Tiuri and Piak cross the mountain pass into Unauwen

The crossing of the mountain pass is a hard-won turning point in Tiuri and Piak’s journey: from the heights they finally see the Unauwen Realm, their destination, but the view marks progress rather than the end of the ordeal.

The Ascent

For the second time, the two climb the rocky route. Piak’s warning that the way is slippery proves right. Cold, cramped limbs make the dangerous scrambling harder, while deep ravines and chasms—some with bottoms invisible from above—press close to the path. Snow and ice whiten the landscape, dark rock breaks through it, and the distant slopes merge with the gray sky. They climb in silence, too exhausted to talk, until Piak identifies the seventh rock and the shelter he had hoped to reach on its far side.

That rock is the hardest obstacle. Once over it, Tiuri is breathless and the world seems to dance before his eyes; Piak is scarcely in better shape. They descend a little to a more sheltered place and rest. From there, Piak explains the next stage: beyond another ridge lies the pass, from which they will be able to see the Unauwen Realm.

The View into Unauwen

After resting, they continue in better spirits and better condition. The sun shines more brightly, and the last major climb proves easier than expected. At the top, they look into the Unauwen Realm. Tiuri recognizes the destination of his journey, though the view offers only successive mountain ridges fading into haze; the lowlands beyond are still too distant to make out. The sight is both a reward and a measure of the remaining distance: they have crossed only about half the mountains.

The Descent and Its Aftermath

The pass does not bring an end to the rough going. Tiuri had felt that the difficulties were behind him, but the descent remains harsh and wild. It is less cold because the easterly wind no longer reaches them, yet the descending slopes soon hide what little of the Unauwen Realm they could see. At sunset, with the peaks glowing orange, they find a place to sleep in a shallow valley beside a stream. Too tired to eat much, they settle down after Piak treats Tiuri’s arm with the drink from Menaures’ flask. The crossing thus advances them toward their goal without releasing them from the mountains or their physical exhaustion.