18.5

Max began the steep ascent, pushing himself relentlessly through his exhaustion.

Keep going.

Keep going.

The struggle was now purely physical, with no doubt left in his mind that what he was doing was right… for him. Both the past and the future were out of the question, one buried, the other unimaginable.

Keep going.

Keep going.

A series of stone steps marked the entrance to the castle.

Keep going.

Keep going.

As Max slowly climbed these final steps his past suddenly caught up with him and rushed by in a reel of telling glimpses, ending with the blue eyes of Shard, and the whisper –

“You will witness God.”

Stepping into the courtyard Max had absolutely no doubt that life had conspired to bring him here, and the vast expanse of open space this created in his mind began filling with relief as he lay down on the parapet. Enveloped by the ethereal light of the pink pre-dawn sky, it seemed there was nothing at all between him and God.

It seemed he’d finally found the bliss he was looking for.

He thought it couldn’t get any better than this.