Busy focusing on his breathing, Crow nodded wordlessly as Penelope assured him they were almost there. His first question had already taken a toll on him to ask, so he didn’t want to risk opening his mouth again and losing his breath completely. Instead, he continued to run after her, trusting her direction as he forced himself to keep moving. After all, they had escaped from knights together before. He knew she was more than capable of getting them both to safety before the guards could catch up.

As time went on, it was getting harder for him to keep up with her, and he found that he had to look down at the ground as he ran so he wouldn’t trip on any roots or shrubs. The sickeningly familiar darkness began to edge his vision, and his heart raced with worry as he recalled the last time that had happened. That was the time he had actually lost consciousness. He glanced at Penelope, hoping the place she had in mind was nearby, so they could stop running. The last thing he wanted was to pass out in front of her, and if the hiding spot was close, then there was still a chance he could make it.

When she spoke up again, announcing that it was just ahead, Crow felt weak with relief. He looked up again to see the rocky outcropping she was headed towards. They were finally almost there. It was just a little farther…

Suddenly, he staggered as he felt a fresh wave of dizziness seize his body. The force of it caught him by surprise, and he had to turn quickly to avoid running into a tree. He shook his head, gritting his teeth as he forced himself to stay focused. [i]Come on,[/i] he thought determinedly. [i]It’s right there. I can make it.[/i] Pushing himself a little harder, he kept running after Penelope towards the boulder. However, it wasn’t long before another strong spell made him slow down again. He gasped, trying hard to stay conscious. He couldn’t let himself pass out, not in front of Penelope, and not with those knights chasing after them.

With one last push, he hastened his pace just enough to keep up with her again. They raced towards the boulder, covering ground quickly, and it was starting to look like he was going to make it after all. However, in the next moment, he was struck again with an intense burst of fatigue, and this time he wasn’t strong enough to fight it off. Just before they reached the boulder, the thief dropped to the ground as the darkness overtook his vision, and he blacked out.