Ascending to the peak would be no easy matter, even if it looked to be empty all around. Especially with the random pain hitting him in random spots at random intervals.
But what else could he really do but move up? The runes orders were absolute here. He'd rather get it over with than question their reasons.
Stretching his legs out, tapping himself all across his body, and after ensuring he wasn't dreaming, Leo took to the road.
Leo's footsteps slightly slippery on the ice beneath as his shoes lacked the proper material a noble would wear on their feet. His shoes once had it too, though the texture had long eroded. So he had to be very careful scaling up the mountain, or he might just slip down between the icicles and fall to his death.
'Could this be the same thing that happened outside the forest, with the light?'
He questioned himself with a dubious look carved out in his skull. The ash essence that sprung into his hands definitely reminisced of the same magic. But that's about it. He was too busy with the scrutiny he was being put under to take a proper look at it. So all that was left for him to do now was give himself a best guess answer and hope he was right.
Similarly, he could recall some blurry moments before coming into this dream-like world. Leo could faintly recall his body moving under the guise of pain with a graceful technique. Of course, his first thought jumped straight for the runes. Who else could have done something like that? It surely wasn't him giving the last-ditch effort subconsciously. That could never happen!
'My whole body's been robbed of everything but my clothes too... does that mean this is some sort of magical dream?'
Some implications hung in the air, and Leo wanted to question them all as he ascended to the peak through the jagged road ahead.
'If I am, then does that mean my body is still fighting unconscious with that dog?'
His lips remained relaxed, as if it were a common occurrence that desensitised him to the matter. Leo wasn't really worried about it because even if that were true, there would be nothing the runes couldn't do better than himself. In fact, it would probably be better for him to let them fight in his stead. There was no telling what could happen if he left this 'dream' world. And the runes were clearly calling out to him, even in here.
'So they need me for something.'
He looked up to the ceiling, towards where the peak was as the glinting sun rose from behind.
"Fine, as long as you can get me back to Luna, I'll trust you, for now."
[...]
The runes didn't respond.
'Come to think of it, they've been getting more... human?'
As Leo travelled along the labyrinth, he couldn't help but notice the monotonous pattern they relayed, turning into conversation. They even helped him beat that crab, maneuvering his inexperienced body to their liking. The random dial he'd found was also converted into an engraving on his hand for whatever good reason they had. For example, just earlier, they addressed him by his name.
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'How would it know something like that? Can it read my mind? No... I never once thought about my own name, did I?'
His brows furrowed as the most crucial step he missed rose up:
'Someone's casting them, of course!'
This couldn't have been some ancient messaging system like the device Luna used. This was a deliberate attempt at communication from someone, Leo was willing to bet the light that transported him there was also their doing, along with all the monstrosities it brought in. Otherwise, how could preset magic fight so masterfully against a random enemy?
'I knew it! But... who could cast something like that... in the forest...'
Leo's voice got gradually lower with worry as it hit him. If not even the empires greatest could cast magic – as far as he knew, then whatever caused it, especially on such a large scale, must be at least a Tez rank!
Those of such rank are at the bottom of the golden ladder, the ones sent out only in the matter of war, those capable of casting out large scale spells over an entire legion at once and wiping them out. Almost always, these people were part of the royal court, loyal only to the ruler of the time. But despite being the lowest rank in such a prestigious place, their feats were nothing to joke about.
More often than not, these people commanded entire provinces across the vast continent, Medius. The Avento Plateau was no different, where they would control the land through the mayors governing what little towns littered the flat land. However, its overseer was never present. Perhaps because it was none other than the courts jester, one of the monarchs closest advisors. It was no wonder he wasn't present, though it was quite weird how secretive his identity was. The change was abruptly announced one day, and the townspeople never got a name, no face, nothing. Just his title, the 'Courts Jester'.
It wasn't easy to reach Tez through noble connections. Even breaking through to this rank was considered otherworldly, and you'd likely have a statue erected in your name somewhere around the towns you govern. Leo knew all about it. Such fascinating stories fed to him of these people could not contain his expectations for their power. But that's what was worrying at the same time. Someone who can so casually cast a spell of that magnitude must be someone incredible!
So why the hell would someone like that want to reach out to Leo?
'It's soon time to find out...'
The overhanging path started to end, revealing a mound of snow that led up and to the right into a blizzard through a narrow path. The icicles were also getting smaller as he saw the exit to the cave-like passage. Small enough to where he could see what lay behind the icy fortress.
'So I was right, I went into the painting...'
In the distance, the dark castle peeked over the wall of mountains and snow. It was no mistaking it. It was the very same one from the painting. Given that, he'd also assumed his other guesses to be true, in which case he he had to hurry to the top, the runes must be sending him there for a good reason.
Exiting the comfort of the cavern into the chilly winds, the path started to narrow as everything bit at his face. He'd hardly taken a step out, and it was already unbearable for him to continue, not as harsh as what the wolf did to him, though.
'Fuck... I cant waste time here!'
Angry with himself and his weakness, he recalled Lunas face, which somehow made him even angrier. If he wanted to go back to Luna, he'd better strain his muscle and pass right through. And that's exactly what he did, gritting his teeth until blood nearly burst out of his gums he started traversing through the storm.
Of course he still had to be careful, most of this gruesome time was spent looking down at his steps, one miscalculation and he would go falling thousands of meters down, though he tried to avoid looking over the edge in hopes of soothing his fear a little. The edge was constantly getting smaller, but that didn't stop him, it was decently sized too, enough for him to walk forward and not sideways. And soon, through the chilling winter and the piercing snow, a widening slope spiraled upwards across the ridge.
Leo walked up as the angle kept getting steeper, he was still a fair bit away as he reached the top of the snowy hill, revealing the real summit as he stood on the fake one. Though, it was nowhere near as perilous as what he'd just went through, so after checking his surroundings promptly, he took off running through the rising snow, eventually reaching his knees to slow him down.
In such conditions he could only embrace himself and think of nothing but the summit while shivering the icicles forming off his body. The random aches on his body were quick to amplify, they hurt him in more places, at a faster rate, and at a greater impact.
But the only thing he could think about was not his clothes ripping up in the cold winds, or the fact that he was in the middle of nowhere following the orders of some stupid writings, or even the fact that he might be dead and this is Iad. It was something warm, something close, something that couldn't be replaced by any method.
As he looked to the peak one last time before beginning his final ascent of the jagged slope, his one and only thought followed through:
'Wait for me, Luna...'