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Speaker 1: Hello friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. Before we start,

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Speaker 1: I'd like to say a special happy Birthday wish to

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Speaker 1: Archie from Melbourne, Australia, who has a birthday on September

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Speaker 1: twenty seventh. Happy Birthday, Archie, from your mom, Dad and

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Speaker 1: brother Lenny. We are back with another part of the

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Speaker 1: Magical Book of Dreams. Esther went through the portal and

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Speaker 1: ran into Ariah. Ariah takes her to Eliza's house, but

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Speaker 1: makes Esther feel like she is stuck there. Eliza takes

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Speaker 1: her in and feeds her, and the next morning Esther

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Speaker 1: and Ariah are on their way to find Gimbal. Esther

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Speaker 1: hurries to keep up with Ariah, who is not very

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Speaker 1: happy to have to be her guide. They don't talk

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Speaker 1: very much on their walk until they stop for a

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Speaker 1: short rest. The Magical Book of Dreams Part fourteen. Esther

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Speaker 1: quickly gathered her things and waved goodbye to Eliza as

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Speaker 1: she hurried after Ariah, who seemed to be trying to

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Speaker 1: lose her instead of acting as her guide, and Esther

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Speaker 1: assumed her protector what she needed protection from, She thought

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Speaker 1: it best to not know. Hurry up, great helpless one.

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Speaker 1: We have a lot of ground to cover today, and

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Speaker 1: the glade has a habit of swallowing whole those like yourself,

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Speaker 1: Ariah said, as she raced ahead. I'm coming. You don't

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Speaker 1: have to be so rude. I could find the next

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Speaker 1: settlement all on my own. Quickening her pace further, Ariah said,

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Speaker 1: with noticeable disdain, we don't always have time for the

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Speaker 1: politeness and formalities like you people from Shirewood. Our life

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Speaker 1: here is concerned with survival, not pleasantries. Esther kept quiet.

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Speaker 1: She didn't understand the haste in having her leave so quickly.

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Speaker 1: She had just arrived at Elderwood and had many questions

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Speaker 1: for Eliza. It had seemed that Eliza had many questions

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Speaker 1: as well. What had changed her mind quickly before I

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Speaker 1: lose you to the clouds, Ariah barked, breaking Esther's thought,

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Speaker 1: Quickening her pace, she thought of all the questions she

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Speaker 1: still had. Why did the map reveal itself to her

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Speaker 1: but not to anyone else where? Had all the travelers

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Speaker 1: gone that had come through before her? Esther audibly sighed,

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Speaker 1: which caused her guide to look back at her with disdain.

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Speaker 1: Coming through the portal was tiring, and Esther didn't feel

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Speaker 1: herself or understand why perhaps she wasn't as welcomed her

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Speaker 1: as she thought. Compared to the sights she saw before her,

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Speaker 1: Shirewood was looking far more desirable than she ever thought possible.

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Speaker 1: As Ariah and Esther walked, the first hesitant light of

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Speaker 1: dawn tried to pierce the heavy veil of gray clouds

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Speaker 1: that hung over all the unknown realm. It wasn't successful.

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Speaker 1: Instead of being vibrant and full of life, the morning

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Speaker 1: was subdued, reflecting the influence of the queen and the artifact,

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Speaker 1: which had drained much of the realm's good magic, leaving

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Speaker 1: behind the motley collection of moss covered stone cottages and

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Speaker 1: the comfort of the cobblestone paths. They continued on a

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Speaker 1: dirt path originally formed to allow creature drawn carriages to

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Speaker 1: carry goods. Now it was largely overgrown with hardy weeds,

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Speaker 1: the one vegetation still thriving. Looking at the expression on

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Speaker 1: Aria's face, Esther decided it best to not ask the

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Speaker 1: questions she had just yet. A stream ran to the

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Speaker 1: left of Esther and Ariyah, but its waters, once radiant

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Speaker 1: and shimmering, now looked muted and almost stagnant. Still, Esther

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Speaker 1: thought she heard it whispering old tales, perhaps remembering brighter days,

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Speaker 1: perhaps warning her to go back. Esther knew that there

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Speaker 1: was no going back now, there was no way home.

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Speaker 1: Being brave, Esther tried to strike up a conversation and asked,

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Speaker 1: is it always so gray here? Doesn't the sun ever

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Speaker 1: shine through the heavy cloud and mist? No, Ariah replied curtly,

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Speaker 1: know what. The sun rarely shines through these days, and

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Speaker 1: there is no magic left to clear the mist, Ariah said,

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Speaker 1: as she quickly walked, her eyes fixated on the path ahead. Oh,

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Speaker 1: Esther said, her legs already hurt from the quick pace.

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Speaker 1: The village to their back had now disappeared to the gray,

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Speaker 1: swallowed by the thick morning mists that, along with the

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Speaker 1: clouds above, blanketed the unknown realm. While walking, Esther thought

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Speaker 1: to herself, is the person they were seeking, the same

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Speaker 1: one who was responsible for her coming here, whose books

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Speaker 1: she had found, whose stories she and her mother read.

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Speaker 1: She had many questions, but their quick departure left them unanswered.

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Speaker 1: She would have to wait for the proper moment to

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Speaker 1: ask Aarah if she knew Gimbal of Isle Dora, and

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Speaker 1: if she knew of the origin of the book she found.

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Speaker 1: Walking further along the path, Esther saw to their right

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Speaker 1: the ruins of what looked like buildings for tree goods

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Speaker 1: or a market of some sort. Their once majesty now gone,

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Speaker 1: The structures now felt desolate, the ancient carvings dulled and

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Speaker 1: barely discernible under layers of soot and grime. The ever

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Speaker 1: present weeds seemed to fight to grow among these relics,

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Speaker 1: and silver bloomed vines struggled to cling to the ruins.

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Speaker 1: Their vibrancy dulled in the ever present gray. Walking toward

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Speaker 1: the ruins, Riyah, her eyes sharp and scanning their surroundings,

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Speaker 1: decided to speak. These symbols, brushing off some dirt from

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Speaker 1: a particularly intricate carving, speak of a time before the Queen,

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Speaker 1: when good magic flowed freely. Esther leaned in, wondering why

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Speaker 1: Ariah had chosen to talk now the beautiful Are they important?

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Speaker 1: They are important to those of us who want to

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Speaker 1: return to the old ways, to be free of the

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Speaker 1: darkness that has captured the Queen's heart. It's a helpful

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Speaker 1: reminder of what was. As they left the ruins, Ariyah

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Speaker 1: appeared to walk much more cautiously the path ahead was clear,

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Speaker 1: but something was troubling Ariah. Time didn't seem to have

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Speaker 1: the same meaning to Esther, and she had no idea

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Speaker 1: how long they had been walking. Her legs were telling

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Speaker 1: her that it had been a while. During their walk,

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Speaker 1: every so often, Ariah would pause, signaling for Esther to

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Speaker 1: stay close. There were whispers about creatures lurking in the shadows.

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Speaker 1: Are the areas outside settlements that much more treacherous? Esther

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Speaker 1: asked quietly. Let's just say it's best that you stay close,

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Speaker 1: Ariah replied. In this great realm, the landscape seemed to

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Speaker 1: mirror the drained magic, with lifeless trees and thorny undergrowth

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Speaker 1: hinting at the danger that lay hidden. The land outside

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Speaker 1: the settlements was not welcoming to novices, making Esther grateful

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Speaker 1: for Ariah's protective presence. What you see here is not

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Speaker 1: just the Queen's doing, Ariah said quietly, as they continued.

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Speaker 1: It's those who follow her blindly, the ones who've forgotten

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Speaker 1: the beauty of good magic. If we had hope, some

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Speaker 1: of the light might return, and with light, good magic

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Speaker 1: might follow. Esther nodded, her heart heavy. Maybe one day

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Speaker 1: today this realm will find its light again. Perhaps a

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Speaker 1: short while later. Her legs weary and pained, Esther slowed

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Speaker 1: to a stop. Can we stop and rest a bit?

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Speaker 1: Esther asked, I've had lots of opportunity in Shirewood to

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Speaker 1: walk and hike, but I'm finding it hard to keep up,

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Speaker 1: and the jagged rocks are painful to walk on. With

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Speaker 1: an annoyed sigh, Ariah, scanning the horizon, pointed to a

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Speaker 1: large rock beside what might have once been a tree.

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Speaker 1: We don't have much farther to go, but since Eliza

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Speaker 1: treats you like a princess, we can stop and rest here. Princess,

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Speaker 1: Esther asked, forget it, princess or not, you must have

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Speaker 1: made quite an impression on Eliza for her to have

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Speaker 1: me take you to find Gimbal. I did nothing. I

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Speaker 1: came here in search of my father. When I was young,

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Speaker 1: he left for this realm, and I've always wondered what

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Speaker 1: was so great about this place that so many people

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Speaker 1: would travel here and never want to return. And well,

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Speaker 1: I guess I found my home and its rules boring

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Speaker 1: and too restrictive. I have wanted to travel and see

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Speaker 1: all the mystical kingdom for as long as I can

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Speaker 1: remember Esther sat glad to give her feet and legs

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Speaker 1: a rest. I bet you wish you hadn't stepped through

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Speaker 1: that portal now, Ariah said, her hand sweeping over the

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Speaker 1: depressing landscape. I miss my mother and worry about what

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Speaker 1: she will do when she discovers I am gone. Even

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Speaker 1: my little brother. I may have been rash, but I

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Speaker 1: must find my father. Thus, Ariah stopped herself from saying

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Speaker 1: the name of her home, Lustrous, as it had been

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Speaker 1: forbidden to use the names of old by the queen.

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Speaker 1: It was rumored that upon hearing these names, the artifact

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Speaker 1: would hear it, and bad things might happen to those

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Speaker 1: who said it. This place has been this way my

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Speaker 1: entire life. I grew up in the gray, but have

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Speaker 1: heard endless stories from those elders old enough to know

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Speaker 1: just how beautiful it once was. Here. It was full

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Speaker 1: of good magic. I suspect the other travelers like you

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Speaker 1: didn't return because they could not. How did you find

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Speaker 1: your way here anyway? Ariah asked, her face more relaxed

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Speaker 1: than before. Looking at her, Esther could see now that

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Speaker 1: she might not be much older than herself. It started

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Speaker 1: with a book written by Gimble. Do you know him?

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Speaker 1: Is it the same Gimbal that we are supposed to meet?

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Speaker 1: Esther was getting excited that perhaps more of her questions

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Speaker 1: would be answered. I can't be sure. Gimble is well

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Speaker 1: known among those of us who cling to the hope

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Speaker 1: that the old ways will return. He has done much

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Speaker 1: to help us and is very resourceful, but I know

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Speaker 1: little of his exploits before he came here. Esther sat

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Speaker 1: quietly for a second. Where exactly are we going? She asked,

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Speaker 1: with a chuckle. I keep referring to this place as

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Speaker 1: the unknown realm. Surely the settlement we are going to

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Speaker 1: has a name. You must never say the names when

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Speaker 1: we are on the glade. Though perhaps a superstition. It's

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Speaker 1: been said that if the artifact here the beautiful names

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Speaker 1: of old, it will cast a spell on those who

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Speaker 1: say it, or that some sort of misfortune will befall them.

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Speaker 1: And besides, the settlement we are going to is temporary.

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Speaker 1: It has no name. Gimbal created it to help protect

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Speaker 1: those in need. Enough talk for now, it's just over

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Speaker 1: the next hill. Summon up some of your princess energy

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Speaker 1: and let's keep moving before the weeds take root around

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Speaker 1: your feet. Ariah said, the seriousness in her face. Returning

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Speaker 1: Esther got up, put her now heavy bag over her back,

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Speaker 1: and painfully followed Ariah further down the trail towards the

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Speaker 1: settlement and hopefully actual answers to her many questions. A

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Speaker 1: short time later, Ariah, slowing her pace, asked, quietly, you

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Speaker 1: didn't answ to my question. How did you find your

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Speaker 1: way here? Eliza was rather secretive about the whole thing.

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Speaker 1: The book I found detailed stories from many different travelers,

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Speaker 1: but it was primarily a travel journal from Gimbal. It

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Speaker 1: was like he wanted someone to find it and follow

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Speaker 1: in his footsteps. But it wasn't his writing that led

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Speaker 1: me here so quickly. It was a map. Ariah, slowing further,

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Speaker 1: pointed into the distance, indicating that the settlement was just

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Speaker 1: up ahead. What map, she asked. It was a map

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Speaker 1: that was hidden within the book. It showed me how

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Speaker 1: to find the portal and acted much like a key.

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Speaker 1: When I arrived at the portal, it allowed me to enter,

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Speaker 1: and then well, I walked through. Foolish, little princess, Ariah said,

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Speaker 1: and you still have this map? Yes, it's in my

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Speaker 1: bag with the book, but it has yet to work.

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Speaker 1: Since I arrived after it showed me where to go,

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Speaker 1: the magic it possessed disappeared. We don't use much magic

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Speaker 1: in Shirewood, so I am unfamiliar. We prefer the ways

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Speaker 1: before magic was so popular in the kingdom. Very interesting.

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Speaker 1: When we arrive at the settlement, perhaps you can let

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Speaker 1: me look at this map of yours and the book,

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Speaker 1: Ariah said, as she picked up the pace again. Sure,

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Speaker 1: but there is nothing to see, Esther said, trying to

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Speaker 1: keep up. Ariah stopped a short time later, looking at

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Speaker 1: a chalk drawing on a rock. What's wrong, Esther asked,

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Speaker 1: Why are we stopping? We have stopped because we have

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Speaker 1: a That marking on the rock indicates that this is

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Speaker 1: the settlement. In front of them. Instead of the settlement,

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Speaker 1: they were met with an expansive, eerily silent meadow. The

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Speaker 1: area was now a blanket of overgrown weeds, dotted with

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Speaker 1: wilted wildflowers that swayed gently in this stale wind. No

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Speaker 1: traces of buildings, pathways, or any signs of life remained.

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Speaker 1: The landscape seemed to have swallowed the settlement whole, leaving

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Speaker 1: behind a haunting void in its place. Where did everyone go?

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Speaker 1: Esther asked, I don't know, but I think we are

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Speaker 1: going to find out, and that is the end of

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Speaker 1: this part. Good Night, sleep tight,