Chapter 1139: Kavad's Lance VI
Leon stared at Grandin and Aladir, nonplussed in the wake of Grandin’s effective declaration that he and his brother were ready to climb Kavad’s Lance. Aladir looked unsteady on his feet at best, and his aura was weak even for a first-tier mage. There was little doubt in Leon’s mind that Aladir had been stronger before being petrified, which meant he’d suffered severe injuries to his soul realm to lose so much power.
In short, Leon didn’t believe for a moment that Aladir was in any way ready to climb a mountain that even post-Apotheosis mages had trouble with. And yet, Grandin looked as confident as he could be.
“Hardly the response I was expecting…” Grandin murmured as the silence stretched uncomfortably long. “I thought you were all eager to get this climb over with.”
“Your brother looks like a stiff breeze would knock him over,” Anna said. “You want him to brave the wind currents and monsters of the mountain?”
Grandin glanced at Aladir before stating confidently, “We know the mountain and its paths better than anyone! It’ll be easy to get to the top now!”
“It… will be difficult,” Aladir croaked, his voice sounding as smooth as sandpaper. “They are right, brother… I am not up to this climb…”
Grandin grimaced and whispered back, “You could get to the summit blindfolded!”
Aladir weakly chuckled before taking a moment to look around, his eyes lingering briefly on the blood, burns, and disturbed dirt and sand where the corpse of the monster that had petrified him had lain not long ago. With a visceral shiver, he made his way to the nearest relatively small boulder and almost collapsed onto it with all the grace of a sack of potatoes.
“I’m barely able to hold myself up, Grandin,” he stated. “Climbing this mountain is beyond me.”