Aldred and his comrades entered the tent and rested. Bella came outside and sustain the water shield for them. She couldn't feel exhaustion, so she sustained the shield until the next day.
When Aldred woke up, he had breakfast with the others and played some soccer games. Nothing happened so they had fun for a few days.
People started coming from below. Some got teleported to this place while others climbed from below. Just like Aldred, they felt the burn and the lack of oxygen.
Many died immediately because they did not have the proper treasure to survive in this environment. Aldred saw the vikings climbing up the mountain. The armor on their skin sizzled, but then they took out some sort of drinking horn and washed themselves.
The sizzling stopped and they started making tents.
Aldred ignored them and looked around. A group of adventurer approached him and stopped by the shield of water.
"I heard you provide magic shield for a price."
"Who said that?"
"Someone told me."
"I actually don't sell this service, but let me hear your price and I might consider," Aldred said.
"I found some rare ore on the way. I wonder if you will accept it." The man showed some sparkling ores to Aldred.
Aldred inspected the ores with his godly eyes and found out that they were in great quality perfect to create armor. Some of the ores were even better than the treasures he got. Though Aldred did not have any black smith skills yet, he might learn one in the future.
"It's not good enough," Aldred lied which disappointed the adventurer. "But I'm feeling generous today, so I will accept it. The area will be smaller though."
The adventurers' eyes lit up.
"We're fine with that. Thank you."
Aldred smiled. He did not want to create a big shield for them as they might rent out the extra space to other people. He laughed inwardly. Only he could rip off everyone else.
Aldred conjured water shield for the adventurer on some plot of land. The area was enough for a bunch of tents to clump together or one large tent. The adventurers thanked him again and went on their merry ways.
He frowned. Using water shield as the environment continuously vaporizes them was tiring. Aldred thought of a way to sustain the shield automatically, and with his mastery and intelligence, he successfully created a self-regenerating water shield.
This way he did not have to conjure a new water shield all the time.
He also casted it to his own shield so Bella could relax, not that she could feel exhaustion anyway.
Aldred yawned in boredom. He hated the waiting part of these challenges. He looked Mary and the other girls. "You guys want to play chess?"
...
A brother and sister was climbing up the mountain, facing against cold wind and steep surface. The large-filled-up backpacks threatened to rip from the weight of items they brought.
Cold breath came out of their cracked lips as the wind blew their ragged clothes. Torn and dirty, some part of their skins left unprotected to the freezing breeze.
Raff and Ivette was their name. The brother looked rough and tough as he was from the slums of the city. Meanwhile the sister was as beautiful as a princess of a nation. Petite and stunning even with stain on her cheeks and clothes.
Such contrast was incredible as they came and lived in the same slum.
Raff looked at his sister who was fighting against the force of nature beside him. He hid his pitiful gaze with a smile. With their parents' death, their lives had went from misery to hell. To feed a family of four, their dad had to take debt from a noble.
Their parents could slowly pay the debt, but both of them died when a scion accidentally crashed into them with his magical bull.
After that moment, the interest rates suddenly went up and they had to pay off the debt or become slaves for sixty years.
Raff sighed. He climbed this mountain to obtain the astrolabe and sell it to pay off the debt, but he didn't expect his sister to come with him.
Nothing he said could convince her to stay.
"We're almost there, brother."
Raff smiled and nodded. He only wished the best for her, finding a rich and good husband who would never go into debt or mistreat her. He hated being poor. Being poor only brings misery and suffering. That was why he wanted his sister to find a rich husband.
He wanted her to be happy. Especially since she was a beautiful woman. She needed a powerful man to protect her.
As they climbed, the lungs in their body started to heat up, and their skin felt burning. Raff casted a divine golden light to protect them, and the pain disappeared.
"That priest is so generous to give us this power, Brother. If not for that we would never have had the chance to climb this mountain."
Raff smiled. "Yeah." He rubbed her head lovingly. "We'll survive through this. Pay the debt and make a new life."
Ivette nodded and smiled. Her brother has always been there for her, so it was only natural for her to be there for him as well. Even if the sky fell upon her, she would never let her brother walk this journey alone.
As they reached the top, they saw many tents were built, filling up the area.
"Let's get to that spot," Raff said. They walked to a small spot with just enough room for one small tent, but before they could build the tent, a bunch of tough looking dudes stopped them.
"This is our spot. Get out of here."
"We arrived here first," Ivette said.
"It's okay. We will leave, Ivette."
"No, brother. There is no other spot left."
The leader of the group glanced at his sister and whistled. "What a gal! Alright, I will let you be in this spot. In my bed, that is, haha!"
The other dudes laughed at their leader's joke.
Ivette glared at him. Raff took her hand.
"It's not worth it. Let's leave this place."
Ivette was still glaring at the man before she nodded and was about to walk away until the leader grabbed her hand.
"Who said you can leave? Didn't I tell you to stay in my bed?"
"Unhand me!"
The leader grinned. "Sure, after you take off your clothes."
