Timot’s Diary was found on a desk in the room 50 swords north of the main intersection of the adits in the Silver Hills mines. It is a rare record of the gradually deteriorating mental state of Talantius’s apprentice, Timot.
13th day of Spring, 1062
After weeks of boredom, finally an event: word is it blew up in the mines today, the diggers rebelled, Kagin’s mining project is over. 6 dead miners. It is a good thing; the more deaths, the more certain it is they’ll pack it in and never return. Maghon belongs to magic, it is no mining town. The Master went there to investigate, took L., that bootlicking whore, with him, and left me in the tower like a spare prick at a wedding. I’m certain L. whispered that in his ear. The time for her removal approaches; she drains my blood.
M. returned with L. L. strutted like a peacock and told me nothing. Fortunately, M. did: they dug through to a Vezanian temple, late period, M. estimates the last century before the Deluge, circa 6050 B.S.E., based on the architecture. Supposedly quite terrifying, the peak of decadence; he would say no more. My sincere thanks to L. for making me miss this. Some died by cave-in, others of an unknown disease, M. leans toward a curse. They displayed possession before death. Something supposedly escaped. M. placed runes around the entrances.
38th day of Spring, 1062
Today a new applicant for apprenticeship arrived at the Tower doors. Pale, blonde hair, black eyes. Name Saguin, no byname or surname. That is good news. Those with surnames are usually from rich daddies and can’t endure a thing; those with bynames are usually self-centered idiots. I took a long breakfast before telling the Master. Usually, it gives me quite a bit of pleasure to inform the applicant that they are to sit before the doors and meditate for as long as the Master deems fit, but this time I felt a little sorry for the boy. Oh well, not even minor sadism brings me pleasure anymore.
7th day of Autumn, 1064
Oh dear, Saguin is probably better at magic than I am. He is terribly meticulous, always studying. He pronounces invocations so perfectly. I probably won’t be able to stand it. That whore Lyra completely usurps the Master, constantly fawning over him, it’s all “Master this” and “Master that,” and now the nerd Saguin will shoot to the sky and I’ll be stuck mopping the floor forever.
Summer Solstice, 1065
Saguin is probably the best thing that ever happened to me. He is gentle, kind; he studies like a madman, but never throws his weight around. He helps me constantly, doesn’t push himself anywhere, and I get the feeling it’s out of his nature and not because he wants something from me. And most importantly, he knows how to handle L. That cow smiles at him and has already started pulling the same stunts on him as on the Master. She probably realized too that Saguin will be the new Master one day. Lyra is too unstable and power-hungry; the Master won’t choose her as his successor. It will be Saguin. And I think I’m fine with that; the idea of being S.’s assistant vs. L.’s assistant is like heaven vs. hell. Yet, at the same time, I know that S. sees L.’s flaws. I learn more from him than from the Master.
35th day of Autumn, 1065
Today I finally learned more about S. Pressing him in the past never helped. In the end, a joint expedition into the woods for M.’s skagolites did the trick. He swore me to secrecy, not to tell M. or L. He remembers nothing of his past; the first day he remembers is 25 days before he appeared before the Tower. I will reveal his secret to no one. I want to protect him. I feel immensely close to him. Never in my life have I cared about anything as much as S.’s friendship.
61st day of Winter, 1066
S. passed his adept exams today. He is already as powerful as L. It is incredibly brilliant to watch L. lose ground, yet be unable to do anything, because S. is simply flawless. She snooped around many times to find out what S. is, but he told her nothing. I am his only confidant. I rejoice in our shared secret. And our plans too! Just one more year. I must become an adept as well; then M. will let us take on a sub-master project. L. can go seethe.
19th day of Spring, 1066
S. is so brilliant. He helped me clarify that M.’s program is immensely limited. He showed me procedures standing on the borders of magical schools of which M. surely has no inkling. But we cannot continue this research under M.’s nose; we need to be shielded by distance and rock walls.
55th day of Winter, 1067
Oof, adept exams behind me. Joy, exhaustion, numbness. I really only managed it thanks to S. and despite L. Tomorrow, a new life begins.
56th day of Winter, 1067
We announced our project to M. S. presented, so he accepted it. The exploration of the Silver Hills awaits us; finally, I will see it. S. has incredible knowledge about Vezan; I don’t know where he studied it, such details cannot be found in M.’s library. It will come in handy when we are in the Temple.
36th day of Spring, 1067
S. has changed a lot in recent weeks. His hair has turned completely white. He is pale. I am worried about him. We advance slowly; the mines are full of traps. Meticulous notes.
38th day of Spring, 1067
Notes lost. Shadows attack us. It took us about ten days to clear the cave-in that buried the Master’s runes… behind it, a room with a Cabinet. S. speaks with it. In fluent Old Vezanian. I have the impression that S. sees far better in the dark than I do. I must constantly use an incantation for it.
45th day of Spring, 1067
Today we saw the Temple! It is wondrous and terrifying. M.’s dating is correct. It will be years of work. S. acts as though he isn’t entirely present in spirit. I am tired of this permanent darkness. I miss fresh air. I am mostly guessing the dates of the entries now; I don’t go outside often enough to be certain of the passing days.
48th day of Spring, 1067
The Temple is not abandoned! There are Lights and Shadows. S. disappears for long hours. I feel as though S. is two different people. Who writes these lines?
49th day of Spring, 1067
Great things are afoot! I speak often with S. in dreams. I know he is preparing the way for me. I will invite L., as S. and I agreed, so she can see S.’s body. The Cabinet was here before the Temple. The Temple contains a past age. And beneath it is another. The Age of the Elves. They are there, underground, preserved, settled. S. will take me there after we bury him.
eternal night, 1067
S. is buried; L. touched him, unknowingly giving us power. Let her bear witness to his death, let her bear witness to his rebirth. This is higher magic. How ridiculous M. and L. are now with their books. My book is all around me. On the walls, on the curves of the Temple’s statues.
S. is preparing the Wagon down below; we will ride north to the ancient city, we will see the gods… !
