El continued his ascent after that brief inner dialogue, which was unlike him, but the circumstances had prompted deeper reflection—specifically, on himself. As he climbed, he navigated through an array of strange and bizarre terrains, feeling as though the wall or mountain before him could stretch on endlessly. Yet, thankfully,he sensed a distant end to the wall within the limits of his perception, if he pushed his senses to the extreme.
Amidst his climb, he felt various creatures moving nearby, likely akin to mountain goats, and each time he caught their presence, he instinctively steered clear of them. His prior encounter with a mountain goat had taught him they were far superior climbers, potentially monstrous, and this knowledge instilled a sense of caution mixed with fear. Despite his apprehensions, he had no choice but to press on.
Then, abruptly, El was overwhelmed by the presence of these creatures flocking in his direction—whether by coincidence or design, it was straight toward him. Startled beyond measure, his heart began to race like drumbeats, his muscles tensed, and even his sharpened mind felt scrambled. This was a situation that could rattle even most Neophyte ascender those who had full taken their first step in the ascension ladder, and here he was, still in the midst of his trial. Time slowed, yet his thoughts raced, and the singular command slicing through his panicked mind became clear:
hide! hide! hide!
Fueled by adrenaline, he scaled the rock face in a matter of seconds, searching for a place to conceal himself. Fortune smiled upon him as he ascended toward one of the flat ledges on the mountain wall. Without pausing, he dashed to a recess carved into the rock—just the right size for concealment. The sounds of hooves grew louder...yet they never reached his refuge; perhaps they had never been headed in his direction at all.
After a few tense minutes, with his body and mind starting to steady, clarity began to emerge. It dawned on him that he was not the target—or perhaps there had never been a target to begin with. A more chilling thought crossed his mind: the creatures were fleeing from something, something that could send a herd of fearsome mountain goats into a panic.
"Damnit, why is this situation deteriorating?" El lamented. First, he was climbing this treacherously high mountain wall, then he had encountered creatures as perilous as the vile ape, and now, worse yet, something that could instill fear in those very creatures. How was he going to survive this?
Since his senses could extend outward, he focused on feeling the world around him without leaving his hiding spot. Though he acknowledged that his heightened senses didn't grant him complete visibility, it was more akin to sensing the essence of his surroundings—structures taking the form of white against the black of solid objects. While not ideal, it was sufficient, especially in the world of Troy.
Stretching his sensory perception to its limits, he finally grasped the situation unfolding before him, or at least as much as he could from his vantage point. The goats that had been running had halted just a short distance from his hiding place, forming a semicircle around three larger goats—significantly bigger than the one he had battled in the cave. It seemed they were communicating. To assume they were negotiating would have seemed outrageous, yet after witnessing their intelligence firsthand, it no longer felt far-fetched. As he observed, the goats appeared to reach a consensus and started walking in the direction they had just fled from. El, noticing this, began to follow them though through his senses,he still did not have enough courage to move physically.
He trailed behind them until they reached the edge of his sensory realm, at which point they crossed beyond it. He then glanced around for any signs of movement and seeing non,he exhaling deeply in resignation—he knew he had to act.
The choice before him was clear: either he could leave this place and continue his ascent, remaining blissfully unaware of the imminent threats, or he could steel his mind and heart, pursue those creatures, and seek to uncover the truths hidden in the shadows of his surroundings. However, despite his consideration of the options, his mind was already made up.
If he did not lay eyes on the creature himself, what stories would he have to share or chronicled to tell? He needed to grasp the true peril that lurked out there, a notion he attempted to rationalize, even if it hinted at madness beneath his outward composure.
It seems El was not as sane as he shows.
Following their trail, he traversed the terrain—walking and climbing—until he reached a point where he could sense their presence again. Despite having expressed a desire to confront the creature himself, he was not naive enough to approach without caution. Sharpening his senses, he spotted three figures—mainly goats—moving deliberately toward a gaping hole that led into an underground cave. Yet that was all he could discern; while he could perceive the solid objects being affected by essence around him, he couldn't see through those very obstructions. This meant he would have to draw closer.
After walking and climbing a bit further, he halted, unwilling to advance any nearer. Once again, he pushed his senses to their limits, striving to glimpse inside the cave. A sudden chill swept through his veins, rendering his enchanted tunic ineffective against the cold dread. His body hair bristled, instincts blaring as his heart raced, though he had yet to pinpoint the source of the imminent danger. Or had he? Peering deeper into the cave, he noticed three forms sprawled on the icy ground, essence seeping from them, and a larger creature seated nearby, its gaze fixed intently on him. The moment their eyes met, the weight of the creature's awareness felt overwhelming.
"Oh, Lord…" he thought, reaching an unsettling conclusion. The three goats that had ventured in had met their end without a struggle. The entity responsible was far more perilous than he had anticipated; the mere fact it could affect him so instinctively proved its formidable nature. And now, with that creature's attention directed at him—their eyes intertwined through his senses—it was evident it could sense his presence. In an instant, he withdrew his awareness and fled without a backward glance. Just as he pulled away, he sensed it rise to its feet. He refused to take any chances, acutely aware that uncertainty was a danger in itself.
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