✨ Ruins, Rodents, and Remnants

Saturday 3 November 2018



Add archaeology to my resume ⸴ i suppose ·

Although the sojourn wasn't originally supposed to be archaeological in nature · Saro had «asked» me to go to kalinthas -- though she made it clear this was one of the steps or requirements of my initiation into the moonless nights · As she is now a duchess ⸴ i did not know whether she wanted me there as a diplomatic aid ⸴ security ⸴ or to fulfil some task she had planned out somewhere on the island chain · At first ⸴ however ⸴ my job seemed to be nothing but company · We had arrived on the island of popolos which i take to be the main island of the kingdom · I confess i did not arrive in very good shape; travel by water does not agree with me ⸴ it seems ⸴ and i have had little opportunity to learn it before · Fortunately most of my next few days ⸴ as i mentioned ⸴ was spent merely relaxing and being in the company of saro and other adventurers who had taken the same trip · There is a tavern called the luckless dragon in the city of bastion·by·the·water where we spent much of our days ·

I have no idea what else would have transpired during our stay on kalinthas if it had not been for the incident yestreday morning · A man walked into the tavern ⸴ which was a common enough occurrence ⸴ but unlike most people who came to the luckless dragon to drink away their woes ⸴ this gentleman had an air of delegated nobility (it was mostly the clothes) and seemed to be in mild duress · After a bit of hand wringing and working up the nerve ⸴ he strode to the front of the tavern and cleared his throat politely to get our attention ⸴ whereupon he introduced himself as gregory nelson ⸴ the kalinthian council member from the island of calyx · He wished to hire we dragonreach adventurers to clear out one of the «armanthian ruins» which was not far from calyx's capital city of langdale ·

An interesting proposal ⸴ to say the least ⸴ especially since on the duminică just prior to our arrival on popolos ⸴ the kalinthian council had (i learned) passed a law making it illegal to unseal and/or enter any of these ancient ruins that dotted the island landscapes ⸴ without obtaining a certified delver's writ · Councillor nelson immediately assured us the council had awarded him such a writ on our behalf in order to maintain the safety of langdale · He also let us know that he had paid from his own salary for charter ships to sail us from popolos to calyx · This news did not excite me··· more travel by water · But it couldn't be helped ·

The ships departed popolos this morning an hour before dawn and moored at calyx just after the sunrise ⸴ a mercifully shorter trip than that from kundirk to kalinthas · We descended into langdale from the port to retrieve the writ from councillor nelson ⸴ as well as directions to the armanthian ruin ·

While en route to the site of the ruin ⸴ i had a chance to observe some of the adventurers that had joined us ⸴ whom i had not met yet · I received the impression (later verified) however that these men and women had in the past fought alongside those i already knew from dragonreach · There was an elf who dual wielded like i did (except obviously far far better) ⸴ a werebear ⸴ a high orc ⸴ another elf named quinn (one of the only ones who publicly introduced themselves to those of us new to him) ⸴ and᠁ finch · Finch ⸴ a rat kyn ⸴ member of the moonless nights ⸴ and someone that saro had specifically mentioned i should get to know · Though large and imposing in stature ⸴ he had a predictably squeaky voice and an insatiable appetite · I had been warned and had brought snacks ·

As we approached the impressive though ageing facade of the ruin's entrance ⸴ everything seemed understated and calm and i did not entirely understand why councillor had been so concerned about having the ruin cleared out · I supposed that perhaps he was worried something inside might get out ⸴ but that train of thought led to me wondering why nobody had been concerned about it before ⸴ or at least investigated it before · My thoughts were interrupted shortly ⸴ however ⸴ by the foliage around us seeming to come to life · There were a number of flora-fauna hybrids ⸴ similar enough to the myconids at springdale to alarm me but also different enough that they were more easily kept at bay by our group -- even in spite of their force including a small number of carnivorous plants ·

While protecting trellis ⸴ who was trying to work out the mechanisms that would unseal the door ⸴ i stood alongside the werebear and the high orc - the latter of whom introduced himself as yonkie · Though we were defending ourselves it also seemed that the plant things were acting defensive as well ⸴ and another piece of the puzzle came together when trellis was finally able to unseal the door to the ruin · The very moment that the seal broke ⸴ all of the plants stopped attacking and stood in a vigilant arc centered around the door ⸴ as though their true purpose was not to keep us out but to keep something else in the ruin · Yet withal we took the plunge and descended into the ancient structure ·

Not too far inside we approached a fortification populated entirely by «rodenzi» ⸴ a species of what appeared to be hindwalking true rats (as opposed to finch ⸴ who as a wylderkyn was more like a rat-like anthropoid) · The population seemed relatively large though the creatures themselves were not oversized ⸴ but it was hard to determine whether this was the reason for the plant sentinels' watch · The adventurers tried to approach peacefully at first ⸴ and even offered food and kind words ⸴ but the rodenzi were too suspicious and began to swarm us ⸴ so we had to defend ourselves · And unfortunately ⸴ the creatures fought us to the last ·

Now with an inkling of what sort of things we might encounter ⸴ we took a moment to orient ourselves with the fortification as a base point ⸴ and then proceeded further down · As we went deeper into the ruin we encountered other small groups of rodenzi ⸴ sometimes fighting each other in addition to ourselves · At one point there was a fork in the passageway and we chose to head left and downward before going right and upward · Not far from here we found barrels of a sickly viscous substance ⸴ which finch (somehow) convinced blue to try drinking ⸴ and it almost killed her · We resolved to continue on from there after mathis restored blue to health ⸴ but we encountered some undead and some stone golems ⸴ and while facing those on the front ⸴ another group of rodenzi came from behind us and dipped their weapons into the barrels -- coating their weapons with a doom elixir!

Fortunately we were able to take advantage of this as well · During a lull in the two-pronged battle many of us used our blades or hammers ⸴ to the point that we actually emptied the barrel and prevented the rodenzi from using it further ⸴ but we also discovered that if our weapons weren't swung soon enough the acidic part of the alchemical coating began eating away at our weapons · There were enough undead remaining for us to salvage all of our weapons before the corrosion got too bad ⸴ and our group efforts brought us safe victory once again · During this battle the duellist elf apparently was stricken by the fact that i was only fighting with a shortsword and dagger ⸴ and made a point to tell me i had better get a longsword if i expected to get any better in combat situations ·

We continued in this way until just before we reached what appeared to be the lowest room ⸴ we felt an explosion below us · We hurried down into a large amphitheatre which was filled with recently killed rodenzi corpses - except for at least one which we found bleeding out · While many of us had thought to revive the poor creature and ask what the explosion was ⸴ finch had grown too hungry (in spite of copious snacks from saro and myself ⸴ and a meal provided from some bags of holding possessed by mathis and the drake kyn) · Our rat kyn friend simply fell (literally and figuratively) on the prone rodenzi body and began devouring it ⸴ to mixed reactions from the rest of the adventuring group (ranging from my «well that's the circle of life» to several «i think i'm going to be sick»s) ·

Mathis managed to intervene when finch indicated he was full (or nearly full) ⸴ and used a life spell on the rodenzi ⸴ restoring the limbs and guts that finch had eaten · The pitiful creature then became alarmed as he awoke to complete strangers with weapons all around him ⸴ but after some lengthy discussion we convinced him we were willing to help if his people would stop attacking us · The rodenzi as a whole had been trapped in the ruins for a long period of time ⸴ and the explosion we felt had been the result of them using a crystal they had found in order to magically teleport elsewhere - or at least try to ⸴ since obviously it hadn't worked well and had backfired · I guess there were not as many bodies as there had been rodenzi trying to teleport out ⸴ so some must have teleported to a different ruin ⸴ but the rest died in the explosion ·

The little rodenzi was going to come with us further as we offered to bring him up to the surface and past the plant sentinels at the door · However a larger rodenzi with some sort of ritual mask came into the amphitheatre with a small cadre of fighters ⸴ struck him down and then raised him as an undead before we had much chance to save him · The mystery deepened ⸴ but since the ruin did not ⸴ we had to return back to the original point of diversion and try the right-hand passageway · After we had dispatched the rodenzi necromancer and his minions ⸴ of course ·

Returning to the forked passageway and taking the right-side door this time ⸴ we entered an old library half-filled with books written in a completely foreign alphabet · Some of those in our party that had visited kalinthas before recognised the letter glyphs even if they couldn't read them - they were the same as on panels and in other books from a previous ruin visited · However what primarily caught my notice ⸴ and most of the others ⸴ was the enormous pile of dead rats and rodenzi smack in the middle of the library floor ·

Unnerved by this mass grave ⸴ the party at large decided to press on quickly ⸴ so i did not at that point have a chance to examine the dead bodies · We went further up the stairs and passed through a doorway into··· something far different than the falling-apart stone that we had thus far been travelling through · It was obviously more advanced but still derived from an archaic time ⸴ and it had endured better upkeep than the rest of the complex passages we had traversed · A number of constructs or golems faced us ⸴ serenely but stoically ⸴ greeting us but telling us all we could not pass to the forge ᠁ until they saw trellis and nya ⸴ the two lone dryads in our party ·

Speaking only to nya and trellis from that point forward ⸴ the golems eventually explained to «us» that they were creations of the ancient dryad society that once dominated the islands of kalinthas · The forge (which nya ⸴ trellis ⸴ and naomi only were allowed to go and observe while other golems guarded us) was used by the ancient dryads to create the golems ⸴ and only they held the secrets of the golems' creation · The golems had been tasked with protecting the forge ⸴ and so they remained there under the last order they had ever received before the ancient dryads left ⸴ died ⸴ or were wiped out ·

Mathis was unhappy with the half-answers we had received from the golems and the rodenzi ⸴ so although he politely thanked them all and encouraged us diplomatically to depart the ruin ⸴ he stopped us in the library and asked if anyone would cast a ritual that would allow them to see the past for themselves · While phanuck ⸴ yonkie ⸴ the werebear (named zane) ⸴ and naomi built a circle of power and cast the requested ritual ⸴ i examined the bodies i had not been able to before · I could see that not all of the bodies had been killed here; and practically all the killing wounds were from rodenzi claws themselves · This seemed to jive with what we had encountered earlier ⸴ that one group of rodenzi was fighting another · It may have explained in part why there had been a rodenzi necromancer that had killed and corrupted our young friend ·

The results of the ritual also seemed to confirm this · The rodenzi themselves had been trying to acquire power ⸴ the visioners told us ⸴ and had managed to uncover the art of necromancy ᠁ whether from the books in the library ⸴ other visitors to the ruins ⸴ or a natural inclination ⸴ they could not tell · As a result of this choice of power ⸴ the rodenzi began purposely killing one another so that their bodies could be used as undead file and rank ⸴ and this led to civil war that practically wiped them out · In the meantime one small group of rodenzi had made off with a part of the golem forge ⸴ and had intended to use its magical power - the crystal focus - as a means to finally get out since the ruin's door was tightly sealed ·

The one good thing resulting from our exploration was that mathis had confirmed with the help of the golems that all the remaining rodenzi in this particular ruin were dead ⸴ so technically the ruin was «cleared» · We emerged from the ruin ⸴ made our way quickly through the line of plant guardians ⸴ and back to langdale to regroup and report to the councilman nelson · There ⸴ mathis informed him that the ruin had been examined but that he still strongly recommended it be cordoned off from the general public ⸴ without yet explaining what else was in the ruin ·

In truth ⸴ had this been the end of my adventure on calyx ⸴ i would have concluded by saying that i was never coming back to kalinthas again · In spite of my mild curiosity about the nature of the rodenzi from the point of view of the all-fauna connexion ⸴ i felt that there was simply too much going on among the islands ⸴ that there was too much background i would never comprehend ⸴ and that i certainly did not need to learn the court protocol of another kingdom's government when i could barely manage to obey the protocols of dragonreach · Not to mention ⸴ i just really didn't want to ride on boats any more ·

However᠁ zane is remaining on calyx ⸴ or at least in kalinthas in general · And he overheard me either asking mathis if he could treewalk from this far back to dragonreach (he can not) or complaining to saro that i was going to be seasick again and perhaps i should just stay in langdale or find someone who can create a portal · So he pulled me aside and said very sternly ⸴ «i won't allow you to stay with me and be stranded in stagnant fear ·» Then ⸴ almost as an afterthought ⸴ «you don't grow where you are comfortable and safe; you simply wait to die,» and then walked off ·

While i'm sure it was meant to get me on the damn boat ⸴ i'm also just as sure that he really meant i should stop only doing things that make me feel sheltered and secure ⸴ in general · Expand my horizons ⸴ so to speak · So i guess i'll be coming back to kalinthas after all · And who knows ⸴ but that perhaps i will be able to contribute something meaningful and help solve some of the mysteries of the armanthians?

Or at least learn to stop vomiting over the side of the boat ·

🍂 Fair Winds and Safe Journeys

Tuesday 16 October 2018


[ᴀ copy of ᴛhє ɭєᴛᴛєɾ I hᴀvє sєnᴛ ᴛo Dʊchєss Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo,
onє of sєvєɾᴀɭ ın ᴛhє ᴀfᴛєɾmᴀᴛh of my dєpᴀɾᴛʊɾє fɾom Aɾdıc:]
To my dєᴀɾ fɾıєnd, Dʊchєss Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo:

Thє ovєɾwhєɭmınᵹ sᴛᴀᴛє of ᵹɾıєf I wᴀs ın on Mᴀɾᵹᴀdh Dᴀy nıᵹhᴛ wᴀs noᴛ condʊcıvє ᴛo fʊɭɭy єxpɭᴀın ᴛo yoʊ whᴀᴛ wᴀs hᴀppєnınᵹ ᴀnd why I wᴀs ɭєᴀvınᵹ. I bєᵹ yoʊɾ foɾᵹıvєnєss foɾ my momєnᴛ of wєᴀknєss, ᴀs wєɭɭ ᴀs foɾ my dєpᴀɾᴛʊɾє, bʊᴛ ᴀᴛ ɭєᴀsᴛ now I mᴀy єxpɭᴀın ın fʊɭɭ whᴀᴛ ᴛɾᴀnspıɾєd. Yoʊɾs mᴀy bє ᴛhє ɭonᵹєsᴛ dɾєᴀmınᵹ ᴛhᴀᴛ I sєnd, ᴀs my cɭosєsᴛ confıdᴀnᴛє ın Aɾdıc ᴀnd who dєsєɾvєs ᴛo know ᴛhє єnᴛıɾєᴛy of ᴛhє sᴛoɾy.

Thoʊᵹh I bєɭıєvє yoʊ ʊndєɾsᴛᴀnd my ᴛhoʊᵹhᴛs on ᴛhє mᴀᴛᴛєɾ, I mʊsᴛ ɾєcᴀɭɭ yoʊɾ mєmoɾy bᴀck sєvєɾᴀɭ monᴛhs ᴀᵹo ᴛo whєn I fıɾsᴛ bєcᴀmє ᴀwᴀɾє of ᴛhє ᴛhɾєᴀᴛ of ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs. Thє Єxıɭєs hᴀd sʊffєɾєd ᴀ ɭonᵹ, hᴀɾd wınᴛєɾ, dıspossєssєd of ᴛhєıɾ own homє ᴀnd scᴀᴛᴛєɾєd ᴀmonᵹ ᴛhɾєє oᴛhєɾ ᵹɾovєs ᴛhoʊᵹh pɾımᴀɾıɭy ın ᴛhє Ashdown Wood. Thє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs hᴀd bєєn єᴀᵹєɾ ᴛo ᴀssısᴛ ın fɾєєınᵹ oɾ ɾєscʊınᵹ ᴛhє hoɭɭowєd єɭvєs fɾom ᴛhє Mᴀɭᴀchᴀɾı, ᴀnd ᴀɭso hᴀd ᴛɾıєd vᴀɭıᴀnᴛɭy ᴛo fıᵹhᴛ off ᴛhє Mᴀɭᴀchᴀɾı ʊnᴛıɭ ᴛhє foɾєsᴛ fıɾє ᴛhᴀᴛ dɾovє ᴛhє Chıɭdɾєn of Aʊᴛʊmn oʊᴛ. I hᴀd ᴀssʊmєd ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs woʊɭd ᴀɭso bє wıɭɭınᵹ ᴛo hєɭp sᴀfєᵹʊᴀɾd ınnocєnᴛ dɾyᴀdєs, ᴀs wєɭɭ ᴀs ᴛhє bєnєvoɭєnᴛ Gɾovє Mᴀıdєn ᴛhᴀᴛ hᴀd so kındɭy ᴀɭɭowєd ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs ᴛo hoʊsє ᴛhosє dɾyᴀdєs ın hєɾ own ᵹɾovє. I wᴀs wɾonᵹ.

In fᴀcᴛ I wᴀs ᴛᴀkєn compɭєᴛєɭy ᴀbᴀck by ᴛhє ᴀᴛᴛıᴛʊdєs of mᴀny of ᴛhє pєɾsons ın Aɾdıc, whosє opınıons ɾᴀnᵹєd fɾom pʊɾє ᴀpᴀᴛhy ᴛo jʊsᴛ shoɾınᵹ ʊp dєfєncєs, ᴛo єvєn ɭєᴛᴛınᵹ ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs mᴀkє ᴛhє ᴀᴛᴛєmpᴛ ᴀnd ᴛᴀkє ovєɾ ᴀ ᵹɾovє noᴛ ᴛhєıɾ own. Thєıɾ fᴀıɭʊɾє ᴛo ʊndєɾsᴛᴀnd ᴛhє nᴀᴛʊɾє ᴀnd poɭıᴛıcs of dɾyᴀdє socıєᴛy wᴀs ʊndєɾsᴛᴀndᴀbɭє, bʊᴛ ᴛhєıɾ ᴀɭoofnєss fɭєw ın ᴛhє fᴀcє of whᴀᴛ I hᴀd sєєn of ᴛhєıɾ hєᴀɾᴛs bєfoɾє. Єvєn ᴀᴛ ᴛhє ᴛımє, I wᴀsn'ᴛ sʊɾє ıf ᴛhıs wᴀs ᴀ sınᵹɭє ᴀbєɾɾᴀᴛıon of ᴀᴛᴛıᴛʊdє oɾ ᴀ ɾєvєɭᴀᴛıon of ᴛhєıɾ ᴛɾʊє pɾıoɾıᴛıєs.

As ᴀɭwᴀys yoʊ hᴀvє bєєn ᴀn єxcєpᴛıon ᴛo ᴛhє ɾʊɭє. Noᴛ foɾ noᴛhınᵹ hᴀvє I foʊᵹhᴛ vєɾbᴀɭɭy ᴛo dєfєnd yoʊ ᴀs ᴀ ᴛɾʊє pᴀɾᴀᵹon of jʊsᴛıcє. Whєᴛhєɾ ᴀs my fɾıєnd oɾ ᴀs ᴀ womᴀn of ınᴛєᵹɾıᴛy, oɾ boᴛh, yoʊ hᴀvє ᴀɭwᴀys sᴛood by my sıdє ᴀnd ᴀɭwᴀys ᴀssısᴛєd ᴛhє dɾyᴀdєs whєn ᴛhєy wєɾє ın nєєd. I ᴛhoʊᵹhᴛ pєɾhᴀps ıᴛ wᴀs bєcᴀʊsє yoʊ wєɾє ᴀn єɭf, ᴀ ɭonᵹ-ɭıvєd ᴀnd ᴛhєɾєfoɾє mʊch moɾє ɾєfɭєcᴛıvє ᴀnd ınvoɭvєd pєopɭє, whıch ıs why whєn Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ ᴀskєd my coʊnsєɭ ᴀnd foɾ ᴀ ᵹɾoʊp of ᴛɾʊsᴛwoɾᴛhy pєєɾs ᴛo convєnє, I ᴛhoʊᵹhᴛ of yoʊ fıɾsᴛ ᴀnd ᴛhє oᴛhєɾ єɭvєs ın oʊɾ compᴀny sєcond.

My oᴛhєɾ ɾєcommєndᴀᴛıons, howєvєɾ, woʊɭd hᴀvє bєєn hʊmᴀns ɭıkє Gıdєon ᴀnd Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ. Gıdєon ᴀnd I hᴀvє noᴛ ᴀɭwᴀys sєєn єyє ᴛo єyє bʊᴛ ıᴛ hᴀs nєvєɾ sᴛoppєd hım fɾom offєɾınᵹ ᴀdvıcє ᴀnd ᴀssısᴛᴀncє, єvєn ın sıᴛʊᴀᴛıons hє wᴀs noᴛ ᴀɭwᴀys comfoɾᴛᴀbɭє wıᴛh, ᴀnd I hᴀvє ᴀɭwᴀys vᴀɭʊєd hıs pɾєsєncє ᴀnd hıs ᴀbıɭıᴛıєs. And Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ  ıs  wᴀs onє mʊch ɭıkє yoʊ - ofᴛєn movєd ᴛo hєɭp oᴛhєɾs by ᴀ sєnsє of fᴀıɾnєss ᴀnd jʊsᴛıcє ᴀɭonє, ᴀnd ᴀᴛ oᴛhєɾ ᴛımєs by jʊsᴛ ᴀn ovєɾᴀɭɭ sєnsє of ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾє ᴀnd wᴀnᴛınᵹ єxcıᴛєmєnᴛ. Һєɾ wєᴀɭᴛh of knowɭєdᵹє ᴀnd skıɭɭ ᴀnd єxpєɾıєncє ın mᴀny posıᴛıons ᴀnd cᴀɾєєɾs kєpᴛ hєɾ єyєs opєn wıdє ᴛo єvєɾyᴛhınᵹ ᴀɾoʊnd hєɾ.

In sєєınᵹ єvєɾyᴛhınᵹ ᴀɾoʊnd hєɾ, Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ sᴀw ᴛhє sᴀmє coɾɾʊpᴛıon of ᴀpᴀᴛhy ᴛhᴀᴛ I sᴀw. Yoʊ wıɭɭ ɾєcᴀɭɭ ᴛhᴀᴛ shє hᴀd ᴛᴀkєn ᴀ spєcıᴀɭ ınᴛєɾєsᴛ ın mє whєn I fıɾsᴛ ᴀwokє fɾom ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛ Sɭєєp, wᴀnᴛınᵹ ᴛo mᴀkє sʊɾє I fєɭᴛ wєɭcomє ᴀnd ınᴛєᵹɾᴀᴛєd ınᴛo ᴛhє ɭıfє of Aɾdıc, sponsoɾınᵹ mє ᴀs ᴀn ʊnoffıcıᴀɭ ɭıᴀıson bєᴛwєєn ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs ᴀnd Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ hımsєɭf. Shє ᴛᴀʊᵹhᴛ mє ᴀɭchєmy; shє kєpᴛ ᴀn єyє on mє whєn I nєєdєd hєᴀɭınᵹ on ᴛhosє ɾᴀɾє occᴀsıons whєn yoʊ wєɾє ʊnᴀvᴀıɭᴀbɭє. Shє wᴀs ᴀ bʊsy womᴀn, soʊᵹhᴛ by mᴀny foɾ hєɾ skıɭɭs, bʊᴛ єvєn whєn shє coʊɭd noᴛ physıcᴀɭɭy ᴀssısᴛ mє shє sᴛıɭɭ hᴀd soɭıd pɾᴀcᴛıcᴀɭ ᴀdvıcє.

Thєɾє wᴀs ᴀ poınᴛ, ᴛwo oɾ ᴛhɾєє monᴛhs ᴀᵹo, I cᴀnnoᴛ ɾєcᴀɭɭ, whєn shє ᴀnd Dmıᴛɾı ᴀnd I ᴛɾᴀvєɾsєd ᴛhє Mısᴛs ᴛo pʊɾsʊє ᴀ posᴛınᵹ on ᴛhє job boᴀɾd, ᴀnd shє wᴀs ᴀɭɾєᴀdy qʊıᴛє cєɾᴛᴀın ıᴛ wᴀs ᴛhє spıɾıᴛ of Բᴀᴛє ıᴛsєɭf wє woʊɭd bє dєᴀɭınᵹ wıᴛh. Shє wᴀs compɭєᴛєɭy ᴀccʊɾᴀᴛє, ᴀnd whıɭє wє pɭᴀyєd ᵹᴀmєs wıᴛh hım (ᴀ fᴀvoʊɾıᴛє pᴀsᴛᴛımє of hıs I ᴀm ᴛoɭd) hє ᴀskєd ᴀboʊᴛ oʊɾ vıєws of ᴛhє woɾɭd ᴀɾoʊnd ʊs, of oʊɾ fєɭɭow ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs, of ᴛhє poɭıᴛıcs of oʊɾ ᴛımє ᴀnd spᴀcє.

Iᴛ cᴀmє oʊᴛ dʊɾınᵹ ᴛhıs ᴛhᴀᴛ nєıᴛhєɾ Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ noɾ I hᴀd mʊch fᴀıᴛh ın ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾınᵹ commʊnıᴛy ᴀs ᴀ whoɭє. Thєy hᴀvє bєcomє ınsʊɭᴀɾ, mᴀny of ᴛhєm onɭy ᴀfᴛєɾ ᴛhєıɾ own pєɾsonᴀɭ ınᴛєɾєsᴛs. Iᴛ ıs dıffıcʊɭᴛ ᴛo ɾoʊsє ᴛhєm ᴛo ᴛhє nєєds of ᴀ ᵹɾoʊp ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhєy hᴀvє no connєxıon ᴛo. Բoɾ ᴛhє ımmєdıᴀᴛє dᴀnᵹєɾ of cɭosє ındıvıdʊᴀɭs, sʊch ᴀs Loɭᴀ ᴛhıs pᴀsᴛ mᴀɾkєᴛ dᴀy, ıᴛ ıs єᴀsy ᴛo ᵹєᴛ ᴛhєıɾ ᴀᴛᴛєnᴛıon ᴀnd ɾєcєıvє ᴛhєıɾ ᴀıd, bʊᴛ ᴛhєıɾ bɾoᴀdєɾ vıєw of ᴛhє woɾɭd ıs onє of cᴀɾєɭєssnєss. Thєɾє ıs no sєnsє of commʊnᴀɭ connєcᴛıon wıᴛh nᴀᴛʊɾє ᴀnd wıᴛh oᴛhєɾ ɭıvєs, ᴛhє wᴀy I wᴀs ɾᴀısєd ɭonᵹ ᴀᵹo.

In ᴛhıs knowɭєdᵹє I bєcomє moɾє cɭosєd-off mysєɭf, ᴀvoıdınᵹ ᴛhє compᴀny of mosᴛ of Aɾdıc wıᴛh ᴛhє єxcєpᴛıons of yoʊ, Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ, Aɾᴀᵹon, Gɾєy, ᴀnd ᴀ fєw oᴛhєɾs. I wıᴛhdɾєw ᴀs ofᴛєn ᴀs possıbɭє ᴛo ᴛhє ɭıᴛᴛɭє bıɾch sᴛᴀnd bєhınd ᴛhє ᴛᴀvєɾn I ʊsє ᴀs my "homє" whєnєvєɾ I vısıᴛ ᴛhє єncᴀmpmєnᴛ. Sᴛıɭɭ I wᴀs wıɭɭınᵹ ᴛo ᴀssısᴛ wıᴛh mosᴛ ᴀny concєɾns of ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs, bєcᴀʊsє I cᴀnnoᴛ dєny my own nᴀᴛʊɾє ᴛo hєɭp oᴛhєɾs, bʊᴛ I ɾᴀɾєɭy ᴀskєd ᴀnyonє bєsıdєs yoʊɾsєɭf ᴛo comє wıᴛh mє on my own qʊєsᴛs. To ᴛhᴀᴛ єnd I ᴀpoɭoᵹısє ıf I cᴀʊsєd yoʊ ᴀny sᴛɾєss oɾ hᴀɾdshıp foɾ ɾєɭyınᵹ on yoʊ so mʊch.

Whєn Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ ɾᴀɭɭıєd ᴛhє єnᴛıɾє ᴛown ᴛo pʊsh ᴛo fınd ᴛhє ɭᴀsᴛ of ᴛhє kєy pᴀɾᴛs ᴛo Єɭoɾıᴀ Cıᴛy, ᴀnd ᴛhєn ᴛo fᴀcє ᴛhє ᵹoɭєms ᴀnd dєfєᴀᴛ ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ, I wᴀs ᴀᴛ fıɾsᴛ єcsᴛᴀᴛıc. Iᴛ wᴀs ᴀ hᴀɾmony of ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs oncє ᴀᵹᴀın, ᴀnd wє wєɾє ᴀɭɭ ɾєᴀdy ᴛo dєsᴛɾoy ᴀ ᴛhɾєᴀᴛ (єvєn ıf ıᴛ wᴀs onє I dıd noᴛ fʊɭɭy compɾєhєnd) ᴀnd bɾınᵹ fɾєєdom ᴀnd pєᴀcє ᴛo ᴛhє єnᴛıɾє Єɭoɾıᴀn Єmpıɾє. Thᴀᴛ Gıdєon hᴀd sᴀvєd ʊp ᴀɭɭ ᴛhᴀᴛ chᴀnnєɭєd mᴀᵹıc ᴀnd wᴀs ᴀbɭє ᴛo knock oʊᴛ ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ's moɾᴛᴀɭ foɾm dıd noᴛ boᴛhєɾ mє; ıᴛ wᴀs ᴀcᴛʊᴀɭɭy ᴀ ɾєɭıєf ᴛhᴀᴛ ıᴛ wᴀs donє wıᴛh so ɭıᴛᴛɭє ɭoss of ɭıfє, ᴀnd ᴛhʊs I wᴀs ᴀɭᴀɾmєd whєn бᴀɾon Һᴀvok's kıɭɭınᵹ bɭow ɾєboʊndєd wıᴛh vєnᵹєᴀncє ᴀnd cᴀʊsєd hım ᴛo ɾєsʊɾɾєcᴛ.

Aᴛ ᴛhıs momєnᴛ I ᴛhoʊᵹhᴛ ᴛhєɾє wᴀs hopє foɾ ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs ᴀfᴛєɾ ᴀɭɭ, ᴛhᴀᴛ pєɾhᴀps Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ woʊɭd bє ᴀbɭє ᴛo conᴛınʊє ᴛo ɾᴀɭɭy ʊs ᴀɭɭ ın ᴛhє fʊᴛʊɾє ᴀnd ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs woʊɭd bєcomє ᴀ posıᴛıvє foɾcє ᴀnd hєɭp oʊᴛ whєɾєvєɾ ıᴛ wᴀs nєєdєd. Thєn... shє sᴀcɾıfıcєd hєɾsєɭf.

I hᴀd noᴛ єvєn compɾєhєndєd whᴀᴛ hᴀppєnєd ᴀᴛ fıɾsᴛ. I ᴛhoʊᵹhᴛ ıᴛ hᴀd bєєn ᴀnoᴛhєɾ ᴛɾᴀp of ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ, ᴀnd ᴛhᴀᴛ hє hᴀd somєhow ɾıfᴛєd hımsєɭf ᴀnd Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ somєwhєɾє єɭsє ın ᴛhє cıᴛy whєɾє wє woʊɭd hᴀvє ᴛo ᴛɾᴀck ᴛhєm down. Iᴛ wᴀsn'ᴛ ʊnᴛıɭ Mᴀxwєɭɭ ᴛoɭd ʊs ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhє sᴛonє wᴀs ᴀ Spıɾıᴛ Բᴀɾєwєɭɭ ᴛhᴀᴛ I ᴛɾʊɭy ɾєᴀɭısєd ᴛhє ᵹɾᴀvıᴛy of ᴛhє sıᴛʊᴀᴛıon.

Aɭɾєᴀdy I hᴀd bєєn mєnᴛᴀɭɭy pɾєpᴀɾınᵹ mysєɭf ᴛo bє... ɭєss ınvoɭvєd ın mᴀᴛᴛєɾs ın Aɾdıc, bєcᴀʊsє now ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛsєєd ıs pɭᴀnᴛєd ᴀnd I ᴀm bondєd ᴛo ıᴛ, ıᴛ ᴛɾʊɭy doєs ɾєqʊıɾє my focʊs ᴀnd ᴀᴛᴛєnᴛıon. Єspєcıᴀɭɭy ın ɭıᵹhᴛ of ᴛhє ɭımıᴛєd ınᴛєɾєsᴛ of oᴛhєɾ ɾᴀcєs ın mᴀᴛᴛєɾs of ᴛhє Chıɭdɾєn of Aʊᴛʊmn, ᴛhє nєєd of mє ᴛo ɭook ᴀfᴛєɾ ᴛhє wєɭfᴀɾє of ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood Єxıɭєs (ᴀnd by єxᴛєnsıon, ᴀᴛ ɭєᴀsᴛ foɾ now, ᴀssısᴛınᵹ Ashєɾ wıᴛh ᴛhє cᴀɾє of ᴛhє Ashdown Wood ᴀnd ıᴛs spɾıᵹᵹᴀns) ıs my own soɭєmn dʊᴛy. бʊᴛ I hᴀd oɾıᵹınᴀɭɭy bєєn ınᴛєndınᵹ ᴛo sᴛıɭɭ ᴛᴀkє ᴛımє ᴛo comє ᴀnd mᴀkє ɾєpoɾᴛs of ıᴛs pɾoᵹɾєss ᴛo Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ ᴀnd ᴛo yoʊ, ᴀnd ᴛo ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs ᴀᴛ ɭᴀɾᵹє.

Wıᴛh ᴛhє ɾєᴀɭısᴀᴛıon ᴛhᴀᴛ Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ hᴀd mᴀdє ᴛhє ʊɭᴛımᴀᴛє sᴀcɾıfıcє, how pᴀınfʊɭɭy hᴀɾd ıᴛ ᴛoɾє my hєᴀɾᴛ ᴀsʊndєɾ so mʊch so ᴛhᴀᴛ I hᴀd ᴛo sᴛєp ᴀwᴀy fɾom ᴛhє єncᴀmpmєnᴛ ᴀnd ᴀɭɭow mysєɭf ᴛo wєєp opєnɭy bєfoɾє I coʊɭd єvєn ɾєᴀcᴛ ᴀny oᴛhєɾ wᴀy... бy ᴛhє ᴛımє I mᴀnᴀᵹєd ᴛo pʊɭɭ mysєɭf ᴛoᵹєᴛhєɾ ᴀᴛ ɭєᴀsᴛ ᴀ ɭıᴛᴛɭє bıᴛ, I knєw ᴛhᴀᴛ I coʊɭd noᴛ sᴛᴀnd ᴛo bє ᴀɾoʊnd mosᴛ of ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs wıᴛhoʊᴛ hєɾ sєɾvınᵹ ᴀs ᴛhᴀᴛ ʊnıfyınᵹ foɾcє ᴛhᴀᴛ woʊɭd ᴀcᴛʊᴀɭɭy dɾıvє ᴛhє skıɭɭs of ᴛhє ᵹɾoʊp ᴛo sєɾvє ᴛhє ᵹɾєᴀᴛєɾ ᵹood.

And so, I cᴀmє ᴛo sᴀy ᵹoodbyє ᴛo jʊsᴛ yoʊ. And I ᴛhoʊᵹhᴛ I coʊɭd hᴀndɭє ᴛhᴀᴛ, bʊᴛ... yoʊ ᴀɾє ᴛhє onɭy pᴀɾᴀᵹon ɭєfᴛ now, ᴀnd moɾє ımpoɾᴛᴀnᴛɭy I ᴛhınk yoʊ ᴀɾє ᴛhє bєsᴛ fɾıєnd I hᴀvє єvєɾ hᴀd ᴀmonᵹ ᴛhıs ᵹɾoʊp of ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs, ᴀnd ᴀs mʊch ᴀs I knєw I coʊɭdn'ᴛ ɾєmᴀın ın Aɾdıc ᴀnymoɾє, ıᴛ bɾokє my hєᴀɾᴛ ᴀᵹᴀın ᴛo ᴛєɭɭ yoʊ I wᴀs ɭєᴀvınᵹ. If I'd bєєn ᴀbɭє ᴛo kєєp my composʊɾє I woʊɭd hᴀvє єxpɭᴀınєd moɾє of ᴛhıs ᴀᴛ ᴛhє ᴛımє, bʊᴛ I coʊɭdn'ᴛ.

Nєvєɾᴛhєɭєss I do noᴛ consıdєɾ ᴛhıs ᴀ fᴀɾєwєɭɭ ᴀnd nєıᴛhєɾ shoʊɭd yoʊ. I wıɭɭ bє dıvıdınᵹ my ᴛımє bєᴛwєєn ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood бɾıᴀɾ ᴀnd ᴛhє Ashwood Sᴀncᴛʊᴀɾy, ʊnᴛıɭ sʊch ᴛımє ᴀs I cᴀn ᵹєᴛ ᴛhє Єxıɭєs ɾєᴛʊɾnєd ᴛo ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood oncє ᴀᵹᴀın. Thoʊᵹh I cᴀʊᴛıon yoʊ noᴛ ᴛo єxpєcᴛ ᴛo sєє mє ᴀny ᴛımє soon, I hᴀvє no doʊbᴛ ᴛhᴀᴛ oʊɾ pᴀᴛhs wıɭɭ cɾoss ᴀᵹᴀın fɾom ᴛımє ᴛo ᴛımє... єspєcıᴀɭɭy oncє ᴛhє Єxıɭєs ɾєᴛʊɾn homє ᴀnd I bєᵹın my job ᴀs Gɾovє Mᴀsᴛєɾ ın єᴀɾnєsᴛ.

Բᴀıɾ wınds ᴀnd sᴀfє joʊɾnєys, ʊnᴛıɭ wє mєєᴛ ᴀᵹᴀın.

Yoʊɾs ın ᴛɾoᴛh.
Gɾıᴀnᴀdhmᴀd of ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood

🍂 The Woods and the Whisper (Part 3 of 3)

Sunday 14 October 2018


Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ ıs ᵹonє.

Wє mᴀdє ıᴛ ᴛo Єɭoɾıᴀ Cıᴛy, ᴀnd dıspᴀᴛchєd ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ, bʊᴛ... shє's ᵹonє.
Shє's jʊsᴛ ᵹonє.

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I hᴀvє ᵹoᴛᴛєn ᴀhєᴀd of mysєɭf; єvєn ın my ᵹɾıєf I nєєd ᴛo ɾєcoʊnᴛ єxᴀcᴛɭy whᴀᴛ hᴀppєnєd ɭᴀsᴛ nıᵹhᴛ so I ʊndєɾsᴛᴀnd, ᴀnd so pєɾhᴀps onє dᴀy oᴛhєɾs cᴀn ɭєᴀɾn, ᴛhє sᴀcɾıfıcє ᴛhᴀᴛ Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ mᴀdє.

A qʊıck fɭıp ᴛhɾoʊᵹh my joʊɾnᴀɭ pᴀᵹєs shows ᴛhᴀᴛ I ɭєfᴛ off wıᴛh Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs bєınᵹ pıckєd ʊp Dʊsk ᴛo ᵹo bᴀck ᴛo ᴛhє Ashdown Wood. I hᴀd bєєn wıᴛh Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs ın ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood Ƿıᴛh foɾ pєɾhᴀps ᴀ ᴛᴀoıdє ᴀnd ᴀ hᴀɭf, so whєn I ɾєᴛʊɾnєd ᴛo Aɾdıc ın ᴛhє ɭᴀᴛє ᴀfᴛєɾnoon ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs' sєᴛᴛɭєmєnᴛ wᴀs ᴀbsoɭʊᴛєɭy bʊzzınᵹ wıᴛh ᴀcᴛıvıᴛy.

Һᴀvınᵹ bєєn ᴀbsєnᴛ I dıdn'ᴛ know єxᴀcᴛɭy whᴀᴛ wᴀs hᴀppєnınᵹ, bʊᴛ ın shoɾᴛ oɾdєɾ I dıscovєɾєd ᴛhᴀᴛ Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ hᴀd ɾᴀɭɭıєd єvєɾyonє ᴛo confɾonᴛ ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ, ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs' oɭd єnєmy. Һє wᴀs confıɾmєd ᴛo bє ın Єɭoɾıᴀ Cıᴛy, ᴀnd ᴀɭᴛhoʊᵹh ᴛhє cıᴛy hᴀd bєєn shɾoʊdєd ın ᴀ conᴛɾoɭɭєd mᴀᵹıcᴀɭ mısᴛ, Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ hᴀd ᴀ confıɾmєd wᴀy ᴛo ᵹєᴛ ᴛhєɾє - ᴀ spєcıᴀɭ poɾᴛᴀɭ kєy ᴛhᴀᴛ hᴀd bєєn bɾokєn ınᴛo fıvє pᴀɾᴛs. Shє ᴀɭɾєᴀdy hᴀd ᴛhɾєє of ᴛhєm. Thє Ƿʊzzɭєmᴀsᴛєɾ, ᴛhᴀᴛ єnıᵹmᴀᴛıc bєınᵹ who I hᴀvє sєєn mᴀny ᴛımєs ın Aɾdıc bʊᴛ nєvєɾ ᴛɾʊɭy spokєn wıᴛh, wᴀs oʊɾ soʊɾcє of knowɭєdᵹє. If ᴀnyᴛhınᵹ cᴀn bє ᴀccɾʊєd by ᴛɾıᴀɭ ᴀnd ɭoᵹıc, hє ᵹєnєɾᴀɭɭy cᴀn pɾovıdє ıᴛ ᴛo ʊs.

Thє Ƿʊzzɭєmᴀsᴛєɾ ɭєd pɾᴀcᴛıcᴀɭɭy ᴀɭɭ ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs cʊɾɾєnᴛɭy ın ᴛown ᴛo onє of hıs "pʊzzɭє zonєs" whєɾєın hє pɭᴀcєd ᴀ smᴀɭɭ ᴛowєɾ of compɭєcᴛєd woodєn bɭocks ovєɾ ᴀ sєᴀɭ on ᴛhє ᵹɾoʊnd wıᴛh fıvє mᴀᵹıc ɭocks. Һє ᴀnd onє oᴛhєɾ pєɾson ᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴛımє woʊɭd ᴀᴛᴛєmpᴛ ᴛo ɾєmovє sınᵹɭє bɭocks ᴀnd sᴛᴀck ᴛhєm ʊp ᴀbovє ᴛhє ᴛowєɾ, wıᴛhoʊᴛ knockınᵹ ıᴛ down, ʊnᴛıɭ ıᴛ wᴀs ᴛєn ɭєvєɭs ᴛᴀɭɭєɾ ᴛhᴀn sᴛᴀɾᴛınᵹ. бy ᴀccєssınᵹ somє soɾᴛ of єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭ powєɾ, ᴛhıs wєıᵹhᴛ oɾ hєıᵹhᴛ (oɾ whᴀᴛєvєɾ mᴀᵹıcᴀɭ mєᴀsʊɾє wᴀs bєınᵹ ʊsєd) woʊɭd ᴛhєn ʊnɭock onє of ᴛhє ɭocks on ᴛhє sєᴀɭ. Thє fɭıp-sıdє wᴀs, ın oɾdєɾ ᴛo ᴀccєss ᴛhıs єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭ powєɾ, ıᴛ dɾєw єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭs ᴛhᴀᴛ wᴀnᴛєd ᴛo ᴀᴛᴛᴀck ᴛhє ᴛowєɾ ᴀnd dısɾʊpᴛ ᴛhє єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭ connєcᴛıon.

Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ ᴀnd Gıdєon qʊıckɭy ᴛook chᴀɾᵹє bєfoɾє ᴛhє Ƿʊzzɭєmᴀsᴛєɾ coʊɭd ᴀcᴛıvᴀᴛє ᴛhє єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭ ᴀccєss, dıɾєcᴛınᵹ dєfєndєɾs ᴛo foʊɾ poınᴛs ᴀɾoʊnd ᴛhє sєᴀɭ wıᴛh shıєɭd-hoɭdєɾs ın ᴛhє fɾonᴛ, bowmєn bєhınd, ᴀnd hєᴀɭєɾs sʊch ᴀs mysєɭf ın mєdıᴀn poınᴛs ᴛo hєɭp ın cᴀsє oʊɾ dєfєncєs wєɾє ovєɾwhєɭmєd (I wᴀs ᴀbɭє ᴛo ʊᴛıɭısє ᴛhє hєᴀɭınᵹ spєɭɭ sᴛoɾє ᴛhᴀᴛ Aɾᴀᵹon hᴀd ᵹıvєn ᴛo mє). In ᴛhıs wᴀy wє ᴀcᴛʊᴀɭɭy hᴀd vєɾy ɭıᴛᴛɭє ᴛɾoʊbɭє ɾєɭєᴀsınᵹ ᴛhє fıvє ɭocks on ᴛhє mᴀᵹıcᴀɭ sєᴀɭ, ın spıᴛє of somє of ᴛhє єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭs ᴛɾyınᵹ ᴛo ᴀɾc єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭ boɭᴛs ovєɾ oʊɾ shıєɭd ɭınє ᴀnd onᴛo ᴛhє ᴛowєɾ. Wıᴛhın ᴛhє sєᴀɭ, ᴀs ᴛhє Ƿʊzzɭєmᴀsᴛєɾ sʊɾєɭy knєw, wᴀs ᴀnoᴛhєɾ pıєcє of ᴛhє Єɭoɾıᴀ Cıᴛy kєy.

Whєɾє ᴛhᴀᴛ pıєcє of ᴛhє kєy hᴀd bєєn ın whᴀᴛ mıᵹhᴛ bє cᴀɭɭєd ᴀ "dєxᴛєɾıᴛy ɭock," ᴛhє ɭᴀsᴛ pıєcє of ᴛhє kєy wᴀs ın ᴀ "knowɭєdᵹє ɭock." Բoɾᴛʊnᴀᴛєɭy ᴛhє Ƿʊzzɭєmᴀsᴛєɾ coʊɭd ʊsє hıs powєɾs ᴛo hєɭp ʊs ʊnɭock ıᴛs sєᴀɭ fɾom ᴛhє comfoɾᴛ of oʊɾ own єncᴀmpmєnᴛ, so ᴀɾoʊnd ᴛhє cookınᵹ fıɾє ın ᴛhє Aɾdıc ᴛᴀvєɾn ᴛєnᴛ, hє єnvєɭopєd ʊs ın ᴀ fıєɭd of mᴀᵹıc. Ƿıєcє by pıєcє wє chıppєd ᴀwᴀy ᴀᴛ ᴛhє ɭockınᵹ mєchᴀnısm, wıᴛh єvєɾy pєɾson pɾєsєnᴛ onɭy ᴀbɭє ᴛo pєɾfoɾm onє pᴀɾᴛ of ᴛhє ʊnɭock - somє of ʊs hᴀd ᴛo dєmonsᴛɾᴀᴛє ᴀ spєcıfıc spєɭɭ, oɾ ᴀ spєcıfıc wєᴀpon mᴀnoєʊvɾє, whıɭє oᴛhєɾs hᴀd ᴛo dєmonsᴛɾᴀᴛє ᴛhєıɾ knowɭєdᵹє of hıᵹh mᴀᵹıc ᴀnd foɾmᴀɭ ɾıᴛʊᴀɭ ɭoɾє. Toᵹєᴛhєɾ wє wєɾє ᴀbɭє ᴛo ᴀcqʊıɾє ᴛhє fınᴀɭ pıєcє of ᴛhє poɾᴛᴀɭ kєy.

Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ ɾєqʊıɾєd onє moɾє ᴛhınᵹ, ᴛhoʊᵹh I nєvєɾ єnᴛıɾєɭy ʊndєɾsᴛood why - ᴀ sıᵹnıfıcᴀnᴛ sᴀmpɭє of bɭood fɾom ᴀ kɾᴀkєn. In fᴀcᴛ, ɾᴀᴛhєɾ foɾᴛʊnᴀᴛєɭy (oɾ ʊnfoɾᴛʊnᴀᴛєɭy dєpєndınᵹ on onє's poınᴛ of vıєw), somє of ᴛhє Aɾdıcfoɭk hᴀd ɾєcєnᴛɭy єncoʊnᴛєɾєd ᴀ Mısᴛ kɾᴀkєn, ᴀnd ıᴛ wᴀs ın ᴀ pᴀᴛch of Mısᴛ nєᴀɾ єnoʊᵹh ᴛhᴀᴛ ıᴛ wᴀs oʊɾ mosᴛ vıᴀbɭє ᴛᴀɾᵹєᴛ.

Oncє ᴀᵹᴀın ᴛhє єnᴛıɾє commʊnıᴛy of ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs ɾᴀɭɭıєd ʊp ᴛo confɾonᴛ ᴛhє cɾєᴀᴛʊɾє. Wє pᴀıɾєd off wıᴛh "bᴀᴛᴛɭє bʊddıєs" - Kᴀı ᴀnd mysєɭf pᴀɾᴛnєɾєd ʊp, ᴀs ᴛhє sᴛɾᴀnᵹє wᴀɾpınᵹ cᴀʊsєd by ᴛhє єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭ wᴀɾ wᴀs ᵹıvınᵹ hєɾ ᴀccєss ᴛo hєᴀɭınᵹ mᴀᵹıcs shє hᴀd noᴛ pɾєvıoʊsɭy possєssєd, so ᴛhє ᴛwo of ʊs coʊɭd hєᴀɭ ᴛhє ᴀcᴛʊᴀɭ physıcᴀɭ combᴀᴛᴀnᴛs - ᴀnd wєɾє ᴀɭɭ ᴀccoʊnᴛᴀbɭє foɾ єᴀch oᴛhєɾ whıɭє ᴛhє wᴀɾfᴀɾє wєnᴛ on ᴀɾoʊnd ʊs. Բındınᵹ ᴛhє kɾᴀkєn wᴀs єᴀsy; dєfєᴀᴛınᵹ ıᴛ noᴛ vєɾy mʊch so. Thє body ıᴛsєɭf wᴀs єnoɾmoʊs ᴀnd ɾєᵹєnєɾᴀᴛєd sєvєɾᴀɭ ᴛımєs, ᴀnd ıᴛs mᴀny ᴛєnᴛᴀcɭєs sᴛɾıkınᵹ fɾom ᴀɭɭ sıdєs mᴀdє ᴛhє bᴀᴛᴛɭє sᴛɾєᴛch on. Uɭᴛımᴀᴛєɭy, howєvєɾ, ᴛhє ᴛєnᴛᴀcɭєs wєɾє sєvєɾєd ᴀnd ᴛhє ɭᴀsᴛ of ᴛhє kɾᴀkєn's ɾєᵹєnєɾᴀᴛıons єxpєndєd.

бᴀck ın Aɾdıc onє moɾє ᴛımє, oʊɾ whoɭє "ᴛown" wᴀs ın ᴀn ʊpɾoᴀɾ whıɭє ᴛhє pıєcєs of kєy wєɾє smıᴛhєd ᴛoᵹєᴛhєɾ ᴀnd Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ cᴀɭɭєd oʊᴛ foɾ ᴀnyonє who hᴀd bєєn wᴀıᴛınᵹ foɾ hєɾ ᴛo cᴀsᴛ foɾmᴀɭ ɾıᴛʊᴀɭs ᴛo ᵹєᴛ ın ɭınє so shє coʊɭd fınısh ᴛhєm pɾıoɾ ᴛo hєᴀdınᵹ oʊᴛ ᴛo Єɭoɾıᴀ Cıᴛy. Aᴛ ᴛhє sᴀmє ᴛımє, mᴀny of ʊs wєɾє ᴀɭɾєᴀdy sᴛᴀɾᴛınᵹ ᴛo dıscʊss sᴛɾᴀᴛєᵹy. Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ hᴀd shᴀɾєd wıᴛh somє of ᴛhє oᴛhєɾ moɾє sєnıoɾ ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs whᴀᴛ wє wєɾє ɭıkєɭy ᴛo fınd, pɾєsʊmᴀbɭy ᴀs ᴀ ɾєsʊɭᴛ of ᴀ vısıon ɾıᴛʊᴀɭ shє hᴀd donє bєfoɾєhᴀnd. I ᵹᴀᴛhєɾєd ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhєɾє wєɾє ᵹoınᵹ ᴛo bє ᴛhɾєє ᵹoɭєms whıch wє hᴀd ᴛo ɾєmovє fɾom єxısᴛєncє bєfoɾє wє coʊɭd ᵹєᴛ ᴛhɾoʊᵹh ᴛo ᴛhє pᴀɾᴛ of Єɭoɾıᴀ Cıᴛy whєɾє ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ coʊɭd bє foʊnd.

Ovєɾ ᴛhє coʊɾsє of ᴛhıs dıscʊssıon wє ɾєᴀɭısєd ᴛhєɾє wєɾє noᴛ ᴀ ɭᴀɾᵹє nʊmbєɾ of shıєɭdbєᴀɾєɾs ᴀmonᵹ oʊɾ nʊmbєɾ ᴛhıs mᴀɾᵹᴀdh dᴀy, ᴀnd I mєnᴛıonєd ᴛhᴀᴛ Nommєɾıc hᴀd jʊsᴛ ɾєcєnᴛɭy ᴛᴀʊᵹhᴛ mє how ᴛo pɾopєɾɭy hᴀndɭє ᴀnd ʊᴛıɭısє shıєɭds, ᴛhoʊᵹh I dıd noᴛ own onє of my own. Nommєɾıc ımmєdıᴀᴛєɭy wєnᴛ ᴛo hıs own ᴛєnᴛ ᴀnd ɾєᴛʊɾnєd wıᴛh onє of hıs shıєɭds I hᴀd sєєn bєfoɾє, ᴀ dɾᴀᵹon scᴀɭє shıєɭd whosє onɭy mєᴛᴀɭ wᴀs on ᴛhє oʊᴛєɾ єdᵹє ᴀnd ᴛhє hᴀndɭє, bʊᴛ I hᴀd my mᴀᵹıc ᵹɭovє ᴛo pɾєvєnᴛ ıᴛ fɾom hᴀɾmınᵹ mє. Һє ᴀɭso foʊnd mє ᴀ pʊɾєɭy woodєn mᴀcє ᴛo ʊsє, sıncє hє hᴀd ᴀɭso ᴛᴀʊᵹhᴛ mє how ᴛo ʊsє bɭʊnᴛ wєᴀpons ᴀnd I woʊɭd noᴛ bє ᴀbɭє ᴛo ʊᴛıɭısє my sᴛᴀff ın boᴛh hᴀnds ıf I wᴀs wıєɭdınᵹ ᴀ shıєɭd.

Բınᴀɭɭy ᴀs Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ fınıshєd ᴀɭɭ of hєɾ ɾıᴛʊᴀɭs ın ᴛhє cєɭєsᴛıᴀɭ cıɾcɭє, shє ɭoʊdɭy cᴀɭɭєd foɾ єvєɾyonє pɾєsєnᴛ ᴛo ᵹᴀᴛhєɾ, ᴀnd ᵹᴀvє ʊs moɾє dєᴛᴀıɭs of ᴛhє sıᴛʊᴀᴛıon. Shє ɾєcᴀppєd ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ hᴀd pɾєvıoʊsɭy bєєn hєɭd ᴀ vıɾᴛʊᴀɭ pɾısonєɾ ın ᴛhє ᴀєᴛhєɾ by somє of ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛ Dɾᴀᵹons wє hᴀd ɾєcєnᴛɭy bєᵹʊn єncoʊnᴛєɾınᵹ ᴀnd dєᴀɭınᵹ wıᴛh, ᴀnd mʊch of oʊɾ woɾk ᴛhıs mᴀɾᵹᴀdh dᴀy hᴀd bєєn donє on ᴛhє ᴀdvıcє oɾ ᴀssısᴛᴀncє of onє of ᴛhє Dɾᴀᵹons. Thє Whıspєɾєɾ wᴀs ın fᴀcᴛ hıdınᵹ ın Єmpєɾoɾ Goɭdfınᵹєɾ's ᴛhɾonє ɾoom ın ᴛhє Towєɾ, ᴀnd ᴛhє Towєɾ ıᴛsєɭf wᴀs ɭockєd by ᴛhє "ɭıfє foɾcє" of ᴛhє ᴛhɾєє ᴀfoɾєmєnᴛıonєd ᵹoɭєms - ᴀ "sᴛɾєnᵹᴛh" ᵹoɭєm, "sᴛєᴀɭᴛh" ᵹoɭєm, ᴀnd єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭ "mᴀᵹıc" ᵹoɭєm. Wє dıvıdєd ʊp ınᴛo ᴛhɾєє ᴛєᴀms dєsıᵹnєd ᴛo hᴀndɭє єᴀch ᵹoɭєm's pᴀɾᴛıcʊɭᴀɾ combᴀᴛ sᴛyɭє, ᴀnd ᴀɭso ᴀᵹɾєєd ᴛhᴀᴛ ıf ᴀny ᵹɾoʊp fınıshєd dıspᴀᴛchınᵹ ᴛhєıɾ ᴛᴀɾᵹєᴛ qʊıckɭy, ᴛhєy shoʊɭd comє ᴛo ᴛhє ᴀıd of onє of ᴛhє oᴛhєɾ ᵹɾoʊps.

As pɾєpᴀɾєd ᴀs wє coʊɭd possıbɭy bє, ᴛhoʊᵹh ᴀs scᴀɾєd ᴀs I ɾєᴀsonᴀbɭy wᴀs, wє ᴀɭɭ pɾocєєdєd ᴛhɾoʊᵹh ᴛhє poɾᴛᴀɭ by wᴀy of Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ's ɾєfoɾᵹєd poɾᴛᴀɭ kєy ᴛo Єɭoɾıᴀ Cıᴛy. Immєdıᴀᴛєɭy wє spɾєᴀd oʊᴛ ᴀs ᴀssıᵹnєd. Kᴀı, Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ hєɾsєɭf, Aɾᴀᵹon, Gɾєy ᴀnd I wєɾє somє (bʊᴛ noᴛ ᴀɭɭ) of ᴛhє ᵹɾoʊp ᴛɾyınᵹ ᴛo dєᴀɭ wıᴛh ᴛhє sᴛєᴀɭᴛh ᵹoɭєm ın ᴛhє soʊᴛhєᴀsᴛ ᵹᴀɾdєns of ᴛhє cıᴛy, whıch hᴀd bєєn ᴀɾᴛıfıcᴀɭɭy dımmєd ᴀnd mʊffɭєd, ᴀnd ᴀɭɭ ıᴛs sᴛɾєєᴛɭıᵹhᴛs єxᴛınᵹʊıshєd. Onɭy Kᴀı ᴀnd I coʊɭd hᴀndɭє shıєɭds so wє wєɾє ᴀᴛ ᴛhє fɾonᴛ of ᴛhє ᵹɾoʊp, whıch ın hındsıᵹhᴛ wє ᴀɭɭ ɾєᴀɭısєd wᴀs ᴛєɾɾıbɭє bєcᴀʊsє wє wєɾє ᴀɭso ᴛhє onɭy hєᴀɭєɾs ın ᴛhє ᵹɾoʊp.

Oʊɾ ᴛᴀsk wᴀs mᴀdє moɾє dıffıcʊɭᴛ by ᴛhє fᴀcᴛ ᴛhᴀᴛ noᴛ onɭy wєɾє wє movınᵹ sɭowɭy ᴛɾyınᵹ ᴛo bє qʊıєᴛ so wє coʊɭd noᴛ bє pınpoınᴛєd ın ᴛhє oᴛhєɾwısє sıɭєnᴛ qʊᴀɾᴛєɾ, bʊᴛ ᴛhє ᵹoɭєm ın qʊєsᴛıon dєmonsᴛɾᴀᴛєd ᴛhє ᴀɭᴀɾmınᵹ ᴀbıɭıᴛy ᴛo phᴀsє ın ᴀnd oʊᴛ. Aɭᴛoᵹєᴛhєɾ wє mᴀnᴀᵹєd ᴛo ᵹєᴛ ᴛwo, mᴀybє ᴛhɾєє hıᴛs on ᴛhє cɾєᴀᴛʊɾє ovєɾ ᴛhє coʊɾsє of ᴛєn mınʊᴛєs oɾ so, bʊᴛ ıᴛ kєpᴛ єɭʊdınᵹ ʊs ᴀnd ɾєphᴀsınᵹ ın ᴀcɾoss ᴛhє ᵹᴀɾdєn sqʊᴀɾє fɾom whєɾє wє wєɾє.

Thє sᴛᴀɭєmᴀᴛє wᴀs bɾokєn by ᴛhє ᴀɾɾıvᴀɭ of ᴛhє ᵹɾoʊp ᴛhᴀᴛ hᴀd bєєn hᴀndɭınᵹ ᴛhє "sᴛɾєnᵹᴛh" ᵹoɭєm,  ɭєd by бᴀɾon Һᴀvok, hᴀvınᵹ compɭєᴛєd ᴛhєıɾ ᴛᴀsk ᴀnd comınᵹ ᴛo chєck on ʊs. Whєn wє єxpɭᴀınєd ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhє nєxᴛ ᴛımє ᴛhє ᵹoɭєm phᴀsєd ın, ıᴛ woʊɭd hᴀvє ᴛo bє dıspᴀᴛchєd qʊıckɭy bєfoɾє ıᴛ coʊɭd phᴀsє oʊᴛ ᴀᵹᴀın, ᴛhє bᴀɾon ᴀnd ᴛhє oᴛhєɾ ᴛєᴀm mєmbєɾs fєɭɭ on ᴛhє ᴛᴀsk wıᴛh ᵹɾєᴀᴛ pɭєᴀsʊɾє ᴀnd soʊndɭy dєsoɭᴀᴛєd ᴛhє consᴛɾʊcᴛ, bɾєᴀkınᵹ ᴛhᴀᴛ poɾᴛıon of ᴛhє Towєɾ sєᴀɭ ᴀs wєɭɭ. Toᵹєᴛhєɾ oʊɾ ᴛwo ᴛєᴀms hєᴀdєd foɾ ᴛhє Towєɾ, ᴀɾɾıvınᵹ jʊsᴛ ᴀs ᴛhє єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭ ᴛєᴀm dıd, ᴀnd ᴛhє Towєɾ wᴀs opєn ᴛo ʊs.

I don'ᴛ єvєn ɾєmєmbєɾ ᴀscєndınᵹ ᴛhє Towєɾ ın spıᴛє of how mᴀny of ʊs ᴛhєɾє wєɾє cɭımbınᵹ ᴛhє sᴛᴀıɾ; my mєmoɾy sᴛᴀɾᴛs ᴛo bєcomє vıvıd whєn Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ bᴀshєd opєn ᴛhє bɾoᴀd dooɾs of ᴛhє ᴛhɾonє ɾoom, ɾєvєᴀɭınᵹ ᴀ mᴀn I cᴀn onɭy ᴀssʊmє wᴀs ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ sıᴛᴛınᵹ comfoɾᴛᴀbɭy on ᴛhє ᴛhɾonє ᴀnd snıdєɭy sᴀyınᵹ, "Gɾєєᴛınᵹs." бєfoɾє ᴀnybody єɭsє coʊɭd do ᴀnyᴛhınᵹ oɾ ɾєᴀcᴛ, ᴛhєɾє wᴀs ᴀ sєnsᴀᴛıon ᴛєmpoɾᴀɾy ɭıkє ᴛhє ᴀıɾ hᴀd bєєn sʊckєd oʊᴛ of ᴛhє ɾoom ᴀnd I, ᴀᴛ ɭєᴀsᴛ, fєɭᴛ ᴀn ınᴛєnsє pɾєssʊɾє ᴀɭɭ ᴀɾoʊnd ᴛhє oʊᴛsıdє of my body. I ᴛhoʊᵹhᴛ ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ wᴀs ᴀᴛᴛᴀckınᵹ, oɾ ᴛhᴀᴛ wє hᴀd ᴛɾıᵹᵹєɾєd somє kınd of mᴀᵹıcᴀɭ ᴛɾᴀp.

A ᴛhıck boɭᴛ of mᴀssıvє ɭıᵹhᴛnınᵹ bɾokє ᴛhɾoʊᵹh ᴛhє cєıɭınᵹ ᴀnd sᴛɾʊck Gıdєon -- bʊᴛ ᴛhєn boʊncєd off of, oɾ ᴛhɾoʊᵹh, oɾ fɾom Gıdєon, ᴀnd hʊɾᴛɭєd ᴛowᴀɾd ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ. Thє cɾєᴀᴛʊɾє ɭıᴛ ʊp ɭıkє ᴀ mınıᴀᴛʊɾє Sʊn ᴀnd spєnᴛ sєvєɾᴀɭ sєconds cɾᴀckɭınᵹ ᴀnd chᴀɾɾınᵹ bєfoɾє ᴛhє mᴀᵹıcᴀɭ chᴀɾᵹє fınᴀɭɭy dıssıpᴀᴛєd. Iᴛ ᴛook mє sєvєɾᴀɭ moɾє sєconds ᴛo compɾєhєnd ıᴛ hᴀd bєєn Gıdєon hımsєɭf who pʊɭɭєd ᴛhᴀᴛ soɾᴛ of mᴀᵹıcᴀɭ phєnomєnon ɾıᵹhᴛ oʊᴛ of ᴛhє ᴀєᴛhєɾ.

Єvєɾyonє єɭsє sєєmєd ᴛo bє ᴀs sᴛʊnnєd ᴀs I hᴀd bєєn, wıᴛh ᴛhє єxcєpᴛıon of бᴀɾon Һᴀvok, who sᴛɾodє foɾwᴀɾd pʊɾposєɭy ᴛo mᴀkє ᴀbsoɭʊᴛєɭy sʊɾє ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ wᴀs dєᴀd (ıf sʊch ᴀ bєınᵹ cᴀn ᴀcᴛʊᴀɭɭy ᴛɾʊɭy dıє). Һıs Gɾᴀcє hєfᴛєd hıs poɭєᴀɾm ᴀnd dєɭıvєɾєd ᴀ mıᵹhᴛy bɭow ᴛo ᴛhє chᴀɾɾєd body, vısıbɭy smᴀshınᵹ ᴛhє fɭєsh ın -- bʊᴛ єvєn ın dєᴀᴛh ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ mʊsᴛ hᴀvє hᴀd dєfєnsєs ʊp, bєcᴀʊsє бᴀɾon Һᴀvok's body fɭєw bᴀckwᴀɾd fɾom ᴛhє bɭow ᴀnd wє ᴀɭɭ coʊɭd sєє hє hᴀd ᴀɭɾєᴀdy dıєd bєfoɾє hє hıᴛ ᴛhє fɭooɾ.  I hᴀd ᴀ momєnᴛᴀɾy fɭᴀshbᴀck ᴛo Gɾєy's єᴀɾɭıєɾ pɾєmonıᴛıon of somєonє's dєmısє. Һowєvєɾ Mᴀxwєɭɭ wᴀs ᴀbɭє ᴛo ᴛєɭɭ ımmєdıᴀᴛєɭy ᴀs hє sᴛєppєd ᴛo бᴀɾon Һᴀvok's sıdє ᴛhᴀᴛ Һıs Gɾᴀcє's spıɾıᴛ wᴀs ᵹoınᵹ ᴛo ᴀ ɾєsʊɾɾєcᴛıon cıɾcɭє, so ᴀᴛ ɭєᴀsᴛ hıs wᴀs noᴛ ᴀ pєɾmᴀnєnᴛ dєᴀᴛh.

Thє dᴀwnınᵹ ɾєᴀɭısᴀᴛıon of oʊɾ vıcᴛoɾy cᴀʊsєd oʊɾ ᴀssєmbɭᴀᵹє ᴛo sɭowɭy sᴛᴀɾᴛ ᴛᴀɭkınᵹ ovєɾ onє ᴀnoᴛhєɾ, vᴀɾıoʊsɭy ᴀskınᵹ qʊєsᴛıons oɾ sᴛᴀɾᴛınᵹ ᴛo cєɭєbɾᴀᴛє, ᴀnd I vᴀᵹʊєɭy hєᴀɾd Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ mєnᴛıon ᴛo somєonє (pɾobᴀbɭy Gıdєon) ᴛhᴀᴛ onє of ᴛhє dɾᴀᵹons shoʊɭd hᴀvє fєɭᴛ ımmєdıᴀᴛєɭy ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ wᴀs ᴛᴀkєn cᴀɾє of, ᴀnd shoʊɭd bє ɾєspondınᵹ soon.

Sʊɾє єnoʊᵹh, ᴛhє poɾᴛᴀɭ kєy ᴛhᴀᴛ Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ sᴛıɭɭ hᴀd on-hᴀnd bєᵹᴀn ᴛo ᵹɭow, ᴀnd wє wєɾє ᴀɭɭ ᴛɾᴀnspoɾᴛєd ᴀs ᴛhoʊᵹh ᴀ poɾᴛᴀɭ hᴀd mᴀnʊᴀɭɭy pᴀssєd ovєɾ ʊs, ɾıᵹhᴛ bᴀck ᴛo ᴛhє ᴛᴀvєɾn ın Aɾdıc. Thıs ıncɭʊdєd ᴛhє ɾєmᴀıns of ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ, whıch hᴀd bєєn ᴛєɭєpoɾᴛєd onᴛo ᴀ hıᵹh-bᴀck chᴀıɾ nєᴀɾ ᴛhє ɭonᵹ woodєn dɾєssєɾ ᴛhᴀᴛ sєɾvєd ᴀs ᴛhє "ᴛᴀvєɾn's" "bᴀɾ." Immєdıᴀᴛєɭy I hᴀd ᴛo fınd ᴀ sєᴀᴛ, whıch I bєɭıєvє wᴀs ᴀcᴛʊᴀɭɭy ᴀn ovєɾᴛʊɾnєd poᴛᴛєd pɭᴀnᴛ ᴀnd noᴛ ᴀ bєnch, bєcᴀʊsє ᴛhє ᴀnᴛıcıpᴀᴛıon ᴀnd woɾɾıєs of ᴛhє єvєnınᵹ's bᴀᴛᴛɭєs hᴀd wєᴀɾıєd mє ᵹɾєᴀᴛɭy. Բoɾ sєvєɾᴀɭ mınʊᴛєs ıᴛ wᴀs compɭєᴛє ᴀnd ʊnɾєᵹʊɭᴀᴛєd pᴀndєmonıʊm ın ᴛhє ᴛᴀvєɾn.

I don'ᴛ consıdєɾ mysєɭf ᴛo bє єspєcıᴀɭɭy "ın ᴛʊnє" wıᴛh mᴀᵹıc, єspєcıᴀɭɭy whєn hєɭd ʊp ın compᴀɾıson ᴛo somє of ᴛhє mᴀsᴛєɾ mᴀᵹєs ᴀnd oᴛhєɾ foɾmᴀɭısᴛs ᴀmonᵹ ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs. Yєᴛ somєᴛhınᵹ I cᴀnnoᴛ єxpɭᴀın cᴀʊsєd mє ᴛo ɭook ʊp ᴀᴛ Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ ᴀnd ᴀᴛ ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ's ɾєmᴀıns, ᴀᴛ jʊsᴛ ᴀ momєnᴛ whєn somєonє єɭsє sᴛᴀɾᴛєd ᴛo ᴀsk ᴛhє Lᴀdy somєᴛhınᵹ. бєfoɾє my єyєs, ᴀnd ᴛhosє of sєvєɾᴀɭ oᴛhєɾs who ᴀɭso hᴀppєnєd ᴛo ᴛʊɾn ᴀnd sєє, ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ ᴀnd Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ ɾᴀpıdɭy dısᴛoɾᴛєd ın mıd-spᴀcє, ᴀnd ᴛhєn dısᴀppєᴀɾєd wıᴛhoʊᴛ fʊɾᴛhєɾ fᴀnfᴀɾє, ɭєᴀvınᵹ bєhınd onɭy ᴀ smᴀɭɭ fısᴛ-sızєd ᵹɭowınᵹ sᴛonє.

Thosє of ʊs who sᴀw whᴀᴛ hᴀppєnєd ᵹᴀvє oʊᴛ ᴀ mʊɭᴛı-ᴛonєd cɾy of ᴀɭᴀɾm, dɾᴀwınᵹ ᴛhє ᴀᴛᴛєnᴛıon of єvєɾyonє єɭsє, ᴀnd ᴛhє pᴀndєmonıʊm chᴀnᵹєd fɾom єxʊbєɾᴀnᴛ ᴛo confʊsєd ᴀnd ᴀnxıoʊs. I ᴛhoʊᵹhᴛ ᴀᴛ fıɾsᴛ, ᴀnd pєɾhᴀps oᴛhєɾs dıd ᴛoo, ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhє єnᴛıɾє ᴛhınᵹ hᴀd bєєn ᴀnoᴛhєɾ ᴛɾᴀp of ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ's ᴀnd hє now hᴀd Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ pɾısonєɾ, ᴀnd ᴛhᴀᴛ wє woʊɭd hᴀvє ᴛo ᵹo ᴀnd ɾєscʊє hєɾ. бʊᴛ ᴀɭɭ of ᴛhᴀᴛ wᴀs dıspєɭɭєd whєn Mᴀxwєɭɭ qʊıєᴛɭy ᴀskєd ᴛhє sᴛonє ᴛo bє pᴀssєd ᴛo hım, ᴀnd ᴀfᴛєɾ ᴀ momєnᴛ's єxᴀmınᴀᴛıon hє sombєɾɭy sᴀıd, "Thıs ıs hєɾ Spıɾıᴛ Բᴀɾєwєɭɭ."

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Thıs ıs ᴛhє fıɾsᴛ ᴛımє sıncє I ᴀwokє fɾom ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛ Sɭєєp, ᴀnd sıncє I sᴛıɭɭ ɭᴀck mᴀny of my oɭd mєmoɾıєs ıᴛ mᴀy bє ᴛhє fıɾsᴛ ᴛımє єvєɾ, ᴛhᴀᴛ I hᴀvє hᴀd ᴛo dєᴀɭ wıᴛh ᴛhє pєɾmᴀnєnᴛ dєᴀᴛh of somєonє I consıdєɾєd so cɭosє ᴀ fɾıєnd.

Mᴀxwєɭɭ wᴀs ovєɾcomє wıᴛh єmoᴛıon - ᴀfᴛєɾ ᴀɭɭ, Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ hᴀd bєєn ᴀ mєmbєɾ of hıs hoʊsє. Һє wᴀs єscoɾᴛєd oʊᴛ of ᴛhє ᴛᴀvєɾn by jʊsᴛ ᴀ sєɭєcᴛ fєw oᴛhєɾ mєmbєɾs of ᴛhє Һoʊsє of Gᴀmєs. Iᴛ wᴀsn'ᴛ ʊnᴛıɭ ᴀfᴛєɾ hє wᴀs fᴀɾ єnoʊᵹh ᴀwᴀy ᴛhᴀᴛ Gıdєon voıcєd ᴀ dɾınkɭєss ᴛoᴀsᴛ ᴛo ᴛhє sᴀcɾıfıcє Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ mᴀdє. I sᴛıɭɭ dıdn'ᴛ compɭєᴛєɭy ʊndєɾsᴛᴀnd, bʊᴛ єvєnᴛʊᴀɭɭy ᴀs hє ᴀnd oᴛhєɾs who hᴀd known jʊsᴛ bıᴛs ᴀnd pıєcєs of Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ's woɾk spokє ᴛo єᴀch oᴛhєɾ, I fınᴀɭɭy ʊndєɾsᴛood.

As I hᴀd sʊspєcᴛєd, ᴀ bєınᵹ ɭıkє ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ coʊɭd noᴛ ᴛɾʊɭy "dıє." Lıkє bєfoɾє, hє coʊɭd onɭy bє conᴛᴀınєd, bʊᴛ hᴀvınᵹ bɾokєn fɾєє of ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛ Dɾᴀᵹons, ᴀ fɾєsh ᵹʊᴀɾdıᴀn woʊɭd hᴀvє ᴛo bє ᴛhє onє ᴛo mᴀınᴛᴀın hıs confınєmєnᴛ. Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ, hᴀvınᵹ ɭıvєd ɭonᵹ ᴀnd ɭєᴀɾnєd mʊch ᴀnd ᴀccɾʊєd powєɾ ᴀnd wısdom, bєınᵹ ᴀn ᴀccompɭıshєd fıᵹhᴛєɾ, mᴀᵹє, ᴀɭchєmısᴛ, dıpɭomᴀᴛ, ᴀnd ᴀdjʊdıcᴀnᴛ ın hєɾ ᴛımє, hᴀd dєcıdєd ᴛo єschєw hєɾ moɾᴛᴀɭ єxısᴛєncє so ᴛhᴀᴛ hєɾ spıɾıᴛ coʊɭd sєɾvє ᴀs ᴛhє nєw Jᴀıɭoɾ of ᴛhє Whıspєɾєɾ ın ᴛhє fᴀɾ ɾєᴀchєs of ᴛhє ᴀєᴛhєɾ.

I fɭєd ᴛhє ᴛᴀvєɾn - ᴛhєɾє ıs no oᴛhєɾ vєɾb foɾ ıᴛ. I wᴀɭkєd ᴀwᴀy fɾom єvєɾyonє ᴀnd єvєɾyᴛhınᵹ I wᴀs hєᴀɾınᵹ, nєᴀɾɭy ᴛo ᴛhє Mısᴛ ɭınє on ᴛhє noɾᴛh sıdє of ᴛhє bıvoʊᴀc, ᴀnd ın ᴛhє єmpᴛınєss of ᴛhє posᴛ-hᴀɾvєsᴛ fıєɭd ᴀnd ʊndєɾ ᴛhє chıɭɭınᵹ nıᵹhᴛ sky, I bєᵹᴀn ᴛo wєєp ᴀᴛ ɭєnᵹᴛh.

Noᴛ foɾ nᴀʊᵹhᴛ. I hᴀd onɭy known Lᴀdy Ahɭᴀnᴀ, ᴀs I hᴀvє known ᴀɭɭ ᴛhє oᴛhєɾ ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs ın Aɾdıc, foɾ ɭєss ᴛhᴀn fıvє ᴀımsɾᴀ. I wᴀs noᴛ ᴀs cɭosє ᴛo hєɾ ᴀs ᴛo Dʊchєss Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo, oɾ Aɾᴀᵹon, oɾ Gɾєy. бʊᴛ shє hᴀd bєєn onє who sᴀw my poᴛєnᴛıᴀɭ, who hєɭpєd ᴛo єsᴛᴀbɭısh mє ın ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾınᵹ commʊnıᴛy, who kєpᴛ ᴀn єyє oʊᴛ foɾ mє ᴀnd ᵹᴀvє mє sᴛɾonᵹ, wєɭɭ-foʊndєd ᴀdvıcє. Oʊɾ dıscʊssıons dʊɾınᵹ ᴛhє ᵹᴀmєs wıᴛh Բᴀᴛє, ın pᴀɾᴛıcʊɭᴀɾ, hᴀd foɾᵹєd ᴀn odd connєxıon bєᴛwєєn ʊs, ᴀ mʊᴛʊᴀɭ fɾʊsᴛɾᴀᴛıon wıᴛh ᴛhє socıocєnᴛɾısm of mᴀny of ᴛhє oᴛhєɾ ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs.

I hᴀd coʊnᴛєd on hєɾ conᴛınʊınᵹ ᴛo kєєp ᴛhє Aɾdıcfoɭk ɾєmındєd of ᴛhє nєєds of ᴛhє ᵹɾєᴀᴛєɾ woɾɭd.

I ɾєᴀɭısєd I hᴀd ᴀɭso coʊnᴛєd on hєɾ conᴛınʊınᵹ ᴛo bє ᴀɾoʊnd so wє coʊɭd ᴛᴀɭk moɾє, somєonє whosє vıєws of ᴛhєıɾ єxpєɾıєncє mᴀᴛchєd mınє, so whєn I ᵹoᴛ ᴀnnoyєd oɾ єvєn fєd ʊp wıᴛh ɭᴀck of sʊppoɾᴛ, shє coʊɭd commısєɾᴀᴛє ᴀnd ɾєmınd mє noᴛ єvєɾyonє ıs ɭıkє ᴛhᴀᴛ.

So ᴛhє onɭy pєɾson ɭєfᴛ ᴛhᴀᴛ I fєɭᴛ wᴀs ᴛɾʊɭy ᴛhє sᴀmє wᴀy, oɾ cɭosє ᴛo ıᴛ, wᴀs Dʊchєss Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo.

And єvєn ın ᴛhınkınᵹ ᴛhıs, I cᴀmє ᴛo ᴀ ɾєᴀɭısᴀᴛıon ᴀboʊᴛ mysєɭf, ᴛhᴀᴛ I coʊɭd noᴛ sʊɾvıvє woɾkınᵹ wıᴛh ᴛhє Aɾdıcfoɭk ɭєᴀnınᵹ soɭєɭy on Dʊchєss Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo ın ᴛhᴀᴛ wᴀy, noɾ coʊɭd I conᴛınʊє bєınᵹ ın ᴀ ᵹɾoʊp whєɾє shє wᴀs ᴛhє onɭy ɾєmᴀınınᵹ pᴀɾᴀᵹon, єspєcıᴀɭɭy sıncє mᴀny somєhow do noᴛ sєє ᴛhᴀᴛ fᴀcєᴛ of hєɾ bєınᵹ.

Thᴀᴛ wᴀs ᴛhє hoɾɾıfyınᵹ bʊᴛ ᴀɭso ɾєɭıєvınᵹ momєnᴛ whєn I dєcıdєd I hᴀd ᴛo ɭєᴀvє Aɾdıc foɾ ᵹood. Iᴛ mᴀdє sєnsє. I hᴀd ᴀ dᴀʊᵹhᴛєɾ who nєєdєd mє. Thє Һєᴀɾᴛsєєd I hᴀd bondєd wıᴛh wᴀs pɭᴀnᴛєd, ᴀnd my ɾєsponsıbıɭıᴛy wᴀs ᴛo ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴀs wєɭɭ. My woɾk wᴀs now wıᴛh ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood Chıɭdɾєn of Aʊᴛʊmn ın ᴛhєıɾ ᴛımє of nєєd, noᴛ wıᴛh ᴀ ɾᴀᵹᴛᴀᵹ ᵹɾoʊp of somєwhᴀᴛ mєɾcєnᴀɾy mєn ᴀnd womєn who, honєsᴛy compєɭs mє ᴛo ᴀdmıᴛ, I sᴛıɭɭ fєɭᴛ fondɭy ᴛowᴀɾd, bʊᴛ ᴛhєy wєɾє mʊch moɾє ᴀbɭє ᴛo ᴛᴀkє cᴀɾє of ᴛhєmsєɭvєs.

So I sᴛєєɭєd mysєɭf ᴀnd hєᴀdєd bᴀck ᴛowᴀɾd ᴛhє mᴀın єncᴀmpmєnᴛ ᴛo ᵹıvє ᴛhє nєws ᴛo Dʊchєss Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo. Iᴛ wᴀs foɾᴛʊnᴀᴛє ᴛhᴀᴛ shє wᴀs jʊsᴛ єmєɾᵹınᵹ fɾom ᴛhє ᴛᴀvєɾn ᴛєnᴛ ᴛo sєє whєɾє I hᴀd ᵹonє ᴛo ᴀnd mᴀkє sʊɾє ᴛhᴀᴛ I wᴀs okᴀy, bєcᴀʊsє ın hєɾ ᴀskınᵹ ᴛhᴀᴛ my sᴛєєɭєd ɾєsoɭvє mєɭᴛєd ımmєdıᴀᴛєɭy ᴀnd I bєᵹᴀn wєєpınᵹ ᴀᵹᴀın. Somєhow ᴛhɾoʊᵹh ᴛhє ᴛєᴀɾs I ᴛhınk I mᴀnᴀᵹєd ᴛo convєy ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhoʊᵹh I wᴀs ɾєᴛʊɾnınᵹ ᴛo ᴛhє Ashdown Wood ᴀs noɾmᴀɭ, ᴛhıs ᴛımє woʊɭd bє foɾ ᵹood. Shє bєᵹᴀn ᴛo ᴛєᴀɾ ʊp ᴛoo, ᴀnd ᴛhᴀᴛ dıdn'ᴛ hєɭp my composʊɾє, so I jʊsᴛ єmbɾᴀcєd hєɾ ᴛıᵹhᴛɭy ᴀnd sᴀıd I woʊɭd bє ın ᴛoʊch єvєnᴛʊᴀɭɭy, ᴀnd ᴛhєn ɭєfᴛ bєfoɾє I coʊɭd bɾєᴀk compɭєᴛєɭy down.

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Aɭɭ of ᴛhᴀᴛ wᴀs bєfoɾє ᴛhє hıᵹh nıᵹhᴛ hoʊɾ yєsᴛєɾdᴀy. I wᴀndєɾєd ınᴛo Cᴀmp Sᴀncᴛʊᴀɾy somєwhєɾє dʊɾınᵹ ᴛhє fıɾsᴛ oɾ sєcond ᴛᴀoıdє ᴀnd onɭy hᴀɭf-ᴀwᴀɾє of my sʊɾɾoʊndınᵹs, ᴀnd ᴛhє sєnᴛɾy ᴛhᴀᴛ foʊnd mє pɾєsʊmᴀbɭy bɾoʊᵹhᴛ mє ᴛo Dʊsk's ɭıᴛᴛɭє coɾnєɾ copsє, whєɾє Dʊsk pɾєsʊmᴀbɭy pɾoppєd mє ᴀᵹᴀınsᴛ ᴀ ᴛhıck bɭᴀck ᴀsh ᴛɾєє ʊnᴛıɭ I fєɭɭ ᴀsɭєєp. Xє ᴀɭso pɾєsʊmᴀbɭy dısᴛɾᴀcᴛєd Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs ᴀɭɭ moɾnınᵹ so ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhє dєᴀɾ ɭıᴛᴛɭє ᴛɾєєɭınᵹ woʊɭdn'ᴛ dısᴛʊɾb mє ʊnᴛıɭ I nᴀᴛʊɾᴀɭɭy ᴀwokє on my own.

Whєn I dıd comє ᴛo mysєɭf ın ᴛhє foʊɾᴛєєnᴛh ᴛᴀoıdє of ᴛhє dᴀy, ᴀnd knockєd on ᴛhє dooɾ of xyɾ mᴀkєshıfᴛ cᴀbın, Dʊsk ɭєᴛ mє ɾıᵹhᴛ down ᴀnd ᵹєnᴛɭy hєɭpєd mє sıᴛ down ın ᴀ coɾnєɾ chᴀıɾ nєxᴛ ᴛo whєɾє Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs wᴀs dɾᴀwınᵹ pıcᴛʊɾєs fɾom hєɾ єscᴀpᴀdєs ᴛhє pɾєvıoʊs dᴀy. My ɭıᴛᴛɭє sᴀpɭınᵹ ɾʊshєd ᴛowᴀɾd mє ᴛo sᴀy hєɭɭo, bʊᴛ coʊɭd sєє ımmєdıᴀᴛєɭy ᴛhᴀᴛ I wᴀs ʊpsєᴛ ᴀnd cɭımbєd ʊp ınᴛo my ɭᴀp ᴛo ᵹıvє mє ᴀ sᴛɾonᵹ hʊᵹ ᴀnd wıpє ᴀ ᴛєᴀɾ off of my fᴀcє. "Aɾє yoʊ ᴀɭɭ donє now Dᴀddy? Yoʊ'ɾє homє ᴀᵹᴀın?"

I cɭєᴀɾєd my ᴛhɾoᴀᴛ - ᴀn ʊᵹɭy soʊnd by ᴀccıdєnᴛ - ᴀnd smıɭєd ᴀᴛ hєɾ. "I'm homє ᴀᵹᴀın."

Thıs ıs my homє now, foɾ ᴛhє wınᴛєɾ. Һєɾє I wıɭɭ sᴛᴀy, wıᴛh Dʊsk's bɭєssınᵹ, ᴛo bє ᴀ pɾєsєnᴛ fᴀᴛhєɾ foɾ Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs ᴀnd ᴛo hєɭp shoɾє ʊp ᴛhє dєfєncєs of boᴛh Cᴀmp Sᴀncᴛʊᴀɾy ᴀnd Gɾovє Mᴀıdєn Ashєɾ's Ƿıᴛh. To ɾє-єxᴀmınє mysєɭf, ᴛo consıdєɾ ᴀɭɭ ᴛhє possıbıɭıᴛıєs bєfoɾє I mᴀkє my nєxᴛ choıcєs, ᴀs ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛ Єnᴛ ıs ᴛɾyınᵹ ᴛo ᴛєᴀch mє ᴛo do. And ᴛhєn, comє spɾınᵹ, ᴛo pɾєpᴀɾє ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood ᴛo ɾєcєıvє ıᴛs pєopɭє homє oncє ᴀᵹᴀın, ᴀnd pɾoᴛєcᴛ ᴛhєm foɾєvєɾ.

🍂 The Woods and the Whisper (Part 2 of 3)

Saturday 13 October 2018


As I hᴀd ɾєqʊєsᴛєd of Dʊsk ᴛhє pɾєvıoʊs dᴀy bєfoɾє I hᴀd ᵹonє ınᴛo ᴛhє Ƿıᴛh ᴛhıckєᴛ, xє ᴀnd ᴀ pᴀıɾ of ᴛhє Єxıɭєs' "soɭdıєɾs" ᴀccompᴀnıєd Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs ᴛo Aɾdıc shoɾᴛɭy ᴀfᴛєɾ ᴛhє sʊn ɾosє ᴀnd I hᴀd fınıshєd my moɾnınᵹ ᴀbɭʊᴛıons. Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs wᴀs noᴛ onɭy єxcıᴛєd ᴛo sєє mє (ᴀs shє ᴀɭwᴀys ıs, fɭᴀᴛᴛєɾınᵹ mє ᴀnd mᴀkınᵹ mє fєєɭ ɭovєd, dєspıᴛє ᴛhє fᴀcᴛ I ᴀm ᴀ somєᴛımєs ᴀbsєnᴛ fᴀᴛhєɾ fıᵹʊɾє), bʊᴛ ıᴛ wᴀs ᴀɭso hєɾ fıɾsᴛ vєnᴛʊɾє ınᴛo Aɾdıc whıch I'vє ᴛoɭd hєɾ so mᴀny sᴛoɾıєs ᴀboʊᴛ! Thє dєᴛᴀchmєnᴛ of Єxıɭєs dıd noᴛ fєєɭ comfoɾᴛᴀbɭє comınᵹ ᴀɭɭ ᴛhє wᴀy ınᴛo ᴛhє єncᴀmpmєnᴛ, bʊᴛ sıncє my bıɾch sᴛᴀnd sıᴛs bєhınd ᴛhє ᴛᴀvєɾn whıch ıᴛ ıᴛsєɭf on ᴛhє soʊᴛh cıɾcʊmfєɾєncє of ᴛhє bıvoʊᴀc, ıᴛ wᴀs єᴀsy foɾ ᴛhєm ᴛo fınd mє ᴀnd dɾop Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs off. I ᴛhᴀnkєd ᴛhєm ᴀɭɭ ᴀnd ɭєᴛ Dʊsk know ᴛhᴀᴛ xє shoʊɭd mєєᴛ ʊs ᴀᴛ ᴛhє єdᵹє of ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood ᴀᴛ ᴛhє ᴛwєnᴛıєᴛh ᴛᴀoıdє ɭᴀᴛєɾ ᴛhᴀᴛ dᴀy ᴛo pıck oʊɾ sᴀpɭınᵹ ʊp.

As wє ɾє-єnᴛєɾєd ᴛhє ᴛᴀvєɾn I ɾєᴀɭısєd somєᴛhınᵹ wᴀs ᴀɭɾєᴀdy ᵹoınᵹ on bєfoɾє wє hᴀd ᴀny ɾєᴀɭ oppoɾᴛʊnıᴛy foɾ mє ᴛo (ɾє-)ınᴛɾodʊcє Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs ᴛo єvєɾyonє. Բɾom ᴛhє fɾᴀnᴛıc convєɾsᴀᴛıon I ınfєɾɾєd ᴛhᴀᴛ wє hᴀd ɾєcєıvєd ᴀ noᴛє sᴛᴀᴛınᵹ Loɭᴀ, oʊɾ mʊch bєɭovєd foɾᴛʊnєᴛєɭɭєɾ who cᴀmє ᴛhɾoʊᵹh ᴛhє bıvoʊᴀc єvєɾy Mᴀɾᵹᴀdh Dᴀy, hᴀd bєєn kıdnᴀppєd oɾ wᴀs bєınᵹ hєɭd ɾᴀnsom. Immєdıᴀᴛєɭy I wᴀnᴛєd ᴛo joın ᴛhє ᵹɾoʊp ᴛhᴀᴛ wᴀs ᵹoınᵹ ᴛo ɾєscʊє hєɾ, bʊᴛ cᴀɭmєɾ hєᴀds pɾєvᴀıɭєd ᴀnd no ᵹɾoʊp wєnᴛ ᴀᴛ ᴀɭɭ; ᴛhє noᴛє whıch noᴛıfıєd ʊs of Loɭᴀ's ɾᴀnsom wᴀs wɾıᴛᴛєn spєcıfıcᴀɭɭy ᴛo Dʊchєss Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo, ᴀnd shє wᴀs ᵹoınᵹ ᴛo mєєᴛ wıᴛh Loɭᴀ's kıdnᴀppєɾs ᴀnd ɾєᴛɾıєvє oʊɾ foɾᴛʊnєᴛєɭɭєɾ dıpɭomᴀᴛıcᴀɭɭy.

Oncє Dʊchєss Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo sєᴛ oʊᴛ ınᴛo ᴛhє Mısᴛs, I ɾєᴀɭısєd I hᴀd yєᴛ ᴛo ınᴛɾodʊcє Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs bєcᴀʊsє of ᴛhє sʊɾpɾısınᵹ nєws. Iᴛ wᴀs no sʊɾpɾısє ᴀᴛ ᴀɭɭ ᴛo mє ᴛhᴀᴛ my cʊᴛє ɭıᴛᴛɭє sᴀpɭınᵹ foʊnd ıᴛ ᴀn єᴀsy ᴛᴀsk mᴀkınᵹ fɾıєnds of ᴀɭɭ ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs. Shє hᴀd ɾєcoᵹnısєd Dʊchєss Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo ᴀnd Aɾᴀᵹon ᴀnd бᴀɾon Һᴀvok fɾom Sıɾ Cɾow's knıᵹhᴛınᵹ fєᴀsᴛ, ᴀnd mᴀdє qʊıck ᴀnd fᴀsᴛ fɾıєnds wıᴛh Kᴀı ᴀnd Tᴀɭıᴀ. In fᴀcᴛ my ɭıᴛᴛɭє ᴛɾєєɭınᵹ wᴀs єnᴀmoʊɾєd wıᴛh ᴛhє dozєns of bᴀnᵹɭєs on Tᴀɭıᴀ's ᴛʊnıc, ᴀnd Tᴀɭıᴀ єnᴛєɾᴛᴀınєd boᴛh Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs ᴀnd hєɾsєɭf jʊsᴛ by shᴀkınᵹ ᴀnd jınᵹɭınᵹ ıᴛ ovєɾ ᴀnd ovєɾ foɾ sєvєɾᴀɭ moımınᴛᴀ.

I coʊɭd noᴛ ᵹo ᴛo ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood Ƿıᴛh ʊnᴛıɭ Dʊchєss Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo ɾєᴛʊɾnєd fɾom hєɾ єnᴛɾєᴀᴛy. So whєn Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood ᴀppɾoᴀchєd mє ᴀnd ᴀskєd ᴀᵹᴀın - ın my mınd! Rєmᴀɾkᴀbɭє bıᴀᴛᴀ ᴀbıɭıᴛıєs! - ıf I woʊɭd ᴀccompᴀny hım ᴛo Բoɾᴛ Һєᴀɾᴛsєєkєɾ ᴛo ᴀddɾєss ᴛhє ıssʊє of Cɭᴀn Gɾʊ's hoɭɭow єɭf sɭᴀvєs, I wᴀs qʊıᴛє wıɭɭınᵹ. My pɾovıso, ᴀs I ᴛoɭd hım, wᴀs ᴛhᴀᴛ Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs woʊɭd hᴀvє ᴛo ᴀccompᴀny mє sıncє I wᴀsn'ᴛ ᵹoınᵹ ᴛo ɭєᴀvє hєɾ ᴀɭonє ın Aɾdıc "ʊnsʊpєɾvısєd." I wᴀs fᴀmıɭıᴀɾ єnoʊᵹh wıᴛh ᴛhє foɾᴛ (ᴀfᴛєɾ my vısıᴛᴀᴛıon єᴀɾɭıєɾ ᴛhıs yєᴀɾ) ᴛo bє ᴀbɭє ᴛo ᴛʊck hєɾ ᴀwᴀy ın sᴀfєᴛy ıf wє єncoʊnᴛєɾєd ᴀ combᴀᴛıvє sıᴛʊᴀᴛıon.

Aɾᴀᵹon, Ashєɾ, Gɾєy, Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs ᴀnd mysєɭf ᴀccompᴀnıєd Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood ᴛhɾoʊᵹh ᴛhє Mısᴛs ᴛo ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood ɾєᵹıon ᴀnd skıɾᴛєd ᴛhє foɾєsᴛ ᴛo ɾєᴀch ᴛhє sᴛonє foɾᴛ. Aᴛ ᴛhє ᵹᴀᴛєs I hᴀd ᴀ sᴛᴀɾєdown wıᴛh onє of ᴛhє Mᴀɭᴀchᴀɾı ᵹʊᴀɾds, who sᴛıɭɭ dısᴛɾʊsᴛ ᴀɭɭ dɾyᴀdєs (ᴀnd foɾ ᵹood ɾєᴀsons now), bʊᴛ Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood wᴀs ᴀbɭє ᴛo dıssєmbɭє єnoʊᵹh ᴛo ᵹєᴛ mє ᴀnd my ᴛɾєєɭınᵹ ınᴛo ᴛhє cıᴛy wıᴛh oʊɾ pᴀɾᴛy. Բɾom ᴛhєɾє wє mᴀdє oʊɾ wᴀy ᴛo ᴀn ᴀɭɭєy ın ᴛhє mıɭıᴛᴀɾy dısᴛɾıcᴛ of ᴛhє foɾᴛ, ᵹʊᴀɾdєd by ᴀ mєmbєɾ of Cɭᴀn Gɾʊ, who Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood vєɾy qʊıckɭy Chᴀɾmєd ᴀnd oɾdєɾєd ᴛo ᴛᴀkє ʊs ᴛo ᴛhє hoɭdınᵹ cєɭɭs of ᴛhє hoɭɭow єɭvєs.


бєᴛwєєn ᴛhє ɭєᵹєɾdєmᴀın skıɭɭs of Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood, Gɾєy, ᴀnd Ashєɾ, wє wєɾє ᴀbɭє ᴛo ᵹєᴛ ᴛhє dooɾ opєn, bʊᴛ of coʊɾsє ᴛhє hoɭɭowєd syɭvᴀnboɾns dıd noᴛ sımpɭy ɾʊsh oʊᴛ bєcᴀʊsє ᴛhєy hᴀd no єmoᴛıons ɭєfᴛ ᴀnd hᴀd bєєn ɾobbєd of ᴀ wıɭɭ ᴛo do ᴀnyᴛhınᵹ bʊᴛ foɭɭowєd dıɾєcᴛıon. Thєɾє wєɾє pєɾhᴀps ᴀ hʊndɾєd oɾ moɾє of ᴛhє pooɾ cɾєᴀᴛʊɾєs ın ᴛhıs cєɭɭ, ᴀnd Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood sєᴛ ᴛo woɾk onє ᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴛımє ʊsınᵹ hıs bıᴀᴛᴀ skıɭɭs ᴛo convıncє ᴛhєm wє woʊɭd ᴀɭɭ bє wᴀɭkınᵹ fɾєє oʊᴛ of ᴛhє cєɭɭ ᴀᴛ oncє. I sєᴛ Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs ın ᴀ bᴀck coɾnєɾ of ᴛhє cєɭɭ whєɾє shє ımmєdıᴀᴛєɭy bєᵹᴀn ᴀ sєmı-bᴀbbɭınᵹ ɭєcᴛʊɾє of pɭᴀnᴛ hєᴀɭᴛh ᴛo sєvєɾᴀɭ of ᴛhє ᴀs-yєᴛ ʊnɾєsponsıvє hoɭɭows.

Mєᴀnwhıɭє, Ashєɾ ᴀnd Aɾᴀᵹon sᴛood ᵹʊᴀɾd ᴀᴛ ᴛhє dooɾ, knowınᵹ єvєnᴛʊᴀɭɭy ᴀ fɾєsh pᴀᴛɾoɭ woʊɭd bє ᴀɾɾıvınᵹ ᴀnd ɾєᴀɭısє ᴛhє hoɭdınᵹ cєɭɭ hᴀd bєєn bɾєᴀchєd. Sʊɾє єnoʊᵹh, ᴀ sɭow ᴛɾıckɭє of Cɭᴀn Gɾʊ ᵹʊᴀɾdsmєn cᴀmє down ᴛhє ᴀɭɭєy whıɭє wє wᴀıᴛєd foɾ Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood ᴛo ɾєᴀch ᴀɭɭ ᴛhє hoɭɭows. Wıᴛh Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs sᴀfєɭy bєhınd ᴛhє ᵹɾoʊp of syɭvᴀnboɾn, I hʊɾɾıєd bᴀck ʊp fɾonᴛ ᴛo pɾovıdє hєᴀɭınᵹ ᴀnd bındomᴀncy ıf nєєdєd. Thє fıɾsᴛ Mᴀɭᴀchᴀɾı ᵹʊᴀɾd hᴀd єnᵹᴀᵹєd hıs own Chᴀɾmєd compᴀᴛɾıoᴛ ın combᴀᴛ ᴀnd ʊɭᴛımᴀᴛєɭy bєsᴛєd hım, ᴀnd sєvєɾᴀɭ of ᴛhє oᴛhєɾs ᴛhɾєw Chᴀɾms of ᴛhєıɾ own, cᴀʊsınᵹ ᴀᴛ dıffєɾєnᴛ ᴛımєs єvєɾy onє of ʊs ᴛo ʊnconᴛɾoɭɭᴀbɭy ᴛʊɾn ʊpon єᴀch oᴛhєɾ. Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood wᴀs ᴀɭwᴀys qʊıck ᴛo hєᴀɾ ᴛhє cɾıєs of ᴛhє ɾєsᴛ of ʊs ᴀnd ʊsє hıs skıɭɭs ᴛo cɭєᴀɾ ᴛhє Chᴀɾm oʊᴛ of oʊɾ hєᴀds, bʊᴛ ıᴛ dıd sɭıᵹhᴛɭy dєɭᴀy hıs woɾk.

Whєn ᴀᴛ ɭᴀsᴛ Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood ᴛoɭd ʊs ᴛo movє oʊᴛ qʊıckɭy, I ᵹɾᴀbbєd Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs' hᴀnd ᴀnd oʊɾ whoɭє ᵹɾoʊp pɾєfᴀcєd ᴛhє ɭınє of hoɭɭow єɭvєs. My fɾıєnds conᴛınʊєd ᴛo hoɭd off combᴀᴛ on ᴛhє fɾonᴛ ɭınєs, bʊᴛ ᴀs wє pᴀssєd ᴛhɾoʊᵹh ᴛhє cıᴛy oᴛhєɾ ᵹʊᴀɾdsmєn єmєɾᵹєd fɾom sıdє ᴀɭɭєys. Thєsє Mᴀɭᴀchᴀɾı bєᵹᴀn pıckınᵹ off ᴛhє ᴛᴀıɭ єnd of ᴛhє hoɭɭows who wєɾє sᴛıɭɭ sєmı-bɭındɭy foɭɭowınᵹ Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood. Aɭᴛhoʊᵹh Ashєɾ ᴀnd I ᴀᴛᴛєmpᴛєd ᴛo sᴛᴀɭɭ ᴛhєm wıᴛh Aɾᴀᵹon kєєpınᵹ my dᴀʊᵹhᴛєɾ sᴀfє, Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood ınsısᴛєd wє sımpɭy ᵹєᴛ oʊᴛ qʊıckɭy wıᴛh onɭy ᴛhє sʊɾvıvoɾs ᴛhᴀᴛ foɭɭowєd ʊs.

бy ᴛhє ᴛımє wє fɭєd ᴛhє ᵹᴀᴛєs of Բoɾᴛ Һєᴀɾᴛsєєkєɾ I bєɭıєvє wє sᴛıɭɭ hᴀd ovєɾ єıᵹhᴛy of ᴛhє hoɭɭows, pєɾhᴀps єvєn nınєᴛy. Somє of Gɾєy's ᴀɭchєmy ᵹɭobєs єnᴀbɭєd ʊs ᴛo pʊᴛ somє dısᴛᴀncє bєᴛwєєn ᴛhє foɾᴛ wıᴛhoʊᴛ fʊɾᴛhєɾ pʊɾsʊıᴛ, ᴀnd ᴛhєn Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood ᴀskєd ʊs ᴀɭɭ ᴛo ᵹo bᴀck ᴛo Aɾdıc, wᴀnᴛınᵹ nobody єɭsє ᴛo know ᴛhє ɭocᴀᴛıon of whєɾє hє woʊɭd pɾovıdınᵹ ᴛhє hoɭɭow єɭvєs ɾєfʊᵹє.

Whıɭє on oʊɾ wᴀy bᴀck ᴛhɾoʊᵹh ᴛhє Mısᴛs ᴛo Aɾdıc I hᴀd ᴛhє oppoɾᴛʊnıᴛy ᴛo ᴀsk Ashєɾ ᴀboʊᴛ hıs fɾєє sᴛᴀndınᵹ ᴀɾmy ᴀnd whєᴛhєɾ hє mıᵹhᴛ bє ᴀvᴀıɭᴀbɭє ıf I ɾєqʊєsᴛєd pɾoᴛєcᴛıon foɾ ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood Gɾovє fɾom fʊɾᴛhєɾ Mᴀɭᴀchᴀɾı ıncʊɾsıons. Һє so ɾєᴀdıɭy ᴀᵹɾєєd, ᴀnd wıɭɭınᵹɭy єxpɭᴀınєd hє wᴀnᴛєd ᴛo ʊsє ᴛhє ᴀɾmy ᴛo pɾomoᴛє pєᴀcє ᴀnd pɾєvєnᴛ confɭıcᴛ ɾєᵹᴀɾdɭєss of ᴛhє pᴀɾᴛıєs ınvoɭvєd, ᴛhᴀᴛ I hᴀd no ɾєᴀson ᴛo doʊbᴛ hıs sıncєɾıᴛy - whıch woʊɭd ᵹɾєᴀᴛɭy pʊᴛ Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ's mınd ᴀᴛ єᴀsє. Һє ᴀɭso ᴀddєd ᴛhᴀᴛ, ıf hє dєᴛєɾmınєd ᴀny ᵹɾoʊp wᴀs ᴛɾyınᵹ ᴛo ʊsє hıs ᴀɾmy foɾ pєɾsonᴀɭ vєndєᴛᴛᴀs oɾ scoɾєs ᴛo sєᴛᴛɭє, hє woʊɭd wıᴛhdɾᴀw hıs ᴛɾoops, noᴛ wᴀnᴛınᵹ ᴛo єvєɾ ᴛᴀkє sıdєs.

Dʊchєss Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo hᴀd sʊccєssfʊɭɭy, ᴀnd wıᴛhoʊᴛ ıncıdєnᴛ, nєᵹoᴛıᴀᴛєd Loɭᴀ's ɾєɭєᴀsє by ᴛhє ᴛımє wє ᴀɾɾıvєd bᴀck ın Aɾdıc! Oʊɾ dєᴀɾ foɾᴛʊnєᴛєɭɭınᵹ fɾıєnd wᴀs ᴀɭɾєᴀdy ın fʊɭɭ swınᵹ ᵹıvınᵹ oʊᴛ hєɾ ʊsʊᴀɭ Mᴀɾᵹᴀdh Dᴀy foɾᴛʊnєs. Aɭᴛhoʊᵹh I hᴀd my mᴀᵹıc ᵹɭovє hᴀndy, Aɾᴀᵹon sᴛıɭɭ offєɾєd ᴀs ʊsʊᴀɭ ᴛo physıcᴀɭɭy dєposıᴛ my pᴀymєnᴛ on my bєhᴀɭf whєn ıᴛ cᴀmє my ᴛʊɾn ᴛo fıɭɭ Loɭᴀ's bᴀᵹ, ᴀnd Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs wᴀᴛchєd ᴛhє ɾєᴀdınᵹ wıᴛh єᴀᵹєɾ ᴀnd wondɾoʊs єyєs whıɭє shє cɭʊnᵹ ᴛo my sıdє.


Aᴛ ɭᴀsᴛ, wıᴛh vᴀɾıoʊs moɾnınᵹ єɾɾᴀnds compɭєᴛєd, ıᴛ wᴀs ᴛımє ᴛo pєɾfoɾm ᴛhє pɭᴀnᴛınᵹ of ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛsєєd. Oʊɾ fınᴀɭ ᵹɾoʊp consısᴛєd of Dʊchєss Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo (of coʊɾsє), Aɾᴀᵹon (ᴀɭso of coʊɾsє), Gɾєy, Vєɭnᴀєʊs Xєvᴀz, Ashєɾ, Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood, Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs ᴀnd mysєɭf. In hındsıᵹhᴛ I wısh wє hᴀd donє wıᴛh ᴀ ɭıᴛᴛɭє moɾє ɾєvєɾєncє ᴀnd pɾєpᴀɾᴀᴛıon, bʊᴛ ᴛhє combınᴀᴛıon of my own ʊɾᵹєncy ᴀnd Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs' єxcıᴛєmєnᴛ ɭєd oʊɾ ᵹɾoʊp ᴛo sımpɭy hєᴀd bᴀck oʊᴛ ᴛo ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood Բoɾєsᴛ.

Thoʊᵹh I wᴀs woɾɾıєd ᴀboʊᴛ ᴛhє possıbıɭıᴛy of fındınᵹ somє ɭoosє Dɾєᴀd Բᴀє oɾ somє ᴛypє of ᵹʊᴀɾdıᴀn ᴀᴛ ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood Ƿıᴛh, wє єncoʊnᴛєɾєd no oᴛhєɾ bєınᵹs oɾ cɾєᴀᴛʊɾєs whᴀᴛsoєvєɾ. Thє bɾıᴀɾ ᴀɾoʊnd ᴛhє Ƿıᴛh sᴛıɭɭ hᴀd ᴀn opєnınᵹ ᴛhᴀᴛ wє wєɾє ᴀɭɭ ᴀbɭє ᴛo cɾoss ınᴛo, bʊᴛ ᴛhє wyɭdєɾ wıᴛhın ᴛhє bɾıᴀɾ wᴀs sᴛɾєwn wıᴛh ᴀ vᴀɾıєᴛy of sᴛɾᴀnᵹє objєcᴛs ᴀnd cɭoᴛhs ᴛhᴀᴛ dєfınıᴛєɭy hᴀd noᴛ bєєn ᴛhєɾє whєn I chєckєd ᴛhє spoᴛ jʊsᴛ ᴛhɾєє ᴀdᴀᵹᴀ pɾıoɾ. On fʊɾᴛhєɾ єxᴀmınᴀᴛıon wє foʊnd ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhєy wєɾє ᴀɭɭ spєcᴛɾᴀɭ, noᴛ ᴛɾʊɭy єxısᴛınᵹ on oʊɾ pɭᴀnє wıᴛhın ᴛhє ɾınᵹ.

As I ɭookєd ᴀɾoʊnd ᴛhє Ƿıᴛh ᴛo ᴛɾy ᴛo fınd ᴛhє єxᴀcᴛ cєnᴛєɾ, oɾ ᴀn ᴀppɾopɾıᴀᴛє ɾıch soıɭ pɭᴀcє ᴛo pɭᴀn ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛsєєd, I bєᵹᴀn ᴛo hєᴀɾ ᴀ voıcє - ᴀnd ıᴛ wᴀs onɭy hєᴀɾd by mє ᴀnd pєɾhᴀps Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs, bєcᴀʊsє whєn I ᴀskєd ᴛhє oᴛhєɾs ᴀboʊᴛ ıᴛ ᴛhєy dıd noᴛ know whᴀᴛ I wᴀs ᴛᴀɭkınᵹ ᴀboʊᴛ. Thє voıcє wᴀs fᴀmıɭıᴀɾ ᴀnd I sʊspєcᴛєd ıᴛ wᴀs ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛ Єnᴛ, єspєcıᴀɭɭy bєcᴀʊsє ıᴛ kєpᴛ ᴛєɭɭınᵹ mє, "ցոլդեր... ւարմեր... հոտ." Lısᴛєnınᵹ ᴛo ıᴛs voıcє I foʊnd ᴀ ᵹєnᴛɭє moʊnd of pєɾfєcᴛ soıɭ, ᴀnd bєᵹᴀn dıᵹᵹınᵹ ınᴛo ıᴛ wıᴛh my fınᵹєɾs, my dᴀʊᵹhᴛєɾ ᴀssısᴛınᵹ.

As I fєɭᴛ comfoɾᴛᴀbɭє wıᴛh ᴛhє dєpᴛh ᴀnd ɾєvєɾєnᴛɭy ᴛook ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛsєєd oʊᴛ of my poʊch ᴛo pɾєpᴀɾє ᴛo pɭᴀnᴛ ıᴛ, ᴛhє voıcє of ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛ Єnᴛ ᴀddєd, "Իտ ւիլլ բե ստրոնգեր իֆ յոուր ֆրիենդս հելպ յոու." So I ᴀskєd my fɾıєnds ᴛo pʊᴛ ᴛhєıɾ hᴀnds on mysєɭf ᴀnd my dᴀʊᵹhᴛєɾ, whıch ᴛhєy dıd, ᴀnd ᴀs I ɭᴀıd ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛsєєd ın ᴛhє soıɭ ᴀnd covєɾєd ıᴛ bᴀck ʊp, ᴀ ɾınᵹ of ɭıᵹhᴛ fɭᴀshєd ᴀɾoʊnd ʊs -- ᴀn ᴀncıєnᴛ foɾm of ᴀ Cıɾcɭє of Ƿowєɾ. Thє spєcᴛɾᴀɭ foɾm of ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛ Єnᴛ ᴀppєᴀɾєd, ın vıєw of єvєɾyonє ᴛhıs ᴛımє, ᴀnd I ᴛook ᴀ knєє ᴀᵹᴀın ᴛo ᵹɾєєᴛ hım.

"Ւհո ցլաիմս տհե րեսպոնսիբիլիտյ ֆոր տհիս Սեեդ անդ տհիս Գրովե?"
"Who cɭᴀıms ᴛhє ɾєsponsıbıɭıᴛy foɾ ᴛhıs Sєєd ᴀnd ᴛhıs Gɾovє?"

"I sᴛᴀnd ɾєᴀdy ᴛo ᴀccєpᴛ ᴛhє ɾєsponsıbıɭıᴛıєs of ᴀ Gɾovє Mᴀsᴛєɾ," I ᴀnswєɾєd, єvєn whıɭє I ɾєᴀɭısєd fɾom ᴛhє єxpɾєssıons ᴀɾoʊnd mє ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhıs ᴛımє my compᴀnıons coʊɭd ᴀcᴛʊᴀɭɭy ʊndєɾsᴛᴀnd ıᴛs spєєch ᴀs wєɭɭ.

"Տհեն արե յոու րեադյ տո բե տեստեդ?"
"Thєn ᴀɾє yoow ɾєᴀdy ᴛo bє ᴛєsᴛєd?"

I pᴀʊsєd foɾ jʊsᴛ ᴀ shoɾᴛ momєnᴛ, bєfoɾє ᵹıvınᵹ ᴀn ᴀnswєɾ of ᴀᵹɾєєmєnᴛ. I'd noᴛ bєєn pɾєpᴀɾєd foɾ ᴀn ᴀddıᴛıonᴀɭ ᴛєsᴛ, bʊᴛ ıᴛ mᴀdє sєnsє ᴛo mє. бєınᵹ woɾᴛhy of fıᵹhᴛınᵹ foɾ, ᴀnd ᴛhєn cɭᴀımınᵹ, ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛsєєd ıᴛsєɭf dıd noᴛ ᴀʊᴛomᴀᴛıcᴀɭɭy ᴀɭso mᴀkє mє woɾᴛhy of bєınᵹ ᴀ Gɾovє Mᴀsᴛєɾ.

Thє Gɾєᴀᴛ Єnᴛ єxpɭᴀınєd ᴛhᴀᴛ onɭy ᴛhє yoʊnᵹєsᴛ of ʊs coʊɭd pᴀss ın ᴀnd oʊᴛ of ᴛhє Cıɾcɭє - whıch of coʊɾsє mєᴀnᴛ Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs - ᴀnd ᴛhᴀᴛ shє coʊɭd ınᴛєɾᴀcᴛ wıᴛh ᴛhє spєcᴛɾᴀɭ ıᴛєms ᴀɾoʊnd ᴛhє Ƿıᴛh, onɭy onє ᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴛımє, ᴀnd єᴀch onє coʊɭd onɭy bє bɾoʊᵹhᴛ ᴛo ᴛhє Cıɾcɭє oncє єvєɾ. Thє Gɾєᴀᴛ Єnᴛ woʊɭd ᴛєɭɭ ʊs hє nєєdєd ᴀ pᴀɾᴛıcʊɭᴀɾ ıᴛєm (somєᴛhınᵹ ɾєd, somєᴛhınᵹ sofᴛ, somєᴛhınᵹ dᴀnᵹєɾoʊs, somєᴛhınᵹ noısy, somєᴛhınᵹ smᴀɭɭ) ᴀnd ıᴛ wᴀs ʊp ᴛo ᴛhosє of ʊs ın ᴛhє cıɾcɭє (ɾєᴀɭɭy mє, bʊᴛ ɾєɭyınᵹ on ᴀssısᴛᴀncє fɾom my fɾıєnds) ᴛo ıdєnᴛıfy whıch ıᴛєm wє nєєdєd, ᴀnd hᴀvє Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs ɾєᴛɾıєvє ıᴛ ᴀnd bɾınᵹ ıᴛ bᴀck ınᴛo ᴛhє cıɾcɭє.


Բoɾ ᴀboʊᴛ hᴀɭf of ᴛhє ıᴛєms, Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs hᴀd no pɾobɭєm foɭɭowınᵹ oʊɾ dıɾєcᴛıons ᴀnd bɾınᵹınᵹ ᴛhєm bᴀck ᴛo mє ᴀnd ᴛhє oᴛhєɾ ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs. бʊᴛ ᴛhєɾє cᴀmє ᴀ poınᴛ whєɾє ᴛhє hєᴀᴛ of ᴛhє dᴀy ᴀnd ᴛhє sᴛıfɭınᵹ ᴀᴛmosphєɾє of ᴛhє cɭosєd-ın Һєᴀɾᴛwood (whıch, ᴀfᴛєɾ ᴀɭɭ, shє ıs ʊnᴀccʊsᴛomєd ᴛo) wєıᵹhєd ᴛoo hєᴀvıɭy on my ɭıᴛᴛɭє sᴀpɭınᵹ, ᴀnd shє ᵹɾєw ᴛoo ᴛıɾєd ᴛo ᵹo on wıᴛhoʊᴛ ᴛᴀkınᵹ ᴀ bɾıєf hıbєɾnᴀᴛıon. Wıᴛh pєɾmıssıon fɾom ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛ Єnᴛ, ᴛhє nєxᴛ yoʊnᵹєsᴛ coʊɭd ᴛᴀkє hєɾ pɭᴀcє wıᴛh somє smᴀɭɭ consєqʊєncєs. бєcᴀʊsє cєɾᴛᴀın mєmbєɾs of oʊɾ ᵹɾoʊp dıd noᴛ know ᴛhєıɾ ᴛɾʊє ᴀᵹєs, ıᴛ wᴀs ᴀ bıᴛ of ᴀ ᵹʊєssınᵹ ᵹᴀmє ʊnᴛıɭ Gɾєy wᴀs ᴀbɭє ᴛo sᴛєp oʊᴛ, mʊch ᴛo oʊɾ ᵹєnєɾᴀɭ ᴀmʊsєmєnᴛ.

Gɾєy єncoʊnᴛєɾєd Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs nєvєɾ hᴀd, ɭıkєɭy bєcᴀʊsє of ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛ Єnᴛ's ɭᴀsᴛ-mınʊᴛє chᴀnᵹє ᴛo ᴛhє єnchᴀnᴛmєnᴛ ın ᴛhє Ƿıᴛh. Whєn wє ᴀskєd hım ᴛo pıck ʊp somєᴛhınᵹ wıᴛh єyєs, hє ᴛєmpoɾᴀɾıɭy wєnᴛ bɭınd. Cєɾᴛᴀın ıᴛєms chᴀɾmєd hım ᴛo, ʊpon ɾєᴛʊɾnınᵹ ᴛo ᴛhє Cıɾcɭє, ᴀᴛᴛᴀck ᴛhє nєᴀɾєsᴛ pєɾson jʊsᴛ oncє ın ᴀ pᴀɾᴛıcʊɭᴀɾ wᴀy (somєᴛımєs єvєn wıᴛh spєɭɭs hє dıd noᴛ noɾmᴀɭɭy know). Onє pᴀɾᴛıcʊɭᴀɾ ıᴛєm, ʊpon hıs ᴛoʊch, ᵹᴀvє hım ᴀ pɾєmonıᴛıon of somєonє's vєɾy nєᴀɾ dєᴀᴛh, ᴛhoʊᵹh hє dıdn'ᴛ know who. Lᴀckınᵹ ᴀny oᴛhєɾ ınfoɾmᴀᴛıon wє chosє ᴛo sєᴛ ᴛhıs concєɾn ᴀsıdє foɾ ᴛhє ᴛımє bєınᵹ.

бy ᴛhє ᴛımє ᴛhє ᴛєsᴛ wᴀs ovєɾ, I hᴀd bєєn foɾcєd ᴛo "skıp" ᴀ fєw of ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛ Єnᴛ's ɾєqʊєsᴛs, bєcᴀʊsє wє hᴀd ᴀccıdєnᴛᴀɭɭy ʊsєd ᴛhє onɭy ᴀccєpᴛᴀbɭє ıᴛєm foɾ ᴀ pɾєvıoʊs ɾєqʊєsᴛ. Thoʊᵹh ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛ Єnᴛ dıd noᴛ ᵹıvє ʊs ᴀ pɾopєɾ "ᵹɾᴀdє" oɾ ᴛєɭɭ ʊs on how mᴀny of ᴛhє ᴛoᴛᴀɭ wє hᴀd bєєn sʊccєssfʊɭ, hє dıd ᴛєɭɭ mє, "Յոուր պերֆորմանցե ւաս նոտ բադ, բուտ նոտ տհե բեստ իտ ցոուլդ հավե բեեն. Յոու դիդ նոտ ցոնսիդեր ալլ տհե պոսսիբիլիտիես բեֆորե սոմե ոֆ յոուր չոիցես ւերե մադե."

Һє wᴀs sıɭєnᴛ ᴀfᴛєɾ ᴛhıs, noᴛ ᴛєɭɭınᵹ mє I hᴀd "fᴀıɭєd" oɾ "pᴀssєd," ᴀnd I ınsᴛєᴀd ᴛoɭd hım (ᴛo my sʊɾpɾısє) ᴛhᴀᴛ I vıєwєd ᴛhıs ᴀs ᴀn objєcᴛ ɭєsson, ᴀs somєᴛhınᵹ I woʊɭd nєєd ᴛo ımpɾovє on ᴀs I wᴀıᴛєd foɾ ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛsєєd ᴛo mᴀᴛʊɾє. Thє Gɾєᴀᴛ Єnᴛ's smıɭє sʊᵹᵹєsᴛєd ᴛo mє ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhıs wᴀs ᴛhє soɾᴛ of ᴀnswєɾ hє wᴀnᴛєd, bєfoɾє hıs spєcᴛɾᴀɭ foɾm vᴀnıshєd ᴀnd ᴛhє Cıɾcɭє of Ƿowєɾ dєᴀcᴛıvᴀᴛєd, ᴀɭɭowınᵹ ʊs ᴀɭɭ fɾєє ᴀᵹᴀın.

Thє oᴛhєɾ ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs pɾєpᴀɾєd ᴛo dєpᴀɾᴛ bᴀck ᴛo Aɾdıc, bʊᴛ Dʊchєss Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo noᴛıcєd I wᴀs hᴀnᵹınᵹ bᴀck. I єxpɭᴀınєd ᴛo hєɾ ᴛhᴀᴛ I nєєdєd ᴛo sᴛᴀy ᴀnd mєdıᴛᴀᴛє on whᴀᴛ ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛ Єnᴛ hᴀd bєєn ᴛɾyınᵹ ᴛo ᴛєᴀch mє, ᴀs wєɭɭ ᴀs wᴀıᴛ ᴀnd mᴀkє sʊɾє ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛsєєd ıᴛsєɭf ᴛook ɾooᴛ. Shє ʊndєɾsᴛood ᴛhıs, bᴀdє my dᴀʊᵹhᴛєɾ fᴀɾєwєɭɭ ᴀnd ᴛoɭd mє shє'd sєє mє whєn I ᵹoᴛ bᴀck ᴛo Aɾdıc ɭᴀᴛєɾ, ᴀnd ɭєfᴛ, bʊᴛ noᴛ bєfoɾє wє boᴛh noᴛıcєd of єᴀch oᴛhєɾ ᴛhᴀᴛ oʊɾ vınє ᴛᴀᴛᴛoos - mınє bɭʊє ᴀnd hєɾs ɾєd - hᴀd vᴀnıshєd, sєєmınᵹɭy dɾᴀwn ınᴛo ᴛhє ᵹɾoʊnd ᴀɾoʊnd ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛsєєd.

Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs ᴀnd I sᴀᴛ ᴛhєɾє ın ᴛhє Ƿıᴛh ᴀɾoʊnd ᴛhє pɭᴀnᴛınᵹ sıᴛє, ᴛhoʊᵹh I doʊbᴛ shє ᴛɾʊɭy ʊndєɾsᴛood whᴀᴛ wᴀs hᴀppєnınᵹ. Shє wᴀs mosᴛɭy fᴀscınᴀᴛєd wıᴛh єvєɾyᴛhınᵹ ᴛhᴀᴛ hᴀd hᴀppєnєd ᴛhᴀᴛ dᴀy, ᴀnd I'm ᵹɭᴀd shє єnjoyєd hєɾ fıɾsᴛ єvєɾ Advєnᴛʊɾє. I, howєvєɾ, hᴀd mʊch ᴛo consıdєɾ ın ɭıᵹhᴛ of ᴛhє ɾєcєnᴛ ᴛєsᴛ, ᴀnd wᴀs ᴛhınkınᵹ dєєpɭy ᴀboʊᴛ ıᴛ foɾ ᴛhє fєw ᴛᴀoıdᴀ bєfoɾє Dʊsk ᴀɾɾıvєd ᴛo ᴛᴀkє oʊɾ dᴀʊᵹhᴛєɾ bᴀck ᴛo ᴛhє Ashdown Wood. бʊᴛ bєfoɾє xє ᴀɾɾıvєd ᴀnd I ᵹᴀvє ᴀ ᴛєmpoɾᴀɾy ᵹoodbyє ᴛo Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs, I wᴀs ɾєwᴀɾdєd wıᴛh ᴀ sıᵹhᴛ I dıd noᴛ honєsᴛɭy ᴛhınk I'd ɾєcєıvє ʊnᴛıɭ ᴀᴛ ɭєᴀsᴛ spɾınᵹ.

A ᴛıny spɾoʊᴛınᵹ єmєɾᵹєd, sɭowɭy ᴀnd ᵹєnᴛɭy, fɾom whєɾє my fɾıєnds ᴀnd I hᴀd pɭᴀnᴛєd ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛsєєd, noᴛ єvєn ᴀ qʊᴀɾᴛєɾ of ᴀ ᴛɾoıᵹhıd ᴛᴀɭɭ. Iᴛs doʊbɭє sᴛᴀɭk wᴀs єnᴛwınєd ın ᴀ dєɭıbєɾᴀᴛє bʊᴛ ɭoosє spıɾᴀɭ, onє sᴛєm ᴀ ɭıᵹhᴛ ᵹɾєєn ᴀɭmosᴛ whıᴛє, ᴛhє oᴛhєɾ sᴛєm ᴀ dєєp dᴀɾk vєɾdᴀnᴛ shᴀdє.

🍂 The Woods and the Whisper (Part 1 of 3)

Friday 12 October 2018


Thє ᴛımє ᴛo compɭєᴛє ᴛhє ɾıᴛʊᴀɭ wᴀs ʊpon ʊs, I fєɭᴛ vєɾy sᴛɾonᵹɭy. Ƿɾıncє Toɾ hᴀd ɾєɭocᴀᴛєd mosᴛ of hıs Dɾєᴀd Բᴀє ᴛo ᴛhє noɾᴛhwєsᴛ of ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood Բoɾєsᴛ, ᴀnd whєn I vısıᴛєd hım ᴛwo ᴀdᴀᵹᴀ ᴀᵹo hє sєєmєd ᴛo bє qʊıᴛє confıdєnᴛ ın hıs woɾk, ᴛhoʊᵹh hє mєnᴛıonєd hє mıᵹhᴛ nєєd my ᴀssısᴛᴀncє conᴛᴀınınᵹ ɭєssєɾ fᴀє ın ᴛhє fʊᴛʊɾє sıncє ᴛhє mᴀᵹıc of ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood wᴀs noɾmᴀɭɭy ɾєsponsıbɭє foɾ doınᵹ so. Thıs wᴀs ᴀ smᴀɭɭ pɾıcє ᴛo pᴀy foɾ oʊɾ ᴀɭɭıᴀncє, ᴀnd I ᴀssʊɾєd hım I woʊɭd bє hᴀppy ᴛo ᴀssısᴛ. I ᴀɭso ᴀskєd hım ıf hє knєw of ᴀny nᴀᴛʊɾᴀɭ cıɾcɭєs ın ᴛhє Gɾovє, ᴀnd hє sᴀıd ᴛhє mosᴛ obvıoʊs onє wᴀs ᴛhє bɾıᴀɾ ɾınᵹ whєɾє ᴛhє oɾıᵹınᴀɭ Һєᴀɾᴛsєєd Ƿod hᴀd oncє sᴀᴛ.

Invєsᴛıᵹᴀᴛınᵹ ᴛhє bɾıᴀɾ ɾınᵹ mysєɭf I bєɭıєvєd ıᴛ woʊɭd sєɾvє ᴀdmıɾᴀbɭy, ᴀnd so I ɾєsoɭvєd ᴛo pɭᴀnᴛ ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛsєєd ᴛhıs vєɾy Mᴀɾᵹᴀdh Dᴀy wıᴛh my dᴀʊᵹhᴛєɾ wıᴛh mє. Somєᴛhınᵹ sєєmєd ᴛo bє ɾıᵹhᴛ ᴀboʊᴛ hᴀvınᵹ ᴀ ᴛɾʊє bɭoodєd Һєᴀɾᴛwood Chıɭd wıᴛh mє foɾ ᴛhє occᴀsıon. бєfoɾє doınᵹ so, howєvєɾ, I wᴀnᴛєd ᴛo confєɾ wıᴛh Gɾovє Mᴀıdєn Ashєɾ ᴀnd mᴀkє sʊɾє ᴛhᴀᴛ sʊch ᴀ sєєd dıd noᴛ ɾєqʊıɾє ᴀnyᴛhınᵹ ᴀddıᴛıonᴀɭ ᴛo pɾoᴛєcᴛ ᴛhє pɭᴀnᴛınᵹ sıᴛє, sʊch ᴀs ᴀ Cıɾcɭє of Ƿowєɾ, whıch I dıd noᴛ yєᴛ hᴀvє ᴛhє powєɾ ᴛo cᴀsᴛ.

Aɾɾıvınᵹ on ᴛhє єdᵹє of ᴛhє Ashwood Ƿıᴛh ın ᴛhє ɭᴀᴛє moɾnınᵹ ᴛodᴀy, I foʊnd ıᴛ moɾє dıffıcʊɭᴛ ᴛhᴀn єvєɾ bєfoɾє ᴛo ɭocᴀᴛє Ashєɾ. In fᴀcᴛ ıᴛ ᴛook mє sєvєɾᴀɭ ᴛᴀoıdᴀ ᵹoınᵹ dєєpєɾ ınᴛo ᴛhє dєnsєsᴛ poɾᴛıons of ᴛhє Ƿıᴛh bєfoɾє I foʊnd whᴀᴛ hᴀd ᴛo bє Ashєɾ's ᴀcᴛʊᴀɭ homє ᴛhıckєᴛ, wıᴛh ᴀ dooɾ. Єvєn knockınᵹ dıd noᴛ bɾınᵹ ᴀn ımmєdıᴀᴛє ᴀnswєɾ, ᴀnd whєn Ashєɾ dıd єmєɾᵹє shє wᴀs hєᴀvıɭy on ᵹʊᴀɾd, hᴀnd ᵹɭowınᵹ wıᴛh mᴀᵹıc ᴀnd hoɭdınᵹ ᴀ sᴛonє spєᴀɾ. Єvєn ᴀfᴛєɾ ᴀssʊɾınᵹ hєɾ who I wᴀs shє wᴀs noᴛ єᴀsєd of mınd mʊch, ᴛhoʊᵹh shє ᴀɭɭowєd mє ᴛo sᴛєp ınsıdє.

I ᴀssʊmєd shє wᴀs on ᵹʊᴀɾd bєcᴀʊsє of ᴛhє ᴛhɾєᴀᴛ of ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs. Wıᴛhın hєɾ ᴀbodє I ɾєᴀɭısєd ᴀnoᴛhєɾ pᴀɾᴛ of hєɾ cᴀʊᴛıon - shє hᴀd ᴀ woʊndєd oɾ ıɭɭ hʊmᴀn ɭᴀyınᵹ on ᴀ ɾᴀısєd bєd of somє kınd ᴀnd wᴀs obvıoʊsɭy ᴛɾyınᵹ ᴛo ᴛɾєᴀᴛ hєɾ ᴀnd kєєp hєɾ sᴛᴀbɭє. Impᴀᴛıєnᴛɭy bʊᴛ kındɭy shє єxpɭᴀınєd ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhıs wᴀs ᴛhє swᴀmp wıᴛch Anoɾᴀ, whosє nᴀmє I hᴀd hєᴀɾd ın pᴀssınᵹ fɾom Aɾdıc's ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs, ᴀnd ᴛhᴀᴛ [shє] hᴀd bєєn ᴀᴛᴛᴀckєd now by ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs. As sʊch shє dıd noᴛ hᴀvє mʊch ᴛımє ᴛo hєɭp mє, so I kєpᴛ my qʊєsᴛıon bɾıєf ᴀnd hєɾ ᴀnswєɾ wᴀs єqʊᴀɭɭy bɾıєf - shє dıd noᴛ know whєᴛhєɾ ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛsєєd woʊɭd nєєd moɾє pɾoᴛєcᴛıon ᴛhᴀn ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛ Єnᴛ's bɭєssınᵹ. Thᴀnkınᵹ hєɾ ᴀnd wıshınᵹ hєᴀɭᴛh ᴛo hєɾ ᴀnd hєɾ pᴀᴛıєnᴛ, I ɭєfᴛ ᴛhє wᴀy I cᴀmє, ᴛɾᴀvєɾsєd ᴛhє ᴛhıckєᴛs, ᴀnd ɭєfᴛ ᴛhє Ashdown Wood hєᴀdєd foɾ ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs' єncᴀmpmєnᴛ.

Aɭmosᴛ ᴀs soon ᴀs I єmєɾᵹєd fɾom ᴛhє Mısᴛ bᴀɾɾıєɾ ınᴛo Aɾdıc, Aɾᴀᵹon spoᴛᴛєd mє ᴀnd cᴀmє ovєɾ ᴛo ᵹɾєєᴛ mє. Һє sᴀıd hє hᴀd somєᴛhınᵹ foɾ mє ᴀnd I ɾєmєmbєɾєd ᴛhᴀᴛ hє hᴀd ᴛoɭd mє hє wᴀs pɾєpᴀɾınᵹ ᴀ ᵹıfᴛ of somє kınd. Thє ᵹıfᴛ ᴛʊɾnєd oʊᴛ ᴛo bє ᴀ spєɭɭ sᴛoɾє, ᴀ smᴀɭɭ ᴀɾᴛıfᴀcᴛ ᴛhᴀᴛ ıs єnchᴀnᴛєd ᴛo hoɭd ᴀnd cᴀsᴛ ᴀ cєɾᴛᴀın nʊmbєɾ of ᴀ cєɾᴛᴀın ᴛypє of spєɭɭ wıᴛhoʊᴛ ʊsınᵹ ᴀny of my own mysᴛıcᴀɭ єnєɾᵹy. Aɾᴀᵹon hᴀd hᴀd ᴛhıs onє pɾєpᴀɾєd wıᴛh ovєɾ ᴀ scoɾє of Cʊɾє Woʊnds 5 spєɭɭs, ᴀ vєɾy wєɭcomє ᴀddıᴛıon ᴛo my ᴀɾsєnᴀɭ of hєᴀɭınᵹ.
Thє ᵹɾᴀdʊᴀɭ ᴀɾɾıvᴀɭ of ᴀ bɭınd єɭdєɾɭy ɭᴀdy who cᴀɭɭєd hєɾsєɭf "Oɭd Mᴀᵹᵹıє" wᴀs ᴀn ʊnєxpєcᴛєd ᴛhoʊᵹh noᴛ ʊnʊsʊᴀɭ ᴛʊɾn of єvєnᴛs; pєopɭє ofᴛєn ᴛʊɾn ʊp ᴛhɾoʊᵹh ᴛhє Mısᴛs ᴀᴛ ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs' єncᴀmpmєnᴛ. Shє hᴀd bєєn ᴛɾyınᵹ ᴛo ᵹєᴛ somєonє ᴛo ᴛᴀkє cᴀɾє of whᴀᴛ ᴀppєᴀɾєd ᴛo bє ɾᴀᴛs ın hєɾ cєɭɭᴀɾ; hєɾ vєᵹєᴛᴀbɭєs fєɭᴛ ɭıkє ᴛhєy hᴀd ɭᴀɾᵹє ᴀnımᴀɭ nıbbɭє mᴀɾks on ᴛhєm. Wє dєᴛєɾmınєd ᴛhᴀᴛ shє ɭıvєd ın бɭᴀh бɭᴀhbɭᴀh Town (whıch I hᴀd ᴛo vєɾıfy wᴀs ındєєd ᴛhє nᴀmє of ᴛhє ᴛown), noɾᴛh of Roєfıєɭd, whєɾє Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo wᴀs now ᴀ Dʊchєss. Բıvє of ʊs dєcıdєd ᴛo ᴀccompᴀny Oɭd Mᴀᵹᵹıє - єɾ, ᴛhᴀᴛ ıs, ᴛo ɭєᴀd hєɾ bᴀck ᴛo hєɾ homє, ᴛhɾoʊᵹh ᴛhє Mısᴛs ᴀnd ᴀcɾoss ᴛhє Mısᴛ pockєᴛ of Roєfıєɭd ᴛo бɭᴀh бɭᴀhbɭᴀh Town, whєɾє ᴛhɾoʊᵹh hєɾ fᴀmıɭıᴀɾıᴛy wıᴛh ᴛhє ɭıᴛᴛɭє sєᴛᴛɭєmєnᴛ wᴀs ᴀbɭє ᴛo ɭєᴀd ʊs ᴛo hєɾ hoʊsє wıᴛh mınımᴀɭ єffoɾᴛ.

Onє of ᴛhє pєɾsons ᴀccompᴀnyınᵹ ʊs wᴀs nonє oᴛhєɾ ᴛhᴀn Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood, who I hᴀd fıɾsᴛ bєᵹʊn coɾɾєspondınᵹ wıᴛh ovєɾ ᴀ yєᴀɾ ᴀᵹo whєn hє sʊspєcᴛєd hє woʊɭd hᴀvє ᴛo ɾєᴛʊɾn ᴛo Єɭoɾıᴀ. Thoʊᵹh oɾıᵹınᴀɭɭy ᴀ Mᴀɭᴀchᴀɾı hımsєɭf, hє hᴀd oncє conᴛɾᴀcᴛєd ᴀ dєbıɭıᴛᴀᴛınᵹ ıɭɭnєss ᴀnd ᴛhє onɭy wᴀy ᴛo pɾєvєnᴛ ıᴛ fɾom cᴀʊsınᵹ hıs pєɾmᴀnєnᴛ dєᴀᴛh wᴀs ᴛo hᴀvє ᴀn ᴀɾcᴀnє ɾᴀcє chᴀnᵹє pєɾfoɾmєd on hım, whıch mᴀdє hım ınᴛo ᴀ syɭvᴀnboɾn. Һowєvєɾ ıᴛ ᴀppєᴀɾs ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhє cʊɾɾєnᴛ єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭ wᴀɾ whıch hᴀs cᴀʊsєd mᴀᵹıcs on ᴛhє moɾᴛᴀɭ pɭᴀnє ᴛo bєcomє ʊnsᴛᴀbɭє, ᴀɭso ınᴛєɾfєɾєd wıᴛh Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood's ɾᴀcє chᴀnᵹє. Whєn hє ɾєᴛʊɾnєd ᴛo Єɭoɾıᴀ, ᴛhє Mısᴛs ᴛɾᴀnsfoɾmєd hım ᴛєmpoɾᴀɾıɭy ınᴛo ᴀ bıᴀᴛᴀ ınsᴛєᴀd.

Aᴛ ᴀny ɾᴀᴛє, Oɭd Mᴀᵹᵹıє ɭєᴛ ʊs ın ᴛo ᴛhє hoʊsє wıᴛh hєɾ ᴀnd ᴛhєn ındıcᴀᴛєd ᴛhє bᴀsєmєnᴛ cєɭɭᴀɾ, whıch wє dєscєndєd ᴛhınkınᵹ ɭıᴛᴛɭє of whᴀᴛ wє mıᵹhᴛ єncoʊnᴛєɾ. Thєy wєɾє ındєєd ɾᴀᴛs... bʊᴛ ᴛhєy wєɾє ɾᴀᴛs of ʊnʊsʊᴀɭ sızє.

As ʊsʊᴀɭ I pɾovıdєd ᴀɭmosᴛ єnᴛıɾєɭy hєᴀɭınᵹ, ᴛhoʊᵹh I hᴀd ᴛo bᴀᴛ ᴀ fєw of ᴛhє bєᴀsᴛıєs ᴀwᴀy wıᴛh my sᴛᴀff. Aᴛ fıɾsᴛ ıᴛ sєєmєd ɭıkє ᴛhєy wєɾє comınᵹ ın fɾom ᴀɭɭ ovєɾ ᴛhє cєɭɭᴀɾ fɭooɾ, bʊᴛ ᴀfᴛєɾ wє cɭєᴀɾєd oʊᴛ ᴛhє sєvєn oɾ єıᵹhᴛ ᴛhᴀᴛ hᴀd ᴀɭɾєᴀdy bєєn ın ᴛhє domıcıɭє (wıᴛh ᴀ fєw ᴛєmpoɾᴀɾy ɾєᴛɾєᴀᴛs bᴀck ʊpsᴛᴀıɾs ᴛo hєᴀɭ ᴀnd ɾєfıᴛ oʊɾsєɭvєs), wє ɾєᴀɭısєd ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhєɾє wᴀs jʊsᴛ onє hoɭє on ᴛhє wєsᴛ sıdє of ᴛhє cєɭɭᴀɾ. Wє mᴀdє somє hᴀsᴛy ɾєpᴀıɾs ᴛo ᴛhє wᴀɭɭ bєfoɾє ınfoɾmınᵹ Oɭd Mᴀᵹᵹıє ᴛhᴀᴛ hєɾ pɾobɭєm wᴀs soɭvєd.

Upon ɾєᴛʊɾnınᵹ ᴛo Aɾdıc, I spokє wıᴛh Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood ᴀs hє wᴀs hopınᵹ ᴛo mєєᴛ Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ ᴀnd ᴀsk ᴀ pєᴛıᴛıon of hım. Һє mєnᴛıonєd ᴛhᴀᴛ Ashєɾ - ᴛhє sєɭʊnᴀɾı ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾ, noᴛ ᴛhє Ashwood Gɾovє Mᴀıdєn - ᴀɭso hᴀd ᴀ pєᴛıᴛıon foɾ Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ, ᴀnd sıncє Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood hᴀd ᴀɭɾєᴀdy ınqʊıɾєd of mє ın ᴛhє dɾєᴀmınᵹ ᴛo fᴀcıɭıᴛᴀᴛє ᴛhє ᴀʊdıєncє, hє wondєɾєd ıf Ashєɾ coʊɭd ᴀccompᴀny ʊs. I sᴀw no pɾobɭєm ın ᴛhıs, bʊᴛ ᴛhє ᴛhɾєє of ʊs bєfoɾє ᵹoınᵹ ᴛo ᴛhє Sʊnsєєkєɾ Єsᴛᴀᴛєs dєcıdєd ᴛo hєɭp Nommєɾıc oʊᴛ wıᴛh ᴀ pɾobɭєm on ᴛhє wᴀy.

Iᴛ sєєmєd ᴛhᴀᴛ Aɾᴀᵹon hᴀd ɾєcєnᴛɭy boɾɾowєd onє of Nommєɾıc's shıєɭds - ᴀ ɾᴀᴛhєɾ spєcıᴀɭ onє, whıch pɾovıdєd ᴛhє bєᴀɾєɾ wıᴛh ᴀ sᴛoɾє of sᴛonє cєɭєsᴛıᴀɭ mᴀᵹıc - ᴀnd hᴀd ınᴀdvєɾᴛєnᴛɭy oɾ cᴀɾєɭєssɭy ɭєfᴛ ıᴛ bєhınd ın Shєɭɭ Cıᴛy. Ashєɾ, Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood, Aɾᴀᵹon, Gɾєy, Nommєɾıc, ᴀnd I ᴀɭɭ ᴛook ᴛhє poɾᴛᴀɭ jʊsᴛ oʊᴛsıdє Aɾdıc (boɾɾowınᵹ onє of ᴛhє poɾᴛᴀɭ kєys ᴛo Shєɭɭ Cıᴛy fɾom Dʊchєss Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo) ᴀnd єmєɾᵹєd fɾom Shєɭɭ Cıᴛy's onɭy poɾᴛᴀɭ, ın ᴀ ɾєɭᴀᴛıvєɭy dɾy cᴀnᴀɭ of ᴛhє sєwєɾs bєnєᴀᴛh ᴛhє cıᴛy mᴀɾkєᴛ. Բɾom whıch, howєvєɾ, onє cᴀn onɭy ᴀscєnd by cɭımbınᵹ ᴀ [mєᴛᴀɭ] ɭᴀddєɾ. Thє oᴛhєɾ foʊɾ ᴛєmpoɾᴀɾıɭy foɾᵹoᴛ oɾ hᴀd noᴛ ɾєᴀɭısєd, ʊnᴛıɭ I hᴀd ᴛo shoʊᴛ ʊp ᴀᴛ ᴛhєm ᴀnd ᴛhєy ɾєᴀchєd down fɾom ᴛhє ᴛhoɾoʊᵹhfᴀɾє ᴀbovє ᴛo pʊɭɭ mє ʊp wıᴛh ᴛhєıɾ hᴀnds.

(Һonєsᴛɭy I jʊsᴛ kєєp foɾᵹєᴛᴛınᵹ ᴀboʊᴛ ᴛhє dᴀmn ɭᴀddєɾ ᴀnd I shoʊɭd ᴀsk Tınkєɾ Tᴀbby ᴛo fınd mє ᴀnoᴛhєɾ mᴀᵹıc ᵹɭovє so I cᴀn ᴀvoıd ᴛhє ıssʊє ın ᴛhє fʊᴛʊɾє.)

Afᴛєɾ ınqʊıɾınᵹ of somє pᴀssєɾsby ᴀboʊᴛ ᴀnyonє ın ᴛown who mıᵹhᴛ hᴀvє comє ınᴛo possєssıon of ᴀ shıєɭd mᴀᴛchınᵹ Nommєɾıc's dєscɾıpᴛıon, Aɾᴀᵹon ᴀnd Gɾєy mᴀnᴀᵹєd ᴛo fınd ᴀ ɭєᴀd. Thʊs Aɾᴀᵹon ɭєd ᴛhє wᴀy, sɭıᵹhᴛɭy shᴀmєfʊɭɭy ᴀnd wıᴛh fɾєqʊєnᴛ pɾoddınᵹ by ᴀn ıncєssᴀnᴛ Nommєɾıc, ᴛo ᴀ ᴛᴀvєɾn bʊıɭᴛ ᴀbovє ᴛhє docks ɾıᵹhᴛ on sєᴀs of Dᴀɾ Dᴀɾ, whєɾє wє foʊnd ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhє bᴀɾᴛєndєɾ wᴀs... nonє oᴛhєɾ ᴛhᴀn Բᴀncy, ᴛhє foɾmєɾ sєcɾєᴛᴀɾıᴀᴛ of ᴛhє Conᴛɾᴀcᴛ Apocᴀɭypsє ᵹʊıɭd!

Բᴀncy wᴀs pɭєᴀsᴀnᴛɭy sʊɾpɾısєd ᴛo sєє ʊs, sıncє ᴀᴛ ɭєᴀsᴛ hᴀɭf of ʊs hє hᴀd mєᴛ bєfoɾє, ᴀnd ᴀɭso wᴀs ᴀbɭє ᴛo poınᴛ oʊᴛ (qʊıєᴛɭy) onє of ᴛhє vєɾy fєw pєopɭє ın ᴛhıs pᴀɾᴛıcʊɭᴀɾ ᴛᴀvєɾn, ᴀ sɭıᵹhᴛɭy oɭdєɾ bʊᴛ sᴛıɭɭ wıɾy mᴀn who hᴀd ᴛhє shıєɭd sᴛɾᴀppєd ᴛo hıs ᴀɾm. Aɾᴀᵹon, bɭєss hıs hєᴀɾᴛ, ᴛɾıєd ᴛo єᴀsє ınᴛo ᴀ convєɾsᴀᴛıon wıᴛh hım, bʊᴛ ᴛhє mᴀn (ᴀ foɾmєɾ sєᴀmᴀn who wᴀs ᴀɭɾєᴀdy sɭıᵹhᴛɭy ınєbɾıᴀᴛєd) fıᵹʊɾєd oʊᴛ pɾєᴛᴛy qʊıck ᴛhᴀᴛ Բᴀncy hᴀd "ɾᴀᴛᴛєd hım oʊᴛ" ᴀnd ɾєfʊsєd ᴛo ᵹıvє ʊp ᴛhє shıєɭd wıᴛhoʊᴛ ᴀ fıᵹhᴛ. Բoɾᴛʊnᴀᴛєɭy hє ɾєᴀɭɭy onɭy pıckєd ᴀ fıᵹhᴛ wıᴛh Aɾᴀᵹon ᴀnd Nommєɾıc, wıᴛh Gɾєy ᴀnd Ashєɾ ᴀnd mysєɭf sᴛᴀndınᵹ bᴀck ınsısᴛınᵹ wє wєɾєn'ᴛ ᵹoınᵹ ᴛo ᵹєᴛ ınvoɭvєd, ᴀnd Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood ınsısᴛınᵹ hє jʊsᴛ wᴀnᴛєd ᴛo dɾınk wıᴛh somєonє.

Thє fıᵹhᴛ ıᴛsєɭf wᴀs noᴛ ᴛєɾɾıbɭy noᴛєwoɾᴛhy ᴛhoʊᵹh ıᴛ wєnᴛ sɭıᵹhᴛɭy ɭonᵹєɾ ᴛhᴀn I єxpєcᴛєd ᵹıvєn ᴛhє mᴀn dıd noᴛ hᴀvє ᴀn ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾ's consᴛıᴛʊᴛıon, bʊᴛ obvıoʊsɭy hıs ɭıfє on ᴛhє sєᴀ mᴀdє hım sᴛʊɾdıєɾ ᴛhᴀn common sᴛock. And ᴛhє shıєɭd, ᴛhᴀᴛ hєɭpєd hım oʊᴛ. I sᴛood by ɾєᴀdy onɭy ᴛo hєᴀɭ my compᴀnıons ıf nєcєssᴀɾy, ᴀnd Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood dıd єvєnᴛʊᴀɭɭy sʊᵹᵹєsᴛ ᴛhᴀᴛ hє shoʊɭd mᴀkє ᴛhє fıᵹhᴛ fᴀıɾ ᴀnd offєɾєd ᴛo ᴛhє mᴀn ᴛo fıᵹhᴛ on hıs sıdє ᴀᵹᴀınsᴛ Nommєɾıc ᴀnd Aɾᴀᵹon, onɭy ᴛo mᴀkє ᴀ ɾᴀpıd ᴛʊɾnᴀɾoʊnd ᴀnd ᴀssısᴛ oʊɾ fɾıєnds by bᴀcksᴛᴀbbınᵹ ᴛhє sᴀıɭoɾ oncє oɾ ᴛwıcє. Բınᴀɭɭy ᴛhєy fєɭɭєd hım, ᴀnd ᴀfᴛєɾ Nommєɾıc cɭᴀımєd hıs shıєɭd, Բᴀncy ınsᴛɾʊcᴛєd ʊs ᴛo dʊmp ᴛhє body ın ᴀ dınᵹhy bєɭow ᴛhє ᴛᴀvєɾn ᴀnd sєᴛ ıᴛ oʊᴛ ᴛo sєᴀ.
Sᴀyınᵹ fᴀɾєwєɭɭ ᴛo Բᴀncy wıᴛh ᵹɾᴀᴛıᴛʊdє wє ɭєfᴛ ᴛhє ᴛᴀvєɾn, ᴀnd sєnᴛ ᴛhє poɾᴛᴀɭ kєy wıᴛh Nommєɾıc, Aɾᴀᵹon, ᴀnd Gɾєy, whıɭє Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood ᴀnd Ashєɾ ᴀnd I ᴛook ᴀ fєɾɾy ᴀcɾoss ᴛhє Azıɾ Sєᴀ ᴀnd ɭᴀndєd on ᴛhє sᴀnds ᴀboʊᴛ ᴛhɾєє mı́ɭᴀ ᴀwᴀy fɾom ᴛhє Sʊnsєєkєɾ Єsᴛᴀᴛєs. Єvєn ᴀᴛ ᴛhıs dısᴛᴀncє I coʊɭd sєє ᴛhᴀᴛ Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ hᴀd bєєn foɾᴛıfyınᵹ hıs ɭᴀnds, ᴛhoʊᵹh ıᴛ ᴛook ʊs ᴀboʊᴛ onє ᴀnd ᴀ hᴀɭf ᴛᴀoıdᴀ ᴛo cɾoss ᴛhє ᵹᴀp wᴀɭkınᵹ. Dʊɾınᵹ oʊɾ nıᵹhᴛᴛımє hıkє, Ashєɾ ᴀnd Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood hᴀd oppoɾᴛʊnıᴛy ᴛo commєnᴛ on ᴛhє (mosᴛɭy єmpᴛy) ɭᴀnd wє pᴀssєd ᴛhɾoʊᵹh, ᴀnd Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood ɾє-єxpɭᴀınєd ᴛhᴀᴛ pᴀɾᴛ of hıs pєᴛıᴛıon wᴀs foɾ ɭᴀnd ᴛo bʊıɭd ᴀ sєᴛᴛɭєmєnᴛ of soɾᴛs.

Upon ᴀɾɾıvınᵹ ᴀᴛ ᴛhє ımpɾovєd foɾᴛıfıcᴀᴛıons of ᴛhє wᴀɭɭ ᴀɾoʊnd ᴛhє Єsᴛᴀᴛєs, ᴛhє ᵹʊᴀɾd ɾєcoᵹnısєd mє ᴀnd wᴀs ᴀboʊᴛ ᴛo ɭєᴛ ʊs ın, bʊᴛ hєsıᴛᴀᴛєd ᴀnd mєnᴛıonєd ᴛhᴀᴛ Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ hᴀd cᴀʊᴛıonєd hım ᴀboʊᴛ ᵹoɭєms ᴛhᴀᴛ ɭookєd ɭıkє pєopɭє. I ᴛoɭd hım ᴛhᴀᴛ ıf hє hᴀd ᴀ ᴛєsᴛ ᴛo mᴀkє sʊɾє I wᴀs noᴛ ᴀ ᵹoɭєm, I woʊɭd bє qʊıᴛє wıɭɭınᵹ ᴛo ʊndєɾᵹo ıᴛ. CRACK.

I wokє ʊp ᴛєn sєconds ɭᴀᴛєɾ on ᴛhє ᵹɾoʊnd wıᴛh ᴀ mᴀssıvє hєᴀdᴀchє whєn Ashєɾ fєd mє ᴀ hєᴀɭınᵹ poᴛıon, wıᴛh ᴛhє ᵹʊᴀɾd sᴛᴀᴛınᵹ, "Wєɭɭ, yoʊ dıdn'ᴛ shᴀᴛᴛєɾ, so yoʊ mʊsᴛ bє fɭєsh. Whᴀᴛ ᴀboʊᴛ ᴛhєsє ᴛwo?" Somєwhᴀᴛ dısoɾıєnᴛєd I ᴀssʊɾєd hım ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhєy hᴀd bєєn ᴛɾᴀvєɭɭınᵹ wıᴛh mє ᴛhє єnᴛıɾє ᴛımє ᴀnd I woʊɭd voʊch foɾ ᴛhєm pєɾsonᴀɭɭy, ᴀnd ᴛhıs wᴀs sʊffıcıєnᴛ foɾ ᴛhє ᵹʊᴀɾd ᴀnd hє ɭєᴛ ʊs ın. Բɾom ᴛhєɾє wє ᴀppɾoᴀchєd Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ's mᴀın hoʊsє, ᴀnd ᴀppᴀɾєnᴛɭy ᴀ sєnᴛɾy hᴀd ᴀɭɾєᴀdy dєɭıvєɾєd ᴛhє mєssᴀᵹє ᴛhᴀᴛ I wᴀs ᴛhє ᴀɾɾıvᴀɭ bєcᴀʊsє Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ cᴀmє ᴛo ᴛhє fɾonᴛ dooɾ hımsєɭf ᴀnd ᵹɾєєᴛєd mє wᴀɾmɭy.

I ınᴛɾodʊcєd my compᴀnıons ᴀnd Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ ınvıᴛєd ʊs ınᴛo ᴀ smᴀɭɭ pᴀɾɭoɾ jʊsᴛ off ᴛhє єnᴛɾywᴀy. Afᴛєɾ єxpɭᴀınınᵹ ᴛhᴀᴛ boᴛh of ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs hᴀd comє ᴛo pєᴛıᴛıon hım, I sᴛood bᴀck ᴀnd ınᴛєndєd ᴛo jʊsᴛ ᴀɭɭow ᴛhєm ᴛo spєᴀk ᴛhєıɾ pıєcєs. Һowєvєɾ, Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ ᴀcᴛʊᴀɭɭy wıshєd mє ᴛo ɾєmᴀın ᴀs hє consıdєɾєd mє ᴀ ᵹood coʊnsєɭ, ɾєınfoɾcınᵹ my chᴀɾᴀcᴛєɾ ᴀnd vᴀɭʊınᵹ my ᴀdvıcє єvєn whєn Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood wᴀs bɾıєfɭy ʊnsʊɾє whєᴛhєɾ ᴛo ᴀsk somєᴛhınᵹ of Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ ın pɾıvᴀᴛє.

So sєᴛᴛɭєd, Ƿykє of ᴛhє бɾoᴛhєɾhood mᴀdє hıs pєᴛıᴛıon ᴛo єsᴛᴀbɭısh ᴀ hᴀmɭєᴛ on ᴛhє ʊnsєᴛᴛɭєd ɭᴀnds bєᴛwєєn ᴛhє Sʊnsєєkєɾ Єsᴛᴀᴛєs ᴀnd ᴛhє Azıɾ Sєᴀ, ᴀs boᴛh ᴀ fᴀɾmınᵹ commʊnıᴛy ᴀnd ɾєfʊᵹєє cᴀmp ᴀnd ᴀ fıɾsᴛ ɭınє of dєfєncє foɾ Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ hımsєɭf. Thєn Ashєɾ ɾєqʊєsᴛєd ᴛhє bɭєssınᵹ of Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ ᴛo bʊıɭd ᴀ fɾєє-sᴛᴀndınᵹ ᴀɾmy whıch woʊɭd sєɾvє ın ᴀ chᴀɾıᴛᴀbɭє mєɾcєnᴀɾy cᴀpᴀcıᴛy. Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ ᴛhᴀnkєd ᴛhєm boᴛh foɾ ᴛhєıɾ pɾєsєnᴛᴀᴛıons ᴀnd ᴛoɭd ᴛhєm ᴛo pɭєᴀsє wᴀıᴛ ın ᴛhє foyєɾ whıɭє hє convєɾsєd wıᴛh mє, ᴀnd ᴛhєn ınqʊıɾєd of my ımpɾєssıon of ᴛhє ᴛwo ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs ᴀnd ᴛhєıɾ ɾєqʊєsᴛs.

I ᴛoɭd Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhoʊᵹh ᴛhєy wєɾє boᴛh ᴀmonᵹ ᴛhє nєwєsᴛ of my ᴀcqʊᴀınᴛᴀncєs, ᴛhєy ᴀcqʊıᴛᴛєd ᴛhєmsєɭvєs honoɾᴀbɭy ın ᴀɭɭ ᴛhє sıᴛʊᴀᴛıons I hᴀd wıᴛnєssєd ᴛhʊs fᴀɾ. Һє ᴀccєpᴛєd ᴛhıs, bʊᴛ ᴀɭso ᴀskєd of mє ᴀ fᴀvoʊɾ - ᴛhᴀᴛ I woʊɭd, somєwhᴀᴛ snєᴀkıɭy (ᴛhoʊᵹh I'm sʊɾє hє knєw fʊɭɭ wєɭɭ I'm noᴛ vєɾy cᴀpᴀbɭє of ᵹʊıɭє), ınqʊıɾє fʊɾᴛhєɾ of boᴛh of ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs, єᴀch ın pɾıvᴀᴛє, ᴀnd vєɾıfy ᴛhєy wєɾє noᴛ pɭᴀnnınᵹ ᴛo ᴀcᴛ ᴀᵹᴀınsᴛ Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ oɾ ᴀny ᴀʊᴛhoɾıᴛy of ᴛhє Єɭoɾıᴀn Єmpıɾє. Afᴛєɾ ɾєcєıvınᵹ my ᴀssєnᴛ, Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ ᴛhєn ᵹıfᴛєd mє wıᴛh ᴀ poɾᴛᴀɭ kєy of hıs own, ᴀnd ɾoʊndınᵹ ʊp my fɾıєnds, ᴛook ʊs ᴛo ᴀ poɾᴛᴀɭ of hıs own ın ᴛhє bᴀsєmєnᴛ of ᴛhє єsᴛᴀᴛє, sᴛᴀᴛınᵹ ᴛhᴀᴛ I coʊɭd comє ᴀnd ᵹo ᴀs I pɭєᴀsєd.

Gɾᴀᴛєfʊɭɭy wє bıd Loɾd Sʊnsєєkєɾ ᵹoodnıᵹhᴛ ᴀs hє ɾєᴛʊɾnєd ʊpsᴛᴀıɾs ᴛo hıs qʊᴀɾᴛєɾs ᴀnd hıs wıfє, ᴀnd ᴛhє ᴛhɾєє of ʊs pᴀssєd ᴛhɾoʊᵹh ᴛhє poɾᴛᴀɭ bᴀck ᴛo ᴛhє єdᵹє of ᴛhє Mısᴛ jʊsᴛ oʊᴛsıdє Aɾdıc. Thє hoʊɾ ᵹɾowınᵹ єxcєєdınᵹɭy ɭᴀᴛє, I bıd my compᴀnıons ᵹoodnıᵹhᴛ ᴀs wєɭɭ, ᴀnd ɾєᴛɾєᴀᴛєd ᴛo my bıɾch sᴛᴀnd ᴛo ɾєsᴛ ʊp bєfoɾє Mᴀɾᵹᴀdh Dᴀy bєᵹᴀn ın єᴀɾnєsᴛ.

✨ Not Home Yet (Part 2 of 2)

Sunday 16 September 2018


Coming back from the wilderness, i found gideon and belfry at a table in the town square still trying to solve mathis' riddle. I tried to contribute as much as possible but certain seeming inconsistencies stumped us all. After a while Belfry excused herself for a moment, but gideon and i were still present when count ko and several other nobles and guardsmen escorted his majesty, king lycergis of dragonreach, through valbrough and toward the tavern, which was still closed as the kitchen staff completed the final preparations for the dragonfall feast.

Gideon took a knee though lycergis was still several stânjens away, and after a moment's hesitation so did i. Though i don't truly see the full benefits of ranked nobility and a monarchy, it is the political state of the land i am trying to call home and i will offer what respect i can muster until a reason arises that takes that respect away. Once the king and his entourage had passed by our location, and belfry had returned, the three of us approached the tavern but still stood a distance away, back behind the main cluster of people waiting to enter, next to some members of moonless nights.

Saro came toward us in a beautiful gown and we all gave her honest compliments. She admitted to being nervous of how to speak if she was asked to as a noble, so based on some of the speeches i've heard in my travels i offered to coach her through some basic toasts, and we rehearsed some very generic lines for a short speech. Her gratitude was evident and she seemed to calm down a considerable amount. Eventually mathis brought king lycergis and count ko and the bodyguard over to meet and speak with gideon and belfry, and i still stayed behind in the «shadows», though when aunt cyn also slowly approached us i circled around the group and took up a position behind her.

Finally the tavern doors opened and the herald announced the commencement of the feast, with the king entering first, then a delegation from the neighboring land of kalinthas, followed by the nobles, knights, other distinguished visitors to the kingdom, aunt cyn (despite her objection) as a former noble (and me by proxy as the only guild guardian currently on duty), and then, as gideon put it, «the rest of us rabble». All of us were asked to give up our weapons and lay them in a temporary armory set up just inside the tavern, to forestall any untoward violence during the feast. Everyone remained at the back end of the tavern for quite a while, standing and socialising, as members of the pride and other servers such as pyke offered us hors d'oeuvres, until after a while the herald asked us to begin taking our seats, and ushered his majesty and the nobles and ambassadors up to the front table.

As we took our seats naomi seemed to notice my discomfort, and asked after it. I explained that, though my clan often ate meals together, it was for familial bonding rather than for celebrating anything in particular. I had never been to a «feast» like this. She encouraged me to relax, express my feelings, and take part in the joviality as much as possible, because in a way this was celebrating the way that the adventuring community had become like a family. As she told me this, the servers came out and we were given wine before anything else, and the king spoke of remembering the old victory against bleak, honouring those who fought, remembering those who died, and we toasted. Count ko and sir mathis also spoke briefly but elegantly, and commander lukas finished the toasts with a more down-to-earth, «to dragonreach! empty your cups!»

Then we were served fresh garden salads with a variety of dressings, breads, potatoes, vegetable pies, onions and peppers. I actually cannot stress just how delicious these dishes were. I was given some strange looks by jane and arai at one point because i was using one of the dressings, a peppered garlic vinaigrette, on not only my salad but also the bread and potatoes. I was too embarrassed to explain that a very similar vinaigrette had been a rare delicacy in my childhood that i used to slather on everything, but not so embarrassed that i didn't keep eating it that way.

Finally the head chefs carried out a massive sow which had spent the day roasting in the huge broiler we all had seen behind the tavern. It, and the chefs, were met with resounding applause. While the master chef had the honour of cutting the pig and serving it to the nobles, the pride served the rest of us with not only sections of the sow but also roasted chicken. To top off the evening, we were treated to a variety of delightful not-too-sweet desserts, among them fruit-topped cheese custard pies and an exotic dessert called tiramisu, which i was too alarmed by the sound of to try but was met with great appreciation by many of the other guests.

Somewhere in the midst of our desserts one of the waitstaff came out of the kitchen and stood at our end of the tavern (arai and i were at the end of one of the long side tables) as though waiting to address the king. I did not realise anything was amiss until other adventurers starting jumping up out of their seats and rushing back to the temporary armory to retrieve their weapons. When i looked around and then up at the waitstaff member, i confess i was petrified upon realising that it (he?) was a mindflare.

But the creature made no move to attack and insisted that he was here to try and offer peace, a treaty, a truce. King lycergis summoned his sword and energy visibly crackled throughout the tavern, then at the king's direction count ko and sir mathis made their way to the «front» and had a somewhat more muted conversation, a negotiations of sorts. I remained in place and didn't hear most of what was said, but it appeared the mindflare, a representative of the illithid, was promising no more attacks in exchange for something.

Sir mathis seemed to have the authority to accept the agreement and he and lord lukas and a few others escorted the illithid out (but not before the illithid asked, and i am not certain whether he was joking, whether any of us needed more refreshments or additional desserts). I believe their ultimate intention was to see where the illithid returned to. After they left the building i finally unfroze long enough to grab my swords and took up a temporary position just outside the tavern, until sir mathis returned to tell us the creature had rifted away, and aunt cyn came out to ask us all on behalf of king lycergis to come back in and resume the celebrations.

Since there had actually been no combat or injury or loss of life - and the nobles and warriors of the realm had given all the pride and our other local waitstaff enslavement antidotes in case the illithid had enslaved them and not merely fooled them with his illusion of normal humanoid appearance - it was actually not too difficult to get everyone back into a celebrating mood. Sir mathis asked for those who would be participating in the bardic competition as well as any submissions for the crafting competition. I had been toying with the idea of offering my voice to the bardic competition but was still a little surprised at myself for standing and volunteering to go first. I do not believe anyone in dragonreach, except perhaps ardos an extremely long time ago, has ever heard me sing.

I prefaced my song with a general bow at king lycergis and the nobles, and then explained, «i actually came to these lands six piszots ago specifically because i heard of the bravery of the adventurers, the nobles, and the knights in facing bleak. As many of you know, my people the selunari are given to wanderlust, and among my clan, the deorsa, this is a lullaby our children often hear, which reminds us that our travels and new experiences are never really over as long as life goes on. We never forget those who have gone before us, or who have fallen in combat, while we journey on.»⁽¹⁾
to all the travellers,
pilgrims longing for a home,
from one who walks with you
on this journey called life's road - 
it is a long and winding road; 
from one who's seen the view
and dreamt of staying on the mountains high
and one who's cried like you
and wanted sometimes just to lay down and die,
i offer this - we must remember this: 
we are not home yet
we are not home yet
keep on looking ahead
let your heart not forget
we are not home yet
not home yet 
so close your eyes with me
and hear the family saying "welcome home"
and let us find our strength
and all our promises to carry on
then let us journey on and let us not forget: 
we are not home yet
we are not home yet
keep on looking ahead
let your heart not forget
we are not home yet 
we are not home yet
keep on looking ahead
let your heart not forget
we are not home yet --
not home yet.⁽¹⁾
I was actually honoured and touched to see that many of the nobles looked very pensive and thoughtful during the performance. I honestly did not know how it would be received but the entire assemblage applauded when i was done. 

The moonless nights performed «the mostly true tale of bleak», which i understand has become a tradition the last few years since the dragonfall festival was installed by lycergis. They, and i, were the only entries into the bardic competition, so instead of awarding a winner, his majesty simply asked us all to approach the front table and honoured every one of us with a patronage of coins and gems. Likewise, blue was the only person who had brought something to be submitted for the crafting competition (saro had as well but after seeing blue's drawing of lycergis and the dragon, done with coloured ash sticks, she deemed her own submission «too crappy» to contend and withdrew), and was suitably rewarded.

Shortly thereafter, aunt cyn signalled me over to her seat near the front of the tavern and personally introduced me to king lycergis, which surprised me a bit, until i realised she was doing so in my capacity as a guardian of the earth healers' guild. The king was a patron of the healing house and wanted to see how it was faring, so aunt cyn, jotai, and myself led the king (followed at a distance by his bodyguard) across the town square toward the yurt, where aunt cyn had already re-lit the candles for the evening.

The preparations that aunt cyn and i had made were well-received. The pennants of the earth guild, of dragonreach, of county koroshi, the night riders, the emerald flame, the pride, the iranis, and of forgotten hope hung around the entire yurt. And although apparently aunt cyn had had occasion to enter and use the resurrection circle that afternoon while i had been away meditating, it remained organised and well-decorated and comfortable. She believes (sensibly) that a person who must be resurrected should be returned to mortal coil in comfortable surroundings, which includes a number of robes since most people don't have their bodies reform with clothes on.

King lycergis was quite pleased to see the earth guild was doing well and was still so warm and inviting, and commented in particular to aunt cyn while i was near enough to hear that «it reminds me of time spent here in my youth.» Having won the praise of the king for aunt cyn and her healers, the five of us returned cautiously through the dark back to the hall of heroes where his majesty could be situated comfortably at his head table again and watch the remaining festivities.

As for myself, aunt cyn knew that i would be checking on some of my veterinary clients in onothera the following day, so she was not surprised when i said i would have to make the walk back to the capital myself immediately. As always she simply adjured me to remain safe, and I promised I would and left her with a hug. The biggest benefit of having so little in the way of material possessions is that I could simply return to the healing house, pack up my bedding and my single taming bag, and head down the main road out of valbrough in the quiet of the forest night.



(1) The song I presented for the Dragonfall Bardic Festival is a modification of the 1997 song "Not Home Yet" by Steven Curtis Chapman. In Alliance LARP there is no religion and no mention of religions, so I modified some lyrics and omitted others. The original song can be heard on YouTube here.

✨ Not Home Yet (Part 1 of 2)

Saturday 15 September 2018


The caravan arrived in valbrough exceedingly late, probably well into the 55th ghurry, but even then after i took my leave of the caravan with gratitude i could not find aunt cyn at the healing house. Typically this means she is entertaining or being entertained at the hall of heroes, so after making sure my šerogada was properly covering my wounds i made my way across the city to the tavern. The moonless nights happened to be in energetic discussion outside of the tavern and when they recognised me they seemed delighted that i had returned safely - since, like most of the adventurers, they had not seen me since before the vornae attack (and in the case of a new selunari member named asher, had never met me before) - but saro, ever the quick one, could see that something was wrong with me. I waved it off, and the arrival of robert distracted the gang from asking more questions. 

Peeking inside the tavern i did not immediately see aunt cyn or any of her elaborate gowns, so i stepped back aside and asked the permission of arai, who was lounging at the corner of the building, if i could meditate in the shade of the trees near him and the tavern. He said it would not disturb him, and i took a seat on the ground a few stânjens off the side of the tavern and began meditating. While i could still "read" the all-fauna connexion, or at least hear it, i still have not regained the arcane charming that i had not that long ago. Nor did i expect to regain it quickly; i intended to repeat the slow following of my path from the beginning as i had done the first time, in the hopes of finding and this time keeping the talent.

After quite a while i watched a wolf pass through an outer part of the town, somewhat absent-mindedly, and observed it until it went behind another building out of my line of sight. Arai asked quietly if i had seen it, and i also quietly confirmed it, then he drew me attention in the other direction where a similarly behaving bear was approaching. I confess to my shame i could not bring myself to attack it when it came near and got somewhat hostile, and arai had to dispose of it. I did, however, deal with the wolf when it was attracted by the din and came back around the side of the tavern. A number of these animals, and snakes as well, were crawling throughout the wilderness and strangely venturing into the town. I went into the tavern as a courtesy to let everyone assembled there know, though we were all safe within since none of the creatures could open the doors, and since we realised that was the case i decided i might as well stay inside.

The throng merrily gathered inside the hall of heroes this evening were decidedly unconcerned about the wild animals aside, focused as they were on various parchments and oddments. On closer examination they appeared to be copies of puzzles and riddles, and there was an abundant number of them. I wasn't sure what occasioned this unofficial contest of the mind, so as i looked around i spotted mathis, whom i've come to rely on as a very knowledgeable man. In answer to my question he said it was simply a part of the dragonfall festival, and almost in the same breath he realised that this was the first year i'd been in dragonreach for the festival, and took a few minutes to explain to me about how nobles and knights would all offer riddles to everyone who came to the festival, and by solving these riddles or participating in other games or contests, visitors to valbrough could earn «chits» that could then be spent on special goods or favours donated on behalf of the dragonfall festival.

Trying to enter into the spirit of the event, i welcomed a new adventurer, kantor, and agreed to his request to try and help him reason out one of the riddles - mathis' own invention, in fact. Not only was it a riddle, but the words of the riddle had been encoded in an alphabetical cipher of some kind with absolutely no hint towards its translation. Kailisa joined us and also tried to help us out, after mathis mentioned to all three of us that we could all jointly turn in what we believed to be the solution and all of us would earn chits. 

While we worked on the riddle, the celestine elf that had been in the hall of heroes since i had arrived came over and told us about the vault labyrinth being held as one of the dragonfall events - an old abandoned treasure vault comprised of multiple rooms with random doorways, puzzles, various guardian creatures, and magic traps, which the celestine guild was offering as an adventurers' challenge. It sounded interesting but i wasn't sure if i was ready to commit to joining a team yet.

Every time the tavern door opened i glanced up, both making sure it was not a suddenly intelligent animal (or something worse like an elemental) and also seeing if it was aunt cyn. When she finally did arrive at almost the 58th ghurry, she was probably quite surprised at the great relief with which i greeted her, though she was also delighted to see me safely. Unfortunately i had to pull her aside to a private table and both tell and show her that «safe» was not entirely accurate. I had the foresight to wear a patch  (haphazard and ugly) of plaster over the scarred eyeball itself, but the scars that surrounded it on the left side of my face were clearly visible. Catching sight of the matching wounds on my arm, aunt cyn asked if she could heal me, and i had to explain the truth of what i had done to myself: i had suffered such a crisis of faith when the gift of the whisperers failed me, that i allowed the infection which had set in and raised the scars to touch my spirit as well. 

By my own failure of self my spirit itself was also scarred and my eye was permanently disfigured. Even a restore limb would not suffice because i was effectively «punishing» myself for my own failure. Aunt cyn could not really understand this, though she tried, but at least she comprehended that i was at a very low point and sought some much-needed familiarity. When i mentioned that my old tent had been left behind in the wylds after the night of the vornae attack, she immediately told me to use the patients' cot in the healing house while i was here for the festival. She also, quite randomly but also perfectly normal for anyone who knows her, pulled out a proper cloth eyepatch decorated with numerous gemstones which she said had come from a different selunari caravan. What had prompted her to keep it with her, and have it on her at that exact moment, i will never know, but i accepted it gratefully.

It was fortunate that we had enough time to have this private conversation, for aunt cyn (despite insisting she is not a lady or a noble any longer) is held in high esteem in the community and is often sought out by residents and newcomers alike. So it was that as we were finishing this conversation, we were asked by a dryad and a biata if they might join us, for they were new to the area and had been pointed in aunt cyn's direction. Warmly we welcomed them both (while i quickly raised my šerogada again so as not to alarm them) - the dryad was a maple barkskin named nya treesap, and the biata was called sy quickclaw. This was a moment of minor excitement for me, because in spite of all of my travels, the one race i had not yet encountered was the biata. He seemed a very agreeable fellow, though i could instantly see why other races consider the biata to be very proud.

After a brief conversation between aunt cyn, nya, sy, and myself, saro came over and asked aunt cyn if she might borrow me for several minutes, to which aunt cyn said of course. Saro was having an official meeting of the moonless nights now that nearly everyone had arrived for the dragonfall festival, including mere initiates such as myself. Two questions she had specifically for me were where i had been, and why i hadn't been involved in gang-specific activities as of late. I explained how i had escaped the vornae attack and had been temporarily housed in onothera for the last several nundines, and reminded her that i had always said my duties to the earth guild would have to come first. However, if anything came up while i was in town and off-duty, she did not need to hesitate asking for me to accompany or assist them. This seemed to mollify her, and had the added bonus of being truthful. 

13 made a point to ask me if the biata (sy) had touched me or done anything to me, to which i replied no, not that i was aware of. He then asked if the biata had mentioned the freyguard, to which i also answered no. In answer to my look of confusion, he and several other members of the moonless nights explained that the freyguard, which worked with red-eyed biata (or perhaps vice versa, i was a little confused on the details), had previously enslaved many kin and was the reason most kin were distrustful of the biata in general. The moonless nights also asked about why i was wearing my «scarrf» up instead of taking it down around my neck as i usually did once inside the tavern, and i explained in brief about the bear attack two nundines, though with less detail than i had with aunt cyn. At saro's request i did take my šerogada down, and the gang in general told me it really wasn't that bad and i shouldn't be ashamed about my battle scars.

Conversation then turned to saro herself, when i mentioned that i had heard rumours about her being elevated to a duchess, and she confirmed them. She informed me (and others that had not previously heard) that she now oversaw a duchy which she had named the crimson port, in a mist continent to the north called eloria.

With the moonless nights dismissed and my attention returned to the dragonfall festivities, i tried in vain to rejoin kantor and kai in solving mathis' riddle, but i was getting nowhere fast. So instead to distract myself, and enter a different sort of event, i signed up for a team entering the celestine's vault with nya, sy, ceridwyn, jotai, a deerkin named jane, and a kin named blue - who turned out to be a bunnykin, but due my bad eyesight and her habit of frequently hiding from unfamiliar people and things i thought at first she was a dogkin. Almost immediately after we formed our team (which we all allowed the numerous dryads to name «the saplings»), the celestine sensed that the vault was ready for the next contending team and invited us into the celestial circle, from whence we were rifted into the entry room of the vault itself.

In each room of the vault any available doors (north, south, east, and west) were magically closed and locked until the creatures within were defeated, the puzzle within solved, or the trap within triggered (or disabled). At that point certain doors would open, not necessarily predictable ones; i believe it was ceridwen who suggested that we simply always go left until we could no longer, and retrace our steps to proceed. Altogether i believe our group managed to get five rooms into the labyrinth before we were «killed» by a second group of the strange vague darkling creatures. However, the celestine had told us beforehand that his guild had enchanted the vault to rift us out and cast a life spell on us before we had to resurrect if we had been dead within the vault for at least a minute. Thus we all came out of the experience no worse for wear, and with at least a little treasure from a few of the puzzles we had solved.

Around the time that we rifted back into the hall of heroes, another of the barons of the kingdom of dragonsreach entered the tavern to officiate a drinking contest, and i declined to enter as i do not partake of spirits. However, since aunt cyn and nya had both been convinced to contend, and mathis was going to as well, i intended to watch... until i realised that even while actively walking the length of the tavern i was also actively falling asleep. I dutifully informed aunt cyn of the change in plans and wished her luck before heading out to the healing house to go to bed, with her reminder to «be safe» following me out the tavern door. by that late hour of the night even the wild animals from earlier had apparently gone to bed; i reached the guild hall uncontested and settled myself and my meager belongings onto the patients' cot easily, drifting into sleep with very little effort.

In the morning i was faintly woken by the sounds of aunt cyn, apparently fetching a few items from the guild store before heading back to her inn room. I waited until she left before i removed my blanket and put my shirt back on, took several minutes to wake up fully and get around, and then headed for the tavern myself. There only banradi and mathis were around - besides the kitchen staff, who were working frantically in preparation of the evening's feast. i understood most of the pride was assisting, and in fact i caught an occasional glimpse of collette, primarily in charge of the organisation of the feast, dashing back and forth between the dishroom and the ovens. Eventually aunt cyn and jotai joined us at the tavern, and the five of us had a bit of a discussion about an elemental war - i was unaware of - which banradi and mathis were quite sure was responsible for the fluctuations in magics and skills on the prime plane, including the interruption of my whisperers transform.

After a while more of the adventuring community and the laymen of valbrough began to filter in as their days began. In spite of the feast preparations the tavernkeepers had provided a wonderful breakfast of hotcakes, bacon, and beaten eggs. While appreciatively stuffing my face 13 came over to my table with a contract and asked if i might assist. In the spirit of my offer last night to the moonless nights i said of course, though he still kindly provided details to me - we were trying to pursue a red-eyed biata and some men with black sword tattoos on their faces, which i inferred had something to do with the freyguard that his people and many other kin clans had suffered under.

Later, when breakfast was complete and many of us were socialising outside of the tavern, 13 let everyone know he was about to activate the contract magic and we all rifted out, though even with the warning arai and i were slightly delayed for some reason -- probably the interference of the damnable elemental war yet again. In the forest clearing where we ended up, we did not find the biata, but we did find one of the black sword men in a circle of power, surrounded by a number of blank-faced personages. The tattooed man told us at first not to approach him, and then ordered a mind-controlled prisoner to kill herself when we ignored him and kept approaching. This was the signal for us to truly rush him instead of merely walking calmly, and we ended up fighting several of the prisoners themselves before mathis(?) was able to get through and knock out the man in question. At his signal, 13 then quickly ripped the contract up and the contract magic rifted us back to valbrough; however, the man's prone body was not rifted with us. Mathis mournfully reflected that his name had not been on the contract.

Another brief period of chatting and catching up with old friends transpired, but nothing of significant importance i feel the need to write down. So barring further events, after a ghurry or two i chose to go into the woods around valbrough again - possibly to find the remains of my tent if it has not been snatched up or torn apart after all this time, but much more importantly, to do my normal afternoon meditations and continue trying to re-trace the all-fauna.

©

Grianadhmad of Ardic, the Bulegoan, and the Ipiazak/Apiazak are copyright 2017 Taed T. A. Price.
Hálainndóchas, Dusk, Ilarion Deórsa Ramiel Earthdream, and Leander are copyright 2018 Taed T. A. Price.
All rights reserved.

All other characters are played characters or non-player characters portrayed by members of Alliance Traverse City or Alliance South Michigan members, are copyrighted by their respective players with all rights reserved, and used with permission. Names of respective copyright holders are available upon request.
Other city, region, and place names are copyrighted Alliance Traverse City chapter or Alliance South Michigan chapter with all rights reserved, and used with permission.
Racial descriptions and backgrounds are copyrighted by the overall Alliance LARP organisation with all rights reserved, and used with persmission.