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.
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."