June 3rd, 1897
We reached the base just before nightfall.
The wind was low when we arrived. Not calm, but quieter than expected. It carried across the snow in long, steady breaths, like something moving just out of sight. No wildlife. No sound beyond our own steps.
The mountain does not rise the way I imagined it would. There is no gradual slope. No natural invitation upward. It stands… abruptly. Immense and without feature at a distance, yet impossibly detailed the longer you look.
We stood there for some time without speaking.
It is difficult to measure scale here. The eye loses its sense of distance. What appears near is not. What seems distant feels within reach. I do not trust it.
Still, we made camp.
There is no clear path forward, but none of us suggested turning back.
Tomorrow, we begin the ascent.
The first entry recovered from Terminus — a high-altitude descent into isolation, endurance, and collapse.
🏔️ Song: I Stood Below
❄️ Album: Terminus
🎵 Created using AI music tools
