Celeste: Changes (Male Reader)

The Long Start

"I just don't think I can see a way through all this."

"That's fine. Can you see your next step, though?"

"...Yeah."

"Then just take that."

As you stood at the base of Celeste Mountain, the daunting challenge ahead seemed to stare back at you with its snow-covered rocky face. The car door clicked shut behind you, and you took a moment to gather your thoughts. This was it, the culmination of months of planning, training, and dreaming. You had to climb this mountain...you had to. You glanced down at the gear strapped to your backpack, reassured by its weight against your shoulders.

"This is it, Y/N. Just breathe. You can do this...right?" you murmured to yourself, the words barely audible over the wind.

With a deep breath, you took your first step forward, the crisp crunch of frosted gravel beneath your boots signaling the start of your ascent. The path ahead lay blanketed in a fresh coat of powdery snow, winding its way through frost-kissed patches of hardy evergreens and over jutting ice-dusted rocks. Each step brought you deeper into the wintry landscape, the air biting cold against your cheeks, and with each step, the doubts, like icy tendrils, crept into your mind.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" a voice echoed in your mind, doubt lacing its tone.

You shook your head, forcing away the thoughts. You trained for this. You had prepared mentally and physically. You wouldn't let doubt hold you back now...you couldn't.

As you climbed higher, the air grew thinner, and the temperature dropped. You pulled your jacket tighter around you, pressing on despite the biting cold. Sweat trickled down your forehead, mingling with the chill of the mountain air. After what felt like hours of relentless climbing, you finally reached a snowy plateau, a brief calm from the uphill struggle. You collapsed onto a snow-covered rock, chest heaving as you gulped down the icy water from your canteen. The view from the site was breathtaking, the winter landscape stretching out before you in all its frosted beauty.

"You're doing great, Y/N," you muttered, the words serving as encouragement and reassurance for yourself.

But as you gazed up at the towering peak still looming above you, doubt gnawed at the edges of your determination. Could you really conquer Celeste Mountain? Or were you just lying to yourself? If it was...

"No!" Pushing the doubts aside, you forced yourself to your feet, shouldering your pack again. You had come this far, and you weren't about to give up now. The path ahead grew steeper, the terrain more treacherous with each passing step. Icy patches threatened to send you slipping down the mountainside with every footfall, and you relied on sheer will to keep going.

It was then that you heard it, a whisper carried on the biting wind, faint but unmistakable. At first, you brushed it aside as nothing more than a trick of the frosty air, a byproduct of exhaustion and altitude. But as you continued to climb, the voice grew clearer, its words echoing in your ears like a haunting call.

"You shouldn't be here," it warned, the tone grave and solemn, but what haunted you most of all...was its familiarity.

Instantly, you froze, your heart pounding in your chest as you scanned the snow-draped terrain for the source of the voice. But no one was in sight, and there was no sign of another soul on the icy mountain slopes, no one but you.

"Who's there?" you called out, your voice carried away by the gusts of wind.

There was no response, only the howling of the wind and the distant echo of your own voice. Shaking your head, you dismissed the voice as a trick of your frostbitten imagination, a whisper of the mountain playing tricks on your mind, but as you continued your ascent, the feeling of being watched lingered, a chill settling over you like the frost on the pines.

It was nearing dusk when you finally reached the mountain's base, a lone cabin nestled against the snowy slope, its windows frosted over against the fading light. You approached cautiously, heart racing as you knocked on the frost-rimed door. To your surprise, however, it swung open with a creak, revealing a dimly lit interior and the figure of an old man seated at a wooden table, his breath misting in the cold air. His eyes, sharp and piercing like the winter stars, meet you with a mixture of curiosity and wariness.

"Oh, hello, young man." he greeted, his voice carrying a soothing warmth.

"Evening," you replied, stepping into the welcoming warmth of the cabin. "I hope I'm not intruding. I'm just passing through on my way up the mountain." The old man nodded, gesturing for you to take a seat opposite him near the crackling fire. "Celeste Mountain is a dangerous place, especially for those unaccustomed to its ways."

You frowned, the warning not lost on you. "I've heard the stories, but I'm determined to reach the summit."

The old man's lips quirked into a wry smile. "Determination will only get you so far, young one. There are forces at work on this mountain that even the most determined climbers cannot hope to overcome."

You swallowed, the unease from earlier returning with a vengeance. "What do you mean?"

The old man leaned forward, his eyes intense as he spoke. "This mountain is a strange place, lad. It will test you and try to break you. You might even see things...things you aren't prepared to see."

You scoffed, but the old man's solemn expression gave you pause. "With all due respect, sir, I appreciate the warning, but I won't let that stop me."

The old man's smile faded, replaced by a somber look. "Then have it your way, but heed my words. The mountain is alive with more than just snow and ice. Turn back now before it claims you as well."

You hesitated, torn between the old man's caution and your own determination. But in the end, there was no other option.

"I appreciate your concern, sir, but I've come too far to turn back now," you said firmly, rising to your feet. "Thank you for your hospitality. I'll be leaving now."

The old man nodded, his expression grave. "Very well. May the mountain watch over you, young man, for you will need all the protection you can get."

With that, you bid the old man farewell, stepping back out into the chill night air. The path ahead was dark and uncertain, but you refused to let fear hold you back.