Day one

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It is with great pleasure that I document my arrival at site Beta.

A cave just north of the peculiar town of Dachaigh Gual.

Mr. Cooper and the locals are doing their best to clean away the rubble that could pose as an obstacle during my primary inspection.

Sleep will definitely elude me tonight as excitement courses through my veins.

Also, the tents are of rather shoddy make, so that may also hinder any attempts I make for sleep.

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Day two

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We have managed to clean up most of the rubble that so stubbornly denied us access to the main temple.

The locals are displaying clear signs of dread and some are superstitious enough to believe that if we continue to disturb the site, we’ll unleash an ancient evil.

Bah, I say!

A rational mind does not amuse such thoughts.

Anyway, we still have some cleaning to do, so off I go!

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My goodness…

We were right.

It would seem as though there once existed an ancient civilization that had completely alien designs and languages.

They crafted their homes within the earth and most of their art was… awe-inspiring, to say the least.

I am a well-educated woman of noble birth and even I cannot fathom what any of their letters mean.

At least… not yet.

Hehe, Oscar said something about how romantic the mystic language was and I couldn’t help but laugh in response.

Although he may have had a point.

There is something… exciting about all of this.

It’s almost as though we’re dipping our toes into ink-black waters.

What lies beneath, a mystery.

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Day 3

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Mmm…

I had the strangest dream last night.

I dreamt that I was in a garden?

Yes, a strange garden.

I was surrounded by four green walls and at the garden’s centre was a dried fountain.

Oh, and there were four doors on each of the bushy walls, on top of which were four strange markings or symbols.

Strangely enough, no matter how close I got to them, they didn’t become clearer.

Mmm… I shouldn’t dwell on such pointless things, but I can’t help but feel drawn to the dream.

It is common for dreams to be fleeting, but no.

The silent garden follows my thoughts relentlessly.

Anyway, onto work.

I wouldn’t want Mr. Cooper to have all the fun.

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I just realized how hot this tent is.

But I really shouldn’t complain since Mr. Cooper and Oscar have to share.

Anyway, today was a marvellous day.

We unearthed an orb covered in strange markings.

It’s made from a strange stone that has nigh translucent qualities.

Even as I hold it up in front of my bed lamp, I can almost peer into its greenish insides.

Also, it’s kinda nice to hold.

It's warm and inviting.

I want to know more about this orb and what it describes.

Hehe, I haven’t been this excited in a while.

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Day 4

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I had the same dream again.

I awoke in the garden. In a world that was illuminated by the light of a crescent moon.

I did my best to investigate my surroundings, but alas, there was nothing to be found.

The symbols were still blurred out and the biggest one was so blurry it just looked like a faint blue light hanging above a rather plain wooden door.

Mmm… I don’t know what to make of any of this.

Anyway, onto other business.

I must crack the code.

I must learn the ancient tongue that lines all art and stone in this place.

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Oscar placed his hand on top of my thigh today at dinner.

I’m not sure what his intentions were, but I should remind him that we’re here on business.

I can’t seem to keep a firm hold on my thoughts.

I keep thinking back to the garden.

Mmm… I should talk to Mr. Cooper about this.

I’m sure he’ll find a way to rationalize these thoughts.

Also, I think we’ve cracked a piece of the puzzle.

Turns out, this entire village area was once home to an ancient people we’re calling the Athraichean’s.

They appear to have been a peaceful people and their mysterious art implies that they were intelligent to a certain degree.

Now comes the question that Mr. Cooper asked:

What happened to them?

Almost no one, high born or otherwise, has any connections with these people.

It’s almost as though they suddenly stopped existing after a certain point in time, but that would be… improbable.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Anyway, off I go to bed!

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Day 5

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Mmm… this is becoming a bit troublesome.

I’ve had the same dream for about two to three days now.

My mind is slowly becoming a mess and keeping singular thoughts is laboursome.

I must finish my work here and return home.

Maybe some time away from work will help.

You know what’s strange?

I have so much control in the dream.

I can move, talk and wonder with painfully vivid accuracy.

I want it to stop.

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Tsk!

Mr. Cooper dismissed my concerns.

He said that the prospects of praise for our work may be driving me mad.

Does he seriously think that I, a woman of high blood, would care about such trivial things?

Bah, no matter.

We made several breakthroughs today and my body quakes in anticipation.

What more is there?

Who is Gi’ Kolarum?

I’m assuming he was a chief like figure, but I’ll reserve my thoughts until we’ve learnt more.

Anyway, some key things that we learnt are that the Athraichean’s used complex runes to convey certain messages.

There are three primary runes we’ve deeply studied and there is a fourth one which is pretty rare.

We’ve searched everywhere in the temple and out, yet the only place that it appears is in the centre of the temple where-

Oh, could it be referring to a singular being?

I mean, this is pure speculation, but could the rune be referring to some sort of god?

I… need to write this down:

÷ The Cuimhne rune – Mr. Cooper and I have deduced that this run has something to do with the mind as it is seen near depictions of men whose skulls are peeled open.

Actually, we’ve seen that on many stone tablets, the peeling of the mind is followed by a strange downpour or outpour of some strange purple something from the sky.

I really hate to speculate, but I think that the Athraichean’s had some sort of ritual that allowed them to induce a strange trance like state where such things would happen, but again. Nothing is proven.

÷ The Sealladh rune – we found this rune next to and surrounding depictions of eyes. It doesn’t matter where we looked. If there was an image of an eye, there was bound to be the Sealladh rune.

I really don’t know what it means and so I’ll have to dedicate more of my time to it.

÷ The Fuaim rune – this one is a strange one.

Well, as strange as any of this can get.

We found the rune near carvings of men yelling at each other.

Well, that's what it looks like.

I really can’t wrap my head around this one, but at least it has a link to sound.

÷ The Dia Rune – this is the worst one. In the sense that we have absolutely no clue what it means.

I find myself gently rubbing the Cruinne at times.

It brings me great comfort.

Its textured spherical shape is almost numbingly comforting.

Oh, how I love it.

It’s so… warm.

So… welcoming.

Anyway, I need some sleep.

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Day 6

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The door!

It opened!

I awakened in the dark garden, as expected and the half-moon clearly lit my surroundings.

That’s when the largest door slowly opened.

I then saw a blinding light as it bathed the central garden.

A voice then called to me.

It was distorted and it made me fall to my knees as I clutched my head in fear.

Something was approaching.

Something was entering my sanctuary.

I wanted to wake up, but the dream wouldn’t end.

I was terrified even though I hadn’t seen or heard anything that justified my reaction.

Reduced.

I had been reduced to my emotional core as I was engulfed in that pale blue light.

Then I awoke.

I… don’t know what to do.

Mr. Cooper believes that I’m just over-enthusiastic about our discoveries, which is supposedly why I’m having such vivid dreams, but I… I don’t think that’s true.

Dammit, Marianne! Get a hold of yourself!

Tonight, as I enter the sleeping world, I will confront the light.

I will confront the voice...

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Mmm… we’ve seemingly reached a dead end.

With no remains to examine and nothing but broken tablets, I feel like all we’ve done was seemingly for nought.

Ooh, I’m so frustrated!

Oscar isn’t helping either.

The fool groped my right breast after lunch.

I’m going to have a lengthy discussion with his parents when we return to Anvil.

Ooh, my mind is a mess.

I need sleep

Oh, maybe not.

But a healthy mind requires sleep.

Ugh!

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Day 7

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I need to go back home

I’m really scared

He put something inside me

Its

I need to tell Mr cooper

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Oh what have I done

I couldn’t help it

They just looked so tasty

I just had to eat them

But that idiot Oscar stopped me before I could eat the second one

Ugh

Now I’m locked inside a room somewhere in the village

I wonder if I can trick Oscar into freeing me

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Day

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I DON’T KNOW HOW LONG IT’S BEEN BUT

I FEEL LIKE SOMETHING’S BEEN GROWIN INSIDE ME

E'ER SINCE HE TOUCHED ME I HAVE FELT AN EMBRYONIC PRESENCE WITHIN ME

IF IT WASN’T FOR OSCAR I WOULD HAVE SURELY STARVED TO DEATH

HE FEEDS ME AND HE EVEN TRIED TO TALK TO ME THE OTHER DAY

BUT I CAN’T STOP THE ACHES AND PAINS

MY BODY SHOWS NO SIGNS OF OBVIOUS CHANGE BUT THE SAME CANT BE SAID ABOUT THE ME WITHIN THE DREAM

SHE IS PANTING AWAY AS THE THING EATS AWAY AT HER

IT'S SO NUMBINGLY PAINFUL THAT I AWAKE COVERED IN SWEAT AND DROOL

PERHAPS I HAVE GONE MAD

I SHOULD ASK OSCAR WHAT MR COOPER IS UP TO

MAYBE HE’LL TALK TO ME TODAY

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It’s gone

It finally left my body

I’m

I barely caught a glimpse of it as it crawled into the open door only for the door to close as it left

It had such cold eyes

Even as it gave its own mother a parting glance

But I’m free now

Yes

Free and cold

I really want to go back home now

I want to continue my research

I wonder if Hammond made any breakthroughs with the runes or the Cruinne

It was a rather beautiful artefact and I do wish that I had it with me right now

Ah well

I’m feeling awfully tired

I think I should sleep for a while