Good things go (Entry 113)

by Hayley Thomas

Dear diary,

After the, in my eyes, disastrous meeting with Ileas’ evil uncle, we returned to Tarn in order to make further preparations. First on the order of business was sending a message to Vivienne to reestablish Whitewail as part of the Immerglade. And this then instantaneously turned into our next problem to solve.

The magical sending was delivered, but not replied to. Something happened to Vivienne and we’ll need to find out what. So my every cunning and useful brother teleported us to the outskirts of Whitewail. A new banner depicting a moon hidden by clouds, is flying on the towers of the marvelous city. A banner Liliana didn’t recognize. Not Vivienne’s banner.

While we discussed the best way of infiltrating the fortress, I took the precaution of changing our appearances to a more local variety. That should at least get us partway inside without raising too many eyebrows or questions. As we entered the city, we noticed a lot of dark elves mixed in with the locals, a rather unusual sight here.

Liliana and Ileas took it upon themselves to gather some information from the inhabitants of Whitewail and came back with unsettling news. Vivienne had been declared a traitor of the realm and had been captured. No-one seems to know where she was being held captive though. Depending on the source, it could be here in Whitewail, in Nimmerhold or even worse, in Keralon. Other sources claimed that she had been executed for her treason, but we dismissed that as it would be highly unlikely. She is much too valuable as a prisoner.

The other piece of news that we learned is that the city is now ruled by an appointed regent named Vaelithra.

I found myself a quiet spot in an alley and cast contact other plane to find out where Vivienne was being held captive. That would at least narrow the search and make us not waste too much time. From this I learned that she was being held captive inside the castle in Whitewail, but nothing more specific. At least we’re in the right place to start with.

We decided that the best course of action would be the same as when we were here last time, and that is to go through the tunnels. Gael and Dadroz scouted ahead and notified us of something strange. The guards on the fortress guarding the back entrance weren’t moving. Frozen solid, quite literally.

Thinking it strange that the entrance wouldn’t be guarded, we headed on cautiously. Inside the caverns we found more gruesome clues of what must have happened. Pieces of ice troll were scattered all over the cave floor, wounds caused by a huge axe. We headed deeper into the caverns and found the rest of the remains of the trolls piled high near the entrance to the castle proper.

We should have been more cautious of an ambush at this point. Because once we started passing the pile of remains, it started moving! It was a hard fight against a powerful construct, but it was easy to limit its movement in the narrow cavern passageways.

We took a short rest to recover from the fight before heading up into the castle itself. Using Liliana’s knowledge of the place, we used the servant's passage to make our way up. Most of the castle was empty and I used my arcane eye to scout ahead and cover more ground. There were noticeably less people in the passageways, but quite a few in the towers. But no Vivienne.

Seeing as she was not being held in the dungeons and not in her rooms, my next guess was the throneroom, so that was our next goal. And that guess proved to be correct. We entered the throneroom via a side entrance. Most of the vast room was empty, except for a massive giant talking to a dark elf near the throne. The giant was holding a massive greataxe in one hand, and a chain in the other. The chain led to Viviene, lying on the ground next to the throne, heavily wounded and unconscious.

Liliana stepped forward, confronting them directly while I wove my magic into an attempt to quickly rescue Vivienne. But when my vortex warp wrapped itself around the fallen fey, the shackles she wore lit up and the spell fizzled. The giantess laughed and mocked us, before turning to Liliana and threatening to kill me if we proceeded. She had gleaned the connection between the two of us at a glance and thought it would deter Liliana.

How naïve of you little giant to think that this would stop my beloved Liliana. Seeing no point in listening to more threats, I enveloped most of the area in a sickening radiance, signalling to the rest to attack. I would keep myself safe. The fight was difficult. The giantess was a formidable foe and the dark elven wizard annoying, but in the end we defeated them both.

Seeing that she could not win the fight, nor reach me, the giantess killed Vivienne out of spite. As she died, her body turned to ice. Liliana rushed to her side and sat down on the throne in a desperate last ditch attempt at saving Vivienne. As she sat down, Vivienne’s body, now an ice sculpture, turned to snow and drifted away in a breeze. At the same time, the throne shone with a bright light and Liliana turned to ice!

In this moment, Gael killed the giantess with a well aimed shot, and she too turned to snow and dissipated. The dark elf wizard cursed us and said Ulther would hear about this, before teleporting away.

I will admit that in this moment my heart skipped a beat. My focus was solely on Liliana as I rushed to the throne. Vivienne was not my concern. Losing her would be a blow to Immerglade. Losing Liliana would be a blow to my heart. I yelled to Alistan to contact Dynia, she might have answers. Then I blended everything else out as I knelt in front of the throne, placing my hand on Liliana’s icy knee.

“I cannot do this without you my love. Who else will hold back this fire in my heart? Who will stop me from burning it all down if you’re not here anymore….”

Unaware of what was happening around me. Unaware Alistan turning into an ice sculpture. Unaware of an ice cold wind blowing through the throneroom. Unaware of anything until the world went black.

Continue reading...

Entry one: The trials

Entry two: The bramble

Entry 3: Rosebloom

Entry 4: Hearts and Dreams

Entry 5: of ghosts and wolves

Entry 6: Hillfield and Deals with Fae

Entry 7: mysteries and pastries

Entry 8: The scarecrow ruse
6th of Lug, 121 Year of the Tree

Entry 9: A betrayal of satyrs
7th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 10: The fate of twins
8th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 11: Cursed twins
10th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 12: Loss and despair
11th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Hayley's rules to being a Witch

Entry 13: the price of safety
12th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 14: A golden cage and fiery tower
13th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 15: A trial by fire
14th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Entry 16: Keralon
15th of Lug, 121 year of the Tree

Letter to Luke 1

Letter to Luke 2

Letter to Luke 3

Letter to Luke 4

Letter to Luke 5

Letter to Luke 6

Entry 17: I shall wear midnight
1st of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 18: peace in our time
2nd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 19: Caern Fussil falls
3rd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 20: I see fire
4th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 21: Cultists twarted
10th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 22: Ravensfield
14th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 23: The Hollow Hill Horror
15th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 24: Burn your village
16th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 25: Ravensfield burns
17th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 26: There will be blood!
21st of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 27: A happy reunion
22nd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 28: The embassy ball
23rd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 29: The fate of Robert Talespinner
24th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 30: A royal summons
28th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 31: of Dogville and Geese
29th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 32: A boggle named Pim
30th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 33: A deal broken
1st of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 34: The cost of doing what is right
2nd of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 35: A dish best served cold
9th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

entry 36: Cornu returns?
10th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 37: A letter from Amarra
11th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 38: The case of the (not) missing villagers
14th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 39: A curse broken
15th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 40: Into the Lorewood
18th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 41: Cabin in the Woods
19th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 42: Myrdin and Anaya
20th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Entry 43: Into the Immerglade
21st of Aran, 127 Era of the Tree

Entry 44: A tale as old as time
22nd of Aran, 127 Era of the Tree

Entry 45: The truth
23rd of Aran, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 46: Luke's Ordeal
24th of Aran, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 47: The festival
26th of Aran, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 48: Trouble at the Cathedral
2nd of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 49: Quinn's court
4th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 50: onwards to Latebra Velora
5th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 51: Where is my cow?
6th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 52: Here be dragons
7th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 53: Dragon hoard with a side of scarabs
8th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 54: Leave the basilisks alone
9th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 55: Return to Ravensfield
10th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 56: The needs of the many...
11th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 57: Dreams of Sister Willow
12th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 58: wetlands be wet
13th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 59: Baron Perenolde
14th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 60: Talebra Velora and the lady Morenthene
15th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 61: Cypria
16th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 62: Dragon takes Knight
17th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 63: Return to Talebra Velora
18th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 64: Your presence is “requested”
19th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 65: I stand alone
20th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 66: A day of normalcy
21th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 67: Into the Neverhold
22nd of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 68: The Warg King

Entry 69: Chased by birds

Entry 70: Whitewail

Entry 71: Nimmerhold

Entry 72: The menagerie
29th of Gobu, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 73: To the library!
30th of Gobu, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 74: The people's tournament
First of Mannan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 75: Nimmerhold party
First of Mannan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 76, The return home
Second of Mannan, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 77: A week of peace
10th of Mannan

Entry 78: The tomb of the First King
11th of Mannon, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 79: I had a dream
12th of Mannon, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 80: The ritual for Sister Willow
14th of Mannon, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 81: Trouble at the Briar Ring
15th of Mannon, 128 Era of the Tree

Entry 82: My day as a crocodile
21st of Mannon, 128 Era of the Tree

The return of the twins (Entry 83)
22nd of Mannon, 128 Era of the Tree

Earth and Sky (Entry 84)
26th of Mannon, 128 Era of the Tree

Wolf's Rest betrayed (entry 85)
30th of Mannon

The end of a chapter (entry 86)
first of Edon, 128 Era of the Tree

On the road (Entry 87)
second of Edon, 128 Era of the Tree

The Red Knight (Entry 88)
7th of Edon, 128 Era of the Tree

Dear uncle… (Entry 89)
8th of Edon, 128 Era of the Tree

Cut the bridge (Entry 90)
10th of Edon, 128 Era of the Tree

Home (Entry 91)
13th of Edon, 128 Era of the Tree

A tale of two shadows (Entry 92)
16th of Edon, 128 Era of the Tree

Eileen Inkheart and the cursed village (Entry 93)
17th of Edon, 128 Era of the Tree

Nidhog at the end of the world (Entry 94)
18th of Edon, 128 Era of the Tree

Into Hillfield (Entry 95)
24th of Edon, 128 Era of the Tree

Did it have to be spiders? (Entry 96)
12th of Duna, 128 Era of the Tree

The burning tree (Entry 97)
13th of Duna, 128 Era of the Tree

Deep down the city (Entry 98)
14th of Duna, 128 Era of the Tree

Heavy is the crown (Entry 99)
21st of Duna, 128 Era of the Tree

Genie in a bottle (Entry 100)
24th of Duna, 128 Era of the Tree

Bad blood (Entry 101)
27th of Duna, 128 Era of the Tree

Think about it (Entry 102)
2nd of Hagan, 128 Era of the Tree

Arca Valon (Entry 103)
6th of Hagan, 128 Era of the Tree

Myrddin's grand plan (Entry 104)
10th of Hagan, 128 Era of the Tree

Nearly lost you (Entry 105)
11th of Hagan, 128 Era of the Tree

Who let the dogs out? (Entry 106)
18th of Hagan, 128 Era of the Tree

Land of confusion (Entry 107)
19th of Hagan, 128 Era of the Tree

Running up that hill (Entry 108)
20th of Hagan, 128 Era of the Tree

I know what I am (Entry 109)
24th of Hagan, 128 Era of the Tree

Welcome to paradise (Entry 110)
1st of solstice, 129 Era of the Tree

Come out and play (Entry 111)
1sh of Solstice, 129 Era of the Tree

This is war (Entry 112)
2nd of Solstice, 129 Era of the Tree

Good things go (Entry 113)
3rd of Solstice, 127 Era of the Tree

Good things go (Entry 113)

Continue reading...

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