Though the angle varied, the slope continued ever higher. It would have rapidly become monotonous if not for the strain and stress that lone figure was under. Bushes were forced apart by each weary step. Pebbles, knocked loose in the climb, clattered down the incline knocking loose others in their tumble. The cascades would peter out or multiply in arbitrary patterns. The figure rose higher.

There was a rise ahead, a peak, an end to ascent. It could be expected that cresting over that ridge would reveal a wondrous view. Something that would make the trek worthwhile under normal circumstances. It was not to be. Eiron's eyes latched on to a single sight, another slope. Trees were scattered across it, more pebbles, a myriad of plant life, all colluding to disguise that gradient that sapped energy with every inch.

The disappointment was painful, but the hunger? More so. It had returned with a vengeance, forgotten for a while, but always present. It lunged to the forefront as temporary hopes died. Eiron leaned against a scraggly tree trunk and searched his bag again. He knew all too well what would be found. Nothing. Nothing edible at least. There were two Sulcar bulbs, though they would hardly be filling. Besides, they were wilted and crushed from the frantic journey. Those two small bars, one of metal, one of rock, were tucked in their pouches. Lastly, almost forgotten, was a tiny orb hiding between the folds. His fingers grazed its surface, its presence didn't reach his thoughts.

Food consumed them all. Thirst as well. Warmed from the sun, the water in his flask still brought welcome relief to his parched throat. It was never enough, the very core of his being demanded more, always more. There was no stream to be seen. His being would have to make do. This temporary suppression of his thirst did not bring peace with it, with fewer sensations to process, his gnawing stomach picked up the slack and doubled in intensity. There were no rivers of food in sight either. Not even a single berry.

He stepped over the ridge and walked down. How novel, the pain shifted to his knees and took up residence in the marrow. Eiron welcomed it, the fresh pain stole a bit of intensity from all the others. Just as he adjusted, the slope turned upward once more. Another ridge, another step, another hour. There was nothing to do, nothing to say. Who would even be able to hear? Thoughts drifted, as was their wont, reaching out for something to latch onto. A flash of home, a looming tidal wave of emotions poised to crash down, drown him. He shunted those off to the side, they let themselves drift, but never far. Memories of people didn't help, all he saw were the faces...that was a different pain. One which only added to the others. He blinked tears away, he couldn't waste the water.

Distance flowed under his feet...crest upon crest was summited and left below. The sun sunk below the next one, he needed to rest. Stumbling in the twilight, Eiron scrounged up a few branches and tossed them in a pile. Dry vegetation accepted the sparks and the darkness was held at bay. Stars twinkled far above as he lay on the cushioning rocks and soft roots. Awe filled his soul, they were uncountable. Better still, they were removed from the mundane perils of life. However near or far they may be, those lights still shined.

Reality was quick to grip him and pull him back from the skies. What was he going to do now? It felt like an accusation, a denouncement of his personhood. What could he do? There were no farms here, the plants were harsh, and no need of aid. He cast his eyes out to the horizon. People lived out there...somewhere. Thousands, perhaps even...what came next...millions? What were they doing right now? Were they huddled around a fire out in the wilderness as well? Maybe visiting friends or running from a thief? Were they surrounded by loving families? How many were warm and well-fed, yet completely alone?

What could he do? There was no food to be found here, the animals, foreign and dangerous. Was it even worth trying? Another step wouldn't change anything besides the number of ridges crossed. Three days without water, or was it four? Surely the pain wouldn't be worse than now. Nothing could touch that look on Mother's face.

The flames flickered, sparks drifting up into the night. The stars seemed cold now, staring down at him. He shivered and shifted closer to the fire. What if an animal reached him first? One was bound to find him within four days. Was that really a worse end? His mind was split. Half begged for this torment to be over, the other shouted in repulsion. Both sides ebbed and flowed together, intensity rising and falling from moment to moment. He couldn't bring himself to care which one prevailed.

Reaching out, he grabbed his waterskin, already nearly empty. He drained the rest and let it fall. A few more branches were tossed on the fire, even that simple action causing his body to cry out. With a groan, he laid back down and watched the stars. How fast they appeared to blink into the void. When next his eyes opened, only a blazing blue one was visible.

The fire had died, only a couple of embers remained. Rest, if you could call it such, had not cleared his mind. If had done anything at all, it was for the worse. Every inch of his body ached to the point where Eiron felt like an intruder. It was all wrong. His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, in direct contrast to the sweat everywhere else. He sat up, setting off a pounding in his skull.

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He squinted against the brightness, tried to blink away the dryness, oh how it hurt. He stared down at the ash in silence. It drifted with the puffs of wind, swirling back upon itself. How easy it would be to do the same. Hope had fled long ago, its abandonment usually brought with it sorrow at its passing. Eiron was far beyond even that. He sat there as the shadows shortened and disappeared. In that moment, before they appeared and began to lengthen, he moved.

It was a simple action, a causal leaning near the corpse of the fire, one which brought him close to the last dying ember. With a shaky inhale, he breathed out softly and smoothly, coaxing it back to life. Standing took much more effort. He gathered his meager possessions and scanned his makeshift campsite for anything of value. Turning, he could feel the weight, the difficulty of moving. Truly, he didn't want to...but life was never easy. Something inside felt broken, a small piece of his heart was left there by the fire. It had to be, the cost of each step was meaningless otherwise. On buckling knees, he walked the incline.

Over its end, another one, higher and further away. Always the same. Coherent thoughts quickly left, his brain making up the difference by sheer quantity. They tumbled through, creating a knot of chaos. Who would be left once he made it through? He chuckled at the absurdity, his own voice sounding like a stranger. There was no making it through. Just prolonging the inevitable. When he finally did collapse, what beast would feed upon his remains? What would eat that creature in return? Was there a single person who would remember him in a year? In ten? He slipped on another rock, stood, continued.

This ridge? Same as always. He stopped looking...caring. Sharp leaves tore at his legs, reopening wounds. His shoes, and subsequently feet as well, were sliced up from the sharp stones that blanketed each hillside. Mountains? Were they tall enough to count as such? Trees towered and provided their shade. How did they get water? He pulled off leaves as he passed by, chewing them for any moisture they might provide. He soon gave up, it was too much effort. His strides were short now, one foot barely cleared the other. Sight began to blur, it had no effect, there was nothing to see.

Rustling.

A breeze would be nice. Or would it be cold? Did rain follow more often after the wind or before it?

More rustles, closer this time.

He shrugged, tried to, his shoulders didn't move. The rains would either come or they wouldn't. He'd find out soon enough.

The branches in the nearest tree shook followed by a thump.

Eiron looked up. Dark orange eyes looked down on him from above. He kept walking. Those eyes moved, froze, moved again, all in a second. Eiron looked away, there was a large rock coming up. A whooshing sound, another thump. Apparently the birds around here were bad at avoiding the trunks. He looked up again anyway. One thing was certain, that was no bird.

It clung to the trunk with short legs, its body a speckled gray. It was difficult to tell its exact size due to the branches obscuring the strange form, but it had to be nearly as large as he was. He kept walking, crested the ridge, watching it all the while. The creature leapt off the tree and sailed towards another one, legs outstretched with a leathery webbing between them. Did that make it count as a bird?

It latched on to the new trunk and scurried up to a higher vantage point. It ran along one branch right as Eiron passed under it. Gazing up, he could see it hesitate and crouch down, ready to leap. One thought forced its way through the haze. Perhaps he should run. A second thump, this time to his left. Two more orange eyes. Fear. It ran through him, familiar. Though not his first choice by far, at least he could feel something. Then the adrenaline kicked in.

Eiron charged down, trees whipping past. More thumps, ahead, behind, above. How many were there? In his sorry state, they were easily keeping pace. At least momentum was on his side. Down and down he ran, not daring to look behind him lest he slam into a boulder or tree. This was a longer downhill section, he dreaded when it would run out. A louder whoosh than all the rest, right past his ear. Fresh searing pain across his back. Each step sent aftershocks through his body, misery.

He could feel many things now. Just how near collapsing he actually was, the impact of each foot on the ground, the air whistling past his ears. Of course the fear as well, and it only grew. Very quickly it matched that of the first night. The memories of running in a hysterical state overlapped with the present, blending together into a confused mess. Thirty steps later his ankle gave out, sending him grabbing for anything to arrest his fall. He latched on to a branch, it slowed him, broke free. He was running again.

The thumps were closer together now, both in timing and distance. Twenty steps more, his other foot slipped on the sandy soil. Sliding, scraping, he forced his legs to keep moving. Back in his staccato rhythm, the ground flattened out. The abrupt change hit him hard, his knee twisted with the unexpected impact...in the end, it was only more pain.

Each step was heavy now, like running through water. This was the time to give up, to let the creatures eat, he'd done all he could. Fear itself would not allow it. Sight began to fade, he couldn't see the trees any longer. Not even the occasional boulders that had stood out so clearly before. Only a general haze up ahead, a dark shape towering over him. Of course, another ridge.

Still, he pressed on, staggering, completely spent. Darkness crept in from the edge of his vision, it made no difference, he couldn't see anyway. All he could make out was a lighter spot in that shadowed mass, he aimed for it, consciously or subconsciously he couldn't say. They were one and the same. No thumps in a while, his hearing must have gone as well. His twisted knee gave out again sending him crashing to the ground. Eiron didn't try to summon the strength to stand, there was none left. He breathed out...in...darkness.