I didn't see a sandwich, but I wasn't as bothered by the hunger anymore. After a day of fasting, the body got used to not eating.
As we continued on, the path switched back on itself repeatedly, each turn bringing us higher into the ever-thinning air where breathing became more labored, and reality grew ever more fluid.
Ahead, Shovia laughed at something Codric said, the sound carrying back to us on the wind. When the path widened enough for them to walk side by side, they remained close together, their bodies occasionally brushing against each other.
How they could think about romantic stuff under these conditions baffled me. I was aware of Alar beside me and thankful for his presence, but I was singularly focused on both of us surviving the trek and getting to the summit. All my stupid girly fantasies had thankfully gone into hibernation.
Another wave of dizziness hit me as we rounded a bend, this one accompanied by a flash of vertigo that made the path seemto tilt sideways. I clutched Alar's hand harder, fighting the urge to drop to my knees and crawl.
"I've got you," he murmured, his voice surprisingly steady despite his own struggles. "Just keep walking. One foot in front of the other."
"Easier said than done when there are three paths ahead of me." I patted the rock face. "I wonder how long until this doesn't feel real either." I pulled him to the wall. "You should walk either behind me or in front of me. You need to hold on to the wall as well."
"Good advice," he agreed and got behind me.
"Are you holding your hand on the wall?" I asked to make sure.
"Yes."
I wanted to tell him to put his other hand on my back so I would know that he was there, but even if he could, I wouldn't feel his hand because of my backpack.
I focused on Codric's back, using the wall and his solid shape to anchor myself as the hallucinations grew stronger.
The auroras had begun weaving patterns that seemed to hold deep meaning, if only I could decipher them. Ancient symbols danced at the edge of my vision, promising wisdom if I just looked closer...
"Hand on the wall," Alar said sharply, tugging me back as I started to turn my head. "Keep your eyes either on the path or on Codric's back."
"Thanks," I said without looking back.
I forced myself to concentrate on the basics: breathe, walk, and hand patting the mountain face. Everything else was secondary.
Once we reached a relatively wide section of the path where we could sit with our backs against the mountain, Lysara called for a break.
Alar slid down next to me, his shoulder pressing against mine in a way that felt comforting, physically and emotionally.
Codric and Shovia sat beside us, both looking as dazed and flushed as we felt.
Shovia's hair had come partially loose from its braid, and Codric reached over to tuck a strand behind her ear with surprising tenderness.
"The air's getting thinner," she said, taking a sip from her water canteen. "Did you notice that the shapes have evolved?"
No one asked what shapes she was talking about since we were all seeing them.
"The dragons no longer look like flying worms," I said. "And I see ancient symbols that almost make sense if I could only decipher them."
"I saw a whole city floating upside down," Codric added. "Though that might have been a cloud formation. It's getting hard to tell what's real and what's a hallucination."
Alar took another careful sip of his medicated water. "As long as we can stay on the path, nothing else matters. Don't try to find meanings in the visions. Those are just constructs of our minds. The best you can do is ignore them."
It was solid advice, which meant that he was still thinking clearly.
The medication was helping, but Alar looked pale, gaunt, and his eyes were sunken in their sockets.
"We need to eat something." Codric groaned. "This is insane. It's dangerous."
I snorted. "Stop being so dramatic. Fasting for three days is not dangerous for a healthy young man."
Grinning, he squared his shoulders. "I like how you make me sound."
