My wry smile broadened at his words. If there was a chance to explore beyond the village, I wasn't interested. So, I replied, "I'm sorry, Stronghold Leader Drakar, but I have to decline your offer." The village had everything I needed for a comfortable life in my second chance, and the risks of an uncertain adventure didn't outweigh what I had here.

However, Stronghold Leader Drakar let out an immediate sigh and shook his head at me. "If you had joined me, I had envisioned great achievements that we could have attained together," I observed as his hands began to emit a warm silver glow.

In an instant, I found myself rising into the air, my body hovering until I was higher than the edge of the hot air balloon's basket. "Runnaway Cities, individuals aspiring to become legends, and creatures capable of battling the Vylkr vines. Those were the insights I gained from the Caravans," he explained. "And if you had considered my offer, I would have shared more details with you. Nonetheless, I wish you the best of luck in your current endeavours."

Those were his final words echoing in my ears before I went beyond the safety of the basket, hurtling towards the ground below.

"HEY, WAIT! WAIT!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, the words trailing behind me as I plummeted to the earth.

"Crunch!!"

The impact wasn't as brutal as I had expected; the landing was surprisingly softer. Feeling the frigid cold around me, I raised my head, looking at the mist that surrounded me like a shroud, as though I had fallen within a cloud. However, as the cold tendrils began to creep up my fingertips, my gaze dropped downward, revealing a landscape of ice and... snow.

"Snow," I murmured to myself, taking in my surroundings and the height from which I had fallen. It wasn't difficult to deduce that I had landed on the peak of a mountain.

"A mountain," I voiced the realization aloud, an uneasy feeling settling in my gut.

I had just fallen into a dilemma, and it was dawning on me that descending from a mountain wouldn't be a walk in the park, especially if the Vylkr Vines had a way of reaching these heights.

While my gaze had been fixated upwards, I suddenly caught sight of a colourful figure hurtling down from the sky. Recognizing that it was Saria, I dashed towards her and managed to catch her, using my body as a shield for her unconscious form.

We tumbled through the snow, finally coming to a stop. Despite the lingering ache in my chest and shoulders, I cradled her body against mine, ensuring she was shielded from the cold ground. Carefully, I lifted her tall frame, cradling her over my chest before gently draping her limp body over my shoulder.

Surveying my surroundings, I found myself unsure of which direction to take. In a whimsical decision-making process, I resorted to a simple game of 'eeny, meeny, miny, moe.' I made my choice and set off in that direction.

......

Watching Shadow Talon, who was fixated on the spot where he had thrown Orion and Saria, Stronghold Leader Drakar raised an eyebrow and asked, "What? Do you want to join them?"

Shadow Talon responded with a sharp, piercing bird cry, as if to express his disagreement with Stronghold Leader Drakar's words. Then, he descended from the edge of the basket and began to scratch his claws against the cutlass hanging from his waist.

"You do realize this is for our safety, don't you?" the Stronghold Leader said tiredly.

"Screech!" cried Shadow Talon.

Observing the scene, Stronghold Leader Drakar couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh. "Alright," he conceded, gripping his cutlass and untying it from his waist.

Gazing through the layers of clouds and mist below, he aimed and boomed, "Take this to defend yourself," before he hurled it downward with a powerful force, propelling the cutlass through the swirling clouds towards the distant mountain.

.......

As the voice echoed and the weapon struck the spot where he wanted to step next, Orion's eyes twitched, and he couldn't help but mutter, "I'm still going to kill him," as he snatched the cutlass from its snowy landing spot and pressed on. His legs sank into the snow as he moved through the icy storm, hoping to find a way out.

While his body could endure the biting cold and the sensation of ice brushing against his skin, he couldn't ignore the same concern for Saria. Her form was becoming encased in frost, and he knew he had to get her to safety.

"Don't die... Don't die Don't you dare die on me," Orion muttered under his breath as he increased his pace, realizing that this was the first time he had found himself in a situation where he intensely desired to both take a life and save one.

"Drakar, mark my words, I will kill you," Orion said, as he reached the mountain's summit. His gaze scanned the landscape below, spotting several one-star and two-star Vylkr vines moving around aimlessly.

However, his attention sharpened when he observed a few vines slithering in his direction, stopping just below him. They seemed to behave like patient serpents, waiting to strike once their prey entered their domain. "I. Will. Kill. You."

Seven hours later

Although Orion had decided to rest a little before descending the mountain, he opted to hurry once he noticed Saria's condition worsening due to the cold. Gathering his strength, he pushed through the entangled web of Vylkr vines, unwilling to let Saria's condition deteriorate any further. Eventually, he stumbled upon a cavern and entered it.

After entering deep into the cavern, Orion began to notice that the presence of the Vylkr vines gradually lessened. And though he lost track of both the hours and his direction, he was sure that this uncertain path was a far better alternative than confronting endless waves of Vylkr vines on treacherous terrain.