[b]Miriam
Chapter 19: The Lies of a Guide...[/b]

[i]"Fire, they say was first released upon the world by its jailor in the hope to cultivate. Its embracing warmth and its serene light spurred life and allowed mankind to rise to immeasurable lengths and unfathomable strength, such was the power of fire - But fire grows, it becomes difficult to contain, in man's greed they feed it to gain more power, and further strength. Fire spreads, uncontrollable and hungry for devastation and ruin. In its wake only ashes and singed rock remain and what had once given life has now become the herald of destruction. Does this mean that it is in fire's fate to destroy? That the flames, heart of all life, are evil? What truth is there in muddled questions of an age long lost since before even memory? Perhaps there is only one question that is important to wanderers lacking direction in this world of enclosing dark..."[/i]

- Unknown Author


A foot dropped into the sinking ground and Freda yelped in surprise before raising her foot out of it. She found some ground and regained balanced upon it, even with Eliana upon her back again and the land becoming more and more similar to a bucket of sludge, sprinkled with tufts of water the knight pressed on as hardly as she had before.
	"Miriam." She said, looking forward to where the Scavenger stood. "Please tell me, you can see the fort..." Perhaps tiring of carrying the Walker whose descent into possession only became more evident as time went on.
Miriam did not respond, she looked up to where she expected stars to shine, there were none. The only light that remained now was the dim light of the moon where it shone behind a barrier of thick, dark clouds. She sighed and set her heavy eyes down on the path ahead of them. The outline of the fort had been visible before, maybe a few miles off. Though she could see it no longer. She stared into the darkness that was ahead, aware that Freda was speaking with her, most likely asking for assistance. Miriam didn't listen, there was another voice that had more value now.
	"You are doing good." It told her. "Take them into the water.. Into my hold." Miriam had attempted to ignore it earlier, but found it impossible now. She was never sure if it told her the truth, or if it lied. She could not rely on her senses, nor her own mind. Then what was she good for? The huntress sighed loudly and rubbed a dirt-caked hand over her settling eyes. She was getting tired, sleepy rather than weary.
	"Miriam!" Freda beckoned. And the huntress shook her head briskly. Leia scampered back to assist Freda, though mostly hovered nearby, panting in support. "Please tell me.. You know where we're going."
	"We... Need to go there." Miriam said, she narrowed her eyes and stared through the dark. The moon, she thought. It rose and it shines where it ought to be, but was it truly the light of the moon she saw? Or was it an illusion of her addled mind. She could not trust it, but this was the direction she had chosen, and she pointed forward reluctantly.
	"You had better be right." Said Freda and walked past the huntress, Eliana hung meekly over the Knight's back, her hushed murmuring was incomprehensible but her state was clear as day, she would not last long and the environment had only worsened her illness. "If we do not reach the healer soon, I-.." Freda paused for a moment and looked down into the mossy ground. Miriam looked past her, she looked to their left where the bog had sunk into a natural body of water. Dark and chilling the water reflected only the clouds above and were just as black. Miriam saw it ripple, something moved within. 
	"Let's keep going." Said Freda at last. Perhaps she had said something else before that but it was the part that Miriam heard.
	"...Right." The Huntress responded and left whatever had been in the water unmentioned.
	
They walked. Leia had learned to travel only on the grass and therefore walked first with no larger issue, the dog seemed uncertain and nervous, whimpering the occasional sound back towards Miriam. Whom only sauntered numbly after the dog, hoping that her friend would know the way as she could no longer see it herself. Freda came behind, she panted lightly and often let out a grunt or groan while adjusting the way the Walker hung over her. Eliana had grown pale and the black marks upon her limbs seemed to stand out even in this darkness. Miriam remembered it as the shadow that had surrounded her in Lowburg, and again outside of it. She remembered it had been comforting, though terrifying and she wondered if Eliana was perhaps in the same realm she had been then. Maybe she would know, once it happened to her... The voice ensured her that it would. And she did not doubt it spoke the truth now. 

They walked. Miriam felt her legs grow heavy, she shut her eyes and could not tell the darkness of her eyelids from the one that surrounded them. Only by looking down could one see the path they followed. Uncertain if it even led where they hoped. 

They walked. In silence and in desperation, Freda had most likely understood by now that Miriam knew not where to go, but what point was there in arguing and bickering now? There was only one option, to continue walking... Eliana murmured to herself, clinging tightly to the knight carrying her as if she was her final anchor to this world and that if she were to release it, she would plummet into the water, and be swallowed by it.

They walked. And Miriam came to realize the futility of it. Life's only purpose, its only end that all men and women and beast of the world share is to die. Why walk, if the only destination there is to reach is death? Why not sit down, shut your eyes and dream pleasantly. Dreams are so much more beautiful than the world, such a cruel, unfair world...

They flew. Miriam slowly opened her heavy eyes, her head bobbed back and forth in pace with whatever was carrying her, hooves thumped briskly against the path of gravel beneath them, both behind her and to her sides there were more horses, more riders. She let herself sink back and she felt someone behind her, an arm clutched onto her and held her closely so that she would not fall off. Miriam fluttered her eyes and imagined it all to be a dream, closeby she heard a familiar bark. Her head fell to the side and she saw a banner in the wind, it flew next to her. A radiant outline that sprung out from the darkness around. The bird held a flaming sword in its talons, screeching as if challenging any to face it, if they dared. Miriam let her head drop back against the man who held her and she shut her eyes again and darkness again took over her mind and her vision.
	"Hello." She thought. "My old friend." 



[i]"One question... What's worth living for?"[/i]