Chapter 34: Eternal Rime

　　"In the morning, I look to the green bough; how many blossoms of rime still cling, unwilling to thaw."　　The line of ancient poetry surfaced in my mind unbidden as I trudged through the deep snow, my heavy pack weighing me down. Here, there was only the eternal rime, no green boughs. Aside from the three of us living souls, not a single sign of life existed. The colossal space was dark and deathly silent, oppressively monotonous.　　"Everyone, pay attention! We're about to enter the cloud bank!" Mr. Egg's figure was quickly swallowed by the mist; I lost sight of him just a few meters away.　　"Watch your step!" His voice echoed from within the cloud. I lowered my head and carefully stepped into the dense fog.　　The uphill walk on the bridge was exhausting. The only small mercy was that this section, shrouded in cloud, held no snow. My boots landed on the hard, damp stone with wet slaps, a sound that grated on my already frayed nerves.　　"Reaching the crest! Careful, it's downhill ahead!" came another warning from up front. I grunted an acknowledgment, but my steps grew slightly more careless. Perhaps it was the thick fog; my head