With the day sound asleep, and venturing deep into the forelands, we have finally reached Anyx Trine. It is a silently majestic tower. It looks to be a gateway into the mountain in front of us; the domain of Hraesvelgr. We had conversed with one of his Dragons, Vidofnir.

As they negotiated, I find myself in awe of such a magnificent creature. A Dragon amenable to reason, and can speak the Common language. In a fashion not befitting a Warrior of Light, I found myself wandering the premises, and managed to sneak in a photo with one of Hraesvelgr’s brood.

Despite everything that has happened so far, this is quite the fun I’ve had in a while. I seem to have found myself into the hobby of taking pictures. There is an allure so captivating that I cannot resist taking some photographs of what I’ve seen so far.

I have also begun to notice that I lack any sort of ability to smile, just like the dragon behind me. I have tried smiling in some photographs thus far, but I end up with a very lackluster face. Perhaps my role is not to be the subject, but the observer—the eye behind the glass rather than the one in front of it.

This little hobby I have discovered for myself is a welcome one. It gives me the opportunity to deal with something that doesn’t involve stakes, such as saving the world, or a country.

Venturing further out near the gates I find myself looking at the landscape in the distance.

A verdant enigma. I am silently hoping we won’t need to venture into that part of the forelands. But if experience is anything to go by thus far, at some point we will have to.

The negotiations eventually drew to a close, leaving us with the sobering revelation that even the Dragons struggle to contain Primals. In exchange for access to the mountain, we are to help in dealing with the Gnath Primal. While I have enjoyed this brief respite behind the lens, duty calls me back to the familiar weight of my weapon. This, after all, is my forte. We have since moved to the Gnath camp, trading the humming roars of the towers for the strange, clicking buzz of Loth ast Vath as we seek the information we need.

There is a quiet optimism in the air as we prepare. While dancing with a primal is something all too familiar, I do find myself looking forward to the adventure with a renewed sense of spirit, a clearer focus.