Ardes 25, 5679

The heat in this region is extreme, although the distant mountains to our east and west keep it slightly cooler than it would be if the land were open and flat. We also have the forests, so the trees provide us with shade. The road we were following ended two days ago, but we’re still traveling in the same general direction it was leading. Perhaps we’ll find some ruins at the end of wherever it was going.

Kellon went off hunting by himself tonight. I expect he’ll return successful, as he’s done several times already. While we wait, I’m replacing shafts on several of my arrows, Tora’Sor and Niahla’Sen are studying an ancient parchment, and Dawn was drawing a picture of a king aboard a ship in the sky. I asked the significance of the image, but Dawn said it was just something she saw in a dream. Tora’Sor did stop her studying long enough to comment that drawings of such symbolism were inappropriate except as a memorial. Since we know of no king who recently died, Dawn ended up tossing the picture into the campfire. She claimed she still needed to add dragons to the picture.

Earlier today, talk turned to Kellon and the Council of Adaptive Writing and Publishing. I was curious what type of books he planned to write when he returns to the agency, and he was very willing to answer. If I continue to hold out on permitting the publishing of my journals, Kellon will write his own narrative using his experiences since he joined us. It would be more of a guide to this land than a journal. He also plans to write a book about the Red Exemplars, focusing on their lifestyles and the loss of Pelmarco. The final book he plans to write is a guide for hunters. He’ll put everything I’ve taught him about hunting into a book, along with the few experiences he has on the subject. I told him hunters learn by doing, not reading. Kellon just frowned, and said not to judge a book that’s not yet written.

I just realized that today is the first day of the fifth year of my expedition. It’s been a long journey, and it might be another year or two, but the end is coming. We know where we’re going, and will travel that way as soon as we find Niahla’Sen’s father.