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Dear Herkus,

Tha uimhir anns an litir seo nach urrainn dhomh bruidhinn mu dheidhinn gu fosgailte. Tha sinn air tòiseachadh a ’coiseachd ann an uisgeachan dorcha agus gu h-onarach tha e a’ cur eagal orm.

There is so much in this letter I cannot speak of openly. We have started to tread in dark waters and honestly it frightens me. 

Chan urrainn dhomh eadhon bruidhinn mu thachartasan sònraichte a thachair an-diugh ri buill eile den phàrtaidh againn. Chan e mo sgeulachd a roinn. Ach dè a nì mi? Tha earbsa agam gum bi an neach a tha an sàs ann a ’roinn an cuid eòlais agus na thachair, ach dè a nì mi san eadar-ama?

I can’t even speak of certain events that have happened today to other members of our party. It’s not my story to share. But what do I do?  I trust that the person involved will eventually share their knowledge and what happened, but what do I do in the meantime?

Ach tha mi a ’faighinn air thoiseach orm fhìn. Chaidh ar stiùireadh ann an dìomhaireachd gu Lady of Coins, medusa a tha os cionn comann mèirlich a tha a ’sireadh arm minotaur gus rìgh-chathair Amazonian a thagradh. Tha e uile cho meallta. Mar mhalairt air a cuideachadh, cuidichidh i sinn nas fhaide air adhart leis na titans. Tha sinn dìreach a ’coimhead air falbh bho bhith air ar tionndadh gu cloich leatha, agus chan eil earbsa agam innte.Tha bruidhinn ann mu mhurt agus tha cuid de na companaich agam deònach. 

But I’m getting ahead of myself. We were led in secret to the Lady of Coins, a medusa in charge of a thieves guild that seeks a minotaur army to claim the Amazonian throne. It’s all so messy. In exchange for helping her, she will help us later with the titans. We are a mere glance away from being turned to stone with her, and I don’t trust her. There is talk of assassinations and some of my comrades are all too willing. 

Chaidh Leef, Rendu, agus Shadow a bhruidhinn ri bòcan Estor Arkelander. Cha d ’fhuair mi a-mach dè a chaidh a dheasbad ach às deidh sin … bha Rendu a’ dol a dh ’fhàgail leis fhèin. Tha mi a ’faireachdainn gòrach oir bha mi a’ smaoineachadh ’s dòcha gum b’ urrainn dhomh a bhith treun agus bruidhinn ris mu na geamannan mòra. Ach a chuid iomlan…

Leef, Rendu, and Shadow went to speak with the spectre of Estor Arkelander. I didn’t really find out what was discussed but afterwards…Rendu was going to leave on his own. I feel foolish because I thought maybe I could be brave and speak with him about the great games. But his entire being…

Bha uimhir de fearg agus fuath ann. Bha e cho eadar-dhealaichte. Chuir e dragh orm. Tha e a ’cur dragh orm. Bha mi airson cuideachadh agus tha mi cinnteach gun do rinn mi asal dhomh fhìn ach phut mi mi fhìn seachad air. Gus a bhith coltach ri Actaeon agus dìreach a bhith treun agus dèan na dh ’fheumar a dhèanamh. Bha Rendu airson bruidhinn ri Khar’shan. Thuirt mi gun rachainn comhla ris.

There was so much anger and hatred. He was so different. It worried me. It worries me. I wanted to help and I’m sure I made an ass of myself but I pushed past it. I tried to be like Actaeon and just be brave and do what needs to be done. Rendu wanted to speak with Khar’shan. I said I would go with him.

Bha fios agam nach robh e comasach dhomh bruidhinn ris. Thuit mi ach chaidh mi còmhla ris. Bha e cho cuimsichte agus socair, ach anns an dòigh as dorcha. Nuair a ràinig sinn an sin bha e coltach nach robh leisg sam bith air faighinn a-steach do amar fala airson bruidhinn rithe. Amar fala Herkus. Bha e uamhasach.

I knew I wasn’t going to be able to talk him out of it. I fumbled but I went with him. He was so focused and calm, but in the darkest way. When we got there he seemed to have no hesitation in getting into a pool of blood to speak with her. A pool of blood Herkus. It was awful.

Cha robh e ann airson ùine mhòr. Cha robh ann ach dìreach beagan anail. Tha fios agam oir bha mi gan cunntadh a ’feuchainn ri fuireach socair. Bha neach-frithealaidh Khar’shans dìreach na sheasamh an sin, èaladh agus ominous.

He wasn’t in it for very long. It really was just a handful of breaths. I know because I counted them trying to stay calm. Khar’shan’s attendent just stood there, creepy and ominous. 

Mhothaich mi don fhuil a bha air a bhith socair roimhe seo a-nis builgeanan. Dh ’fhaighnich mi do neach-frithealaidh Trellus dè bha a’ tachairt agus thuirt e gum feum Rendu a bhith mì-thoilichte Lady of Dreams. Thilg mi an t-aodach agus an armachd aige gu aon taobh agus ann an dòigh air choreigin b ’urrainn dhomh a tharraing bhon amar. Bha e gun mhothachadh. Chan eil fios agam dè thachair ach bha mi airson clisgeadh.

I noticed the blood that had previously been calm now had bubbles. I asked Trellus the attendant what was happening and he said that Rendu must have displeased the Lady of Dreams. I cast his clothing and armor aside and somehow was able to pull him from the pool. He was unconscious. I don’t know what happened, I started to panic.

Chuimhnich mi gun robh Khar’shan air rudan mar seo a dhèanamh rinn roimhe seo. Cha bhith mi a-riamh fo gheasaibh deiseil air a sgàth. Bha mi a ’faireachdainn mar gun deach mìle bliadhna seachad ann an aon bhuille cridhe. Shaoil ​​mi gu robh e marbh. Bha mi a ’smaoineachadh an rud bu mhiosa agus bha mi a’ faighneachd am b ’urrainn dhomh a thoirt air ais? No am feumadh a mhàthair e a shàbhaladh mar a rinn athair Torag?

I recalled Khar’shan had done things like this to us before. I will never not have a restoration spell ready because of her. I felt like a thousand years passed in one heartbeat. I thought he was dead. I thought the very worst and I wondered if I could bring him back? Or would his mother have to save him the way Torag’s father did? 

Ach thàinig e air ais. Cha robh e marbh. Ged nach robh mo chiad bheachd gu math reusanta. Tha mi ge-tà, ma tha thu marbh Rendu tha mi a ’dol gad mharbhadh. Tha sin a ’dèanamh glè bheag de chiall.

But he came back. He wasn’t dead. Though my first thought wasn’t very rational. I thought, if you’re dead Rendu, I’m going to kill you. That makes very little sense. 

Stad sinn airson glanadh aig an taigh-ionnlaid. Bha fuil aig an dithis againn oirnn agus bha agam ri socrachadh mus faiceadh sinn càch. Bha mi cho feargach. Tha mi a ’smaoineachadh gu robh dragh air na bathers eile air mo thaobh oir cha b’ urrainn dhomh stad a chuir air na deòir searbh agam. Chan eil mi a ’creidsinn gun do mhothaich Rendu iad. Cha do choimhead mi air, agus chladhaich mi mo cheann fon uisge nuair a bha e cus. Carson a tha iad ag iarraidh a bhith cho neo-chùramach? Carson a bhios na daoine iongantach sin a ’dèanamh a h-uile càil comasach airson iad fhèin a mharbhadh? Tha iad uile cho gòrach. Cho gòrach.

We stopped to clean up at the bath house. We both had blood on us and I needed to calm down before seeing the others. I was so angry. I think the other bathers on my side were concerned because I couldn’t stop my bitter tears. I kept my back to him, so I don’t believe Rendu noticed. I couldn’t look at him, and I just ducked my head under the water when it was all too much. Why do they insist on being so reckless? Why do these people do everything in their power to get themselves killed? They are all so stupid. So foolish. 

Dh ’innis mi seo do Rendu mus deach sinn a-steach don taigh. I … thug mi sùil air. Bha e an dàrna cuid sin no a ’briseadh meur eile mar nuair a rinn mi punnd Acteaon. Cha b ’urrainn dhomh a bhith a’ coimhead ris mar a bhithinn Torag oir bha sinn ann am meadhan na sràide. Cha b ’urrainn dhomh pòg a thoirt air a cheann mar a bhithinn Leef. Mar sin thug mi sùil air. Bha e… troimh-chèile.Chan eil mi cinnteach ciamar a dh ’fhaodadh mi a bhith a’ faireachdainn faochadh agus fois agus fearg fìor aig an aon àm ach rinn mi sin.

I told this to Rendu before we went into the house. I… I hugged him. It was either that or break another finger like when I punched Acteaon. I couldn’t yell at him like I would Torag because we were in the middle of the street. I couldn’t kiss his forehead like I would Leef. So I hugged him. It was… confusing. I’m not sure how I could feel such relief and peace and pure anger at the same time but I did.

Agus dìreach mar an fheadhainn eile a tha ann an cunnart am beatha gu daingeann, tha e coltach gu bheil e gu tur gun bhuaidh. Chan eil e coltach gu bheil e coma idir. Chan eil buaidh sam bith ann tha e coltach. Chan eil iad a ’tuigsinn. Dh ’fhaodadh iad a bhith gun eagal, agus is dòcha gum bu chòir an fheadhainn againn a tha comasach air an toirt air ais bho bhàs no uaireannan nas miosa a bhith rèidh gu bheil e coltach gu bheil earbsa aca annta. Ach dè mura bithinn ann? Dè mura biodh fios aig duine againn dè a thachair dha? A bheil ar càirdeas a ’ciallachadh cho beag? A bheil e dha-rìribh dìreach bòid nach eil dad nas motha na faclan gun bhrìgh?

And just like the others who risk their lives stupidly, he seems entirely unaffected. He doesn’t seem to care at all. It is of no consequence. They don’t understand. They might be fearless, and maybe those of us who are able to bring them back from death or sometimes worse, should be flattered that they seem to trust us so. But what if I wasn’t there? What if none of us ever knew what happened to him? Do our friendships mean so little? Is it truly just an oath that is nothing more than meaningless words? 

A ’bhuidheann seo … Tha iad nam pàirt den treubh agam a-nis. Eadhon ged nach eil sinn uile air a bhith còmhla ach airson mìos no dhà, tha mi dha-rìribh a ’faireachdainn gu bheil sinn air a’ cheangal sin a chruthachadh ann an iomadh dòigh. Bhithinn a ’giùlan gach fear de na mortairean gòrach sin a-steach do ifrinn air mo dhruim mar bhiast eallach nan sàbhaileadh e iad. Tha fios agam gu bheil iad a ’dèanamh an aon rud dhòmhsa nam b’ urrainn dhaibh. Tha mi dìreach ag iarraidh nach cruthaicheadh ​​iad suidheachaidhean a thug orm.

This group… They are part of my tribe now. Even though we have all only been together for a couple of months, I truly feel we have forged that bond in many ways. I would carry each of these foolish mortals through hell on my back like a beast of burden if it would save them.  Somehow I know they would do the same for me if they could. I just wish they wouldn’t create situations that forced me to. 

A-nochd tha sinn a ’dol a dh’fheuchainn ri cuid de chloinn a shàbhaladh bhon dearbh àite sin. Tha eagal orm a dhol air ais.Sgrìobhidh mi a-rithist sa mhadainn.

Tonight we are going to attempt to save some children from that very same place. I am terrified to go back. I shall write again in the morning. 

gaol agus gràdh,

Briar