'The Final Element' by Sean Hill

Bound feet crushed the brittle stone of the mountain, the ash of long burned away earth grasping at the shrouded face.

Below, embers singing an eerie wordless song left tendrils of heavy black smoke as they cut through the air, leaving the land they passed over in silent, choking darkness.

But above the sightless world, and above this one final eminence in all creation, the water hid in the firmament as pallid wisps.

In a blasphemous voice once granted by fire, the pilgrim begged the heavens for a sacrifice of itself.