Day One Thousand Two Hundred Twenty Seven #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We found the road unencumbered by patrols or checkpoints until we neared the area of the stone bridge. Well before then, Tomas guided us up to the level above the destroyed altar.

Though still in ruins people were hard at work attempting to make it serviceable. All the more ugly.

Mr. Kagi was the first to notice. Then I recognized the people being forced to work on the edifice – the prisoners paraded through the world government camp but a few days ago.

After a quick calculation in my head (and my memory of the shape of last night’s moon) I knew that tomorrow marks the return of the new moon.

My blood ran cold over the fate of these prisoners.

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Day One Thousand Two Hundred #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We’re still sorting through the incidents of yesterday. We possess the redoubt. All its defenders are no more. Even Moglen is gone. Caught nearby the altar when fire from heaven descended at the command of Elijah.

What that all means for the future puzzles us. Does it mean Stan gains the advantage?

I can’t think so. But Jezer and a few others are fearful of unlooked for consequences entailed by his ‘sacrifice’ instead of Mawuli’s.

Tomas and the Captain are struggling with the full impact of their actions.

Elijah will talk to them after he finishes conferring with Jezer. Mei and Jezer want to leave immediately for the hiding place, but Elijah has a different opinion.

I believe we’re staying.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Ninety Seven #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The number of Moglen’s men packing the crate multiplied today. So they quickly and easily attained the high place.

We observed the proceedings with Tomas from our position, while Reuben and Sy watched from theirs.

My hopes rose after the crate was opened and I saw the idol laying there in pieces. I thought it was broken. But as it turned out it was in pieces only for transport.

Moglen arrived and supervised its reassembly.

The monstrosity was set in place above the stone altar before the afternoon was consumed.

That was when a commotion erupted down in the redoubt. To our horror Magwich had arrived and launched an assault to free Mawuli. They were all cut down and killed.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Ninety Four #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

There were many roving patrols we had to dodge up on these heights above the altar. And we had to set up even further back as Moglen had positioned an outpost where we hid when last we were here.

After we were in place, we sent Tomas back down the trail. From the hills on the way here we had spotted Sy’s group emerge out of the village into the wilderness. He will meet up with them and lead them up to this position.

Elijah and I made a quick trip down for a closer look. We saw that all its stone work appears to be back in place. But as of yet no golden idol.

Five days to go.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Eighty Six #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Elijah summoned Tomas and me to join him in a walk inside the hiding place. As we went he closely interrogated Tomas about what he had seen while away in the Galilee. Not about the high place and the altar, but about everything else.

Elijah wanted to know about Sy’s redoubt – were any troops stationed there?

Tomas proceeded to give us a rundown on the units there and then the best he could, he tallied everything else in the valley onwards.

I asked if he knew anything about the armies of the East and the North.

He told us that Sy had traveled further east and took a quick survey.

I realized Elijah was wondering why there was no fighting.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Eighty Five #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Much rejoicing today as Tomas and Sy have returned – accompanied by an overjoyed Captain and Jezer (their expedition put on hold again after encountering them).

It took a while to assemble all the leaders, a particularly trying situation for Tomas as he was bursting to tell us everything.

Mei was the last one located and came running when she received word.

I noticed that Sy was quiet and brooding the whole time we were waiting, and became more so when Tomas began to speak.

They had not located Mawuli. But they have suspicions.  A vehicle carrying Moglen was seen moving from camp to camp behind the lines.

And as suspected the altar has been rebuilt- as yet without an idol.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Sixty Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Everyone has made the leap of logic and lines up the rumored sacrifice with the person of our young friend.

I was at the point of second guessing and backing off on that conclusion, banking on the fact that any hard evidence to the connection is completely lacking, when Elijah interjected that Mawuli is indeed in Moglen’s clutches and it is Stan’s intent to sacrifice the boy.

Then I knew in my heart that the altar had been replaced once again up on the heights above Sy’s old redoubt.

And I knew that we would be returning there.

Thankfully before that thought could immobilize me, Elijah set me some tasks around the hiding place that could benefit from my attention.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Thirty Eight #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

No answer yet. And we are still convinced of the need to wait upon the Spirit for direction. However, we did agree with Reuben to move around to the other side of the high place in order to be closer to the routes that will take us to the hiding place.

This we accomplished during those times Moglen was absent from before the altar. And none too soon. We had just settled in when Moglen reappeared, escorted by a drone.

It ascended above the altar and began circling the same.

Without warning it streaked out to the point where we had been and hovered there.

We held our breath until it slowly flew back to its station above the altar.

Day One Thousand Sixty Five #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

It was not the carnage of battle that we surveyed on the summit of that mountain, but rather the aftermath of a wanton sacrifice. An altar had been raised over the source of the stream and an untold number of bodies lay strewn about – the bodies of animals contorted in their death agonies. All under the sparkling gaze of an idol of Stan, which presided over the scene.

Mawuli toppled it with a well aimed stone from his sling, and we crushed it under foot.

Elijah had us return to our camp near the stone bridge for the night, and from there this morning we set out towards the east, following Mawuli’s lead.

Elijah held his staff aloft in praise.