Eril's Story

Day 20

Morning brought much of what it had the previous day, clear air and the pleasant sounds of nature around us. That was at least until later. When the previously translucent sky was replaced by menacing opaque clouds, darkening the land and marching from over the mountains behind. The air became dry and full of static, and there was a persistent stiff breeze at our backs, prompting me to wrap my cloak tighter. Within hours the sky was covered by black, and the first drops of rain began to fall.

Throughout the rest of the day the onslaught of the storm only worsened, the light becoming increasingly dim, while the wind howled through the branches above, sending dirt and pieces of trees whipping through the air. I put my head down and continued to trudge along, following my two companions who were not faring any better, as Cyrith complained of a tree needle in her eye, rubbing it profusely.

One thing I had to appreciate though, was as the shadows lengthened, it seemed as if the forest took on whole new shapes, donning a new persona as the visibility shrank with the light. Periodically flashes of lighting would briefly illuminate it all again as it forked along the sky - with the absence of noticeable thunder, it made for an eerie spectacle.

Balar had hoped to make more progress in the day to stay on track, but it was becoming increasingly clear that less and less progress was being made, now that the ground was becoming slick with mud. From under our hoods, we kept our attention out for a place to get some shelter, hoping to get some respite from the torrent at our backs. Unfortunately, it was some time before we found a suitable clearing that was sheltered somewhat from the storm.

The area we found ourselves in was quite strange, there were mounds of dirt and shallow trenches adjacent to each that snaked through the grass, forming connected lines and angles. There was something unnatural about the precision and placement of these embankments. I stumbled around over unsteady earth, looking for any sign of a structure, or other human involvement, but found none. I had just made it to the top of a small hill, providing slightly more vantage, when I tripped, tumbling down the side into a waterlogged pit.

Stunned, I cried out. My companions hastened to me, carefully picking their way to where I was, offering their arms to help drag me from my viscous prison. Feeling around towards their hands, and seeing only faint silhouettes, my arm brushed against something hard on the bank. The protrusion made for a steady handhold, as I hoisted myself by it, grasping onto an extended hand. Being dragged upwards, I felt my body bumping into more of the objects, almost as if rocks or sticks were poking out from the side.

Drenched, but now back on level ground, we decided that this place would have to be our camp, it being unwise to continue on with so little light. No sooner had we decided, then the wind began ripping through the trees in earnest. The sound of a large tree being felled and crashing to the ground somewhere in the distance confirmed our choice. We proceeded with great difficulty to set up camp, using a side of an embankment for some shelter, though still struggling to put up even the most primitive of accommodations, such as fire or a tarp over our heads.

Normally I was one to enjoy storms and extreme weather, but this was even getting to my nerves. When the lightning flashed, I could swear I saw figures among the trees, and faces in the sky - the others saw them too. We were finally able to have a quick portion of food, hunkering down right after, completely giving up on the notion of being remotely dry or comfortable. The best one could hope for, was not ending up totally waterlogged in a puddle by morning.

Rest came in segments during the night, waking often in fits of unease. During one of these bouts a pale red glow was over the area, sparks floating through the air, not quenched by the rain. I was in too much of a daze from just waking up to make out what the cause was, only feeling a strong sense of dread in the pit of my stomach that made me want to simply shut my eyes, making the world go away. And that is what I did.