THE CLIMBER
A STRUGGLE

Jack and Nandhita are almost done cooking, when Arya comes out of the tent, the fragrant aroma of cooking takes her away to the kitchen tent. Seeing Jack and Nandhita acting strange but compact in cooking Arya just noticed them and did not want to disturb them. And when he saw Nandhita feeding Jack with a piece of fries to taste the cuisine.

"Yuuk uhhuuk." Arya was unable to hold back her laughter until it choked. The spontaneous makes Jack and Nandhita surprised.

"Sir Arya..?" nandhita blushed.

"Commander..? just startle." said Jack flat.

"Have continued cooking you guys, after that make me coffee, I want to wash my face first" said Arya as she stepped into the lake

While Arya goes to wash Jack's face and Nandhita looks at each other, Jack tries to take his eyes off the girl. Nandhita's long hair that was left unraveled made her appearance even more dazzling.

The climbers one by one have come out of his tent, to the lake to just wash his face, the smoke of the aroma of fragrant cuisine welcomes their morning, accompanied by the aroma of black coffee with a thin fog.

The thickets as tall as the adults stood and the cantigi trees filled every corner of the eye, looking out, the dew hangs beautifully on the spider webs that are knitted to lure like a diamond necklace of jewels assembled by the most famous maestro in the world.

At the edge of the lake butterflies dance flying around, he did not say but was able to captivate the heart and eyes of everyone who looked at him.

It was a perfect morning.

After the whole team finished breakfast and packed up. Arya focused on arranging a plan to penetrate the thickets and quickly leave the Gondo Arum Valley.

AT 07:30 WNT.

The team began to move through the thick shrubs, Arya by using a three-dimensional compass leads the group, the track tends to flat make the climb tends to be smooth. Two hours they walked finally they were blocked by a cliff with a steep side and very steep.

"It's the end of the Gondo Arum Valley and yesterday we walked this place for more than a week, walking three days west of this cliff there is a path to the top" Jack explained.

"I don't have that much time Jack, walk three days just reach the path and how many days to reach the top..? the seventh full moon is five days away." replied Arya.

"We just climb this rock, brother..? although steep and steep I am sure will shorten our time," said Nandhita.

"Yes well, and for the safety of our team for two, Elya, Nandhita and you Jack come with me to climb this cliff. And for the ten climbers through the existing path and for frequency communication HT (handy talky) we remain at 143,666 MHz, quickly give word if there is anything and We meet under the peak," arya said firmly.

Finally, according to Arya's orders. Tean is divided into two and the ten climbers begin their journey. The rain again flushed with a lot, but did not dampen the throat in their hearts. Arya, Elya, Nandhita and Jack begin climbing the steep walls that block them, the stone slippery because it is swept by rainwater. Arya and Nandhita alternately crept to reach the court above to install a fixed rope or fix rope so that other colleagues can ride with the ascender. Their backpacks pull upwards with small pulleys hooked up in rock crevices with cliff spikes.

Such a thrilling ride colored their climb for up to the next three days. Not only facing the air temperature to minus two degrees Celsius.

The second day, they only realized they had passed through a steep cliff wall as high as 750 meters with a steepness of 70-80 degrees, two full days they hung on the carmantel even to rest and sleep anyway they hung on the carnmantel, the next day, fatigue and hunger began to haunt them.

"It's been more than three days that my stomach isn't filled with a piece of food. Only water that has been entering through the esophagus. My stomach kind of objected to being stuffed with chocolate, cheese, cornflakes, oatmeal, and candy" Jack said.

"Hold Jack, look at that..? soon we can cook there Jack." said Arya while pointing at the Snowpeak Peak from behind the fog. Down the cliff of the South ridge of Mount Snowpeak, they passed two small ravines with ropes and carabiners with their spirits back on.

"This place is good for setting up Jack's tent..? and just past this one cliff we reach the peak of Snowpeak 4,884 masl." said Arya while lowering the cariiel from his back and followed by Elya, Nandhita and Jack.

"We are camped here, this is the final limit of our climb, and let brother Arya and brother Elya who climb the ice cliff both, we will not be able to face to the extreman cliffs." nandhita said later.

"Yes, we'll wait for the commander here" Jack said, echoing Nandhita's words.

"Now we set up a tent and cook, our stomachs have been revolted asking to be filled warmly" said Elya spirit.

"Iyaaaa. I also really want to drink black coffee a little sugar" said Arya firmly.

While Arya and Jack set up the tent, Elya and Nandhita started cooking and boiling water.

"This is my sister's favorite coffee" said Elya shortly after they finished eating.

The fragrant aroma of black coffee penetrates their noses, The very cold temperature makes the newly made coffee does not feel the heat.

"Elya when we stay one day, tomorrow morning we have to climb the ice cliff. Tonight you have to get enough rest" said Arya.

"Yes brother.. The ice cliffs in addition to the temperature of minus two degrees are also very strong winds, so that until now there has been no climber who was able to reach the top of the snow" said Nandhita.

"And that also makes the peak condition is still full of mystery, because no one has set foot there and satellite photos were not able to penetrate the fog that seemed to cover the place." jack then said.

"Be assured that every will has a way. And I'm sure the power of God will guide us." said Arya firmly.

"Yes sis..? Nandhita is sure and believes about it, but big brother should remain extra careful, according to the record that I got the peak was like guarded by the forces of nature, like, all climbers fail to reach the summit because they are blown by a very strong wind until they fail to climb to the summit." Nandhita explained at length about the condition of the ice cliff.

"I've tried to climb several times, and it's true Nandhita said that if the temperature problem is minus more than two degrees Celsius I believe all climbers can overcome the situation, but the storm that came unexpectedly blew me away every time I wanted to keep climbing to reach the top. I tried several times until my logistics ran out and decided to get off this place, but my bitter experience was not enough to get there, down there on the vegetation line I should have taken the straight path but I took the path to the east until I was stuck in the Gondo Arum Valley for days until one day I met the monk Isaac and took me into the forbidden forest and told me to wait for Aryan and non-Elya" Jack recalled his experience.

"Hmmmmm I'm more curious, with the condition there..?" said Elya.

"Okey.we will know what the mystery of nature that covers the peak of snow with a height of 4884 Mdpl is tomorrow, now let's rest." Arya invited at that time.

Finally that night they rested, Arya was in a tent with Elya while Jack and Nandhita slept alone on her sigle tend.

...CREATED, FEBRUARY 14, 2022...

...~° CINK's eL A °~...

..."As the load gets heavier and the road gets more steep, and doubts begin to emerge, at least the destination is still visible."...