Zetsumei

Chapter 23. Miracle at Dawn

Lumi: Okay everyone! The aurora will appear tomorrow at dawn. We will have to travel at night if we want to get there on time.

Khione: Still, wouldn't it be hard to travel at night? Not to mention in this weather condition and lack of oxygen.

Zelphine: I don't really want to travel in the dark, especially not on this mountain, but the aurora appears at dawn. If we miss it, we'll have to wait another one hundred years until it appears again. I'm not that patient, so we have to get to the top before tomorrow at dawn.

Everyone nodded in agreement. At dusk, we set off traveling again. We have to be extra careful at night because the dark limits our vision. Not to mention, there's a blizzard outside and the ground is very steep and slippery. Once the sun goes down and it is completely dark. Lumi light a lantern to shine our path, but even with the lantern, we can barely see anything as we walk.

As we follow the mountain path, we came across a narrow pathway between the mountain. If we were to fall, we would not fall off the mountain but into it, I'm guessing that's way worse than falling off it. We all hugged the icy walls for support as we traveled through the narrow path. Just gripping onto the icy rocks are making my hands numb, not to mention it is also cold and slippery to hold on to.

As we make our way across the narrow pathway, Khione lost her grip and slipped on the ice. She let out a short scream as she fell from the narrow pathway. But before she fell all the way down, she was able to grab onto the ledge and is now hanging a few feet below us.

Zelphine: !!! Khione!

Khione: Don't worry, I'm fine.

Khione grabbed the ledge with both hands and started to pull herself up. But as hard as she try, she wasn't able to hoist herself up onto the pathway.

Zelphine: Hold on Khione, I'll come get you!

Khione: But if you touch me, you'll-

Zelphine: It's alright! It's not like I'm going to die or anything!

I carefully lower myself towards Khione making sure that I don't slip on the ice.

Sloth: Hime! Please come up, I'll go retrieve her!

Zelphine: It's alright Sloth, just wait for me at the top of the mountain. I'll be there before dawn.

Sheele:...Lumi...use your powers to help them up.

Lumi: Ahh!!! I wish I can! But I can't with all the cold, snow, and air. My power only works when I have full concentration.

Once I was close enough to Khione, I reached out my hand, Khione also reached out hers. But before our hands touch, the ledge Khione was holding onto broke and now Khione is falling.

Zelphine:Khione!!!

I reflexively let go of the ledge I was holding onto and grabbed Khione's hand. Once they touch, I felt as if all the nerves on my hand were cut off and instantly turns into white ice.

Urey: (crying) Naw!!!! Zelphini!!! Zelphini!!! Zelphini!!!

In the background, I heard someone calling my name. As my consciousness begins to fade, I closed my eyes and fell into the mountain with Khione.

....................change perspective......................

As Khione and Zelphine fall into the deep mountain, there was a sudden gust of icy wind that cushioned their fall to the bottom. Once they touched the ice covered ground, Khione was going to help Zelphine but then restraint herself when she saw Zelphine's ice cover hand. Khione looked at it with a sad expression.