〶⊜⟟⦵⦿
ㅤㅤJalnor'k got mad again, said I was asking too many questions, putting my nose in adult business where it don't belong again. He smiled though, as he smoothed out my hair, so I think he just had one of his headaches again. He gets cross when he has his headaches. He was troubling over a puzzle and I like puzzles. They make more sense than people. I wanted to help, but pa said to go play with the other kids. I like playing with them too, we jump in the dirt and climb the mountains and explore and hunt the little animals, Flix even caught one in the small trap he showed me how to make. Pa's also been troubling over a lot lately though and working late at the shop. They think I don't know because I'm just a kid, but I watch the adults when they think I'm just playing. They're all scared. What could make them so nervy?
⊜⟟⦵⦿〶
ㅤㅤPa's late for dinner again, I really worked hard at it this time, tried to make it just like mama's and made sure everything was tidied up for him coming home. He said they're all working on something big and that we all have to come together as a community. I don't know how much more together we can be, Jalnor'k is already as close as an uncle. I followed them one night when they thought I was sleeping. I snuck out my window and followed their footprints, kept to the shadows. I'm small so they didn't see me. They had been so secretive, keeping things to themselves because I'm too little to understand. I'm not little, I'm a big girl now and have to look after them. I wanted to know what was going on. The town's big people were all there, some outsider was terrorising us. They all cried and looked scared. I don't know why they would want to hurt us.
⦲⦿⊜⟟〶
ㅤㅤTier'nel has been keeping a closer eye on me. He always was over protective, says I'm the most annoying little sister, he said he's always having to rescue me from some hole I climbed down into, searching for lost treasures. But that's where the real mysteries are. So much history lost beneath the earth. So much I don't understand in the night's sky. I'll never know why the adults are so preoccupied with building this new machine, when they could be trying to figure out what lies beyond the stars.
⊜⦿⟟⦲〶
ㅤㅤTier'nel and Pa are scaring me. They've been arguing more than usual, they both seem really worried. Pa told me to pack only my most prized possessions, that we had to go away soon, but he wouldn't tell me where. I wonder if Jalnor'k will be coming with us. I make sure to sleep with mama's necklace under my pillow from now on so I don't forget it. He cries sometimes at night when he thinks I'm asleep. I've never seen Pa cry. Not even when mama died.
⊜⟟⦲⦿〶
ㅤㅤI never ran so fast in my life. Pa told me to never let go of his hand and I didn't, but my legs couldn't go fast with my bag as heavy as it was. Tier'nel took me and told me to close my eyes and not look as Pa lead the way. Everyone was so scared. Everyone was screaming and crying and running. I'll never forget the sounds of that thing as it came for us, not for as long as I'll live. It swallowed up all the light. I peeked. I know Pa told me not to. Darkness swept our home.
⦿〶⊜⟟⦵
ㅤㅤThe ship is our new home now. Pa showed me everything the big people had been working on. He knows I hate secrets. He telled me all about the stars, where we were going. It's exciting being on a grand adventure. I go exploring the ship at night, I made a map so I don't get lost. It's a big ship. I haven't seen Jalnor'k though. Pa says he couldn't come with us. I don't see my friends either, but I'll find them. It's a really big ship after all.
〶⊜⟟⦿⦵
ㅤㅤThere's something about the Krish that I don't like. I can't place it. Pa said to be nice, that they were opening their home to us. We lost ours. The outsider took it. Tier'nel is like me, he likes figuring out puzzles and finding out mysteries, but the Krish don't like him poking his nose. He told me to stay close to Pa. I haven't seen him take out his twin tanto in ages. I don't like the feel of this new place.
⦲⊜⟟〶⦵
ㅤㅤIt's my fault. It's all my fault. They got him. They got Tier'nel because of me. The Krish weren't nice people like Pa said they were. Tier'nel was protecting me like big brother's are meant to. He pushed me ahead through the portal into Pa's arms. He was supposed to be right behind me. He never came through. It's all my fault. I should never have left him behind.
⦲⦿⊜⟟⦵
ㅤㅤPa's gone quiet like most of the other big people. There was so much blood. So much screaming. Every night I wake all sweaty. All I see is a river of red. There's so many of us missing now. We're in the mountains. I don't know where exactly, Pa showed me on the star map the world the portal took us though. At least I know how to climb the mountains. We're alone and safe. At least that's what Pa said. I'm not too sure staying in one place is a good idea. We stayed with the Krish and that didn't turn out so good. Lei'lei can't find her son, so I'm going to go help find him. Pa says I should use what I'm good at to help the people. I'm good at puzzles and finding things out.
〶⊜⟟⦵⦿
ㅤㅤIt's been so long since I written things down. So many cycles have passed. We rebuilt. Pa insisted on staying with the community. I helped hunt and track food for the people, we survived. There was a whole wide world out there though to explore. I always have nightmares that the Krish or the outsider is right on our heels, so I never like to stay in one place too long. Besides there are mysteries of Atharen to solve! Its a wonderous place with many adventures to be had. We lucked out twice as a people and I'll be damned sure to live the life Tier'nel sacrificed for me to have. We've only just scratched the surface of our understanding of the universe and the Moroi have a lot of lost knowledge that needs recovering. Sounds like one great puzzle waiting to be solved.
ㅤ
