Report From the North

The scouts return. There is no sign of Isabella or the crew who left with her. They believe she headed North, but the snows were too heavy and the scouts were not able to go further. What does she seek at the mountain? The scouts also told me they found the Heretic's shackles, near a great arch further up the pass, but no sign of the Heretic. If he had passed that way, he had come alone – Isabella had not returned with him. I wept at this, and I raged at this. And I feared most of all, he had walked to the nearest shore, then into the waves and cast himself once more upon the seas, to be found by a passing crew, who he would promise all the wonders of Aeternum if only they would follow his words wherever they might leave – and that he had been doing the same to others for a long, long time. We shall stand watch against those who come, if the isle permits it, even if it should be a hundred years. And should all that remain be the wrecks of our ships and these simple pages, let it be enough of a warning to those who come to Aeternum. Chief Pilot, Keyes of the San Cristóbal