I write this by firelight. The night is calm and quiet which matches my thoughts. There is much to put down, many thoughts that I must deal with lest they be forgotten or lost.

Today is … I have no idea what the date is. It has been nigh thirty days since we crossed over into this land, which means exactly nothing as I overheard Magnifico and Mendel musing about whether time flows the same way here. Far more importantly than the date is the fact that today, we have won a great victory against the Vasar, one that can not be denied. We have rescued Viracocha’s father from their clutches.

But I get ahead of myself. Start at the beginning, Father always said, and continue to the end.

Brother Mendel used his art to burn the fields of the crop these creature sustain upon, and in the confusion, we removed to the Hive, whereupon we discovered a great host emerging from, including Viracocha’s father. He was, as expected, Harnessed by a Controller, and well defended by the weaving bugs and the warriors, so we remained in concealed and discussed our options. They were distressingly few – charging forward was not an option as we would be overrun and crushed simply by the force of bodies, but knowing that hewas there, so close, and that only he could get us home … it was difficult.

By fortune smiled upon us, thank God. He cast a powerful spell that seemed to stop all around him – I recall seeing a nearby hummingbird; when Viracocha’s father was done, the bird’s wings were slowed to a point that the thing should have fallen to the ground! Among his host, only he was moving normally and he went to shake one one of allies awake. I recall several of my companions’ voices in that moment, but I had already thrown myself forward, intent on reaching him. I recall the whisper of noise that were arrows – Dane and Talon – and Viracocha’s father fell, a shaft having pierced the Controller’s tiny head without harming the Huallapan. I know not which of them loosed upon what, but the nearby weaver the old Huallapan had awoken staggered as well.

Among my companions, I am the swiftest – I am burdened by neither armor as Rainald nor of a bent back as Magnifico – but even I could not cover the distance quickly enough to prevent the creature from waking others. It took a moment for those awakened to act, so it became a deadly race to see if we could slay those awakened quickly enough to prevent being overwhelmed.

Never before have I felt so attuned to my craft. My blade was an extension of my arm and where I sprang, Vasar fell. I am no fool – I know that by engaging them as I did, singly and without warning, was oft the reason I felled them as quickly as I did, but nonetheless, the feel of the sword, the flawless way the forms felt … this was a good day.

We removed from the field, leaving behind a halfscore of dead or dying Vasar amongst those yet frozen in place, and carried the unconscious Huallapan back to the group we had earlier liberated.