HANEUL'S breath came in short, uneven gasps as he forced his legs to keep moving up the rocky trail. The path was narrow in some places and wide in others, with wooden steps built into the steeper sections and loose stones scattered across the dirt. Tall grass and green bushes lined both sides, and the thick forest around them blocked most of the wind. The air was warm and still, heavy with the smell of earth and pine.
He knew the view would have been something if he'd had the energy to look, but right now all he could focus on was the burning in his lungs and the ache in his calves. Every step felt heavier than the last. He wasn't even sure how much farther they had to go.
