Approach

A sea of soldiers stretching out over the landscape. Black and red blotted out the attempts by nature to return green to the canvas of life. I didn’t know what uniform that belonged to, but it didn’t look like the Yste soldiers I had seen by the gate. The distance from them was so far that unless they were looking specifically for me, I doubt they’d see me. I was black dot at best. Even still, I lowered to the ground.

“I thought I was still in Yste territory.” It was then I remember the Esth Mountains served as a border for Yste, but much of what they controlled remained contested. Even with the lands ruined, people still valued this land. I’d say it was because Ganiza and Origin was here, but as far as I knew that wasn’t common knowledge. At least by way of Ject. Did Yste and its neighbors believe differently? I’m not sure I wanted to get into politics.

The worst part of this was I didn’t see another force. They either marched into the land without protest or somehow snuck in. Either didn’t sound promising for me since Yste wouldn’t take this kindly. When they learned of it, there would be fighting. I could be certain of that much at least.

I’d say it was a race to find Entif before that happened, but that assumed a speedy result. I presumed no such luck. I wasn’t some ruin explorer or historian. As much as I loved my Ministra history, that didn’t make me someone that could do field research. I read books and it ended there. This was going to be a long search, I held no illusions to the contrary.

Retreating from the cliff edge as though I was already revealed, I followed the road further. This would ideally put me far away from the army, provided that they didn’t move more west. The Wastes were a vast region. On the map it looked to be nearly half of the size of the Yste Kingdom. And they claimed all of it as their own, though protecting it seemed to be a different matter.

It took me roughly a week on foot to cross the kingdom and I wasn’t looking for something. This could genuinely be months of pointless effort for something that was never going to reveal itself. But I had come this far on the idea of answers and talking to Ministra a final time. I’m not going to stop now.

Night came quickly as I kept to the road for now. The idea of leaving and going off trail definitely scared me. It had been the only way I kept my sense of direction. I’d have to use the landmarks, the mountains to know where I was facing. There was definitely enough for me to track with, but I really felt like I was going to be lost. I was no hunter. This was the sort of thing my father should be doing. Why am I here?

Before I went to sleep I considered my strategy. The map laid out before me. “I saw the army over here to the east. If I stay in the west by Tellen, then I should be out of their way. However, I can’t just roam the Wastes. I need a safe place to return to each night.” Looking over the map, I tried to recall from the cliff what I saw.

At the distance I had, I couldn’t tell much. But I needed some place that I could easily find and stay secure in. I’d be going into the wilds at this point. I had been safe so far not getting attacked by any animals, but there weren't going to be the roads anymore. Perhaps the army’s presence would scare most creatures off. It was a tiny hope. But U didn't want to really lean on their aid. Because they’d end up standing before me if I wasn’t careful.

The map didn’t really give me much to work from staring at it. There were no known settlements in the Wastes. Which made sense. It wasn’t hospitable to life. Add the constant fighting, nothing more than fortifications probably existed there.

I stared at the edge of the map. “Mithor, that’s the only place nearby for supplies.” It was a small village by marking and well away from the search area. I could use it to stock up, but not to work from. I don’t think I could walk the distance and be productive

My mind went back to the strange thought. “They wouldn’t be on the map. All the fighting is more recent and changing things. So it might be possible. I’d just need to find something that was abandoned. A long shot, but it might be my only plan.” I didn’t like the idea, but it felt like something that I could work with.

With the course set, I went to sleep. I didn’t enter the Wastes for another two days as I fully stocked up on food and water before going in. My first steps into the Wastes I didn’t even realize that I entered until the cracked earth and sparse plant life started to pop up. It did appear that nature was slowly working to take back what man destroyed. Though it would be years before that could happen.

Not that it really mattered in a year, less than now. But I guess I didn’t know from Her words how things would end. Were we all just going to die and the land we lived on would be fine? And if so, why were we getting wiped out? If not and the whole thing is destroyed, is that even possible? There was no end to the lands and seas around us. What could truly destroy everything? And how thorough would it be? I guess I never really considered that until now. It was just that things were going to end that I focused on.

Gerth was right that knowing the how or why would give some a sense of peace or order to things. Understanding, like She taught, would allow us to face it on our terms rather than just blindly walking towards it.

But walking blindly was about all I was doing right now. Going off road left me nervous. Each sound from the wildlife made me jump at trees or bushes. It was never anything, but I couldn’t convince my heart of any of it. This was as scary as when I went on that hunter party with father. It made me feel like a child again. I didn’t need this stress.

Every step deeper felt like I was the intruder. Which I guess was accurate. In a way I intruded for a while. But peacefully. And been welcomed. Now I wasn’t dealing with man, but nature itself. And I had to have their respect. But could that even be earned?

Questions aside, I somehow kept putting a foot in front of the next going further. As the Wastes started to thin out more, I got a better view of the terrain from the ground. It was a very flat area from what I could see. The mountains to the north remained my star to guide by. And with luck I saw something on the horizon.

Hurrying off to something that stretched up from the earth and away from the bushes gave me some hope. It was going to be either some rock formation or a building. And I was counting on the latter right now.

A little more distance gave me all I needed to know. It was a stone tower. Walking around to get closer, I saw that it wasn’t just a tower, but a whole defensive structure. Or rather it was. Age and nature took care of most of it, after whatever war succeeded in tearing it down. It was in ruins, but there were a couple of things still standing.

Searching around, the tower seemed the most stable, even if I worried that it might collapse on me. My only thought was that it stood all these years, it should last me another few weeks while I looked around. It was enough protection from the intense winds that caught me on my first day in. I had hoped to look around for clues, but the storm made it impossible.

When I came out the next day, a new layer of dirt lined the whole place. I couldn’t even see where I had come in. Though my walking around now made it more clear. But I could move out now with it clear.

First on the search was north. Not that I had any reason for it right now. I was just going to be systematic about it. I sort of hoped that between researching the text and searching, something that they wrote down would come up as I searched. I just needed a clue. Anything that would tell me I was near Entif or some sort of ruins of Ganiza.

I’m going to be here for weeks.