Summoning the rest of their strength they finally reached the flat summit.
It wasn't until an hour passed, and the sunlight was gone, but for the dimness left over, that the two men stood on their feet and cleared an area on which to sleep.
The skies were turning to black velvet, with the diamond stars covering every space and some galaxies were seen lingering far behind some brighter stars. Directly overhead, a galaxy of fingernail size seemed to slowly pass over as they both lay back and watched it.
Meteorites streaked across the sky ever-so-often and Boyce told Lloyd that they were angels racing one another through the heavens.
It was a clear and beautifully warm night, and a splendidly colourful borealis shined in the north-western sky.
Neither one knew when they fell asleep, and neither one woke up until noon the next day, barely noticing that they were being baked by the sun.
Every bone in their bodies cracked and there wasn't one muscle excluded from feeling the brunt of their climb.
Nothing much was said between them while they ate. When they were through, however, Boyce praised God, and turned to Lloyd.
"I just thought of something." he said and Lloyd waited, interest shining from his eyes. "We could have cut holes into the rock face with our lasers! The climb wouldn't have taken us half the time!"
"I considered that before we started to climb." Lloyd admitted to
Boyce.