One foot after the other, left then right. Snow and wind whipped against him as as if the god of the mountains wanted to rip his clothes from him but he kept on pushing forward. Hands to his mouth now trying to breathe some life in them, he cursed knowing it was doing little good, growing weary he tried to console himself, fine wine, warm bodies and enough gold to last hime a lifetime. And the fame his name will reach them back at the college and then they would finally call for him, he chuckled to himself to see their faces in his triumph would make this all worth it but only if he makes it. Looking up to the sky he could no longer see the sun and he began to feel the goddess he worshipped all his life had left him. Eyes to the ground now muttering to himself he searched the ground for the snow covered road, nothing he would get nowhere in this storm, he needed to rest a cave with a warm fire would be nice now. Looking up he saw a light flickering in the distance, thanking whichever god heard him he pushed forward harder. As he reached a cave buried into the side of the mountain he was met with the sight of an old man roasting a rabbit on a small fire. "Blessings brother good to see another person on this accursed mountain" he said setting himself down next to the stranger. Twirling the spit the stranger nodded "blessings indeed but whose". He began to feel unease eyeing the stranger up and down, the man was clothed in the thin grey robes and hood of a monk but he wore no sigil, an outcast maybe? Taking his pack he dug inside for a small loaf of bread and some cheese, nibling his travellers lunch he looked again at the stranger his dark brown face was covered in wrinkles his eyes an unsettling light grey, but his hands were rough and you, the hands of a worker or a warrior. Not looking up from the fire the stranger spoke "so what brings you to this mountain?" He looked up slightly startled as if he expected them to lapse in peaceful silence. "I seek fame and fortune" weary of the stranger's intent. The stranger onlu chuckled, "my boy you won't be the first to survive a storm in the mountains". Getting a bit flustered put down his lunch "yes I know that I seek Gods at the peak." The old man chuckled again "you hardly seem worthy enough to challenge the gods or to become the champion." He noticed himself beginning to get red, he was no warrior he could not so much as shoot an arrow to kill his supper, he was a scribe and a feeble one at that. "No no I meerly seek their story, the story of how all things came to be, maybe even how they came to be. And yes I know there are the holy texts but books written by man, no I want the story from the Gods themselves. He stopped, he was getting excited again, he always does, he stopped to run his legs, must be feeling numb after the climb. Minutes lapsed the uncomfortableness grew he looked up and the stranger and voiced what was tugging at the back of his mind, "so brother what is your reason for wandering this lonesome place". The stranger continued to twist the spit, not saying anything. "Ah I understand we all have our secrets he said. He inched closer to the fire as he felt the cold creepy onto his chest as if his coat was doing little to ward off the cold. "What would you like to hear from the Gods boy" the stranger said a note of bitterness creeping into his voice. He kept his eyez to the fire as if entranced by the dancing flames, "well I don't know, that's the wonder of it all, I may be terrified by horrors of blood and slaughter, I may be entranced by tales of beauty and the golden light of creation, maybe they don't even know. That is truely terrifying to think this would all be for nothing my studies, my wife, my reputation all gone, that brother, that is truely terrifying." The stranger threw his head back as if to release a hearty laugh but none did and he just stayed there as if consuming the enormity of the words that were just spoken. A sound as if a mixture between a dry laugh and cough escaped the stranger's mouth. The sound filled the cave but died away swiftly as if trying to flee less it be swallowed again. The stranger turned his head to him and grey eyes that once shown with a gleam now turned dark and dead. He struggled to rise to face this stranger or whatever he was but his strength in his arms had fled him, he lay there staring at the stranger and the rabbit which had not even begun to cook. The cave began to shimmer and glow white as if the storm had consumed the walls as it slowly begun to sorround him the stranger stood and he slowly began to vanish. Turning sad but empty eyes upon him the stranger said "the knowledge you seek is not for mortals", and his vanished.
