Free Web NovelChapter 3: Chapter 3: You...
The mountains should be quiet. They had taken care of the many beasts that would disturb it. The very reason Amon and everyone went on those ventures was to ward off this kind of disaster, to protect the village from even the slightest probability of bad luck.
"It seems fate does what fate wants." Amon said, watching the avalanche drawing nearer and nearer.
"Haha, indeed. I was getting old already, so this kind of death suits me." The old man Pasang replied.
"Hahahaha..." Amon laughed. "Still the same old same old, huh?"
The old man slapped his back. "Why are you laughing? Aren’t you going to do something about it, Mr. Guardian?"
"Oh, look what we have here. Someone finally called me by my title... hahahaha."
He laughed, the wind of the upcoming avalanche flaring his long golden hair. Everyone panicked, running away from their houses, as only the old man and Amon stayed still.
Nyima came running toward Amon. "Dear, what are you doing?! Let’s run!" She shouted, pulling Amon from his seat, but he didn’t even budge. Not even a little bit.
"Dear?" She called.
Amon gazed at her teary eyes. "Oh dear, it’s not like that. I’m not being suicidal again." He said, standing up and kissing her forehead, as the avalanche came closer and closer, the ground gradually quaking.
Nyima calmed down a little. She knew that smile. Even with the world on the edge of destruction, it was still okay. But she still shivered watching the avalanche so up close.
"It’s okay, dear." He said, letting her go, as a surge of overwhelming aura covered his body. His golden hair gradually floated, his eyes shining golden.
"I am Amon, the golden guardian. The deity of the Himalayas." He said.
Unlock level 1, he thought, as something inside him clicked, like a key opening a lock.
[STR: 999,999+ unlocked.]
Amon’s muscles tensed as he felt the raging power growing inside him. The snow around his legs floated as he readied himself to jump, and jump he did, leaving the village far below.
Pasang smiled. "See, my daughter, he left us. Isn’t your husband such a terrible guardian?"
Nyima slapped his back. "Can you please, Father, be serious for one second?"
Amon heard it and still smiled. He huffed his breath, his chest puffing up, his hands pulled back like he was going to clap. And with utterly gigantic force, he did.
Clap!
Like thunder clashing with thunder, the force it produced tore forward, reaching the avalanche at supersonic speed, like a barrage of biblical wind, forcing the snow to push back upward. It flowed higher and higher, reaching the peak of the mountain and going past its tips.
The giant, earth-shaking avalanche, blasted away by a simple clap of hands. The whole village saw it, felt it, their ears ringing from that clap alone.
Then the leftover snow began to fall down on the villagers as they witnessed the miracle before them.
"Yeahhhh!" Cheering cheered first, as everyone snapped out of their awe and surprise and joined in, as the whole village erupted in cheers, Nyima smiling with a hint of tears.
Amon landed softly, as if he hadn’t just blown an entire avalanche into the sky and turned it to snowfall. As if he hadn’t stopped a natural disaster with a single clap.
Nyima ran toward him, hugging him tight. "Thank you, once again."
Pasang came along with his stick. "Haha... just admit you wanted to show off in front of my gorgeous daughter."
"Father!" Nyima yelled.
"Hahahaha..." the old man laughed.
"Hahahaha..." Amon laughed as well, while the villagers began to gather, thanking Amon again and again.
Amon smiled back, but at the edge of his vision, he saw it. Someone, someone at the tip of the mountain. He didn’t know if that figure was responsible, but that hardly mattered.
What mattered was calming the villagers and helping everyone.
Night time
The celebration was underway once more. The fire reached higher, the music from the drums and sitars echoing louder and louder. Many Sherpas who had made their own liquor, stored for years, passed it to Amon.
Not out of respect, nor out of mere feelings of thanks, but out of love. A certain feeling where they all felt that someone was watching over them, like a father figure, guiding them, protecting them, loving them.
Pasang, the old man, tried to dance as well, but his back gave out. Cheering held his father up and walked him to a quiet corner.
"Dad, how many times are you going to stay stubborn? Stop drinking already. You are an old man now."
His father only looked at him with a smile. "Haha, just relishing life, my son. It’s rare, very rare to see someone reach my age. Most of us only lived into our forties, but now..." he said, looking around at most of his old friends still alive, watching their kids and grandkids.
"Haha... now the young lads have more work on their hands, taking care of us old folks."
Cheering smiled, sitting by his side. "Well, all thanks to him, of course."
The old man nodded, saying nothing much, taking in the peace. "Can you keep the peace in the future, in my place?" he asked, still looking at the fire.
"...?" The son looked at his father in surprise. "Wait, what do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean. It’s time. I’m too old to manage that position. You already show great leadership..."
"What? No. Isn’t Amon supposed to have that role?"
"He already has his own role. We shouldn’t push too much on that fellow. Don’t worry, I saw you when the avalanche was bearing down on us like doom. While everyone ran, you were the only one helping and guiding everyone to safety." He said, turning to his son. Eye to eye.
"..." Cheering paused, looking at his father. "Can I really do it? Am I that capable?"
"You are, son. Yes, you are. And if things go south, we have our guardian, the husband of your sister. He is family now. So you don’t have to worry too much." He said, placing his hand on his son’s shoulder.
"If you say so, Father. Wait, by the way, where is he? Amon?"
"Maybe having some special time with your sister, hahahaha."
"Perhaps..." Cheering replied, a little uncomfortable with that thought. When Nyima walked up to them.
"Dad, have you seen Amon?" she asked.
Both of them looked at each other. "We thought he was with you..."
"No, I’ve been searching for him for a while. There are practically gallons and gallons of alcohol sitting at our doorstep."
Cheering looked around, searching for him but not finding him anywhere. "Where did he go? He’s the man of the day here." He said, his eyes drifting to the shining full moon lighting one side of the mountain.
***
Near the top of the mountain, the moon shone bright on the snow, and footprints trailed upward toward its peak. There he was, his long golden hair flowing in the slight wind.
And as he reached the top, he saw a familiar silhouette, and his suspicions came true.
"So it was you, Ureil." He said.
And from the shadow, stepping into the bright white light, there she was. Wings folded at her back, golden and white armor lacing her whole body, her white hair and golden eyes gleaming bright.
"It’s been a while, Amon. Or should I call you the immortal? The destroyer of worlds."
Amon smiled. Not a comfortable one. His eyes glowed golden with a quiet irritation.
"It really has been a while."
