I died and was reborn into an Otome game!? (Hiatus)

Part 3

The group of men were hiking around the mountain, trying to locate Jayne in order to save the damsel, for sure she could not handle such a ferocious beast by herself. She needed protecting.

Desmideus and Chris hiked with mirth and determination, adrenaline kicking in in order to be able to face anything, whilst also worrying for Jayne's position. Commander Eldric was neutral, yes, this was a dangerous mission, but it was nothing out of the unordinary for him. He was more concerned in making sure the ardent prince was not harmed than actually rescuing this girl.

And Roderick would prefer to not be here at all.

Sure, he wanted Jayne to be safe, but he wouldn't risk his life for her. Somehow the zealous men were able to peer pressure him into doing this.

"Ah." All this walking made his legs tired, epically going up hill. Roderick was not too fond of nature and hikes, expressing pain in hopes they would stop.

"Would you quiet down back there?" Desmideus snapped, not turning his head round to address him. Roderick didn't understand why, but Desmideus always expressed hostility around Roderick, he wondered if it was because of some game lore he didn't know or if it was because he had spent time with Jayne, either way, he doesn't understand why he was accepted to tag along if Desmideus held such vexation against him.

Just then, the mountain started to shake, "What the-?" The men ran to cling onto rocks so that they wouldn't tumble and fall. Unfortunately, Roderick was at the back of the line, and there was nothing to grab onto, he felt his feet shake. 

He fell onto his belly and slid down, reaching the edge, his feet dangled over the cliff and with all his fear and might, reached out and sank his fingers imbetween the rocks, causing immense pain as the rocks scratched between his fingertips. 

"Roderick!" Christopherus called out, who was holding onto the closet rock that was protuding out of the mountain, "Hold on!" He tried to give encouragewords as all of them violently held on, the shaking was not stopping.

He was able to hold on, for about 20 seconds or so on, but the thunder showed no sign of slowing down, and he could feel his grip starting to loosen. 

It was at this time, he was starting to accept his fate. Perhaps he'd get to go home again. His fingers loosened.

"I said hold on!"  Roderick felt someone grab onto his wrist, he looked up and saw Chris, who had leapt from his holding and was trying to balance himself from not falling and trying to pull Roderick up.

His feet dug into the ground, and he could feel the pain and scabs starting to already form. Slowly, he started to pull Roderick up, who in return dswooped his other hand to grab onto Chris' arm, digging his nails into his sleeve, trying to pull himself up.

And they would've been successful if it wasn't for divine intervention.  

Due to all the shaking on the mountain, the rocks began to crumble, and from the outer edge, where Roderick and Christopherus were, and from deeper within, where Desmideus and Eldric were, the rock they stood on split into two. 

There was no time to react, as Roderick and Chris were plummeting down the mountain to their doom.

"Christopherus!" Desmideus shouted, still clinging to safety, but called out regardless to pray that by some miracle he was clinging onto the edge.

The tremor finally subsided, and Des ran over to where they once were, looking down; he saw nothing. He couldn't even see the ground where their bodies landed

"It is too dangerous, your majesty, I can't let you life be sacrificed too."

"But-" Desmideus stuttered. He heard his own heart beating within his ears before he could hear Eldric. He wanted to save Jayne, but that would be impossible if he were dead, "What happened just there, was just a foolish mistake on their part." He brushed it off, visibly breathing from his mouth. He tried to trek on forward.

Eldric put a hand on his arm, "Listen, I'm not commander of the army because of my chivalry, I'm not the hero, my enemies would call me a monster, trust me, being a hero will get you killed, just like those two."

Desmideus looked at Eldric, then at the missing rock that had collapsed and shook his head, "But what about my father? Some of his men surely had died, but he didn't give up."

"Your father cheated."

"What?"

Eldric paused for a moment before continuing, "I was just a young lad at the time, I had just  became a captain, but I was there, on that mission..." He paused again, "We took a vow, to never speak of what truly happened once we left that mountain, and if we did, we would lose our heads."

Desmideus' face grew grim, "What?"

"I am sworn by oath, so I cannot tell you, but I will say, the rescue mission... it went a lot different from what that book your father wrote tells, but don't ask him about it, otherwise, I'll lose my head."

Eldric leaned on a rock and grabbed a water jug that he was carrying in his satchel.

"If what you're telling me now would get you killed, why not just tell me the whole story?"

Eldric took a long sip and sighed, "Because I wan't you to remain sane, kid."