Soren was grateful for the safety it provided.. As meager as it was. He wasn't sure if he'd be alive right now without this advantage. That was, of course, if he managed to survive this traitorous ledge…

Every step he took, Soren assumed it would be his last. But by some strangle miracle, he continued to stick close to the wall, unwavering in his walk between life and death.

Suddenly, the snowy fog cleared slightly, revealing the path ahead. The ledge which he initially assumed went on forever was close to ending. In the distance, he could see a large opening—another cave no doubt.

He took another step forward, letting the ancient ice splinter beneath his feet. There was no time to waste—he was sure his body would give up eventually. The hope he briefly gained from seeing the end of this wretched path was the only fuel he had remaining.

Just as he was about to take another step, he felt his other foot slip slightly. Soren instinctively gripped the stone behind him with all the power he had, saving himself at the last second.

Glancing down at the sheer drop he had just narrowly avoided, Soren sighed in relief. His hands were already bloody and swollen from how hard he had been gripping the stone, but in that moment, the pain no longer mattered. The frigid wind had chilled even his nerves, numbing all his sensations.

Just… a few more steps…

After taking a moment to compose himself, he returned to walking down the path. One step became two, two steps became four. His mind ceased all unnecessary thoughts, remaining focused on one singular task: to finally cross this damned ledge.

It didn't take long for him to achieve it.

Without even noticing, Soren had already managed to reach the other side. The moment he realized, he collapsed on the snow, drifting in and out of consciousness for a while before finally finding the strength to crawl his way into the nearby cave he'd seen earlier.

Letting the darkness of the cave embrace him, Soren finally smiled. "What a terrifying beast… This mountain…" The muffled sounds of wind howled endlessly outside, reminding him of what he had just accomplished.

Indeed it was the right choice…

If he hadn't followed that Spirit Beast, he would likely be another ice sculpture for this terrifying mountain to use as a warning for others.

"Screw that… If I ever freeze to death out here, I'm striking an interesting pose as quickly as possible. No way in hell I'm ending up like that poor bastard back there, frozen mid-piss over the cliff…"

Shaking his head, he exhaustedly pulled a piece of beef jerky out of his Spatial Bracelet and began to eat it. As soon as he did, a strange yet comforting warmth enveloped his body, defrosting every limb.

Taking the last bite, Soren couldn't help but frown. "He sure gained a strange ability…"

"What, are you regretting not bringing him with you?" Tazzith chuckled, "What a shallow friendship!~"

Soren rolled his eyes and ignored him. For a second, he let his thoughts drift freely, staring in silence at the dripping ceiling of the cave.

"How many days have passed since I started this journey?"

"Three. I've grown rather bored from watching you during that time. Even my prison cell is a bit more interesting."

"How is it down there? I heard that the Subterranean Shunning Grounds have been restored, right? Are they treating you well?"

"As well as any elf might treat a Daemon. Though, I suppose it's a lot more silent, considering that many of my peers managed to escape during the chaos. Which makes your mission to me even more important, Soren.

"Regardless of the choices you will make in the coming days, you must remember that your promise to me isn't finished yet."

"Right, right…" Soren sighed. "But three days, huh… Time is passing quicker than I'd assumed. I wonder how much longer it will take me to reach the Celestial Heights…"

"If I were to consider your current pace, I assume more than a week."

"....."

"Soren?" He asked again, thinking he might have fallen asleep.

"I'm still awake, don't worry."

This was another danger he needed to consider. Venissa once said that the mountain didn't kill with its cold, but its comfort. He never fully understood this phrase until he began his climb. The longer he stayed still, the more apparent it became that sleep was his enemy here. Each time his eyelids drooped, the cold no longer became cruel; it cradled him instead, tempting him to close his eyes—to forever embrace the silence.

Soren couldn't accept it. That was why he relied heavily on the energy that Myrin's magical meals provided to keep himself awake. But even that was now losing its effectiveness.

"This isn't working."

"What isn't?"

"Everything."

Tazzith chuckled. "How descriptive."

Soren stayed silent for a few more moments before sighing.

"Change of plans. I'm going to put climbing the mountain on hold for a bit."

"What?" The words greatly shocked the ancient Daemon.

"There's something else I must do first," Soren replied, his expression growing resolute.

"I must upgrade my Soul Weapon. Immediately."

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