Where Winter Meets Summer (Rusame Countryhumans)

Soulmates

(NATO POV)

When the swirling darkness finally opened up, I could immediately feel all the hairs on my skin stand up. The sky above— that usually light gray sky was churning with grim, aphotic storm clouds, occasionally glowing with lighting and thunder.

"Oh yeesh," I shuddered as I tried to brush off the tingling sensation but the static air was buzzing with energy. NASA was the last one to step out of the Gate and she grimaced.

"Tough it out boys. It'll get worse as we get closer to ground zero."

We made our way towards the looming mountain base in the vehicle provided. Though the road there was far from straightforward, it was probably the safest. With whatever was brewing up there, taking the air route would be a death wish.

I couldn't relax during the entire ride there, despite NASA's coaxing. We still had yet to find any traces of the enemy and the lighting strikes that nearly blasted us off the road numerous times did nothing to help my jumpiness.

The pressure in the air also intensified with every minute, just like NASA had said. By the time we reached the edges of the town, three of our men were barely able to stand. They looked sick. Sensing that none of them would be able to go much further, NASA nodded to me and we made the decision to go in on our own.

"Do not let your guard down. Make sure to keep all communications open while we're gone," I instructed them as NASA handed them a Conduct.

They clasped the ruby red stone and saluted for our success and safety. With one last survey of our supplies, we marched into the town, towards the base of Mount Olympus.

As we walked through the streets, I could only imagine the panic that swept through the entire town. Well whatever uproar happened before was gone now because it was eerily quiet, minus the thunder pounding on our eardrums.

"How are you holding up?" I looked over to NASA.

"Oh please- I've braved the edges of space time. This is a walk in the park!" she joked but I could tell that the smothering atmosphere was getting to her as well.

We finally reached the opening of the path that led up the ridge but there was something about it that sent shivers down my spine. The ground was roughed up and scorched, like a battle had occurred very recently. There was a high possibility that whoever fought here was still in the area and I immediately went into high alert.

They were here.

NASA and I whipped around, ready to attack, defend, or run but we didn't see any hooded figure or any ominous being. Instead, there stood a young boy wearing a simple t-shirt and shorts, staring at us with the most uninterested olive-green eyes ever.

"Are you here to climb the mountain too?" he sighed as he pulled out a notebook or a ledger of some sort, "Well? Are you?"

"Uh... yes?" NASA replied hesitantly and he scribbled something into the page.

"A tour for two," the mysterious boy muttered as he seemingly tallied something up in his head, " That'll be three million two hundred thousand euros please." He extended his hand like he was expecting us to pay. When we didn't move he looked at us confused and said, "Are you paying with drachmas instead?"

"No kid," I finally said, "We're not paying that. We don't need a tour and you really shouldn't be here. It's dangerous."

Upon hearing this, his eyes seemed to cloud over as a shadow passed over his face, "I'm fully aware of that sir, thank you. But are you sure you don't want a tour? Let me warn you; only I'm able to show you to the top of this mountain."