Chapter 12:March Into the Unknown
Peter marched along the path, seeing only a few meters ahead, limited by the thick fog. After calming his emotions following his encounter with the spirit, he pondered many things. The first was the information he had received from the ghost of the poor woman he had sent to the afterlife.
The biggest problem with traveling through unknown territory while aiming for civilization was the lack of knowledge about its exact location. This issue was partially resolved by the existence of an ocean to the south, which suggested that civilization was likely to the east or west of his current approximate position.
The second challenge of unknown territory was the abundance of various plants, land formations, and creatures that could be dangerous. Since they had never been documented, nothing was known about their weaknesses, strengths, behaviors, or habitats. This problem could be partially avoided by staying along the shoreline if the terrain allowed it or by traveling by boat if the ocean was safe enough.
The third problem was the distance from the human-discovered part of Ether. Without knowing how far civilization was, it was difficult to plan the journey while accounting for the need to conserve food and water supplies. If the distance was too great, they would not be able to carry enough provisions, making it necessary to hunt for edible animal species inhabiting Ether and replenish water from streams. This, in turn, required knowledge of which animals and plants were safe to eat and whether the water was drinkable, among other considerations.
There was also the increasingly pressing arrival of morning, which meant the need to continue traveling. Peter did not know whether his soul would return to his body the moment Selene woke him up, nor did he have a way to return voluntarily.
Peter had a lot to think about, but for now, he had reached the clearing by the rocks where they had set up camp, forcing him to pause his thoughts. He scanned the area and noticed Selene sitting under a rock, struggling to stay awake, as well as a strange crow watching the camp from a nearby tree. Everything was exactly as it had been when he left.
With no other choice, he went to the tent, where his body still breathed steadily on the bedding. Sitting at the edge of the sleeping mat, he accidentally noticed that he could pass through his own body. It was strange, but he rationalized it by the fact that, theoretically, his body no longer contained a soul at the moment. Closing his eyes, he began planning the journey ahead. He considered their available supplies, potential threats from the crow and other inhabitants of Ether, and many other factors. Before he realized it, the first rays of sunlight started emerging from beyond the horizon—then, his mind was consumed by darkness.
Peter woke with a jolt, looking around before realizing he was back in his body. Sitting on the mat, he listened to the sound of the wind rustling the tree branches and the blades of tall grass outside the tent. After a moment, he sighed and began gathering himself.
A full day of uncertain travel awaited them.
Stepping out of the tent, he surveyed the camp. Selene looked at him, seemingly surprised that he had woken up so early.
"Oh, you're up already? Why so early?" she asked.
Peter answered with a half-truth, glancing at their bags lying beside the tent.
"An old habit from my time in the army—you always have to wake up early."
"You served in the army?" she asked, now even more surprised.
"Yes, a few years ago, but the habit stuck," Peter replied, this time truthfully. Then he added, "Time to get ready. We're leaving in twenty minutes."
With that, he turned toward the tent to prepare for the journey. Selene, ending the conversation, stood up and stretched after her long watch in an uncomfortable position. Then she began packing her belongings into her bag.
After about fifteen minutes, she was ready. Peter covered the remains of the fire with dirt and smoothed the grass where the tent had stood before giving the order to move out.
Upon reaching the path, they turned south. A journey of at least several hours awaited them.