Chiron could sense something was going on; he was all skittish, and wouldn't sit still. I didn't want to take him with me because I didn't know what to expect! But in the end, I didn't really have a choice; locking him in the house only meant him finding a way back onto the porch from my bedroom balcony! I packed my bag; food, tools, and of course the bow and quiver! I had made a few arrows yesterday from feathers and flint that I had knocking around, and made sure the quiver was full. We set off towards the gate, I opened it, let Chiron through and then locked it again! Chiron was obviously confused because he began barking! I quickly made my way through the tower access and onto the other side of the wall, where Chiron practically knocked me off my feet! After getting up, we set off due East towards the lit overhang, but with it being light, it was going to be hard to find. But I knew Chiron had a knack for finding interesting things! The first obstacle in our path was a short, natural wall which stood in our way. Well, I say "our way" but Chiron managed to find his way up pretty quickly, leaving me to go the long way round!
After about an hour of walking as straight East as I could manage, I started noticed large croppy overhangs above us, and spent a lot of time staring into the sky! After awhile, I noticed the one that I was looking for; it was long and thing and set out from the actual wall quite a way. From a distance, it looked like a single pinpoint of light, but I could now see the overhang was clearly lit up with an array of torches!
After a bit of work, I managed to find a good spot to climb up to it, but now I was here, I was on edge! I readied my bow in case anything decided to ambush us! I didn't know what to expect; was I meeting someone... Was there something hidden which I had to find...? Was this a trap? A lot of questions went through my mind, but the latter stuck for quite awhile, and I hesitated... After a moment or two, I edged closer to the single torch stuck to the top of the overhang and looked around; I couldn't see anything! There was no-one here... nothing here! If I was meeting someone, did I have to wait for them? I looked around in all directions, particularly the East, where the message had indicated, but that part of the message was over. I had found what the first part had stated... now for the second part... I just couldn't understand what it meant!
I assumed I was meeting someone, so I sat down, and waited for their arrival. Chiron had grown bored of not moving and had ran off to play with a chicken! I watched as he playfully chased it; the chicken quite put out by this, trying to fight back! After a bit, I called him back and he sat next to me... waiting... After an hour or so, I had grown hungry, so I took some pork from the bag and gave some to Chiron, whilst I ate a bacon sandwich! Chiron finished his very quickly, and became lively again, and bolted off down the side of the hill out of my reach! I think he had gone to play with the chicken again, because I could hear playful barks, and odd clucking noises. After awhile the noises started moving around to underneath the overhang, and I looked down and saw Chiron with the chicken. But, it wasn't all I had seen! Looking closer, I made sure it wasn't a trick of the light; in the ground was a strange marking. A marking rarely seen, but universally known. I ran off to the side of the hill, towards the bottom, where Chiron now was. I think I was looking at the wrong thing. It was here all along!
"X marks the spot"! When I got there, I realised why I hadn't seen it from below; it was spread out to much and isn't a noticeable landmark from a few feet above! I put my bag, bow and quiver down and took out my pickaxe and began attacking the stone! Chiron had lost interest in the chicken at this point, and had come over to me to see what I was doing. After a few minutes of continuous digging, I saw the top of a light, wooden chest! I threw the pickaxe to one side, and began moving the small bits of stone by hand until I had totally uncovered the chest! I couldn't believe it; my heart beat rapidly in my chest at the sight of this chest! I was about to open it, when it occurred to me; this could still be a trap! Every time I had found a strange chest, I had opened it with care. Sod's Law dictated that this would the one chest that I opened up laxly and it would be the one chest that was a trap! I went over to retrieve my pickaxe, and pried open the lid. I saw a red top, with a warning symbol on it, and knew what it was! I ran away from the chest as quickly as I could and hid behind a rock! The box contained TNT! It had to be a trap! Maybe a sensor; maybe it could detect movement, or light when the box was opened! After a few minutes, the chest had still not exploded, despite the lid now sitting partially open... I cautiously stood up and edged over to it...
After a few moments of carefully examining the TNT, I concluded that it was rigged to explode... this was compounded by the presence of something I had not expected; a small, leather-bound book lay just next to the TNT in the corner. I took out the TNT, placing it on the ground next to me, and then picked up the book. It was a hand-made book composed of the same reed-like material I had used to make my note books! The leather was tough and unrefined... I turned it over in my hands and noticed a single word scribbled across the top half. What it said I couldn't believe; it made no sense, and yet there it was. 7 letters staring up at me, saying so much but so little at the same time: "SYEONYX"!!! The book had my name printed on it!!! How could this be? I was in this land on my own! The only people I contacted were hundreds of miles away! I had never been to this island before, and yet somehow, someone knew my name! It's not like I go around shouting out my name... I don't think I've eben uttered my name since I've been here! The only time my name has been referred to is in messages to and from HoN Co.! Was someone able to snoop on the communications I sent and received? What put me more on edge, was the fact that I was now standing at the bottom of valley; the weakest position to be in for a victim in a trap! Closing the chest and putting the book and TNT into the bag, I reclaimed it, along with my bow and quiver, and ran towards the West! I was going somewhere familiar before making myself vulnerable!
All the way back to the house, I expected creatures to begin exploding, or to start attacking me! Normal noises like sheep and cows i put down to violent creatures and I began running faster and faster. Chiron didn't know what was going on; he just seemed happy to go for a long run! After some time, I saw the familiar grey wall and continued past the ship! I didn't dare leave the bag in the open whilst I opened the gate, so I struggled into the secret passageway and up into the tower wit it! I opened the gate, let Chiron in and then secured it again, before running to the stairs and getting inside. I went upstairs, threw the bag to the floor and flopped onto the bed, exhausted! I had run almost flat out for longer than I thought I could! It's amazing what adrenaline can do to you in times of need! After I caught my breath, I sat up and looked at the bag; inside was a strange book with my name on it! Carefully, I reached inside and took it out! The rest of the leather cover was blank except for that single word... I opened it and began reading... What I read I couldn't believe!
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