Chapter 54: A Storm on the Mountain

"Stick close," I announced, still holding my arm in front of Elise. We cautiously made our way to the door. "What kind of beast could have done this?" I asked, running my hand over the deep gouges in the door.

Elise leaned in further, looking at the marks with stern eyes. "Hmm... they look like brimble-bears."

"Wonderful. Bears." I huffed, checking our surroundings before trying to open the door. "I think it’s wedged from the inside. I can’t get it to budge."

Lightning clashed above us, causing my neck to jerk hard and sending a wave of rain that persistently beat down on our bodies. Thankfully, Elise’s magic kept our bodies at a manageable temperature, staving off any kind of hypothermia, but we needed to get out of the rain soon.

"I’m going to try and break the door down," I announced, mentally preparing myself.

The door was already severely damaged. I lowered my right shoulder and ran as hard as I could. My shoulder met the hard wood, but there was little resistance as I blew through it.

Immediately, I tripped over something, crashing into the floor hard.

Rubbing at my head, I scanned the area, looking for what caused my fall.

At the foot of the doorway, a large crate sat on its side, the contents spilling out onto the open dirt floor.

"Elise, I found them," I groaned, pushing myself to my feet.

"Are you okay..." she trailed off, looking at the obliterated door. "How did you..." 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

"Honestly, Elise. I don’t know myself. Something about protecting you all gives me super strength," I explained, rubbing the back of my neck.

"It’s pretty handy if you ask me. Here." She offered her hand.

"Thanks," I replied, letting her help me the rest of the way up.

It sounded like the wind had kicked up even harder, as the room was filled with the noise of rushing air.

"We better get out of here. Before the storm has a chance to get any worse," I said, lifting the crate. The rest of the door crumbled away, leaving an open exit. "That was convenient."

I hoisted the wooden crate onto my right shoulder. It felt heavy. The glowing roots were packed very tight inside the box. The dark cabin was completely empty. Whoever wedged the door shut was long gone. The supplier had probably slipped out the back window when the mudslide first hit.

I stepped over the broken doorframe and walked back out into the rain. Elise followed close behind me. She held her hands close to her chest.

A deep roar rattled the ground under my boots. It came from higher up the mountain. The sound of massive pine trees snapping echoed through the dark storm. The beast was out there. It sounded incredibly enraged. The noise vibrated in my chest.

My grip tightened on the edge of the crate. The protective heat in my veins shifted. I did not want to fight. I just wanted to get Elise out of these woods safely. I looked at the dark tree line.

"Sam," she whispered. She looked up at the exact same spot.

"We need to move," I said quietly. "Do not run. The mud will catch us. Just step exactly where I step."

We started down the logging trail. The rain was blinding. The fear of what was tearing through the trees above us kept my focus entirely locked on the path. The mud was thick. It tried to pull my boots off with every single step.

"Elise," I whispered over my shoulder. "Can you pull your heat magic back? Just a little bit."

"I can," she replied softly. "Why?"

"If that thing tracks by heat, you’re probably glowing like a beacon right now."

The turquoise light dimmed instantly. The biting cold returned. The wind stung my face and hands. The faint hum of her magic stayed just enough to keep our core temperatures up.

We moved in complete silence for the next hour. Every snapped branch made my shoulders tense. Every rumble of thunder made me grip the heavy crate tighter. I guided her down the steepest parts of the rocky ridge. I braced my boots in the thick mud. I took the weight of the crate with one arm while holding her hand tightly with the other.

The path was terrible. Rain washed away our tracks as quickly as we made them. That was the only piece of good luck we had today. The roar of the bear faded into the background.

We walked past the massive rock formation from earlier. The overhang looked dry. I thought about stopping to rest. I decided against it. We needed to keep moving. The clinic needed these roots tonight.

Elise squeezed my hand. I looked back at her. She nodded. She did not need to speak. She was ready to keep going.

We climbed over a fallen tree. The bark was covered in slick moss. I stepped over first. I reached back and pulled her up over the trunk. She landed softly in the mud on the other side.

We broke through the tree line just as the sky turned a dark shade of purple. The village lights flickered in the distance. The sight of the lights gave me a sudden burst of energy. We were almost done.

My legs burned from the climb and the freezing cold. Elise was leaning most of her weight against my side. The washed-out dirt finally turned back into solid village cobblestone. The sound of our boots changed. The mud was gone.

We did not stop walking. We moved past the dark houses. The streets were completely empty. The storm kept everyone locked inside their homes. Water ran down the stone gutters in small rivers.

I adjusted the crate on my shoulder. The wood cut into my skin. The pain was sharp but familiar. It meant I was still moving. It meant we had survived the mountain. I looked at Elise again. She kept pace with me perfectly. She did not fall behind once. Her strength surprised me. I felt incredibly proud of her constant progress.

The clinic building sat at the end of the road. The windows glowed with warm yellow light.

Our boots hit the wooden steps of the clinic porch. I set the heavy crate down under the awning. I let out a long breath. Elise stood next to me. She was soaked and shivering. She was smiling.

I reached my hand out and pushed the heavy double doors wide open.