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

Day 3

Akanksha and Govinda were both up and making breakfast before I awoke. I took the opportunity to make my sketches before joining them. Akanksha mood is improved with sleep and she seems to be willing to pitch in, as is Govinda. I get the feeling that Sem-buk is appraising us; he seems to be much deeper than we give his kind credit for.

It was a pleasant ride that morning. I was reminded of the journeys my father took me on in my youth through farm land very much like this; I must say the crops do not seem as lush as I remember from those times, but that that's the nature of remembrances, things are always more vibrant than they are in the here and now. I mentioned this at lunch and my three companions agreed we seem to be in something of a drought this year.

The afternoon brought a fierce wind storm making any progress slower than I would have liked. We came across a farmstead and the Farmer gave us a meal and a place to stay for the night. He was a simple man but very wise in the ways of the land. He told us that rainfall seems to have been dropping for a few years and some of the year long streams had started drying up at the height of the dry season. He seemed to think this was unusual as he could not remember his father or grand-father ever having such a dry period.

Day 2

When I saw that the students had not arrived at the meeting point at the assigned time I was sorely tempted to leave them, but that would just be storing up trouble for my return and this work is too important to let pettiness ruin it before it has even started. As I had funding I sent runners to drag them from their beds. Govinda came soon after as if Surya¹ himself was on his tail. When Akanksha finally graced us with her presence she came with four! Fully laden Nuals² such extravagance; I begin to understand why she's been given to me to look after. They both made their excuses, oddly Akanksha seemed to be the more sincere. I saw no reason to delay any longer so we set out before Akantarak³ had left the sky.

We have made good time and by lunch we were sat outside a tavern in a small village. My students made small talk. Govinda comes from a long line of priests, which struck me as odd given some of their attitudes to my work perhaps he's been sent to spy? Akanksha unsurprisingly comes from a rich merchant family. We are going to Siesta here then head out after the heat of the day. I plan to keep moving deep into the night.

That girl sleeps heavier than the dead. In the end we just went with Govinda's suggestion and strapped her to the back of her Nual; the string of profanities that emerged from her mouth were both surprising and enlightening; I learnt some fascinating new curses. Govinda went all bashful on us and Sem-buk was quietly amused. I was sorely tempted to leave her in that undignified state until we set up camp but my better nature over ruled; so we paused to allow her to get herself in a more comfortable situation. She has not yet seen the funny side of it and has been sullen and uncommunicative since... which is a bit of a relief actually.

We set up camp in a dry valley by the remains of what appears to be some sort of wall which once ran across it. I'll make some sketches at first light just before we set of as I hope to get as much ground as possible covered before the twins⁴ reach their Zenith.

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1I am uncertain if he is actually referring to The lesser sun god himself or sort of adversarial god or demon.

2A Nual is an now extinct Hexapedal beast of burden of my home world. Judging by Sol Abednego's reaction it would appear to be somewhat hearty and rare animals even then.

3The Goddess of the moon, which in this case the name is probably referring to the moon itself.

4The twins are the two suns of my birth world but Sol Abednego's knowledge of them both raises some interesting questions about the myths I grow up with.