The Mountain is a high fantasy short story written by William Kalb.
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Serra has travelled two thousand miles from home, all the way to the frozen country of Ephralia, on her quest to talk to a God. Legend has it that anybody who survives the treacherous climb up the Mountain can ask Him for a boon -- traditionally, a sack full of gold, though some are more creative in their requests. Serra's mission is urgent, but she's not the only one desperate enough to brave the Mountain trail. The thriving tourism industry of Mountainhelm, the nearby village, depends on foolhardy adventurers like her, men and women blinded by promises of riches and divine magic. At first, Serra pays them no mind. But when she meets one fellow mountain climber, a young man by the name of Alvon, their journey together takes them both down a trail they could never have imagined.
The Mountain is high fantasy told from the ground, in a world where the Gods live in mountain caves and lofty temples. It's the story of a young woman's personal growth as she embarks on a quest, and the friends -- or perhaps, more than friends -- she makes on the way.
