In fact, it looked like the only place that went anywhere was at the top, almost completely inaccessible. Inaccessible, that is, to anyone who did not have powerful and ancient magic at his or her disposal. "Ak'kun leoht," he chanted. "Anthegravim summi! Levitate!"

The staff pulsed with light, and Kun'nuk'kles felt himself being lifted up. Soon, he was out of the volcano, and at the edge of the crater. And then, it started to rain. Kun'nuk'kles felt the Barrier evaporate as soon as the first drop came into contact with it, and at the same time, became acutely aware that he was standing on top of a recently active volcano. So, he started to run. "Damn… damn… damn!" he muttered.

This was a lot more trouble than he had bargained for. More than a few minutes up here, and he'd be dead from toxic fumes and such. Unfortunately, the fastest way down a mountain isn't precisely the most comfortable. Kun'nuk'kles slipped and slid down the scree and rockslides, causing a few of his own in the pre-dawn light. As he got repeatedly mildly concussed, he noticed it was coming very early for this time of year. Such is the way of things

At least he wasn't falling back to the desert… but when he reached the bottom of the hill, his head slammed into a rock, and his eyes closed. A few moments later, something came over the nearby rocks. It examined Kun'nuk'kles, sighed, and started to drag the prone Echidna away. And the grayness returned.

How did we see that just now?

Hmm?

I mean, Kun'nuk'kles was unconscious. How did we see him being dragged away, if these are his memories?

These aren't just HIS memories. These memories are made of the short, miniscule memories of the organisms around him, and inside him, as he is going.

You… have the memories of protists? How does that work?

It is a painstaking process. You see, their lesser minds followed the trail of the greater mind when they died. And then, when I was created, they were sucked in with me. Sort of like an occult black hole.

I… see…

I really don't think you do. But in any case, we'll skip ahead to when he awakens…