Welcome to "The Diary of a Miner"; a blog detailing the adventures and mysteries that I, Syeonyx, embark upon in my quest to further my mining and survival skills! It'll be tough, there will be good times and bad times, but I'll always be alive to post my adventures... probably...

Day 134: Ghost

     After the slightly disturbing discovery yesterday, we managed to find a place to set up camp for the night. Instead of finding a cave, small cavern or passage hidden beneath a hill, we had to settle beneath the overhang of a large, drooping tree. It limited the size of the fire we could have in case we accidentally set fire to it, but it wasn't particularly cold, now that we had left the snowy areas behind. We sat in the darkness, huddled around the fire talking about what we had seen. The footprints in the sand had creeped all of us out; we hadn't been this way before, so didn't belong to us, and with it only being a single set of tracks, it was someone or something traveling alone. We eventually settled down for the night, hoping whatever was out there didn't find us. Needless to say, the fire was extinguished before we fell asleep.

     After waking up from a surprisingly restful sleep, we settled in to a quick breakfast before setting off again. UOPETA seemed to be still on edge, and wanted to head off as soon as possible. I didn't blame him; the footprints in the sand had unnerved us all, and the sooner we left this small landmass outcropping and headed North the better. We still hadn't reached a conclusion about who or what could have made those tracks; we had determined it wasn't a Creeper as they possess four small feet which would have made a different pattern in the sand. However, we had determined that they must have been made within the last twenty four hours as the wind would have blown them away if they had been there any longer.

"Well it could be a HoN Co. guard, in which case we'd need to ensure we're careful on our approach so as to not draw attention to ourselves."

"Maybe there's a HoN Co. building up here somewhere..."

"I doubt it. We would have seen it after crossing over the ice two days ago. What if it's a member of the Elite...?"

We all continued in silence after that comment, each of us thinking the possible outcome of that if it were the case. I hoped it wasn't; the scaremongering that COLUS had inadvertently caused by telling us about the Elite had put everyone on edge, especially us three as we were the only ones to leave the base since the lockdown.

"Let's hope not."

As we neared the first site, we began to leave the lush, green grass behind, and head across the open sandy plains. The next location was close to a large pool of water, so it wouldn't be too hard to find. It wasn't long before we had begun to head over large sand dunes, but still there was no sign of what we were looking for. However, at the base of one hill, near an oddly isolated patch of grass, we spotted a large dip into the ground, almost like a crater, with two active portals at the bottom.

After finding a safe way, we all clambered down after UOPETA, who stood before the two active portals. After brushing away some of the sand, we determined that one was a standard portal and the other was a secondary portal. This was beginning to look like a very valuable job indeed! We had found quite a few secondary portals already, more than standard ones in fact! However, some of the portals marked on the map had already been destroyed, which lead me to believe that either the surroundings of a few of them had put pressure on the frames and broken them, or they had somehow become inactive... Either that or... No, that was stupid.

"Pass me the stone THEROS."

THEROS dug into his bag and fetched the stone, passing it along to UOPETA, who placed it upon the base of the secondary portal first. Standing back, we watched as the rift transmuted into the sickly green colour, and began to warp, crumbling and dragging the frame into its centre. A few moments later, nothing remained of the secondary portal, and the glowing stone slowly became visible, gaining the necessary energy to destroy the next one. A few minutes later, both portals were destroyed, and we began to climb back out of the hole. THEROS performed his usual ritual of crossing the location from the map, before informing UOPETA of our next location.

"It's off to the East again now. Right on the most Easterly tip is the last one before we head back. We'll likely have to set up camp at the portal after this next one, seeing as though we're heading back towards the West."

"We'll see how things go from there on then after this next location. Providing it doesn't rain... Or worse."

Setting off towards the East once more, we knew that we were close to the halfway point. After this last portal, we were heading North to the furthest landmass, before heading back to AMPHIS and seeing where else we have to go for the next lot.

     We've reached the next portal. Well, what's left of it; from a distance we could tell this one was another broken one. The frame was bent and twisted at odd angles, suggesting it hadn't been in action for a long time. However, UOPETA insisted that all trace of its existence should be removed, so I've readied my pickaxe for the job.

"Hold on!"

Me and THEROS stopped dead, waiting on UOPETA, who was now crouching on the floor, looking at the sand.

"Look... More tracks! They head over towards..."

UOPETA stood up and looked towards the remnants of the obsidian frame...

"... The portal..."

Without any reason for it, UOPETA drew his blowpipe and loaded a dart, before putting it to his mouth, cautiously approaching the remains of the portal. I gripped the handle of the pickaxe tighter, feeling on edge. What was he doing? What had he seen? He stopped a few metres from the portal, blowpipe held up ready.

"I know you're there! Come out now! You're surrounded!"

UOPETA's shouting instantly threw us into action! We rushed forward; the pickaxe was held in an ideal position for an offensive or defensive swing, whilst THEROS mimicked UOPETA and took out his blowpipe. Nothing happened for a few a moments; we stood in silence, on the sound of the waves lapping against the sand, creating a starkly serene mood to the current atmosphere! Then, without warning, there was movement! I don't know if that was the right word, but something moved. From behind the frame of the portal, a pair of red glowing lights appeared, completely suspended above the ground by nothing. The air around them shimmered like sunlight dancing off rippling water. What was this?

"Who are you?!?!"

UOPETA's demand seemed to go unnoticed by this strange occurrence, until there was a slight audible hiss. The glowing red lights dulled, and then a face appeared out of nowhere, floating above the portal, still surrounded by the shimmering air. It was as though a helmet had split in half vertically down from someone's face, and parted to reveal it! This new face looked straight at UOPETA; a man in his thirties. Pale skin but with vivid red tufts of hair poking from his forehead, a scar running from his right eyebrow, down to the right corner of his mouth. He opened his mouth, and spoke but a few words, in a deep and smooth, but oddly calm voice.

"Hello... UOPETA! Long time, no see."

"SE... SERVERE...?"

Syeonyx signing off

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