The grave chase.

16th of Othen, 2734.

Finally, my hands have stopped quivering enough to pen the events of last night. Still to this moment, shock and horror grip my chest, as I undoubtedly try to convince myself both that it did, and did not happen. Such is the effect of Soriel Daw on me... inner conflict.

I remember sitting in the glade. Pondering him, wondering if he had really been there. The rustling that I had assumed was children, apparently was not. This was not given me by evidence however... I just... felt it. While sitting in that warm sun, with peace and tranquility flooding my mind, I suddenly felt a hot coal on my back. A searing shock crawled up my body and sent me to panic. I whipped around. Nothing. Nothing but shaking branches from where he had once stood. I remember pausing, gasping, and wishing my body to move. To give chase, but my knees were locked, and it took more than a gargantuan strain to pry myself away from the earth and set off in the direction of the spy. At first, I stumbled a little, grasping at branches and trucks to stabilize myself. But as the realization set in, I sprinted. It was more of a charge than a run of swiftness. I barreled head first into the thick brush that gathers in that area of the forest. I could still hear him...

He weaved constantly. Trying to break of my trail. I would come around a corner, and hear his sound behind me. Though terrifying I continued towards the runner, desiring nothing more than for him to get away and for me to catch him at the same time. I cannot tell you how long or how far I ran. It was a staggering distance. My legs were furious with me. Burning like I have never known. I cannot imagine that I ran any less than 35 miles from the glade straight into the forest. After all, I now sit on the edge of the Togric Canyon. From here I can almost see the stone door of the dwarven city... I have never done anything so intense in all my days...

In the end, I broke out of the forest upon the canyon. His sound was gone to the winds and I collapsed to the ground wretching what was left of my midday meal over the cliff side. I cannot remember a pain as great as my body's groaning and pleading. It is strange how event like these can so cloud your vision, that you feel the need to do ANYTHING to end the pain... I considered even throwing myself from the ledge. And yet, I managed to open my journal and pen a few words. A few words that, I might add, took me almost an hour to write. By this time my legs had finished bruising and I tended to myself as well as possible. At least the rock was cool to the touch. I fell asleep where I lay, not daring to move anything I didn't have to. This morning, my legs would not move, and I was gripped with an insatiable thirst. having very few senses to my disposal, I listened hard to the distance. There is was, the cool rush of a waterfall.

Now that I think of it, my ears have played a very significant role in this last day...

I hurried in the direction of the water, pulling myself mostly by my arms to a small brook that splashed down into a greater waterfall  in a sort of "Y" shape. I do not know what these twin falls are called, but I named them Orlasia, or in case you do not know Elvish, "Charity Given Me." I have never tasted anything so utterly divine in all my time. And not only because I was ravaged with thirst, but also because it was the clearest, coolest, most pure water I had ever tasted. The dwarves do not know what they are missing just outside their doors.

It is here that I sit. Next to a fall, my feet dangling over the cliff, thinking about what he might have been doing. I cannot imagine the thoughts he thought. Did he wonder why I was there? Did he think I was there for him? did he know I am collecting information? All I know is that I was close, ever so close at catching a glimpse of the greatest mystery this world has ever known. It slipped through my fingers, and yet I cannot bring myself to feel anger at my inability to catch him. The fact is... I was close. And that itself is enough to make me smile... and fear.

The event did not come without a price. Even now I nurse the scratches that tore into my skin from low hanging branches. I must have run into some poisonous reeds, for my left side is breaking out in rash. On top of all this, I have not eaten in two days, and already it is bearing down on the evening. I will stay here another day, thought my heart tells me that I must return to the village. It reminds me every few seconds that he could be watching again.

But this is my reality. I must live it, for as long as it allows me to live.