Entry 40: Into the Lorewood

by Hayley Thomas

Dear diary,

The morning after the curse was lifted, Meredith approached us with payment for our services. While a few among us hesitated, the truth was undeniable—we had come to Marsh’s Fury to help, but also to earn. Refusing the reward would have been noble, perhaps, but not practical. After brief goodbyes, we started the journey back to Wolf’s Rest, arriving late in the evening of the seventeenth.

Alistan, ever the skeptic, spent the trip back speculating on whether something might have gone wrong in our absence. But when we returned, the village greeted us with quiet normalcy—an odd comfort in these unpredictable times.
At breakfast the next morning, the mood shifted when Gael placed a small, intricately carved box on the table. His expression was serious as he began to explain.

“This box,” he said, his fingers brushing its smooth surface, “was given to me by my parents when they found me in the Lorewood. I’ve kept it all these years, but... I think it may be connected to Cornu. If he’s been sent after me, this could be what he’s hunting.”

The air in the room seemed to grow heavier. We leaned closer as he continued, explaining that before we left for Marsh’s Fury, he had visited Tommel, who passed him a dagger that had belonged to Sylvesse. Tommel had claimed the dagger was the key to the box—or at least held the means to open it.

“I haven’t opened it yet,” Gael admitted, his voice tight with caution. “I don’t know what’s inside, or what might happen if I do.”

Gael’s reluctance was unsurprising. His careful, measured approach often contrasted with my own instinct to act first and think later. In this case, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of impatience. A mystery like this was meant to be solved. But I also understood his hesitation. Whatever lay inside that box had lingered in his life as an unanswered question for years.

“Sometimes, Gael,” I said, trying to inject a little levity, “you can be too cautious for your own good. But that’s why we’re here—to face it together.”

The box sat between us, small but foreboding, its weight far heavier than its physical size. Whatever secrets it held, they would soon be revealed. And I had the distinct feeling that once opened, there would be no going back.

Gael went on to explain that Tommel had also mentioned a cabin deep within the Lorewood, a few days' journey in, where the answers to the box might be found. He expressed his wish for all of us to accompany him there, a sentiment we immediately agreed upon.

Luke examined both the dagger and the box, his expression growing pensive as he worked. After a few moments, he concluded that the dagger was mundane—no magic infused its blade. The box, however, emanated a faint aura of illusion magic, subtle but undeniably present. Gael proposed opening the box at the cabin in the Lorewood, and Tommel offered to guide us there.

Realizing the trip would take several days, I took a moment to visit Lucas, the gardener I had hired, and asked him to assist in the fields during Tommel’s absence. The man nodded, dependable as ever, and I felt relieved knowing the farmwork wouldn’t fall behind.

Once we had gathered our supplies, we set off, meeting Tommel at his home. He was already packed and waiting, his demeanor steady as always. During the journey, Alistan, ever the curious soul, struck up a conversation, asking how Tommel had come to know Sylvesse.

Tommel’s answer painted a vivid picture. Years ago, as a soldier on patrol, he had been caught in a fierce storm and lost in the dense maze of the Lorewood. The woods had seemed endless, every direction the same, until Sylvesse found him, drenched and wandering. She guided him to a cabin, where an elven couple had taken him in for the night. Though the elves had remained wary of him, a human in their sacred forest, they had offered shelter until the storm passed. The next day, Sylvesse led him out of the woods, and Tommel had never seen them again.

For most of the day, our group traveled in a quiet reverie, the weight of Gael’s mystery heavy on our minds. As we ventured deeper into the Lorewood, the landscape began to change. Here and there, patches of trees had been cut down, leaving unnatural gaps in the dense canopy. More concerning were the scattered signs of disruption—shallow pits dug in the earth, mounds of disturbed soil.

It was Alistan who voiced the thought that crossed all our minds. “The menhirs,” he said, his tone grim. “The ones that marked the border of the fae realms. Someone’s been digging them up.”

The realization settled over us like a shroud. The removal of the menhirs, ancient markers of the fae’s domain, was no small matter. Their absence left the forest unguarded, exposed to whatever might seek to exploit it.

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 40: Into the Lorewood

Continue reading...

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