The Fairy Diary Day 543 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Noralei had some difficulty with Rayjil convincing her to leave her new found playmates behind. Thankfully Dunfallon enticed her away from the stable by whispering something in her ear. 

I jotted a quick note on the scroll to the High Fairy to alert him to our movements. 

The three of us were soon mounted and Rayjil took flight, pursuing the westering moon. I knew we were on the right track when the rainbow circling that orb reached out to us and drew us in. 

The Land of Darkness was no longer. Instead of the vast well sinking down to its depths there was an irregular shaped mountain filling the same space. A pleasing light filled the air about us. Dunfallon wondered out loud if this was the Land of Plenty once again. 

We touched down on the nearest side of the mountain. Everything was barren roundabout – hardly a paradise. And everything was cold to the touch. 

We scanned our surroundings for any sign of Glossom and Gibley. But nothing. 

We sent Noralei aloft on Rayjil to do a wider search. Dunfallon and I remained on the mountain to explore all the nearby caves and crevices. 

In one such cave we found what we believe to be a goblin hunting camp. Noralei circled back at that instant to report a similar finding further down. Since she judged the one she had found of more recent use, she packed us up and we descended to it. 

There we took our ease after a busy day. And tried to rest despite the constant light bathing the land. 

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The Fairy Diary Day 515 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

I did rest before our departure. It was peaceful and calm. In some measure due I am sure to the kindness of Merlin. A shadow passed over me just prior to waking, or may even had caused me to waken. 

I was confronted by a tunnel with the sound of air rushing through it – endlessly droning. And a gripping cold squeezed my heart. 

I was so glad to wake up and shake it off. 

Then I remembered Noralei’s concern that we guard our minds on the other side. And I donned my breastplate and took up once again my three pendants. 

I shall not remove them while in the Land of Darkness. 

The dragons were alert and ready, chomping at their bits in their excitement to be off. 

I was the last to take my place. They all watched me as I mounted Cluyjil behind Gibley. In unison we signaled our readiness to Merlin and the High Fairy. Then, Gibley and Cluyjil led us up into the sky through the covering clouds. 

There before us was a shining moon with a rainbow circled round it. Gibley pointed his dragon towards it and blew the whistle. 

Rayjil and her riders to my left faded from view – then Conjil and hers on my right. And last of all us. The rainbow reached out to us and darkened the deeper we went. The rush of wind, its source to the front of us, sucked us in. 

At the end we flew through our own reflection into the Land of Darkness.  When we landed it was by the edge of a crater – a crater so vast, we could not see the other side. 

We looked to Noralei and from its edge we followed her down into the well. 

Day Nine Hundred Ninety Nine #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Elijah and I led the next group out during the first watch, thankful to have the moon up for the more difficult part of our journey. I remember wondering as it sank below the horizon how the Purser would fare with his charges, as I was sure that at the time of their departure the moon was well below the horizon.

Mawuli welcomed us and directed the group to their designated abodes. The whole process was much better organized this time around.

Come the hour of the Purser’s projected arrival we were disappointed. It came and then passed us by.

I can only assume that they have put it off until tonight.

Elijah is unruffled and talks of visiting Reuben.

Day Eight Hundred Forty Five #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

I swung around at the first puff of a breeze on the back of my neck. Floating on its variable current, snowflakes fluttered as though down from the moon. I stood enraptured, following the ephemeral choreography and brushing away accumulations from my eyes and beard.

The spell was broken when the moon hid behind the clouds, and I looked down to see my feet covered up to the ankles.

I turned back only to discover that Elijah had continued on, his form just visible in the swirl.

I had to run to catch up.

He chuckled as I rejoined him, saying, “The view is just as good forward.”

And added, “Enjoy, it’ll be gone by second watch.”

And it was.

Day Eight Hundred Thirty Six #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We left the easy path behind us at the well. It’s all up and down sand dunes now, so it’s hard to keep straight as Quasimo advised. We were supposed to keep the path of the moon perpendicular to ours. Hard to do as it was cloudy most of the night.

Though I was losing my bearings, Elijah kept steadfast. And our finding the next well depends upon it.

Upon the uphill trudge I would wonder what everything would look like in the daylight, but on the downhill slope all such thoughts fly off.

I realized I needed to focus my thoughts on something else. Something with weight.

As we settle in at daylight we hear barking in the distance.

Day Eight Hundred Thirty Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We were exhausted by the time morning rolled along, having been awake and moving all day and night.

Our path was easy going, helped along by the glow of the moon while it was up.

Still, as we turned in for the daylight hours, my mind was overfull with the trek so far.

The events from the bridge to the rock formation run over and over in my thoughts, colored by my apprehension that a drone might overtake us before we found it. And the trek through the desert night carried its own unease as we were alert to find our next landmark. A well that should mark an end to this effortless pathway.

It helps to breathe and pray.

Day Six Hundred Thirty Nine #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We bid Tomas godspeed. He is on his way south to investigate the area towards the high mountains.

We traveled last night, and will wait here one full day, travel another night and wait again. That way it should be easier for Tomas to catch up.

Tomas plans to travel night and day, with only the minimum of rest time, for the same object.

We only had the stars and a brief appearance by the moon to light our way. No flitting lights troubled the sky.

I wanted to accompany Tomas. I truly did. But Elijah reminded me of our commitment never to part ways again.

We shall rest through the day, and pray for Tomas through the night tomorrow,

Day Six Hundred Thirty Eight #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The heat radiating from the ground was slow in dissipating in the early part of our trek. Helped along no doubt by the stillness of the air. Not a breath of a breeze came our way.

And we are walking longer in darkness as the moon is rising well after midnight. The Captain says we will soon have moonless nights.

The sky has been clear of all objects except the heavenly ones. This puzzles Tomas and has lead to great unquiet. He wants to know for sure what happened. He wants to head south and see for himself.

I tried to dissuade him, but again Elijah surprised us and suggested that we allow him to pursue that course of action.

Day Six Hundred Thirty Six #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Lots of bushy scrub in the area we passed through over night. Much easier to avoid mishaps when the moon was up. Or so the Captain learned. He was tripped up twice.

I did see lights in the sky that were not stars, flitting from one side of the sky to the other. More of those machines that Elijah says are looking for us. And per Tomas, guided from within by men.

I sense the hand of Stan at work. Perhaps not directing each individual action, but setting the pattern as they perform his bidding.

We called it an early night and went into camp before the sun cleared the horizon.

Elijah stood vigil while we ate, then turned in.

My Friend Mr. Sun

For a couple of reasons lately, Mr. Sun has occupied a good deal of real estate in our consciousnesses. The chief reason being the heatwave of many days duration up here in the Pacific Northwest.

Here he is lurking somewhere outside my “office” where I do most of my writing.

Here he playfully casts shadows on the wall behind me. (Entertaining to me – it was a moving image!)

Then there was an eclipse of Mr. Sun by Mr. Moon back on 8/21. Though we were outside the path of totality, we did see most of his surface blocked out, and felt the temperature drop. (Here a couple of my grandkids play after viewing the eclipse. They were bored, and found it more fun to play).

Then recently his color has deepened to a blood-red orange, due to the many forest fires in the surrounding area.

I don’t want to seem ungrateful for all this nice weather, Mr. Sun (and hint that you’ve over stayed your welcome), but I am getting a little nostalgic for the rain.