My dearest Aerielyn-

I take a moment from a very busy day to write you for, quite possibly, the last time. I doubt this letter will reach you without by blood upon it; know that we fought well, and fought hard. Listen to me! I am writing as if we are already lost, and yet it hasnt begun. Let me recount the recent events so you may understand:

A week ago, while extending the strondhold deeper into the ground, there was an odd stone. Not much to look at and yet, somehow different. It was set aside and the expansion continued, but with new, unexplainable difficulties. Passageways and intersections suddenly became confusing to the same men who carved them from the earth. Cave-ins too frequent to count; occaisionally a wall would fall in or the ceiling collapse, killing several men and injuring scores more. We could not continue, and shuttered the new excavation tightly. Before evening fell, problems soon cropped up in various areas of the fortress: Sweet natured children became foul tempered, mere babes were unconsolable and fussy. In the next days chickens stopped laying eggs, cows producing sour milk I could go on and on with examples! The most intriguing, and disturbing, events were yet to follow.

Three days ago, people started to disappear. Of course The Aerie (for which you were named!) is very large; if someone did not want to be found it could be done, and easily as you well taught us when you were 6. These people did not disappear on a lark, for they were found inside the new excavation, right next to the shuttering. They they were not whole people, Lyn. I will not detail the scene, not for you or anyone. The nightmarish scene lain out before me was appalling and brutal, and I shall carry it with me to my death. It appeared as if those unfortunate people had tried to claw their way through the stout shuttering boards, as if to get away from something. Several guards were sent down to track the footprints to find where they had gained access, but they stopped in the middle of a narrow tunnel with no other entries. No other tracks were found. The entrance to the area was again stoppered with strong boards, and a guard placed day and night.

Two days ago, the guard reported an occaisional clawing sound starting early in the morn. No one had been reported missing, nothing more was done. By noon, the guard was dead. His boots were stuck in the small gaps between the boards, and all thought it a prank. We called for the guard and pulled the boots from the boards, it was then we noticed his feet were still in them. All fell quiet; as if on queue, the soft glow began

Yesterday, the sun came up and was immediately swallowed by clouds. These clouds were like no other Ive seen, as they flowed across the sky as milk poured into tea. In mere moments, the sky was nearly as dark as sackcloth; no moon, no stars, no sun. Everyone is of a foul mood, and the air is fell; unpalatable. Below ground, the glow had become so bright it was feared the boards would be burnt through. A collection of brave men, braver than I, were assembled to build a great stone wall to enclose the area for good. When it was completed, the wall was easily six feet thick and went from floor to ceiling, wall to wall. The glow was gone, but all present could feel it was angry and would stop at nothing to get to each one of us. Personally. The men who had built the wall reported strange sensations of being grabbed at by unseen hands, the side of their body facing the glow would go numb, and most commonly, a sense of desolation, despair and utter hopelessness.

This very morn, it was discovered we were being watched. It appeared to be a winged lizard of some sort; if not for these enlightened times, I would say I had seen a dragon. The leathery wings fluttered not in the breeze, the talons on the wingtips looked to be large and very sharp; the ones on its feet were recently used judging by the sheep and cattle still impaled upon them. The entire horrorific visage gave me chills but what I spied next froze me were I stood, Lyn: Behind the creatures narrow head, upon the long, finely scaled neck sat A MAN. I call him a man only by virtue his silhouette resembled one, for I can not accept a man, ANY MAN, could sit there and be as if at home. All the time since his discovery, neither he nor his mount has moved from their perch, staring and watching. At that point I felt I must write to you immediately, dearest daughter Aerielyn. Should you return and find no one, you will have an insight of what went on. There is a commotion at the window, one moment.

I must close this letter quickly and pray it finds you well, for we are doomed. The stone wall below is glowing white and the heat it emanates makes approach impossible, and there is a new cloud on the horizon that is black as midnight. It roils and swells across the sky dear Lord save us the cloud is made entirely of winged creatures, as far as the eye can see
You'll NEVER know if you don't TRY...
S. Skrib