The​ ​Story of ARK Explained

All Explorer Notes In Chronological Order

Part 2:
Scorched Earth
 Map of the Desert

You can find data maps and detailed descriptions of the Desert and its
regions on the official ARK wiki: ​Scorched_Earth
 Please note: I did not make any of these notes! All rights go to Wild Card
Studios, the creators of the game ARK Survival Evolved that these notes
are from.

You can also read all these notes and more on the official ARK Survival
Evolved wiki: ​Explorer_Notes

This is part 2 of the story of ARK. For part 1 (the Island) click ​here​. For part
3 (Aberration) click ​here​. For part 4 (Extinction) click ​here​. For the She Who
Waits notes, click ​here​. For the HLN-A Genesis Chronicles Discoveries,
click ​here​. For the Genesis Glitch Discoveries, click ​here​.

Characters:

John Dahkeya: John Dahkeya is a gang leader and robber turned

lawman. He appears to be an Apache Native American (at least in part)
from the 19th century “Wild West” Texas/Arizona territories, most likely
around the 1880’s to be more specific.

Raia: Raia is a priestess from ancient Egypt. Her notes are written in
hieroglyphs.

Edmund Rockwell

Helena Walker
Raia Tablet #1
Even at this distance the great Obelisk is beautiful. It is like a pillar of Amun-Ra's light
given solid form. I wish we could have made our camp right beside it but the others
thought that might draw unwanted attention. At least we are close enough to be in its
shadow and drink from the river that runs beneath it.

I always face it when I pray to Hathor and though I can feel the scepticism in my
companions' gazes, my faith is unshaken, for it was my faith that guided us here to this
place rich with water and resources. All agree it is the ideal location for a settlement.
Wherever we are the gods are watching over us I know it.

Dahkeya Note #1
Old habits die hard. I suppose I'm living proof.

I woke up stark naked who knows where with who knows what lodged in my arm, but
just weeks later and I’m already back to robbing folks at gunpoint. This place may not
be Texas or the Arizona Territory, but I’m the same John Dahkeya.

I don’t know why that makes me restless. I didn’t mind this life before, but then I didn’t
exactly choose it. I just stumbled into it, or at least that’s what I told myself. So much for
that. Maybe this is just who I am.

Raia #2
Construction has been going well. None of us are architects, but we have been
adjusting to our roles.
Girisha's broad shoulders and a booming laugh conceal a keen mind, and we started
making better progress once I convinced him to stop hauling rocks and start drawing up
plans that let Amir focus on starting a garden where he is more at home.

I have focused on trying to keep us organized and maintaining our spirits myself. I wish I
could do more, sadly while a priestess has many gifts, manual labor is not one of them.
I often find myself winded before midday. I pray that the others do not find me
burdensome.
Dahkeya #2
Sometimes the pennies a man won’t part with willingly are worth less than the words
he’ll share with any stranger. Some of my new partners don’t see that.

Blondie’s particularly blind to it. He’s always looking for an excuse to pull the trigger,
and he’s stubborn as hell. He even still gets mad we call him Blondie, as if any of us can
pronounce that name of his.

But if Blondie were calling the shots, that hunter wouldn’t have told us about the group
gathering to the southeast, and they’ll have a lot more for the taking than animal hides.

Raia #3
Back in Luxor I always tried to stay out of politics. I never aspired to be Divine
Adoratrice as some priestesses did. I found that such selfish ambitions often led to
suffering both for oneself and for others.
So when Girisha referred to me as our leader today, I found myself surprised. I had
never asked for such a position and the others had never bestowed it on me in any
official manner. It just happened naturally.

I am not sure what to make of it but if this is Hathor's will then I will try to guide these
people as best as I can.

Dahkeya #3
I can’t believe how easy this was. There weren’t many guards here to begin with, and
the few they’ve got are more likely to shoot you a smile than a bullet. We just walked
right in.

The settlement is even bigger than we expected. It’s impressive, protection aside.
Everyone working together to build their own little paradise, not that it’ll last. If you ask
them, they’ll credit their leader, a woman called Raia.

The others have spread out to find where the supplies are stored, but I’m feeling
curious. Maybe I’ll go find this mystery woman. Might be interesting.

Raia #4
Our settlement has grown so quickly during these hectic months. So many wandering
souls have found their way here seeking shelter and companionships, have done my
best to welcome everyone I can. If treated with understanding most become productive
loyal members of our community.

But I am no fool. I know that hearts can have two natures. Hathor offers compassion
while Sekhmet brings devastation. As we grow in size we become a riper target for
those with malice in their hearts.

Girisha has tried to organize a militia but I fear it inadequate. For now I must be wary
and pray that the gods send us a true warrior.

Dahkeya #4
I don’t know what brought me to this desert. My old man would say it was the spirits of
our ancestors. Other folks might say God. Whatever it was, after talking to that woman, I
realize now that I’ve been wasting what it’s given to me.

I have no history here. There are no posters showing off my sneering face, no posses
hunting me. I can be any man I choose. So today, I’m making a choice – the folks here
don’t deserve to be robbed. What they deserve is protection, and I’m the man to protect
them.

Hell, maybe they’ll even call me Sheriff.

Raia #5
It took longer than I'd hope but I believe the gods have heard my prayers. At least I
believe so. When I imagined what a true warrior might be like I cannot say that I
imagined Captain Dahkeya.

He speaks tersely, has no sense of decorum and in general is rather prickly. He was
nigh unapproachable for a whole day when we decided his position should be called
captain instead of the nonsense word he proposed.

Yet he has been getting results or so I am told. When I find time I ought to observe him
in action myself.

Dahkeya #5
Blondie didn't approve of my decision. I've never been very good at persuasion, so I let
my pistol make my case. The others saw it my way after that.
Convincing Raia was a lot less trouble. She knew the settlement's guards weren't
exactly the cream of the crop, and that if I'd wanted trouble, I'd have already made it.
When Raia talks, people listen. I can tell that much from watching her, but in a lawless
place like this, words aren't enough. It didn't take long for us to come to terms.

Well, I suppose I'd better inspect the troops. Maybe a few of them can shoot.

Raia #6
I am still not accustomed to the loud fiery weapons that our new captain is training his
men to use. Their power is so destructive that it seems almost too much for any mortal
man to possess. Yet captain Dahkeya strolls up and down his line of trainees like they
are wielding wooden swords, and twirls his own weapon almost absentmindedly.

It is somewhat unnerving to find someone so calm around such potent instruments of

death. But I suppose that is why he has had such success in securing our borders. I can
only hope that we need but one captain Dahkeya and that I never have to use those
weapons myself.

Dahkeya #6
Now I know how the old man felt while he was teaching me how to hunt. We stopped
seeing eye to eye even before I left the tribe, but I'll always thank him for the time he
spent telling me the same damn things over and over again. Must have drove him wild
inside, but he never showed it.

Hasn't been easy to imitate that patience. Half of this sorry bunch is green as grass, and
the half that isn't would rather hold a spear than a gun. At least they're improving, even
if it's at the speed of molasses.

Her highness stops by on occasion, but thankfully it's just for a gander. This'd be even
harder with distractions.

Raia #7
It has been such a blessing to be able to spread Hathor's joy and love to so many
people. At first my daily prayers garnered but a few curious observers. Yet soon
observations turned to questions, and questions turned to participation. Now there are
so many of us that we have even begun to construct a shrine.
I truly wish that I could teach these eager new students all day long, but my duty to the
village must come first. Perhaps when our future here is finally secured I shall be able to
live the life of a priestess again, but for now I have too many people counting on me. I
cannot abandon them.

Dahkeya #7
My patchwork posse had their first real test today. Some of our gatherers ran into those
big lizards​ a few miles west of the village, and one of them managed to come call for
help. Luckily the others had tucked themselves away in an outcropping and we got
everyone back safe and sound.

Well, except for the Frenchman. He forgot that when you shoot at those big bastards,
they'll shoot right back. Took them hours to get those barbs out of his arm.

When we got back, I think I heard the words thank you more than any other day in my
life. I didn't real know what to say in return.

Raia #8
Names are a curious thing. We assign them great weight, yet they do not change the
substance of the person, place, or thing they belong to. I suppose that line of thinking is
why I never dwelled on the name of our humble village. Yet now that it has grown to
become somewhat less humble our home can go nameless no longer. People must call
it something.

To that end Nosti is as good a name as any. I am told that it means to know in some old
important language, and whatever our citizens intended that to symbolize when they
chose it I know this: while we are here, we are under the protection of the gods.

Dahkeya #8
The townsfolk may be grateful for my protection, but that doesn't mean they like me. I
don't mind. If they're looking for social graces, they ought to find her highness.

Raia hates that nickname. She thinks I'm calling her stuck up, and I suppose I am. Just
a little. Can't imagine the woman's hands ever saw callus before she got here.

That's not the whole of it, though. Take this business with that tower. She's got folks
from all sorts of places praying to the damn thing, and she never really asked them to.
They just want to follow her lead. It's like she's wearing an invisible crown. Can't decide
whether that's comforting or concerning.

Raia #9
Lost souls from all across the desert continue to prostrate themselves before Nosti's
gates. I adamantly refuse to turn away anyone that does not mean us any harm, but I
realize that has left us with many mouths to feed.

As a result, Nosti's fields are its most valuable asset. Fortunately, Girisha's designs, and
my organization of labor and resources have once again proven effective. Not only did
we implement an efficient irrigation system, but we have encased our crops in a large
protective structure made of a clear, shiny substance called glass.

Every morning it sparkles with a Amun-Ra's light, like a great gem, a beautiful reminder
of what we can accomplish when we are united in purpose.

Dahkeya #9
My band of misfit lawmen may finally be coming together. It's been a whole week since
someone shot themselves in the leg or pissed their britches over a raptor. Maybe I'll
finally be able to get some decent shut eye.

Probably too much to hope for. Every day, Nosti grows a little bigger and I have a few
more problems to solve. These ​giant bugs​ from the other day, for example. Found two
of them playing around with a pickaxe a few miles north of the river. I've never heard of
any animals using tools, not outside of the legends the elders used to tell about Big Owl
and Coyote. Doesn't seem natural.

Dahkeya #10
Something damaged a water pipe outside of town yesterday, and when a crew went to
repair it, they were attacked by a whole mess of mantises. My boys and I drove them
off, but we were too late to save the engineers.

I know it sounds crazy, but I think those mantises cut through that pipe on purpose to
draw us out. If I'm right, then I'm more concerned about them than anything.
In the stories about Big Owl and Coyote, Big Owl was the huge, scary one, but Coyote
was more dangerous because he was clever. He'd trick man and monster alike, and
everyone feared him. I never believed those stories, but I sure remember the lesson.

Raia #10
Despite our best efforts and the blessing of the gods, tragedy is unavoidable in these
strange lands. Yesterday it struck Nosti once more in the form of a mantis attack, and
while I could not undo what had been done I hope that I was able to bring some small
comfort to those who knew the victims best.

Though we lack the resources to properly inter the dead in tombs, we still held a
ceremony in their memory and I made time to speak privately with anyone who wished
to. Between that and my usual duties I am physically and emotionally exhausted, but
when my people are suffering I can not afford to rest.

Dahkeya #11
I was worried that Raia would fight some of the new precautions my boys have been
taking, but I guess I've earned a looser leash. I suppose I ought to lay off the "highness"
talk then. Seems only fair.

The other day we even shot the breeze a little. First time we've talked about something
besides what needs doing. Seems we're both a little worn out.

Unlike me, she's used to being respectable and responsible, but being in charge means
everyone wants your time and attention.

This place hasn't been easy on either of us or anyone else, but I'm still kicking so far.
Come what may, I don't plan on stopping.

Raia #11
Early on I handled all of Nosti’s trade negotiations, and I have had trouble growing out
of the habit. I suppose that is why every caravan or hunter that passes through our
gates knows my name. Some still insist on speaking with me personally. But I do not
mind. I find these dealings rather engaging. It is like playing a game of words.

One such caravan arrived yesterday bearing a haul of metal ingots. Our venerable
captain has suggested that I bring a contingent of guards to the negotiations, but I
would rather not. If our guests are intimidated, they may back out and I would be remiss
to waste such an opportunity.

Dahkeya #12
Something like this was bound to happen one day. The bigger the town gets, the more
value Raia has to it, and what happens to valuable things? People try to steal them.

It wasn't a bad idea, holding her for ransom like that. Too bad for those raiders this is
my town.

I picked most of them off with a rifle as they tried to force her onto a pack animal, and
my men finished a few others as they fled. One tried surrendering, but I had to send a
message. If you pull a stunt like that in my goddamn town, you wont get any mercy. Not
a single shred of it.

Raia #12
I shall gladly admit that I erred. I shall even admit that I owe Captain Dahkeya my life
and offer him all the gratitude he is due. Yet that does not excuse such merciless
behavior.

Those so called merchants may have stooped to viciousness and cruelty by trying to
kidnap me, but that one had surrendered. There was no need to execute him on the
spot, was there? It is so hard to see where light ends and darkness begins in this violent
place.

Perhaps if I could adequately protect myself we could have avoided needless

bloodshed. Yes, I think it is time I shall master these explosive weapons, and Captain
Dahkeya is going to help me.

Dahkeya #13
That woman's got some nerve. I save her hide and the next day, Raia's scolding me for
putting down a "defenseless" kidnapper. Hardly even thanked me first.

What did she expect me to do? Give him free room and board for the rest of his days?
Let him go so he can tell every bandit in the desert how soft we are?
I told her that if she didn't like the way I protected her then she can protect herself.
Should have kept my damn mouth shut. Now I'm stuck teaching her how to shoot three
times a week. Gonna be at it forever, too. She couldn't hit a bison's ass from five paces.

Raia #13
Step by step I am learning how to shoot. During my first few lessons the weapons
almost jumped out of my hand when I fired them, but my arms have grown stronger and
my aim truer.

Captain Dahkeya’s presence has been helpful. The same calm that is found unnerving
from afar has been steadying from up close. He does not waste his breath in
exaggerated praise or criticism, he simply keeps me focused on what I need to do and
everything else just falls away.

Considering where I started, he has been very patient with me. Perhaps I should be
more patient with him.

Raia #14
In ancient times, gentle Hathor took the form of the fierce warrior goddess Sekhmet,
and unleashed her wrath upon the human world. Yet even during her relentless
slaughter, Hathor was within Sekhmet as Sekhmet was always within Hathor, and when
she was eventually calmed the peaceful goddess of joy and love returned.

As it is with the goddess, so it is with mankind. The vicious can become kind, and the
kind hearted can become violent for all his past transgressions. Captain Dahkeya is no
different.

He did not grasp Hathor and Sekhmet tale when I told it to him the other day, but if he
keeps trying to better himself, then perhaps one day he will.

Dahkeya #14
I do believe that my pupil is the first dead eye Egyptian priestess the world's ever seen.
It took a few months but Raia's too stubborn to quit.
I shouldn't have been so hard on her. Trying to keep your faith and traditions in a dog
eat dog world isn't easy. HeIl I couldn't even do it myself, and that was before giant
lizards were looking to take a bite out of my backside.

During one lesson, she told me this story about how her goddess had a nice side and a
nasty one. I think she meant something else, but the way I see it we're the goddess.
She's nice, I'm nasty, and we keep each other in check.

Dahkeya #15
Even after all this time in Nasti, I have trouble sleeping in the same bed every night.
Sometimes I'll just toss and turn until I give up and go to sleep beneath the stars.

Hell, I'm not sure we ever slept in (the) same spot twice back in the Russo gang.
Thought I'd live that way forever, wild and free like Doc Russo. Probably die guns
blazing like him too. Sounded better to me than withering away with the rest of my tribe
as the world passed us by.

I don't think Doc would recognize me now. I'm not the "Apache nephew" he taught to
read and shoot. Matter of fact, if he were here, I'd probably have to shoot him.

Raia #15
In principle, I have turned into a competent marksman. Yet in practice how would I fare?
When the time comes, could I end another human life?

I am not so sure. My mouth grows dry with fear at the very thought. The warrior spirit of
Sekhmet surely resides somewhere within the recesses of my heart, but search as I
may, I can not find it.

As training I offered to put down some of our beasts that had grown deathly ill. It was a
merciful act, but it still drew tears from my eyes and twisted my stomach in to knots. I
must learn to act in spite of these feelings. My life may depend on it one day.

Raia #16
Despite my best efforts, I know that I have strayed from the teachings and customs that
I learned so meticulously back home. Out of necessity I have adapted it to both the
needs of Hathor’s new followers and the circumstances we all face in this desert.
For example, celebrating the gods with feasts and festivals in their name would be
wasteful. This sacrifice is particularly unfortunate, for my students deserve some sort of
reward for their diligence.

Perhaps I can still organize a modest celebration of some sort. In fact, maybe the whole
village should have one just to raise everyone’s spirits. Even our venerable Captain
might enjoy that. Ah, but I ask for miracles.

Dahkeya #16
I expected those mantises to come back, but not like this. They came at the village from
two sides at the same time, and the way they moved... they were more coordinated than
any wolf pack. They worked together like men would.

Took nearly half a day to fend them off, and they didn't leave us without scars. If attacks
like this become common, we're going to be in a heap of trouble, so I've decided to
round up my best men to track these monsters down. We've got to at least find out
where they're coming from.

Raia #17
I trust our Captain’s judgment on matters of defense, but I still feel ill at ease with his
decision to sally against these mantises. It is not that he has left the village unprotected.
Quite the contrary. I fear that his own contingent is too small.

I know that I should not be concerned. He personally vouched for the caliber of his
team, and I have more immediate priorities. Our walls and gates need repairs, our
infirmary needs supplies and our morale needs bolstering. I have been scrambling to
and fro with such constant urgency that rings have formed beneath my eyes.

Yet when I finally earn a moment's respite, I am restless with worry.

Dahkeya #17
We've been tracking these damn things for ages. I can't believe they traveled so far just
to attack us. Something like that has to be deliberate. I already knew these bugs were
smart, but if they're that determined to kill us, then we've got to wipe them out here and
now.

That's easier said than done. There's a whole mess of them here. Can't say I've heard
of any mantises living in a group like this, but I'm no expert when it comes to animals.
Certainly not in this crazy place.

At any rate, I've got to come up with some kind of plan. Shooting them one by one won't
do the trick.

Dahkeya#18
I'm glad I decided to take Sasha with me. The Russian showed up in Nosty less than a
month ago, but she already knew her way around a gun. Says she learned it in a place
called Gru. Never heard of it, but apparently they teach you all sorts of tricks there like
how to make bombs more powerful than dynamite.

The caves the mantises are holed up in are filled with sulfur, so if we set Sasha's bombs
in the right spot, we should be able to wipe them all out at once...provided we can shoot
our way in and out without becoming mantis chow.

Well "Captain," time to earn your title.

Raia #18
The people of Nosti come from so many different places, and they all have different
ways of thinking. On occasion this incites conflict.

Several weeks ago two newcomers came to blows over a long standing feud between
their home nations, and just the other day I had to harshly discipline one of my own
disciples for harassing the villagers who worship that wooden cross. One time a man
even challenged me to a duel for Nosti’s leadership.

Yet those same two people who engaged in fisticuffs now work to repair our western
gate, and it is stronger for their combined efforts. Perhaps that is why the gods have
brought us all here. To help us understand each other.

Dahkeya #19
I can't recall the journey back to town, but I remember the caverns. The mantises didn't
take too kindly to our intrusion. Took half my men with them before we blew them to
hell.

Well, most of them. One came at us while we were celebrating and I pushed Sasha out
of the way like a damn fool. Nearly got myself skewered.

Now Raia's got me all cooped up until I finish recovering. Threatened to tie me to the
bed if I tried to leave. I'd probably drive myself nuts if she didn't keep me company so
often. She was even here when I first woke up. I admit, I was glad to see the sight.

Raia #19
For days, I have prayed for both Hathor's compassion and Sekhmet's healing powers,
and for days I have waited. I have faith that they heard me. When I first laid eyes on
him, I thought for sure he was dead or dying, but the gods have not yet taken John
Dahkeya away from me.

My mind knows that I have other responsibilities to attend to, that I cannot afford to
spend more time in this room. Yet I know that if I attempt to attend to my duties, my
heart will interfere and I cannot neglect it. Not any longer.

Dahkeya #20
How long have I wanted this? I can't place it exactly, but it feels like I always have. I
suppose that's how I know it's right.

It's not just that Raia's beautiful. I've known beautiful women before, but I never got the
same feeling when I looked at them. I never felt this at home around them, or anyone
for that matter. What happened between us when I was stuck in that room, it wasn't a
heat of the moment decision. At least I don't think.

All I know is that now, I don't mind sleeping in the same bed every night. Not anymore.

Raia #20
Without question, it was Hathor's divine will that sent me here, not only so I could
spread her joy and compassion, but so I could understand her love.
I thought I knew it before. I loved my family, I loved my fellow priestesses, and I love all
those under my care here in Nosti. Yet only when I finally surrendered myself to it, when
I let it rush over my body and carry me like the current of a great river did I truly
understand it. Only now can I claim to embody Hathor's teachings, thanks to John
Dahkeya, this warrior from a distant time and place.

And now, together, we can turn this desert into a paradise.

Dahkeya #21
Maybe I should change my name again. Seems fitting. I started calling myself John
about a week after joining up with Doc Russo. The others never called me Dahkeya
anyway, so I figured they may as well call me by a name I chose myself.

That was part of it, but I think that deep down, I also knew that the boy who earned the
name Dahkeya was gone for good. Now I think the outlaw named John Dahkeya is
gone too, so it would make sense to call myself something else.

Then again, that may just confuse folks. Probably not worth the hassle. Besides, I kind
of like the way it sounds with an Egyptian accent.

Raia #21
The mood in Nosti has been so jubilant lately that I think we may just hold a festival
after all, and why not? We have plenty of cause to celebrate.

With the mantis threat diminished, our scouts were able to establish an outpost in the
north, where they discovered a wealth of thick, black oil seeping through cracks in the
earth. Thanks to this bounty, we have been able to create amazing new tools, and fill
our storehouses to the brim. A festival would hardly make a dent.

I am sure my beloved Captain will disagree. Ever the dutiful worrier. Fortunately, I can
be quite convincing where John Dahkeya is concerned, and for one day, we deserve to
supplant worry and duty with song and dance.

Raia #22
As I watched Girisha's team construct the curious, bladed tower that is meant to
harness the power of Shu's winds, I could not help but marvel at how far we have come.
In such a short time, Nosti has risen from nothing into a true city, with wonders that
would make even the great Pharaohs envious.

For all its storms and monsters, this desert grows less threatening to us each day, and
fewer people are forced to suffer and die by its hand. Perhaps one day, no one will. If
we can achieve that, then every hardship and every sacrifice we have endured will have
been worth it.

Dahkeya #22
Things have been quiet for a while now. Downright pleasant, even. At least, that was
the case until one of our hunting parties went missing about five days ago. Well they're
not missing anymore, at least what's left of them.

We scoured every inch of their camp and still can't figure out who attacked them. There
aren't many prints from animals, and what ones we found aren't like any creature I've
seen. There are scorch marks aplenty, though. Maybe it was a group of raiders with
some of those new, flame spewing weapons that I've heard tell about?

Whoever it was, I'll see it to it that they live just long enough to regret it.

Dahkeya #23
We finally tracked down our culprit this morning, and damn was he one big, mean son
of a gun. He had wings like a bat, a head like lizard and spat fire from his mouth. I've
never seen anything like it, not even here. Fortunately, anything will die if you put
enough bullets in its head.

One of my men called it a ​wyvern​, but he'd never actually seen one before. Said it was
just a legend. No one in town had seen one either.

So where'd it come from? Did it just suddenly fly here from parts unknown? This whole
affair doesn't sit right with me. Gives me a bad feeling.

Raia #23
Over the last few days, the lights of the great obelisks have been pulsing with a rhythm
and intensity that I have never seen before. It is a beautiful, soothing sight, particularly
at night. It almost looks like they are singing a song to the stars above. Surely this is a
sign of the gods' favor. Hathor is offering us her blessing.
Having another festival would be exorbitant, so I have organized a special round of
ceremonies and prayers after dusk instead. Thus far they have gone wonderfully, and
everyone has left with renewed faith and vigor.

I wonder how long this display will last?

Dahkeya #24
Folks have been spotting a lot more of these wyvern creatures, and they're not just
throwing fire every which way, either. Some spit lightning or acid.

On top of that, those big pillars are acting funny. I checked with Sasha, since she
doesn't buy into that Hathor business, and she sees it too. It's making me restless.
Between this and the mantises, it's starting to feel like this place wants us gone.

I know that can't be right. There were no spirits of the land to stop the frontiersman back
home, and there are none here. Still, I should talk to Raia. If that tower's dangerous, she
shouldn't be worshipping it.

Raia #24
Sometimes, I wonder how John can carry on, with no faith in a higher purpose or power
and eyes that see threats everywhere. Even when we are safe and secure, he insists on
sleeping with a weapon at arms' length. It is no wonder that he suddenly believes the
obelisks could be dangerous.

Fortunately I have enough faith for the both of us. I have faith that he will protect us from
the flying lizards that have recently appeared, I have faith that the obelisks would never
harm us, and I even have faith that I shall forgive his constant prodding on the latter.
That final matter might require some additional effort on his part, however. He has been
simply relentless about it.

Dahkeya #25
I shouldn't have expected her to listen. Raia's kept her faith this long, so there was no
way a few wyverns and a talking to were going to change that, even if that talking to
came from me.
Still, I'm not about to take any chances. Whether it's wyverns, mantises or giant towers,
nothing's harming this town and it's especially not harming her. Her prayer groups are
getting extra guards and I don't care if she likes it.

I expect she won't. In fact, I'll probably have to sleep under the stars for the for the next
few nights. Oh well. I suppose that's what you'd call a "long-term investment".

Dahkeya #26
For all my caution, I could have never prepared for this.

Yesterday, the towers started flashing and glowing like a damn lightning storm. When I
saw that, I saddled up one of our cats and went to find Raia as fast as I could. Within
minutes, the ground was crumbling beneath us, like the land was trying to swallow the
Nosti whole.

Once I swung Raia up onto the saddle, I had to ride like a man possessed, our cat
leaping across broken buildings as they slipped into the ground. Even then we barely
made it, but we're the only ones. I spotted Sasha hanging onto a ledge as we escaped,
but I couldn't get to him in time.

We're all that's left.

Raia #25
What did I do wrong? Despite every trial and tribulation, I kept my faith in Hathor,
Amun-Ra and all the gods. No I did more than that. I gave them new followers, I built
shrines for them, and held ceremonies for them.

So why? Why did the obelisks light up the sky and call down such a terrible doom upon
my new home? Why would the gods tear the very earth asunder and send all that I have
built and cherished tumbling into the abyss? Where did I betray them?

Were it not for John I would not even be able to ask such questions. I would just be
some dead fool, whose last act would have been to beg for salvation from the very gods
who have forsaken me.

Dahkeya #27
I wish I were better with words. I just don't know what to tell Raia after all that's
happened. A loss like that is always going to ache, but nothing I do or say seems to
ease the hurt at all. You know things are ugly when I'm the optimistic one.

For now, I've just got to keep us focused on staying alive, step by step. We're going
back to the basics: finding water, finding food and finding shelter. This snaggletoothed
cat and I are all she's got left, and that means I've got to be steady for her. Somehow,
we'll make it through this.

Raia #26
My mind is filled with the dead. I see the smiling faces of my students, eager to learn. I
hear Girisha's laugh, deep and merry. I see the outstretched hand of John's trusted
lieutenant as she fell into the darkness below.

John tells me not to blame myself, that what happened was unpredictable. Yet how can
I not feel guilty when I led so many to worship the instruments of our destruction, all the
while promising to keep them safe?

Somehow, I must bury these emotions and focus on the present, as John does. If I
cannot tear my mind away from what I have lost, I will lose all I have left. I cannot let
that happen. I cannot let the gods take him too.

Dahkeya #28
So far so good. The cat has helped keep the critters away, so I've conserved
ammunition, and we're all stocked up on supplies. For the immediate future, I'd say
we're safe and secure.

Further than "immediate" though? I'm not so sure. Neither of us are builders, and there
are bigger, tougher animals than long-toothed cats out there. Eventually we'll need to
find some new friends. Nosti was the biggest settlement in the desert, but it couldn't
have been the only one.

I'd heard rumors that a hunting party had seen some buildings to the west. Sounds like
as good a place to start as any.

Dahkeya #29
Damn it all to hell! I had everything under control. We were going to make it, but I just
had to go searching for that town. What a stupid, bone-headed decision!

It's not that the rumor was wrong. There are buildings, all right: crumbling, abandoned
buildings that are half-buried in sand...and home to a group of damned wyverns that
attacked us on the way in. We managed to give them the slip by taking shelter in this
big, circular building, but they've been circling it ever since.

We've got enough supplies for nearly a week. Hopefully they'll lose interest before we
start to run dry.

Dahkeya #30
The wyverns haven't left. They're fixated on us. Well if they want me so bad, they'll get
it. I'm not foolhardy enough to fight them on my own, but I can at least insist that Raia
take our mount. If things go south, then she'll have a chance to run.

Raia, if that happens and you're reading this, don't go crying on my account. The time
we've had is more than I could have hoped for. Besides, it'd be downright selfish of me
to keep you to myself when you've got so much to offer the world.

As for me, I've only got one true talent, and those ugly, overgrown lizards will find out
just what that is when I drag them to hell.

Raia #27
You would have been proud of me. I controlled my breathing, just like you taught me,
even with the tears streaming down my face. Even with all the hate and anger in my
heart, I kept my aim steady, and I killed them. I killed them all, John.

So why have you abandoned me, too? You were the survivor, not I. These creatures
should not have been enough to kill you. You were too strong. I need you too much.

Please. Come back to me. I need to hear your voice. I need to see your smile. Please.
Please.
Raia #28
When I found them, I wanted to smash them to bits. Those eggs were the spawn of the
monsters that slew my beloved, and they did not deserve my pity. Yet I also knew they
could help me. If I could raise these creatures as my own servants, then even those
traitorous gods of mine could not strike me down.

I have constructed a great bonfire to mimic the warmth provided by their mother, and
gathered milk from the mightiest of the fallen beasts so that I may feed them when they
hatch. Hopefully it is enough.

No, it will be. I will raise these creatures, I will master them and I will survive. I promise
you, John. I will live for both of us.

Raia #29
When the creatures first hatched, I dared not go near them without weapon in hand, but
by now we have grown accustomed to each other. I once heard that a newborn creature
may identify the first living thing it sees as its parent. I believe that has occurred here. I
have become a mother to monsters.

So be it. The gods have forsaken me and my love has been taken from me, so gone
now is the Raia of old. Gone are the last vestiges of Hathor's joy and tranquility. Let my
heart fill with Sekhmet's might and fury, and with monsters at my back and steel in my
hands, let the desert know my wrath.

Never shall anyone take from me again, be it god, beast or man.

Raia #30
I have seen so much since we last spoke, John. There are secrets in this desert that
you would never believe, dangers that would have paralyzed me with fear when we first
met, but I am a different woman now. Would you recognize me still, behind this black
veil?

I still find ways to help people, though not as I used to. I am no shepherd to the lost, no
healer of wounded souls. Sometimes I simply defend the defenseless, or guide those
few who seek the truth behind this cursed place.
Perhaps one day, someone will find that truth, strike down the false gods of this land,
and at last grant me rest. Yet until that day comes, know that I will not falter. Know that I
will carry on.

Rockwell #1
Confound those confused contraptions! Despite my best efforts, I could make neither
heads nor tails of the mysterious machine that brought me here.

If only I still had that jittery bespectacled assistant of mine from all those years ago.
What was his name? Gerald? Gerande? The one that loved tinkering with the devices
we’d salvage from the arms of the Island’s less fortunate inhabitants. Good lad. The
inscriptions he found on the inside of those little trinkets were where I first saw the word
“ARK” as I recall.

Shame about the incident with the ​Compsognathus​. If I still had his services, perhaps I’d
never be in this God forsaken desert. Ah well. Stiff upper lip, Rockwell. Make the best of
it.

Helena #1
I had to pick the desert. Why the hell did I pick the desert?

Well, I suppose "pick" is a rather strong word for it. I’m still not entirely certain just how I
got that console working, but it suddenly started cycling through holographic images of
different destinations far from the island that I’d been living on. Of course, I just had to
go and press another button while it was showing off one that contained miles and miles
of bloody desert, and here I am.

That’s just typical of me, isn’t it? Always leaping, never looking. Oh well, better make the
best of it, and by that, I mean "better not die of heat exhaustion."

Rockwell #2
Right then! Now that I have found a shady spot where I can enjoy a brief respite from
this desert’s dreadful heat, it’s high time that I set some goals for this expedition. If I
wander about aimlessly then I’m sure to meet the same fate as poor Gerald.

First, I shall find a local tribe if for no other reason than to obtain a proper mount and
supplies.
Second, I simply must learn more about that strange metal that lined the walls of the
sanctuary. Even with a cursory study I could tell that it possesses wondrous properties.
But where could I find more of it?

Helena #2
My hunting skills are seriously out of practice. Not that I was ever spectacular, but I feel
like I’d graduated from smashing ​bugs​ with a rock at some point.

At least I was thoroughly rewarded for my efforts. My hunch was spot on these big
green bastards are carrying drinkable water on their backs, and thank goodness for
that! I may have never known if I’d killed a red one first, since those carry oil instead.
Far less useful when you’re dying of thirst, let me tell you.

I may be fighting the inevitable, though. I’m still on foot and still alone. Definitely miss
Athena.

Rockwell #3
I must say nothing reminds a man of his own mortality quite like a desolate wasteland.
As a strapping young lad, I could have survived alone in this desert for years! Why on
one occasion, I fought off a Bengal tiger with nought but an empty flash and my
favourite pipe. With this makeshift spear, the beasts of this land would never have a
prayer!

Yet in my old age, I can feel this damnable sun sapping my strength with every minute I
spend under its unforgiving gaze. Each day I cover less ground than the day before.

I must find civilization soon, no matter how primitive. Without the right tools and
supplies, I fear that this expedition will be incredibly short lived.

Helena #3
I’m on a roll. By sheer coincidence, I stumbled into another group of survivors today,
and they didn’t try to kill me or anything. If I didn’t know how probability actually worked,
I’d say that this recent string of good luck is the universe making up for sending me to
the bloody desert in the first place.
The caravaners were welcoming, and the ​creatures​ they ride are fascinating. They
seem like dinosaurs, but they also appear to share some biology with camels. Bizarre!
For all its oddities, the island never had anything like that.

I’ll have to study them… after a nap. All this desert survival’s left me knackered.

Rockwell #4
Eureka! At last, I have found signs of human life!

This afternoon, I came across a fresh series of footprints, some from humans and some
from what I assume are large beasts of burden. I cannot be sure who made them or
how civilized they may be, but neither can I afford to be too particular in my choice of
saviors.

Whoever they are, I must track them down immediately. As soon as I gather my
strength I shall pursue my quarry with the utmost haste and vigor. The tale of the
brilliant and impeccably groomed Sir Edmund Rockwell shall not end this day!

Helena #4
If I’d ended up in this place instead of on that island, I’d have never imagined the
ecosystem was natural. Not for two seconds.

Take these morellatops: they’re a cross between a ceratops, a morelladon and a camel,
and the strangest part? There are places in its humps where you can stick a spigot and
get clean drinking water. Tastes like piss, but not only is it safe, it doesn’t even harm the
morellatops. It’s crackers.

Definitely the result of genetic engineering, but I knew that, didn’t I? It’s time to get to
the “why.” Maybe studying the creatures here with my new perspective will yield some
insight.

Rockwell #5
Salvation, thy name is Prophet's Rest.

After a proper meal and some time out of the sun, the makeshift fortress doesn't look
half as grand as its name might imply. Yet when I first sighted its walls from across the
dunes, it may as well have been El Dorado itself, so grateful was I to find it.
Thus far, I have seen little of the inhabitants, but they seem a hospitable sort. I've been
given food, shelter, and even a wet cloth to clean myself with. Quite generous of them,
considering how scarce water is in these lands.

Their clothing is a curiosity, however. Those robes seem more ceremonial than
functional.

Helena #5
Today, I caught a glimpse of what the caravaners call the "Endless Dunes". The
desolate sea of sand that apparently surrounds the livable portion of the desert on all
sides.

Now those dunes can't literally be endless, but it's easy to see why one would think that.
Not only do they, stretch on to the horizon, but they're home to get to... get this... ​giant
sand "worms"​ that will devour anything that sets foot in their domain.

I laughed that off at first. Then I saw a creature the size of a train burst up from the sand
and devour a wild morellatops that had wandered into its territory. I suppose I'll just
have to learn to walk without rhythm...

Rockwell #6
It seems that Prophet's Rest is less a fortress and more an enclave or monastery. I
suppose that would explain the name, now wouldn't it?

Yes as strange as it may sound, the natives have created a primitive religion centered
around the ARK's obelisks. They pray three times a day, each time facing a different
obelisk, and their robes bear a unique symbol - a three pointed star coloured red, green
and blue. The blue obelisk appears to receive particular reverence due to is proximity.

As charmingly ignorant as their superstitions may be, it's far from the most savage
religion I've encountered. Besides, Prophet's Rest is in need of a doctor, and I am in
need of supplies.

Helena #6
As absurd as the Death Worms are, I see their purpose. They are a natural barrier.

If this whole place is a space station posing as a real ecosystem, then it needs to keep
the wildlife and humans inside it contained in a way that appears natural. The island
accomplished that by simply being an island, and the desert does it via the Death
Worms.

Granted, a large population of predators with ludicrous kilocalorie needs would never
last long in a place as devoid of prey, but as this is an artificial environment, the station
can feed or, replace the Death Worms as needed. It's a little convoluted, but it makes
sense.

Rockwell #7
I have discovered why Prophet's Rest is so generous with their water. The well at the
edge of the compound is built directly on top of what the locals call a 'water vein' - an
endless supply water bubbles up from beneath the earth.

It's existence is a minor miracle, though compared to what I saw in the starlit sanctuary,
minor is the operative word. I suppose this ARK must be floating among the stars just
as the Island was. What an extraordinary thought! I cannot fathom how such a thing is
possible, but that remarkable metal must be at the heart of it. I am certain.

Helena #7
Time to go over the facts.

Like the island, this desert is a space station posing as a natural environment. It is
inhabited by a large population of dangerous, genetically engineered creatures, and a
small population of humans that are struggling to survive. This whole environment is
then deliberately contained by a combination of a holographic horizon and natural
barriers.

Assuming the other space stations are at all similar, then this whole thing is starting to
look like some kind of bizarre experiment on a grand scale. Yes, each station would
represent an experimental group, and...

I'll have to continue this later. One of the caravan's scouts just returned in a panic.
Something about rocks being alive, which is of course ridic.

Rockwell #8
Most of my work as the monastery's doctor has been trivial. Every now and then one of
the guards gets injured by the local wildlife, but I usually find myself treating heat stroke
and common illnesses. As such, I have had plenty of time to learn all the priests know
about the obelisks.

All told, they are stunningly ill informed about the literal pillars of their faith. They are
unaware that the obelisks are actually devices that can be activated, and needless to
say they have never activated one themselves.

They showed a flicker of understanding when I described the artifacts I found on the
island, however. I shall have to keep digging.

Helena #8
I long for the days when I thought a tyrannosaurus frolicking through the snow was the
height of absurdity. Compared to yesterday, that seems commonplace.

As the scout had so eloquently put, the rocks were indeed alive. Alive, in the shape of a
massive, bipedal golem​ and exceedingly angry. I was too shocked to scatter like the
others when it charged, and for a moment, I was certain that I would die.

Then something even more ludicrous happened - lightning crashed into the golem, but it
didn't come from the sky. It came from the mouth of a bloody dragon.

I don't recall much else. Fear and instinct pretty much took over for the rest of the day,
and while that helped me survive, I'm once again on my own.

Rockwell #9
Unbelievable. Have these idol worshipping ninnies replaced all their common sense
with blind devotion? Have years of oppressive heat completely addled their brains?

I was finally allowed to see the monastery's inner sanctum, and lo and behold, there
they were. Sitting upon an altar before a flock of protesting primitives were these
glowing artifacts, just like the ones I had found in the caverns beneath the island. Yet
instead of making use of them or even studying them, these halfwits are praying to
them!

The true value of those artifacts is completely lost on these simpletons. Sacred relics,
indeed!

Helena #9
I remember now, the dragon had a rider. Rather, the wyvern did. Two legs means its a
wyvern. Strewth, listen to me, fighting to survive and still finding time for semantics.

The rider was covered up too well to get a good look at them. Could it have been Mei
Yin? No, that's stupid. I don't know if she's even alive, much less in this desert with me.
It would be just like her though, to have tamed the meanest thing here so quickly.

It's nice to pretend that a friend might be looking out for me, at least. We were sort of
mates, right? Sort of.

I could really use one right now. A friend, I mean.

Rockwell #10
It took time, but I finally pilfered enough supplies and tools to survive on my own.
Loading them onto these camel-like beasts of burden was laborious, but the real trial
was absconding with the artifacts.

There is always someone watching the inner sanctum, so I carefully studied the guard's
shifts until I identified whose drink I had to spoil with my knockout serum. Even then I
acted with great haste and guile, for my heist will surely be discovered when the priests
convene for their morning prayers.

Alas, they will be too late! Sir Edmund Rockwell is always ahead of his foes, but not by
a mere step. No, I am miles and miles beyond their reach!

Helena #10
Well, I found a new best mate. The little fuzzball isn't exactly what I meant, but I'll take
her.

I've dubbed her species ​Renopila Amplexus​. They're small, cuddly little herbivores, and
as far as I can tell, taming one has no practical use. I just couldn't let her starve to
death, though. I guess all this rubbish with golems and wyverns has quelched what was
left of my scientific instinct to leave nature to nature.

At least we provide each other with a little warmth at night, and her antics have helped
to keep my spirits up. I suppose I'll need to give her a name.
Rockwell #11
It has been several days since I left Prophet's Rest, and I have seen no sign of pursuit. I
am unsurprised. They probably assumed that I would make for the blue obelisk, as it
was nearest. By setting out for the green obelisk instead, I already outwitted those
simple minded zealots. As I said - miles ahead! Miles!

With those fools out of the way, I can slow my pace and take some time to properly
study these so called sacred relics of theirs. I am curious to see if the materials they are
made of bear any similarity to the metal in the starlit sanctuary.

Helena #11
I may have been wrong about Renopila not having a practical use. Earlier today, my
furry new companion started bouncing around so excitedly that I couldn't calm her
down, and then soon enough it started raining.

I brushed that off as a coincidence, but soon after filling my waterskins and setting off
once more, she started acting skittish. I decided to find shelter just in case, and within
minutes light rainfall had turned into an electrical storm.

I'll need more evidence to draw any firm conclusions of course, but I wouldn't mind
having a fuzzy little weather radar with me.

You know... It's a little on the nose, but Radar's not a bad name

Rockwell #12
The obelisk is reacting to the presence of the artifacts with even more intensity than I
expected. Each obelisk on the Island required eight artifacts to generate that sort of
response, not three. In other words, I may not need to do any spelunking before
summoning whatever terrifying beast this ARK has in store for me.

Ah, the beast. Now that poses entirely different conundrum. Even with my youth and my
favorite pipe, I doubt that I could slay a monster such as that dragon Mister Nerva
fought. Not alone, anyway. I shall need to find a partner for this venture, but who?
Helena #12
Thank goodness that I decided to find some high ground two days ago, or I'd have
never spotted this settlement. That's twice now that I've stumbled into my own salvation.
I can't count on that happening again. I'll need to stay here for a while and prepare
before setting out once more.

Fortunately, the villagers are willing to let me trade work for supplies and shelter.
Another stroke of luck, and another factor I can't rely on. On the Island, Rockwell's
name got me far, but here I'm just another stranger. Not everyone will trust or help me. I
need to be prepared to survive on my own.

Rockwell #13
I have turned back north in hope of making contact with some of the natives. It is a risk,
as I cannot be sure how many bumbling savages are under the sway of that ludicrous,
obelisk worshipping cult, but it is also the only region that I definitively know is occupied.

I do not have much to offer in exchange for their aid, but I am sure that I can negotiate
an alliance with at least one of this ARK's tribes. I was at the center of the Island's
diplomatic disputes for years, after all. Why I am a seasoned, silver tongued negotiator!
Surely I can coax a partnership out of these primitive desert dwellers.

Helena #13
In some ways, surviving on my own was less work. At least then I wasn't conscripted
into manual labor. Ugh, my whole body feels sore!

I bet I wouldn't have to work if I were as adorable as Radar. The whole village is in love
with her. I swear, they spoil her like a furry little princess.

Rockwell would be livid about this arrangement. I can just hear him ranting about
treating scholars with propriety. I hope the old Brit is doing well. Maybe when I've
broken this mystery wide open, I'll figure out a way to get him off the Island and we can
discuss it all over tea like old times.

Rockwell #14
What terrible misfortune! My keen sense of direction finally led me to a local settlement,
but as it happened, I was not the first party to visit it that day. That honor belonged to
the Burning Phoenix Clan, a band of raiders that were plundering its storehouses and
enslaving its surviving residents as I arrived.

Naturally, the hoodlums fell upon me and stripped me of my valuables within minutes of
my arrival. Ruffians! I managed to keep hold of my journal, but little else. This won't do,
not at all!

Then again, I was seeking out a tribe skilled in the art of violence. Perhaps I can turn
this to my advantage.

Helena #14
While my mind still can't recall the last time I fired a gun, my muscle memory is much
better. According to my would be instructor, I wasn't a complete disaster on the firing
range.

I'm no pacifist. Death and violence are a part of life, that's just nature. Yet a gun still
makes me a little uncomfortable. The idea of shooting at another human just seems
instinctively wrong to me. I couldn't even fire at the New Legion back on the island.

But I need to pull my weight. The villagers have been welcoming and patient with me.
For their sakes, I need to practice.

Rockwell #15
Curse these stubborn brutes! Despite a litany of polite, gentlemanly requests, they
refuse to allow me to parlay with their leader. Surely any leader of men is not half the
imbecile that these barbarians are. I am positive that we could come to some sort of...

Damn this noise! It is impossible to concentrate with all this insufferable whingeing! Half
of these prisoners won't stop moaning about one injury or another and the other half are
in constant hysterics.

Very well. Perhaps if I tend to some of the wounded, it will dim this distracting
cacophony.

Helena #15
I may have to put my freshly polished marksmanship skills to the test sooner than I
thought. A hunting party spotted a swarm of giant mantises heading in our direction.

Yes, giant mantises. I haven't spotted them with my own eyes, but the villagers have
spoken of them every now and again. They say the insects have these little hands that
can actually grip and wield weapons or tools. Sounds absolutely loony, but so is the
idea of a mantis swarm at all. They must share Ghost Mantis' distaste for cannibalism.

No one seems keen on fighting them, but they're too close to outrun. Hopefully they'll
just pass us by.

Rockwell #16
At last, I can hear myself think! The guards have moved me to a private cell, and while
they have not divulged the reason for my transfer, I suspect that they took notice of my
medical expertise. I caught them staring in my direction on several occasions as I
worked.

It seems that doctors are in high demand in these lands. I suppose that's no great
surprise. The Island was no different. No matter. While my skills in the realm of
medicine are more in line with a field medic than a true physician, I shall continue to
play the role as long as it serves me.

Helena #16
My hopes that the Mantises would ignore the village were unfounded, and I think we
were all wondering if this morning's sunrise would be our last. Despite all my practice,
my rifle felt heavy and foreign in my shaking hands as the swarm advanced.
Fortunately, they weren't our only visitors.

The villagers erupted in cheers as lightning and fire tore through the advancing insects
from above. Some chanted a name: Wali al Aswad. The rider, still hidden behind black
robes, didn't acknowledge the ovation. With swift efficiency, their small flight of Wyverns
decimated the Mantis swarm and made for the horizon.

Wali al Aswad... I need to meet this person, if only to thank them.

Rockwell #17
After days of travel, we finally arrived at the Burning Phoenix Clan's compound, and
while my former peers were shuffled to the slave pens, I stood before the clan's leader.

I'd heard tales of the once great Tatar empires, though I had never travelled to their
lands. By all appearances, Timur is cut from the same cloth as their fabled Khans. He
was at once imperious and casual, questioning me with impatience from a throne of
hide and bone.

Naturally, he was impressed by my intellect and gentlemanly demeanor. Granted he did

not say so aloud, but I was escorted to a small, private chamber instead of a cell. Surely
that says as much.

Helena #17
Just who or what Wali al Aswad is depends on who you ask. Some of the villagers have
attached a religious connotation to the figure, believing it to be some sort of heavenly
guardian who appears to worthy in their time of need. One villager is even convinced
Wali is an extraterrestrial.

I don't deal in beliefs. I deal in empirical evidence, and that means nothing about Wali is
certain until I can meet them. I won't forget this village's kindness, especially after
granting me a morellatops and supplies for my journey, but this is why I'm here - to find
answers.

Rockwell #18
I had been pondering why Timur required the services of a doctor. He seemed to be in
excellent health and I had seen no patients since I arrived. Well now I shall ponder no
longer!

Timur has a wife, and she's with child.

I suppose that even bloodthirsty raiders can fall in love, or at the very least, desire a
family. The whole affair would be rather quaint were I not expected to care for the
woman and deliver the child. Should either the child or the woman die during the birth, I
fear that I will follow them in short order.

Helena #18
I'm definitely more prepared for this desert than before, and better equipped. With my
morellatops offering a large, mobile supply of water and Radar looking out for the
weather, the only threat I really have to worry about is major predators. Also giant
golems.

I'm actually impressed with the shape I'm in, if I do say so myself. I think I even saw
some ab definition the other day. Took me long enough. I've been living without sweets
for ages, after all, You'd think I'd get fit much quicker.

Great, now I miss sweets. The things I'd to do taste chocolate again...

Rockwell #19
Nasrin is quite different from her husband. She is a timid little flower of a woman, or
rather, she would be if she were not many months pregnant.

I am still undecided as to whether my timing is impeccable or unfortunate. A few weeks

from now, Timur may have had no need of a doctor, but as it stands I have been thrust
into an unfamiliar scenario with scant time to prepare.

Despite my unpleasant circumstances, this whole affair is rather intriguing. I never

considered the possibility of new generations being born on the ARK, yet clearly it was
inevitable. Like any common animal, humans have the urge to procreate. How else
could the species endure?

Helena #19
It took weeks of searching, but I finally caught a glimpse of Wali al Aswad. I knew I was
getting close when I found a series of fulgurite formations this morning, and sure
enough, I spotted several wyverns later in the afternoon with a lone rider among them.

The rider clearly saw me too, because soon enough the wyverns were circling
overhead. I waved and yelled in greeting, even calling out Mei Yin's name just in case.
Yet without so much as a nod, the wyverns regrouped and flew off.

Wali's not a social butterfly it seems, but I'm not letting them off the hook that easily.

Rockwell #20
Rockwell, old bean, you've done it again! Both mother and child made it through, Timur
is a proud father, and your head is still attached to its shoulders. Why I was even a
guest of honor at Timur's celebratory feast! I cannot say I enjoyed the blood sport that
serves as the Burning Phoenix's entertainment, but the food was delectable.

I was also sure to seize upon Timur's momentary goodwill by filling his ears with
whispers of obelisks, artifacts and the untold power they grant to mortal men. It may
take time for those thoughts to turn to action, but with constant care, I may yet turn him
into my unwitting general.

Helena #20
Of course Wali lives on a bloody mountain. Of course they do. I saw their wyverns land
at the summit yesterday, and they haven't left. This has to be their home...unfortunately.

The paths were too narrow for my morellatops, so I had to leave it behind. It should
know to wander off if I don't return for it, not that I can really afford to worry about it. The
climb's doing a fine job of kicking my ass even without distractions.

I swear, if I don't have a six pack after climbing a mountain in the bloody desert, I'm
going to be awfully cross.

Rockwell #21
The silver tongue of Sir Edmund Rockwell has prevailed once again! After spending far
too long watching the Burning Phoenix enslave and decimate hapless caravans and
villages, I have convinced Timur to test his might against the guardian of the obelisk.

I admit, I am somewhat anxious. Timur is not the commander that Mister Nerva was,
and should he fall, I shall fall with him. Yet I have little choice, and the rewards of
success are worth the risk. The obelisks, the starlit sanctuary and that precious ore shall
be the foundation of my legacy as a scientist, gentleman and explorer. I am sure of it.

Helena #21
I don't know what kind of reception I expected when I reached the summit, but laughter
wasn't one of them. Yet that was exactly what I heard when I finally let myself collapse
and started flinging every obscenity I could think of at this damned mountain - the
bemused laughter of an old woman.

Wali al Aswad is definitely no guardian angel. She was quick to dismiss those particular
rumors with remarks about how the gods have abandoned this wretched place.
As long I avoided that subject though, she's welcomed my questions with surprising
warmth, though often enigmatically. I have a feeling that I'll need to be patient with her.

Rockwell #22
I found it! I really found it! Raw, untainted samples of that same, mysterious ore from the
sanctuary!

That fearsome ​beast​ must have been guarding it. Thank the heavens for Timur and his
berserk savagery! When he leapt from the back of his wyvern, I thought he was surely
doomed, but the madman actually managed to grab hold of that monster's horns and
turn its eyes into a bloody mess. I have never seen such brutally effective barbarism.

Many of his band did not survive the encounter of course, but that was to be expected.
Progress requires sacrifice, and whether those brutes knew it or not, their deaths have
helped humanity leap into the future.

Helena #22
It turns out that I didn't find Wali al Aswad. She found me.

While the portal I used to get here opened with little fanfare on my end, apparently the
other side created quite the spectacle. According to Wali, it was easy for her to spot
from atop her wyvern, and she started tailing me soon afterwards. I guess her timely
interventions were no coincidence.

She didn't seem very surprised when I told her about the obelisks, their guardians or
even that this desert is actually a space station. Either she knows more than she's
saying, or experience has grinded the surprise right out of her.

Rockwell #23
This ore is simply extraordinary! It is warm to the touch, even during these cold desert
nights, and it pulses as though it has its own heartbeat. It is at once light and more
sturdy than any natural material I have encountered. The uses one could find for such a
substance...

I shall have to name it at some point. What would do? Rockwellium? Edmunium?
A dilemma for another time. For now I have more pressing matters. Timur and his
Burning Phoenix savages have played their part, and I cannot remain in their custody. It
is time for the great warrior chief to receive his just reward.

Helena #23
I really missed flying. There's no replicating the feeling, and no replacement for seeing a
sunrise amongst the clouds.

Wali probably started these wyvern riding sessions just to give herself an escape hatch
when our conversations get too personal, but I can't say I mind. Despite their
appearance, riding a wyvern is just as pleasant as riding an argentavis, even without a
saddle. By design, perhaps?

No matter. Genetically engineered or not, they are magnificent creatures. It's a risky
proposition, but I absolutely must observe them in the wild sometime. I can't pass up an
opportunity like that.

Rockwell #24
Alas, poor Timur. He was so focused on celebrating his victory over one foe, that he
never saw his greatest threat. Now he lies beneath the severed head of the beast he
vanquished, eyes bulging and blood seeping from his open mouth.

At least, that is how I imagine him. I did not stay to admire my handiwork. As soon as
the first group of Burning Phoenix warriors succumbed to their poisoned feast, I stole
away into the night, Edmunium and artifact in tow.

Serves those ruffians right, I say! They never did treat me with the propriety that a
gentleman and scholar of my caliber deserves. This desert is better off without them.

Helena #24
Now that Wali has deemed by wyvern riding skills acceptable, she's finally agreed to
show me around the region.

From what I can gather, Wali has been here for a very long time, maybe longer than
Rockwell was on the island. She knows the history of every village and ruin. Apparently
there was once a great city to the southeast, but it was wiped out at some point.
She's still mum on a lot of details, but I'll just have to keep prying. Radar's been helpful
in that regard. Wali definitely seems to be in a better mood when the fuzzball's around.
That little charmer's certainly earned her keep.

Rockwell #25
As my withdrawal from the Burning Phoenix's camp demanded haste, I did not have the
time to double check my supplies. It appears that I shall have to do some hunting.

No matter! I may not be as spry as I was when felled a charging rhino on the plains of
the Serengeti, but with all the small armory I managed to abscond with, I can surely
manage. I had planned on trading those weapons for information as soon as I
encountered a peaceful tribe, but I can spare a few rounds of ammunition.

Helena #25
I'm grateful that Wali allows me time to study the local wildlife, but I suspect she only
does so out of amusement. She always says something like, "Why do you spend so
much time on these scribbles that no one will read?"

I never have a good retort. It's true that no one else may ever read my dossiers, as I
have no way to reproduce or distribute them as long as I'm trapped on one of these
space stations. When I started them, they were a passion project, created out of my
love for nature and its creatures.

Now? I guess they're just part of my identity. Writing them helps remind me who I am.

Rockwell #26
Despite my limited equipment, I have managed to run some initial tests on the
Edmunium. Based on my observations, a typical forge may not be enough to smelt a
sample of Edmunium ore into any sort of useable ingot. I suspect that it has extremely
strong metallic bonds and therefore a much higher melting point than any conventional
metallic element.

I must find a proper base of operations where I can run more extensive experiments. I
mustn't be overeager, however. I have limited samples and...

Drat! I shall have to ruminate on this later. A sandstorm may be brewing and I have no
desire to be caught in it.
Rockwell #27
Confounded weather! Not only did that sandstorm separate me from my steed, but
when it cleared I was beset upon by none other than the traitorous Miss Walker herself!
Oh she put on quite the act, spouting all sorts of nonsense about how good it was to
see me. Rubbish! I see right through her ruse.

I am certain that she is after my Edmunium. The only reason she has not simply looted
it from my corpse is that she requires my superior intellect to understand it. Well two can
play this game, Miss Walker! I can fill the role of the benign old scientist for a time, but I
shall not be betrayed again!

Helena #26
I can't believe it! Wali spotted someone wandering in the desert the other day, and it
turned out to be none other than Edmund Rockwell! I just about burst into tears when I
recognized him.

Apparently, he heard that Nerva was holding me captive and sought to negotiate my
release. That lead him to the cave, and eventually he wound up here. Awfully sweet of
him to go through all that trouble for my sake!

Strangely, Wali claims that she saw a portal open up far away from her territory shortly
before mine did. I guess that was Rockwell's, though Wali arrived at the scene too late
to track him. Rockwell theorized that the portals may have taken us through time as well
as space. Considering my present company, I'm inclined to agree with him.

Rockwell #28
I am glad that I possessed the foresight to hide my presence from Miss Walker after her
capture on the island. She clearly believes that I never learned of her betrayal. By
cunningly taking advantage of this fact, I have managed to completely deceive the
deceiver!

The grim old bat she travels with is another matter. I often catch her glaring in my
direction, her eyes sharp and mistrusting. If I could, I would deal with her as I dealt with
Timur, but I fear she is far too observant. For now I must maintain my deception as best
I can.
Helena #27
Wali has been much quieter since we found Rockwell. I guess she's just letting us catch
up. However, she did say something interesting when we were recounting Nerva's
ambitions for the Island.

"This place would never allow anyone to master it," she said, and when I asked her to
explain, she told me that the great city to the southeast was destroyed by the obelisk
itself.

Now it's just conjecture, but it's interesting to think about. Could the curators of these
stations be monitoring human behavior and clipping its wings should the survivors ever
band together and fly too close to the sun? If each station represents a different group
in a larger experiment, "resetting" human progress would make a lot of sense.

It's a bit grim though, isn't it? Yikes.

Helena #28
I don't think Rockwell's been sleeping much. I awoke last night to find him studying a
strange piece of metal by firelight. I guess some tribe gave it to him as a gift, along with
a very familiar looking artifact.

I insisted that we show those items to Wali, and she recognized them as the property of
this station's lone guardian. With all that she knows, I'm not surprised that she's
activated the obelisks before. Hell, it sounds like the old battle ax has even slain the
beast herself!

Since we have said guardian's artifact, Wali says that we can leave this station at any
time. I suppose we may as well. Rockwell's eager to depart, and as much as I like Wali,
I've had my fill of sand.

Rockwell #29
I may have given Miss Walker too much credit. Although I carelessly allowed her to
catch sight of my Edmunium ore samples, she was more interested in the artifact I
possess.

I should have realized this sooner. Miss Walker's specialty is biology. She would not
recognize the unique properties of Edmunium if they hit her square in the forehead!
That fact has eased some of my tension. Even if Miss Walker seeks to take advantage
of my genius, she is focusing on the wrong discoveries. So long as I am careful in my
studies of Edmunium, I shall remain miles ahead of her.

Helena #29
The transporter that can take us back to the "control center" station is in the ruins of
another city, south of the mountains. Wali believes that it was destroyed by the obelisks,
just like the city in the southeast.

I didn't press her for details, not that I'd have gotten any. Wali's more tight lipped about
those ruins than anything. I had to practically beg her to take me to the southeastern
city, and while we were there, she spent most of her time just gazing out into the
distance.

No sense in bringing her mood down with that rubbish now. After all that she's done for
me, I'd like to give her a nice, proper farewell.

Rockwell #30
I cannot wait to be rid of that glowering menace of a woman, this so called Wali al
Aswad. I suspect the feeling is mutual. She has offered little in the way of farewells
while seeing us to this ARK's entrance to the starlit sanctuary.

Things will be much easier once Miss Walker and I have parted ways with the desert
witch, I suspect. Miss Walker is thoroughly oblivious to both the wonders of Edmunium
and my knowledge of her underhanded scheming back on the Island.

She can continue to fiddle with trinkets and relics. I may even assist her if it suits me.
Meanwhile, I shall unlock the secrets of the most extraordinary element in the universe
right under her nose!

Helena #30
Having seen us through the ruins and safely to the platform, Wali has taken her leave.
After doing so much for me, I was sad to see her go, but at least I got her to smile
before she left. Well, me and Radar. I can't very well take the little critter with me, so I
officially gave Wali ownership of her. They'll be good for each other, I think.
Gah, I wrote "Wali" up there. Twice! I suppose old habits die hard, but it's not really her
name, is it? I always knew that was the case, but she'd never told me to call her
anything else. At least not until now.

Well at any rate - cheers, Raia. It was a pleasure to have known you.

Scorched Earth Ascension cutscene