“So, Peak, what’s the first thing we need to do in order to conquer this “Shelter Spire”?” Morning had rolled around, and I’d immediately tracked Peak down to begin some more proper questioning, and to finally take him up on his offer of help. When I found him, he was by the stream cleaning off some of his wardrobe with a wooden washboard. So, I sidled up next to him and plopped my feet into the water as I began.

“Whoa, hold on a second, lass.” Peak momentarily paused his washing to look at me. “As much as I’d love to conquer the dungeon with you, I just can’t.”

It took a moment for it to register with me, but when it did, I felt rightfully betrayed. “What do you mean you can’t come with me! How are you supposed to help me then?”

A look of shame and guilt washed over Peak’s face. He clearly didn’t mean to lead me in the wrong direction. Maybe, I’d just jumped to conclusions about what his help would entail. “Well, lass, there’s a number of reasons why I can’t come with you. Primarily, though, I have a job I needa keep up with.”

“You have a job? What kinda game you trying to pull here, Peak?” To Peak’s response, only doubt filled my mind. After all, he was a man. Who lived alone. In the densely forested mountains. With no semblance of society around him. And he. Has a job? I was hard pressed to believe it.

“Ahaha, I get your reaction. I totally get it, but I really do. I have a job.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What job?”

“Well, you see. It’s a rather important job actually! It’s my duty to manage the woods around here, and to keep the concentration of dangerous creatures about to a minimum.” In a frenzy of hand gestures meant to somehow contribute towards the force required to convince me, Peak made his case. But the whole foundation of his reasoning was shaky, as it all fell apart with one simple question.

“Why?”

As a result of my question, Peak’s frenzy heightened. “Why indeed?! Well… umm. You see… Uh… Sigh, guess the jigs up.” And just like that, Peak conceded his point.

“Then, you really don’t have a job! Wow, I never expected you to lie to me…” I spoke in a weird fit of betrayal and slight embarrassment for Peak.

“N-No, that’s not it! I really do have a job! It’s just that… I’m not the only one out here. Well, actually, I’m the only one out here, but not the only one up here, if that makes any sense.” Peak explained in an anxious rush that made me believe that there was more to the story, but I suppose, I had no choice but to trust him. If he was lying, I’d just have to respect his effort of doubling down on it.

In this new world full of things to learn and places to fall flat on my face, I felt Peak could be the one constant. He was easy enough to read, at least. Even for me.

“Alright then, I’ll take your word for it. But answer me this, why were you so hesitant to tell me this info?” I asked this question expecting the typical cliche of him wanting me all to himself or whatever, so the response I got just reaffirmed me of Peak’s character.

“I’m just not welcome where they are, okay? It’s a little village named Shelter. There’s people there who’d rather not see me, and things I’d rather not deal with.” Peak gazed off into the stream as he talked. “But even still, I know I’m gonna eventually have to bring you there, so I don’t know why I even bothered hiding its existence.”

“It’s whatever. If you don’t wanna bring me there, you don’t have to—”

“No, I do have to!” Peak interjected before I could finish offering him an out. I wasn’t typically the type to let someone go, especially when it was to my disadvantage. I knew this about myself, too, it was one of my equal charms and flaws, but something about how distraught Peak looked… it made me sympathize with him in a way I hadn’t previously thought possible.

Somehow, everytime I tried doing something different than my norm, Peak found a way to unintentionally shoot it down. It must’ve been a secret talent of his or something.

“I’ll have to lead you. Going to Shelter’s the only way you’re gonna be able to start your adventure. That’s where the entrance to Shelter Spire is.”

“You know, I should’ve caught onto that naming trend sooner.” I was decently intelligent at remembering trivial stuff—like the type of useless knowledge they cram into your head for multiple choice tests—but when it came to making connections, even obvious ones, it would sometimes go right over my head.

“Ahaha! You never fail to break me out of a bad mood, April!” Peak stood up with a hearty laugh, and then nodded his head.

“I wasn’t trying to break you out of a bad mood! I was just being stupid, you dork! Let me be stupid!” Something about being praised for messing up irked me to no end.

“Well, April, there’s some prerequisites that you’re gonna have to meet before you can enter the dungeon, anyways, so we’d better get you started on those! I won’t be able to go with you into the dungeon, because I have my job, but I’ll do all I can to help you out, as promised. After all, you’re the first person I’ve had a chance to chill with for awhile. I’m gonna help you however I can.” Peak, revitalized and full of his usual energy, stretched like he was getting ready to take on the day. I stood up too, sensing that we were about to head out.

“Figures, it wouldn’t be as simple as running in there and beating it, huh? Of course there’d be prerequisites...” My ambition was both deflated and sparked at the same time, just in different areas. I wouldn’t be able to take on the dungeon quite yet, but there’d be other adventures to be had up until that point.

“Don’t you worry about it, you’ll have me helping you along the way! Besides, the first thing should be pretty easy to get done. You won’t even have to do anything.” Peak began walking back to the treehouse as he attempted to recollect my adventurous spirit for me.

“Wait, what is the first thing, then?” I rushed to keep up with him, as he kept on walking, ignoring my question. Whatever it was, he wanted to keep it a surprise.

We’d gotten back to the house, and Peak got right to work, hammering and melding a whole bunch of seemingly random materials. While he was otherwise occupied, I had no other option but to laze around and wait for Peak to finish... whatever he was working on… which meant I fell asleep within a minute or two. I never really had the most patience or the greatest capability to deal with boredom. Sometimes, sleep was the more entertaining option.

“Rise and shine!” After some time, I was shaken awake by a Peak bearing the world’s proudest smile on his face.

Still a bit groggy, I did my best to reply to Peak. “Mmm… are you done with what you were doing…?”

“Sure am! Check it out! The first step towards getting you ready to take on Shelter Spire is complete.” Clearly unable to contain his anticipation, Peak bolted his hands out in front of me, holding something wrapped within a worn, white cloth.

Seeing that what he’d been making was for me immediately blew away any sleepiness that lingered and made my heart start beating faster. Not even taking the courtesy to reaffirm with Peak that this item was, in fact, for me, I hastily unwrapped it to see what it was.

“Hey! April, be careful unwrapping that—”

“Ouch! What the hell?!” Peak’s warning came a tad too late as a small cut surfaced on my finger.

Underneath the cloth was an item essential to any fantasy adventure—a weapon. More precisely: a hand-made dagger. Its base was rather generic, made from some sort of hard, carved out stone. However, its blade was where it became a true spectacle.

With a tad of green stained into it, the knife’s blade was the result of centuries upon centuries of primal hardening. A blade made of a strong, petrified wood. Sturdy as steel, sharp as iron. Its natural pattern still engraved into its very design. In one way or another, the years only refined the wood, instead of imbuing it with frailty.

“Pretty cool, huh?” The widest, most child-like smile must’ve been painted on my face, as Peak gave me a knowing nod and a thumbs up.

“Peak, it’s awesome! Thank you so much!” Unable to contain my glee, I leapt forward at Peak for a hug of appreciation. If his help continued to be like this, I had no doubt our partnership would work out perfectly.

That was, before he sidestepped me causing me to crash face-first into the floor.

I plucked myself off the ground with more than a little irritation , holding my bruised head. “What the heck was that about!”

“You jumped at me with a knife! What did you expect me to do?!” Peak, understandably put off, retorted.

“Oh, I did, huh? Oops, that could’ve been bad.” Realizing my mistake, my anger subsided.

“Sigh… That could’ve been bad, indeed. Anyways, you like it, yeah?” Peak, still recovering from the assassination attempt, tried redirecting the conversation back onto its proper course.

“Mhm mhm, it’s great! No, it’s better than great! It’s the best!” I wasted no effort in showing Peak my thanks.

“Alright, good. I was really betting on the idea a dagger would work for you. You seem to have the gear for a rogue class, so I just went from there.” Peak’s comment made me remember my attire. I suppose, it was sort of decided that I was meant to be some type of rogue in this world. Who decided this, I don’t know, and honestly couldn’t care. Rogue classes were always the coolest, anyways.

“Thinking on it, it’s perfect. I should be pretty alright with handling a knife, and a dagger’s not too far off from that, is it?” I’d helped out at my grandfather’s cafe for a long time, so I was, at the very least, confident with holding a knife. There were some people I knew who got flinchy at the thought of even cutting with one.

“They’re basically the same thing, yeah. Only real difference is that knives are more meant for throwing than daggers. That’s all.” Peak confirmed my hypothesis. “Now then, is it time to move onto the next prerequisite?”

“For sure, but first…” I had one little hurdle I’d like to be passed before moving onto our next step. One very very little hurdle.

“What’s up?”

“Prerequisite is such a lame and wordy term. Let’s call them quests! Quests and adventures: the definition of a fantasy world experience.” One very very very little, silly, stupid, little hurdle.

“I don’t know how I feel about my world being called a fantasy world, but I’m game! Quest it is!”

“Alright, what’s next?”

We’d traveled a ways away from Peak’s treehouse, up onto the plateau of the mountain where the stream ended and the many waterfalls collected into. Peak had ushered me close to the edge of it, and for some reason, began explaining things about this world.

“In this world, there’s something called a Crystal Tree. It’s basically what enables you to use abilities and stuff; abilities like those blades of air I make.” He started.

“Okay, okay, and what’s that got to do with this.” I cautiously peered over the long drop from the plateau’s edge. If Peak’s whole purpose for leading me on the long hike was only to tell me this information, then I was gonna be peeved. Luckily, the information he was telling me was to my liking, though.

“The thing is, not just anybody can use it by default. No, there’s a certain prerequisite—”

“—Quest.”

“There’s a certain quest that must be filled first.” Peak went on with his explanation, and as he continued I suddenly grew apprehensive.

Before we headed up here, Peak implored me to leave my dagger and anything else I might’ve had on me of any value behind. That coupled with Peak’s random bit of information he was dropping, caused me to develop a bad feeling.

“So… Peak, what might this quest be…” I nervously eyed him, from the peripherals of my vision, keeping my vision, essentially, locked over the horizon.

“You need to have a dream. A blank dream. I’m assuming you haven’t had one yet?” Peak’s reply, however, temporarily put me at ease. I just needed to have a dream, was that it? Did he bring me up here just because the scenic view could lull me to a better sleep?

“Phew, so it’s nothing crazy or insane that’ll get me hurt. Nice. So, Peak, how do you have this ‘blank dream’? Oh, and what is a blank dream?”

“A blank dream’s exactly how it sounds, it’s a dream without, or with very minimal, content. As for how you have one…” Peak trailed off, probably to consider what he was going to say next, and that uneasy feeling I had appeared once more. Peak was a guy so assured of himself and so full of energy that everytime he trailed off was always a bit off putting. It typically meant that he was about to say something that I wouldn’t like. “You have to overcome some form of adversity.”

That was it. That was the cause of this bad feeling. And I had an additional feeling that I’d be able to discern what came next. But just in case, I decided to check with Peak.

“Hey, Peak, what did you have in mind for this “adversity” I’d have to overcome?” A nervous, almost twitchy, half-smile forced its way onto my face, as I checked with Peak through stuttery laughs.

“Ahaha! April, you know what I have in mind. Don’t try to fool yourself, it’ll only make it worse.” A demonic grin forced its way onto Peak’s face, mocking my own.

We both stood there for a moment, staring at each other, the wind picking up and blowing our hair to-and-fro. It was like a stand-off, and contrary to the norm, I wish my back was up against the wall. Then, I wouldn’t have to worry about plummeting to my doom.

But no, I wouldn’t go down without a fight. I wouldn’t let Peak toss me around. I’d take him on, and that’d be the adversity I’d overcome!

“I like to live life and take chances, Peak. So, right now, I’m gonna do both, and you can’t stop me!”

To live life and take chances. That was what I’d determined, my mantra to live by would be. After throwing behind my previous life, I’d decided to move forward in this other world with that simple goal in mind.

It was a spur of the moment philosophy—one that I’d developed right there and then—but I was a spur of the moment person, and my resolve was resolute. To live life and take chances, was there any better way to spell out a surefire path towards adventure?

Going forth, I’d trust myself, Peak, and that philosophy to overcome any adversity this new world could dare throw at me.