Rebirth: Over the Horizon

Introductions are once again exchanged as the group settles in around the fire.

Chen Xi cooks a large pot of soup over the flame, doing his best to facilitate conversation.

Once the meal is served, Adam can see that Callia wasn't exaggerating about his skills.

Despite only having a pot, a campfire, and whatever ingredients he brought with him up the mountain, he produces a savoury, delicious meal. It does much to lift everyone's spirits.

Any initial unease about sharing a meal with an infamous thief seems to have disappeared with the revelation of Perugia's divine mission.

It seems that the group is willing to trust that those sent by the Twelve have been sent for good reason.

With hunger satisfied, the conversation naturally turns to the mysterious quests which brought everyone to the mountain.

"So," Daedala speaks, "We have travellers summoned here by 8 God's here."

"How strange," Daedala replies. "Given that none of us was told the nature of our tasks, it seems as if it must be something of importance to all of the Twelve."

"I wonder what could interest each of them. The possibilities are worrying."

"Indeed." Says Tiara, breaking her silence. "I wonder if we will see climbers chosen by the other four. Perhaps they have already reached the summit."

"Or perhaps they haven't made it this far yet," Dannis says with a shrug. "Either way, the only thing for all of us to do is to proceed."

"We should get what rest we can. Lots of mountains to tackle tomorrow."

You can't argue with that point. You've been exhausted since this journey began.

Despite having only the cold ground of the mountainside for comfort, he had a great night.

------

Adam awakens well after dawn. Most of the group seems to have already left the campsite, likely resuming the climb.

Once he sees his surroundings, the only two who remain are Chen Xi, occupied with breaking down the campsite and packing everything up, and Daedala, who has out an array of small metal tools and seems to be fiddling with the disc Pergia stole from her.

"Oh! Good morning!" Garst says with a wide smile upon seeing you awake.

"There's a little breakfast left if you'd like some. I'm afraid it's simple fare, but you'll need your strength to finish the climb today."

He looks up the steep mountainside ahead. "I'm a little worried about making it on time, to be honest. I'm not as strong as I was in my youth."

Daedala ignores him and the conversation completely focused on whatever project she is working on.

'I have to ask her to take me up there even if it hurts my pride,'

Adam slowly walks over to her and asks "Hey, would you mind if I join you?"

Daedala looks up at you, assessing him silently for a moment. She sets the disc down.

"… Fine. Put your feet right on these two marks." She points to two foot-shaped spaces marked on the surface of the metal object.

"Don't lean, don't shift, don't make any motion at all unless I tell you to. Got it?"

Adam stands on the disc and waits. She hops on right behind him, wrapping an arm around his waist in an almost protective manner.

She then whistles sharply, and the disc abruptly rockets into the air.

The journey upwards is terrifying, both due to the sheer speed of their ascent and the fact that he has nothing beneath him and a deadly fall but a disc of copper.

Adam peeks back at Daedala, who looks perfectly poised and at ease. At least she has confidence.

In no time at all, their destination is in sight. Finally, with daylight fading, they reach the summit.

The peak of the mountain is perfectly flat as if the top of the mountain was sheered off by the swing of an impossibly sharp sword.

A shrine has been erected at the spot, a circle of twelve marble pillars, each inscribed with the holy symbol of a God or Goddess.

It is very quiet here, above the clouds. The red sky of dusk stretches as far as the eye can see in every direction.

Those who did not ascend with him, have all reached the summit, either before him or very shortly afterwards.

Adam recognize everyone from the campsite has made it to the peak, along with a few faces which he does not yet know.

The woman standing by the pillar marked with Borthe's symbol, God of agriculture and Land, stands out immediately.

From her regal bearing to her golden tiara, everything about her says 'royalty'.

Her dress is a rich purple, no doubt extremely expensive, somehow showing no wear or dirt from the climb up the mountain.

She looks down her nose at the others gathering in the shrine, seemingly confident that she is superior to them all.

The woman beside her, at the pillar marked with the blue anchor of Ponrindan, God of seas and storms.

She shares all of the first woman's confidence, but none of her regal airs.

Adam has seen sailors with outfits like hers when he travelled with dura, heavy boots and an ornate surcoat, but none quite so ostentatious.

Her hat, in particular, is of great size. At her hip is a cutlass with a gleaming gold hilt.

'I think...she's some sort of naval officer. Or, perhaps, a pirate.'

There's another woman which doesn't recognize leaning against the pillar marked with a skull, Hadrene's symbol, Goddess of Judgement and justice.

She seems smaller than the others in the group, both very short and very thin.

She looks quite pale, with long black hair that partially obscures her face.

She has dressed in one of Hadrene's acolyte's black robes and appears to be braced against the pillar for support.

Adam notices exhaustion in her dark eyes.

The last unknown person is perhaps the most striking of all.

She is exactly what anyone imagines when they think of beauty, wrapped in a diaphanous golden robe.

Adam finds it difficult not to look at her, but the longer he does so, the more he becomes aware of a slightly disconcerting phenomenon.

Adam feels a radiant sense of warmth and beauty from her.

He struggles to describe any of her features, beyond simply knowing that they are enticing.

What colour is her hair? Her eyes? Her skin?

In fact, the more he concentrates, the more difficult it is to notice anything other than her general beauty.

That's when he notices her faint red glow. Another demigod has appeared.

This can only be Qora, Adornick's only daughter and the epitome of beauty.

[You've met Qora; perhaps you can learn something from her]

Adam sighs and walks over to the pillar bearing Hecate's symbol.

Before he can say anything, his vision is filled with a blinding golden light, accompanied by beautiful, haunting music conjured from thin air.