Sunniva's Travels

     The mountain range ahead was truly awe inspiring to Sunniva. She may have been top of the class back at home, but here was something different. She’d had time to study the routes and the difficulties of the climbs back home, but here she would not have that kind of luxury. She would have one go at getting to the top and if she failed then her memory would only remain as an Eidolon, should someone think enough of her to bring her form back.

     The Axiom had taken what looked like the simpler route to lead the main expedition with their snowmobiles. Sunniva didn’t trust those machines. She trusted only her own skill, and the pitons and ropes that she had checked so many times. Honest and reliable gear against machines that had a hundred ways to go wrong. She wasn’t against machines per se. They had their place, but Sunniva would much rather rely on her own skill and strength. She was to lead the climb around the alternate route also called by the Expedition leaders as ‘The Impossible Climb’. The word impossible was not in Sunniva’s lexicon. To her no climb was impossible, but she was equally aware of the extreme challenge she was about to face.

    At the base camp she sipped on her Arcolano Milk before taking a bite out of her energy bar. Kojo’s smiling face covered part of the packet. Ever since he and Booda had vanquished the Kraken his image was everywhere. He was the hero of the hour, and everyone wanted to associate their products with him. Sunniva much preferred other snacks, but she knew that she would need the milk and energy bars first if she was to survive the climb.

     She checked her favoured lollipops were all in their container. One that she had specially made for the climb to house her favoured snack so that she could easily access them on a climb. She’d fully stocked up with them from Coriander’s Sweet Shop in Arkaster before she left. The lollipops weren’t a big, mass-produced Axiom product like the Arcolano Milk was. No, it was a small Lyra shopkeeper making a living from his own art, with delectable flavours that no one else could produce. Sunniva liked the mint ones the best, but she had to be careful eating too many of the best ones too quickly. Finally, she checked her roll of sugared almonds was in place.

    Her left hand was already straining to maintain its grip when she put the rope on shoulder to hold it whilst she tried to swing up to give herself footholds to help ease the strain on her left hand. The first swing though she missed her foothold and had to swing a second time before her left foot found its purchase. Now precariously stabilised, Sunniva concentrated her Avgrunn to absorb the concept of elasticity into herself from the rope and to strengthen her climbing skills and to keep her body focussed on the altitude.

     Finally stabilised, Sunniva climbed to the next ledge and took out a mint lollipop to suck on from her pack. The taste of the mint helped her think as she looked up to determine her strategy for the next section. She frowned as she heard a disembodied howling on the wind. Then she saw something strange in the distance nearer the summit of the mountainside. It was white and it was slowly moving its way down the mountain. Sunniva decided that it was either some manifestation of the Tumult or an avalanche. She had heard tales of the Spirit of the Storms, but she hadn’t believed it. She almost hoped at this point that she was just imagining it, but she was too experienced to believe that.

    She began to climb more quickly now. She only had so long to become the Avatar of the mountain and to alter the surroundings of the rock to her advantage. The faster that she could climb and conquer the mountain with her skill, the more she would be able to shape it. She needed an overhang or a cave where she could be safe from the falling snow. She concentrated on a spot that could be that place above her and began to climb hard and fast. As she climbed, her technique improved, and she began to glow a slight sheen that indicated she was becoming an Avatar of the mountain. The problem was that it might not be enough. The avalanche was coming down faster and unless she sped up more, she would not make it in time. She needed to climb with superhuman speed now.

     The taste of mint in her mouth spurred her on, her lucky number 9 pendant swinging in front of her as she began to climb faster and faster, using all the aether she had absorbed so far from the surroundings around her. Just ahead the cave she envisioned became clearer and Sunniva made one last move to swing herself over the lip to safety just as the first of the snow rolled over the lip of the cave and began to unpin her main climbing rope from the mountainside below her into the depths below.

     She let go of a big breath, glad she brought her spare rope along with her. She would defeat this mountain once and for all, conquering this mountain for the expeditionary forces on behalf of the Bravos.