Tuesday July 21, The Great Devoid

"Balor has been killed before," Alric told us after we raised the Myrkridian standard, "and each time it has only made him more powerful. Our best hope is to cut off his head, and hurl it into the Great Devoid. Only in this way will the world be rid of him forever."

As Balor approached, Alric drew from his robe one of the five Eblis Stones, and for a few moments it made him an equal of Balor. I have no doubt that this is what was brought to him yesterday, though where it was found or how Alric arranged for it to be delivered I have no idea. I am only certain that he must have set this plan in motion months ago.

There are fewer than thirty of us now, most of whom are men I've never seen before. The rest of the Legion was sacrificed in front of the fortress, to give us time to take Balor's head while Alric held him motionless.

After writing these last lines, I will bury this manuscript so that it may survive even if we do not. After all the danger we have faced, it seems ridiculous to do that only now. I cannot see what could possibly stand between us and the Great Devoid, only a few thousand yards away.