Day 10

Breakfast was marred by a blazing row between myself and Govinda. It started when I annotated that we would detour to take a look at the structure he had noticed last night. Govinda was strongly opposed to this coarse of action. At first he tried to argue that we did not have provisions for the delay. When this did not dissuade me from viewing the structure he declared it blasphemy and a place built of lies.

I am not sure if the suns are getting to him or his upbringing is rearing its head with this knee jerk reaction to anything which may raise questions about those beliefs he had be holding as truth all his life.

In any case I laid his options out for him. He could return home disgraced or he could clam himself and remember his place. He seems to have chosen the latter and with that little drama out of the way we struck out towards the structure.

As the twins rose higher in the sky the scale of what I can only call a city dawned on us. We are all seem to be having some trouble processing it; except for Sem-buk who is as unphased as ever. I was afraid that Govinda was going to go catatonic on me but he seems to have gone all the way trough panic into so disassociated clam. He is like a man in a dream which he knows is not real but he is going along with it to see where it goes. Akanksha is bubbling with excitement and is coming with some truly entertaining out of this world theories. I mean this somewhat literally as she say this must be a citadel of the gods or perhaps beings beyond from beyond the sky. From anyone else at any other time in any other place I would scoff at these wild flights of fancy. But here and now with her I can not bring my self to. Govinda seems to be taken with the citadel of the gods idea.

We stop for our siesta on a ridge over looking the city. Whilst much decade from its former glory it shows signs that it once was much grander than even the capital.

As we walk towards what was once the main gate we noticed that Surya's path lead strait to it. The ruts in it seemed to fan out and fade away once it was pass the gate. The streets of the city were two level things. The centre was lower than the edges and appeared to have a slight raise towards the centre.

Very few of the buildings seemed to have survived much beyond their second story but there was clear evidence that they had once been taller. As we explored we sought answers to three questions: Who had built it, when and why had it been abandoned?

There was definite signs that some of the destruction had been down to fire. As we headed into the centre of the city the damage became more extreme with the buildings being all pocked marked and creators broke up the road.

At the very centre there appeared to be a park. It was surrounded on all sides by what must have once been vast buildings. The main temple and governmental buildings most likely. The were all merely shells now showing sings of some great conflaguation. I saw evidence of the actions of flame and air souled through out the park. At the centre stood the remains of four statues on a raised dias. There were carings in the Dias. One looked like an arcaic from of Sevai the others were in three distinq scripts which I do not reconise. I have inclueded a sceach of them. I believe the Sevai inscription reads "To Brotherhood and peace". It appeares they didn't get their wish.

After resting in shadow of the statue we discussed our options in regards to this discovery. It was quickly agreed that we did not have the resorces to do any sort of justice to this place. so we decided to split up. Govinda would stay near the park and explore the building on the perimeter. I think he plans on finding the main temple and being honest he has the best chance of all of us. Akanksha is taking the east of the city as Savi covention holds that where the mercent quarter should be. That left me with the west, hopefully I'll be able to see how the citizens lived. We agreed to meet at the northern gate at sunsdown. Sem-buk will take the nauls and our provisions and wait for us there.

walking through the residential streets I noticed there always seemed to be four types of houses. There was of corse the differences due to caste and class, but there seemed to be four philosophies underpinning the designs.

The first of which are very much like ours.

The second were round, often circular, with a hearth at the centre of a single room. The grander of this type show some eviendece of partitions.

The final two are somewhat simerlar to each other. They are both pretty much entirely underground. The major difference between the two was that one seemed to have been deliberately flooded. The remaining water in even the humblest was remarkably fresh.

Four seems to becoming a significant number in this expidition. when I reached the north gate I found that Sem-buk had stabled the Nuals at what I believe is best discribed as an inn. Its location and layout diffinatly fitted that lable. Our provisions had been stored in the main building but I seemed to be the only one arround. I took the oppertunity to clmb up the city wall and survey our onwards journey. To the north-west vegitation became evermore sparse probably leading to a Surya blasted wasteland. On the north-eastern horizon I believe the may be some large body of water. It is northward we are heading and there is a continuation of Surya's path leading to the foot hills of the mountains that the darkones call home. I found Sem-buk stood behind me when I turned back to the city. He confirmed that those foothills mark the border of his people's lands.

As the twin sunk below the horizon my students made the appearences at the north gate. First came Govida brimming with excitement over the discovery of what he believed to be the main temple. He has made copious notes and sketches which we will look over after supper.

Akansha returned a little dispondent and seemed a little put out by Govinda's success. She reported that what she was forced to assume was the merchent quarter seems to hav suffered the most damage. I can only assume that this was due to the large market places be open ground whilst the merchent's houses would have the most portable wealth making very attactive to looters. We ate in what was the old comunial room of the inn. Sem-buk had gathered wood for a fire which we sat round as we discussed Govinda's findings.

I will compile the oridgional notes into my formal report but I'll summerise the main points that arose in our discussions.

1 the temple that Govinda discribes deffinatly would put the grand temple in the capital to shame.

2 it seemed to have spaces dedicated to lesser or forgotten gods,

3 even during the fighting that brought an end to this city it seems that the temple was respected.

The temple had been cleared out of anything portable so the only evidence we have is inscriptions in the four writting styles that appear through out the city.

After much debate we decided that as we did not have the time or resorces to do this place justice we will press on tomorrow morning.

Day 9

My dreams were oddly disjointed; I saw the sky burn as beings flitted from shadow to shadow. I was watching a war, something terrible had be let lose and those caught by it were devoured completely. Then I saw a band of refuges who seem to be Sevai walking down Surya's path, their misery carried before for them.

Awoke to find my face nusseled into Akanksha's hair and found her presence calming.

After breakfast we set off to investigate the blockage on the road. The once eloquent Govinda barely communicating and when he did it was little more than grunts. I am in two minds whever to keep him with us or send him home. I fear he might do something foolish either way. The blockage appears to be a mount that extents out a good fifty paces either side of the road. It is about twice my height and appears to have been built over the road.

It is both too steep and unstable for us to take Nuals over it; so we must divert round it. We did not return directly to the road. Instead we travelled a parallel coarse which seem to placate Govinda some what.

We rode through the rest of the afternoon with only a few words exchanged between Govinda and the rest of us. Akanksha and I exchanged small talk whilst Sem-buk rode in companionable silence.

As the twins started to pass below the horizon there appear to be some sort of structure at the edge of our perception. Govinda nearly fell to the ground and started praying to each of the gods in turn. Sem-buk shock his head and said something under his breath which I did not catch. I decided to make camp here. Once again Akanksha and I enjoyed each others company.

Day 8

I Decided not to give my students time to think of home in this morning so we had a brief breakfast and rode hard through the morning. Akanksha was the first to notice the change in ride and was not backwards in bringing our attention to it. When we dismounted and examined the ground it appeared to be a cobbled road. The cobbles appear to have been embedded in some other type of rock. We set to work clearing the surface; it appears to be slightly cambered with four parallel, two on each side, groves in it. The pairs of groves both have the same separation, which is a little wider than the width of a Nual. The road appears to be going perfectly strait in the direction we wish to travel. This road is anomalous in many ways; for one it method of construction is better than anything I have seen even in the capital. The fact it is almost a days ride beyond the Edge and continues away from it for a good distance... I have decided to call it Surya's path; as I can sense that it is into his hands it seems to be leading us.

My companions reactions to this monumental discovery are worth noting:

Akanksha was excited especially when I assured her she would be credited with its discovery.

Govinda seems to find its very existence offensive and was reluctant to travel along it, even through it is going the way we are and would speed our progress.

Sem-buk seem to not be surprised about it, calling it the foot steps of the four brothers. This is probably a mythological reference. I am reluctant to dig deeper into this as Govinda is already seeming very agitated and I doubt this sort of conversation would do anything but aggravate him.

We kept on riding until the twins were high in the sky forcing us to rest until things had cooled down. I tried to talk to Govinda but he was uncommunicative and just laid down and went to sleep. Akanksha was a different story all together, she talked animately about the possibilities that the road suggested. Sem-buk just watched her pace back and forth; with a look of mild amusement on his face. We discussed this further and we came up with two possible explanations:

1- The Darksones once possessed a higher level of technology that they do now. The problem is that why would they build it heading so close to Sevai lands and not have been recorded in our histories.

2- The Sevai built it in ancient times. The problem is the same as with the above reason; also why does it stop before the Edge?

When we tried to find Sem-buk to ask his opinion he seemed to have wondered off. Neither of us heard him leave because we were so engrossed in our conversation.

The road brings up many questions beyond who built it. Like why was it build and why was it abandoned. One thing that really is gnawing on the edge of my mind is the matter of its construction, I told Akanksha it was probably was the work of an earthshaper. This was a placating lie. Even the work of our finest earth-souled could not have fused the cobbles to the base rock so securely whilst still maintaining such sharp definition between the two and why would they bother?

The pairs of parallel ruts also seem an odd ornamentation, I can see no practical use it could have been put to. These questions were running through my head as I slipped into sleep.

I awoke to find myself looking into Akanksha face which was barely a the span of my hand away from mine. This was not an unpleasant experience. I was rouse further by Sem-buk preparing for the evening ride.

The more we travelled along the road the more sullen Govinda seems to get. The sight that appeared on the horizon as dusk began to settle was enough to unnerve we Sevai. The Road appeared to be blocked. When we saw this we decided to make camp for the night and to placate Govinda we did so off of the road. The night seem to be much cooler than the day; so we set the fire to burn into the night. Akanksha and I shared a blanket for extra warmth.

Day 7

The dawn chorus awakened us and we made ready in silence. I think the Gravity of our being out of Sevai lands by this evening has finally hit home.

As we rode onwards we did so in silence, the easy conversation of earlier in the week replaced with the realisation for my students that this was their last chance to turn back.

As we came in sight of Worldsedge my students began talking again. They were trying obliquely to see if the other was thinking of turning back. It seemed to me that they both kind of wanted to turn back but each was too proud to admit it first.

The village headman came out to meet us. He was possessed of great country wisdom if not learning. He was pleased to meet us as few traders, let alone travellers, came out this far. He feasted on our stories no matter how grand or small. We had a pleasant lunch in the village hall where we rested through the heat of the day. Whilst they were at first uncertain of him the villages treated Sem-buk with curiosity and respect.

Provisioning was a delicate matter of taking what we needed with out taking anything to vital to the community. We were successful thanks to Govinda and his knack of speaking. We set out as soon as the heat had become bearable. By early evening we were out of Sevai lands and into to the uncharted. When we set camp my students spent the evening looking back at our home where as Sem-buk was looking towards his.

I must admit to feeling a little torn between the comforts of home and my thirst for the knowledge that this expedition will bring me.

Day 6

I dreamt again. I was walking through a desert; two suns in the sky like the eyes of some baleful demon. Before me laid a silver path, which I knew I had to follow to be safe. With every step I was born again. The path lead me into the ground and I wandered as some troglodyte until the path lead me into shadow and the land of the black and the white suns. I awoke finding I was myself again was oddly disconcerting.

As we packed, my companions were full of excitement as we were a little over a days ride from the Edge¹. Even Sem-buk was full of what seemed to be nervous excitement.

I hope to find a farmhouse to rest at this evening, but wherever we rest tonight; tomorrow we should reach the village of Worldsedge. That is likely the last chance to resupply before we reach the Darkones' territory. I've asked Sem-buk how long it would take us to reach his home and he said no more than two weeks.

It was an uneventful days riding but as night started closing in we were not in sight of any civilisation, so we made camp for the night by a copse of trees.

1The Edge appears to be how the Sevai referred to the boundary between the lands they had cultivated and the rest of the planet. It seems to have a deep cultural, religious and physiological significance. This probably explains how they manage to remain ignorant of the Kaniliskanda for so long.

Day 5

Last night was much more restful with no dreams to haunt me on waking. My companions seem to be adjusting to life on the road, but seem to be keeping each other and myself at a polite distance. To remedy this I intend to ride with each of them for a while today.

Govinda is a very pious young man who hopes to enter the priesthood once he finished his education. When I asked him about his choice to come with me he told me that he felt that the Darkones had something to teach; perhaps something profound. He said that he had found his conversations with Sem-buk most enjoyable and hoped that we would get a chance to talk with one of their wise ones.

Akanksha whilst vain is not nearly as self focused as I was lead to fear; the self aggrandisement seems to be something of a defence mechanism. Her motives for coming seem to be a way of getting away from her family and perhaps to make a reputation for herself. She gives the impression of confidence but her eyes are those of a little girl lost.

Sem-buk is an enigma. I can not tell if he is being deliberately obtuse or his thinking is that different to ours. He was polite but non-committal to my attempts at small talk. When I asked about why he'd agreed to be my guide all he said “Fate sent me to you; to bring you to what you must see and learn.”

Tonight we sleep under canvas I hope for another dreamless night.

Day 4

My sleep was troubled by dreams of a giant with two blazing eyes. One of which was a bright orange like a smith's forge and the other one a dark and hateful red. Wherever his gaze fell all that he looked upon withered and died. I fear to write this blasphemy down but my oath to truth compels me to. On the giants brow was the symbol of Suravi themself¹.

After a fine breakfast laid out by our host well set out. In spite of the good cheer of my companions I felt as it there was a shadow upon my souls. Only Sem-buk seemed to notice my mood but he kept his own council.

We ate lunch in the shade of an ancient mound, probably some sort of fortification. I found I could not sleep so whilst my companions did I decided to walk to the top of the mound and perhaps use the vantage point to scout ahead some. When I reached the top of the mound I found the view to be most beautiful; I could just make out the mountains that were our destination. Distracted by the view I stumbled and fell to my knees. I looked for what I had tripped on and found a large slab of stone which seemed to have been carved by Sevai hands. I cleaned it up and found it was covered in a very archaic form of writing which I could not translate I have made a copy in hopes that one of my colleagues will be able to.

I am in the happy position of having access to resources my predecessor did not and can provide you with a translation of the text that Sol Abednego transcribed- “This stone was laid by the Great King Adil in remembrance of the great exodus from the false utopia of the four brothers”

I would have been most intrigued at the reaction of Sol Abednego's peers to this. Considering how he feared they would react to his later discoveries it is probably best they never did get to see it.

The others were stirring as I came down the mound and I told them of my discovery and led them up to have a quick look. I found my mood greatly lightened by this and set out in much better humour than I had this morning.

As we were setting up camp for the night we were blessed with the sight of a tear of Akantarak² which led to a discussion of omens between Sem-buk and Govinda.

1 I find it interesting that he uses the term themself instead of themselves which implies an understanding of his dual nature which would lead to the madness as foreseen in this dream I feel Fates hand in this; which raises questions as he was not worshipped by the Sevai..

2I assume this to be a shooting star