Dust-Covered Journal
Contents
After a couple days of hiking through constant jungle, I finally found myself outside the settlement of Farr. As the name might indicate, the journey was quite a reasonable distance. Finally, I am within spitting distance of the Axtan Monastery. I should arrive by noon.
Day 3:
I should have known finding it here wouldn't be an easy task. From my extensive research into this place, I've come to hypothesize that this temple was built as a barrier, though whether to guard the artifact or the path to it, I do not know. The strangest thing, however, is that in the two days I've been silently maneuvering through this building, I've yet to see a monk. I've heard tale of their legendary reclusiveness, but this is slightly absurd.
Day 7:
I have made a small encampment in a crevice in the wall a few floors down, and those odd creatures have yet to notice me. What are they, I wonder? They seem to be human, yet they are infused with dark magic. I've been biding my time in this hole for the past few days. If that Jockstrap Incident has taught me anything, it's that patience is the key to avoiding those trying to kill you.
Day 15:
I feel as if I know every bump and crack in the walls of this Monastery at this point, having spent so many days here. Yet, it still eludes me. I can feel it though, like a surge of pressure running through my veins. I know it's here, hiding just beyond my grasp.
Day 25:
While fighting off a few creatures from below, an unexpected gift handed itself to me. One of the vile Creepers managed to blow itself up, revealing a passage within the Monastery's basement that seems to have been long since sealed off. I must explore this passage further, it must hold the answers I seek.
Day 26:
My hopes are both shattered and reinvigorated. The uncovered passage led to only a small study, housing a dilapidated desk and a few dusty tomes. Sifting through these books, one in particular stood out from the others - "Thicker Than Blood". The book is aged and fragile, so I dare not mess through the pages too much. That said, it gave me the location of the next stop on my journey, if I can ever find my target here.
Day 27:
I feel as if this room was far more of a blessing that I initially realized. The pressure I felt before is much stronger in this room, as if I were looming right above its source. Tomorrow, I begin the process of excavating deeper into the ground from this study. This endeavour will take time, though, as the structure is already unstable.
Day 43:
At last, I have reached the end. The pressure at this depth is almost unbearable, yet somehow I've never felt more driven forward. After all this time, the real research can begin.
Day 50:
I have come to understand the pressure that I have been feeling. While not having found it, I'm close enough that I can study the energy emanating from the surroundings. It seems to have some level of control over magic itself. The pressure I have felt is that very power, its inherent pull towards a magical prowess that I have honed over many years of study and concentration. For the first time on this trip, I actually fear going forward.
Day 53:
I am ending the trip today, and returning home. After almost 2 months, I finally came to the realization that it is not here. My initial hypothesis was correct, this temple is in fact just a guard. The true location cannot be far off, given the level of energy I detect. More research will be done, and I will return when I have a more precise location. That said, the information I collected will contribute greatly to my studies. I'm sure my apprentice would enjoy seeing me before I head towards the Anthill, the location that book has indicated.