100 Hawk Mountain Pass (2/2)
”I claim no affiliation to the rulers of Ebonhart.” Will said without falter. ”I am disciple to the Wandering King Ragnos, who gifted the affinities to this world. I am he who shall have no home but the land I walk.” Will recited what Ragnos had instructed him to use as an introduction. Before he could be given a raised eyebrow, Will unlocked the man's aura. Instead of one eyebrow, he received both as well as a deep bow.
”Thank you, my prince!”
Will took the man's hand and shook it. ”I'd rather you not bow,” He said with a friendly smile. ”I'm not here to be anyone's ruler, just to come say hello.”
”Yes, prince.” the man nodded as he took a step back.
”So tell me, what's the trick with the traps?” Will's eyes glittered with curiosity.
The man snapped out of his awe and became business once more. ”This is the Eagle Mountain Pass.” He raised a hand to the large wall behind him. ”Each trap is marked with a small twig sticking out of the mountain. In order to avoid the traps, you must keep an eye out for these twigs. It will be impossible to predict where the path will curve, or where it might cut to one side or the other. You will have to take your time to find each twig.”
”Is there any other way besides just looking for twigs?” Will asked with an arched eyebrow. It would take days of paranoia just to locate each area with a twig that they would have to avoid.
”Sorry to say, I don't think so.” The guard said as he scratched his head. ”If you even use your aura to sense where they are, if you get to close, you'll set off the explosions.” He shrugged. ”You'll just have to navigate the old fashioned way.”
Will looked up the mountain with distaste in his expression. If he wanted to get to Hawk Ridge by the local people's standard, he would have to do things their way. Without wasting another breath, he left the man and made his way to the beginning slope of the mountain.
Roy and Maya shrugged as they followed Will. Roy knew better than to try for the front of the group. He knew that Will enjoyed testing himself, so he contented himself with staying back and keeping Maya company. She nodded to him, showing that he had made the right decision.
As Will made his way up, he began noticing small twigs standing up on either side. His aura fluctuated left and right after getting close enough to the markers until it condensed in on itself as he moved to the center of the markers. As he moved past, he breathed a sigh of relief. ”First one down,” He looked up at the peak of the mountain, going further than the clouds above. ”Only twenty thousand or so left to the top.” He sighed and kept going.
Maya smiled encouragingly at Roy as she began climbing after Will. They began to climb single file up the mountain.