The Princess' Harem
Chapter 103: The Climb

Chapter 103: The Climb

"This is it," Arden said, his voice flat with a mix of awe and fear. He pointed to the towering formation before them. "The Highest Cradle of Thorns."

The "true mountain of the Sun God" was not a gentle slope. It was a sheer cliff face, red and orange rock rising thousands of feet into the sky.

It was scarred with deep lines and long shadows. At its very top, a faint, almost shimmering light seemed to pulse, like a distant star. That had to be. The Desert’s Embrace.

"It’s on top," Reyes stated the obvious, his eyes scanning the impossible climb. His face, already grim from the earlier fight, tightened further with the new challenge. "No path up. Not for horses. Not for most men."

Joel nodded slowly, his gaze already calculating the angles of the rock, looking for tiny handholds and footholds. "A vertical climb," he said with a low voice. "And the air will be thin up there. It will take every bit of strength."

His eyes narrowed as he assessed the towering wall. "Only a few of us can make that."

Viana looked at the cliff, then back at her group. Thomas was still weak, though Eryndor’s healing had helped him greatly.

Arden, for all his knowledge, was no climber. Kaley had used much of his spiritual energy in the battle and was not suited for this physical test.

Rayne, though healed, was not trained for such dangerous, pure climb, even with his strength. And he was a crown prince of Valendale Empire, no one would risk his life to anger an Empire.

This was a task for the strongest, the most agile, those with the most experience in tough physical challenges.

Her eyes settled on Joel and Reyes. Joel, the Mercenary King, known for impossible feats, for finding a way through any obstacle, no matter how great. He had led men through any countless dangers.

And Reyes, the Royal Guard, already a formidable warrior, disciplined and strong, set to become the greatest knight in Elysia. They were the two best climbers here, the ones with the best chance.

"Joel, Reyes," Viana said, her voice steady despite the dauting task ahead. "You two. You must climb, and the rest of us will wait below. If any more of Arin’s men follow..."

She didn’t need to finish the thought. The ambush at Al’Khar had shown how relentless Arin was, how far he would go. They could not let themselves to be surprised again.

Joel met her gaze, a spark of the old daring in his eyes, a glint of the risk-taker that made him famous. "Understood, Princess."

"It’s too risky to climb at night," Joel said, looking up at the shadowed cliff face. Even in the moonlight, it was hard to see the small holds. "We need to wait for dawn. Full light will give us the best chance."

Reyes nodded, his gaze practical. "The rock will be cold now. Better to let the sun warm it, even a little."

Viana looked at the towering cliff, then at the exhausted faces of her group. They had ridden hard, fought fiercely.

A few hours of rest would do them good, even if it meant delaying their goal. "Agreed," she said. "We rest here. Set a watch. We start climbing at first light."

They found what little shelter the base of the cliff offered. The air grew colder as the night deepened, a sharp, biting wind sweeping down from the heights.

They huddled together, sharing what thin blankets they had. Joel and Reyes took the first watch, their eyes scanning the rocky approaches they had just crossed.

Rayne took the second watch, his sword resting across his lap, his thoughts restless. Viana took the last watch, sitting with her bow across her knees, feeling the cold seeping into her bones.

She watched the stars move across the dark sky, thinking of the blight, of Arin, of the desperate hope that lay at the top of this impossible wall.

As the first pale grey touched the eastern horizon, Viana roused the others. The cold of the predawn was biting, but a sense of purpose settled over the group. The light at the peak seemed to brighten slightly with the coming sun.

Joel stretched, his muscles stiff, then clapped Reyes on the shoulder. "Time to go, ’Greatest Knight’."

Reyes nodded, his face set. The playful challenge from Joel was a small comfort. They checked their gear one last time, tightening straps, testing ropes.

The rising sun began to paint the cliff face in hues of orange and red revealing more of its rough surface.

Joel and Reyes approached the base of the towering cliff. It looked even more impossible up close, the rock face rough and unforgiving, offering tiny, barely visible handholds.

They began to ascend. Joel went first, testing each hold, his strong hands and feet finding grip where others would slip, pulling himself up with powerful, controlled movements.

Reyes followed, his movements precise and powerful, showing the raw strength and discipline that would one day make him legendary. He matched Joel’s pace, a silent, steady force.

Viana watched them, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and hope. She could see them as tiny figures against the huge rock face, moving slowly but surely upwards.

Below, Rayne stood beside her, his hand on his sword, his gaze fixed on the climbing figures. Arden and Kaley huddled slightly behind them, their faces upturned, a shared prayer for success in their eyes.

The others stayed at the base, their weapons ready, watching the path they had taken, waiting for any sign of pursuit. The silence of the wastes was broken only by the faint sounds of the climbers’ grunts, the scrape of their boots, and the steady, dry wind.

The morning sun, now steadily rising, lit their way, casting long, dancing shadows below them. The fate of their blighted lands now hung on the strength of two men, scaling an impossible wall.

They climbed higher and higher, becoming smaller and smaller, until they were just specks against the vast, dark rock.

Tip: You can use left, right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.Tap the middle of the screen to reveal Reading Options.

If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report
Follow our Telegram channel at https://t.me/novelfire to receive the latest notifications about daily updated chapters.