“It’s time,” He said, looking over his assembled group leaders. His words were met with shared grins.

  “Finally!” Ro’Kar grunted. “This place is getting stuffy!” The rest chuckled in agreement.

  “What’s the plan?” Ta’Ku asked, looking bright-eyed. Noah smiled.

  “It’s time we get off this System-forsaken mountain. We’re going to see what’s on the other side.” He replied.

  “When do we leave?” Zo’Kati asked.

  “At dawn. Take the evening to prepare your groups and gather supplies. We do not know how long we will be traveling, so prioritize mobility.” He instructed. They agreed and departed with enthusiasm, each of them having long since tired of the white-washed world. Noah left to make his own preparations, having already relayed the news to his group earlier that day. He had considered returning down the mountain, retaking the orc village, and checking up on the human settlement, but decided otherwise. Their path was to move forward, and he had given all that he could to his fellow humans. If they didn’t want to use the knowledge he had given them, that was their choice. As he collected his few belongings, he mused over their progress. It had been a fruitful several months for the planet, but especially so for his tribe. After every new Copper joined their ranks, he had made a habit of checking the global rankings and found that they had fluctuated significantly. The new list was made up entirely of Coppers, now primarily orcs and elves. A couple of months back, he could have sworn that he saw another human on the list but it had shifted in front of his eyes as the next of his tribe joined the fold. Even though he regretted missing the name, the thought that other humans were finally moving forward was a great comfort to him. Unlike the other races, humans of his era were not accustomed to living in constant danger and conflict. The people of his home country were more than a generation removed from the last significant war and had never experienced so much as a fistfight. It would be a serious effort for his people to adjust to this new world, but that one name meant that it was happening.

  The next morning the camp was alive with activity, his people were covered in fur clothing and leather strips, with large packs on each of their backs. They appeared as the native tribes of the northern regions on Earth, clothed in the thick pelts of their prey. Their iron weapons had long since dulled and broken, and were replaced with weapons made of the titanium-like bones of the strongest beasts. He carried several such weapons, a dagger at his waist, a large club, and a wicked spear with a razor-sharp edge. Their crafters had come a long way since they had arrived in the frozen expanse, having honed their craft through the constant demand. He smiled as their groups formed up, looking less like a ragtag bunch of misfits and more like a uniform people. He made his way to the front of the tribe and turned to acknowledge them.

  “Our time in this bountiful graveyard has come to an end! We will run until we see what lies beyond the mountain, or at least until we get out of this vile snow!” He shouted. His words were met with a roar of approval and several barking laughs. Without further ado, he turned and began the trek toward their next adventure.

  They ran and ran. Dawn turned to dusk, then dawn again. The scenery remained unchanging day after day. They spent the full extent of the sunlight running and several more hours under the stars before they would stop to rest each day. They ate as they ran, making use of their sizeable stores of dried meat. Running had become a key part of Noah’s life, serving as a physical transition between different events he experienced, so what was a few more weeks of running? He reminded himself of this daily, promising that he would settle down once they found the location of their future home. The days became a week, which turned into two, then three. A couple weeks in they started to hunt as they ran, not wanting to risk depleting their food stores. It wasn’t until the fourth week of travel that they noticed a change.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  The first sign was the wind. It was less biting than it had been only days before. Then there was the subtle scent of greenery that occasionally tickled their noses. And finally, the snow began to dwindle. One month and one day into their run, they stepped onto green grass. There was no invisible barrier marking a change in the essence density, not any other sign except for the gradual shift into a spring environment filled with lush grass. The black dirt of the mountain was absent, completely covered by the vibrant green. The biggest change happened a day later when the slope of the mountain began to noticeably flatten. There was a popping sensation as he stepped onto truly level ground. And like a torrent of fresh air, rich essence flowed into him, instantly relieving the aches and pains of travel, and putting a spring in his step. The transition didn’t feel quite as drastic as entering the cold realm from below, but it was close.

  The rest of his tribe crossed the threshold, each enjoying the reviving sensation of the essence–that is until the first Iron stepped through. He stumbled, gripping his head and groaning, while the orc who caught him looked around for help in shock. The next Iron crossed, and similarly fell to their knees. Noah put the pieces together and ran to them, picking them up and bringing them back into the lower reaches.

  “Stop!” He yelled. “Irons appear to be unable to bear the new environment.” The tribe immediately complied, halting in their tracks as looks of worry and bewilderment spread across their faces. Noah frowned, supremely disappointed by the development. He took a moment to gather himself before turning to the others. As there were only 20 Coppers among them, the choice was clear.

  “We will have to set up a temporary base here while we wait for everyone to ascend.” He heard a couple of groans and also noticed the looks of shame appearing on a few of the orc’s faces.

  “There is nothing to be ashamed of. We had no way of knowing that this would be a barrier for us. Every Iron will make it their primary focus to advance, accelerating your typical training schedule. Coppers will rotate responsibilities scouting the new area and leading hunts. For now, let's get settled.” Noah ordered. As much as he wanted to rush off into the new land, he knew that his people needed him in this moment, and so he stayed. He did, however, take the opportunity to scan the horizon. If he didn’t know better, he would say that this was normal countryside. He saw groves of trees, small hills, flowers, and grass as far as his eyes could see. He saw what looked like a herd of deer, or similar beasts in the far distance and carefully followed their movement until they crossed out of sight. If Irons were unable to cross into the new territory, he was Leary to fight the beasts that could dwell in the essence rich zone.

  He found Ta’Ku and informed him of the herd’s presence, asking him to organize a watch. Then he found Ro’Kar, seeking advice.

  “What do you think we ought to do? Should we all stay or should we send some warriors ahead to start establishing our new village?” Noah asked, eager for someone else to share his responsibility. Ro’Kar chuckled, no doubt seeing the look in his eyes.

  “I think you made the right call for now. Some may start to get restless as things drag on though, so you will need to keep an eye on the tribe’s morale. I believe sending out scouting parties will satisfy that itch for the time being.” He assured Noah. Noah sighed, grateful for his council but also feeling that same itch himself. He had been trapped on the mountain for most of a year and was finally given open space to explore. Sure, he had killer calves from the ordeal, but that was hardly consolation enough. Seeing Noah’s restlessness, Ro’kar laughed and slapped him heartily on the back.

  “Boy! You best just go. Take a few of the antsy ones with you. It will be better for everyone if you do.” He said. Noah grinned and thanked Ro’Kar before searching for his hunting buddies. As it turned out, the most restless were Ne’Ja, Di’Ma, and Me’Zin. He smiled as he shared the good news with them. Two others joined as well, and together they turned toward the wide open spaces.

  Hello World.