Snake at the Top of the World [Job/Solo]

Snake at the Top of the World:

Caelus woke just before dusk, his head still spinning but the pain had mostly receded.  He stood, taking a moment to regain his balance and shake out the drowsiness that had overtaken him.  Looking to the path ahead, Caelus saw a straight and narrow road leading farther up but at a gentler incline than before.  For the moment, it seemed that this would be a short reprieve from the grueling climb he had experienced until then.  But still his breath continued to catch in his throat.  The air was very thin, and would only get thinner.  How much farther up could it possibly go?  He wondered before starting the first few steps up the path.

Darkness fell merely an hour after his walk began.  But Caelus found that he had no trouble seeing.  Up here, away from the lights down below in Kou's cities, the stars and sky shone brilliantly.  A great swath of light that you couldn't possibly see anywhere else was laid out before him.  The white specks of light were joined by purple and blue hues that hung like the finest tapestries, out doing anything one could find in the home of a royal or the richest man.  In a great band they arced across the sky, joining the two horizons.  Every constellation he had ever learned as a child, the warrior, the dragon, the three crowns, and many others, all of them were perfectly visible in this pristine sky.

However Caelus was unable to merely gaze at their beauty for long.  At this height the chill was finally sinking into his bones as a freezing wind came billowing from the peak.  If he didn't reach the top soon, he'd freeze to death from exposure.  He wrapped Frost Mantle around himself, the cloak proving a bit of cover from the wind but not much in the way of warmth.  The mountain continued to sap his strength, bit by bit.

It was another two hours before Caelus saw a change in the path.  A large mound, seemingly of smooth stone, that had no business being there.  "What could have possibly put this here?  It looks like it came out of a lake."  He remarked aloud.  He put his hand out to touch it, but recoiled and jumped back at the last second.  The mound had moved.  Very slightly, almost imperceptibly, but it had moved.  Caelus grabbed Ripple and Life Aura, and began feeding the latter with Magoi.  Sure enough the mound lit up like the sun, a brilliant silhouette of purple that coiled around itself until completing at a fanged head that slowly lifted itself from the ground.

The beast was massive, and Caelus had no idea what exactly it could be.  A serpent for sure, but what snake grew to this size and at this height?  It's body was easily a meter around if not larger, and it must have been seven, no, eight meters in length.  Caelus lifted Ripple to defend himself, but the snake struck out with blinding speed.  Before he could assume any semblance of a guard, the snake plunged its fangs into Caelus' right shoulder.  It then retreated with equal speed back to its coil, tasting the air with its tongue and, he could swear, smiling.

Caelus began to feel the effects of what must have been the snakes venom.  His vision blurred slightly, and his body was sluggish.  He tried to move his arm up again, and found it took considerable effort.  He steeled himself against the poison, "Not today you bastard!  I'll use every bit of my strength to make it past you.  I'm getting to the top, and you aren't going to stop me!"  He grit his teeth and locked eyes with the snake.  For a moment they both were still.  Caelus acted first, bringing his sword high above his head, and at that moment the snake darted forward again, mouth open wide.  Using all of his might, he brought the sword down in a Vicious Cross, causing the snake to pull to the right just short of him.  It was a glancing blow, but even still the snake shook violently and hissed, blood spilling from the wound to its head.  Not wanting to let up, Caelus leapt forward with a full force Brave Engage, directly into the serpents waiting mouth.  Ripple carved a long stroke directly through scale, muscle, sinew, and bone, cleanly bisecting the snakes left side.  Lifting the flap, Caelus stepped out as the beast gave a last sigh before dying.

Tired, weak, and covered in gore, Caelus walked another hundred meters before his leg buckled.  He went down hard, bruising his knee and sending a jolt of pain shooting up through his entire body.  Every injury he'd sustained during his week-long climb came roaring back to life, screaming at him to stop and give up.  Just rest.  Just for a bit.  Caelus pushed these thoughts away.  "I won't fall here."  He said aloud.  He repeated it like a mantra, picking himself up and continuing along the path.  Every step sent fresh waves of pain through him, but he refused to stop moving.  The air caught in his lungs, but he forced each breath to continue.  "I won't fall here."  He said again.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Caelus put his foot on level ground.  He had reached the peak.  The sun just touched the horizon as he did so, filling the sky with light and warming him just a bit.  Ahead of him there was a large temple, with lamplight visible in the windows.  Caelus walked to the door and knocked, remembering to sheath Ripple beforehand.  He had forgotten to do so after the fight, only now realizing that he had gripped it tightly in his right hand the entire rest of the walk up.

Moments later, a woman answered the door.  She looked Caelus up and down and frowned at his appearance.  "I'm Caelus."  He managed to say.  The woman nodded.  "You are filthy."  She replied.  Turning her back she continued.  "I am Ban.  Come inside and clean up.  We can sp-"  There was a loud thud, and Ban turned to see Caelus had collapsed behind her.  She check to make sure he wasn't dead, before calling a servant to come and get him cleaned up and in bed.  She would check his injuries in the meantime.  She noted the burned section of his clothes, and chuckled.  "The fool fought a World Snake to get here.  I said to arrive, not to fight every beast along the way.  When he wakes up he will get an earful from me."  She said the words fondly, as if remembering something from a long time past.  When the servant returned, the pair got to work putting Caelus back together.

Abilities:

Magoi: 120/130
Stamina: 130/190

~WC: 1154/1000~