After we left, part 9

Three days later and the sand started giving way to rockier terrain and we were slowly gaining altitude over the desert sea we’d been on for weeks. Dead, desolate and empty. I don’t know that I’ll miss it.

More importantly I still don’t have a plan. I’ve been finding time every day to quietly pray to lady in hopes that she will offer something more than vague glimpses, but despite her continued cryptic images I just know deep down inside that we will make it.

This must be like what Ezrella and Z felt when they had faith blind in their gods. Just a deep feeling of knowing that they will keep you on the path you are meant to be on. I can’t see it but I trust that the lady will keep me on her path. It is why I devoted myself to her. Sometimes I feel like my birds are looking at me with her eyes. I don’t tell the boys this. I worry that they will worry that I am starting to lose my mind.

The boys don’t say anything as we make our way higher and higher but I can see the concern growing on their faces. We may have food to get us through, it tastes like crap by the way, but we don’t have any way to deal with the elements or if the destination is an island as the lady has shown us a way to cross the sea. We don’t have any real way to climb or descend a mountain depending on the need. And our meager supplies, the stuff we’ve had since we started this journey together are only getting us so far and only barely such at that. Next time I am planning so much better for a world saving quest. Like stopping at shops planning.

I spend most of the time pissed at myself. Pissed that I have acted so often like a petulant child. Pissed that I have been the easiest me and not the best. The lady deserves better. My friends deserve better. By the gods, I deserve better.

So as we set up our camp such as it was, during my watch I pledged myself to the lady anew and in that pledge I promised that I would be the champion my lady required, not because she required it but because she deserved it. She saved me from death. From oblivion. It doesn’t mean I can’t burn the place down. But now, I’ll be doing it for a cause. That’s better right?

Now that repledging myself to the lady happened last night. This morning we’d been walking/climbing for half the morning when we happened upon a most curious sight. Well it wasn’t just a sight.

It was a hold concealed behind some rocks. Under normal circumstances we wouldn’t have paid it a second glance, but under these circumstances and with these companions, we just had to take a look. It was just big enough for each of us to pass through and there was some noise coming from the other side.

So we went through the hole and found the most curious thing.