Another night and half a day later are what it takes for me to realise I have no idea how this magic stuff works, that there appears to be absolutely nothing around, and that we finally reached the mountain.

To clarify, I am not the only one struggling at this magic stuff, to divide and conquer, both Nori and Hernon tried their own way to do magic and neither worked, the only one having any progress is Anima who seems to be strengthening their connection to something, but even then, nothing else other than the connection is happening, and even they look frustrated.

Even though I said I would try to do some magic, I haven't particularly tried to do much nor put too much effort into it, trusting in both the system and that I would figure something out.

If what it says is true, I have an eternity to try and get a hang of it, definitely not lazy. Besides, so much has happened and changed in a few days, I can't be bothered to care too much about magic, as trying to just get a hang of my new life now is taking up most of my mind.

I had a life, even if I don't want to think about it, in my old world. Yes, I don't want to go back, but that still can't get me upset about stuff I left behind. Even if it wasn't much, I will just have to transfer my life here then, and I will be a historian no matter what this status says.

Besides, more pressing issues are presenting themselves, even though I didn't notice it the first or second day, there is absolutely a lack of anything here, no animals or anything, barely a few insects showed themselves and through the pressuring of Nori, they didn't survive my shoe very well.

It's got me and Hernon on edge, as we believe it will be some monster, while Nori is open to the idea to just have some variety to the bugs and insects, Anima doesn't seem to care much either way, not that I could tell what's going on in that head of theirs.

Nonetheless, I kept an eye on the weather, with all the days of thinking I had I was worried about magic storms which would ruin my hobby, and half hoping that storms at least follow somewhat normal patterns.

Looking at the clouds in the distance casting shadows over areas near the floating island, coming in this direction, I can't help but feel like rain is coming, most of it was from the shape and cluster of clouds coming over, but a good portion of the thought came from something else I can't really describe other than a weird feeling.

And it was then, after nearly 3 days of travelling, we made it to the foot of the mountain, only causing everyone to sigh.

Even though we don't really get tired by walking or climbing, it is a mental strain to do so continuously with no food or water for 3 days, even more for a few of us as when I told them we didn't need sleep pretty much everyone stayed up to try and do something with magic.

It was greatly infuriating, everyone felt close to something, especially Anima, but no one could do anything about it.

And now, we look at the towering mountain peak of craggy and rough rock, and snow at the top, mixed with what looks like more green-blue moss and even some of the crystal I saw at the giant floating mountain. It looks frighteningly like the rock formations we have been walking past the past 3 days, and it wasn't until while climbing up for a little while did I notice what appears to be a missing cliff, multiple holes, ravines, and loose rock for me to consider that it may actually have been all one thing once before.

All those rock formations from earlier were just debris from this mountain.

What on Eart- this world happened to the mountain? It must have been shattered over hundreds of kilometres, we travelled through 3 days on foot passing by the remains of this mountain.

Whatever did happen to the mountain in fact caused significant damage, while going up we had quite a few caves, ravines, and other crevices that look like someone took a gigantic pickaxe and hacked at it, especially when we got nearly halfway up and saw what probably appears to be the saddest looking second mountain, looking like it was barely held together, but was probably just half the mountain split in two.

This was creating an admittedly impressive, but dangerous fault-block-like shape for quite a large part of the mountain that was very slippery and was nearly 90 degrees down of pure slope for a good portion downwards of the mountain.

With all the material that has been blasted or fallen off this mountain, it was probably 2, close to 3 times the size at one point, definitely way past the clouds it seems to just barely touch at the moment.

Avoiding the valley of death between the two mountains, we make it a good way up the mountain surprisingly, a mix of our greatly improved stamina, climbing skills honed over a whole 3 days, and an impressive will to just get this over with, we get to a point where there isn't enough daylight to continue climbing the mountain safely, lest we fall into a ravine.

Another night of no sleep for me, this time by choice and not by need, lying haphazardly on a piece of rock that looked more comfortable than it was, but being just comfortable enough for me to not care enough to move as we set up on a ledge just big enough to support our group.

We decided that we would go just a little further up, then go around the mountain seeing what we could see, checking if there were any towns or something around us.

While I am enjoying the simple things in life, sighing happily as I admire how far I have come in just a few days, the first time I climbed a mountain was quite an experience, and enjoying the view was something I always immensely enjoyed in life, so I am very happy right now even though I technically didn't want to climb the mountain before.

Has anyone been here before me? Have they sat here where I have and watched the distance like me? Or am I the first?

These questions fill me with curiosity, part of the reason I wanted to become a historian, as a chill breeze flows past, except I don't feel cold or unpleasant through what should be a lack of oxygen, hand calluses from climbing, and a severe drop in temperature, atmosphere, and other stuff necessary for life.

Even though I should be on the brink of death from normal human standards, I feel even better up in the sky with the wind and cool air than back on the ground, confusing me slightly but dismissing it as standard system, elemental shenanigans.

There is obviously something magical happening here, but why do I not feel anything or sense any of this energy?

More and more questions but no answers. Instead of pondering these questions, I am mildly interrupted by Hernon's frustrated muttering as he attempts to start a fire, either somehow cold or still angry about not doing magic yet.

I would think magic would take years to do properly, it isn't something that you can do in barely a week with no idea what to do, no matter how talented.

He has been growing more frustrating and annoying to deal with as nothing works, complaining about no health bar, mana bar, exp, or other stuff that was usually in a video game. The issue with that line of thinking is just that, this isn't a video game, not really.

Video games, in my opinion, are there to help escape your reality, do things without consequence and live life differently according to how you want, or just for simple entertainment, not to become your reality.

I can see some really bad issues and outcomes for those who go into this new life in the view of a video game, trying to live as someone different like you would normally in a video game, instead of how you normally would live, which could end in a pretty severe identity crisis and desensitization later on.

This is why, even with the system, I try to take this as if I was still back on Earth in real life right now, and in real life I want to explore, but most importantly, be a historian.

Nonetheless, Hernon doesn't really know this, as he continues getting frustrated day by day with no progress, thinking he should be making progress, but everything isn't quick like video games in real life, and as he gets more and more annoyed with nothing rewarding his supposed progress or effort, he makes more and more of a fool of himself.

"Oh god of the eternal flame, hear your humble servant and bring flame and light- wait that's not right..." They mumble.

"Eternal Flame, as your authority I order you to appear before me and bring heat and flame, light the ground before me an... Oh, forget it." Hernon says, slumping down before suddenly.

There's a flash, light streaks across the surroundings as...

Lighting strikes in the distance, utterly crushing Hernon's dreams, while proving that I was right about it going to rain later.

Close call, if that worked then I probably would've had my own identity crisis.

Thinking about what he was muttering, trying to be as quiet as possible but failing, I consider a question.

"Hernon, why is it always Eternal flame? Now I think about it, it is always some sort of Eternal Flame, Eternal Frost, or something equally grand and elaborate." I ponder.

Hernon, in response, scoffs once again and redoubled their efforts to do something. Anima, who has been annoyed by Hernon the most out of everyone, I think, decides to leave Hernon to his angry muttering and joins me in looking at the view on a rock near the side we climbed up originally, that looks much more comfortable.

We don't say anything, and don't have to, simply enjoying the view and breeze in companionable silence with the backdrop of Hernon smashing something with a lot more force than I thought possible on the side of the mountain.

Through the breeze, I swear I hear something, it isn't the echo of whatever Hernon shattered against the mountain or even Nori's light tittering at Hernon's mild anger, but a slight whisper.

It isn't much, barely audible, but I could hear what it said and understand completely clearly despite that, sounding ethereal and distant, yet disturbingly close and like the chorus of a variety of people old and young, male and female, it said but only one word.

"Danger." It says, in as much care, concern, and familiarity as what seems like 100 different people speaking at once can be.

The hell?

I look around a little, getting Anima's attention at the sudden movement, as I look around.

Then I feel it, like a sixth sense, something falling from the mountain, it isn't the object itself but something being pushed out of the way of said object, and it is falling fast.

I look to where I feel it and it is a little larger than I originally thought.

A combination of what looks like the fragility of the mountain due to whatever caused it to fall apart, Hernon smashing the rock against the mountain in what was probably a weak point, and probably just sheer unluckiness, a large section of rock has come unlodged and is barreling down at a rapid pace.

I would be more worried, but it is currently a distance away, nonetheless, as I open my mouth to speak out, Nori also notices it, but probably due to the ears they got but pretend they don't have.

"LOOK OUT!" They yell in alarm, tail and ears on alert.

Anima jolts up and snaps their eyes to where Nori is looking, already on edge from me looking around, locking onto the rock and trying to anticipate where the rock is going to fall, so we can be on the opposite of where said rock falls, but due to the ledge only barely fitting us, there isn't much room to maneuver.

Hernon also finds out where the rock is, taking slightly longer due to not a mix of not being on alert like Anima, and not having an obvious ability to see these things, but when they do they pale with worry and likely guilt.

Hernon and Anima pause for a second, frozen like a deer in headlights, Nori looks around in a panic also noticing the lack of room to maneuver same as me, also worrying is the fact that I am on the furthermost edge, away from the sides to climb away as I wanted to look at the view.

I look over the edge which is tempting with its rather smooth cut and safe-ish slide, but not so tempting with the sheer height, there is even another ledge further down that I can either stop at, or get mangled at, depending on speed.

Strangely, it isn't the fear of height stopping me, but rather the fact that it would probably hurt, but also if I left my friends here and peaced out, it would be what is commonly recognised as a dick move.

"GET TO THE SIDES!" I shout, snapping Nori and Anima out of their daze, while Nori was already getting to the sides.

Nori and Hernon quickly take the path of climbing to the side, making it to the path we were going to take tomorrow, not wanting to lose progress or get cut off.

The issue is, the distance between me and the sides is far enough to make it impossible to reach before the rock would arrive, smashing the ledge.

Finally, I can hear the now frankly gigantic rock smashing downwards, but I get stopped right before climbing down safely.

Where's Anima? I can't let these kids die to a rock, not even Hernon.

I start shifting in place, looking for them but really wanting to get to my own safety as I war an internal struggle of wanting to live, but also wanting these kids to live.

They were right here? Where did they go!? Can't have gone far.

But in the few seconds left I have I can't find them, having no time left to wait any longer, I turn and jump down my improvised slide instead of climbing down safely, hoping I make it.

I don't make it.

CRASH.

The rock impacts the ledge much faster, and harder than I expected. It shatters the Ledge, the Boulder itself, and my left shoulder from both the debris and the force of the impact, while throwing me violently away from the ledge at the same time.

Thankfully, I make it onto the improvised slide, not-so-thankfully, due to only having one working arm and being thrown off-balance, I hit the mountain and sheer cliff with a hard impact, breaking something else.

Debris and remains of the cliff scatter all around, and into me, as I tumble painfully down the cliff, tearing my skin and clothes while not being helpful to whatever I broke as most of my body goes numb from pain.

I fall for an unknown time, being pelted with rock and other debris as finally, I reach the ledge further down.

And get knocked unconscious.