Between: Hope and Despair

Chapter 12: Scaling Death's Peak

Narrator: "It has been 4 days since our heroes had left Kurent and they had just arrived at the mountain range below Herbalia. After having some cooked wolf meat."

Jake: "So, who is ready for the climb? (in head) Not me."

The Guys: "We're ready."

Annabelle: "(panting) I'm ready."

Daniel: "Annabelle, you okay?"

Annabelle: "I'm okay."

Luis: "Alright, but we should have at least one of us should be nearby you while we climb."

Annabelle: "Alright..."

Narrator: "Our heroes fasten their gear and start climbing up the mountain with Annabelle being guarded by Daniel for about 45 min until."

Annabelle: "(pant, pant)"

Annabelle loses her grip.

Daniel: "Annabelle!"

Daniel quickly grabs her hand.

Daniel: "Her skin feels a little too warm."

Luis: "She must've gotten sick from one of those wolves from earlier. We need to get to Herbalia now!"

Dillon: "Still looks like a ways until we can get on to the path."

Jake: "Well, climb faster! We aren't losing her now!"

Narrator: "They continue to climb for another 20 min., so they barely reach the path."

Dillon: "Still looks like a ways until Herbalia. We should take a quick break, then in the meantime we should decide who carries-."

Daniel passes out with a weird rash appearing on the back of his neck.

Luis: "This is bad."

Jake: "What is bad?"

Luis: "We can't take a break, this rash in particular is a unique symptom to a particularly lethal disease. Two of us need to take a hit and get to Herbalia to get treated."

Jake: "Okay, I'll handle Daniel since I have an outstanding immune system and Dillon can handle Annabelle since he is more likely to not pass out due to extra weight."

Dillon: "Alright... what do you mean by that?"

Jake: "You have muscle unlike Luis. (in head) Hope nothing fucks us up."

Luis: "Okay we need to run and I mean run, these mountains aren't that high, but after every 20 min. we need to take a short break to adjust to the air."

Jake/ Dillon: "Got it."

Narrator: "So our heroes scale the mountain at their quickest pace yet. However there is a name for the peak. It garners the name Death's Peak since there have been a few deaths due to rockslides or not pacing themselves enough."

Jake: "Any idea on how much farther?"

Luis: "Just about another 45 min.!"

Dillon passes out.

Jake/ Luis: "Dillon!"

Luis: "Alright, I can handle Annabelle long enough for us to get to the top, but can you handle Dillon and Daniel?"

Jake: "Yeah my immune system is being really helpful here. (in head) Helps when your special left arm eats diseases too."

Luis: "Then we should hurry."

Narrator: "After another 44 min. of running, they are nearly at the village entrance until..."

Luis: "What is that sound?"

Jake: "Seriously?! An Impurity now?!"

Luis: "Let's take it out real quick, or the villagers will be in danger."

Jake: "My exact thought."

Luis uses the wind to slow down the bird looking Impurity as Jake sends ice shards into its body until..."

Luis: "Looks like it's-"

The bird uses its talons to get a large cut into Luis chest.

Jake: "Luis!"

Luis begins to gush out blood.

Jake decapitates the bird the second it landed. However a local doctor who was watching the chaos appears.

Doctor: "Are you alright?"

Jake: "I am, but three of my friends needs medicine and the last one needs a wound treated."

Doctor: "Come with me, my assistant and I can help your friends."

Jake: "Thank. You. Ma'am."

Doctor: "Now hurry, I'll carry the two lighter looking ones."

Jake: "Okay. (in head) Nearly got fucked at the end."