The Ledge

 

At the trailhead clearing, he hadn't been aware enough. There had been violence and confusion so suddenly, and he had had to scramble his focus onto Ayleah and her safety. Bellinda and Sutton both had privately reassured him that Craig's death held no reflection of his ability as their captain. Both had done so fervently enough that Jaen felt somewhat bolstered, but was still shaken from the experience. It was his first command in the mountains, and success was the only path forward in his mind after the debacle at Norton Brook. It was not just a personal shame: throughout his life at the falls it had been a quiet undercurrent. Unspoken among his household was an expectation of him to continue the family's return to glory. He sometimes doubted the legitimacy of that glory, and fell to using his own achievements as a test of its truth.

One load of goods had stayed behind at the Battell village. The driver now rode in the other small van with one of their hired warrior-rangers. The three of them in that van were longtime friends and mountain veterans, so Jaen was able to trust them mostly to their own devices. They followed behind the two larger carriers, driven by himself and Bellinda. Raik was the party's forerunner, out ahead on the scout craft. He was a good man, even when his methods seemed unconventional. A foreigner, though from where no-one seemed to know. His eyes were always serious, but he had a jovial attitude and his skills as a ranger were undeniable.

The vans thumped softly uphill through beautiful old forests of moss and spruce. Jaen was proud of how he had handled his vehicle so far, flowing with the uneven terrain and careful not to jostle the supplies he carried or his passengers. More often now the ledges they had ascended were wholly sheets of rough sloping granite, and Jaen had felt his focus tighten as they followed thin furrows in the massive rocks. At the top of the first real ledge of this kind, they had stopped for a break. A painted woodland church towered over a quaint rocky square overlooking the cliff. The land here generally sloped down on both sides, this hamlet being one of the first quasi-summits on the mountain's south ridge. In previous days, they had felt only the steady climb of the mountain-side, but now it appeared clear that the road was leading them up a narrow spine. There was an air of excitement and the group had shared some supplies and conversation with the locals. The small community was lively and welcoming, curious about each expedition that came their way. This was the southern edge of the Mount Abrahim township, and thought of itself as a gateway village. Jaen's party found that they were well on track to make the summit by late afternoon, though the road ahead was steep and rough. Jaen had met with the other drivers before they left to discuss attack strategies for any rock ledges they might come across. With the blessings of the mountainside villagers, they continued on their way.

--

The immensity of the rock in front of him stirred his mind from its reflections. A smooth wall of gray lurched itself directly out of the roadway, which was forced sharply to the right. It carved a large switchback up the face, edging toward the scruffy roots of forest where it could. On the subsequent upper traverse, great scoops of rock had been carved away to give vehicles some sort of chance on the grade. It was larger and steeper than any of the other cliffs they had braved, but Jaen thought it didn't seem too difficult. Going carefully and steadily, they would easily make it, provided they also didn't look down from that traverse.

The party had slowed to a halt at the foot of the ledge, and Jaen got out and spoke to the others briefly. Sutton left the first van too, looking Jaen in the eyes during their conference.

“You're sure you're ready for this?” 

“Yes” Jaen answered, his eyes set. “We need eyes on the roadway up there so we don't stray an inch. That cliff is rounded, and if one repulsar leaves the grade the whole van could lose traction. I know if I can do it with you guiding.”

Satisfied, and understanding his captain's intent, Sutton joined Raik on the scout craft. They ascended together to the traverse, then Sutton climbed to a position higher on the grade. From there he could give direction to help guide the vans across. Raik continued on to the landing above the cliff and kept at the ready, holding a landing space for the other vehicles.

Then the smaller van with the mountain-born driver climbed up. It was far from their first time and they had a lighter craft, so they handily made it up the switchback and across the traverse. Sutton saluted them as they passed.

Jaen's van was next. He gave a reassuring grin to his two passengers in the back. Atkins and Ayleah both tried to mirror his confidence, but they also both knew they should be ready for Sutton to turn from guide to rescuer. Jaen knew Sutton could probably save his living cargo, should something go wrong, but he really needed to not lose the van as well. In addition to the scolding he would get from Bellinda, the summit townships were counting on their supplies.

The first climb was not so bad. The cleft next to the rock was steep and narrow, but the rough granite and tree roots gave good traction for the repulsars. They made it easily enough to the switchback, and turned to face the route across the top of the cliff. Jaen was immediately grateful for the work of whoever had carved out those scoops of rock. It would have been tough to shape this hardened ledge at all, but near impossible for any vehicle to traverse in its natural state. Carefully he began his crossing, with Sutton ahead and above on the slope indicating directions.

They were three-quarters of the way across when Jaen felt the first slip. Strangely, his first thought was for his passengers; there was a millisecond of panic for Ayleah over any other cargo he had. The next moment, as he readied to power through and get to the other side, the corner of his eye noticed something that stood out strangely to his perception. There was a grappling hook in the tool rack behind the passenger seat, and an intuition seemed to move his right hand automatically to reach for it. The steering wheel firm steady in his other hand, he nevertheless felt the second slip as it happened. This one was more significant; one of the repulsars had hit an irregularity in the grade and bounced its corner of the van off toward the sharp downhill slope. As the van fishtailed off the ledge, Jaen held steady and calm. His hand had fired the grapple a mere instant before the slide. One end lodged around a medium-sized spruce trunk, he held the other in his fist and pointed the van back uphill.

The grapple strained and Jaen gave more power to the repulsars, aiming them torward the landing as best he could. As they regained the grade Sutton joined the action, running along the top of the rock. Seeing Jaen's forward momentum, he cut the grapple line so they could reach the safety of the upper road where Raik was waiting.

Once safely parked by the scout craft and the small van, Jaen got out to check his cargo and help Sutton guide the last van up the cliff. This time they set up a grappling system beforehand, and working together the ascent went smoothly. Spirits were high in the group, and Jaen felt he had perhaps proved some ability to the rest of them. More importantly, he felt he had proved it to himself.

Evergreen Magic

 

A new bright sunny morning found teams at the Battell clearing ready to go on their days. While most of the traffic packed up and headed down towards the road junction, Jaen's group pointed their vehicles at the route uphill and began to make their way out of the village. The dirt road wound up through dense pine woods filled with the soft twinkle of woodland houses. An undergrowth of moss came out to line the walls of the way, still composed of the same glittery shale. The pitch seemed somewhat gentler than the road up to the ridge had been, but eventually they came across patches where it would steepen, gaining ever more elevation. At these points the surface would cut in like giant stair-steps to aid in the repulsors effort uphill. Local wheeled traffic had more difficulty with the stepped stretches, taking narrow routes up on the sides, or switch-backing the whole flight.

More often, it seemed locals shunned the main road, preferring their own routes threading along the slopes. Numerous cart-tracks forked off into thick moss and spruce, leading to ledges and pockets on the hillside. The driveways were often well-hidden, and Ayleah was sure they led to paradisaical groves whose tenders desired to keep forever secret from visiting eyes. The only trespassers the hermits accepted in their secluded mountain glens were the animals, as those were closer to a part of the land anyway.

The land was a wonder, even to those in the party who had been there before. Whole fuzzy green meadows stretched up and undulated into the distance under the spruce canopy. Moss completely dominated the stark mountain land, coating the surface of the forest floor and even reaching up some of the trees. Mushrooms made an appearance too; small glassy ones that poked gently from moss-laden cliffs and large towering toadstools with brightly-colored tops. Their frequency and placement was often influenced by the residents, accentuating homestead gardens. The signs of life about were many, as humble farms cut their little patches into the mossy glens. Rustic cart-tracks connected dwellings and small trading squares in a network of terraces along the slopes. All the time the mountain continued upward ahead of the travelers, steady and singular. The road wound back and forth but always in a northerly direction, ascending the slope of the peak.

Ayleah found she thought little of the others, or of recent events for a while, so enraptured was she in the sights of this mountain community. The land was not so harsh here, though somewhat isolated being a couple days travel from any city. Life seemed to thrive in a peaceful, contemplative way, taking good care of whatever it had available. The denizens looked to live a sparse life, but there was a glow of contentment nevertheless. Ayleah supposed it came from their security in undisturbed community up here on the mountain. That, and the clarity of the air here. Ayleah would sometimes stop what she was doing and just breathe the air, enjoying utterly the smells of the forest in all its blossoming and decay. She could take in with all senses at once the spruce needles and bark, the dirt, the bitter stone, the crisp air, and the undercurrent of animal musk. That out-breath was always a moment of complete peace.

Not one to give in easily though, the mountain revealed itself to them around a bend in the road. A small wayside and a more noticeable side-track proclaimed the first real rock ledge of their route. A whole sheet of stone, from their perspective nearly the size of a small city were it unearthed. It raised itself like the spine of some sea creature heaving up through the woods, shouldering aside the earth to expose and breathe the sky. The road ran in a direct line up to one side of the middle crest, bounded in a narrow crevice of the rock.

The group paused to check the vans; secure baggage and make sure the engines were at peak performance. Then one by one they began an ascent. The rock spine leveled off towards its summit, so the going was not so bad after an initial short effort. The crevice barely afforded space for any oncoming traffic though, so the drivers, especially Jaen and Bellinda, were grateful they did not encounter any. Once up the slope, the road left the crevice and crossed open rock between green woodland canopies. The spine continued up a bit more to the left, forming a miniature rocky peak among the pine glade. Here there was an inn and a more sizable collection of dwellings.

There had been a moment approaching the ledge that Ayleah had been apprehensive. This road had an intensity unknown to her previous woodland travels. She figured the others had been by this same exact ledge before, but it still felt dangerous and she was glad to reach the level spot below the pine knoll. She had been well-reassured by the casual skills of the driver of her van.

Heights

 

There was an air of soft excitement to the shelter camps. All around in the glow of numerous lights people plotted their adventures or told stories of nostalgia and love. At the edges of the lights others lulled to sleep by the quiet murmurs.

Ayleah stood at the edge of the shelter's opening, looking out into the night. The woodland glade which had been so lively during the day was quiet and empty. Here and there lights shone from the shrubby sides, either local dwellings or camps that shunned the enclosed community of the shelter. The spruce forest was a painting of shadows. The lights of homes dwindled as they climbed steep slopes beyond the market square. Thin trees supported a wiry canopy and sprouted from a moss-patched undulating carpet. Before she really had made the decision, she was down from the shelter and wandering along one of the forest lanes.

That whole afternoon had seemed a little dreamy actually. She had felt her spirit recover as they climbed the mountain, now over a full day's cycle past the incident at the trailhead. The magical scenery had been a good distraction, but she still had desired to slip away from the group by the time twilight came.

After dinner, she had gone to explore the shelter-village, ending up at the edge of the opening, looking out. It felt almost as if she had been drugged for the past few hours, only now waking up from that sort of dreamy state. There was no reason to think she had been, only that the encounter with and arrival of Kaeri in their group had been so odd and strangely notable to her. Ayleah reasoned that the compilation of all those thoughts, feelings, and perceptions were the reason behind her solo evening walk.

For just a moment the body was in shadow, with only a pair of reddish eyes staring back at her from the darkened glade. Then the guest themself stepped forward, seeming to materialize on the path. Kaeri looked more masculine than they had earlier, wrapped in a short but substantial cloak of deepest green. Their face was hooded, but exuded only friendliness upon seeing Ayleah.

“Decided on a twilit walk as well Ms. Pine?”

This felt right, though she had come here to be on her own. “I've just had so much on my mind lately. I needed some time away from the others to put it all together.” she took a deep breath. “The air is really nice out here too.”

They stopped at a spot where deep blue sky could be seen past the falling slope to the south. Kaeri looked at her curiously. “Why did you come up here?”

Ayleah was somewhat startled by the question. This person surely was connected with the peripheral orange flashes she had been seeing for some time now. Was Kaeri simply a pawn for whatever energies were trying to help her? If they truly were some sort of aetheric being, then what was the purpose of this question? And how should she answer, especially given the time and place? She tried not to stall too long, but thought about the words as they came.

“I suppose, I felt I had to. My mentor, to whom I've pledged my service in education, has not been heard from in over a moon-cycle. He should have reported by now, and I'm concerned for his safety traveling on his own in the hills.”

“Are you really that concerned? Telon is a master scholar from the Queen Cities. I am sure he has traveled solo to the mountains before now and can take care of himself. If you respect him so much as a teacher, you should be aware of that much as well.”

Ayleah bit her lip, ultra-aware again of her surroundings. “I guess...you're kind of right. I know he's much more well-equipped for this sort of expedition than I am. But I still feel like I should be here, like I was drawn to this village by something. Curiosity, maybe, what else?”

“I don't doubt you crave adventure, as you should.” Kaeri said, grinning. “I certainly thrive on it and almost can't understand anyone who doesn't. Your curiosity is possibly your best trait Ayleah. Why did you get on the wrong LDT from the Sanctuary?”

Ayleah looked confused for a moment. “I got the schedules mixed up. Left at the wrong time, and didn't want to wait another week for a shuttle to the mountains.”

“That's not like you though, to mix up an important plan.” Kaeri returned.

“If I hadn't, if I had left on time-”

“You would never have met Jaen, or his fine companions.”

Kaeri let the silence fall; waited for Ayleah to speak next.

“Who are you?”

“Like I said, I give my name as Kae-ri. I can promise I will be a friend and an aid to you when I can. You, Ayleah, are one of the few humans that seems to be able to sense the connecting energies of things. Now, don't for a minute think you're special: any one of you should be able to sense that aspect of the world. I just find it fascinating when one of your kind takes the time to appreciate the world around them enough that it ceases to be invisible to them. Some might have malicious intent, but one who would be my friend? That is a real treasure, and one I would gladly fight for.”

“It really has always been you?” Ayleah turned to look fully at the other, only now appreciating the fact. “You keep talking about 'my kind'. What kind are you?”

Kaeri smiled again and looked away. “I am without that sort of distinction. I once was a frog who remembered they used to be a rock. My life changed dramatically from that moment. I have been many things, but I still enjoy being rocks from time to time.” they sounded half joking, half wistful.

Ayleah's mind was running with the things she had learned at the Sanctuary. “With Telon, and with the other scholars, I learned about the energy of places and objects. You're...like a magical place come to life!”

“Your scholars get some of that wrong. There is no place that has more energy than another. Perhaps one that is more polished, or harmonious, or suited for a certain activity. But the whole of reality is one pool of energy. That is why I can be anything, because I know that it's all the same.” the robe had been replaced at some point by a well-tailored dark red suit. “You are not special because you have a connection to the magical energies of the world. You are fortunate to have developed exceptional powers of perception towards them. It has given you a power of luck, and only led you astray once so far. You should be aware of how you cultivate your connection and which energies you connect with.” Kaeri looked Ayleah square in the face, their deep russet eyes betraying a playfulness behind the steadfast gaze. “Above all, enjoy this life! If there is one thing I have learned in my travels it is that life is a wondrous gift; an opportunity of working in this beautiful world. Don't let whatever destiny be a weight: let it sweep you, soaring, to the heights.”