Thє hєᴀᴛ of hıᵹh sʊmmєɾ hᴀs ɾєᴀchєd Єɭoɾıᴀ ᴀnd Aɾdıc ᴀɭıkє.

Mєɾєɭy onє sɭєєp pɾıoɾ ᴛo mᴀɾkєᴛ dᴀy, ᴛhє ᴀɭɾєᴀdy oppɾєssıvє hıᵹh ᴛєmpєɾᴀᴛʊɾєs dєɭᴀyєd ᴛhє noɾmᴀɭ ɾєᴛʊɾn of ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs bᴀck ᴛo oʊɾ ᴛєnᴛınᵹ hєᴀdqʊᴀɾᴛєɾs, ᴀnd I mysєɭf hıd ᴀs bєsᴛ I coʊɭd ın ᴛhє ᴛhıckєɾ woods bєfoɾє ᴛhє єdᵹє of ᴛhє Mısᴛ cʊɾᴛᴀın. My noɾmᴀɭ bıɾch sᴛᴀnd bєhınd ᴛhє ᴛᴀvєɾn hᴀs fᴀɾ ᴛoo ɭıᴛᴛɭє covєɾᴀᵹє fɾom ᴛhє sʊn ᴛo hᴀvє ɾєmᴀınєd ᴛhєɾє, ᴀnd єvєn so I єndєd ʊp sᴛɾıppınᵹ my єxᴛɾᴀ ᵹᴀɾmєnᴛs down ᴛo ᴛhє mınımʊm ᴀccєpᴛᴀbɭє ᴀmoʊnᴛ of hʊmᴀn ᴀnd єɭvєn convєnᴛıons. As ᴛhє sʊn nєᴀɾєd ᴛhє hoɾızon ᴀnd ᴛhєɾє wєɾє sᴛıɭɭ vєɾy fєw ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs ɾєᴛʊɾnєd ᴛo Aɾdıc fɾom ᴛhєıɾ mıscєɭɭᴀnєoʊs ᴛɾᴀvєɭs - ın pᴀɾᴛıcʊɭᴀɾ, Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo hᴀd noᴛ yєᴛ ᴀɾɾıvєd - I pᴀssєd ᴛhɾoʊᵹh ᴛhє Mısᴛs ᴀnd chєckєd on ᴛhє Ashwood oncє ᴀᵹᴀın. Thєɾє wᴀs no chᴀnᵹє, ᴛhє sєnᴛɾıєs ɾєpoɾᴛєd no ıncomınᵹ ᴀᴛᴛᴀckєɾs, ᴀnd Ashєɾ wᴀs sᴛıɭɭ ın ᴛhє pıᴛh of ᴛhє ᵹɾovє (I dıd noᴛ nєєd ᴛo boᴛhєɾ hєɾ yєᴛ).

Cɾossınᵹ bᴀck ᴛhɾoʊᵹh ᴛhє swıɾɭınᵹ foᵹ ᴛo Aɾdıc my єyєs foʊnd Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo's foɾm ımmєdıᴀᴛєɭy, ᴀnd ᴀppɾoᴀchєd hєɾ ɾıᵹhᴛ ᴀwᴀy ᴀskınᵹ hєɾ ᴛo ımmєdıᴀᴛєɭy comє wıᴛh mє ᴛo ᴛhє Ashwood. Shє coʊɭd ɾєᴀd ᴛhє ınᴛєnsıᴛy of my concєɾn ın my voıcє ᴀnd fᴀcє ᴀnd dıd noᴛ hєsıᴛᴀᴛє ᴛo foɭɭow mє ɾıᵹhᴛ bᴀck ınᴛo ᴛhє Mısᴛs, ᴀnd Vєɭnᴀєʊs who sᴛood nєᴀɾby ᴀɭso dєᴛєcᴛєd ᴛhᴀᴛ somєᴛhınᵹ wᴀs ʊp ᴀnd cᴀmє wıᴛh ʊs. I sʊspєcᴛ ᴛhıs hᴀd somєᴛhınᵹ ᴛo do wıᴛh my ıɾɾєsponsıbɭє dєpᴀɾᴛʊɾє ᴛhє pɾıoɾ mᴀɾkєᴛ dᴀy, bʊᴛ I cєɾᴛᴀınɭy dıd noᴛ bєᵹɾʊdᵹє hıs compᴀnıonshıp. Thıs ᴛımє I concєnᴛɾᴀᴛєd on ᴀɾɾıvınᵹ cɭosєɾ ᴛo ᴛhє Ashdown Ƿıᴛh ᴛhᴀn ᴛo Cᴀmp Sᴀncᴛʊᴀɾy. Thє mᴀᵹıck of ᴛhє Mısᴛs ᴛook ʊs ın ᵹood fᴀıᴛh noᴛ fᴀɾ fɾom whєɾє Ashєɾ sᴛood ın confєɾєncє wıᴛh ᴀ foɾєsᴛ ɾєpɾєsєnᴛᴀᴛıvє - dʊє ᴛo whєɾє hє sᴛood ın ᴛhє shᴀdows of ᴛhє ᴛɾєєs, ᴛhє sʊn hᴀvınᵹ fᴀɭɭєn by now ᴀnd ᴛhє moon noᴛ ʊp, I coʊɭd noᴛ ᴛєɭɭ whєᴛhєɾ hє wᴀs onє of ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood Єxıɭєs oɾ onє of ᴛhє Ashwood Spɾıᵹᵹᴀns.

I ᴀnnoʊncєd my pɾєsєncє qʊıєᴛɭy ᴀnd ınᴛɾodʊcєd Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo (who ᴛhє scoʊᴛ hᴀd noᴛ mєᴛ) ᴀnd Vєɭnᴀєʊs (who nєıᴛhєɾ knєw), ᴀnd Ashєɾ sᴀıd ᴛhᴀᴛ hєɾ scoʊᴛs hᴀd foʊnd ᴛhє nєw cᴀmp of ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs. Shє offєɾєd ᴛo ᵹıvє mє ᴛhıs ınfoɾmᴀᴛıon so ᴛhᴀᴛ my compᴀnıons ᴀnd I coʊɭd ᵹo ınvєsᴛıᵹᴀᴛє, ᴛhoʊᵹh ıᴛ ᴀppєᴀɾєd ᴀᴛ ᴛhє momєnᴛ ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs wєɾє ᴀwᴀy fɾom ᴛhє cᴀmpsıᴛє. Wє hᴀd ᴛo dıscʊss bєᴛwєєn ᴛhє fıvє of ʊs whєᴛhєɾ ıᴛ wᴀs ᴀdvısᴀbɭє wıᴛh sʊch ᴀ smᴀɭɭ nʊmbєɾ of pєɾsons ᴛo ᵹo, ᴛhє ᴛhɾєᴀᴛ of ᴀn ᴀmbʊsh ɭıkє ᴛhє pɾєvıoʊs ᵹɾoʊp's ɭoomınᵹ ovєɾ ʊs, ᴀnd dєᴛєɾmınєd ᴛhᴀᴛ wє єıᴛhєɾ nєєdєd ᴛo ᴀmᴀss ᴀ ɭᴀɾᵹєɾ ᵹɾoʊp ᴛonıᵹhᴛ, oɾ comє bᴀck ın ᴛhє dᴀyᴛımє whєn ᴛhє hєᴀᴛ mıᵹhᴛ bє ᴛoo mʊch foɾ ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs ᴀs wєɭɭ. Ashєɾ cᴀɭɭєd ʊp ᴛo oʊɾ ᵹɾoʊp ᴀnoᴛhєɾ spɾıᵹᵹᴀn I hᴀd noᴛ sєєn bєcᴀʊsє of hıs nᴀᴛʊɾᴀɭ cᴀmoʊfɭᴀʊᵹє, ᴀnd ınᴛɾodʊcєd hım ᴀs Բєᴀɾnᴀn. Shє ᴀskєd mє ᴛo ᴛᴀkє hım bᴀck ᴛo Aɾdıc wıᴛh ʊs, ᴀnd whєnєvєɾ wє wєɾє ɾєᴀdy whєᴛhєɾ ıᴛ bє ᴛhє єvєnınᵹ oɾ ᴛhє moɾnınᵹ, Բєᴀɾnᴀn woʊɭd ɭєᴀd ʊs ᴛo ᴛhє ɭocᴀᴛıon.

Wє wєɾє ʊnᴀbɭє ᴛo convıncє mᴀny ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs ᴛo joın ʊs ɾıᵹhᴛ ᴀwᴀy, ᴀs ᴛhєy ᴛhєmsєɭvєs wєɾє fᴀᴛıᵹʊєd fɾom ᴛhєıɾ ᴛɾᴀvєɭs of ᴛhє dᴀy ᴀnd ᴛhє hєᴀᴛ ᴛhᴀᴛ sᴛıɭɭ ɭınᵹєɾєd ın ᴛhє nıᵹhᴛ ᴀıɾ. Բєᴀɾnᴀn hımsєɭf ᴀskєd foɾ ᴀ pɭᴀcє ᴛo ɾєsᴛ, so I ᴛook hım bєhınd ᴛhє ᴛᴀvєɾn ᴀnd showєd hım my bıɾch sᴛᴀnd, ɭєᴛᴛınᵹ hım know my homє wᴀs ᴀvᴀıɭᴀbɭє ᴛo hım whєnєvєɾ hє nєєdєd ıᴛ. Gɾᴀᴛєfʊɭɭy hє dєcıdєd ᴛo ᴛᴀkє hıs own ᴛımє ᴛo ɾєsᴛ bʊᴛ ᴀssʊɾєd mє wє coʊɭd wᴀkє hım ᴀnd pɾocєєd whєnєvєɾ I hᴀd ᴀ ᵹɾoʊp ɾєᴀdy. In ᴛhє mєᴀnᴛımє Բɭınᴛ wᴀs foɭɭowınᵹ ʊp on ᴀ posᴛınᵹ fɾom ᴛhє job boᴀɾd ın ᴛhє ᴛᴀvєɾn ᴀnd soʊᵹhᴛ somє compᴀnıons ᴛo ᴛɾᴀvєɭ wıᴛh hım ᴛo ᴛɾy ᴀnd cᴀpᴛʊɾє ᴀ Gɾєᴀᴛєɾ Lıᵹhᴛnınᵹ Єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭ, ᴀnd sıncє Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo ᴀnd Vєɭnᴀєʊs wєɾє ᴀɭso ᵹoınᵹ, I offєɾєd ᴛo ᴀccompᴀny ᴛhєm ᴀs ᴀ hєᴀɭєɾ. My ɾєcoɭɭєcᴛıon of ᴛhє hєᴀɭınᵹ ᴀɾᴛs ıs comınᵹ ᴀɭonᵹ mʊch moɾє qʊıckɭy ᴀnd I fєɭᴛ confıdєnᴛ ın my ᴀbıɭıᴛy ᴛo ᴀssısᴛ ᴛhєm.

Sʊch ımpɾovєmєnᴛ wᴀs foɾᴛʊnᴀᴛє ᴛo hᴀvє hᴀd, foɾ ᴛhє sıᴛʊᴀᴛıon wє foʊnd oʊɾsєɭvєs ın wᴀs fᴀɾ ᴀbovє whᴀᴛ Բɭınᴛ hᴀd ᴀnᴛıcıpᴀᴛєd. In ᴀddıᴛıon ᴛo ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛєɾ Єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭ - whıch conᴛınʊoʊsɭy shoᴛ ıᴛsєɭf ʊp ınᴛo ᴛhє cɭoʊds ᴀbovє ᴛhє dєsєɾᴛ whєɾє wє foʊnd ıᴛ, ᴀnd ᴛhєn sɭᴀmmєd bᴀck down ınᴛo ᴛhє ᵹɾoʊnd ᴀɾoʊnd ʊs cᴀʊsınᵹ sᴛʊnnınᵹ dᴀmᴀᵹє ın ᴀ ɾᴀdıʊs - ᴛhєɾє wєɾє ᴀɭso ᴀ fєw smᴀɭɭєɾ ɭıᵹhᴛnınᵹ єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭs ᴀccompᴀnyınᵹ ıᴛ. Iᴛ wᴀs nєcєssᴀɾy ᴛo ʊsє pɾᴀcᴛıcᴀɭɭy ᴀɭɭ ᴛhє hєᴀɭınᵹ mᴀᵹıc I hᴀd ᴀs I ᴛɾıєd ᴛo mᴀınᴛᴀın ᴛhє ınᴛєᵹɾıᴛy ᴀnd hєᴀɭᴛh (ᴀnd conscıoʊsnєss) of ᴛhє ᵹɾoʊp.Wє bᴀɾєɭy mᴀnᴀᵹєd ᴛo bᴀᴛᴛєɾ ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛєɾ Єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭ down ᴛo ᴀ sєmı-docıɭє bᴀɭɭ of ɭıᵹhᴛnınᵹ ᴛhᴀᴛ wє ınᴛєndєd ᴛo ᴛᴀkє wıᴛh ʊs ᴀnd pєɾhᴀps ımbʊє ınᴛo ᴀ ᵹєm oɾ somєᴛhınᵹ sımıɭᴀɾ, bʊᴛ ᴛhє ɭєssєɾ єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭs poppєd bᴀck ʊp ᴀnd ᴛook ʊs by sʊɾpɾısє. I mysєɭf wᴀs knockєd oʊᴛ ᴀ fєw ᴛımєs bʊᴛ ɾєsᴛoɾєd by ᴛhє skıɭɭfʊɭ ᴀppɭıcᴀᴛıon (ᴀnd possєssıon) of poᴛıons by Vєɭnᴀєʊs. Uɭᴛımᴀᴛєɭy, ᴀnd ʊnfoɾᴛʊnᴀᴛєɭy, wє ɭosᴛ oʊɾ chᴀncє ᴛo cᴀpᴛʊɾє ᴛhє Gɾєᴀᴛєɾ Єɭєmєnᴛᴀɭ, ᴀs ıᴛ fınᴀɭɭy dıssıpᴀᴛєd ᴀnd wє ᴛɾʊdᵹєd bᴀck ᴛo ᴛhє ɾєɭᴀᴛıvєɭy cooɭєɾ cɭımєs of Aɾdıc.

Lıᴛᴛɭє єɭsє wᴀs hᴀppєnınᵹ, ᵹıvєn ᴛhє fᴀᴛıᵹʊє I hᴀd pɾєvıoʊsɭy mєnᴛıonєd, so ıᴛ wᴀs of ɭıᴛᴛɭє consєqʊєncє ᴛhᴀᴛ mosᴛ of ʊs wєnᴛ ᴛo sɭєєp ᴀɭmosᴛ ımmєdıᴀᴛєɭy ʊpon ɾєᴛʊɾnınᵹ. In ᴛhє moɾnınᵹ ᴛhє soʊnds of socıᴀɭ ınᴛєɾᴀcᴛıon ᵹɾєєᴛєd my wᴀkınᵹ, ᴀnd Բєᴀɾnᴀn wєnᴛ ᴛo ᵹo fᴀmıɭıᴀɾısє hımsєɭf wıᴛh ᴛhє woodɭᴀnds on ᴛhє oʊᴛskıɾᴛs of Aɾdıc whıɭє I wєnᴛ ᴀɾoʊnd ᴛhє fɾonᴛ of ᴛhє ᴛᴀvєɾn. Thєɾє I mєᴛ ᴛhє Ƿɾıdє, ᴀnoᴛhєɾ ᵹɾoʊp of ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs fɾom ᴀ nєᴀɾby conᴛınєnᴛ cᴀɭɭєd Kʊndɾık, ıncɭʊdınᵹ -- ᴛo my ᵹɾєᴀᴛ dєɭıᵹhᴛ -- ᴀnoᴛhєɾ Chıɭd of Aʊᴛʊmn, ᴀ Rєєd nᴀmєd Lıɭıᴛh! Thıs, combınєd wıᴛh ᴛhє sᴛɾᴀwbєɾɾıєs ᴀnd ɾᴀspbєɾɾıєs ᴛhᴀᴛ Lıɭıᴛh ᴀnd hєɾ mywє ᵹʊıɭdmᴀᴛє Coɭɭєᴛᴛє offєɾєd, єndєᴀɾєd ᴛhє єnᴛıɾє Ƿɾıdє ᴛo mє ᴀnd I ᴛɾıєd ᴛo sʊᵹᵹєsᴛ sєvєɾᴀɭ ᴛımєs (sєmı-jokınᵹɭy) ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhєy movє ᴛo Єɭoɾıᴀ pєɾmᴀnєnᴛɭy.

In ᴛhє mıdsᴛ of ᴛhє convєɾsᴀᴛıons ᴛhᴀᴛ oʊɾ sєᴛᴛɭєmєnᴛ ᴀnd vısıᴛoɾs hᴀd, I mєnᴛıonєd ᴛo onє of ᴛhє ɭᴀɾᵹєɾ ᵹɾoʊps (ıncɭʊdınᵹ ᴛhє Ƿɾıdє) ᴛhᴀᴛ wє wєɾє ɭookınᵹ foɾ pєopɭє ᴛo hєɭp ʊs ınvєsᴛıᵹᴀᴛє, ᴀnd possıbɭy fᴀcє, ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs. Afᴛєɾ єxpɭᴀınınᵹ ın bɾıєf ᴛhє bᴀckᵹɾoʊnd of ᴛhє sıᴛʊᴀᴛıon ᴀnd ᴛhє Chıɭdɾєn of Aʊᴛʊmn, I wᴀs mєᴛ wıᴛh mᴀny mıxєd ɾєᴀcᴛıons. Somє wєɾє sympᴀᴛhєᴛıc bʊᴛ hєsıᴛᴀnᴛ ᴛo ᴛhєmsєɭvєs ᵹєᴛ ınvoɭvєd ın whᴀᴛ ᴛhєy sᴀw ᴀs ᴀ pʊɾєɭy dɾyᴀdє concєɾn. Oᴛhєɾs, noᴛᴀbɭy Commᴀndєɾ Lʊkᴀs of ᴛhє Ƿɾıdє, sʊᵹᵹєsᴛєd ᴛhᴀᴛ ıᴛ wᴀs nᴀᴛʊɾє's wᴀy of ᴛᴀkınᵹ ıᴛs coʊɾsє, ᴛhє sᴛɾonᵹ dєfєᴀᴛınᵹ ᴛhє wєᴀk, ᴀnd ᴛhᴀᴛ ıf ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs *wєɾє* ᴛo dєᴛhɾonє, ɾєmovє, oɾ kıɭɭ Ashєɾ, my dᴀʊᵹhᴛєɾ (ᴀ mєmbєɾ of ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs' ᵹɾovє) woʊɭd sᴛıɭɭ bє sᴀfє. I ᴀcknowɭєdᵹєd ᴛhє poınᴛ bʊᴛ offєɾєd ᴛhᴀᴛ ʊnɭıkє mosᴛ sєnᴛıєnᴛs ᴛhᴀᴛ fᴀvoʊɾєd ᴛhє "sʊɾvıvᴀɭ of ᴛhє fıᴛᴛєsᴛ" mındsєᴛ, Chıɭdɾєn of Aʊᴛʊmn wєɾє -- ᴀᴛ ɭєᴀsᴛ ın my own ᴛımє -- moɾє ıncɭınєd ᴛo woɾk ın hᴀɾmony wıᴛh nᴀᴛʊɾє ᴀnd wıᴛh oᴛhєɾ ᵹɾovєs ɾᴀᴛhєɾ ᴛhᴀn ın ɾıvᴀɭɾy. Sᴛıɭɭ, ᴀs I mysєɭf hᴀd ᴀdmıᴛᴛєd boᴛh hєɾє ᴀnd ın ᴛhє Ashwood Ƿıᴛh ᴛhє pɾєvıoʊs nıᵹhᴛ, ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood Chıɭdɾєn hᴀd ᴀwokєn ᴛo wᴀɾ wıᴛh ᴛhє Mᴀɭᴀchᴀɾı ᴀnd foɾ somє of ᴛhєm ıᴛ wᴀs ᴛɾʊɭy ᴛhє onɭy wᴀy ᴛhєy knєw ᴛo ɭıvє.

Thє sʊn ɾosє hıᵹhєɾ ᴀnd hıᵹhєɾ ᴀnd I bєᵹᴀn ᴛo fєєɭ ᴛєɾɾıbɭy ıɭɭ; I ᴛɾıєd ᴛo mᴀkє my wᴀy ᴛo ᴛhє Ashwood on my own, wıᴛh Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo ᴀnd Kᴀı foɭɭowınᵹ mє ᴀs ᴛhє onɭy pєopɭє wıᴛh ᴛhє ᴛımє ᴀnd wıɭɭınᵹnєss ᴛo ınvєsᴛıᵹᴀᴛє ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs' cᴀmp ᴀᴛ ᴛhᴀᴛ momєnᴛ. бʊᴛ bєfoɾє wє єvєn ɾєᴀchєd ᴛhє Mısᴛs ᴀᴛ ᴛhє єdᵹє of Aɾdıc's Mısᴛ ısɭᴀnd, I bєᵹᴀn ᴛo fᴀɭᴛєɾ. Thє sʊmmєɾ hєᴀᴛ wᴀs ᴛɾʊɭy ᴛoo mʊch ᴀnd I knєw ımmєdıᴀᴛєɭy, ᴛhoʊᵹh I hᴀᴛєd ᴛo ᴀdmıᴛ ıᴛ, ᴛhᴀᴛ I woʊɭd bє compɭєᴛєɭy ʊsєɭєss no mᴀᴛᴛєɾ whᴀᴛ ıᴛ wᴀs ᴛhᴀᴛ wє foʊnd ᴀᴛ ᴛhє cᴀmp. Sqʊıɾє Sᴀɾo hᴀd ᴛo hєɭp mє, ᴀs I mʊᴛᴛєɾєd hᴀɭf-conscıoʊs ᴀpoɭoᵹıєs ovєɾ ᴀnd ovєɾ, bᴀck ᴛo my sᴛᴀnd bєhınd ᴛhє ᴛᴀvєɾn, whєɾє Բєᴀɾnᴀn hᴀd ᴀɭɾєᴀdy ɾєᴛʊɾnєd ᴀnd wᴀs cɭєᴀɾɭy fєєɭınᵹ ᴛhє sᴀmє wᴀy. Shє ɭєfᴛ ʊs ᴛhєɾє oncє shє wᴀs cєɾᴛᴀın wє woʊɭd ᴀbɭє ᴛo ɾєcovєɾ ᴀfᴛєɾ wᴀᴛєɾınᵹ oʊɾsєɭvєs ᴀnd mᴀınᴛᴀınınᵹ shᴀdє.

Iᴛ pᴀıns mє ᴛo ɾєᴀɭısє ᴛhᴀᴛ foɾ ᴛɾʊɭy ᴛhє ɾєsᴛ of ᴛhє dᴀy, I wᴀs ın ᴀnd oʊᴛ of fıᴛfʊɭ ᴀnd єxᴛɾєmєɭy wᴀɾm sɭʊmbєɾ. Thє ᴀddıᴛıonᴀɭ ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєs of my compᴀnıons wєnᴛ on wıᴛhoʊᴛ ʊs, ᴀnd my fєᴀɾ wᴀs ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs woʊɭd hᴀvє mᴀdє ᴛhєıɾ movє on ᴛhє Ashwood Ƿıᴛh whıɭє wє wєɾє ıncᴀpᴀcıᴛᴀᴛєd. Բoɾᴛʊnє fᴀvoʊɾєd ʊs, howєvєɾ, ᴀs whєn ᴛhᴀᴛ єvєnınᵹ Բєᴀɾnᴀn ᴀnd I fınᴀɭɭy mᴀnᴀᵹєd ᴛo ɾєᴛʊɾn ᴛo ᴛhє Ashwood - jʊsᴛ ᴛhє ᴛwo of ʊs - wє foʊnd ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴀɭɭ dɾyᴀds ᴀnd spɾıᵹᵹᴀns hᴀd bєєn ᴀffєcᴛєd ᴛhє sᴀmє. No ᴀᴛᴛᴀck hᴀd єvєɾ ᴛᴀkєn pɭᴀcє ᴀnd ıᴛ sєєmєd ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs wєɾє hєsıᴛᴀᴛınᵹ ᴛo mᴀkє ᴛhєıɾ movє ɾєᵹᴀɾdɭєss.

Thoʊᵹh ɾєᴀssʊɾınᵹ, I wᴀs noᴛ so fooɭısh ᴀs ᴛo bєɭıєvє ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhıs wᴀs ᴛhє єnd of ıᴛ. Thє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs hᴀd bєєn dєɭᴀyєd, noᴛ dєᴛєɾɾєd; ᴀnd moɾє ımpoɾᴛᴀnᴛɭy ᴛhє Єxıɭєs wєɾє sᴛıɭɭ wıᴛhoʊᴛ ᴀ ᴛɾʊє homє, sımpɭy sᴛıɭɭ boɾɾowınᵹ ᴛhє єdᵹєs of ᴛhє Ashwood. My mınd єqʊᴀᴛєs ᴛhє ᴛwo pɾobɭєms ᴀɭonᵹ wıᴛh ᴛhє єxısᴛєncє of ᴛhє Dɾєᴀd Coʊɾᴛ ɾєmᴀınınᵹ ın ᴛhє Oɭd Һєᴀɾᴛwood ᴀnd pɾєvєnᴛınᵹ ıᴛ fɾom ɾєᵹɾowınᵹ pɾopєɾɭy ᴛo ᵹıvє ᴛhє Єxıɭєs bᴀck ᴛhєıɾ ᴛɾʊє ᵹɾovє.

🍂 The March of the Militants

I ɾєᴛʊɾnєd ᴛo ᴛhє Ashwood yєsᴛɾєdᴀy moɾnınᵹ ᴛo fınd ᴛhє spɾıᵹᵹᴀns ᴀnd Єxıɭєs ᴀɭıkє ın ᴀ sᴛᴀᴛє of fɾᴀnᴛıc woɾɾy. Whєɾє I hᴀd єmєɾᵹєd fɾom ᴛhє Mısᴛ, ᴀ ʊsʊᴀɭ spoᴛ ɭıᴛєɾᴀɭɭy jʊsᴛ cє́mᴀ fɾom ᴛhє pєɾımєᴛєɾ of ᴛhє Єxıɭєs' cᴀmp, Ashєɾ wᴀs ᴀɭɾєᴀdy ᴛhєɾє. Thıs ın ıᴛsєɭf sєᴛ my nєɾvєs on єdᵹє bєcᴀʊsє, ın spıᴛє of Ashєɾ's ᵹɾᴀcєfʊɭ dєmєᴀnoʊɾ ᴀnd hєɾ wıɭɭınᵹnєss ᴛo offєɾ ᴛhє Єxıɭєs sᴀncᴛʊᴀɾy, shє ᴛypıcᴀɭɭy sᴛᴀyєd ın ᴛhє pıᴛh of ᴛhє ᵹɾovє, sєndınᵹ hєɾ spɾıᵹᵹᴀns oʊᴛ ᴛo do mosᴛ of ᴛhє commʊnıcᴀᴛıon ᴀnd ɭᴀboʊɾ. бʊᴛ Ashєɾ sᴀw mє ımmєdıᴀᴛєɭy ᴀs I єmєɾᵹєd fɾom ᴛhє Mısᴛs ᴀnd cᴀɭɭєd mє ᴛo comє ovєɾ.

Thє vєɾy fıɾsᴛ ᴛhınᵹ I dıd wᴀs ɭook ᴀɾoʊnd foɾ Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs, ᴀnd knowınᵹ my concєɾn, ın spıᴛє of hєɾ own ᴀppɾєhєnsıon Ashєɾ hᴀsᴛıɭy ᴀssʊɾєd mє ıᴛ hᴀd noᴛhınᵹ - yєᴛ - ᴛo do wıᴛh hєɾ. Shє woɾdɭєssɭy moᴛıonєd foɾ ᴛhє ᵹᴀᵹᵹɭє of dɾyᴀdєs ᴀnd spɾıᵹᵹᴀns ᴛo pᴀɾᴛ, ᵹıvınᵹ mє ᴀ cɭєᴀɾ sıᵹhᴛ of ᴀ Chıɭd of Aʊᴛʊmn, onє I ɾєcoᵹnısєd fɾom Rowᴀn's ᵹɾoʊp of scoʊᴛs єvєn ıf hıs nᴀmє dıdn'ᴛ comє ᴛo mє ɾıᵹhᴛ ᴀwᴀy. Thє oᴛhєɾ Єxıɭєs hᴀd mᴀdє ʊp ᴀ qʊıck soɾᴛ of ᵹɾoʊnd bєddınᵹ oʊᴛ of mossєs, ɭıchєns, ᴀnd ɭᴀɾᵹє cᴀᴛᴀɭpᴀ ɭєᴀvєs, ᴛo єᴀsє ᴛhє obvıoʊs dıscomfoɾᴛ of ᴛhє scoʊᴛ who wᴀs sєvєɾєɭy woʊndєd. To bє fɾᴀnk I ᴀm sʊɾpɾısєd hє wᴀs sᴛıɭɭ ᴀɭıvє.

My sʊspıcıons wєɾє vєɾy qʊıckɭy confıɾmєd by boᴛh Ashєɾ ᴀnd ᴛhє dɾyᴀdє - hıs ᴀᴛᴛᴀckєɾs wєɾє ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs.

Ashєɾ sᴀıd ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴀ ᵹɾoʊp of Єxıɭєs, ıncɭʊdınᵹ sєvєɾᴀɭ of ᴛhosє who hᴀd bєєn ınvoɭvєd ın ᴛhє ɭᴀsᴛ bıᵹ bᴀᴛᴛɭє of ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood Wᴀɾ wıᴛh ᴛhє Mᴀɭᴀchᴀɾı bʊᴛ hᴀd noᴛ joınєd ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs, hᴀd dєcıdєd ᴛo ᴛɾy ᴀnd confɾonᴛ ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs ᴀᴛ ᴛhє mosᴛ ɾєcєnᴛ cᴀmpsıᴛє ɾєpoɾᴛєd by ᴛhє spɾıᵹᵹᴀns. Thєy hᴀd bєєn ᴀᴛ ᴛhє ɾєᴀdy so ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhєy coʊɭd ɭєᴀvє ᴛhє momєnᴛ ᴛhєy ɾєcєıvєd ᴛhє spɾıᵹᵹᴀns' ɾєpoɾᴛs, so whєn nєws of ᴛhє ɭᴀᴛєsᴛ sıᵹhᴛınᵹ ɾєᴀchєd Cᴀmp Sᴀncᴛʊᴀɾy, ᴛhє mıxєd ᵹɾoʊp of wᴀɾɾıoɾs ᴀnd scoʊᴛs ɭєfᴛ ımmєdıᴀᴛєɭy.

Thє woʊndєd dɾyᴀdє pıckєd ʊp ᴛhє ᴛᴀɭє - ın fɾᴀcᴛʊɾєd sєnᴛєncєs pʊncᴛʊᴀᴛєd wıᴛh coʊᵹhs of bɭood, whєєzєs, ᵹᴀspınᵹ foɾ ᴀıɾ, ᴀnd momєnᴛs of sıɭєncє bєcᴀʊsє of ᴛhє pᴀın - єxpɭᴀınınᵹ ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhєy hᴀd cᴀɾɾıєd ᴀ ɭᴀɾᵹє, obvıoʊs, pɭᴀın fɭᴀᵹ of ᴛɾʊcє wıᴛh ᴛhєm, ᴛɾyınᵹ ᴛo mᴀkє ıᴛ cɭєᴀɾ ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhєy dıd noᴛ wısh ᴛo fıᵹhᴛ. бʊᴛ ᴀɭonᵹ ᴛhє wᴀy ᴛo ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs' cᴀmpsıᴛє, wєɭɭ bєfoɾє ᴛhєy єvєn mᴀdє ıᴛ ᴛo ᴛhє sıᴛє ıᴛsєɭf, ᴛhє єnᴛıɾє ᵹɾoʊp wᴀs ᴀbɾʊpᴛɭy ᴀmbʊshєd. Combᴀᴛᴀnᴛs ɾosє fɾom ᴛhє ʊndєɾbɾʊsh ᴀnd ɭєᴀpᴛ down fɾom ᴛhє cᴀnopy, ᴀᴛᴛᴀckınᵹ fɾom ᴀɭɭ sıdєs sımʊɭᴛᴀnєoʊsɭy. Noᴛ єvєn ᴛhє scoʊᴛs of ᴛhє ᵹɾoʊp sᴀw ᴛhє ᴀᴛᴛᴀckєɾs comınᵹ ʊnᴛıɭ ıᴛ wᴀs ᴀɭmosᴛ ᴛoo ɭᴀᴛє ᴛo єvєn ɾєᴀcᴛ... ᴀnd ᴀɭɭ of ᴛhєm wєɾє sɭᴀʊᵹhᴛєɾєd wıᴛhoʊᴛ hєsıᴛᴀᴛıon, єxcєpᴛ foɾ ᴛhıs soɭє sʊɾvıvoɾ. Єvєn ᴛhєn ᴛhєy opєnєd ʊp mʊɭᴛıpɭє woʊnds, bɾokє bonєs, ᴀnd sєnᴛ hım bᴀck ᴀɭonє ᴛo Cᴀmp Sᴀncᴛʊᴀɾy bɾʊısєd ᴀnd swoɭɭєn wıᴛh ᴀ mєssᴀᵹє foɾ ᴛhє ɾєsᴛ of ᴛhє ᵹɾovє.

"Wє ᴀɾє comınᵹ foɾ ᴛhє Gɾovє Mᴀıdєn."

My hєᴀɾᴛ sʊnk ᴀs I hєᴀɾd ᴛhє omınoʊs woɾds. Gonє ımmєdıᴀᴛєɭy wᴀs ᴀny hopє I hᴀd cɭʊnᵹ ᴛo foɾ ᴀ dıpɭomᴀᴛıc soɭʊᴛıon. Aɭᴛhoʊᵹh I hᴀd no cɭʊє whᴀᴛ coʊɭd hᴀvє possєssєd ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs ᴛo bєcomє ᴛhıs ᴀᵹᵹɾєssıvє ᴀnd wᴀɾɭıkє, ᴀnd ᴛhє Єxıɭєs ᴛhєmsєɭvєs coʊɭd offєɾ vєɾy ɭıᴛᴛɭє cɭʊє ᴀs ᴛo ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs' chᴀnᵹє ın moᴛıvєs, I sᴛıɭɭ wᴀs ɾєsoɭvєd ᴛo ᴀbıdє by ᴛhє ᴛєɾms Ashєɾ ᴀnd I hᴀd nєᵹoᴛıᴀᴛєd. And ᴛhᴀᴛ mєᴀnᴛ wє woʊɭd hᴀvє ᴛo fᴀcє ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs hєᴀd-on.

Thє Єxıɭєs ᴀɭonє coʊɭd noᴛ mᴀnᴀᵹє ᴛhıs; ᴛhє ᵹɾєᴀᴛєɾ nʊmbєɾ of ᴛhєm ᴀɾє sᴛıɭɭ pєᴀcєfʊɭ, nʊɾᴛʊɾınᵹ, noᴛ pɾєpᴀɾєd foɾ hıᵹh-ᴀɭєɾᴛ sıᴛʊᴀᴛıons ᴀnd єmєɾᵹєncy sєɭf-dєfєncє. I wᴀs sᴛıɭɭ mosᴛɭy ʊnsʊɾє ᴀboʊᴛ ᴛhє combᴀᴛ cᴀpᴀbıɭıᴛıєs of Ashєɾ ᴀnd hєɾ spɾıᵹᵹᴀns, bʊᴛ ın ᴀny cᴀsє ıᴛ wᴀs noᴛ ᴛhєıɾ fıᵹhᴛ... ıᴛ wᴀs mınє, oɾ Aɾdıc's ᴀs ᴀ whoɭє, foɾ bɾınᵹınᵹ ᴛhє Єxıɭєs ᴛo ᴛhє Ashwood Gɾovє. 

I spєnᴛ ᴛhє ɾєsᴛ of ᴛhє dᴀy nєᴀɾ ᴛhє woʊndєd scoʊᴛ hєɭpınᵹ ᴛhє oᴛhєɾ Єxıɭєs ᴛєnd ᴛo hım whıɭє Ashєɾ ᴀnd I ᴀbsєnᴛɭy dıscʊssєd pɾєpᴀɾᴀᴛıons ᴀᵹᴀınsᴛ ᴀ sıєᵹє by ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs; shє wᴀs ᴛoo fɾᴀzzɭєd by ᴛhє ᴀʊdᴀcıᴛy of ᴛhᴀᴛ spɭınᴛєɾ ᵹɾoʊp of ınvᴀdєɾs, ᴀnd I wᴀs ᴛoo dısᴛɾᴀcᴛєd by ᴛhє pᴀın of onє of my bɾєᴛhɾєn. бy ᴛhє ᴛımє wє єᴀsєd єnoʊᵹh of ᴛhє pᴀın ᴛo ᴀɭɭow hım somє mєᴀnınᵹfʊɭ sɭєєp, ıᴛ wᴀs ᴀɭso qʊıᴛє ɭᴀᴛє ᴀnd nєᴀɾınᵹ bєd ᴛımє foɾ ᴛhє ɾєsᴛ of ʊs ᴀs wєɭɭ. I dєcɭınєd Dʊsk's ınvıᴛᴀᴛıon ᴛo spєnd ᴛhє єvєnınᵹ ın hıs sᴛᴀnd wıᴛh Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs ᴀs I wᴀnᴛєd ᴛo ɾєmᴀın by ᴛhє scoʊᴛ, ᴀnd ᴀɭso bє ın ᴀn єᴀsıɭy ɾєᴀchᴀbɭє pɭᴀcє ın ᴛhє mıddɭє of Cᴀmp Sᴀncᴛʊᴀɾy ın cᴀsє ᴛhє fєw Єxıɭєs ᴛhᴀᴛ voɭʊnᴛєєɾєd ᴀs ᴀ nıᵹhᴛ wᴀᴛch nєєdєd ᴛo ᴀɭєɾᴛ mє of ᴀny hosᴛıɭє ᴀppɾoᴀch.

Thє sʊnɾısє bɾoʊᵹhᴛ no ᴀɭᴀɾms ᴀnd єvєn ᴀ modıcʊm of ɾєɭıєf, wıᴛh oʊɾ ınjʊɾєd fɾıєnd on ᴛhє mєnd. Wıᴛh ᴛhє ɭєᴀdєɾshıp of ᴛhє Єxıɭєs I sʊᵹᵹєsᴛєd ᴛhє nıᵹhᴛ wᴀᴛch ᵹo ᴀnd ᵹєᴛ ᴛhєıɾ own ɾєsᴛ, ᴀnd ᴀ fɾєsh sqʊᴀdɾon of єyєs ᴛo ɾєsʊmє ᴛhє vıᵹıɭ on ᴛhє pєɾımєᴛєɾ. I ᴀm hєᴀdєd ᴛo Aɾdıc ᴛhıs moɾnınᵹ ᴛo ɾєɭᴀy ᴛhє dᴀnᵹєɾ ᴛo ᴛhє Ashwood ᴛo my fɾıєnds ᴛhє ᴀdvєnᴛʊɾєɾs, ᴀnd hopє ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhєy wıɭɭ sᴛᴀnd by my sıdє ᴀnd hєɭp mє dєfєnd my dᴀʊᵹhᴛєɾ's ᴛєmpoɾᴀɾy homє.

✨ Too Much Time to Do Too Little

One nundine has passed since i lodged in onothera. After my last entry, during my nap i managed to send a message in the dreaming to aunt cyn, the iranis, and mathis. Initially only aunt cyn replied, assuring me that all of the iranis, including ardos, were safe. She said also that both blades, dragon's reach and the one radi had started to show me, had been safely recovered even though the ward on the earth guild had been broken··· she supposed that the «vornae» had respect for the fact that it was a house of healing, not violence, and left its treasures be. Lastly she told me that she would have to come to onothera herself soon since there was a lot she didn't understand, and she wanted to speak with baron vigilance.

Neither she nor anyone else said anything about me joining them at mathis' tower. I was not sure whether this was because they did not want me there (unlikely but possible), they did not consider i would be safe there (more likely) or would not have been able to contribute much while i was there (super likely because i have my doubts about my own usefulness), or perhaps they truly didn't know whether i could get there or not. Regardless, despite pangs of loneliness and a faint sting from not being encouraged to join my small remaining «family», in truth i had already resigned myself to a sort of self-imposed exile. 

I had already recognised a pattern that had developed in my life since coming out of the unhindered lands. There in the taiga, i knew the behaviours of the animals that roamed its wylds and i knew when and when not to approach a creature in need. But here in eastlands, i have not taken the time to make that same understanding of the people, which are infinitely more complex and prone to psychological behaviours that don't occur to creatures, like alliances of convenience, backstabbing, and invasion of territory when it is only coveted rather than necessary. I had thought, probably foolishly, that i could rely wholly on the virtue of «being there for my family» and everything would work out right. With confidence i can state i have never been more wrong in my life. It has been past time for a hard, painful look at my function, my duty, my reason for being where i am.

I wasn't given much time to take that hard look. Aunt cyn had not been kidding; she had arrived in onothera first thing the next morning, though even by then i had already left the city and gone out to the wylder again. Not far from the city limits, but far enough out to listen and whisper and commune with the fauna outside the artifice of the capitol. It was the only part of my daily routine that i could still accomplish, and the only place i found peace of mind and solace, even while simultaneously thinking how useless a skill it was in the face of the siege we were all under now.

In the evening i returned for dinner at the kyngeshead, the inn where i had ended up staying. As naomi had suggested, my status as an adventurer was enough to be given free board and two meals a day, which was all i required. I took my stew gratefully out to the green grass on the shady side of the building, and ate slowly while continuing -- out of habit -- to listen with my ears and my heart to the distant bird songs and squirrel chatter. I was only a quarter way through the bowl when up walked aunt cyn! with her hands full of parchments, on her way back to her forgotten hope orphange from the baronial house, nonchalantly asking «does the wind have any news today, nephew?»⁽¹⁾

After a brisk but careful embrace, she had me resume my seat and joined me (a barmaid bringing her food as well) to inquire after my health. The irony! I quickly assured her it was her health, and those of our friends, that concerned me, and i was glad she had told me of their safety. During our conversation i asked her about the word she had used, «vornae», and she confirmed that it was a term for dark elves, one that was perhaps particular to wayside but count ko considered himself a vornae as well. We spoke about whether this siege would progress into all-out war, and how that would change our lives. In spite of my obvious doubts she assured me i was still «one of my strongest guardians» -- and in response to my dubious look and dry rebuttal, she reminded me as well that «strength and prowess do not determine a guardian - heart and willingness do.»⁽¹⁾

Eventually she retired, but not immediately back to mathis' tower··· she was going to be staying in onothera to assuage the fears of the children at her orphanage, and would probably be back and forth between there and the baronial house for a while. I let her know i was going to be remaining in onothera, echoing what i had recorded earlier in this journal that i felt it more appropriate to remain here in reflection and preparation, rather than to reunite with everyone at the tower in the same previous state of over-eager uselessness. I worded it differently, of course. She inquired if i needed anything before departing, and i actually took the time to think on it before answering her no (which i would have answered anyway, but at least this time i was being sensible rather than dismissive).

That wasn't the last time i have seen aunt cyn this nundine, but it was certainly the longest conversation we had. She had duties of her own to attend to, and so did i.

But where her duties were based on her connexions to vigilance and ko and mathis and the adventurers, and her high station, mine are quieter and more personal. I go to the libraries to try to get a foundation of the laws of the land, the natures of the racial cultures, the histories of the wars. I know i've only just started, but i am woefully displeased with how little i comprehend. I continue to spend middays just outside the palisade, but made a point on marţi morning to locate a well-camouflaged spot for permanent use, and further obscure it with branches and debris so that only the wild animals can find me. There i commune with primarily birds, who perch around its ring and warble tidings of valbrough. At night the vornae still roam, looking for anyone trying to sneak back, but the few forays my friends have made are always wisely during the day, when the vornae are gone and the horrors are more sparse.

My other concern was improving my battle usability. Although naomi had offered to be my teacher on market days, i knew that she was extremely busy with count ko (she was another that, although i saw her at least every other day, it was always brief and usually just in passing). So i have been trying on my own to keep in mind all of the methods she taught me -- watching my stance, keeping my knees loose and my elbows down, not creating an opening to my torso when i block to the side. It's a lot harder without an opponent to try and test me, and tree trunks are terrible substitutes (especially since i have to try and turn my blades to the blunt side to avoid dulling the edges). But the repetition is (hopefully) helping me somewhat.

To avoid relying wholly on my limited knifework, i continue to study the celestial arts. There are spells to cause damage, such as stone and lightning and ice bolts, but also spells to incapacitate or disarm opponents or shatter their weapons (the latter would have been useful against the spearman), and spells to protect people or places. The celestial master who i spoke with on the ninth of the month taught me the basics of celestial memory casting up to the fifth tier, but in my independent practise i am only comfortable with first and second tier spells, and just barely can manage one third tier spell per day. The old impetuous me would say i would save that spell for a shatter in case i could get revenge. The newer, very slightly more thoughtful me can see the advantage of building a wall of force, or binding a target, rather than shattering one item and risking that my opponent could have another weapon.

So in this new pattern my dăți have gone. As we all adjust to our new lives - whether we be adventurers, nobles, traders, travellers, or civilians - the inevitable looming wall of change creeps over us like a fog, in spite of the relatively sunny weather. I hear in short and secondhand of what the residents of valbrough are accomplishing, through aunt cyn and naomi and the birds; i try to better my mind with knowledge, my body with combat, and my spirit with spellwork; and i commune and meditate, trying to push guilt and pain and regret from my mind while trying to emulate the patient perseverance of the earth itself.

This afternoon during my meditation i was in receipt of a message in the dreaming from radi. He explained that he was starting to explain how he came to have stolen the sword from wayside while attempting to fix their waymaker network, and had been planning on giving me that sword. But he and ardos had (valid) concerns about my disregard for my own safety and that giving me the sword might be putting it back in danger, so he wanted to be able to sit down and talk for a good long while before we returned to the subject of the sword.

I «told» radi in reply, with absolute certainty, that i completely agreed with his and ardos' assessment··· that i did not trust myself to carry anything on behalf of anyone else until i had become better accustomed the dangerous life of adventuring and developed the sense of discernment that they already possessed, and that i might decline the sword in any case to pursue the path of the whisperers over the path of the guardians. He has not yet responded again but given that it lacks two ghurries to the mid-night, he might not be asleep again yet. There also might not be anything else to say, for now. I can only hope my response was a worthy one in radi's eyes.

---

(1) "June 11 - Reunion," in-between game scene written by Annette Smith (Cyn) and Taed Price (Ilarion)

🍂 Fruitless Hunts

Aᴛ ᴛhє ɾєqʊєsᴛ of Rowᴀn (ᴀnoᴛhєɾ of ᴛhє Єxıɭєs), I ᴛɾᴀvєɭɭєd ᴛodᴀy wıᴛh ᴀ ᵹɾoʊp of scoʊᴛs ᴛo ınvєsᴛıᵹᴀᴛє ɾʊmoʊɾs fɾom somє of Ashєɾ's spɾıᵹᵹᴀns. Thєy (ᴛhє spɾıᵹᵹᴀns) sᴀy ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhєɾє ᴀɾє ᴀ smᴀɭɭ ᵹɾoʊp of dɾyᴀdєs ᴛhᴀᴛ don'ᴛ bєɭonᵹ who hᴀvє bєєn skʊɭkınᵹ ᴀɾoʊnd ın ᴛhє woods. Rowᴀn ıs onє of ᴛhє Єxıɭєs' chıєf scoʊᴛs ᴀnd hᴀs bєєn ᴛɾyınᵹ ᴛo foɭɭow ʊp on ᴛhє spɾıᵹᵹᴀns' ɾʊmoʊɾs, bʊᴛ whєnєvєɾ ᴛhєy hᴀvє ᵹonє ᴛo ᴛhє sıᴛє ᴛhє spɾıᵹᵹᴀns ındıcᴀᴛєd, ᴛhєɾє ıs nobody ᴛhєɾє ᴀnd єxᴛɾєmєɭy ɭıᴛᴛɭє єvıdєncє ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴀnyonє wᴀs. Rowᴀn sʊᵹᵹєsᴛєd ᴛhᴀᴛ pєɾhᴀps ᴀ fɾєsh sєᴛ of єyєs -- mınє, ın pᴀɾᴛıcʊɭᴀɾ -- mıᵹhᴛ bє ᴀbɭє ᴛo fınd somєᴛhınᵹ ᴛhєy hᴀvє noᴛ bєєn ᴀbɭє ᴛo.

Thє ınvıᴛᴀᴛıon cᴀmє ᴀᴛ ᴛhє pєɾfєcᴛ ᴛımє, ᴀs I hᴀvє bєєn ᵹєᴛᴛınᵹ fɾʊsᴛɾᴀᴛєd wıᴛh my own ınᴀbıɭıᴛy ᴛo fınd ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs ᴀnd ᴛɾy ᴛo spєᴀk wıᴛh ᴛhєm. Ashєɾ hᴀs bєєn єxᴛɾєmєɭy pᴀᴛıєnᴛ wıᴛh mє; I ᴛhınk I wᴀs ᴛhınkınᵹ of oʊɾ dєᴀɭınᵹs wıᴛh ᴛhє Բᴀє ᴀnd ᴀssʊmınᵹ ᴛhᴀᴛ hєɾ sᴛıpʊɭᴀᴛıon foɾ ᵹɾᴀnᴛınᵹ ᴛhє Єxıɭєs ᴀsyɭʊm cᴀmє wıᴛh ᴀn ʊɭᴛımᴀᴛıʊm ᴀnd ᴀ ᴛımєɾ, bʊᴛ ın ᴛhє pᴀᴛᴛєɾn of ᴛhє ᴛɾʊє Chıɭdɾєn of Aʊᴛʊmn shє ıs sᴀᴛısfıєd ᴛhᴀᴛ I hᴀvє bєєn ᴛɾyınᵹ ᴛo honoʊɾ my єnd of ᴛhє єxchᴀnᵹє, єvєn ıf I'vє bєєn ʊnᴀbɭє ᴛo ᴀcᴛʊᴀɭɭy ɾєᴀch ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs yєᴛ.

Lıkє ᴛhє Һєᴀɾᴛwood, ᴛhє Ashwood ıs ᴀcᴛʊᴀɭɭy ᴀn єxᴛɾєmєɭy ɭᴀɾᵹє foɾєsᴛ ᴀnd Mısᴛ ısɭᴀnd, ɾᴀᴛhєɾ ᴛhᴀn jʊsᴛ ᴀ sınᵹɭє ᵹɾovє of ᴛɾєєs. Nᴀvıᵹᴀᴛınᵹ ıᴛs ᴀɾboɾєᴀɭ hᴀɭɭs ᴀnd cɾossınᵹ sʊbᴛɭє єcoᴛonєs, Rowᴀn ᴀnd I єmєɾᵹєd ınᴛo ᴀ ɾocky "cɭєᴀɾınᵹ" spoᴛᴛєd wıᴛh ᴛhoɾnbʊshєs ᴀnd mıɭkwєєds ᴀnd sʊɾɾoʊndєd (ᴀs ᴛypıcᴀɭ ın ᴛhє foɾєsᴛ) by bɾoᴀd ᴀsh ᴛɾєєs. I wᴀs ɾєɭyınᵹ єnᴛıɾєɭy on Rowᴀn's ınᴛєɾpɾєᴛᴀᴛıon of ᴛhє spɾıᵹᵹᴀns' ɾєpoɾᴛ ᴛo fınd ᴛhє ɭocᴀᴛıon, ᴀnd hє wᴀs ᴀbsoɭʊᴛєɭy cєɾᴛᴀın ᴛhᴀᴛ ᴛhıs wᴀs ᴛhє ɭᴀsᴛ pɭᴀcє ᴛhєy hᴀd ɾєpoɾᴛєd sєєınᵹ ᴛhє ınᴛєɾɭopєɾs. бʊᴛ oʊɾ ınıᴛıᴀɭ ɭook ᴀɾoʊnd ᴛʊɾnєd ʊp no ᴛɾᴀcє of pɾєvıoʊs vısıᴛoɾs.

I ᴀm no ᴛɾᴀckєɾ by fᴀɾ, bʊᴛ ᴀ cɭosєɾ єxᴀmınᴀᴛıon showєd sıᵹns of ᴛhє bɾᴀmbɭєs bєınᵹ "ᴛᴀmєd," foɾ ɭᴀck of ᴀ bєᴛᴛєɾ woɾd. Iᴛ wᴀs ᴀs ᴛhoʊᵹh ᴛhє ᴛhoɾnbʊshєs hᴀd bєєn ᴛɾᴀnspɭᴀnᴛєd fɾom ɾᴀndom pɭᴀcєmєnᴛ ᴛo bєᴛᴛєɾ fᴀcıɭıᴛᴀᴛє ᴀ ᴛєmpoɾᴀɾy sɭєєpınᵹ ᴀɾɾᴀnᵹєmєnᴛ, ᴀnd ᴛhє ᵹɾoʊnd showєd sıᵹns of bєınᵹ dısᴛɾєssєd, pєɾhᴀps by ᴛhє ınıᴛıᴀɭ ʊpɾooᴛınᵹ of ᴛhє bɾᴀmbɭєs, ᴀnd ᴛhєn smooᴛhєd ovєɾ wıᴛh dıɾᴛ ᴀnd/oɾ fıɭɭєd wıᴛh somє of ᴛhє sᴀmє ɾocky shᴀɭє ᴛhᴀᴛ pєɾmєᴀᴛєd ᴛhє cɭєᴀɾınᵹ. Thє bɾᴀmbɭєs ᴛhєmsєɭvєs hᴀd ᴀɭɾєᴀdy ɾє-єsᴛᴀbɭıshєd ᴛhєmsєɭvєs ın ᴛhє soıɭ of ᴛhєıɾ nєw ɭocᴀᴛıons, bʊᴛ ᴛhєy wєɾє ᴀ ɭıᴛᴛɭє ɭoosє ᴛhᴀn ɭonᵹ-ɾooᴛєd bʊshєs shoʊɭd bє, ᵹıvınᵹ cɾєdєncє ᴛo my ᴛhєoɾy.

Unfoɾᴛʊnᴀᴛєɭy noᴛhınᵹ єɭsє ın ᴛhє vıcınıᴛy ındıcᴀᴛєd how ɭonᵹ ᴀᵹo ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs -- ıf ıᴛ hᴀd bєєn ᴛhєm -- hᴀd bєєn ᴛhєɾє, oɾ ın whᴀᴛ dıɾєcᴛıon ᴛhєy hᴀd ᵹonє ᴀfᴛєɾwᴀɾd. Rowᴀn wᴀs ᵹɾᴀᴛєfʊɭ ᴛhᴀᴛ I wᴀs ᴀbɭє ᴛo vєɾıfy ᴛhє ɾєpoɾᴛ of ᴛhє spɾıᵹᵹᴀns ᴀboʊᴛ pɾıoɾ ınᴛєɾɭopєɾs, bʊᴛ I knєw hє wᴀs ᴀɭmosᴛ ᴀs dısᴀppoınᴛєd ᴀs I wᴀs ᴀboʊᴛ oʊɾ ɭᴀck of pɾoᵹɾєss.

In ᴛhє ınᴛєɾım I hᴀvє bєєn spєndınᵹ ᴀ ᵹɾєᴀᴛ dєᴀɭ of ᴛımє wıᴛh Һᴀ́ɭᴀınndóchᴀs ᴀnd Dʊsk. Oʊɾ ɭıᴛᴛɭє sᴀpɭınᵹ conᴛınʊєs ᴛo spɾoʊᴛ boᴛh physıcᴀɭɭy ᴀnd mєnᴛᴀɭɭy. Һєɾ ᴛımє ʊndєɾ Ashєɾ's ᴛʊᴛєɭᴀᵹє hᴀs bєєn ᴀ bıᴛ sᴛınᴛєd ın ɭıᵹhᴛ of ᴛhє woɾɾıєs wє hᴀvє wıᴛh ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs, bʊᴛ shє ᴛᴀɭks mʊch moɾє ᴀnd ᴀsk ɭoᴛs of qʊєsᴛıons ᴀboʊᴛ єvєɾyᴛhınᵹ shє sєєs ᴀnd hєᴀɾs. Somєᴛımєs ıᴛ ɭєᴀds ᴛo ᴀwkwᴀɾd convєɾsᴀᴛıons, bʊᴛ ʊɭᴛımᴀᴛєɭy ıᴛ cᴀn onɭy hєɭp hєɾ ᴛo ᵹɾow ᴀwᴀɾє of hєɾ sʊɾɾoʊndınᵹs so qʊıckɭy. My bıᵹᵹєsᴛ concєɾn ıs ᴛhᴀᴛ shє nєєds ᴛo bє ᴀwᴀɾє of dᴀnᵹєɾ, sʊch ᴀs ᴛhє possıbıɭıᴛy of ıncʊɾsıon by ᴛhє Mıɭıᴛᴀnᴛs, ᴀnd shє nєєds ᴛo know ᴛo ɾʊn ᴀwᴀy... ᴀs wєɭɭ ᴀs who ᴛo ɾʊn ᴛo.

✨ Under Dragon Wings

Valbrough is a ghost town. 

I ended up in such comfortable communion in the wylder that i fell asleep and spent the night at my temporary campsite, and that might have saved my life from a third death. When i awoke it was actually fairly dark and pre-sunrise, but i still could tell that it was morning and that also meant i had failed to return on sambata evening. Aunt cyn would probably have my head for not reporting in and making her worry. So i gathered my few items quickly and started heading back the four verstăs distance to valbrough. The walking trip took perhaps fifty minutes or so the first time, but since i was trying to hurry back i think i would have made it in thirty-five. But half a verstă from the palisade, i could already tell something was wrong. 

Large fish-looking things were hovering and «swimming» around the woods outside, sometimes accompanied by dark elves -- that is, the assassins that had been besieging us. They were not moving around in the manner of sneaky rogues trying to get inside the city, nor in the manner of warriors actively fighting against the inside population. This was more like... the way i have seen predators scout for small pockets of prey survivors after flushing out a herd. Warily, and nervously, for i am no sneaky rogue myself, i tried to get as close to the city as i could without being even slightly noticed. 

Closing the distance did not go well, but going around the palisade gave me small glimpses into the horrors within. And i mean literally horrors; giant hook armed and hook beaked creatures, and hulking earthen monsters, roamed around wherever i could see into our home. The side of the city nearest the pride's cabin looked especially torn up. In a sort of panicked stupor i managed to back away from the terrible scene until i could no longer see valbrough's walls through the trees.

After several minutes of hyperventilating - during which i might have briefly passed out, i honestly cannot recall - i finally forced myself to think. To this day i still know very little about the geography of dragonreach, but only yesterday morning i had gone with aunt cyn to onothera, and it was not only one of the closest settlements but the capitol itself. Logically, at least some of my friends might have escaped there... or perhaps resurrected there if the earth guild circle in valbrough was unavailable. Steeling myself as best i could, i set out immediately, grabbing a few berries and the occasional clover leaf to tide over my grumbling stomach. If i had run i would have exhausted myself or done something more stupid and injured myself, so i forced myself as well to keep to a steady walk. As such my time was about the same as yesterday, four ghurries, arriving at last at the gates to onothera. 

Some of the gate guards recognised me from yesterday, and since i was not only known as one of «those adventuers» but also had been seen in the company of the illustrious lady cyn, it was easy for me to enlist their aid. Unfortunately they could only tell me of one other adventurer that had arrived, and was currently in audience with count ko -- none other than naomi. I'd have preferred more people, but if it hadn't been aunt cyn or any of the iranis, naomi was next at the top of my list especially after the time she'd spent trying to better my combat skills yesterday. Eagerly i asked for directions to the county hall, and was given them. Was i able to follow them, however?

No.

Navigating a city is nothing like navigating a taiga or a forest or a grassland. In some places the sun is so blocked for so long that you lose your internal compass, and while buildings are usually more unique and descriptive than trees or shrubs, there are so many of them that i could not keep track of whether i had been to this block or not. I had to continually ask for directions from other merchants, townsfolk, guards, and even children, and after all that it was actually naomi who found me. Word of the confused and extremely lost selunari obviously got to the county hall faster than i did.

Her calm announcement of my name to get my attention did nothing to temper my now-frantic and exhausted state of mind, and stars bless her that she didn't lose her patience when i started peppering her with questions right away -- «what happened to valbrough! are you okay? is aunt cyn ok? are the iranis ok? is everyone ok? why are there it was those fucking dark elves wasn't it.» She finally forced answers into my rapid desperate questions. The various creatures were called hookhorrors, umberhulks, and anglerfish. The dark elves had summoned dozens and dozens of horrors.

«Where's everybody else? Did they...»

«Cyn is okay. She is with mostly everyone else at mathis' tower, about 250 miles [almost 400 verstăs] away.»

«Thank the stars. ...mostly everyone?»

Of course she knew who i was worried about. «Taios and radi are okay. Not sure about ardos.»

«Damn it. I... didn't get too far into town but the damage looked worst by the pride's cabin.»

«The pride left the tavern to go save pebbles. I'm not sure if they're okay but i am sure if they rezzed we'll find out in the morning. Everyone will be making their way back during the daylight, but we left via the waymaker stone and it might not be active anymore.»

Naomi went on to explain that most of the horrors would have either dissipated, or been rifted out to prevent that, during the daylight. She had already (of course) informed count ko of the severity of the situation. When i asked what i could help with or what needed to be done, she thought for a moment before responding. 

«Well, i have to stay here to help ko. We're going to come up with a battle plan. During daylight every day, crushing those foci mushrooms; researching the dark elf civil war; building resources.»

«How many mushrooms are there? I mean have they been reproducing like regular mushrooms do?»

«We don't know but they clearly keep planting them at night. Mathis would also be a smart person to talk to.»

«I don't even understand why we are the ones that are under attack.... But yes. Mathis. I need to go there anyway, I need to talk to aunt cyn. Do you want me to relay any messages for you? Can i get to his tower by waystone as well?»

«I'm not sure if they'll be there. If you can activate the way stone. I'm guessing waiting for them to come back or send a letter into the dreaming and you can pinpoint their location.»

«.... Okay. Okay. That sounds like a good plan. I'll, uh, i'll wait here in the capitol...»

«Okay. That's probably safe.»

Seeing that my terror and exhaustion was catching up to me and i had started shaking, naomi looked me dead in the eye and went on, «I've fought in many wars, one of which was a dark elf war. We'll be fine. If we die it's the natural progression of life and, yes, people will die. We might lose... but doubtful. This is a minor setback.» Her tone was truly confident, not the kind of confidence that is just a facade to help someone else pull it together. 

I nodded and said, «Aye. I'll find an inn closest to the county hall then. On the chance you need me.»

«If you cannot afford it let me know and i will see that your fee is paid... but you are an adventurer, and that affords you a certain status. I will not be really reachable much longer. Don't stay on my account. If i have a task for you, i'll find you. Otherwise ask mathis for orders.

«That's fair. Once I find mathis or aunt cyn, or both, I'll meet them. Thank you naomi.»

She looked me dead in the eye again and said, «Don't die, ilarion.»

I tried to sound nonchalant and gave her a rueful grin, «I mean hey, it's already happened twice, what's one more right?» 

«Well when you hit your third death you can permanently die so try not to let that happen,» she said offhandedly, before just walking away and turning down the first alley.

The smartest thing to do -- after finding the aforementioned inn, which took me another ghurry -- would have been to get some sleep and try to get my spirit to send a letter to aunt cyn in the dreaming. And i do intend to do that, now. But i also wanted to record my thoughts afresh, as well as the conversation with naomi as word-for-word as i could keep in my short-term recall. Now that i've done so, i am going to surrender myself to sleep. Whether i reach the dreaming, or i am given a dreamless sleep for the time being, all i want now is to rest and temporarily feel safe again.

✨ Dark Times Test Us (Part 2 of 2)

In the middle of the night i was awoken by a kick to my tent, and when hands pulled back the privacy flap i began swinging haphazardly and half asleep with my dagger. A few hits were scored, but i was hit with a strong magic attack and knocked out, only to be revived mere seconds later... by mr smith! The group that was around my tent consisted of himself, emric, ceridwen, and a few of my other friends. They were somehow unaware that i had moved myself outside of the city to a tent of my own, and thought it was a trap or a bandit encampment. Apologising for the intrusion and waving off my apology of attack, they wished me a good night and ceridwen mentioned in departing that i could perhaps ask taios or another celestialist to ward my tent in the future. It's something i might consider.

That interruption aside, i woke up well-rested shortly after sunrise as usual, and went through my normal morning routine - that is, i spent some time listening to the birdsongs and practising the whispering, and then went into the city to open up the healers guild, put out the candles left burning overnight, and sit myself outside the entrance until aunt cyn arrived.

After doing some very quick morning work at the guild, aunt cyn told me she was headed to onothera, dragonreach's capitol city which is a walk of just seven verstăs from valbrough, to commission an object and speak with baron vigilance. As it happened i was going to be headed there myself - the events of the previous night had proven to me that blades alone would not be enough for me to survive in my duties, and i felt it necessary to finally learn celestial magic. I had been torn over the last piszot about whether i should pursue earth magic instead, since i was a guardian of its guild, but as a child of the stars i just feel more attuned to sky magic, and aunt cyn seems to have no problem with it. So we made our way out of valbrough and down the main highway that, four ghurries later, brought us to onothera.

My own task was very easy as the capitol market is filled with vendors and stalls of all kinds, including several celestial masters who taught such things for free. Just under three ghurries with one of them gave me a solid grounding in the casting of spells from memory up to the fifth tier, rather than by incanting a scroll as i have been limited to. I was done sooner than aunt cyn so i whiled away half a ghurry before seeing aunt cyn and baron vigilance parting ways. Joining up with her immediately so she didn't have to come looking for me, we headed back toward valbrough, encountering ardos and lukas halfway there and spending the remainder of the walk in various small conversations with them. Ardos inquired about my ordeal the previous night and wanted to ensure i knew i was guarding the people of the guild, not the building - which might sound silly but i thought quite reasonable, and assured him that at the time i had told him i was guarding the people, they were still in the building.

I finished the short remainder of the morning sitting outside the guild as usual, and then crossed the square to rest at the tavern. Shortly i was joined by mr smith, emric, saro, 13, scarlet, robert, and kai, who had recently come from a contract job and were divvying up the reward payment. To assist them, i exchanged ten silvers for one of the gold pieces to make the division easier, and also purchased eight repel scrolls for one gold six silver since none of them particularly sought scrolls. Saro also mentioned that, since i was technically still an initiate of the moonless nights, i was welcome to join them in their cabin whenever they were in valbrough, but i politely declined explaining my path with the whisperers and that i was tenting outside the palisade.

While the moonless nights and a troll friend of theirs pursued a contract bounty on a slaver, ceridwen and naomi convinced me to go investigate with them a posting from the job board in the tavern, where someone had been stealing bones from a family's crypt. While examining the board i also noted that someone who had just purchased a mine shaft had been afraid to enter it because of odd noises coming from inside. Thinking that perhaps these were wild animals and i could put my whispering to good use, i asked them to join me on that once we were done investigating the crypt. They agreed, and we also asked aunt cyn to come with us to have a healer handy, to which she agreed.

The crypt was a fairly straightforward job - shambling corpses under the control of some sort of semi-mummified necromancer were digging the bones up for him, and he used his control of the undead to instruct them only to defend themselves if we attacked, while explaining to us that he was not hurting anyone and making the excuse that it was for his brother who was trapped in a shoddy discount golem body. Eventually we had had enough, fought our way through the undead, and cornered the cowardly necromancer in one of the mausoleum's dead ends... whereupon naomi went full feral, broke his neck, and began pummeling his skull into dust. Aunt cyn managed to snap her out of it after a few moments, and very very cautiously we ushered her back out of the crypt, informing the family member on the other side of the village that their ancestors would now remain undisturbed.

The mineshaft was - from a whispering standpoint - a disappointment. The strange noises inside the mineshaft were not animals as i had supposed (i had been envisioning bears), but the spirits of long-dead miners who had been trapped by a rockfall and abandoned by their foreman. Aunt cyn tried to help the spirits move on by asking their names (they did not remember them), then even pretended to be the foreman and letting them «kill» her (naomi then revived her), but even this did not put the spirits to rest. So naomi passed me her blade to use instead of çerhêni, since it was both extra sharp and earth enchanted and would do a lot of damage to the spirits. At first slowly then with more ferocity, we all forced our way down the shaft, extinguishing the poor tortured spirits, and found their bones in the tumbled dirt at the end of the passage. Quickly naomi and i extracted all the bones and gathered them in her cloak, held by ceridwen and aunt cyn, and then we took them outside of the mine and ceridwen enflamed them to burn them to ashes. We took the gathered ashes to the nearest village where aunt cyn made the request of a stonemason to create a gravemarker and bury the ashes in their cemetery. Though bewildered by the request, the stonemason like most of the villagers knew of the tragedy and agreed to fulfil our wishes.

Just as we returned to town, gideon called out to let us all know the afternoon meal was ready. Gideon and belfry had taken a cooking shift at the tavern this weekend and had prepared breadwraps of pork and potatoes, which were wonderful. i declined the addition of vinegared tomato sauce but i heard others praise its taste. My meal was somewhat soured by the company of a painfully friendly newlywed couple on their honeymoon (with their manservant Hans) who informed us in extremely heavy accents that they wanted to watch adventuring in action. Pointed reminders by myself and others, that being in such close proximity to adventurers might mean their demise, were rebuffed cheerfully as they figured at least their deaths would be exciting. Slightly disgusted, I moved to a table on the opposite side of the tavern to try and enjoy my food.

Our lunch was cut short, however, when mutt and dusty happened to glance out the tavern windows and began shouting about incoming attackers. As we all looked up we saw a stream of fire elementals rushing toward the town square. Most of us immediately abandoned our plates, drew blades or mystical energy, and rushed outside to meet the oncoming elemental wave -- which surrounded none other than cressida, the fire-shooting hobling member of the pride. Cressida was not able to be reasoned with (enchanted or possessed perhaps), none of the other pride members were anywhere to be seen, and neither did they respond to aunt cyn's extremely loud and frantic hails behind the battle line.

We tried to avoid hurting cressida at first, but seeing as there was no way to get through to her and she summoned another fire elemental for every one we felled, we ultimately had to kill her. The remaining elementals dissipated and, after a quick search of the square and a messenger sent to the pride's cabin to see if anyone was there (there was not), we returned to our lunch inside the tavern. However, when the female elf came in and approached our table, and told matthis and radi that aunt cyn needed them at the guild to help with some spirits needing resurrection, i had a terrible suspicion based on recent events and i followed them. Sure enough, nyio (who had a bottled spirit and had instantly rebirthed by himself, unlike his pridemates) confirmed when i arrived at the guild that cressida and the other members of the pride were the ones that aunt cyn, radi, mathis, and other healers were working to resurrect. 

Once the resurrection was well underway, naomi took me aside and said that she wanted to help me better my swordcraft, based on how i had acquitted myself during our adventures earlier in the afternoon. While she said i did well and had a good basic understanding, i lacked proper training and she had identified several details in which i could better myself. She said all this somewhat hesitantly, as if not wanting to offend me, but i was actually relieved by the offer and asked if she wanted to go outside and begin right away, since we could both monitor the guild and guard it from intruders while sparring out front. In total agreement she followed me outside and instructed me in a more neutral and balanced stance, full-arm motion of my arms in swinging blades, and avoiding «chicken wing» which means sticking my elbows out, making them an all-too-easy target for enemy combatants.

Though dusty (who happened to come start watching and then offered to help as well) pointed out (accurately) that i was intimidated (rightly so) by naomi, i did understand that they were both trying to help me and tried my best to follow their advice. Things like loosening up, not locking my knees, keeping one foot in front and putting my weight on the balls of my feet rather than by heels, and swiveling my wrist as well as swinging my forearm to provide a more acute force behind my attacks. After a rough ghurry's workout and exercises i had made improvement... very minimal improvement, but again dusty and naomi pointed out that familiarity would come with practise and not simply come to me right then and there. Naomi promised to work with me a ghurry or so every market weekend if i so desired, which i assured her i did.

It was not long after this that things returned to as «normal» as they get around valbrough, and with aunt cyn's blessing i headed out deep into the wylder to make up for my lost time last night and this afternoon that i normally would have been practising my whispering. I have found a suitable location four verstăs or so into the deep forest, and now that i have updated this journal once again, i will be spending six or seven ghurries meditating, listening, and whispering. I hope nothing terrible happens while i am gone from valbrough, though i know my friends are more than capable of handling practically anything that comes their way.

✨ Dark Times Test Us (Part 1 of 2)

How long it has been since i relayed my life to this journal! But in truth although the time has been there to do so, i have simply not taken it. As of late my life consists of only two things: guarding the healers guild, and learning the craft of the whisperers.

If it were not for the events of this evening my journal would probably remain stagnant, because even the beginning of my guardian shift at the healers guild was terribly boring. I don't technically mind the solitude, since it affords me the opportunity to listen - not only to the songs and speech of the animals around me, but to the murmurs of people around town. There was a lot of the latter as visitors to our lands unquestionably ended up at the hall of heroes which is just across the square from the guild. The former, however, was very limited because we sit in the middle of town. Listening is much more lively at my tent site.

There was however going to be a meeting of the earth guild's healers and guardians (i am no longer the only one, thankfully), so i knew i would be expecting company soon. Eventually aunt cyn and naomi and others did approach, so i opened up the door (it had been shut to keep mosquitoes out) and joined everyone inside. However my expectations of a formal guild meeting were quickly corrected by aunt cyn - members of the order finis autem magicka were arriving soon, with «our mutual friend» in tow. I was uncertain of who this referred to, but before i could inquire further, my cousin banradi asked to speak in private and recognised me into the earth circle. He took a blade from where he had stashed in behind some shelves and began to tell me about its origins, involving some dark selunari from terna (the continent that he, aunt cyn, and others originally came from).

His explanation was cut short, unfortunately, by the arrival of the members of the finis order. Radi recognised me out so that the finis representatives and their patient could be brought inside. The mutual friend was a dark elf who i recalled vaguely, having only ever seen him from afar. It was ko minmatsu, count of augustus (that portion of the eastlands that governs the baronies of koroshi and valbridge). The order explained that the count had been trapped in his mind and slowly dying, due to the influence of one of the many magical artifacts that finis autem magicka has been trying to destroy. I had heard mutterings about people encountering so-called shadow kos, and indeed the finis order confirmed this. 

They did not have a cure, but a treatment, which would require members of our adventuring community that had a close relationship with count ko. Among the representatives from finis was a biata, who informed naomi (apparently a long-time acquaintance of the count and quite concerned about this treatment) that he could use his mental powers to tether her, and up to seven others, to ko's mind to help him emerge from his mind prison. This would allow him to temporarily resist the influence of the artifact and pause his mental deterioration, but it would have to be done every month until the artifact was destroyed. 

At a look from aunt cyn i politely ushered anyone not associated with the plan out of the earth guild and apologised that the healers would be unavailable for a short while. As i was doing so, ardos told me to make sure i kept myself safe and suggested i go to the tavern, but i told him as long as aunt cyn and the others were going to be here in the guild, especially if they were going to be in another mind, i was needed to stay and protect them. Looking back now, i can see that ardos was trying to tell me something else and was unsure if i shared his knowledge about the very recent attacks that had begun, but due to circumstances i had known nothing about the siege that had begun, and i missed ardos' vital warning.

Once i had been assured that everyone had left the vicinity outside of the earth guild, and reported such to aunt cyn, the finis representatives and the healers and adventurers assisting with count ko's mindblock quietly filtered out of the guild building! I had thought they would be remaining, but the biata wanted to take them to a more secluded and private location to perform the ritual. Uncertain what i should do at this point, i determined that i would at least remain at the guild and let anyone who might arrive in need of healing remain safely inside the hall until they returned. Aunt cyn nodded thanks as she finished out the party leaving.

Briefly i considered taking my normal seat just outside the building, but some sort of intuition told me if i was to remain here, i should remain inside. After quite some time, though i heard no steps approaching, the door of the guild was flung open and i immediately asked what help was needed or if i could be of assistance. From the darkness of late evening emerged the figure of a dark elf wielding a spear, who replied, «yes you and all surface dwellers can assist, by dying» and proceeded to attack me! Fortunately my weapons were already drawn and he was still outside the hall, so i was able to leverage and pin his spear against the doorframe with çerhêni while attacking his body with dszeni, and after a few blows landed he cursed me and retreated into the darkness. He had managed to get me a few times too and decreased the effectiveness of my limited armor, so after i shut the door tight i quickly took a minute to adjust and refit my bracers, sheaths, and beltstraps.

The timing worked well, for after my refit was complete i still had 30 seconds or so before the dark elf opened the door again, but tried taunting me into coming outside. I saw no reason to do so and informed him of the fact; his insults fell flat, trying to say i had no honour («i don't care about honour, i need only fulfil my duty as a guardian») and calling me a filthy sun-dweller («i am a proud child of the stars»). He half-heartedly tried to lunge at me a few times, but i still had the advantage of the doorframe between us. Then he backed up and said, «well come on then, come and finish us.» Even as i noted the plural and asked cautiously, «us?» a second dark elf stepped out from the side of the building and threw a gas globe at me. I couldn't help but inhale the potent gas and my mind grew fuzzy and disoriented, and even as the dark elves approached me i tried to resist but couldn't think how to raise my swords... and then the second dark elf put the point of his sword against my chest and---

g̶̃ͣ̇̔̒̐ͨr̶̨ͮͦ̀̓͂̋̅͂eͧ̎̉ͭ͒ỳ̡̢̀͋̾͠ ͯ̒ͦ͊͗̀͐̚͜fͮͪ͆͡͡o͒ͭͪ҉ǵͣͥ̓͛̋̿͑g̎̽ͪ͂̅̅̉ͦ̓͏i̸̢̐ͧ̅̔͐̓̿̎n͗̑͒̏̀͒́̀ȩ̡ͣ̍̄ͪ̐̚͡s̑ͭ̋́͟s̨͆ͤ̓̊̒̉̆́͒
̵̛ͥ̂ͬ͋̑͛͑̚fͦ̏ͨ̓̍ͪ̓͏͟ȯ̵̾ͫ̉͌ͬg͛ͣ̓̇͗͊ͦ́́g̃͑͒ͨͫ́͢ỹͩͤ͛-̔ͯͤ̎̓͋ͪ͠-̐̿̄̅̉-̶̶̏̽ͬͬͨ̽͆̌̀ ̓ͦ͂͆́̽́wͦ̂̉́ͪả̷͑ͪͣ̆̎ͫì̵͞t̽ͫ̿̓҉ ͌͌ͣ̈́̊t́̚͡h͒̓̽͢҉e̢͌͗͜ ͌̉͆̏͊̾͑̚͏҉̢ļ͌̉̓̆̔͗͝ḯͪ͋̏͛̇̅g̛ͧ͞h̄ͤ̃ͮ͠t̛ͫ͐̑ͯ̈́͆͒̏ͤ͏̛ ̵ͧ̊͌̉̿̇̚b̀̀̋ͨ͆͗͆eͩͧͥ̐ḣ̶̅̆̉̂̕ǐ̶ͬ̌͟n̔̏̂̾d̓̓̔̈́͒̑̚ ̢̎͒̿ͫ̈̀͝m̶ͤ̎͋̀̾͠e̡͊̐ͣͥ̏̑ͬ ̶̶͊įͯͫͭ͑̚͝͝ś̵ͧͩ̑͠ ̶̈́̂̉ͦ̔̇̓t͑͏̕hͫ͆͘ȅͯ̋͗̔ͫ́̂̚̕͠ ͛͊ͪͮ͘ȇ̡̒͗́͛̊͐̿̚a̸̴ͤ̀r̐ͩͣͭ̽̿͋t̿̎͊ͥͧ͗ͭ̑̕ḩ̴̧ͣ̒̃̿ͫ̄̃ ̛̓̆̆̔ͯͨ҉c̸̢̋͋͑̈i̐ͣ͂ͨͥ҉͘̕rͬ̇̓͟҉͜c̒̈́̐ͫ̾͐͝lͯͥ͏e̡̿ͮ͑́
̅̇̿ͧ͛̏̃̃͞s̿̏͗ͩͩ̀̚aͯ̀͜fͦ̊̿͘e̵ͥͫ̋̀̕t̐̂͗͌̃̌͡y̸̆̑̊ͯ ͣ͐́̄ͧ̽̐̾̈͟a̎̌̽͋nͮd́̓̿ͭ̅́ͥͦͯ͝͠ ̛̓ͯͦ̑̍̇̌s͂ͯ̏̒u̴͋̿̑́͝r̽̔̿ͥe͊ͥͯtͮ͑̄͜y̡̋̌ͤ͝,̵̏͊͛͟ ̀ͯ̌̽͜͡͝m̷̍̈́͒̽͊͊a̢ͬ́͑̔ỳ̏̾ͥ͗̌ͫ͊̚b̡̎ͪ͌͋͗̓e͌̆ͤ͋ͨ͗ͦ̓̚͘ ̨ͮ̏̔͆ͥ͛͂͛ͯc̈͌̂͋͂ͭ̅͏̶lͤͦ̉͗ͥ͛̈̐a̸̛ͧͩ͌͊̄̒ͥͭr̡̡̡̿͐ͯi̡̾̓ͧ͑̈ͨ͘t̛̑ͥ͘͞ȳ̢̃͒́͊͑͂̚?̧̡̄̿̐͂̊ͪͬ̒͘
w͛̀͠ǎ̶ͨ͡i̶̴̓͆ͫ̔t̸͊̌̃͟i̐̎ͣ̆͞͞͝nͮͦ́͐͒̊҉ģ̔͋ͦ̌̀͞
ͤͩ̌̽ͦ̄͢ŵ̨͌͑̀a̵̛ͩ̓͗̆̒̍͛͋͢i̊̄͒̋ͪ̍t̶̴͑̅̑̌ͧ̀̉͝iͧ̿͋̎̓̈̅͊ͤ͘n͌̽̅̀͏̴ḡ̸̢̓̓̎

̵̧ͬͨ͐ͦͪ̀͡
w̏̽̿̂͡aͪ͊̏̚͝ĭ̸͒ͧ̏̓͂͟͠ţͭ̈̾i̸̐ͬͫ́̚n͌ͮ͆̓́gͯ̿̔͡͝

t̨he̛̕ ̷̶̨s͝e̶͘lưǹ̀a̵͘r̀i͡ ̡҉̛c̛a̸҉r̡̧a҉v̛҉ą̢̨n̴̴̛s ͟҉a͏͟r͢͢ò̕u͏n̨͢d̨̕͠ ̢m̵ȩ ̷̧͘a̶r͞͞è͜ ̴f̡͝ull̴͜ ̷͞o̧̧f̡ ̢̨͠s͝ǫ̸͟ng̛͜s ̛a̸̡n̴d laù̷gh͏̵͢t͏͟͟e̸r
t̷̨h̨is͘͜ ̶i͝s҉ a̵҉͡ ̧g̵͏o̧o͢͟͠d̷̕ p̕͞l̶a̵̸c̶͘e̵̵͜ ̡̢t͏͞o͏͜͢ ̛͝w҉̸a͘i̸̛t̵̡͝,͏́ ̢̛́p̢e̛͞͡r͝h̡ap̢͡s̷̸͜ f̕͢o̸̶re̷̷v̧͜e̢r͏̕͟
̴b̶̷҉u҉͜t̸̨͘ ҉̀͜a͜ twi҉̸̵n̵̕͡g̸è͢ ̡̕͝t̢͜el̢l̸̶̷ś ̵̢̀m̸̢͘è͠ th̨ì̷s̶͜͠ ̸̨i̧s ̢͘n̕o͟t̡͝ ̵̶̢w̛h̨̕e̷̸̕r͢͡e̴͟͠ ̵͡i̢͟ ̨҉a̷̴͜m̢͠ ͜͡͠s̵u͞p̵̕p͘͠o҉̢͟se̛d͞͏ ͝t̴o͏͝ bé
̶̷̛á ͜ḑ̢̛a̕r̡̀͏ḱ̡ ͘͢p̴͘͘at̸͟͞h ͟͡i̴͜n͜͠t̀͡o̶̷͝ ͏́t̸̕h̀e͢͡ ̡̕͜w̴͘ơ̷o̧͏ds͜,͟͞ ̷͜҉á́͡wą̴ý̧ ̛͝f҉̡͜ŗ́o͟͝m̴ ҉̵t͏͠h́é c͘͘a̷ŗ͢͡a̧̕͜v̨͞a͟͟n̡
ḑa̵͝r͘͘k҉er,̸̴̢ ̡m̛̛or͟ę ̧̛͢u̢nc̵̕e͞r̸̡ta̧͟͠in,͟ ͏th͢i͠͝s̷͢ ̧́͘c͏̕͠a҉͟͠n̢ǹ̢o̴̡͡t̵͘ ̵b̨͜͟e͟ r̶̀ig̷͘h̛t
͏̨͞b̀u̢̕t̵ ̷i͠ ̡h̛͟e̴a̶r̸̀͜ ͡v͘óic̢͡e̸҉s ̕d͞ó̶̧wn ͟t̨̧h͜e͠҉ ̶͜pa͜͞t̸̀h̸͢?͞
̵̢͠
̴͜͠ą̀rd̴̴͠o̕ş̵ ̸̛s̵a̶̶͜yi̷̛̛n̸̨͠g ̛͞co̕m̡̛̕e̸͏͏ ̛bą̸͜cķ̴
̸͞t͏aįo̸s̶̶'̴͢ ̷̛wiĺ̴d́͜ ͡͏l̨̀a͘ug̷͘h̢̡t̨͠e̕ŗ ͠a͟b̷͠o͝͠ù̧̕t̴ e͜͠v̀͢è͢r̕͡͞yt҉̷h̛͟͡i͡n̕g̴̕͟
r͠a͝d̷́͝i҉ ̷͢s̴͡a̴͜͝ýį͟ng͢ ͡our ͡ḉ͝o̕҉͟n̢ver͟s̢aţ͜͟i͏o̷n͟͝ ҉̛́i̸s̵̡ ͝͡͡n̕͢͝ǫ͠t͏ ͘f̀͝i͝͡n͞is̵͡h͘é͞d̀ ͞͏̴yet́͡
͟͢a̸͠ņ̀ḑ͘͜ ҉͢a̸ųnt͘͡ ̶͘ć̴͠ýn̨͡ ̧̕͠sa̶̧y̨i͢n̶̕g̸͠ ̀́n̛͞͡e͏p̸h͘͟͞ew̶ ҉̵͜ýo̧̕ư̵͘ ͞a̴̢r͘e̴̶ ̴st̢i̴͘͜l̵l͡ ̨͘͠a͟ ͟͠ǵù̧ar̕d́i̛a͘͡n̴͠,̧͝ ̶̵ćo̢҉m̛è͡ ͠b̕͝a̧c̸̷k͡ ̡̛a̷͠͡n͡͡d͏ ͝͝b̀͘e ̵̧a ̵g̀̕uar̷̢di̷a̸͜n͢
͟
ǹ̡͜ow ̴t̴̕ḩ̵e͜͝r̛͜͜ę͢ ͘͝is̨͏ ̶̵̛a̧ ҉҉b̨̛͟rig͟h͠t́e̕͝n͏̶i̷͡n͞g̶̀ ̕a̶̸͞t͢ t̴͡h͏̶̡e̛̕ ̨̕e̶͢͝n͟͡d ̧o҉҉f̕҉ ţ͜h̷e ҉̛͢p͞͝at̵́͞h̸̶̵
o҉͡n̴̛e ̷l̶̸͞a͜͡s͏t͞͠ ̛̕͞w̛͡͏ì̸ś̡̢t̷̕͞f͠͏u̴͘͜l ̵̷̛l̴̢̢o̴͘ok ̛҉҉b͠͏ác̕k a̡̡t͢͡ ͘t͢h͝ȩ͠ ̧̛c̵͞a̕ra͏̨v͡͞á͟ns̢
̶the̶͡r͟e̴ ̵i̧ ̨w̵o҉ul̡d̶͡n̴'͢t̴̀ ̶h̕͝a̧v̀e̷͠ ́͘t̶o̢ f̕è̛͡ȩl҉̴ ͞҉g̶̀̕u̸i͏l̢ty̶
b̀ù̶̕t҉ ̀͡t̡h͏̕̕e̕r͜e҉̨ ͢͜͠i͘̕ ̡c͘o̶̕ư͢l̀̀d͟n̶̢'̶t̵ h̶̕é͢lṕ̶̕ ̶m̀͢y̴ ͝f͢àm̨̨i̵͢l̕͝ia
͜͝͞i͘ am̛͡ ģo̡i̸̵n̡͢͡g҉̵ ́f͘o͏҉rw҉a͡r̨͜͢d̡

--my sense of being returned inside the earth circle, with aunt cyn gently laying a blanket over my naked body. She told me sternly, «nephew, you're not supposed to be inside the circle this way» but i could hear the relief from fear in her voice. Momentary uncertainty and disorientation gave way to a dreadful feeling of shame and even as she asked «what happened?» i said «i failed.»

Naomi turned from a now-conscious count ko and joined aunt cyn in insisting that i did not fail, since i fell in defense of the guild, and asked specifically what happened. As i told them haltingly of the dark elf attackers, count ko (himself a dark elf) sensed another spirit waiting in the circle and did a remarkable quick resurrection of the man, who was also a dark elf but had been killed by the assassins as well. Count ko told us what he already knew about the dark elf assassins, as part of the larger dark elf population in kundirk that lived underground. He also informed us about stone mushrooms which had been planted alongside the roads and paths in the city and were being used as rift devices, and that the assassins would be intending to use them to summon dark horrors as well.

While all this was occurring i retrieved my clothes and weapons from where they had fallen outside the circle when my body dissipated, but i noted with some dismay that i was missing my belt and my pouch (containing all my money and gems), and a cursory search of the guild hall did not turn up anything. Perhaps the assassins had taken it, i mentioned to aunt cyn, who assured me that i would be taken care of if needed. At that precise moment mr smith came in and handed both items to me - he also had been attacked by the dark elves and had been assassinated in the back just as he had leapt into the open door of the healers guild, but by some strange concentration of vaccuum energy his spirit was protected and at the moment his body would have dissipated, he experienced a rebirth. he had found my remains and had recognised the pouch (which i had purchased from his dragon hoard), so he took it for safekeeping.

Assured that i was as back to normal as i could be, i decided to go hunting for mushrooms and assassins with mr smith and robert, but we went to the tavern first to inform people about the situation. Which was, as it turned out, fairly unnecessary, since most of the few people that were there knew the basics about the assassins and had even found some of the mushrooms already. Suddenly i realised that dying had left me quite famished, and when i voiced this in a quiet aside, the batkin i had just met named belfry abruptly handed me a toffee out of her bag, and then grabbed an apple off a table and handed it to me. I thanked her and decided i had better regain my strength before actually venturing into the dark again. We were briefly interrupted when we thought assassins were approaching the tavern but it turned out to be a familia named nikki, a dogkin named mutt, a foxkin named red, and an elf whose name i later learned was dusty. It transpired they were looking for their companion drex, who was in fact the dark elf that resurrected after me.

When all was said and done i ended up guarding the tavern briefly with gideon, belfry, mutt, and dusty, and then upon hearing combat sounds at the earth guild rushed over there (followed by the company sans gideon), only to find that drex and flint had already driven away the two dark elf assassins that had been there. Still concerned about our apparent new siege conditions, i remained at the guild until aunt cyn closed up shop and was ready to return to the relative safety of the well-lit and highly peopled tavern, and after delivering her there i cautiously left the city walls and returned to my tent for the night, too rattled to do any whispering. I will attempt to take some extra time tomorrow to continue my practise.