Arash squinted at the narrow pathway before him, wind whipping his hairs in wild abandon. He could almost taste the wind. Rich with mud and all the things it brought with it. His nostrils burned with dust and debris. He took out his soft leather mask and fastened it to the back of his face, made some adjustment so that it sat snugly on his nose.

"Better" He exhaled. His right hand gripped the rope on his shoulder. "Beyond the deposits." He muttered to himself as his lips formed a thin line. He glanced back at his house.

"He wouldn't know if I go or not." He grimaced, ashamed of his own cowardice, but he had seen the winds beyond the deposits, watched the dust devils tearing at the land and all the things in its wake.

"Right… I should just wait here." He nodded to himself as he scuttled towards a dark alley. Finding little comfort in the familiar darkness. He eased onto the ground, staring at the dark nothingness in front of him. His left hand uncontrollably shaking.

"He is just a kid. What does he know? " He tried to suppress the shaking.

"Stop it." He cursed at his left hand, grabbing it with his right. Suddenly an image of a scrawny boy came flashed in front of his eyes.

Determination flashed in his eyes as he scrambled to his feet. His heart still uncertain, but his feet found their way towards the mana deposits.

"…he will die." Firuz's voice rang in his head, he could almost taste the desperation in his brother's voice. His chest tightened with anxiety as he broke into a full-blown sprint.

The wind pushed against him, made it hard for him to see. Blew him back one step when he took three. He clenched his jaw in frustration as he rushed into a narrow alley.

"Ahh!" He took a few labored breaths, his mind still trained on the land beyond the deposits. His lips pursed into a thin line, his legs trembling to a nervous rhythm. His eyes searching for a way, suddenly his eyes stopped at the narrow space between the squat houses.

"I could use that. It should work." He dashed diagonally to the winds. The winds pressed against him, but it was not as bad as before, it was bearable. He let out a throaty laughter as he took refuge in the narrow space across the street.

He rushed north towards the mana deposit by short diagonal rushes. "I am getting closer." Dust rose in dense cloud, dancing to the whims of the wind, but beyond the thick veil of winds he could see the dim pastel glow of the deposits.

The wind howled out in the open. There was a distance of about 100 meters between the town and the mana deposits. It was the hardest part of the journey as nothing was there to protect against the wind.

Arash dragged his feet towards the outer edge of the town, his clothes flapping in the wind. The wind whizzed past him, drowning all other sounds under its wild roar. His eyes trained on the long trail of wooden masts running towards the deposits.

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The dust made the deposits blurry, but he could still see a dull sapphire glow in the distance. He steeled his heart and grabbed the mana posts. His feet slipped under the constant urgings of the winds. He pulled himself towards the mast. He stuck to the pole as if his life depended on it.

"First done. Another 100 to go." He swallowed hard as he stared the next wooden mast. The distance of one meter appeared infinite to him. His heart drumming in his head, while his muscles taut with tension. He shifted himself to better position himself between the posts, and he leaped.

His heart nearly stopped as the wind blew him off course. "Fuck!" He felt weightless for a moment as his legs lifted off the ground. Time seemed to have slowed down as he found himself floating to the left. A strange mixture of curses and cries escaped his throat. Suddenly the wind relented and his feet touched the ground.

Elation coursed through his body as he felt solid ground beneath his feet. He kicked at the ground and lurched towards the wooden mast. He left hand managed to get a grip on the wooden fast. He pulled himself up and felt the rough grain of the wood against his face. He repeated kissed the wooden mast.

'I would never let you go. Never! Never!" He hugged the wood a like a long lost lover. His face plastered against the wood as relief washed over his face. He suddenly felt something poking at his back.

"What is it." He felt the rope on his back and the pickax he had to fasten on his back. Suddenly it dawned on him. "Why am I not using the rope?" He repeatedly slammed his head against the wooden pole.

"I am a blathering idiot" He locked his legs around the wooden mast. He made a lasso with one end and tied the other. He double checked the noose and tugged at the rope at his waist.

He threw the lasso towards the next post. It missed the first few times. But after a few tries, he managed to hook the noose on the mast. He tugged at the rope and closed his eyes to build courage. His body tensed up as he let go of the post. He stood up, tightly gripping the rope. He stomped towards the next post. One step after another, but midway the wind shifted him off his feet. He flailed horizontally for a while, his palms digging into the rough rope cords. He screamed at the top of his lungs as he whipped in the air. He slowly pulled himself towards the mast, hooking his left hand around post while using his legs to cling to the post.

He wildly shook in excitement he stared at the rope in his hand.