But if it was. Charlian had to make sure he was the one that killed his wife.

  CHAPTER 7

  Aleshia couldn’t believe how pathetic her husband was, he wasn’t the man she had married. Charlian use to be an amazing, strong man who would never ever allow anyone to push him over, but clearly that man was dead.

  She couldn’t even believe she had put him over the glorious sexy Mount Flame yesterday. The Mountain was divine, it was beautiful and so strong, not like her pathetic wet husband who couldn’t even admit she was lying to the crew.

  As Aleshia, the crew and her pathetic husband started to load up Octon with all the nets of equipment, she forced herself not to react to the disgusting people here. It was stupid that Aleshia had ever liked any of them, these mortals were so weak compared to Mount Flame, and Aleshia had been chosen by the divine spirits of the mountain unlike these plebs.

  As the crew and her husband loaded up the last of the equipment, Aleshia loved smelling their fearful sweat in the air and listening their feet crunch on the wonderfully thick snow. That snow was a gift from Mount Flame and like all the mountain’s gifts, Aleshia had to serve, love and obey it.

  And right now Mount Flame wanted them all to get a move on, it wanted her to come to it and bring all these delicious sacrifices. Aleshia had to agree with her divine Mount Flame that all these people would make the most delicious sacrifices and-

  Charlian rubbed her shoulders slightly and kissed her on the neck, Aleshia loved that amazing feeling. She loved her husband and everyone on the crew, she couldn’t let anything happen to them.

  Especially as she was expedition leader, she had to keep everyone safe, and as much as something inside her kept telling her to run away from Mount Flame. Aleshia’s curiosity was growing each second about the secrets of the mountain.

  “Already Professors,” Harriton said.

  Charlian extended out his hand to Aleshia and she took it as he helped her climb up onto Octon and Charlian wrapped his strong arms around her.

  Aleshia loved it how he was going to protect her no matter what, but she wasn’t a fan of the hard leather saddle that she sat on. It felt hard, rough and extremely uncomfortable.

  Then four other interns climbed inside the nets carrying the equipment. As dangerous and deadly as it looked, Aleshia knew from countless times of flying by dragon that it was perfectly safe.

  And a damn bit more comfortable than sitting on a leather dragon saddle. At least she had the amazing feelings of Charlian’s strong arms around her.

  “Ready?” Charlian said in her ear.

  Aleshia blew out a thick column of vapour that froze instantly in the conditions and even her fingers were starting to feel numb, but she was ready.

  She nodded. “Of course. And everyone else be prepared to climb on and join us the moment Octon returns for you all. We’re all going to enjoy this trip. Glory awaits us!”

  “Glory awaits us!” everyone shouted.

  As Charlian spoke to Octon about the trip and taking off, Aleshia heard a strange whooshing sound in the back of her mind and when she looked at Mount Flame it was engulfed in bright black flames.

  Aleshia felt something shiver and slip over her skin that made her feel amazing. This was going to be an amazing trip and she had been the divine Chosen One that would free her master from his resting place, so he could walk free amongst men once again.

  Aleshia laughed when Octon gently flapped her massive fiery orange wings and they were floating in the air. Then Octon slowly started to flap more and more and they were off.

  Aleshia loved the feeling of the fast-moving wind over her skin as they flew. The entire mountain range looked so small from up here.

  The deafening howl of the wind was immense and she loved it. It was amazing. This must have been what the glorious Mount Flame experienced every day.

  Octon started to fly straight towards Mount Flame.

  Aleshia knew no one else could see it but Mount Flame was so beautiful with its massive black flames.

  Even the howl of the wind was dead now. Being replaced completely with the amazing symphony of flame crackling and the people screaming as the flames engulfed them.

  It was so beautiful.

  Wind shot past.

  Octon shook.

  The nets shook.

  One snapped away.

  Equipment flew down.

  Someone screamed.

  Another gust hit them.

  Then another.

  Then another.

  Mount Flame was testing them.

  It was glorious.

  Charlian told everyone to hold on.

  He wrapped his arms around her.

  Aleshia smiled.

  More gusts hit them.

  Octon shot into the air.

  Spinning around.

  Gusts hit them from all directions.

  Octon froze.

  Plunging towards the ground.

  Everyone screamed.

  They were going to die.

  CHAPTER 8

  Charlian flat out hated Mount Flame. First it wanted them there. Now it tried to kill them with these awful gusts of wind. It was just ridiculous!

  Octon kept dropping.

  Charlian felt his stomach lift up.

  He could see the ground more and more.

  He gripped Aleshia tight.

  She didn’t seem to care. She wanted this. Damn her!

  Charlian didn’t want to die. He had to protect everyone. He had to save his wife.

  He kicked Octon. Hard.

  She shook free.

  She flapped her wings.

  More gusts hit them.

  Charlian was almost thrown off.

  Another gust hit.

  Aleshia flew to one side.

  Charlian almost lost her.

  Aleshia screamed. She was smiling. She loved this.

  Octon flew harder and harder.

  She zoomed towards Mount Flame.

  The gusts got more intense.

  Charlian held on tight.

  The snow lashed down at them.

  Hail started.

  Pounding into Charlian’s head.

  Pain flooded his body.

  Octon hissed.

  She roared.

  Her wings slowed.

  She was getting tired. She was failing. She was going down again.

  “If I die. I cannot come to you,” Aleshia said into the wind.

  Then everything went silent and perfectly still as all the snow, hail and wind disappeared revealing a stunning beautiful day out on the mountain range.

  As Octon kept on flying towards the perfectly smooth coned-shaped Mount Flame, Charlian couldn’t help but feel his stomach tighten into a knot at what had just happened.

  It was clear the mountain had tried to kill them, but it had obeyed Aleshia. That wasn’t normal, right or fair. Maybe the mountain only wanted her alive, maybe the mountain just wanted to kill them all no matter what.

  Charlian had to do something but he was out of options. His head was still spinning from the idea that Mount Flame was alive somehow and could attack them whenever it wanted.

  Charlian gently started to stroke Octon as he forced his mind to send his thoughts to her.

  +That wasn’t natural was it?+ Charlian send.

  +Na boss. That ain’t no storm. It was magic+

  Charlian shook his head at that. He had encountered plenty of witches, warlocks and wizards in his military days and not all of them were good. He couldn’t understand how a mountain could become magical even to be able to attack at will.

  But he’d be lying if he said his wife didn’t bother him more than anything else.

  +Do you know where the magic came from?+ Charlian asked, wanting to be wrong.

  +Come on boss, ya know it came from tha mountain,”

  Charlian nodded. He didn’t want that answer but it was clearly the only one that was going to make sense.

  +Orders boss man?+

  +Fly us to the mountain as before and be careful+

  Octon just nodded and soared up high into the sky, and Charlian just smiled as everything below them became so small and not a single cloud was in the sky. It was a perfectly warm cloudless day in the frozen wastelands.

  He didn’t like that, Charlian knew it wasn’t natural so something else had to be going on. He just hoped he could stop it in time.

  When Charlian heard Aleshia gasp, he looked slightly ahead and his mouth dropped at the stunning site of Mount Flame. It was even more impressive up close than it had been on the ground.

  The entire mountain was perfectly smooth and in a perfect cone-shape that seemed to defy all laws of nature, the entire place wasn’t natural!

  And the closer they got to Mount Flame, the more pine, chocolate and coffee Charlian could smell in the air, that alone was strange but after everything that had just happened, the strange smell didn’t even make the top ten.

  “Circle the top a couple of times,” Charlian said coldly and felt Aleshia huff.

  Octon nodded and started to circle. Charlian wanted to check out the top first before they landed just to make sure it was solid rock and not soft ice.

  From what Charlian could see, the top of Mount Flame was perfectly smooth black granite that reflected the sunlight perfectly for some reason. He wanted to imagine that this was the cause for their expedition and they could now leave.

  But he doubted it.

  Even the shiny black granite didn’t explain the historical and Aleshia’s claims about the flames that engulfed Mount Flame, something else had to be causing it.

  “Land!” Aleshia shouted.

  +Do it please+ Charlian send.

  Slowly Octon started their descent and as the perfectly smooth granite got closer and closer Charlian started to feel his skin crawl as something unnatural was clearly here.

  When Octon landed with a gentle thud, Charlian could sense his beautiful dragon was disturbed and clearly didn’t want to be here either, Charlian didn’t know if he would make Aleshia and the two surviving interns turn back now.

  But he was still an honourary professor and he had to find out the historical value of the mountain, no matter what.

  The mountain top was easily the size of five football pitches and had never received any major damage, but Charlian doubted Mount Flame would ever allow itself to be attacked or damaged.

  The air smelt even stronger of coffee, chocolate and pine now and it only seemed to be growing stronger and stronger with each passing second.

  Charlian bend down and ran his fingers over the toasty warm granite, even that was a tat strange. The mountain range was still a frozen wasteland at the end of the day, so even the heat from the sun wouldn’t be able to heat up the black granite this good.

  It was almost like there was a heat source under the surface, like in the mountain itself.

  A tiny part of him wondered if it was the dragon that the legend said engulfed the mountain in Pre-Realm history, but that idea only scared him.

  Whatever was going on wasn’t good, natural or divine.

  It was evil.

  And that terrified Charlian more than he wanted to admit.

  CHAPTER 9

  Aleshia loved the amazing top of Mount Flame more than anything else in the entire world. The smooth sexy black granite was so wonderful to run her fingers across, it was like the mountain itself was pulsing its love up her arm and into her heart.

  She almost wanted to orgasm at the amazing pleasure it was sending into it, and now she was here Aleshia had, just had to start serving her Master’s divine will, because he needed her.

  Aleshia had no idea why she felt this strong urge to serve something, she used to think of herself as a strong capable person, but now that she was up here on the top of Mount Flame, she could feel all her will disappearing.

  And she loved it!

  Even the divine smells of the coffee, chocolate and pine were an instant boost to her energy levels, it had to be Mount Flame wanting her to feel loved and comfortable here.

  Aleshia wondered if her pathetic husband thought of this place as a death trap or creepy, but she didn’t care. He was just another idiot or who had not been chosen by the divine mountain.

  She had been and she was going to honour every single wish of the mountain, no matter what it cost her.

  As the sound of Octon’s wings flapping grew louder and louder, Aleshia felt more excitement build as the dragon flew off again to get more sacrifices... interns to come up here and help out.

  Aleshia had wondered about unloading the equipment here before Octon went off on her second of five trips, but Aleshia needed people to get into the nets so more people could be transported at a time.

  Aleshia felt her pathetic husband’s hand on her shoulder and she instantly realised how bad their marriage had been. She had never loved him, but the mountain did, and compare to Mount Flame her weak husband would always lose.

  “I unloaded one net for us to get started,” Charlian said as he pointed behind Aleshia.

  “Good thank you,” Aleshia said, fighting to keep her rage in check. He had just stopped her from getting more crew to the mountain top.

  He was definitely plotting against her. She willed Mount Flame to help her get rid of him.

  Aleshia and Charlian went over to the equipment that the two interns were laying out, and Aleshia was hardly impressed. The only equipment on the ground was a few crates of food, drink and some primitive climbing gear.

  None of the climbing gear would be good enough until the stronger ropes came. Sure there were some harnesses and even some sword-proof rope, but until the pulleys came up along with some other things, the expedition was yet again at a standstill.

  No doubt thanks to her pathetic husband. He was actively and obviously trying to stop her!

  “Did you want a snack?” Charlian asked in a disgustingly smooth suggestive tone.

  Aleshia understood that he loved her, but she never loved him, and how dare he try to be nice to her now.

  Aleshia went close to his ear. “You’re aren’t going to stop me. I will find the Mas... man in the mountain,”

  Charlian’s eyes narrowed. “What man?”

  Aleshia just laughed. This was the true extent of his ignorance and weakness, if the mountain had even dared to show him a fraction of its power then his poor little mind would probably break.

  Then Aleshia realised that she was truly so much grander than her parents and brothers ever had been or would be, sure they might have been famous historians that were behind some of the most important finds in history.

  But it was Aleshia who was the truly grand person. She was so great that even Mount Flame (a mystery tens of thousands of years old) had chosen her of all people to see its secrets.

  That was how great she was.

  “The man that tells me the secrets. The man that will make be famous. The man who will raise... help me raise up in the history books,”

  Aleshia wanted to just laugh again at her husband but under her feet, she could have sworn that something was moving and in the very back of her mind... Aleshia wondered if something was leaking in there, like someone had a back door to her mind.

  Allowing her to access all this information that only the divine Mount Flame had.

  “Babe, I’m worried about you,” Charlian asked.

  “Pathetic you really are,” Aleshia said frowning. “Do you think the mountain cares about your worries? No it only cares about me and revealing its secrets!”

  Charlian took a step back and even the two surviving interns looked a bit confused at Aleshia. Their eyes looked so fearful, so scared, so weak.

  Aleshia wanted to lick her lips at them but she forced away the gesture. That honour was for the mountain only.

  And she was never going to allow herself to put her own benefits and desires over the mountain.

  The entire mountain shook.

  The granite cracked.

  Then Aleshia’s face lit up as she watched the smooth black granite melt away in the very middle to reveal a staircase down into the mountain.

  They didn’t need some strange stupid climbing equipment for Mount Flame protects!

  And she was going to protect the mountain in return.

  CHAPTER 10

  As Charlian forced himself to go over to the massive staircase made from shiny black granite, he felt his stomach painfully tighten. None of this was natural in the slightest and he knew the longer he stayed here, the worse this expedition could go.

  He wanted to leave never to return and leave his once-beautiful wife forever, but now Charlian couldn’t shake the feeling that she was nothing short of pure evil.

  And if his military service had taught him anything, it was that evil had to be stopped no matter what.

  Where Charlian’s mission had once been about exploring, history and discovery with his wife. It was now about finding out what Mount Flame truly was and stopping the evil within regardless of his own safety.

  Charlian’s eyes narrowed on the disgraceful granite staircase that leant down into the mountain, so deep that Charlian couldn’t see the bottom. The hairs on the back of his neck were starting to stand up, and Charlian could even hear the heavy breathing of the two interns behind him.

  He hated heavy breathing!

  “Come on pathetic husband!” Aleshia shouted as she started to walk down the stairs.

  Charlian froze. Something really wasn’t right here, this was far, far, far from the woman he married, loved and wanted to spend the rest of his life with. She was a completely different woman, and Charlian had to find out how to save or kill her.

  Charlian looked at the two skinny interns and they both shrugged.

  “Stay up here and warn Octon not to bring any more people up here,” Charlian said calmly.

  He didn’t want anyone else to die or become in danger, Charlian wanted to protect life, not damn it.

  +In take you can hear me, I love you and I need your help+ Charlian sent to Octon, hoping that she could hear him despite the distance between them.

 

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