The Fairy Diary Day 561 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Thankfully our vigil was uneventful. Although the turmoil in my mind more than made up for it. I would have been happier to be with them on their search for Gibley. That way I would have seen the danger with my own eyes and not have to suffer through the multiple images from my wild imagination. 

I had something else to preoccupy my thoughts when a breeze commenced flowing from the vicinity of the rift. My sole thought then was that time was running out. I believed my agitation was picked up on by Conjil, bringing her to her feet, but when she moved to the tunnel opening I knew something else was afoot. 

In a rush, Merlin and Dunfallon emerged – followed by Cluyjil bearing Gibley and the strand end. As the wizard and the dragon grew back to their own stature, Merlin explained that the line had become too heavy for Gibley to pull along. 

Tinadell flew in at that instant and spoke to the problem – it was all on account of certain additions he had attached to the line as it paid out. 

All talk ceased with the freshening of the breeze rising in force to a stiff wind. 

I leapt on Conjil and announced that I would fly this end to Noralei down on the other side. Tinadell jumped on behind me. 

When we reached her, she was already prepared. She even had separated out the inner strands of her end all the better to splice it together with ours. 

Tinadell nodded his approval as he effected the reattachment of the two ends into one line. 

When the rest of our party arrived, the Master Weaver instructed them what to do while he and I flew back to his chamber to take up the slack and pull the completed line back up into position. 

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The Fairy Diary Day 450 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

Merlin made the decision to return us to his castle. He chose Rumble and me to accompany him and allowed Dunfallon and Cluyjil to fly back on their own, the better to check once again for their friends. 

Once there, the wizard pulled a few volumes from his library and then buried himself in his study. 

Rumble and I wended our way up to the parapet and kept vigil, scanning the skies in the direction where Gilgorgon’s mountain lay below the horizon. 

Merlin’s major domo the owl took pity on us and sent up two goblets of golden nectar – to keep up our strength and sharpen our eyesight. After the first sip I could make out the distant dots of the pixie and the dragon, flitting hither, thither, and yon across the landscape. 

It seemed that as they drew closer the slower they moved. 

They touched down on the parapet with the setting of the sun. That they were dispirited was plain to see. 

Dunfallon took his mount down to the courtyard to see to his care. And we went down to wait in the antechamber to Merlin’s study. 

The Fairy Diary Day 257 #TFDbyRWOz2

Meribabell writes:

The worst of our recent ordeal is over. I almost don’t have the energy to write it all down. And I wonder if I have the ability to note it down with any degree of coherence. 

I’ll try my best and just go in order. 

First there was the unending night in which our vessel was spun about ceaselessly. We hung on to each other and whatever came to hand that was solid on the ship. 

When daylight came again (we assume it was the next day), we discovered that one of our number was gone. The sailor called Hawk was nowhere to be found. But we had no respite to consider this circumstance at length, for the sea around us was marching at us with waves as high as mountains. Rumble, Noralei and myself banded together and exerted our combined powers to carry the ship over the highest waves. 

It was on one of these efforts that Rumble discovered that the ship’s rudder had been immobilized. Under Dorgone’s instruction, we freed it up. 

Finally with our resources clearly faltering, I grasped the pendant gifted to me by Merlin and summoned him to our aid. 

In an instant the wizard was on the deck. He raised his arms and the flash of light emanating from his hands leveled the sea in all directions. 

We thronged him gladly, and were glader still when he dismissed us to go below for rest. While he held vigil.

Day One Thousand Two Hundred Thirty One #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We found the redoubt empty and in disarray. It had been abandoned in a hurry. Whether it was to join the battle or to flee we didn’t know.

Mawuli and Tomas opted to keep vigil. Through the whole night.

But I took over at midnight and sent them in for a much deserved rest.

Actually there was nothing to watch or guard against. Save wild animals. And none put in an appearance.

Elijah led us out in the early morning. He wants to reach the village at the edge of the wilderness by tonight.

No matter how late.

Along the way the Captain shared a premonition. He doesn’t think he and Tomas will arrive at the hiding place with us.

Day One Thousand Two Hundred Sixteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

I am proud of Mawuli. He is exercising supreme control over his compulsion to wade down through these elite troops to get at his chief tormentor.

He has taken to heart Elijah’s advice (and warning) that any vengeance we could imagine to inflict upon Stan for his deeds would fall short by an infinity to the true justice he shall receive under the full weight of the Word.

For now he is content to share the vigil with Tomas and await developments.

He is as keen as I am to witness what is coming.

Later the Captain stirred more excitement when he brought news of more visitors.

I hurried to Elijah. Two of his disciples were there fresh from Babylon.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Thirty Seven #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We stopped short of the sacrificial high place yesterday. And still were undecided as to our next course of action. Elijah thought it best that we seclude ourselves for the day and seek direction as to our way forward.

This we did together, but only briefly, as we almost immediately were convinced that we should proceed in alternation.

So, one stood watch while the other two interceded.

There was little to see when the time for my vigil came around – just that towering column of smoke that has been billowing since we first witnessed it.

Then on my second watch a figure appeared and tended to the altar fire. I was certain that it was Moglen, up from Sy’s redoubt.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Twenty Six #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

All quiet today on the plain. No sign of conflict by sight or sound. By the end of the day it had been so quiet we had relaxed our vigil, especially when we sighted what we took to be the halfway point of our journey – the well to which Sy had led us – the one whose water was too low to access.

To our relief its water table had risen and we easily refilled our water skins.

Elijah volunteered for the first watch but I had no sooner turned in when he raised the alarm.

Alarm turned to joy when we recognized our intruder was our friend Reuben whom we first knew as a guard in the prison near Jerusalem.

Day One Thousand Eighty Five #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We haven’t budged from where we were captured yesterday. Our captors haven’t been too harsh beyond the first encounter. The bruises on Sy’s and the Captain’s heads notwithstanding. Despite our protestations that we are not spies, nor hold any animus against them, we are kept corralled together and forced to be quiet under the constant vigil of three guards.

The leader of the unit has no time for us and is intent on setting his defenses. So we have no one with which to plead our case to be taken to the Supreme Commander.

At least they are not curious about Mei’s presence with us. And they have not confiscated Elijah’s staff. Evidently they assume he needs it to walk.

Day One Thousand Sixty #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Elijah gathered us together after breakfast. The general expectation prevailed that he would announce our departure immediately. All the more so since Elam’s revelation that he too had been given a vision of a rising tide of blood.

But Elijah caught us off balance. Though he concurs that our group is now complete, he does not agree that it is time to leave.

He has called for another fast and that it is to commence tomorrow when we set out on to the road eastward. We shall halt on the stone bridge and there hold a vigil and await a sign.

We then passed the day in preparation both physically and spiritually.

And Mei cheerfully lent a hand to all.

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.