Chasing the Suns

Atop the tallest mountain

I kept an eye on Jjin all day, watching for any signs of pain or magical rebound. He seemed completely fine, as if the drakon had been nothing but a bad dream.

I, however, was feeling the effects of the last day. The rebound wasn't as severe as I'd expected, but I had a low-grade headache all day, hovering just behind my eyeballs. I also ached all over, but couldn't be sure if that was the magic, or just the physical journey.

The next two days blurred together, a rush of icy cold days followed by warm nights sleeping next to Jjin. Even if he didn't physically show it, I knew Jjin was as shaken as I was. We didn't say it, but we knew we'd come very close to very real danger. Sure, I'd managed to heal Jjin, but what if I hadn't? I was a gamble that Jjin kept making.

On the morning of the third day, Jjin spoke, breaking our lengthy silence. We hadn't spoken much, bar a few one-word questions and answers.

"We'll get there today."

"What?"

My voice was scratchy and harsh, and didn't convey the swell of hope I felt.

"We'll reach the peak today."

And sure enough, when I looked around, we were so much higher, the landscape completely white. There were even a few clouds below us.

I logically knew we'd gotten higher; yesterday I'd started wearing all my clothes, in a desperate attempt to stay warm, but it's another matter to realise you are literally above the clouds.

It took most of the day, but we did reach the top, both breathing hard. The air was thinner, and it sharpened my mind everything seemed brighter, more intense.

An odd collection of stone structures littered the top. Or, what remained of them. Crumbling walls here and there, one or two chimneys or struts poking out of the frozen ground.

"Why would anyone live up here?"

"There used to be a group up here, they thought it brought them closer to the God's. Its been decades though, the whole place was ruined by an out of control magic user. They say she killed everyone else in an episode that almost brought the whole mountain down."

Something about that stirred a memory in me, just out of reach. I felt like I should know that story, but I couldn't place it.

I knew Dawn had been from up here, but decades would be too late for his story to be about her.

The only other person I knew from here... Was Ana.

I stopped breathing, mind frantically trying to dispute the idea. I knew Ana had been out of control, I knew she'd lived in the mountains, and I knew she'd had to leave due to her growing, ungrounded magic. But a killer?

"Leta? What is it?"

Jjin hand touched my arm but I didn't react

"Leta, talk to me. What?"

I hauled in a lungful of the frozen air

"What was she like? The girl, I mean."

He looked confused

"I'm not sure. I know the only reason she left was because another magic user persuaded her to go with him."

I staggered two steps forward, bracing myself on the nearest stone brick wall.

I knew Jjin was still talking, but I couldn't hear him over the roaring in my ears.

There were too many similarities. The village, the girl, and the Praeceptor who'd got her down, and sent her towards the Abbey.