A breathtaking view encapsulated his vision. He took a deep breath as a cold breeze passed by. Before their eyes, a massive glacier hung to the side the three peaks that touched the clouds. Missio paused, taking in the scene for a moment. Then, he raised a brow.
"Wait, isn't this that mountain?"
"What mountain?" Dante blurted.
"The one we saw when coming here?"
"Oh, that… Yeah, it is."
"Oh…" Missio nodded.
He turned back to the mountains, observing the glacier. The titan of ice stuck to the mountains like a parasite, chiseled from the winds of Dolomites. It's blue glow was eclipsed by the sun's rays. Passing through the ice, it reflected within continuously. The light scattered across the valley, creating a magnificent natural string of light.
The clouds rumbled above them as they watched from the edge of a cliff. Missio tucked his hands into his pockets. The duo stood I silence for minutes, admiring the landscape. Then, Dante tugged at his little brother.
"Wanna check out Val Canali?"
"Sure." Missio flicked his chin. "Lead the way."
He moved away from the view. Dante stepped aside, making space for Missio. The two then walked beside each other, passing Val Belluna.
"Let's hurry, we've still got to get to Rifugio Bruno Boz."
"Alright." Missio blinked.
In that instant, Dante zoomed past him, splashing snow onto his brother's face. Missio coughed, wiping the snow off his face. He furrowed his brows, locking his eyes forward. Then, he too, flashed away.
A few seconds later, the siblings touched onto the soil of Val Canali. Missio pivoted on his foot, stopping himself. He hopped onto his other leg, shaking his arms. He approached Dante, swinging his arms. Dante leapt up a hill. Missio elevated his head, tracking his brother. Then, he trailed behind him, hopping from ledge to ledge. Eventually, the siblings made it to the summit of the small peak. Missio exhaled swiftly. He lifted his head, opening his eyes.
He was encircled by countless mountains. Some pierced the clouds while others reached just short. The distant views faded into the August fog. Yet, even then, it only made it see more mysterious. The sun shone brightly above, illuminating several spots across the valley. The trees populated a large portion of the ground with boulders and small hills breaking them apart.
Missio drew a dep breath. His nerves calmed down. He peered towards the view. He rotated his head, embedding every scene into his mind. Then, impulsively, he sat down, crossing his legs. Dante raised a brow, observing this behavior. He smirked slightly, grabbing Missio's shoulder.
"See? You're already relaxed." He sat down beside him.
"… I guess you were right." Missio smiled slightly.
"Maybe." Dante stated. "Maybe, I was but what's more important is that you're learning to care about others. You're just like Mom."
Missio froze. His lips parted slightly, freezing in their place after. His mouth closed. He lowered his head, leaning back. Lifting his head, his mother flashed across his mind. He heaved a breath, relaxing his mind.
"Really?" Missio asked in a soft voice.
"Of course." Dante kissed his brother's cheek.
Missio shrugged, looking outward. He lifted his knees, wrapping his arms around them. Then, he made up his mind.
'She'll be fine… the world isn't that cruel…'
He felt a heavy weight leaved his shoulders. He rolled them, jogging them awake.
He and Dante sat like this, simply peering towards the valley. In the silence of the mountains, he could finally listen to his own mind. He closed his eyes, letting the silence consume him. The smell of the snow, rustle of the leaves and howling wind filled his senses. He swiped his hand s across the snow, coldness washing over him. He remained like this for the entire time they were there. Dante didn't dare disturb him, merely holding his brother through their stay.
After half an hour, Missio opened his eyes. He lazily gazed towards the valley. Grunting, his jolted up, shaking the tiredness off his limbs. Dante pushed off the ground, dusting his arse off.
"Done with your meditation?" Dante inquired jokingly.
"…Yeah." Missio nodded with a grin.
"Great! Then, lets head on back." Dante spun around.
"Right behind ya." Missio said.
He glanced at the valley one more time. He exhaled heavily, spreading his arms. He opened his mouth.
"HEYY!!!"
His shout echoed across the entire valley. He lowered his arms, chuckling like a little child. Then, he turned around, leaving the silence behind.
***
The brothers traveled back to Rifugio Cereda. They stopped at the wooden storage racks. Missio and Dante picked up their bags, spinning them around their bodies at the same time. The backpacks landed on their shoulders. After adjusting the straps, the siblings headed off. They exited the camp and stepped back onto the trail. Right after leaving, they encountered a small wooden suspensions bridge.
Like before, they crossed one at a time over the rushing, milky-white rivers. Missio crossed first and Dante followed behind him. The supreme commander shook his wrist, checking the time on his watch. The watch's hands rested exactly on three. Dante noted the time, lifting his head.
'We've still got a lotta time.'
They followed the trail which snaked along the base of the mountains. To their left, a dense forest with trees native to the mountains stood and on their right, the shoreline of a certain lake. The shore transitioned from cobalt-black sand to a turquoise blue water that seemed almost unnatural.
Their path rolled up and down, passing bleached trees and massive granite peaks. The turquoise water of the lake washed across the shore. The birds chirped from the depths of the mountains. The wind howled down from the summit, freezing the tips of their hairs. After half an hour of treading through the snow, the trail dipped down. The royal siblings descended the trail and reached an interesting place.
Missio narrowed his eyes, observing dome-shaped wooden huts that covered the campsite along with multi-layered tents platforms that stretched across the entire area.
"Is this Rifugio Bruno Boz?" Missio inquired.
"Yes." Dante replied, passing him.
As they entered the camp, the terrain became uneven, rolling up and down. Dante took off his backpack, handing it to Missio.
"Take this. I'll check us in."
"Aye – Aye, captain." Missio rolled his eyes, holding his bag.
Dante headed off to check them in. Meanwhile, Missio treaded deeper into the forest, keeping his balance on the uneven landscape. Eventually, he sat down at a wooden platform, resting his body. He heaved a heavy breath, leaning on the backpack. He waited for minutes while listening to his music box. His mind wandered through his own world while listening to the melody blasting in his ears.
Dante returned after a while. Noticing his little brother's state, he grinned playfully. Extending his fingers, he stabbed Missio's stomach. Missio jerked to the side, sitting straight. He furrowed his brows, hissing at his big brother.
"Stop doing that!"
Dante smirked. "Let's set up our tent first."