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    [Location: Leoncrest Estate - Entry Hall]


    [Date: May 25, y. 486 of the Fourth Age]


    Thankfully, if the Headmistress ever realized there had been students captured and placed in her office that night, she never gave any indication. None of the four were questioned, and there were no repercussions that Zeke could detect.


    Life at the Academy continued, with Zeke pushing himself harder each day as May 26th, the date of his Mountain Run, approached.


    But fate had other plans.


    On the morning of May 25th, Zeke woke to a sharp knock at his door. Sunlight streamed through the window as he rolled out of bed, muscles pleasantly sore from yesterday''s training.


    He padded across the floor and pulled the door open to find a young messenger standing at attention.


    "You are being summoned to the Entry Hall posthaste," the boy announced, his voice carrying the formal tone of official Academy business. "Bring anything you may need."


    Before Zeke could ask questions, the messenger dashed off down the hallway. Behind him, Ralph groaned and pulled his blanket over his head.


    "I''d forget it if I were you," his roommate mumbled. "Sounds like a trap."


    "Or it could be important," Zeke replied, already pulling on his boots. His mind raced through possibilities, had something happened to delay the Trial? Was there news from home?


    He quickly gathered his essentials, a small pack with water, dried meat, a spare knife, and the Aura Gems he''d recovered from the mine. Whatever this was about, he''d be ready.


    "See you later," he called to Ralph, who merely grunted in response.


    The morning air was crisp as Zeke jogged down the spiral staircase, taking the steps two at a time. When he burst into the Entry Hall, he found an unexpected gathering, Headmistress Florence stood near the massive doors, tapping her foot impatiently.


    Beside her was Adrian, along with Ingrid and several other Academy staff Zeke didn''t recognize.


    "I would have expected you to be a bit more on-time," the Headmistress scolded, her sharp eyes taking in his slightly disheveled appearance.


    "For what?" Zeke asked, genuinely confused. "The run isn''t until tomorrow."


    "On a mountain that is some distance from our current location," Headmistress Florence replied tersely. "Didn''t you read the note that was sent to you?"


    Zeke frowned, trying to recall any message about an early departure. Had Ralph accidentally taken it? Or had someone intercepted it before it reached him?


    The Headmistress sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Well, it would seem that communicating by letters is no longer a viable means here at the Academy. Let us proceed anyway. The carriages are waiting out front. Zeke, you''ll be in the lead carriage with myself and Adrian."


    Zeke nodded, catching Ingrid''s eye as she flashed him a thumbs-up and an encouraging smile. His heart beat faster, this was really happening, a day earlier than expected.


    "Ready for this?" Ingrid asked as they descended the grand staircase outside the Academy.


    "Born ready," Zeke replied with more confidence than he felt. The weeks of training with weighted robes, obstacle courses, and endless running had prepared his body, but was his mind ready?


    Three identical black carriages waited at the bottom of the stairs, each drawn by a team of four matching bay horses. Academy guards stood at attention beside them, hands resting on sword hilts.


    Zeke climbed into the first carriage as instructed, settling onto a plush bench. Adrian joined him while the Headmistress sat opposite, her back straight as a lance.


    The door closed with a solid thunk, and moments later, the carriage lurched forward.


    They rolled through the main gates in silence, the only sounds the rhythmic clip-clop of hooves and the creak of the carriage springs. Zeke watched through the window as Leoncrest receded into the distance, the magnificent towers growing smaller against the morning sky.


    Soon they turned onto a western road that wound toward the distant mountains. It was here that the Headmistress reached up and rapped three sharp knocks on the carriage ceiling.


    Their driver immediately slowed, allowing the other two carriages to pass before falling into position at the rear.


    "What was that for?" Zeke asked, breaking the tense silence.


    "Merely a precaution," Headmistress Florence replied, her voice matter-of-fact. "If my letter to you was intercepted, then it would make sense that the parties who have tried to kill you before remain interested in doing so. When we left, you were in the lead carriage. Now, if we are attacked, they will strike that carriage first, not this one."


    A chill ran down Zeke''s spine. "But then,"


    "The lead carriage now contains knights who fought alongside your brother," the Headmistress explained, the ghost of a smile crossing her face. "They are more than capable of handling any bandits or renegades hired for the job."


    "Smart thinking," Zeke nodded, impressed by the strategy. "Thank you."


    "For what?" Headmistress Florence raised an eyebrow. "For simply trying to do my job? I have done nothing that I am not being paid to do."


    Zeke grinned, undeterred by her coolness. "Fair enough. How long will it take to reach Dragonpeak?"


    "It would take approximately eight hours, if that was indeed our destination," she replied. "However, as we are heading to Wyrmpeak instead, we face nearly fifteen hours of travel."


    "Wyrmpeak?" Zeke blinked in surprise.


    Adrian leaned forward, his voice dropping to a near-whisper despite the privacy of the carriage. "When you insisted on taking the Trial, the Headmistress and I decided to use the situation to our advantage. We prepared two routes, the official one on Dragonpeak, which was purposely leaked, and the actual one on Wyrmpeak, which has remained secret."


    "The map you were supposed to receive," the Headmistress continued, "contained the false route. As expected, within hours of creating it, the information had spread throughout the Academy. If our enemies prepared traps, they''ve placed them on the wrong mountain."


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Zeke''s eyes widened as he understood the clever deception. "And you''re sure this second route is safe?"


    "As sure as I can be," she shrugged slightly. "We created the fake map knowing it would leak, though we did not do the leaking ourselves. I gave it to my secretary, and within hours, everyone knew. I am certain she was not responsible, though I have yet to identify the actual culprit."


    Her eyes narrowed as she continued. "I am as certain as possible that the Wyrmpeak route is secure, but..." she paused meaningfully, "do not forget what Ingrid has been training you for."


    Zeke nodded, his mind racing. All those obstacle courses, trap-detection exercises, and surprise attacks had been preparing him for exactly this situation.


    Whatever waited on the mountain, he''d be ready.


    The journey stretched on, hours blending together as they rolled through the countryside. Zeke alternated between watching the landscape, chatting with Adrian about Academy history, and dozing against the carriage wall.


    Occasionally they stopped to rest the horses and stretch their legs, but these breaks were brief and heavily guarded.


    Around midday, they passed a hidden contingent of three more identical carriages waiting among the trees. When they reached the turn-off for Dragonpeak, these decoy carriages started up the path, maintaining their illusion perfectly.


    "They''ll follow that route as if you were among them," Adrian explained. "Complete with guards, stops at the appropriate viewpoints, everything. Anyone watching would be convinced you''re heading to Dragonpeak."


    "Unless they''ve infiltrated our actual party," the Headmistress added coolly, "which I''ve taken precautions against as well."


    As the afternoon wore on, their path took them through steep valleys and over forested foothills. They followed crystal-clear rivers, passed beneath natural stone arches, and wound through narrow passes where the mountains seemed to close in around them.


    「?????????????? ???? ????????????????」 【Progress: 70% Complete】 【Terrain: Mountain Foothills】 【Elevation: Increasing Rapidly】 【Estimated Arrival: Sunset】


    Finally, they began the ascent of Wyrmpeak itself. The road narrowed and steepened, switchbacking up the mountainside. One edge fell away into space, sometimes dropping dozens of feet, sometimes hundreds.


    Zeke''s ears popped painfully as they climbed higher, the air growing noticeably thinner and cooler with each turn.


    They passed beyond the treeline into a realm of rock and sky. Here, the landscape changed dramatically, lush forests gave way to barren slopes of slate-gray stone, broken only by occasional patches of hardy wildflowers and stubborn alpine shrubs.


    Snow dusted the highest reaches, gleaming in the late afternoon sun.


    Ahead, perched on a wide ledge, Zeke spotted a stone building that seemed to grow directly from the mountainside.


    "The Wyrmpeak Outpost," Adrian said, following his gaze. "Built into the mouth of a natural cave system. It will be our base of operations."


    By the time they arrived, Zeke''s legs were cramped from sitting so long. When the carriage finally stopped, he eagerly jumped out, landing on solid stone with a satisfying thud.


    Crisp mountain air filled his lungs, sharp, clean, and so cold it made his chest ache.


    The sun hovered near the horizon, bathing everything in golden light. Zeke walked to the edge of the ledge and gazed out at the world below.


    From this height, the landscape stretched endlessly in all directions, forests and meadows, rivers cutting silver ribbons through valleys, distant towns appearing as mere specks. Leoncrest Academy itself was barely visible, a pale smudge beside what must be the red desert.


    Adrian joined him at the overlook, breathing deeply of the mountain air.


    "It''s beautiful, isn''t it?" he asked quietly.


    "I''ve never seen anything like it," Zeke replied, awestruck by the vastness. "You can see forever from up here."


    "There''s a reason so many churches and temples are built in these places," Adrian mused. "The view alone is enough to make one believe in something greater."


    After a moment, he shrugged. "But that''s likely a lecture you''re not interested in hearing. Come on, let''s get inside before nightfall. The temperature drops dangerously once the sun sets."


    The stone building was deceptive, what appeared modest from outside revealed itself as the entrance to an extensive complex carved into the mountain itself. They stepped through heavy wooden doors into a spacious hall warmed by a massive hearth.


    Corridors branched off in multiple directions, leading deeper into the mountain.


    "This is amazing," Ingrid said, appearing at Zeke''s side as they entered. "What is this place?"


    "It was originally an outpost for the Academy''s advanced training," Headmistress Florence explained, removing her travel cloak. "The harsh environment was considered conducive to certain specialized disciplines. It was largely abandoned about two hundred years ago due to the inconvenience of travel, then reopened as an occasional outpost roughly a century later."


    She gestured down one of the corridors. "Sleeping quarters are that way. Meals will be served in an hour."


    "We aren''t starting the run now?" Zeke asked, eager despite his fatigue.


    The Headmistress gave him a look that might have been amusement on anyone else. "After a fifteen-hour ride, your legs are in no condition for it. Besides, the mountain air at night is deadly cold. Even the greatest warriors would struggle to survive exposed on these slopes after dark."


    She stepped closer, her voice taking on the tone of a lecturer. "If you are ever trapped on a mountain as night falls, descend as far as possible, find shelter, and light a fire. Remaining on the barren slopes is a certain path to death, your frozen body would become a curiosity for climbers centuries hence. You will begin at dawn."


    With that settled, Ingrid pulled Zeke aside to run him through a series of stretches and exercises designed to loosen his muscles after the long journey. By the time they finished, servants had brought out a simple but hearty meal, fresh bread, aged cheese, dried meat, and hot tea.


    The group ate in relative silence, everyone focused on their own thoughts. Zeke found himself studying the others, wondering which of them might be secretly aligned with the cult.


    The Headmistress had said she''d taken precautions, but after everything that had happened, he couldn''t help being suspicious.


    After dinner, they retired to their assigned quarters, simple rooms carved directly into the rock, furnished with wool-stuffed mattresses and thick blankets. Despite the hearth in the main hall, the air here was cool and damp.


    Zeke sat on his bed, running through mental preparations for tomorrow''s challenge. According to the Headmistress, the route was thirteen miles long, with one hundred flags to collect along the way.


    He needed to complete it before sunset, roughly twelve hours.


    "You''ve got this," he told himself, lying back on the hard mattress. "Just like Ingrid''s training courses, but bigger."


    Sleep came in fits and starts, his mind too active to fully rest. When he did drift off, he dreamed of endless mountain slopes and dark shapes moving against the snow.


    He woke before dawn, alert and ready despite his restless night.


    After a light breakfast of porridge and dried fruit, Ingrid helped him through a series of warm-up exercises, her face serious.


    "Remember everything we practiced," she said as she handed him a small satchel she''d prepared. "This has emergency rations and a canteen. A bit of food can mean the difference between freezing and surviving if things go wrong."


    "Thanks," Zeke said, shouldering the pack. "For everything, the training, the advice. Couldn''t have gotten this far without you."


    "Just come back in one piece," she replied with a half-smile. "I''ve invested too much time in you to start over with someone else."


    Outside, the eastern sky was just beginning to lighten, the stars fading one by one. His breath formed clouds in the frigid air as he approached the starting point where Adrian and the Headmistress waited with several guards.


    "Good morning!" Zeke called, his voice bright with forced cheerfulness to cover his nerves.


    "It''s morning," Adrian replied grimly. "I''m not certain I would call it good."


    "What happened?" Zeke asked, noting the tense atmosphere.


    "We received a message at dawn," Headmistress Florence said, her voice low. "From the camp on Dragonpeak. They were attacked overnight by werewolves. Several guards were killed, and the outpost was burned."


    Zeke''s eyes widened. "Werewolves?" He turned to look at Dragonpeak in the distance, where a thin column of smoke rose against the pale sky.


    "The cult must have hired them," Adrian added. "When they realized you weren''t there..."


    "They may know we''re here instead," the Headmistress finished. "They''ve had most of the night to make their way to this location. You may find nothing on your run today, or you may find enemies waiting. I honestly cannot say."


    Instead of fear, Zeke felt a surge of determination. After all the training, all the preparation, this was his moment. Werewolves or cultists, traps or sabotage, he was ready for whatever came.


    "Then let''s not keep them waiting," he said, squaring his shoulders.


    While Ingrid led him through final stretches, guards brought out his equipment. The Headmistress approached carrying what looked like a shirt made of heavy chain, with additional lengths dangling down the back.


    "Welcome to the Mountain Run," she said formally. "The course, per regulation, is exactly thirteen miles long. You must return to this point by sundown with every single flag along the way."


    Her expression softened slightly. "With, of course, exceptions allowed in the case of werewolf attacks, sabotage, and similar extraordinary circumstances. There are one hundred flags to collect."


    "Got it," Zeke nodded, memorizing the requirements. "One hundred flags, about twelve hours, thirteen miles."


    "More than that, I cannot say," she replied, then raised her hand. "You may begin in three... two..."


    "One," Zeke finished for her, taking off up the mountainside.


    [Scene Close]


    [Earned Emblems:] Heart of the Warrior, Endurance, Cunning, Golden Touch


    [Active Quests:]


    [Mountain Run: Complete the run in the allotted amount of time]