hiking – Vostak

The Valley – Part 3

The valley was so large that Sevir, while looking at it from the south end, could only see an outline of the mountains in the north. There was also, in fact, a large portion of the valley that Sevir could not see. It was hidden behind the mountains as a result of the valley’s bean-like shape. What Sevir did see, however, was enough to amaze him.

In the west, the land was hidden beneath a lush green blanket. A large forest lay at the base of the mountain range on the west, as though a sea. Its emerald waves rolled over into the center of the valley in between the high places and hills, which stood as an island amongst the trees. These highlands at the center of the valley divided it in two, as though a painter decided to put in a swath of brown, gray and yellow in the middle of his painting. The woods swept under these hills in the south, and came around to the east. What was left of the land was endless green fields in the north and northeast, nestled against the looming mountains. The orange hues of eventide covered a portion of the sky, whilst beams of gold danced across the mountains’ white peaks.

The valley was full of life. More so than Sevir would have expected. Across the fields in the north, and among the hills in the middle of the valley, several columns of smoke had sprung up from the ground and trailed off into the sky. Sevir stood dumbfounded for a moment. His heart almost stopped, and then began to beat so fast that he felt dizzy and lightheaded. He felt a rush and a whirlwind of emotions, filled with an almost childlike bewilderment and curiosity. He got carried away with excitement and almost slipped off the edge of the cliff he was standing on. The precarious moment which could have quickly proven perilous was like a slap in the face. While letting out his breath and clearing his mind, Sevir took a step back and rooted his feet in the ground.

Though he had reached the valley, he was not yet completely over the pass. He stood on the cliff with the gorge he was in before on his left, opening out into the valley before him. It was a fifty-foot drop down to the ground, and there wasn’t really any other way to come down. Once again, Sevir found himself stuck between a rock and an abyss.

He needed to survey the face of the cliff to see if he could climb down it. Once again, he approached the edge, only this time he did it right – on his knees. The cliff was a mixture of smooth and ragged stone. It would be difficult to climb down, with there being few crevices in the rock. It wasn’t impossible, however, and Sevir was determined to make it down. Led on by his curiosity and excitement, he was consumed by a sense of urgency and a need to make haste. Abandoning his reason and sense of time, he failed to notice the darkness which loomed over the valley. Sevir began climbing down the side of the cliff just as the sun was hiding behind the mountains.

The Valley – Part 1

The sun was beating down upon the mountaintops. The snow capped peaks gleamed and shimmered above a sea of fog. Or was it clouds? One would not be able to tell. This was not so much a mountain range, as simply a land of mountains. From a bird’s eye view, it was all mountains to the east, north, and west, save for a large valley to the north. Of course, Sevir saw none of this. He was making his way through the mountains along a narrow cliff. All he saw was the stream far down at the bottom, his feet on the narrow ledge, the cliff face before him, and the crevices in which he placed his hands.

Sevir felt his pulse in his head and his heart pounding in his chest. He constantly had to adjust his grip because his hands were sweaty. His arms and feet felt heavy. His breath was weak and unsteady. He felt as though he could fall already. Though just moments ago, he thought that he was ready to scale the cliff. As he crept along the ledge, Sevir tried his best to occupy his mind. His thoughts carried him off of the cliff, out of the mountains, and back to the village he once called home.

Many called Sevir a fool for leaving his village, which was nestled under the Great Mountains. It had been common wisdom for centuries that there was nothing beyond the mountains but more mountains. Sevir, however, figured that he had no choice. Though there was much space to build new homes, there was no room for Sevir in the village. Not anymore.

Over the span of a few years, Sevir observed the Head Council become skewed and misguided in their thinking. Faithful laborers were ignored and cast aside in favor of agreeable yes-men. Decisions were made not to benefit the village’s families but for the ego and pride of those in charge. Though the Head Council claimed otherwise, it was clear that everything they did served no purpose other than gaining more resources and growing in their status. Perhaps, on the surface, it appeared that the village was prospering. Growing more into a town than a village. But in Sevir’s eyes, even if the village really was growing, it was all for the wrong reasons.

It came to a point that Sevir decided he had had enough. He figured that he would rather risk his life in search of a different home for his family than continue serving those that had abused him and others in their bid for glory. And so, Sevir found himself in the mountains. He was cold, he was hungry, and he was afraid. Yet he pressed on.

He slowly shimmied along until he reached a point where the ledge came to a natural rocky terrace. It overlooked the stream and greenery below. Though far safer than what came before it, it was a small opening and didn’t lead anywhere. How he would continue, Sevir had no idea. He decided to rest and spend the night at this spot as he figured that a solution might come to him in the morning. In the meantime, he was content to eat a morsel of bread and enjoy the view.