Chapter Text
How long has it been since you've sat down to enjoy a beautiful sunset on a Saturday? Close to seven years, you guess. After the accident that took part of your left leg, you had spent all of your free time learning to walk with a prosthetic limb in the hopes you could salvage your career as a fighter. It didn't work out in the end. A short, bitter farewell to a workplace you loved, and here you sat, staring at the slowly sinking ball of fire. You had decided to rent a cabin for a few days, to get away from everything. From the pain, from the people, from your own personal hell. For these next few moments, you were content.
At least, you thought you would be, until you noticed a flash of blue and purple dash along the path next to your house towards one of the unmarked trails that lead up the mountain. You're up and on your feet before you know it, quickly hobbling your way towards that same trail. People didn't climb this mountain, not for good reasons. The village you had passed through called it a death trap, a popular place for young souls to disappear from the face of the earth. You couldn't let that happen, not when you were there to stop it from happening.
The flash of blue and purple, as it turns out, was a child. No older than twelve, with several scratches and bruises on their face and arms. Their doe-brown eyes shined bright with... something. Determination, you mentally tell yourself. But determined to do what? You shouted for the kid to stop, but they refused. They were going to climb this mountain, and it was going to be their death at this rate. You were starting to look rather beat up as well, your forehead having received a rather nasty looking gash from a low hanging branch four minutes ago. You were thankful for your healthy living as a trained athlete, but you weren't much of a sprinter.
The kid finally stopped in front of what appeared to be a cave entrance, staring up at the massive stone pillars that ringed around the room. The strange emblems on them almost resembling an angel. What could this place be, you ponder for a brief moment, before your attention was drawn to the kid. They were slowly brushing their tanned fingers through dark brown hair, gazing at the massive crater in the center of the room, the black void almost calling to the pair.
“Kid,” you begin, panting softly as you tried to catch your own breath. “What the hell are you doing up here? This place isn't safe, your family is probably worried sick about ya. Come on, let me take you back down the mountain. I have a cabin near the base of it, and I'm sure I can get cell reception so we can call your parents.”
The child slowly turned, tears in their eyes, their lips quivering. “Don't you have anything better to do? Leave me alone.” They didn't shout at you, didn't scream. They were sad, but determined. They took one step backwards. Then another. Horror filled your soul as you scrambled to grab them, to pull them away from the hole before they tripped. It wasn't enough. You stumbled on your false limb, crashing hard on your jaw, a perfect view as the young child fell backwards down the hole.
“NO!” you shout, scrambling towards the pit of despair, fists pounding roughly in the earthy ground. “Damn it all!” You weren't thinking straight. How could you, after watching a young child jump to their death?
Without a second thought, you pushed yourself up onto your feet, rushed back down to the cabin, and started to pack your things.
You were going to save this child.
You were filled with BRAVERY.
Backpack full of clothes, food, and several other supplies slung over your shoulders, and a small duffle bag filled with even more clothes and supplies were all you needed before you made your way back up to the crater room. Before you took the plunge, you pulled out your phone, snapping a picture of the strange pillars and emblems before sending them to one of your friends. You also left a brief message, telling them not to panic about you disappearing. That you'd be alright.
You wished that you could believe your own words to yourself.
Taking one last breath, you began tying the massive rope to one of the massive pillars, tossing the other end down the hole. You were going to take the climb nice and slow. You knew what you were doing. You were always safe. It didn't matter that you were carrying almost all of your possessions on your back as you climbed. It didn't matter that no one ever came back from this cursed mountain.
You were going to save a child, you were too damn BRAVE to give up on them. It didn't matter that they had probably died from the fall. You didn't care. You were going to drag that body out of the mountain if necessary.
All well and good, until the column that held your rope suddenly crumbled to dust, leaving you to plummet into the abyss below. You closed your eyes, waiting for the rough impact. Waiting for the sudden spike of pain.
But it never came.
Instead, you were greeted by the soft caress of yellow flower petals and dirt. This made you open your eyes, watching carefully as the rope tumbled slowly down, pooling next to your arm. The rope had been long enough, it seems, even if the entrance of the hole seemed so far away from you. With a sigh, you sat up, checking to see if your bags were still alright. Once everything was sorted through, you stood up and examined the rest of the room. More columns, more angel emblems. Purple stone walls.
This looked like some sort of ruins.
And there was no body anywhere in sight. The child was alive somewhere in this mountain ruin. And you were going to have to find them. You're stupidity got you into this mess, your damn leg giving out on you when you tried to save them got you into this mess.
You were going to fix this. You were going to save them.
Even if it was the last thing you ever did.