Neither Sienna nor Mirella was physically strong.
Mirella was a mage, not a warrior, and years of service had given her wisdom and magical power rather than the endurance to trek over steep terrain.
Sienna, meanwhile, inhabited Sienna's weakened body, a body softened by indulgence and further damaged by the Water of Nothingness.
Neither wished to exhaust themselves climbing slopes and rocky ridges.
So they stayed near the mountain's base, moving steadily across the uneven ground.
The earth beneath their feet was black and dry, with a texture like ash mixed with oil.
Each step produced a faint crunch.
The wind carried the scent of dust and distant marsh water from the Carrion Swamp.
The land stretched endlessly around them, bleak and silent, as if the world itself had forgotten this corner of creation.
*
They walked for nearly three hours.
The sun climbed steadily higher.
Sweat dampened Sienna's hairline, and her breathing grew heavier.
Yet no suitable place appeared.
