The boys reached the foot of the Wall of Mermidion and gazed upward. They could not see far through the fog.

“We should have brought rope,” frowned Jackle.

“Got it,” beamed Kenda. “Why don’t you go first? I will follow you up.”

“Makes sense to me,” grinned Jackle. “I am the better climber. Just watch where I place my hands and feet and then follow me up.”

Kenda smiled and nodded as Jackle began climbing. He wasn’t entirely sure that he agreed with Jackle’s assessment of their skills, but this was Jackle’s expedition, and Kenda had no intention of spoiling it for his friend. He watched as Jackle slowly faded upward into the fog and then started up the cliff himself.

The cliffs were totally vertical, and the rock face was fairly smooth. There were few places to gain a firm purchase, so the technique the boys used the most was to find a narrow crevice and wedge his body into it. They would then move upward by keeping a firm pressure on each side of the crevice. It was an exhausting way to climb the cliffs, but both boys were excited to be doing it. They climbed for over an hour before Jackle found a spot where they could sit and rest.

“This is harder than I thought,” exhaled Jackle. “How far up do you think we are? I can’t see anything below us or above us. The fog is still too thick.”

“We have barely begun,” replied Kenda. “We will be lucky to reach the top before nightfall. We can still turn back if you want.”

“Don’t mention that again,” scowled Jackle. “I am not stopping before I reach the top. I don’t care if it takes two days. I will never get this chance again.”