midday
Bernibus and myself were partners , for we had become close friends in the few days that I had spent among the Canitaurs , while Wagner was once again the leading guide and Taurus the rearguard . After crossing the chasm that separated the hall and the entrance tunnel , we came to the long defile that formed the latter and passed through it swiftly , the lofty archer guards remaining as stern and immovable as when I had first come through . We then came to the winding stairs that occupied the hollowed innards of a massive and ancient tree , of which kind many were to be found in Daem , being at least fifty feet thick and 700 feet high , such gigantic trees that were never seen elsewhere , yet constituted the whole forests of the northern lands . I found that the stairs were as long as I had remembered , taking us a great while to ascend to the top of the tree , and when we had made it , we , especially myself , were dazzled by the effulgent light of midday . After having been out of the sun 's reach for the last few days I was completely unprepared , though the shock helped me by curing me of the disillusionment that comes from not seeing sun , moon , or stars for any length of time . Taking a rest for a few moments on the seats on the platform , we collected our strength . After our brief repose was completed , we set off again with renewed vigor across the treeway on which I had first come to the Canitaur 's fortress .