Journal of Hadriax el Fex
We sail into the night. The winds finally favor
us with a strength to move us more swiftly than oars. In this way
we may conserve precious etherea, and allow the artisans time to
effect repairs on the mechanicals.
At first it was disturbing not to hear the throb
and thrum of the mechanicals, which have been so constant since our
departure, but now I feel utterly at peace here in my cabin, with
only the creak of timbers and the gentle sway of the ocean as
backdrop. The darkness has settled in, and it is just me, my
journal, and a prism to illuminate my writing.
The continent we seek is still far off, so says
Captain Verano. Alessandros is extremely anxious, climbing to the
crow’s nest daily as though to espy the New Lands by sheer will.
This is his expedition, after all, his Quest to find the resources
that will heal Arcosia, and to establish the Empire’s authority in
the New Lands.
A son, Alessandros is, to the Emperor, and the
chosen one of God to succeed him. And so it is known to me that
Alessandros organized this expedition for a reason beyond those
already stated: with his success, he wishes to prove himself worthy
to God and the people of Arcosia, and especially to the man he
loves as a father.
This voyage has been good for him. His cheeks
are ruddy and the sunshine sparkles in his eyes. He has become a
youth again and I can feel his excitement. For both of us, this is
a grand adventure. His excitement is so infectious, in fact, that
tonight, my young squire, Renald, overhearing our talk, nearly
spilled wine on us as he served us. Alessandros laughed in good
nature. Renald is a fine boy mostly, like a little brother
sometimes, and I am very fond of him. This journey will be the
making of him.
As the countless days pass, I occupy myself by
poring over the captain’s sketchy charts of the continent. Accounts
tell of a barbaric race who inhabit these lands, and of a wealth of
resources. Such accounts cannot always be trusted, as they so often
are exaggerated. Still, we are eager to see what these lands of
mystery may reveal, and none more so than Alessandros
Mornhavon.