Onward to 7 Years

Chapter 13: Focus

"Slow down!" Ian screamed, hanging on to Guinevere's back with his right hand. The wind was whipping his face so hard, he was forced to shut his eyes. Just as Ian was about to slip off, he managed to grab on to Guinevere's right wing with his left hand, which caused Gwen to tilt to the side. 

Gwen whinnied as they started falling sideways, away from the mountain. "Sorry, Guinevere!" Ian grunted as he grabbed onto her mane, pulling himself onto her back. He gripped onto her mane as she tilted back upright, flying up.

Ian squinted his eyes open and could see they were almost at the top of Raven's Point. "Keep going!" he shouted, the cold wind hitting his face and sending his big explosion of blue, curly hair back.

But just as Guinevere neared the top, she neighed and started falling back down, to the side. Ian felt his stomach drop.

"Guinevere! What's happening?!" Ian gripped her mane tighter and leaned his body to the left side, toward the mountain. And then the unicorn completely flipped over, sending Ian flying into a big pile of snow on a ledge on the mountain.

Ian got up immediately, shivering. Guinevere was at the edge of the mountain ledge, trying to hang on with her hooves. Ian crawled to the edge and lunged for her legs, but it was too late. Guinevere had slipped off the edge.

Ian's mouth dropped open from shock as he leaned over the edge and saw Gwen falling down, down, down. Ian realized that her right wing was torn (from Ian grabbing it and from the force of the wind). That was why she wasn't able to fly, and she tossed Ian onto the mountain at the last second.

"Thank you, Guinevere," Ian whispered. He got off the ground, and a huge gust of wind nearly knocked him back down. He brushed the snow off of him and wrapped his arms around his body, trying to keep warm.  He looked up and tried his best to keep his eyes open as huge snowflakes fell onto his face. He was probably about 50 feet away from the top of the mountain, and he could see a faint, green glow at the top. He didn't see any sight of Barley or Jessica. "Please be safe," Ian whispered as he leaped onto the rock behind him that led to the point of the mountain.

He grunted as he raised one hand up, gripped a piece of rock that was popping out, and raised his foot up. He gripped another rock, raised his other foot up. Gripped more rock, raised his feet up. He did the process over and over for a while, almost slipping several times. Finally-finally- he was almost at the top of Raven's Point.

But then Ian looked down, and after seeing how high he was, he felt the panic taking over his brain. He felt his hands starting to loosen its grip, and he felt his feet starting to slip. And then he fell down, down, down.

Ian saw as the top of Raven's Point was getting higher and higher. He felt the wind whip around him as he fell almost 50 feet, back onto the snow-covered ledge. 

Ian let the snow wrap around him and consume him as he lay on his back. Don't sleep,  his mind tried to tell Ian. You have to get the gem and save Barley, now!

But Ian's whole body ached. I'll just rest for a minute, and then I'll get back up. I can get the gem. I can save Barley...

Ian's eyelids closed, snowflakes falling onto his eyelashes and turning his hair white.

                                                                                   *****

"Faster. We have to retrieve the gem for the Hidden Centaur, and we are almost there," a familiar voice said from above Ian.

Ian's eyes fluttered open, and he brushed the snow that was covering his face away. His teeth where chattering uncontrollably, and his whole body was shaking. He sat up, groaning as pain spread throughout his back. He tilted his head back, and about 20 feet above him, Barley and Jessica were making their way up the mountain. They must be brainwashed and didn't see me because the snow was probably covering me!  Ian thought. Or they ignored me. I need to get up there right now! I can't let them get the Power Gem!

Ian grimaced at the pain that went through his whole body as he got up. He got onto the rock and started climbing. But his body ached so, so much from the fall and the cold. Ian clenched his teeth and shut his eyes. C'mon, Ian,  Ian grunted to himself. Your brother needs you. 

He slowly climbed higher. "Come on, Ian," he said, louder. "Come on, Ian. Come on, Ian!"

And Ian climbed. He climbed higher and higher, ignoring the pain. He didn't look up nor down. He shut his eyes, focusing his thoughts on Barley. Not the cold. Not the pain. Not the mountain.

Only the person that has motivated him and inspired him his whole entire life.