NOVEL'S EXTRA: I Will Die at the Peak-Chapter 89: SAD

The first light of the day touched the mud houses of the village at the foot of Ravien’s fortress with a soft glow. The sun, not yet fully risen, was slowly climbing the sky while the first moon drifted westward.

The villagers’ condition had visibly improved compared to a few days earlier. Thanks to the supplies Ravien regularly provided, they no longer struggled with hunger and could devote more time to their daily lives. Working the soil, fixing homes, spending time with their children... This small settlement was ruled by silence, slowness, and quiet acceptance.

By then, Ravien was already awake, getting dressed. He pulled on a black, wide-collared shirt with missing buttons. He completed the outfit with a pair of tight, faded pants made of old fabric.

Across the room, Asogi had quietly risen from bed. As always, he was watching his father in silence, saying nothing. When Ravien looked at him, he noticed the boy was still wearing the same filthy clothes. Since the day he was born, he had neither changed his clothes nor bathed.

Ravien narrowed his eyes and turned:

"Asogi... Change your clothes already. And take a bath."

Asogi lowered his head slightly. His voice was low but clear:

"Alright, father."

Juuhra stood silently in the corner. His eyes were open but empty. There was no need to say anything to him. His existence couldn’t be measured by clothing or hygiene.

Ravien finished dressing and moved to the door. As his hand reached for the knob, he paused for a moment. An unexplainable feeling gripped him—cold, heavy, like an aching void. At the same moment, both Asogi and Juuhra turned their heads toward the same point. The sensation wasn’t Ravien’s alone.

---

Elsewhere

The green blanket of the forest suddenly ended, giving way to a gray-white wasteland of cracked earth.

At the center of this barren land stood a towering creature, nearly ten meters tall. Its form looked like it was made of liquid, yet it did not drip. Its dense, black mass rooted itself into the ground with sticky, tentacle-like limbs. With each step, the ground trembled, and black dust rose into the air like rotted breath.

This was Kheret, the Goat of God. And he was nearing the end of his journey toward his deity.

The formless mouths scattered across his body opened simultaneously. One of them spoke in a hoarse voice:

"My god... I’ve come so close."

The mouths widened even more. There were no teeth—just moist, dark voids. They all muttered the same words in a whispering chorus:

"Arrival is near. My god must hear me. Must know I have come."

A dark, purplish aura rose from Kheret’s body. It was less light and more darkness itself. It spread through the air, draining color from everything it touched. It dried the soil and dimmed the sky.

The massive form stood still for a moment. Then the mouths all opened again, and a whisper echoed from the black fluid within:

"My god... I have come."

And then, a deep sound erupted from deep within his body:

"MEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHH—"

The sound was so loud and raw that no one could tell what it was or where it came from at first. The entire valley, then the forest and open plains echoed with it. The aura expanded in a violent wave, crushing the ground. The earth shook. The air thickened.

---

That morning, the village was unusually quiet. Most people were inside their homes—some resting, others spending time with their children. A few strolled slowly through the streets.

The first tremor was felt in the ground. The rooftops quivered slightly. Then came a stronger jolt. Elderly women at their doorsteps placed their hands on the ground; some children lost their balance and sat down.

A young man looking out from a window turned sharply:

"What the hell is going on out there?"

A voice came from the back room:

"It’s not just shaking... There’s a weird sound, too!"

Someone sitting by the door stood, clutching his chest:

"There’s pressure in my chest. Feels like my heart is being squeezed."

The woman next to him nodded:

"I feel it too... It’s terrifying. Like someone’s cutting off my breath."

Then the second sound came. Closer. Harsher:

"MEEEEEEEE—"

After a brief pause, a heavy silence fell over the village. Birds went mute. The wind stopped. Everyone looked around, but no one spoke.

A child crouched and covered his head with his arms. Another clung to his mother’s dress. One of the old women sitting in front of her house slapped her knees, her eyes blank.

---

(POV: Ravien)

This... What is this energy? Where is this suffocating aura coming from?

I rushed to the window, grabbed the frame. Narrowing my eyes, I looked out to the horizon. A small black speck could be seen near the skyline—barely more than a dot. It looked ordinary at first glance, but the feeling it stirred inside me was anything but normal. That shadow was the source of the pressure filling the room.

Movement behind me. Asogi jumped up. His face showed not fear, but an unplaceable discomfort.

"What’s happening, father? This energy... It’s choking me. I don’t know what it is, but it’s wrong."

Juuhra was silent as always. He said nothing. Just got up from bed and fixed his gaze on a single point. Even in a moment like this, his emotionless demeanor was unsettling.

I moved to the door. No time to think. I had to decide:

"Juuhra, go up high. It might not be alone—scan the area. Asogi, stay near the village. If another creature is approaching, try to stop it. The people are defenseless."

Both nodded in silence.

Juuhra walked to the window and, without hesitation, leapt out. Transparent wings like thin membranes opened from his back as he began to glide. Mechanical and calm.

Asogi stepped to the window. Before jumping, he looked at me one last time, then dropped. Gray, leathery wings unfolded from his back. He landed silently.

The room still brimmed with that oppressive aura, but there was no time to linger. I opened the door and stepped into the courtyard. I muttered to myself:

"If there are werewolves in this world, then monsters shouldn’t be surprising either."

I crossed the stone courtyard and walked outside. Even the smell in the air had changed. Metallic. Burnt.

Jiho was leaning against the stone rail at the castle’s entrance, eyes fixed on the horizon. He turned his head as he heard my footsteps.

"Sir... I think something dangerous is coming."

I approached slowly. His eyes were sharp. I figured he might have an idea. Jiho rarely spoke, but he noticed everything.

"Jiho. What is it? Do you recognize this energy?"

He thought for a moment, then replied cautiously:

"Only one thing comes to mind, sir: Creatures from the outer world."

Outer world? What, are monsters raining from the sky now? That sounds ridiculous...

I frowned and looked at him:

"What exactly are these ’outer world creatures’, Jiho?"

Jiho adjusted his coat, stood straighter. His voice was clear and measured:

"Sir, there’s a great ocean beyond this continent. From that region, strange entities occasionally appear. Some are weak. Others, unimaginably dangerous. Their nature is unknown; because most who go to research that place never return. Anything that comes from beyond this land is called ’outer world.’ We are as alien to them as they are to us.

> -As taught by TTAO- These beings are considered demonic. According to them, the outer world is the source of disorder and the unknown."

I listened carefully. "Outer world," "TTAO"... These are deep matters. I’ll need to learn more when the time comes. But not now. Right now, a threat is approaching—and we don’t even know what it is.

I couldn’t waste another second. I passed through the castle gate. My horse stood nearby, pawing the ground anxiously. I grabbed his mane and jumped onto his back.

I spurred him into motion. The wind hit my face as we sped down the dusty stone road, the world around us growing silent.

And without hesitation... the headless red wolf followed.

-----

Hello,

To be honest, I never intended to abandon this series. I genuinely love writing, and this world still means a lot to me. However, I have a very important exam coming up, and I need to dedicate most of my time to preparing for it. So, for now, continuing to write seems quite difficult.

Maybe the series doesn’t have a lot of readers, but what I felt while writing it was truly meaningful to me. I had actually planned this story as a long series; there were many Chapters and events. Unfortunately, for now, it will have to remain unfinished.

I couldn’t finish my other series either; that one also ended up incomplete. Sometimes I think, I wish I didn’t have to leave this story unfinished like the other one. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

If you’ve read this far, I sincerely thank you. Your support really means a lot to me.

Maybe I’ll return after my exams are over. When I do, I’d like to continue this series or write shorter stories, maybe around 90–100 Chapters long. Still, I’ve thought about how this series would end. If anyone’s curious about the ending, I’d be more than happy to share it.