[MT-5C] Mt. Tinder 5

Journal Entry: Unraveling the Legends of Mt. Tinder

Considering my upcoming expedition, I find myself drawn to the legends about the enigmatic Mt. Tinder and its guardians. Though the stories have been shaped by time and the vivid imaginations of the gorgis who have retold them, I shall do my best to recount them as faithfully as memory allows.

The legend speaks of an ancient pact between the fiery heart of Mt. Tinder and the steadfast embrace of the earth. It is said that the mountain, a towering behemoth reaching toward the heavens, houses a powerful fire guardian at its core. See, deep within the belly of the mountain lies a raging inferno, a cauldron of molten lava that surges and churns with an untamed power. The fire guardian, an entity of pure flames, watches over this pulsating core. Fire is the heart.

But the mountain's guardianship does not end with fire alone. Mt. Tinder is also guarded by an earth guardian, a creature as ancient as the stones that form its rocky exterior. This guardian, a colossal embodiment of strength and endurance, draws its power from the very bedrock of the mountain itself. The earth guardian, with its immense stature and unwavering resolve, safeguards the mountain's secrets and treasures. Its connection to the earth allows it to manipulate the very landscape, shaping the cliffs, valleys, and plateaus that make Mt. Tinder what it is. Earth is the mind.

Legend has it that both guardians, bound together in their duty, exist in a delicate balance. The fire guardian's fiery temperament is tempered by the earth guardian's grounding presence. And the heat of the fire allows the earth more mobility, and more dexterity to reshape itself. It is said that those who approach Mt. Tinder with respect and reverence, acknowledging this harmony between fire and earth, may be granted glimpses of the guardians' wisdom and receive their blessings. But those who dare to challenge the mountain without such reverence risk invoking the wrath of the guardians, their forces unleashed upon the recklessly audacious.

While the specifics of the legend may vary with each retelling, the core message remains: Mt. Tinder is a place of elemental power. It is a place where the brave and curious can witness the raw beauty of nature's might, but only those who approach with humility and reverence shall truly understand its secrets.

When I make my ascent, I’ll duly do so with ‘appropriate reverence’. As much as I am able, at least. I don’t put much personal stock in… fairytales. I’m sure the trip will be interesting regardless, the view from the top of the caldera is supposed to be quite magnificent.

Under the scorching sun, Celandine continued her trek towards her goal - the crest of Mt. Tinder’s caldera, where the ritual altar would be found. The heat bore down upon her, urging her to seek respite in the shade. Her keen eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for a suitable spot to rest and escape the relentless rays. After a brief exploration, she spotted a rocky outcrop that provided a small patch of shade. With a sense of relief, she made her way toward it, savoring the coolness that greeted her as she settled down.

As she leaned against the cooled stone behind her, her thoughts turned to the enigmatic object she had fought with earlier. It had nearly caused her untimely demise… Remembering that she had placed it in one of her belt pouches, she reached into them, expecting to find it easily. However, as she rummaged through the contents, the object eluded her grasp utterly. Frustration crept into her mind as she continued her search, the pads of her paws carefully exploring each item in her pouches. The peculiar stone-like object remained stubbornly hidden as if playing a game of hide-and-seek. Celandine's anger grew, her focus unwavering as she methodically examined each pocket and crevice within the pouch. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, her touch brushed against the smooth surface of the mysterious object. A surge of satisfaction coursed through her as she retrieved it from its hiding place.

Celandine held it in her paw, marveling at its intriguing properties. Its texture and coloration seemed even more alien - as if the object itself was reluctant to reveal its true nature.

A subtle tremor coursed through her fingertips as Celandine clutched the stone tightly in her hand. At first, it seemed innocuous, one of those random shivers. Vragi would have told her that someone was walking over her grave. But as seconds turned to minutes, the stone's influence grew more palpable, sending ripples of unease through her mind. She felt the same carbonation-like buzzing at the back of her skull. Memories began to stir, whispers in the depths of her consciousness. Fragments of ancient tales and half-forgotten legends danced on the edges of her thoughts. She felt her mind strain to grasp them, subconsciously yearning for the elusive threads of truth hidden within.

The stone, once inert and lifeless, now visibly pulsed with an unsettling energy. With each beat of Celandine’s heart, it wove together tendrils of images, emotions, and sensations into her psyche. She found herself transported to distant times and realms, caught in a spectral web of forgotten knowledge. In this ethereal tapestry of memories, Celandine caught glimpses of dark figures, shrouded in robes of obsidian. Their eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, their presence exuding an aura of ancient wisdom. They beckoned her deeper into their realm, their whispers carrying impossible promises. The stone's influence intensified, its grip on Celandine's mind tightening like a vise. Threads of energy bore down upon her, the web tightening. Emotions surged through her, a maelstrom of joy, fascination, and an insatiable thirst for forbidden knowledge. She felt as though she teetered on the precipice of a dark abyss, tempted to surrender herself to its seductive pull. Too much… It was too much for her to resist. Her thirst for knowledge was insatiable even before this... She took a mental step off the edge, allowing the void to envelop her.

She fell. Wind whistled by her ears, there yet not. She felt a pulling on her fur, gravity flipped on its side. As Celandine plummeted deeper into the void, a frigid cold began to gnaw at the edges of her mind. The web tightened ever further. Freezing everything it touched. An infinite expanse stretched out before her, a bottomless pit of obsidian darkness that seemed to devour all traces of warmth and light. The emptiness of the void pressed against her, suffocating her senses and instilling a profound sense of dread. It was a place of desolation and despair, where hope was but a distant memory, swallowed by the yawning depths. A mistake. She felt regret. Such regret, it was the only emotion that was her own. Regret and cold, cold cold… Inescapable frozen darkness.

Yet, as she continued her descent, a subtle transformation permeated the air-not-air. The bone-chilling cold gradually gave way to a peculiar warmth, like a feverish breath against her skin. It crawled into her fur, diving through her flesh and insidiously creeping through her veins. It pushed the cold out of the way. Replaced it. Embraced it.

The darkness shifted, alight, twisting into a maelstrom of eerie luminescence. Shadows danced and writhed in twisted rhythms, casting macabre specters upon the ethereal canvas woven atop her mind. Within this unhallowed light, the stone's memories surged forth, assaulting Celandine's senses in a relentless onslaught. Visions erupted from the depths of her mind - not her mind - with disorienting speed, each one a nightmare woven from the fabric of her own deepest fears. She was transported to realms engulfed in infernal conflagrations, with flames full of unquenchable fury, consuming all in their path. The crackling heat scorched her skin, searing her senses with an agonizing symphony of torment. So hot it felt cold. Flash frozen.

From the shattered remnants of her mind’s web - not hers not mine - grotesque tendrils of darkness emerged, writhing and contorting like serpents of malevolence. They lashed out, seeking to ensnare her, their sinister whispers echoing deafeningly. She writhed in tandem, seeking escape - relief - safety. In this dreadful dance of terror, the air grew heavy with the stench of decay. Sickly sweet. A putrid miasma that clung to her like a shroud of malice. She felt it in her fur, sticking, thickening. She could almost feel the warm stickiness of blood upon her skin, its coppery taste staining her tongue, as if the horrors she witnessed sought to leave an indelible mark upon her very being.

Through the maelstrom of horrors, her mind became a battlefield. Fear and despair clashed with her spirit, seeking to dismantle the fragile fortress of her sanity. Yet - and yet - amid the chaos and terror, a flicker of resilience ignited within her core. She summoned every ounce of strength and willpower, defiantly pushing back against the suffocating grip of the stone's torment. Her web rewoven. Each breath she took became a defiant declaration, a resolute stand against the encroaching darkness. Threads tightening, strengthening. Fighting back. With a final surge of indomitable determination, Celandine emerged from the nightmarish void, gasping for breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She tore her gaze away from the stone, allowing it to slip from her grasp and fall away. It landed with a muted clatter against the dry ground. Celandine recoiled, her body trembling with the aftershocks of the unsettling journey she had taken. Nausea threatened to overtake her. She realized - belatedly - that the stone had granted her a glimpse into a realm impossible to understand. The land of gods, of alien minds. Incomprehensible to mortals. It took every ounce of her strength to steady herself, to bring her racing thoughts back under control.

She sat there, taking deep, calming breaths, allowing the air to fill her lungs and ground her in the present moment. Slowly but surely, the adrenaline coursing through her veins began to subside, replaced by a sense of weary relief. With each breath, the tendrils of fear loosened their grip. Closing her eyes, she focused on the steady rhythm of her heartbeat, using it as an anchor to ground herself in reality. Inhaling deeply, she visualized exhaling the remnants of fear and anxiety, releasing them into the ether.

Celandine allowed herself the space and time to recover. She opened her eyes, the world around her coming back into focus. The sun bathed the landscape in a warm glow, casting gentle rays into her shadow, lighting upon her weary face. Shakily, she drew herself to her feet. She leaned against the rocky outcrop, leveraging it against her own weight.

She took a few tentative steps, testing her balance and gradually finding it restored. As she walked, a newfound sense of clarity accompanied her every step. The air felt lighter, the world more vibrant. The horrors were etched in her memory, but they no longer held power over her. Celandine knew that the road ahead would not be without its challenges, but she had emerged from the depths of despair stronger and more determined than ever before.