The Fairy Diary Day 414 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

I cannot begin to fully imagine what our goblin friend is going through. His sadness and disappointment dogged his every step today. And those feelings spilled over onto the hatchling, who was sluggish and clung solely to the training staff. 

Dunfallon wanted to pay an unannounced visit to the other goblin location and snap up a few other dragon training devices, but I vetoed that idea and ordered him to focus on directing our way towards Merlin’s castle. Which may mean crossing the river again. 

As we were going along I fell into a conversation with Rumble, since we have left the goblins behind he sensed less opposition to our movement which led him to speculate that it had been an enchantment put in place by them as a reaction to the dark elf incursion at the time of Gibley’s kidnapping. 

This brought to my mind the memory of Gibley’s uncle staring at us. And the flicker of fear I saw in his eyes as they took in the sight of my pendants. 

It was a reminder also to check the scroll. And therein was written a new note from the High Fairy. Merlin was now ready and willing to answer our summons.

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The Fairy Diary Day 411 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Between Dunfallon and myself the conviction is growing that something is in operation actively opposing our progress. In comparing his two perspectives- up high or at canyon level – the pixie declares that the two do not line up. 

And the rest of us on the canyon floor were puzzled by strange sights. When you stood in one spot and looked about – each direction appeared to be a mirror image of the same view. One departed from that spot in one direction and returned to the very same place from another direction. 

Since all our efforts appeared to be of no avail, when Dunfallon next rejoined us, I said until further notice we would be retracing our steps to the river and attempt another route altogether. 

It took some trial and error, but because of Rumble’s additions to his map we arrived back at the river safely.

The Fairy Diary Day 408 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Last night we arrived on the banks of the river. It was a wild sight. Immense and roaring. We moved back from it, the better to rest. 

The river looked even wilder in the morning light. We sat down to think through our options for getting over. We knew we fairies would be able to fly across, our only concerns were for Gibley and the hatchling. 

Dunfallon announced that while we talked it over, he was going aloft to look for narrower places to cross. So our pixie was not around when we heard a voice call out from the river. 

Noralei was the first to spot him – it was Nora the waterhorse. He skipped through the rolling torrents, hallooing all the way over to our side. 

It was a joyous reunion. 

Noralei explained our predicament to him, and he volunteered immediately to carry each of us across the raging river. I, for one, did not mind saving my wings the exertion. 

Nora was a little skittish about carrying the hatchling, but Noralei convinced him that when wrapped around its special staff she was as docile as a lamb. 

And after we explained what a lamb was to Nora, he took Gibley over first, so the hatchling could focus on him. 

By the end of their crossing the two – Nora and the hatchling – grew quite fond of one another. 

Dunfallon arrived back just in time to join us in thanking Nora and bidding him goodbye.

The Fairy Diary Day 407 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

We stumbled across a cave entrance that had eluded Dunfallon’s notice from the air, so Gibley just had to check it out. While I stayed outside with a dozing hatchling, the goblin went in accompanied by Rumble and Noralei. 

They were not gone long, for it turned out to be inhabited by an animal of some kind – absent at the moment.

Gibley did find a few scraps to give to his dragon later. 

We were about to move on when Dunfallon dropped in to see us. As he slid off the back of his eagle we all saw that he was wielding a knobby stick and made to strike the hatchling with it. Before any of us could react, the hatchling was awake and threw itself at the stick. It was soon wrapped around it and making contented sounds. The pixie laughed and explained he had found this dragon training staff near the cave that was farthest from the river. 

Dunfallon had recognized it from his library research. And Gibley confirmed its use by his people. 

His hope soared that he may soon be back with them.

The Fairy Diary Day 406 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

With the new information from Gibley, Dunfallon increased the scope of his time aloft on his eagle. We have decided to help the goblin find his people, if they can be found. 

The pixie brought back the location of two possible cavern entrances to goblin lands. Rumble marked them on his map, and he, Noralei and Gibley will check them out as we get closer. 

Dunfallon also has begun to fly higher and has picked out that tower of a mountain that points the way to Merlin’s castle. Its heading he also shared with Rumble. 

However, both Rumble’s maps and the pixie’s observations reveal that a huge river lies between us and all those destinations. 

Hopefully we can find a way to get us all across safely.

The Fairy Diary Day 241 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

The river now lies behind us and the mountains are rising to meet us. The farmlands are giving way to woodlands and there are fewer elves about. No doubt most of them are archers and were called up long ago. 

For the first time we had to show Nililitil’s passport. A barrier had been placed athwart the road and guarded by the largest elves I have ever seen. The passport proved its worth. They ushered us through and bid us all speed. 

Rumble commented afterwards that they seemed on edge, constantly scanning the skies towards the north. 

Just after that experience, we had a message from the High Fairy. He has arrived in Dromadil. The Laguayilian armies are arriving and Merlin is already there. The Faerie Queen’s forces will be there soon. He was optimistic and reported that all was quiet across the lake. 

Even so I cannot shake a growing sense of forboding. 

That and Rumble thought he saw black birds flitting around in the woods.

The Fairy Diary Day 217 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Before we set out we listened to Rumble as he gave a rundown on the peoples that inhabit this city now in view. When he mentioned it was inhabited and belonged to elves, Noralei drew back with concern. 

Dunfallon was quick to allay her apprehension and pointed out from his studies he knew that they were directly opposed to the dark elves and had been involved in bringing about their downfall. In some quarters he explained they were known as elves of the light. 

At that point my pendant seemed to gain weight, tugging at my neck, and I added without careful thought that we must exercise caution in our approach for who knows if such is still the reality.

My friends just stared at me until I regained my composure and assured them my words were not definitive. It was just my normal caution coming out. 

My whole train of thought was interrupted when we came upon the spot where our stream emptied into a broad river. A river whose destination lay in the city ahead. 

We decided to travel parallel to the river’s path rather than on it.

The Fairy Diary Day 200 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Rumble and I passed a miserable night waiting and hoping to see our friends again. Several times I nearly gave in to Rumble’s plea and summoned Merlin. But oddly I felt restrained from doing so by a sense that I cannot put into words. 

I did, however, compose a message to the High Fairy. And at the moment I finished it Dunfallon returned. 

He was disconsolate. He dismissed his eagle without a word of praise for its efforts. Something not at all like our pixie. 

When we pressed him for details as to what happened, he only said that he also lost sight of Noralei soon after he started his pursuit. He followed the stream as it became a river, all the way to a large body of water into which it flowed. And he exhausted himself chasing thousands of flashes of silver churning the waters there. All to no avail. 

Then at the urging of my pendant I announced that we were going to press on to that body of water. 

Day One Thousand One Hundred Seventeen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

A fine powder coated everything out of doors in the city. No one could identify it. So the unease of yesterday returned.

Elijah and I were kept quartered close to the Supreme Commander’s command center. Tomas stopped in and out throughout the day and gave us updates. He had been tasked to analyze the powder. Was it by design from the enemy?

He had a breakthrough come afternoon. The material in combination with another compound is highly combustible when water is present.

It made little sense until someone else realized the attack may be directed at the river coming into the city or the tanks fed by the desalination plants.

Thus the army must decide whether to evacuate or not.

Day One Thousand Eighty Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Off to our right today we saw elements of the army of the East. They were hard at work digging in and setting defenses for the main army which must be within Babylon, now visible to our front.

Sy brought back word from Mawuli that forces were on their way for a similar purpose in this area, and advised we skirt this development by swinging even further east.

We lost no time in complying, finding ourselves nearing the river Elijah and I had followed to the megapolis many months ago.

Thus we found it necessary to regroup and move as a single unit around the increasing number of patrols.

I suggested that we make our way down to the river.