The Pursuit to the End of the World

[GodlyD&D]

It was certainly darker within, but their eyes adjusted as there was a lamp far within a separate space beyond the small custodial space at the front, with a broken in hole to it, where this man led the two friends. The lit lamp sat on a low stand, there was a thin mattress and a blanket and small pillow on one side, with several magazines on it, and a few emptied bottles and bags that had held food. At the far side of that, this man pulled up a couple of boards that were held together, and revealed to these two a hole in the ground right there. He said, "The tunnel is down below this opening. I can bring the lamp, and you will see it there."

Both friends looked down into it, seeing it was indeed too dark. But that man had gone for the lit lamp, as he said, and he brought it back with him, leaving the space he made use of darker then. But with it held over the hole, both friends could see indeed that there was a more open space, well below. And with focusing on the dusty surface below, they distinguished the tracks of some number of booted feet, going in one direction.

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It was a certain conclusion, they both saw, as they looked at what was below, carefully. Then after a little time Fornesak spoke, "You were right. There is no indication of any going that other direction, they were coming from there and carrying enough to leave those clear prints we can see. It seems to me that the tunnel would lead those going through it in the direction of the Elderson Center which is a little more than a block that way beyond this park. But it is not apparent where those ones going this way were coming from, in that direction, what they carried, or who they were. And what they had was being carried secretly. So this means there was something secret already known from a scroll?"

That man said, "Yes, there are no secrets but those on scrolls, known to just those who acquired any one of those."

Jaregon said, "But we could go that other way and find out where those who carried things through here came from."

Fornesak said, "We would probably not have time for that. We have a meeting to get to, and it will be important." Fornesak turned to that man who was dwelling here. "We would like to return here for further investigation. Do you object to that?"

"You may return to investigate on the condition that I would go along with you to investigate."

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Fornesak said, "I have no objection to you going with us to find out anything about that, you had discovered that was going on to start with and are just as curious, and we just know because you told us about it. I am afraid the meeting we go to might go long into the evening. We would just come right back here for exploring, but if it is so late Jaregon here and I will get together to come here by late morning tomorrow. Do you want us to knock on the door here?"

"That could be general to anyone coming and knocking, and I should not find a custodian looking in. If you sit there and talk with each other again, I can hear you from within, and I would recognize your voices this time. Do that and I will hear you and open up."

Fornesak said, "Very well, but then it would probably not be this evening still, though we are both really curious about it too, but it would then be late morning tomorrow. Come, Jaregon, we can see the sun is already really low, there could be some we will meet with already there now."

Jaregon agreed with everything, and went on with Fornesak from the base to that statue going on beyond that park to where that way along the street was less familiar to Jaregon. After a little further Fornesak pointed ahead. "That is the Doohop Bar." Jaregon saw that it was a nondescript wall without any but a very small high window along it, a low hanging thatch roof, and a door that a couple of steps led down to, at the side along that street.

[GodlyD&D]

Jaregon said, "I expected that we would see people, some that would be entering while we approach, or hanging nearby talking with some others."

Fornesak said, "I guess it is not that successful. But as I understand it this place does have regulars that come here. Don't get shy, some that we would meet with might be here already." Fornesak went on toward the entrance, signaling to Jaregon to continue with him.

They went down along the few steps to that entrance door, and once it was opened they saw the interior. Besides the light from that one high small window from the remaining light outside, which was diminishing, the broad room before them had light from a few lanterns, on walls and on a few tables arranged around the interior space. There was a serviced bar on one side, a wide lit candle in a stand was on it, to the side from where the attendant there stood. And there were three men at one table, while a solitary customer sat on a stool at the bar.

Fornesak said, "See? Tuharlion is here!"

[GodlyD&D]

Fornesak called then, "Tuharlion!"

The one they saw was Tuharlion turned and saw the two of them that had just entered. He had been in discussion, but interrupted that to call back, "Fornesak, Jaregon! Come this way, we can draw over a couple more chairs for both of you. This man here who I was just talking with is Eperston, the greatest of the strong men who work at infiltrating and acquiring assets. He would willingly be helping us, and wants to meet others of us, and hear our own needs. This other man is Tusheld, he is knowledgeable of the geographic sites that would attract Arceusians, and others. I am still expecting others from the court where we were meeting at to still get here soon. Have a seat here and please feel free to ask questions."

Chairs were promptly pulled up near the table where those three sat, Fornesak then sitting on the right side of Tuharlion, and Jaregon then sitting on the left side of Tuharlion.

Fornesak asked, "Does Eperston have ways that are planned for getting some glowing gems ahead of Arceusians getting them?"

Tuharlion said, "We have several plans, that we were just talking about to weigh them relative to each other according to workability, but others who will come should hear those to judge for themselves."

The entrance door opened shortly after that. Fornesak said, "Jerapard is here!"

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All turned, and watched Jerapard look around, and then head to that table with the five of them sitting around it.

Tuharlion said, "Pull up a chair, we will make room."

Jerapard said, "Actually I will stand. At least three more would definitely come shortly, and maybe we might have ten coming. Other tables can be used. But I will stand a little while as I tell what it is that we really will be needing."

He took a position to face those ones at the table as their chairs were turned, that those at the table were attentive to him. He said, "The Arceusians are secure with their superior position that they maintain, and they will increase in that, with all the glowing gems they find and gather. The only strategy we can have to not have them increase in power and prestige over us is for any of us to get some of the glowing gems into our possession before any of them find those. So if strong men here can intervene to have some of the glowing gems coming to us instead of any of the Arceusians, let us make plans for how they can accomplish that."

Tuharlion said, "We can take into account that they do not know where all of the glowing gems are. They collect in that Deep Valley of Drawing. But some are scattered further from it and are only found with looking. Since the gems do not last continuously, they gather more to have continuous use of them. They will be deprived if they have less that continue as glowing gems from what they still gather. Can we have ones here that can work at that happening? Remember that we cannot legally approach any of the Arceusians now, any from us should just find glowing gems that can still be found, outside that Deep Valley or away from it, before others come to find those!"

Just then, the entrance door opened, and others came into this barroom.

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As those already in there looked, and recognized two that they knew, who had been at that court session, were entering there, and Tuharlion waved them over. They came to the next table, and pulled it closer to the table the others there were using. Before those two sat down, the entrance opened again, five more individuals, two of them women, entered.

Jerapard said, "It is Teraghin, the one who spoke in court giving us our best defense. All of you come nearer, have a table close to us."

When all those were sitting close where they all could hear each other, Jerapard said, "We have the need we know about to keep the Arceusians from advancing further with the glowing gems they collect. Tuharlion has something he is working on with these men sitting here with us, which he can say something about to all here. Do not worry, there are no hostile listeners here."

Fornesak said, "What about that one at the bar?"

"That is Toniar, my friend, he will work as a bouncer if anyone unwelcome would try to come near to our meeting where they would listen."

Fornesak said, "Alright. That is actually a good idea."

Jerapard said, "It really is. Now, we can have Tuharlion speak about what sort of things might be planned."

Tuharlion stood up, and said, going back to some of what he said earlier to the first of those there, "The glowing gems collect in that Deep Valley of Drawing. But some are scattered further from it and are only found with looking. Since the gems do not last continuously, some from the Arceusians gather more to have continuous use of them. They will be deprived if they have less that continue as glowing gems from what they still gather. We need any who can work most effectively at getting those glowing gems without any of the others stopping them, ahead of them."

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Jerapard said, "And, we have some ready to go as volunteers for this. But this will really be busy work, for us to keep the Arceusians from getting yet further ahead. So we want to know who else among us can volunteer for this."

TeraghIn said, "Can you tell us what is it that you think is the best of the plans you have for this?"

Tuharlion answered, "We could have volunteers comb areas out there a little away from the Deep Valley of Drawing, starting in areas before dawn, and leaving soon after dawn, before any of the first of those from the Arceusians come. They do not then have to see any of you who might find any of those additional glowing gems, that they know we still will try to get."

Teraghin asked, "Will others show the way there to those of us who do not know it?"

Tuharlion said, "I know that way, and Tusheld here does, and a little while ago before others of you came we were explaining locations to look to Eperston who is greatest among strong men working at infiltrating and acquiring things of the others in our community, he will be going for this. We do need more for this, still."

[GodlyD&D]

Teraghin said, "Is it happening then before before the morning? I will agree to go along with one guiding to the area for it, to find any hidden gems we might."

Jerapard said, "Right, the first outing will be before dawn of the coming morning, and we must leave when it is still dark. I will join in that. As far as possible, we will try it on any following mornings. More could be volunteering for this."

A couple more agreed to be volunteers for that shortly afterward. Jerapard then asked Fornesak and Jaregon, "You each can volunteer for this too, can't you?"

Fornesak answered as Jaregon looked toward him, "We both are expected at something right away tomorrow. But we see this is important, and if there is an outing for that again before the following morning, I will volunteer to be going and I think Jaregon would too."

Jaregon said, "Yes, the before the dawn of the time after this coming one will work out for me to go."

Soon after that, another one also volunteered. But others had reasons, or excuses, to not be involved. After this was planned for with a meeting place to start from, alternative plans were discussed to supplement that one.

[GodlyD&D]

Arrangements for those who would meet first for this endeavor were made, for coming to the water provision structure right next to the Doohop Bar, at four hours after midnight. Soon after that some were dispersing, and so Fornesak and Jaregon got up so as to go then too.

Jerapard said to those two, "You can be sure to join for the next opportunity to go with Tuharlion and others to find more of the harder to gather gems before any of the Arceusians come and get them. Right?"

Fornesak said, "We will be sure to. Same meeting place and time the next day then?"

Jerapard said, "It should be. But check here in the Doohop Bar four hours after noon tomorrow, and Tuharlion or I will be here to confirm it or give you a revised plan if it is needed."

Fornesak and Jaregon agreed to that, and they then left going out the way they had entered this building. As they went, Fornesak said to Jaregon, "We did not say anything about meeting with that man using the custodial space under the image at Filter Park, just as we told him we would not. It is already dark for a while, so we can meet in the park early tomorrow morning, and go meet him and learn what is going on that he noticed something of."

Jaregon agreed to that, and they soon came to their separate ways to the homes each had.