The morning did not bring comfort.
It did not carry warmth in its light.
It did not ease the strain in his body.
It brought clarity.
A quiet, undeniable truth—
The storm had passed.
But the mountain remained.
Unmoved.
Indifferent to everything that had happened through the night.
Unchanged.
As if the storm, the cold, the struggle—
Had meant nothing at all.
Unforgiving.
It did not reward survival.
It only demanded more.
Karna stood still for a moment, looking ahead.
There was no relief in sight.
No easier path waiting for him.
Only the climb.
He continued walking.
His steps slow.
Carefully placed.
Measured with intent.
But steady.
There was no hesitation in him now.
No wasted movement.
The path had grown steeper.
Each step demanded more strength from his legs.
More balance from his body.
The stones had become sharper.
Uneven.
Unpredictable beneath his feet.
The air—
Had changed.
It was thinner now.
Subtly at first.
But impossible to ignore.
