English BLANKS - CORRECT WORD [3M]

(mightiest, halfway, remains, brutal, granted, defied)
Once having _____________________ this, the question _____________________ Why Everest? Because it is the highest. the _____________________ and has _____________________ many previous attempts. It takes the last ounce of one's energy. It is a _____________________ struggle with rock and ice. Once taken up, it cannot be given up _____________________ even when one's life is at stake.

(imagination. exhaustion, reaching. something, getting, climbed)
Even when _____________________ once the physical down from the summit, _____________________ had gone. I began the asking myself the question why I had _____________________ Everest. Why did the act of summit have such a hold on my was already a thing of the past, yesterday. _____________________ _____________________ ? It _____________________ done