The old man headed back up the steps and into his residence, closing the door behind him. One final look over the room to make sure we're not forgetting anything should do. “Ah, some water for the walk would be most good,” he said, as he lifted a full water-bladder from a hook on the wall. After hoisting the bladder over his shoulder and setting it on his hip, he made for the front door and stepped outside.

The sunlight broke through the canopy enough to bring light to his front deck in spots, despite being on the North side of the tree. At the end of the deck was a wooden pulley-elevator which was operated by adding and removing sand bags from the platform. Grabbing a few bags of sand from nearby, the old man placed them on the elevator platform and stepped on with them. He grabbed onto the rope and with his other hand reached up and unhooked the elevator and gently lowered himself down towards the forest floor.

Now safely on the ground, he secured the elevator to a stake in the ground to ensure it wouldn't budge and made his way east along a worn trail that winded its' way between the dense trees of this ancient forest. As he went forth along the path he came to a fork and took a south-easterly trail. The forest grew less dense and the ground beneath his feet became more and more sandy. The smell of the ocean was in the now salty air and the sound of waves crashing onto the shore grew less faint.

Through the last little bit of trees, the old man could now make out the beach and the deep blue of the great ocean waters. He stopped for a moment and indulged in a few gulps of water from the bladder before moving onward along the beach. “I wonder what Kogg is up to now,” the old man remarked as he stared out at the expanse of the horizon.

Source

The sand along the beach gradually became more of a gravel mixture, signalling to the old man that it was now time to head north-wards, inland. As the tree-line grew nearer, he followed along the bottom of a small ridge-line jutting out from the land, running off to the north-east. He was back in the forest now, shaded from most of the harsh, late afternoon sun. He was happy about it too as it meant wiping less sweat from his brow.

As he made his way through the forest, he stepped over large roots jutting and snaking their way along the forest floor. Mushrooms, large and small, had grown in various places and on the sides of trees, decorating the forest with an array of colours. Being wise and knowledgeable of the forest, the old man passed on by. He knew these mushrooms to be inedible.

The forest grew less dense once more as the sunlight made its' way into the forest. An array of edible plants grew in the area due to the soil from the nearby plains. Letting out a sigh of relief, the old man sat down on a nearby rock for another drink of water, and enjoyed himself a break. He was making good time, and night-fall was still a ways off but he was anxious about getting there late none the less and didn't rest for long.

The plains on the island were full of bright, colourful flowers and various types of grasses and berry-yielding bushes. It was hard to resist food so ready to be eaten, and as the old man had suspected he would do, he stopped and enjoyed some berries that were along the way to the lake. The old man came to a hill and ascended it, and at the top he could see the south end of the lake in the distance. He would be early, but then Orvus is likely to be too, being closer and all.

The lake was close, but the hike through the tall grasses of the plains grew tiring. Suddenly, a figure at the edge of the lake stood up and waved in the old man's direction. It was Orvus, and he was early all the same. He called out to Orvus, “Hello, good friend.” Orvus rolled up the sleeves of his faded, red cloak and extended his arms for a hug, “Good to see you. It's been some time now.” The old man nodded and then cleared his through softly.

“I see you brought a canoe. Good, much better than swimming.” Relieved to see the canoe, the old man approached the lake and stared at the island in its' center. On the island was an old stone building, just visible. Orvus followed behind, “You sure about what you said in the letter?” The old man nodded. Ovrus continued, “So it's a tomb then. Not a shrine?” The old man nodded again and turned to Orvus, “More exciting than it being a tomb, Orvus, is the question of whose tomb it is.”

Orvus frowned his brow at the old man, “You said this occurred to you all in a dream the night before?” “A vision, Orvus,” replied the old man, as he readied the canoe for the lake. Orvus came up along the other side of the canoe and assisted with setting it into the lake. Entering the canoe, each with a paddle, they pushed off the shore and made their way north, towards the island in the lake.

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Awaken

Part 1 - A Message to Orvus