World Isekai

To reach the light, you must climb in the dark.

They had been going up for a while. Stairs made of stone going all around the mountain, swirling its way toward the main gate. This had been a hell of a journey, walking past multiple people who had stopped doing what that carved stone said. .net

"I'm guessing the dark mentioned here isn't only about visibility," Mori thought out loud.

It felt as if wisdom from millennias past was slowly being carved into him as well. As he kept progressing up Tenet, the tallest mountain, carved stones kept reminding him he was going toward something.

At times he could make out what was written, but Maël's help was a blessing.

"It reminds me of Sisyphus."

Who's that? Asked Maël.

"A legend," said Mori who started climbing the stairs again.

He could feel his legs burning, a feeling he got accustomed to.

He continued. "The story of a man who angered the Gods, and was made to push a boulder up a mountain. He will, for eternity, be rolling it up only for it to roll back down."

Hm. It doesn't truly fit this place, but I see how similar it is.

Mori's surroundings, besides the stone stairs, was the side of the mountain on his right, and the void on his left.

Would someone push him, he'd fall for a long time before reaching the ground. He made sure to stay closer to the right, although he doubted anyone would be around to push him down.

As he climbed, his attention was detached from the endless amount of steps he was going through to look on his left.

Another one, he thought.

The amount of husks he had seen laying down on the stairs was considerable.

They were everywhere, sometimes almost fused with the environment they were in. This one was almost one with the stone he laid against.

Careful not to damage someone already damaged by time any further, he made sure not to get close to it.

He could kind of tell it was looking toward the sky. A blank and empty expression covered its face as it stared into the eclipse.

Soon Mori would reach the light, all he needed was to keep going. It was getting slightly colder, yet not so much that he was freezing.

As he kept going his gaze often turned to the scenery, which was mainly the other mountains surrounding this one. He could see 'sparks' on top of some of them, most likely caused by other people.

And eventually, he did it.

He barely noticed his first step into the light, only as it blinded him he realized he had finally made it.

It was like someone had finally flipped the switch in a room with no windows. Day and night, literally, as he kept walking up.

His arm quickly went over his eyes, blocking them from the sudden light. Momentarily stopping to get used to it, he put his other hand on the ground and sat down. Little by little, he tried looking around.

It felt like his eyes were burning, but after a couple of minutes they finally adjusted.

So dramatic, said Maël.

Dusting himself while standing up, he turned around.

"Great. More stairs. But in light mode now."

Get used to it, replied Maël.

Nothing had really changed, however everything looked nicer. As if the light repaired the surrounding area, turning the dull steps into polished stone.

They were still cracked, but looked a lot nicer than what was right before.

At the start of his ascension, there was barely any steps, mostly broken stone and dirt forming into a path.

Mori sighed in relief.

He had finally reached the top, but it wasn't narrow as he thought. He was at the edge of what was an extremely large plateau.

The path before him went on for a kilometer or two, where he could distinctively see a castle against the level ground.

its size was considerable, for how tall it was at this distance.

It was made of polished white stone, the whole structure had a gothic feel yet the choice in material was surprising.

The was a giant wall all around it, with multiple towers peaking through, all taller than the next. It gave the whole place a sort of asymmetrical feel.

The main castle inside the walls wasn't as tall as the towers around it, but it was extremely large.

"That's impressive."

It was. Now it's rubble. Like everything else in this place, you'll notice.

"Yeah, I've understood that's the theme here."

The path Mori walked on wasn't decorated, on each sides plains of dirt extending far.

There was a single dead tree to his right, it must've been a sort of giant willow tree, not that he knew much about them.

"I'm guessing this was a sort of garden?"

So long ago. I wasn't even here, and I've been here forever. I know this place was full of grass, flowers and other things.

"...But how? I've walked a long time in this wretched place and I have yet to see a single plant that isn't dead."

Ah, if you literally meant how, then it's not that hard. Remember that getting back to the main realm isn't the problem, the problem is that you end back here no matter what.

Mori hummed.

She was right, anyone motivated with an eternity in front of them would be able to turn this place into something decent.

Mori's feet kept going one in front of the other, seemingly used to the exhaustion that was deeply settled in.

"Well you've made it."

Mori quickly looked up.

Floating against the sky was Jax.

He was hovering on his side, as if he were a Greek god awaiting for a servant to hand-feed him grapes in his mouth.

His looks were far from one of a Greek god.

He was clearly eccentric, and his devious smile confirmed that.

"Welcome to Tenet, my personal residence."