The Twenty-Ninth Entry

 A bitter dark loomed in the forest around the Harrower, even with the moons overhead the light never found its way through the thick tree line. The soil loose and muddy, infested with worms that pulsed under heel. No wind broke through the branches, not even a breeze. Cold struck immediately, the air thick with a piercing chill that attempted to suck the air from our lungs.

Yulthar and A’re barely withstood the initial contact, and Aberus suggested they stay with the ship. A’re protested and seemed to gather himself for the journey. Yulthar, however, said nothing and followed still. Perhaps not wishing to be left alone.

Everything about this world felt off, like it could tilt at any moment and the earth bellow would swallow us whole.

Our conversations became limited - when we spoke our voices seemed swallowed into whispers, even when yelling. Aberus fashioned a torch from one of the branches, using his own excess to produce flame, and led us deeper into the forest.

Nothing stirred in the illuminated shadows of the bramble, the torch cracking as it ate away at the branch. We walked for what perceived time would allow us, and out of the black - a structure sprouted. Several structures appeared before us, primitive huts made of grass and branches – completely covered overhead by the trees.

“A village?” Aberus said his voice carrying over us in a whisper.

“What is this place?” Yulthar asked behind me, his voice trembling.

The village increased in structures as we ventured forward, the dark peeling away at the torch’s light.

“Axiom.” A’re said getting my attention as he grew closer to me.

As the light pulled away – the darkness behind us moved. And as Aberus led us further, the shadows became emboldened.

The denizens of the village lurched forward.

They were pale lanky creatures, their blackened fingernails mistaken for talons. They were wrapped in head to toe with a material, and as Aberus brought them further to light – wrapped in human skin. The skin warped with age, covering the pale creatures beneath, their black eyes peering out of the hallowed-out skin. Hair dangled in chunks from their heads, oiled but seemingly not naturally.

The denizens watched as we went further and further into their village, but the village seemed like a city of grass and bramble homes, that birthed wider the further we went. Aberus unmoved by their presence, led us further. A’re and Yulthar took a position closer to me.

There were many creatures, lurking in doorways, and out in the open – perhaps hundreds. They came in many sizes, but it was difficult to determine if it was an age distinction. The skin they wore stretched across their features, hiding a clear view.

At the center of the city of grass huts – a dead white tree loomed over us. Icicles hung off the branches and snow rested beneath its base. As we approached, however, one of the creatures stood just in front of the tree. Its skin was old and putrid, giving it a ghoulish appearance, almost like that of leather.

We stood in silence, the creature not moving.

Aberus walked forward: “We seek the Seer.”

As if awoken from a deep sleep, the creature stirred and gurgled. A deep hymn echoed through the huts, it seemed like harmonized noise and inhuman. A’re and Yulthar struggled against the voices that pierced the still air.

The creature in front, however, spoke in a piercing slow tongue: “Wych,” The creature took deep breaths, “await you. Base of mountain. Seer.” Its speech dragged out the last word and stretched a nail towards the path ahead through the city.

Aberus said nothing and motioned for us to follow. A substance dripped from the creature’s human leather mouth as we departed – drool. It’s hollow blackened eyes following Yulthar.

Aberus led us away from the city of grass huts, and away from the denizens.

“What were those things?” A’re asked his voice shivering.

I could not answer, for I did not know. Aberus said nothing.

“You two should return to the ship.” I said.

“No, there is no going back now. If they leave us…” Aberus’s words drowned in silence - daring not to finish.

The flicking flame was all that accompanied us to the mountain. A blackened hole drilled into the mountain side was what awaited us, disguised in blackened dead trees. Soot laced the ground into the entry way, yet no burn marks or signs of fire could be seen.

Aberus lifted the torch over the entry, no runes, or markings around it. Stone was stone.

Aberus then looked back at us, before venturing into the entry. The torch died in the black. I could feel A’re's breath pulse in the air, the vibrations slick in fear.

We followed.