The Origin Of Mount Woe Chapter 7
Skyward
By Nanaki
12,019 B.C.
"Are you sure you want to proceed with this Vigo? The research is far from complete."
"Yes, Maro. I'm sure the research will be easier with something to observe. I don't think we'll have any problems so large that we won't be able to correct them. I'm also very tired of waiting. I'm a rash, impatient young king."
Maro laughed a little. "Rash and impatient yes, but in your family, that doesn't disappear with old age."
"So you'll be there in the morning then?"
"Yes. Crazy as this is, it ought to be quite a sight."
Vigo sighed happily as he entered his chambers. There had been a year of planning scheduled originally, but after six months, he had grown so impatient that they were going to start tomorrow. It had become clear Zeal was going to wait until she saw the results of his project before she passed her final judgement on him. Maybe it was irresponsible to go ahead before the paperwork was complete, but there were too many things that Vigo would have a hard time waiting for. Like he had told Maro, he was an impatient young king.
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Vigo hardly slept at all that night, and was up well before the appointed time. It wasn't snowing during the predawn hours, so Vigo went out walking. He surveyed Enhasa, then the small group of caves that made up Allegan. He smiled. Caves were all right when necessary, but people should not spend their whole lives cooped up where they couldn't see the sun.
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Later in the morning, the entire population of Allegan emptied out of their caves. The crowd centered around the forms of Maro and Vigo, who were standing with quiet dignity. The Sun stone was lying on the ground in front of them, glowing brightly. The crowd built up until there was hardly a bare spot between the caves and the shore. Some people began to wonder what the hold-up was, until they realized that both Maro and Vigo had their eyes closed, and were concentrating deeply.
A good hour passed, and when most of the children were bored to tears, the two men leaned down and picked up the Sun stone. Then, multicolored bolts of energy slammed down into the base of Enhasa, producing a spectacular explosion that left everyone rubbing their eyes. No one noticed Melchior's construction team begin to move toward the landing site.
Slowly, a deep creaking sound was heard. Then, the sound of rocks breaking came from across the water. A thin crack of daylight appeared between Enhasa and what remained of the base. A few boulders rolled off the sides and made impressive splashes in the water. The citizens stared in awe as the huge mountain began to move toward them. When it was halfway to the landing sight, another huge explosion took place underneath. When everyone could see again, the mountain was nearly flat on the bottom. It then resumed it's slow drift to the shore.
Maro and Vigo gently guided it so the nearest face would be about one half mile from their location. Then, much more slowly, they set it down on the ground. The world rumbled for a little while, as if a small earthquake was happening. Then, the first part of Melchior's team teleported to the plateau to break ground. Maro and Vigo collapsed where they stood.
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Vigo opened his eyes. He still felt tired, but he should probably get up. Opening the door of his chambers, he found Melchior waiting outside.
"I was hoping you'd be up soon. I have good news to report." Vigo just nodded sleepily. "Following the plans for the city Gaspar and I drew up, it should be ready to raise permanently in just six weeks."
"Six weeks! That's a pretty tight schedule."
"You should see how hard the men are working. It looks like nearly everyone is as excited about this as you are."
"Right now, I could use some more rest."
"Then take it. That must have been hard work yesterday."
"Yesterday?!"
"Yes sir. You've been out for quite a while."
"Obviously. Tell me, did Zeal look impressed yesterday?" He asked with a wry grin.
"That would be your main concern." Melchior sighed. "I didn't really pay attention, but from what I recall, she was just as enchanted as the rest of the crowd."
"Hmm. I just had a wicked idea. Tell her, that by royal order, she cannot see me for six weeks."
"Oh dear. Very well sire." Melchior sometimes silently wished that someone else could take over his job.
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As Vigo awoke on E-day, he reflected on a very good omen. Melchior's team had finished the basic construction of the city of Enhasa the night before. Today was a clear day, so the sun was actually shining. He was surprised he had actually gotten to sleep the previous night. Today, well today would most likely go down in history. It would take an awful lot to erase this from public knowledge.
As he emerged into the daylight, the glare of the snow nearly blinded him. But off in the distance he saw the Sun stone was glowing brightly, fully charged. A sizeable crowd was already gathered. Vigo knew that he should wait until everyone was there, but they would wake up soon enough when he started.
He nodded silently nodded to Maro before speaking. "Everyone who wants to risk being on the mountain when it goes up, gather around the Sun stone." Vigo noticed that while most everyone had been enthusiastic about this project, only about a dozen were going to trust the mountain not to fall. But he didn't care, because Zeal was one of those dozen. Although he didn't know whether she was going with them for Maro, for him, or for both of them. As he teleported them to the plateau, he took in the odd architecture of Enhasa with appreciation. He also noticed his huge Dreamstone boulder had been tied down, in case the ride up was bumpy.
He didn't see why it would be. There were no clouds, and air currents wouldn't move a mountain. "Well there's no sense delaying." He turned to Maro. "Are you ready to start?"
"Yes, young majesty, let us start the preparations." The two men closed their eyes and concentrated deeply. The Sun stone glowed brightly in response. Suddenly, the mountain lurched. Both men lost their concentration.
"Whoah! I thought this was supposed to take an hour!" Vigo shouted.
"Apparently, that was only true the first time we lifted the mountain." Maro tried to find an explanation. "Well then, let us continue." They concentrated again. The Sun stone glowed more brightly than before. Since they couldn't see the bottom of the mountain, the people on top did not know exactly when they lifted off, but they soon saw the ground was becoming farther away.
Zeal shivered all of a sudden, as if a strong wind had blown up. She looked around, but there was only a slight breeze. Then, a shadow fell across the sun. Zeal looked up. A huge, dark cloud had appeared from nowhere. Clouds were quickly gathering from every direction. Lightning streaked out, and struck the top of the mountain.
Vigo cried out. "Gaah! Maro! Some force is pushing against us!"
"I do not understand!" The old man said through gritted teeth. "The Sun stone is at full power, and fully charged!"
"Well, then I guess we have no choise but to keep fighting!" Vigo and Maro kept up their magical flow, but now their faces made it look like they were lifting heavy weights, rather than just concentrating. The mountain began to shake. It tossed side to side more and more violently until Maro cried out and collapsed. The mountain began to sink back toward the ground. Then, it began to actually fall.
"We will break up in-" One of the men began.
"No!! We're breaking off!" Zeal shouted. She prepared to teleport everyone away.
"No!!" Everyone turned. The shout had come from Vigo, who had a pained look on his face.
"I've lived too long in the cold and the dark. I won't let this mountain fall." He looked at the sky. "You hear me, whoever you are?! I will not be defeated!!!" Vigo grabbed the Sun stone, and the mountain suddenly surged upward again.
Everything was well until they approached the clouds again. Many lightning bolts streamed down into the mountain, and began to head down the slope toward the plateau. Vigo's expression grew more and more severe, until- "Aaaahh!!! No!!! I told you, we are going UP!!!"
With that, lightning practically surrounded them. It lanced into the buildings of Enhasa, and would have arced into everyone on the mountain, if Vigo hadn't managed to set up a spell shield in time. But then, they were rising higher.
Zeal ran to the edge of the plateau in time to see the sun come out again. The sight of the clouds dropping away beneath them was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. As soon as the base of the mountain was clear, the clouds raced away. The sun sparkled off the ocean and the snow below. A new age had just started. Then, they stopped their ascent. She figured Vigo must have reached their desired cruising altitude. She was suddenly worried about him.He must have put out an extreme amount of effort.
Rushing back to where they had started, she saw Vigo was lying on the ground, not looking in especially good shape. Smoke drifted lazily up from the damaged portions of Enhasa. She wondered if he was damaged too. She ran up and knelt down beside him. "Vigo. C'mon Vigo, wake up. Are you all right?"
He wearily opened his eyelids. "Not exactly. Somebody didn't want us up here."
"True, but does that really matter now?"
"Huh? What are you trying to say Zeal?" He looked up expectantly.
"I..." Then, she was in his arms. He kissed her like he had been wanting to do for... for... Well, for an unbearably long time.
"Finally." He said simply. He looked Zeal in the eyes, glad that he could finally sit and appreciate her beauty without her getting mad. "But I have to ask, what brought this on?"
"Every... potential suitor," she dismissed them with a wave of her hand, "has promised me the world on a silver platter. You..." She paused to kiss him again. "You can actually give it to me."
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"Never thought anything so big could fly, huh?" - Anonymous
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