stepwise; one step at a time
final chapter; last chapter; last section (of a book, essay, song etc.); epilogue
road; path; route; way; distance; journey; road (e.g. to victory)
life or death struggle; mortal combat; struggle to the death
moving from place to place; being passed around repeatedly; rolling about
trace; tracks; site; remains; scar
to rub; to scrub; to scrape
having wounds all over one's body; being wounded all over; receiving a drubbing; being subjected to a barrage of criticism
to arrive (at one's destination); to reach; to come to a head; to reach a conclusion; to culminate (in)
lying face down; lying on one's face; placing upside down; placing face down
to cry; to weep; to sob; to howl
infinity; infinitude; eternity; infinite; limitless
life and death; life or death
important; serious; valuable; precious; serious matter; major incident
desperation; struggle to the death
to sacrifice oneself; to die a martyr
invulnerability; immortality; insensibility to pain
finite; limited; restricted
single; solo; solitary; just one; only one
to stake; to risk; to bet; to wager
to be open (to traffic); to lead to; to flow (liquid, current); to pass; to be understood; to be comprehended; to be honored