It had been six days since our fight against the Moon Eater. Six days since we escaped the caldera and entered this Valley.
Six days of continuous walking, still without any proper food, by the way. Exhaustion wasn't merely clawing at our minds anymore, it had made a small residence there that it refused to leave.
Our wobbling legs dragged us forward even as our lungs burned with every step.
The prickling, stinging sensation of our nerves being damaged by too little energy and too much strain had long since settled into a persistent ache.
I don't know if you've ever suffered from constant neuropathy, but it's not a pleasant experience at all.
I also don't know if you've ever gone hungry for an extended period of time, but when you do, hunger stops feeling sharp.
It becomes dull.
It becomes an endless, hollow pressure gnawing at you from the inside, making every movement feel heavier than the last. Even swallowing takes effort.
That was our situation.
