Chapter 277 - Leap

Breaking through the ice with their Iron hooks held with gloves to fight off the blistering cold metal has to offer in such an environment, they've managed to climb up the first 100 meters up and although the scene indeed beautiful, it got a few of the group tad tired.

I don't think we need introduction for such a case, the smallest and weakest man of this group was facing complications. That man of which, is Guard Commander Chan or now best known as Errand runner Chan or Lap Dog Chan.

As he gave in as much force as he could once more, his hook broke through the ice. Feeling tremendously tired under his breath he said, "I wish I had some Ale." Afterwards slipping as he tried to get a firm footing on the ice, he barely hurt his knee thankfully but the sudden commotion made him loose grip of his left hook!

"100 meters up and he is losing his hook?" Thought Rowan to himself as he took a glance at the commotion, seeing Chan's hook slide down he yelled. "You're having trouble already? If you told me that you can't climb this shit I would let you climb on my back!"

Well the fact that his language has become tad offensive might mean that he is facing trouble too, he is 65 years old after all. Normally people would feel embarrassed to be out matched by an old man, but no. Chan didn't face such an issue.

Rowan indeed let his anger take control there for a second, but the moment he looked behind to check over Chan he saw the beauty this place offers the higher they climb. The white tundra along with the sun's beams reflecting against the ice, complimented by a small patch of clouds who have hit the ground here and there. It indeed looks beautiful and it warmed his soul here where any spirit can be frozen.

"I got him." Assured Dilli, she was climbing right below Chan. So with one hook against the ice and with the other secured over her arm, she grabbed Chan from the collar of his Fur Coat and threw him over her back.

Although not surprising even for Chan, this little act from Dilli got him a bit embarrassed. He wanted to say something about it but he feared the consequences. Because if he ran his mouth against Dilli, he will use all this soft comfort on her back and be tossed over the other men. Dilli hasn't yet attacked her own once the deal has been made, but the chances aren't next to zero.

If he offended Rowan, it would just be playing wrong even though he was the one who ran his mouth. Why? Well he is 65 and is climbing this mountain of blistering harsh ice along with them, taking a shot at him be it with a word or with a hook would just be playing wrong. And he doesn't look quite defenceless or harmless either so it would just be playing stupid.

"Hold on tight this time." She partially joked, and started kicking the ice by each hook she struck. How would that help? Well it certainly is hurting her toes here and there but she is blasting Fire through her feet, directed towards her toes actually.

It sounds a bit odd and definitely difficult to do, requiring a few bruises as a sacrifice but it pays off as the most secure grip against the ice because the ice melts around her toes allowing her foot to go half way in the ice.

To make this trick a lot better, the other men behind her have a more secure way up. But I don't think they will be able to use her gift for a long while, because running a bit out of patience she decided to pass Rowan.

In order to do so, she would have to tilt her body along with Chan to the right for about 20°! It made everything harder because to cling on the ice with such a position, all four limbs have to work overtime in order to guarantee success. The success here would be not slipping, which would result to falling towards a side which doesn't nearly guarantee a smooth experience.

"That woman is absolutely insane." Rowan thought to himself as he saw Dilli pass him by, standing 3 meters actually away from him.

He should be mad for having his guidance under appreciated, but when he looked at how shocked Chan himself is, Rowan couldn't help but smile and proceed to climb after her. Looking back at the men behind him, they shared the same expression as Chan.

...

As they've reached 500 meters high, they've already met with some complications. As a start, 2 men have already lost their firm grip and slid down the naturally formed slide in the middle. They've escaped this situation rather well, because if they slid too far in the opposite sides of these two mountains, a broken ass would be the easiest to tackle punishment.

Seeing men stronger and younger then him slide down like absolute fools, he just thought. "Morons." And yelled from the top of his lungs, "Don't bother climbing back up."

Well it is a good idea to remind them but they wouldn't try to climb up here again, their progress wouldn't be equal to what they've obtained before they've failed. Both of their knees have suffered a bit of damage, they need some recovery time.

"They are supposed to be the toughest of the toughest." Chan thought to himself as he watched them slide down from the comfort of Bear Claw's back. "I'll ask the Grand King to give them a smaller pay." He finished off his thoughts as he saw Dilli blasting Fire through her feet.

She has already been blasting Fire from her toes, so what exactly am I referring too you might ask? Well with a couple of her small toes already cracked but thankfully not broken, she figured that if she continues this way she will have to amputate at least half of her toes and that would in no way benefit her regardless of who she is working for.

She started blasting fire from underneath her feet so she can elevate herself along with Chan from the ice and fly up there as fast as possible. But of course to assure that she won't damage Rowan behind her with this trick, she had to give a boost in advance so the moment she attempted this move she was already 15 meters far from Rowan.

But blasting fire up a mountainside with a 40° angle? That's just playing mad especially with a weight on her back. Don't be alarmed or happy, she didn't cut loose of dead weight.

Although her first burst towards the mountain of ice was tad disoriented, she managed to regain control shortly after with an aid of another idea she literally planned to use before she elevated.

The idea? Well with her hook against the ice a couple of inches deep, she got her first bit of orientation before she used the other hook to attain complete control.

Picture it, hooks against the ice but her body a foot above this knee shatterer. She doesn't know if anyone ever attempted this trick nor does she care, it is working for her over time.

Feeling Chan cling around her harder, she feels like the reaction he has as the one who got to experience this trick along with her isn't too different from the reaction Rowan along with the rest is carrying.

Although unintended, when she blasted off she made another man loose grip of the ice. Interesting indeed for the rest, that man showed more shock than the rest which didn't result how anyone wanted it too.

Rowan didn't see this one fall down, the man was at the very bottom in this line of climbing men and the fire closest to him caused a bit of a noise. But one of the other men who saw the last slide down, assured that everyone else knows.

"Another man slid down!" He yelled, scaring the other men who didn't hey fail. They weren't scared that the man fell down, but all that shouting got them tad scared.

As Rowan took a peek down, he wasn't a fan of such a result. He wasn't quite sure if that failure was because of that sudden burst of fire nor did he care, a fail is a fail. "Don't bother climbing back up!" He yelled once more, reminding now the third man who failed.

Now at least he won't have to yell it again if another fails since that sentence has been implanted on the mind of the ones who didn't yet fail. They didn't fail but they aren't too far from it, they are lucky if they reach the top with 5 men.

"Common, tighten your assess. There only is half a Kilometer left."