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// We Are Driven Away 
// Story: Her Eyes Reflect The Stars 
// by Lynwood 
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Dear Diary,

We set out from the Southern City bright and early. Ha-ha. We nursed hangovers all morning before we got kicked out of our inn. We didn't argue because we didn't want to stay the night, so we finished packing on the street and left the city shortly before noon.

Our trek through the desert was mostly sandy. We walked north, following the old railway, or at least the parts that hadn't been buried in sand, and stopped for the night near the old junction town. There wasn't much left there but foundations, the Event or the sands had taken the rest, so we didn't even bother to pick it over and headed east in the morning.

The Desert Ruins came over the horizon the next day. Before the Event, it had been one of the fastest-growing settlements, and even though its ruins held no candle to those at the Mountain, by modern standards it would have been nothing to scoff at. We also saw the reason for its relatively unlooted nature: Ash Children are still active in the area.

Approaching the city ruins proved difficult. Auburn once told us to stay put and headed off with her spearzapper. She was gone for the better part of an hour before she returned, and when she did, it was with a messy mane and a filthy weapon. She announced that she'd cleared a path into the ruins.

For whatever reason, the city center was relatively unspoiled. The library proved a goldmine; an entire wing had survived. We spent two whole days picking over the books and scrolls and found a couple on pre-Event magical charting spells that Steady Compass says have a good chance of funding the entire expedition on their own. That pleased Score greatly. 

After that, we headed northeast. The plan was to find the river and follow it through the treacherous southeast swampland. Steady assured us that it should be low at this time of year, giving us plenty of riverbank to walk on. She and Auburn both agreed that it was risky to trust a swamp.

We had just found the river when we saw it. I've never seen anything like it. The Hulking Machine (I know of no other name) towered high above the trees of the swamp, its legs as thick as buildings. They all lead up to what appeared to be a gargantuan chunk of the very earth ripped up, bedrock and all, held high above the rest. I didn't even realize it was a machine until it took a step. We could feel it in the ground, even as far away as we were. 

We argued for so long we had to make camp. Nopony wanted to risk getting by  that monstrous thing, not with the flying shapes that flittered around it. Steady wanted to wait and see if its path would lead it away, and Score insisted we were wasting time. We waited for a day, but the thing only moved a short distance before stopping. Our river passage was closed. 

I am quite dejected. We were so close! The origin city of the Event is just on the other side of those swamps, and now we have to go north, all the way back to the Mountain Ruins. At least Auburn's come by. She didn't say anything, of course, but she gave me a little pat on the shoulder. It was nice.

Signed,
Quick Quill