Almabi’s Journal, page 23

May, 1100 AD I’m beginning to think this map is fake. My search of Henkhisesui has again hit a stop. No matter which way I turn this blasted piece of paper, it isn’t lining up with the ruins properly. I am going to try to dig up some of this sand and see if the desert have claimed some of the structures that I’m searching for. As a side note, something strange happened today that I must make mention of. As Jorich and I had our last meal of the night, we tried to lighten the mood with a few jokes. One of his jokes was so bad it didn’t even elicit as much as a snort from me, but we definitely heard a chuckle coming from the brush behind us. We called out but found no one, and nothing but the footprints of the local jackals around us. The next morning, I saw a strange jackal sitting on the rocks looking down at us… just staring. It chittered at me, and I swear the sound of the laugh from the night before and the short bark were similar enough that they might have been the same. A coincidence to be sure, but a story to note how many odd things we might find out here in the sands. - Q. Almabi