The Fairy Diary Day 330 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

We received an answer from the High Fairy to our report about our new location and about our hopes for Noralei’s compass. His excellency wanted me to summon Merlin – at the wizard’s behest for he wanted to be where we are. 

(We were hoping to have him with us and were relieved when he appeared).

While Dunfallon kept watch on the Low-way, the rest of us gathered in the junction chamber around Noralei and her compass. 

Merlin is convinced that the red ashes within are reacting to the the dragon egg. Clearly they were stationary – which Noralei confirmed had been their status for quite some time. Rumble posited that its inactivity may be due to the dark elves’ caution after their discovery of the traps. 

After some thought, Merlin said that if there was no movement soon, we should set out for it. 

He is particularly desirous that it not fall into the hands of their most effective warrior – one who had been most ferocious under Gilgorgon’s mountain.

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The Fairy Diary Day 329 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

We decided to retreat based on the fact that our current location is too close to the stronghold. I thought it wiser to give ourselves more opportunity to spot and to seize the dragon egg, and to do that, required that we descend to the Low-way and head back to the other passage that connects to the first junction we came to in the side passage. 

Before we followed Dunfallon down to the Low-way, Rumble finished his ministrations to the plant roots with good results. They appeared healthy and thriving. 

Keeping to the wall and the shadows, Dunfallon soon had us at the other passage to the first junction. Along the way we sighted only a few dark elves – traveling singly – some up the Low-way, others down. Obviously messengers, but none carrying a dragon egg. 

We took turns going up to the chamber of the junction. When it came Noralei’s turn, she was gone no more than fifty wingbeats before flying back down with the news that the red ashes in her compass were once again active. 

We think it might be tracking the dragon egg.

The Fairy Diary Day 326 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

The Will’o’the Wisp was still unresponsive, but there was no need for the others to unloose their cloaks to light their way by the shine from their armor as my pendant in this smaller passage gives light enough for all. 

The babble of the brook was good company as it kept up a merry tune as we traveled along. Though at times it increased to a roar when we came out at the foot of a waterfall. 

After a couple of such instances we began to fear that we may no longer be paralleling the Low-way, and might miss altogether the dark elf stronghold. 

A check with Rumble’s map was inconclusive. And Noralei’s compass has been no help for quite some time as it continues to point to the ancient dark elf capital so very far behind us. 

We halted when we arrived at a junction of five passageways. While Dunfallon hastens to check each one, the rest of us are resting.

The Fairy Diary Day 275 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Our assumption that a city or castle or tower belonging to the enemy was hidden from our view has proven false. There was no extra barrier guarded by those black plants masking the seat of the enemy’s power. 

Instead we are standing on the rim of the crater Dunfallon saw yesterday looking down into its vastness. Noralei’s compass indicates we have arrived. And my pendants have ceased their agitation. But I sense that it is only the calm before the storm. 

We have decided to wait before pressing onwards. And to await an answer to my recent report to the High Fairy. 

How close are they?

Should we wait for their arrival?

The Fairy Diary Day 273 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

I have come to the conclusion that there are no dark elves in this land – and this not just from our own experience thus far. Grimace tells us that he has not seen nor encountered one in his traverse of the entire country. 

That left us all wondering exactly who or what it is that opposes us – that has mounted the attacks against our lands. 

Then this valley took a turn to the east at the end of the mountain range to our right, and another valley opened before us – one that appears to cut through all the ranges we saw from the heights a few days ago. 

Straight ahead per Noralei’s compass lies the source which attracts the greater amount of the red ashes. And both my pendants which have been ‘silent’ since we passed beyond the barrier were quivering. 

We are impatient for Dunfallon’s return. 

The Fairy Diary Day 271 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Of course there was no keeping Dunfallon from his friend Grimace. There was much hooting and hollering between them. Mostly the pixie. It was all I could do to keep us going forward. 

But the encounter was more than fortunate, for the troll knew exactly which way to go, delivering us from our quandary. 

Grimace had much to tell us, the more important details of which spilled into today. 

He had escaped the clutches of the troll enslavers when in the camp near the black crystalline tower. He tried to rescue some of the others but it was too late. They were rendered into the walking dead, and a number of them set on his trail. 

Rather than head back home through the land of the Dromadil pixies he pressed deeper into the land of the dark elves. 

He gave an entire history of his movements from that day to this. 

And that is how we came to abandon the straight route of Noralei’s compass and followed the first valley northward.

The Fairy Diary Day 270 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

For the first time Noralei’s compass shows that the red ash clump that we identify with the enemy’s location is closer than the walking menace behind us. 

Yet we do not see anything like a city or a tower or any habitation before us. Which given what we know is not at all that surprising. Rumble and I surmise that there must be bands of black plants surrounding it and masking it from our view. 

We stopped atop the highest point in the vicinity to surveil the way ahead. If we were to follow straight on to the destination per the compass we had nothing but mountain range after mountain range ahead of us. 

The four of us were pondering this when up from the other side a giant figure rushed into our midst. Immediately our weapons came to hand – but luckily we did not have to use them. 

For the giant figure was our missing troll, Grimace, Geog’s brother.

The Fairy Diary Day 269 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

As we go along in the land of the dark elves (in which we have yet to see a single dark elf), Rumble stops frequently to tend to the suffering plant life, coaxing them back to health. 

I am all for his efforts, of course, but I do have consequent concerns. We need to stay ahead of that giant walking menace, so I counseled my friend to be brief. I do not tell him to desist – not yet – but it may be necessary for me to do so if the result of his ministrations is offhandedly leaving a trail behind that will lead it to us. 

Noralei later came to me to say her compass was acting strangely – the red ashes identified with the walking plants were larger than the other clump. So, I asked Dunfallon to fly over and check it out. 

He found the giant plant standing stock still in the middle of a stream. At first the pixie thought it was trapped and prevented from continuing. But as he circled he could see that it was actually growing bigger – in girth as well as height. 

At this disturbing news I decided we needed to move on with all dispatch, and told Rumble we all would have to keep a swifter pace. 

The Fairy Diary Day 267 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

We have not sighted any of the ambulatory plants. So we decided to take advantage of that and move on. Rumble had the thought that with the collapse of the barrier they may be adversely effected. 

I for one certainly hope that is the case. 

We came to a point along the stream where we decided to depart from it. Which also meant saying goodbye to Nora. (He was very disappointed and that more than anything saddened us too). We promised one another undying affection.  And I felt that we would be encountering one another before long. 

Noralei consulted her compass and was puzzled by the movement of the red ashes. Instead of pointing in just one direction, now there were two. 

It was easy to surmise that the eastern group was due to the black plants, especially the walking ones, in that direction. That left the other as highly likely to be were our enemy is headquartered. 

I wrote the High Fairy to fill him in on our discoveries and to ask for the latest from him. 

We are all pleased with our progress at last.

The Fairy Diary Day 243 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

We came to a fork in the road before noon. A check with Rumble’s map revealed that each wends through a different pass. To the right it is shorter but you have to climb to reach it. The other is much longer. Noralei’s compass favors the first (but I feel it is only becasue it lies closer to the crystalline tower). My pendant was pulling me to the longer route. 

My mention of that decided the matter for my companions, and we took the left fork. However, even with the first step, the High Fairy’s admonition for haste haunted my mind – until a message appeared from him. 

They have entered the black crystalline tower and have found it empty. No birds, no bats, no trolls.  And no dark elves.

We followed the lead of my pendant and picked up the pace.