We have managed so far to stay on the road, to follow the beacons. Then, at the exit of the Maze, on approaching the cliffs, when the road forks to the left and the path becomes narrower, misfortune get us running into a huge herd of jugulas. We then left the road to approach the cliffs from the right, hoping that we could walk along them and pass all the same, as we often did in the New Lands, when it is a question of best avoiding of dangers. Usually this technique works well. But not here: we might well to skim the cliff as close as possible, but the herd of jugulas was still present. I had then the idea to go back and to pass the herd by following the cliff from the left. But Eeri had then another brilliant idea. Ah this genius…

Since our arrival at the bottom of the cliff, more than three weeks have passed. We advanced more or less in the fog during one week towards the northeast. Because yes, it would have been easier if there was not this thick fog which makes it impossible to see the horizon. Everything is dull here, the ground is bare, nothing grows or almost nothing. This Sea of Wood, it is the negation of life. I feel so weak here, my head is spinning more and more, and it doesn't get any better with the time spent in these desolate lands. It's as if this Sea of Wood was sucking our vital energy. As if it was feeding on us. And to make it worse, we couldn't see the cliffs in the distance that should have been on our left. Then, after one week of walk without crossing no beacon, we tried to go on our left, to join the cliff even if we couldn't see it. We finally reached it, after only one day of walk. Then we went along the cliff. And after ten days of walk skimming it, nothing. No beacon, no slope or any access to go back up to Fort Beacon. There, we should again turn towards the south, if I trust the position of the day star whose glow struggles to pierce the fog.  

So either we went too far north and we missed the wall beacon indicating the way, or… we are at the level of this hill noted on the map east of Fort Beacon. We think we follow the west cliff whereas we turn around the said hill.  

Hope that's it. At sight, it will take us a whole week to reach the cliff while going towards the west. Then, theoretically, we'll have to go down a bit and we should find the road. We will have not to miss the beacon. If so, we would get too far down. We don't have no more right to make a mistake. But if we don't go westright, we also risk to arrive at the cliff south of the road. We'll have to walk as straight as possible and hope that this damn map is correct. The mektoub has no more fodder but it seems to be satisfied for the moment with the micro-vegetation which grows by places. He moves slowly, but he follows us. And us? We ate our last piece of dried meat yesterday morning. Are we going to be satisfied with bark and grasses for a week?

I am afraid. There, it's written, I'm afraid. I hear noises, strange noises. A dull rumbling that could be heard in the old days at the edge of the cliffs in the New Lands. A kind of mooing of a big beastie. I thought it was the cracking of the bark, but here it's much louder, and it's clearly not the same noise. It's more… guttural. Eeri talks about a giant shalah. It sounds like a monstrous bodoc to me. And tapping too… does a bodoc tap? I don't want to meet what's making that noise. A few days ago, I thought I saw a shape in the distance. A gigantic something. I didn't tell Eeri about it. I'm afraid she'll want to go see what it is. I'm not ready. So I shut my mouth and kept on walking. Maybe she saw it too and didn't say anything either. Maybe she's afraid too? At least she doesn't show it.  

Writing is definitely too exhausting. But I prefer to do it now, while I still have enough strength and a clear mind. Because this place makes you crazy if you stay here too long, I'm sure. We should call this Sea of Wood the Desert of Confusion. Or better yet, the Desert That Drives You Mad. Maybe it's madness that makes me see dark shapes on the horizon. Maybe it's madness bellowing in my head and banging in my skull. Hallucination, delirium, madness… The Sea That Drives You Mad…

ramèch, I don't want to die like that, starving and completely mad in the middle of nowhere! If the mektoub holds, I hold. If Eeri doesn't crack, I won't either!

At worst, if the mektoub dies, we'll have something to eat. And if Eeri dies? Same thing haha! Hop, a batch of sawdust legionnaire accompanied by his crazy herbs…

I'm tired, I'm scared, I want to go back home…}}