The Fairy Diary Day 683 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

The incident yesterday with the black bird has us all on edge. That and sightings of the black plants here in pixie territory today bring up bad memories. Dunfallon jumps down from the wagon and eradicates each such plant he sees.

I took out my scroll and wrote out a message that I hoped would reach Merlin. We all fear that like the struggle Tinadell had with his evil self before Noralei and the others defeated that manifestation, someone else is now the pawn of that evil. Perhaps the renegade queen herself.

And though the sun has risen here, the night has not departed from Gilgorgon’s mountain which can just be made out in the west as we entered the area of the rolling hills.

Time wore on with no answer, and just when I was about to use the talisman that the wizard had given me to summon him, a message came back from him. Tinadell indeed had relayed the message to Merlin, and the Fairy King was deeply concerned that what had happened to him before, was happening again – to someone else. 

Merlin was more hopeful – even had half expected something like this. He said it was all the more important that we get to Gilgorgon’s mountain as soon as possible. And he promised to meet us there.

As encouragement, the wizard added that the strength of the adversary would be severely limited by the fact that he – Merlin – had the renegade queen’s voice with him, locked in a box. Hence, why she could not speak to us.

Advertisement

The Fairy Diary Day 682 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

We passed into the pixie territory under lowering skies before midday. A storm appeared to be brewing ahead in the direction of our destination. We could not see Gilgorgon’s mountain as of yet, but the gathering blackness seemed to be settling over its general location.

My companions did not like the look of it. Nor did I.

About that same time the voice from Dunfallon’s ring was intoning an alarm urging us to be on the alert. And the pendants on my chest throbbed in unison.

I passed the word to our escort to be vigilant. And Dunfallon ordered his soldier less weapons to close ranks around the cages. Rumble reined in Cluyjil to a steady walk.

I felt a rush of air behind me and turned about in time to see a black bird swoop down from the sky and attempt to close its talons on one of the cages. It missed. I notched an arrow to my bow and let it fly after the retreating bird. It caught one of its wings and the bird spun to the ground, bursting into flame upon impact.

We halted and sent the escort back to retrieve the remains. They returned, bearing only the arrow, and reported that dust was all that remained of the bird.

Rumble interrogated the Caretaker afterwards, but he could give no answer to his questions, and protested that neither he nor the renegade queen had ever seen the like before.

The thing of it is, we had.

The Fairy Diary Day 540 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

We passed many sights still fresh in our memories on our way to Laguayil. Dunfallon pointed out the location of his encounter with the black bird. And below I could trace the path of my first journey to the west. Gilgorgon’s mountain was off in the distance. And that mystical mountain structure used by the undead trolls was still visible. 

Noralei was silent throughout our flight. Perhaps she was more attentive to her duties of directing Rayjil. 

When we arrived at Laguayil we were warmly greeted.  I think they knew we were coming. They even had a stall and some fire plants for Rayjil. 

Nililitil wanted to hear all about Noralei’s expedition to the Land of Darkness. Of course he had heard Navril’s account, but I believe he especially was keen to hear our pixie’s embellishments. 

Near the end of the repast they had prepared for us, the king of the elves shared some concerns they had arising from rumors out of the area north of Dromadil. A cold wind was descending from that quarter that was clearly wrong for the season. 

I jotted a note to the High Fairy to convey that news to him before turning in. 

The Fairy Diary Day 509 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

When I arrived at the repository Gibley and Dunfallon were waiting there for me with Conjil. No one said a word – for the bag with the beacon stone preceded me – pulling me along. They followed me in past the fairy guards who parted to allow us entry. 

The Caretaker met us and ushered us to Cluyjil. I felt rather awkward to reel the bag in and to fuss with it to free the necklace from its interior. But once the stone was out of the bag it flew from my grasp and lodged itself on the bony breastplate of the dragon. It was a bit of a struggle after that to get the chain of the necklace over Cluyjil’s head. But when that was accomplished, the questioning began. 

The chief question being – where was Rayjil? 

I told the tale of our encounter with the black bird and asked the Caretaker’s permission to strike the Crack of Doom. 

Lacking a dwarf on the team to wield the striker with us, we were uncertain of our success. Instead we doubled up on fairies by asking the Caretaker to help. 

There was a long wait after we rammed the the bell with the striker – longer than the first time we rang it. Then, out of the rising mist that threatened to block the moon from view, our dragon Rayjil came straight for us. And she appeared injured. 

We gathered around the shivering dragon. Her right wing bore a puncture that was ragged and bleeding. Gibley and Dunfallon dressed the wound and the Caretaker ordered some new bedding laid down for her. 

Cluyjil and Conjil laid down one on each side of their fellow dragon and kept her warm throughout the night. 

The Fairy Diary Day 507 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Up to this time I had not given the cloak of invisibility to Dunfallon, there not having been the need (and I had not wanted to chance feeding his penchant for pranks). But now I decided to use it myself – promising myself that I would hand it to him later. 

It covered most of me. No one saw my disembodied legs as I collected the beacon stone necklace and made my way around the castle down to Rayjil’s pen. 

She was more than ready for an adventure. 

Dawn was just breaking as we passed over Nonin-gal-dith. Shortly after that the bag attached to the saddle containing the beacon stone necklace began to levitate forward. And I smiled to myself as I took that for a confirmation that my idea was correct. The stone was choosing Cluyjil. 

At that instant something hit me from behind, knocking me off Rayjil. I had the presence of mind to snag the bag as I fell and out of the corner of my eye, saw the black bird flash by. 

As I floated to the ground I kept the dragon in view as she pursued my nemesis. She caught up to it and speared it with her talons and in that very instant they both disappeared from sight. 

The Fairy Diary Day 504 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Much to our relief, Merlin returned this morning. After checking a multitude of black bird sightings in and around Dromadil the trail had run cold. However, that fact was not what brought him back but rather the alarm sent out when Rumble opened the hidden cupboard. 

As it turns out it did contain the metals he had put aside with which to fashion a necklace for the beacon stone. And after examining the design Noralei had drawn for it, he gave a most hearty approval. 

That done, the wizard turned his attention to the swallowed gems. He questioned Dunfallon and Gibley about their charges – had there been any noticeable changes since the incident – in behavior or abilities – good or ill effects. 

All they could report was an increased appetite for fire plants. So Merlin advised them to keep an eye out for any changes in their fire breathing. 

The High Fairy spoke up at that point and said that Herblas might have learned something to illuminate the matter – and he prodded the shy dwarf forward. 

Herblas asked to look down the throats of the dragons. Dunfallon protested that he had done so already and found nothing in Rayjil. Still the pixie coaxed her to open her gullet, and there at the back of her throat – for all to see – the gem was lodged in a space in front of the igniter. A check with Conjil revealed the same. 

Merlin invited the dwarf and the dragon handlers to convene with him in his study. 

I joined Noralei and Rumble in the workshop to watch them as they got back to work- but found my thoughts wandering as to what else unlooked for would happen next. 

The Fairy Diary Day 500 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Glossom did not go with us to the stronghold city of the dwarves. He told us that he had too much work to see to as leader of his goblin clan and could not safely neglect it any longer. 

Before we parted he gifted his nephew with a young dragon that has manifested the same behavior as Rayjil. Not yet named (Gibley would have that honor), she was strong enough to carry the three of us – with room to add Herblas. 

Arriving at the entrance to the Low-way of the dwarves, Gibley remained with the dragon while Dunfallon and I went into the stronghold city. 

Herblas had not been idle and eagerly displayed for us a pouch full of purple gems. I thought they looked promising. 

We paid our respects to Fliget (Gnoston had returned to his village), and alerted him to the intelligence that the black bird was abroad in our land. Then we rejoined Gibley. 

The young goblin, having passed some time with the dragon, had named her. So, he introduced us to Conjil. And after we coaxed Herblas to join us, we winged our way to Merlin’s castle. 

The Fairy Diary Day 499 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Glossom has judged the purple stone to be perfect for our purposes. Next he says it must have a proper mounting. He suggests that the elves be consulted for the best heat resistant metals. (I wanted to put forward Noralei’s name as the best smith for the needed necklace, but thought it best to bide my time).

The goblin cautioned us that going forward the most crucial step will come next – that of identifying the best dragon with which to pair it. 

This was news to everyone. We had all assumed that Rayjil was THE one – the one and only dragon capable of bearing the beacon stone to the Land of Darkness. 

Seeing our disappointment, Glossom went on to explain that it was not what we believed. It was a matter of acceptance on the part of the gem itself. And we will not know until we bring the two together. 

This new uncertainty was added to, when I received a note on my scroll from the High Fairy. He had gone on to the repository after reporting to the Faerie Queen. He felt the need to check in on Noralei and Cluyjil. He confirmed that Rumble had delivered some fire plants as instructed, but what he learned in addition was disturbing. Multiple sightings of the black bird had been reported everywhere in the vicinity of the hiding place of the Crack of Doom.

Hearing this Merlin left immediately to help his excellency and Noralei after instructing us to collect Herblas at the stronghold city and to assemble everyone at his castle for the trials with Rayjil. 

The Fairy Diary Day 495 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Before we met again Merlin had been prompted to change a few things. Instead of the council chambers the wizard asked for a smaller and more secure venue – and he also limited those in attendance. 

Fliget and Gnoston, as their presence was not required, took it upon themselves to stand guard against any eavesdroppers at the doors of the inner room in which we convened. Herblas joined his fellow dwarves, leaving only Dunfallon, Gibley, and myself to attend. The High Fairy was not present, as he had returned to the Faerie kingdom to give a report to the Queen. 

Merlin opened the meeting with important information from Glossom. He made it plain that only dragons like Rayjil can transport to the other side in their own power. For other dragons and their riders to accompany such a one required a beacon stone worn around its neck. And the only one that Glossom’s goblins possessed was the one lost when Gorbin was immolated. 

(When this was said I had a flash of understanding of how the black bird moved between the worlds with the Will’o ’the Wisp). 

Upon a quick glance Gibley’s way I was filled with pain for him, wondering what may happen in any future encounters with this bizarre reincarnation of his father. Is there anything left of Gorbin in that beast?

Thankfully the wizard did not allow us the time to dwell on such thoughts, for we immediately set out for the goblin holdings in the canyonlands for answers. 

The Fairy Diary Day 493 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

My head is in a whirl about all the things discussed in our meeting. The weight of the task ahead of us is almost suffocating. It makes me grateful that I will not be going alone. 

Much of the time in the meeting was taken up by Glossom in which he explained the relationship the goblins had with the Land of Plenty before it became the Land of Darkness. The goblins with their dragons used to spend whole seasons upon its towering mountains, hunting wild game and living off the land’s bounty. Then the change came. And the mountains became pits growing ever deeper and at the last becoming one vast well. 

During the transition they had encounters with an entity – one that kept to the shadows and only attacked from ambush. 

At that point Glossom turned to Gibley and told him and us that Gorbin, Gibley’s father took it upon himself to hunt down their tormentor. And Glossom was witness to their encounter in which his brother and his dragon were consumed in a dark conflagration out of whose ashes rose a large black bird. 

“And that is why we (he said this more to Gilbley than to us) have never been back.”

Dunfallon immediately went to Gibley’s side as the tears filled his blinking eyes. 

Out of the heaviness Merlin wisely adjourned our meeting and called for us to reconvene this evening.