The Fairy Diary Day 302 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

The passage came to a fork. The ocean sounds came only from the one on the right. I was certain that was not the one we wanted, for I judged that we were still very distant from the canyonlands. But we sent Dunfallon to follow up anyway. 

In the meantime, Rumble, Noralei, and myself evaluated this junction as to its suitability for cutting off the retreating dark elves. 

We were still at that task when our pixie returned. He reported that the passage came out in the hills above the fishing village on the bay. (So I was right, we were nowhere near the canyonlands). 

The village remains deserted. 

Judging by the trampled ground thereabouts, Dunfallon believes that its denizens had passed in by that particular entrance. And we can only surmise that they joined with the other dark elves.

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The Fairy Diary Day 295 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Noralei noticed the strange behavior of the Will’o’the Wisp within his lantern prison. He was more agitated and glowed brighter when anywhere near Hawk. 

We learned to use it for effect. For Hawk was also affected by the nearness of Willie. It made him all the more compliant when interrogating him about which passage the returning dark elf forces would use. 

After Hawk identified the main passage, Dunfallon and the Dromadilians went in to explore and to set pixie traps. 

They discovered that further back the wide passage indicated by Hawk had offshoots to narrower passages that also ended in the shaft. 

Thus, a new debate began – seal off the one or the many?

Day One Thousand Two Hundred Thirty #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

When Mawuli failed to return over night, all of us went down to look for him. Vermin which had joined the scavenger birds slunk away at our passage. We found him on the far side of the valley on the one spot of ground not soaked in blood.

He said not a word as the Captain gathered him into his arms.

Rather than return to the heights right away we skirted the edge of the valley until we made out the stone bridge far above. Mawuli was recovered enough to walk on his own and he aided Elijah and myself. After a short search we located the stream bed and took the path that paralleled it up to the heights.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Ninety Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The terrain we have traversed is deserted. So Tomas’s job has been easy with not much to warn about or shield us from.

His focus, therefore has changed.  With yesterday’s earthquake there have been changes to the landmarks we have used in the past to direct our steps. Whole sections of rock have uplifted obliterating entire pathways.

The course of the sun is his best indication of direction.

I am left wondering how much this will slow our passage. And what it means to those who are and will be following us.

Tomas says I worry too much. And Elijah agrees.

Most likely so. I prefer to describe it as caring. But that’s not to say my companions care less.

Day One Thousand Eighty One #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

All we saw along the way were signs of the passage of the massive army. We were in its wake and evidently far from its point of contact with the world government’s forces.

I, for one, was glad of it. For I know that the day will come when I shall be face to face with the ultimate carnage. Sooner than it has ever been.

Sy and Elam alternated turns in the advance with Mawuli. The lad is indefatigable.

Mei is greatly buoyed in spirit by our brief sojourn with Lung and her old unit. She was talking with the Captain and asked what he hoped for from our mission.

As one could guess this raised the topic of Tomas.

Day One Thousand Nineteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We are up against it. The road is a solid mass of slow moving traffic in both directions. How any of the groups ahead of us got beyond this point is a mystery.

Reuben took everyone back to the relay point, except Elijah, Quasimo and me. Thankfully it is not that far away. I shall summon them if circumstances arise favorable to our passage.

Our observations so far are not promising. The few breaks in the traffic were filled by attending drones keeping vigil overhead.

Throughout the day I made two trips back to the relay point to familiarize myself with its turns and doglegs that I may all the easier navigate it in the dark.

Now we must wait.

Day One Thousand Eighteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Quasimo has come out of his crisis of confidence, partly helped by his skill in getting us to the third and last of the relay points, but I believe mostly due to the penetrating insight supplied by Elijah through their discussion.  Elijah was able to put him at peace, both for the present, and with his past. And most glorious of all, for the future.

Our passage today was for the most part uneventful. Reuben did sight a drone, but there was enough time to get everyone into cover. Quasimo said to expect more such sightings from here on out. Especially in the vicinity of the busy road that runs to Damascus from Jerusalem.

That will be the greatest challenge.

Day Nine Hundred Sixty Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Jezer had guessed right. Indeed, there were checkpoints where hitherto there had been none. But they were easily spotted and the terrain was such that we had no trouble screening our passage around them.

Reuben took the extra precaution of sending scouts forward to locate any lone sentinels positioned as lookouts. Thankfully there were none.

All these extra exertions were very taxing and slowed our progress as half the time we were headed away from our goal. This frustration we took in stride and made us the more thankful for Jezer’s thoughtfulness in supplying each of us with a water skin.

As we went along Elijah and I discussed with Reuben the things he should know about our mutual future.

Day Nine Hundred Eight #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Unexpectedly we were not the last ones to arrive at the hiding place. Mei’s group still has not appeared. We were so late beginning our trek that our passage took the whole night. And somehow our group and those of Tomas and the Captain as well must have passed them by.

Jezer volunteered to go in search. And of course Tomas joined him. (Against Jezer’s usual complaint- the unfamiliarity of the other with the environs).

We gave them our blessing and set about organizing the available spaces to the various new groups.

That done, it was readily apparent that there is still room for myriads more.

Elijah introduced his set-apart place where many will be soon interceding for Mei.

Day Seven Hundred Seventy Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Our young people returned with good news.  Indeed, there was a passage under this mountain that disgorges onto the other side.

With this comforting knowledge we settled down to pass the night in the safety of the cave.

Come morning we pressed onward led by Tomas and Mei.

There were a couple of tricky sections where we had to descend a good height by handholds chipped from the rock by persons who had explored this way before. Who knows how long ago?

Once through to the other side, Mei and Tomas waited for us to catch up. Tomas collected our firebrands and suggested that we rest up and spend the night again in the cave.

His thoughtfulness was very welcome.