I Can See Evolution Paths

Arthur’s group continued moving toward the enormous mountain they’d discovered beyond the frozen lake. The landscape was becoming increasingly difficult to cross. Snow blew across the ground, visibility was already somewhat reduced, and the mountain seemed farther away than it had appeared from the lake.

Arthur kept the compass in his hand, the needle remaining fixed toward the mountain.

Sun glanced at it. "Please tell me we’re almost there."

Arthur looked toward the mountain. "We’re getting closer."

Sun sighed. "That wasn’t what I asked."

Eden laughed from above Arthur. "We’re getting closer!"

Sun looked at her. "You two are terrible at giving useful answers."

Arthur chuckled. Star was nestled against his arm, occasionally wiggling whenever the cold wind became stronger.

Then the ground shook. Everyone stopped. Snow slid from the nearby trees.

Vedas immediately raised his spear. "What was that?"

Another tremor followed. Arthur looked toward the right. A massive wall of snow suddenly rose beyond the trees.

Athena’s expression changed. "That’s not normal."

The snow began moving faster. At first, it looked like nothing more than another wave of wind sweeping across the White Frontier. Then the wall of white beyond the trees grew larger, swallowing everything in its path.

Luna’s expression immediately changed. "A storm."

Arthur looked toward her.

Another tremor shook the ground, and something enormous crashed somewhere inside the approaching white wall.

Luna pointed toward it. "We have to run now!"

Everyone turned toward her.

"If we get caught in that, we won’t just lose our direction. We could be buried before we even realize what’s happening!"

Arthur didn’t hesitate. "Everyone, move!"

The group immediately began running toward the mountain. The storm rapidly expanded across the landscape. The wind grew stronger with every passing moment. Snow lashed against their faces, and visibility began disappearing entirely.

Vedas looked toward Luna. "She’s slowing down."

Luna tried to keep running. "I’m fine!"

Vedas shook his head. "You’re not." He quickly picked her up.

Luna gasped. "Vedas?!"

"You’re lighter than I expected."

Luna blinked. "That’s what you say right now?"

Vedas ignored the comment and carried her toward Melo. Mithra summoned Melo’s true form, and her appearance changed dramatically. Five tails trailed behind her, each marked with silver moon patterns. A third eye opened on her forehead, bearing a crescent moon at its center. Her fur became a cosmic mixture of pink and blue while dream mist trailed behind her, ancient moon-shaped sigils orbiting slowly around her body, every step leaving behind faint glowing stardust.

Luna stared. "She’s beautiful."

Mithra smiled. "She’s even faster like this."

Vedas carefully placed Luna onto Melo, who lowered herself slightly to make it easier. "Hold on."

Luna gripped her fur. "Okay."

Melo immediately accelerated, and the rest of the group followed.

The storm began throwing debris across their path. A large frozen tree crashed down in front of them.

Vedas raised his spear. "I’ll clear it." He smashed through the frozen trunk, and the pieces scattered across the snow.

Sun whistled. "You could have just gone around."

Vedas looked at the remaining path. "We don’t have time."

Arthur laughed. "He’s got a point."

Another wall of ice appeared. This time Arthur used Guardian Strike, shattering it apart.

Eden flew ahead. "There’s another obstacle!"

Arthur looked forward. "How many?"

Eden looked around. "A lot!"

Sun groaned. "That’s not a number!"

Eden laughed. "It’s a lot!"

Kong rushed beside Sun, excited despite the storm. "Run!"

Sun looked at him. "I know we’re running!"

The storm continued closing in. The mountain entrance was still ahead, but now the group could barely see it.

The wind suddenly became violent. Arthur raised an arm to shield his face. Then Eden shouted, "Arthur!"

He looked toward her. She pointed into the storm. Something enormous was moving inside it. At first Arthur assumed it was a tree. Then he saw walls. A roof. Windows. An entire house was being carried through the storm.

Luna’s eyes widened. "What...?"

Sun stared. "Is that a house?"

Athena’s expression became stunned. "The storm is carrying it."

The house spun helplessly through the air, surrounded by enormous blocks of ice, trees, rocks, and countless tons of snow. For several seconds, nobody could look away as the entire structure was carried deeper into the storm.

Luna’s eyes widened. "Someone lived there."

Athena’s expression remained serious as she watched it disappear behind the wall of snow. "And now the storm is carrying it away."

Sun swallowed. "Remind me never to underestimate the weather here."

Kong looked toward the storm. "House flying."

Sun glanced at him. "Yes, Kong. House flying."

Kong nodded solemnly. "Bad."

Arthur laughed despite himself. "That’s one way to describe it." He looked toward the mountain. "Let’s make sure we don’t become part of the scenery."

The group pushed themselves harder. The mountain entrance finally became visible, still far away, but now the storm was almost upon them.

Luna looked over her shoulder. "It’s here!"

The wall of snow had swallowed the trees behind them. Pieces of ice and broken branches were being thrown through the air, and the ground trembled beneath the force of the storm.

Mithra urged Melo forward. "Faster!" Melo’s five tails spread behind her as she accelerated.

Vedas ran beside them, keeping pace even while carrying his spear. "We’re almost there!"

Sun and Kong smashed through another frozen obstruction.

Athy flew above the group, searching through the white landscape. "Left! There’s a clear path!"

Arthur looked ahead. The entrance was only a short distance away. "Everyone keep moving!"

A massive tree suddenly crashed down in front of them.

Arthur immediately raised Dusk. "Guardian Strike!"

The golden attack tore through the frozen trunk, splitting it apart.

The mountain entrance appeared directly ahead.

Arthur tightened his grip around Star. "Now!"

Melo leaped through the entrance. Vedas followed. Arthur and the others rushed after them, diving into the mountain just as the storm reached them.

They rolled across the snow-covered stone floor.

A deafening BOOM shook the mountain as the storm slammed into the entrance behind them. Snow and ice scattered across the opening.

For several moments, nobody moved.

Then Sun slowly lifted his head. "...Did we make it?"

Kong immediately raised his fist. "Yes!"

Athy landed nearby, breathing heavily. "That was too close."

Mithra looked toward Melo. "You did well."

Melo’s tails swayed proudly. "I know."

Arthur laughed.

Luna remained lying against the ground, staring toward the entrance. "I thought we were going to get buried."

Arthur sat up. "Me too."

Sun looked at him. "You didn’t look worried."

Arthur shrugged. "I was."

Sun stared at him. "You smiled."

Arthur smiled again. "I smile when I’m worried."

Sun sighed. "That’s not reassuring."

Once the storm passed enough for them to continue, the group moved deeper into the mountain. The passage gradually changed. The walls became smoother. The floor was no longer natural stone and ancient structures were built directly into the mountain. Massive bridges stretched over dark chasms and frozen water channels ran alongside the pathways. Ancient mechanisms were embedded into the walls, and large statues stood silently in alcoves.

Athena’s eyes shone. "This isn’t a natural cave."

Arthur looked around. "You noticed?"

Athena gave him a look. "Arthur."

He smiled. "I was asking."

Arthur looked across them. Each entrance bore a different symbol. One resembled Fire. One resembled Water. One resembled Wind. One resembled Earth. The final symbol was almost completely unreadable.

Arthur stared at it for a moment. Unlike the other four, it didn’t resemble an ordinary element. Whatever had once been carved there had been damaged far more severely than the other symbols.

Athena stepped closer and ran her fingers across the stone. "This wasn’t caused by age."

Arthur looked at her. "You’re sure?"

Athena nodded. "Someone deliberately damaged it."

Arthur’s eyes narrowed slightly. "That’s interesting."

Athena glanced at him. "You say that about everything."

Arthur smiled. "Not everything." He looked back toward the damaged symbol. "Just the interesting things."

They continued deeper, and the passage opened into an enormous chamber. Everyone stopped.

Five enormous entrances had been carved directly into the base of the mountain. Each was large enough for something far larger than any ordinary person to pass through, and the sheer scale of them made the group feel small standing before them.

Arthur slowly looked from one entrance to another. "This isn’t just a doorway."

Athena nodded. "No." She stepped closer, studying the carvings. "It’s a system of some kind."

Sun frowned. "A system for what?"

Athena shook her head. "I don’t know yet."

Vedas looked toward the five entrances. "Whatever this place was built for, someone expected something to pass through all five."

Luna remained unusually quiet.

Arthur noticed. "Luna?"

She looked toward the entrances. "My grandfather told me about this place."

Arthur turned toward her. "You’ve heard of it?"

Luna nodded. "He called it the Five Gates."

Arthur looked back toward the enormous entrances. "Did he tell you what was behind them?"

Luna continued staring at the gates. "He said the mountain was important, but he never explained why."

Athena looked toward her. "Did he ever mention what was inside?"

Luna shook her head. "Only that the mountain was older than most of the ruins he’d visited."

Arthur’s expression became more thoughtful. "Then there’s probably a reason he remembered it."

Luna nodded. "That’s what I thought too."

Arthur looked toward the open gate. "Maybe we’ll find out why."

They entered the open gate, and the atmosphere immediately changed. There was no natural snow here. Instead, ancient structures stretched into the darkness. Water channels ran along the walls despite the frozen environment. Large stone platforms hung over deep shafts. Ancient mechanisms sat dormant, some covered in frost, others still faintly glowing.

Athena was completely fascinated. She moved from inscription to inscription. "These aren’t random carvings."

Mithra looked around. "What are they?"

"Records." Athena brushed frost from one wall and began translating. "The mountain protects what the surface forgets."

Arthur looked at her. "Does that help?"

Athena shook her head. "Not yet."

Arthur looked deeper into the facility, and for some reason something about the place felt wrong. Just old, in a way that suggested it had been built for something far more important than simply hiding inside a mountain.

Athena found another inscription farther along the wall. She brushed away the remaining frost. "There’s another one."

Arthur walked over.

Athena translated the ancient words. "Water carries memory."

Luna looked toward the narrow water channels running through the facility. "What does that mean?"

Athena studied the water for several moments. "I’m not sure yet."

Arthur looked at the previous inscription. "The mountain protects what the surface forgets." Then he looked toward the water. "And water carries memory."

Athena slowly nodded. "Those two may be connected."

Arthur’s expression became more thoughtful. "So this place wasn’t simply built to hide something."

"I don’t think so," Athena replied. She looked deeper into the ancient facility. "There is something else going on here."

Arthur smiled. "Good."

Athena looked at him. "Why is that good?"

Arthur turned toward the darkness ahead. "Because we still have something to discover."

Athena sighed. "I knew you’d say that."

Arthur laughed.

The group continued deeper into the ancient facility, their footsteps echoing through the enormous passageways.

For several minutes, nothing happened.

Then Arthur heard something.

A faint click echoed out.

He stopped. "Did you hear that?"

Everyone turned toward him.

BOOM.

The entire mountain trembled.

Snow fell from the ceiling.

Luna instinctively moved closer to Arthur. "What was that?"

And then ice shards from above rushed down onto them.

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