“No. No! I refuse to believe it. You are not speaking truths. There must still be a way. No. Even if there is not, then it must all be destroyed anyways. We will make a new way!” we bitterly spat into some ugly, old man’s face, our anger possessing us far beyond our ordinary, subtly morose disposition.

  “Linus, Linus, calm down,” the voice of the serene elder soothed. “I’ve never claimed that there’s no way forward. Only that the path you specifically desire is impossible. Even you must realize that. The terms of the deal were very clear. They must be, or this place wouldn’t function properly. It’s the distant consequences of those terms that entrap us. However, within those certain consequences, we’re also given the barest room to choose. That choice is simply what you’re facing now. What I and all the others have already faced. What all atop of the ladder eventually face.”

  “I don’t care! This is madness. Your claims are all madness! If true, then everything was for nothing. All the sacrifice, all the suffering, all the… I’ve demanded so much from so many. Therefore, I will not allow it to be meaningless. I will choose to carry on.”

  “Linus, nothing is entirely meaningless. Every single choice paves a significant path, even the wrong ones. Both theirs and yours. After all, it’s what led you here. Again, the important choice now is what you’ll do with the information that you’ve been given. Will you continue down the guild’s path? Or will you pioneer another with us, away from the intent of the deal? Both choices will rob you of what you desire. However, they are also clearly the only options.”

  “No! I choose to go home. I choose to bring us all home. I will not be denied! I’ve come too far and done too much to be told no.”

  “You can’t go back. We can’t go back. No one can go back. You must know that too, if you stop stubbornly choosing to forget. It’s always been a one way trip. Especially for those of us foolish enough to take the deal.”

  “Curse you. Curse that worthless, shining, lying deity. Curse all of this! Perhaps your cowardice keeps you all from trying, but I will not back down. I cannot. I refuse!”

  Sighing, the elder stands up, carefully collects the pile of gems scattered across the makeshift, rocky table between us, and places them back inside a nearby lockbox for safe keeping. Although one part of him appears saddened by our staunch rejection, another is clearly unsurprised. Probably a long practiced reaction to the many others who supposedly came before us. Dozens? Hundreds? Who knows. Who knows how many he and his people have invisibly plucked from the precipice of the ladder, robbing us all of our collective chance to be free.

  “You know, if all of you were to join me, then we could easily overthrow the guild,” we defiantly challenged the elder. “We could establish our own rule within the city. Cease the worthless, divisive squabbling. Set up proper defenses. Who could stop us?”

  “Do you really think yourself the first clever climber to think of that?” the elder dryly responded, continuing his dutiful collection of the stones. “That path ends exactly the same as the one you’re on now. As do all the others save the one that we’ve offered you. I’d locate that particular testimony, but you’ve clearly rejected all the other evidence already. There’s no point insisting that you review more.”

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  We can only answer him with a half ashamed silence, turning instead to stare into the distance from up on this remote mountain peak. A far off storm flashes, loudly warning of a coming change in the wilds. A clear danger. The team should seek shelter and wait it out. That’d be extremely prudent given the prescribed, long established protocol. However, if we’re fast enough, then we’ll dodge the storm entirely. After all, we must go back and finish putting everything in order for the mission. All of this changes nothing.

  “I formally accept your refusal on behalf of our little group. We’ll no longer bother you. However, if you’re still moving forward with your plans, then allow me to offer some humble guidance.”

  “Speak,” we authoritatively demand, attempting to rebuild our quickly deteriorating confidence.

  “Consider them warnings. Prophecies of sorts. Signs that your path is moving along exactly as we predicted.”

  “Nothing more than obstacles to avoid.”

  “Yes, right. First, the ladder will ply you with some sort of unique acknowledgement. Something about it being your greatest achievement. Terms like supreme, ultimate, or transcendent are exceedingly common. You may wield it like a trophy to tempt the others into following you, if you wish. The message always inspires such greed amongst us climbers.”

  “And what’s wrong with achieving another skill? How can more power limit me?”

  “Oh, it won’t do anything, and it’s no real achievement. Nothing that you did earned it. They’ve simply decided that it’s your time. That the next act must progress.”

  “Fine. The ladder will be indecipherable and strange. What else is new? What more?”

  “Second, this useless distraction into Anatoly’s domain. The supposed veil obscuring our way back. I’ll repeat, this path has been walked so many times before. All under this same, fictitious Richter’s advice. While it always ends in failure, as is destined, it still poses a very real, insidious danger. Danger that none in the cities will be capable of handling, for obvious reasons.”

  “No worries. We shall succeed where the others have failed. We will be better. I will be better.”

  “Yes, of course. So you’ve said. However, sometimes the savvier climbers choose to relent after witnessing the false veil and the inevitable failure to pierce it. Until the end, our offer still stands. Know that you’re all welcome, and that we do possess the knowledge to properly treat the injured.”

  “Unnecessary, but thank you.”

  “As you wish. Third, despite the failure of your mission, the guild will demand some sort of celebratory meeting. If you faithfully follow their wishes and play along, it may buy you some time. However, knowing their history, I’d recommend dragging your feet. We have little information past this point due to the nature of the problem.”

  “Ridiculous, I’m strong enough to refuse the guild now. They haven’t been able to restrict me for some time.”

  “Ah, how foolish of me. Then fourth and finally, when everything is ready, the hand will reap what’s been sown. That’s it. The point of no return. There’s no recovery once it’s started. Your fate will have been fully sealed. Yours and the entire city’s will in the weight of your decision. All to complete their sacred script.”

  “Damn their script. I will stop it. I will stop everything. Or die trying.”

  “Yes, of course. We’ve heard this line so many times before. Enjoy.”