The Plateau of Delusion
It’s hard to pinpoint an exact time, but there are three main phases to consider: before entering the Plateau of Delusion, while inside it, and after leaving it. The likelihood of events occurring is lowest during the second phase, with the first and third phases being about equal.
“If it’s the third phase… things might get interesting.”
The thought brought a wry smile to my face. It wasn’t certain yet, but if my hunch was correct and it was indeed the third phase, my ears would likely be burning until we left the Plateau of Delusion.
“Hey! We’re ready!”
“Oh.”
Lost in thought, I was brought back to reality by Ahn Hyun’s voice calling from the front. Everyone had finished their preparations and was looking at me expectantly. Their expressions were a mix of curiosity and concern, and I realized I must have looked like a fool, grinning to myself like that.
Quickly composing myself, I spoke in my usual calm voice.
“Ahem. We’ll be entering the Mountain of Delirium now.”
“Hehe.”
Seeing me smile, An Sol couldn’t help but beam back at me. I watched her for a moment before turning towards the Mountain of Delirium and continuing.
“The Mountain of Delirium. In modern terms, ‘delirium’ is a medical term. While it has many meanings, in the context of the Whole Plane, it refers to a single field effect.”
“You’re talking about a disturbance of consciousness, right?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“What’s the prize?”
Go Yeon-ju answered immediately, giving me a playful wink. I had a pretty good idea of what kind of reward she was hinting at.
“Maybe I should buy a potion to boost my stamina…”
Sighing inwardly, I began to lead the way towards our first destination, the Plateau of Delusion.
“The Mountain of Delirium, the Plateau of Delusion, and the Canyon of Hallucinations. The terrifying thing about these places is that the field effects stack as you go deeper. They’re all interconnected.”
“Uh…”
Standing next to Ahn Hyun, he glanced at An Sol, then at Baek Han-gyeol and Kim Han-byeol, before turning back to me with a worried expression. Sensing his unease, I reassured him.
“Compared to the other two, the field effect of the Mountain of Delirium is quite mild. Some might exhibit hyperactive behavior, but it should be manageable. If it becomes unbearable, let me know. I’ll give you a calming pill.”
“Okay…!”
Ahn Hyun seemed somewhat relieved by my words, his expression easing a bit.
With that, I took the first step, signaling the start of our journey to the Plateau of Delusion.
The Plateau of Delusion is technically a mountain plateau, surrounded by a range of mountains. The Mountain of Delirium isn’t just one mountain. It’s called that because the first mountain you see upon reaching the plains is so grand it stands out among the others. Plus, the field effect disappears outside the surrounding mountain range.
Unlike the Forest of Darkness, the Mountain of Delirium wasn’t gloomy. Quite the opposite, in fact.
With each step, the crunch of leaves underfoot echoed. We had long left the mountain’s entrance behind. Before us stood towering trees, their fallen leaves carpeting the soft, earthy ground.
After climbing a steep, earthy path for thirty minutes, we emerged from the shade of the trees to a clear sky. The sun had been blazing down on us in the plains, but the cool mountain breeze made it feel less oppressive now.
“Huff! Huff!”
“Haah…! Haah…!”
The rapid pace of our march had taken its toll, and the clan members’ stamina was depleting faster than expected. Even Ahn Hyun and Lee Yoo-jung, who were close-combat specialists, were panting heavily, so I could only imagine how the others were faring.
Lee Yoo-jung’s breathing was particularly unique. While Ahn Hyun’s heavy breathing was bearable, hers was something else entirely. I wasn’t the only one who noticed; the expressions of those walking ahead of her were subtly shifting.
“Let’s take a short break.”
“Phew, saved.”
“Don’t sit down. Just catch your breath. Stay alert.”
“Oh, okay!”
Many seemed startled by my words, hesitating to sit before awkwardly standing back up. Leaning against a curved rock, I focused on sensing the surroundings. Go Yeon-ju, remembering our conversation before the climb, discreetly scanned the area.
The others seemed to be holding up well. Initially, they were apprehensive about the field effect, but realizing they could manage it, their confidence returned.
“The problem is the compounded effect when we enter the Plateau of Delusion.”
I was pondering the best moment to use the calming pills when I sensed someone approaching.
“Um… I have a question.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
Looking up, I saw Kim Han-byeol, her face pale. She was catching her breath, her chest rising and falling, before swallowing and asking her question.
“Are there monsters on the Mountain of Delirium?”
“Of course there are. Why do you ask?”
“We’ve been climbing for a while and haven’t encountered any. Could you tell us what kind of monsters appear? Knowing their traits would help me prepare the right spells.”
“Ah, crows?”
“What?”
“Oh, no, I misspoke.”
Go Yeon-ju’s laughter rang out at my slip. Embarrassed, I scratched my cheek and began explaining.
This place is home to avian monsters, specifically ones that claim the mountain as their domain. They’re known as black-headed eagles. Their traits include sharp talons, intelligence, and the ability to swoop down to snatch prey or attack. As a side note, some users casually refer to them as crows.
I wasn’t sure if my verbal explanation was clear, but Kim Han-byeol, being sharp, nodded in understanding. Watching her deep in thought, I decided to extend our break by five more minutes.
After a much-needed rest, we resumed our journey. The mountain grew steeper, and we often had to use the terrain to climb. But I didn’t change our path. It was the quickest route to the Plateau of Delusion, and traces of the previous expedition were evident. We might find something useful before entering.
My senses were heightened, especially my hearing, which I focused my magic on. As we climbed a bend, the sound of flowing water reached my ears. Following it up the steep path, the incline gradually lessened. After advancing another 200 meters, we reached a relatively flat area.
“Hold up.”
I raised my hand, halting the clan members.
“Soo-hyun, what’s up?”
“Go Yeon-ju, come here for a moment.”
She quickly joined me, following my gaze to where I pointed. There, the tracks split into two paths.
“Hmm… They’ve diverged.”
“One continues upward, the other detours.”
“This is tricky. Should we just head up? At this pace, we’ll reach the Plateau of Delusion in an hour or two.”
“Hold on a moment.”
It didn’t matter much which path we took, but I turned to An Sol, just in case. She seemed used to this by now, contemplating briefly before indicating the right path. I immediately followed her lead.
“Let’s take the detour.”
After deciding to detour, we followed the curved mountain path. But as we progressed, an odd feeling crept in. The air, once fresh and cool, grew damp and sticky.
The vibrant trees and foliage thinned, and the soft earth hardened. Yet, the tracks continued.
Then, I stopped, taken aback by an incongruous sight amidst the landscape.
“What… is that?”
“It looks like… flowers.”
I signaled Ahn Hyun and Lee Yoo-jung to quiet down as they whispered to each other, and I carefully surveyed the area. Something was definitely off. About 70 meters ahead, a heap of flowers lay scattered. The strange part was that these weren’t blooming flowers; they were severed stems, piled up as if someone had deliberately gathered them there.
“There must be a reason An Sol wanted us to come here… Is it some kind of direction sensing, or maybe a danger alert?”
After my signal, a tense silence fell over our group. I gestured forward with a slight bend of my hand, signaling us to advance. Soon, the sound of weapons being drawn quietly echoed behind me as we cautiously moved forward.
The surroundings felt devoid of any life. Yet, there was an inexplicable tension in the air.
I proceeded with careful, guarded steps, unlike the brisk pace I had maintained earlier. But even as we reached the pile of flowers, nothing happened. I scanned the area with my eyes, just in case, and nodded before speaking.
“Let’s clear away these flowers.”
“Yes.”
At my instruction, Ahn Hyun stepped forward and began to sweep the flowers aside with his spear. After a few swipes, he suddenly furrowed his brow, peered closely, and then quickly retreated with a gasp.
“Hyung, inside…”
“Su-hyun, hold on.”
Just as Go Yeon-ju finished speaking, several dark shadows swept across the ground, scattering the remaining flowers. And then, as the pile was cleared, the sight beneath it made our clan members gasp sharply.
But before we could get a good look, something hidden within the flowers emitted a bright, shimmering light. Instinctively, I summoned my magic to resist the light, and soon realized what it was.
It was a crystal orb. Not for communication, but a recording crystal. And cradled in the arms of a completely decayed corpse.
“We’ve found a body. Ugh, I was hoping to examine the traces, but the body’s too damaged.”
“Well, for now…”
As Go Yeon-ju spoke, I bent down to pick up the crystal orb, straightening my bent waist as I finished my thought.
“Let’s start by checking this out.”
I infused the crystal orb with magic. The screen flickered for a moment before stabilizing, and a deep voice accompanied by the image of a middle-aged man began to play.
(I don’t know if this crystal will ever be found. But if someone does discover it, I have one request, even if it’s presumptuous. Please take this crystal to the southern city of Monica.)
”…”
(Oh, just a word of caution. I recommend you take a moment to look around. If you found this crystal in the middle of the eerie Delirium Mountain… well, that’s likely the case. Haha. Are you a rescue team, by any chance? Whether you’re rescuers or explorers, it doesn’t matter. For now…)
I brought the crystal closer to listen. On the screen, a man wearing thick gloves was slumped against a tree. Analyzing the faintly visible terrain in the background, I realized it was strikingly similar to our current location.
One notable detail was the trickle of blood at the corner of the man’s mouth. After three coughs, he continued speaking with difficulty.
(Get off this damned mountain immediately. Right now, without looking back. Go!)
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hello, this is Ro Yoo-jin.
I’m starting to feel a bit worn out. I’ve been preparing for important exams on Thursday and Friday, so I’m a bit behind schedule. I apologize.
What could have happened to that man? Haha. Anyway, I’m off to continue my exam preparations. Enjoy reading, everyone. :)