My first attempt at writing is officially a failure. No link, no Age.

I realised that as my hand nears an active linking panel, there is a sort of electric sensation. A strange “pins & needles” feeling right before touching the panel. I realised that this would have to be the test if the panel was active or not.

I lowered my hand towards the panel, frightened for my life. One slip, one tremble or sneeze and I could be sent to a horrible death. I felt no pins, no needles. No sensation. Just my own heart pounding in my ears. I placed my hand closer and closer to the panel, convinced that it was active.

My hand hit the panel.

Nothing happened.

Failure.

It’s done. I did it. I wrote the word. It was somewhat anti-climactic. It didn’t feel like I thought it would. Once the word was written, I closed the book, not even looking at the linking panel. I don’t know if it worked, and I can’t stand to find out yet. I sat in silence for some time, contemplating what I had just done.

I suddenly felt very drained, and climbed into bed. I had a fitful night’s sleep. Nothing a cuppa couldn’t fix this morning though. I flipped to the book’s linking page, nothing. Just a black rectangle. Shouldn’t the image have appeared? Does it take a specific amount of time to appear? Perhaps it might appear once someone links through? I know so little. Perhaps too little.

The book sits next to me now. I keep looking over at it, expecting it to hop to life and shake my hand, congratulating me.

How can I know if it worked, without exposing myself to danger?

Today is the day. I’ve held off for a while, practicing the word over and over, the form and the strokes. I’m ready to write it into a Descriptive Book. I’ve chosen “island”. I do miss the ocean.

A single word, written in special ink, in a special book. The idea alone will always amaze me. My heart is pounding. I’m about to Write a link to an Age. I might be the first to do so since Yeesha, however long ago it was she last wrote.

I don’t know what I expect to happen, a burst of light, some magical voice? I don’t know.

I’m terrified by the thought that it has been too easy. It has to be more complex than this. There has to be more to it. I feel as if I’ve taken a shortcut. No Guilds, no real training, and I’m about to attempt a miracle. Can I? Should I?

Alright, now I’m just stalling.

Island
Island
Island

Here we go.

A moment's pause to enjoy the view from my quarters.

I’ve decided to take a break tonight. I’m feeling content, for the moment. My worries have receeded. I’m glad I decided to bring a few amenities down here with me. My electric kettle, CD player and a few novels. I would have gone crazy if it weren’t for a cup of Lady Grey tea and Keith Jarrett on the stereo. I’ve been meaning to catch up on my reading too. I haven’t finished the latest Ender’s Game novel yet.

Perhaps I’m letting my work encompass too much of my life, but it’s hard to sit still in this little oasis, surrounded by a sea of mysteries.

I must admit, this space is much cozier when I’m not buried in my lessons.

When I decided to use this Codex to learn, I strategically picked certain words that if used alone, would still be descriptive enough to create a functioning link. Words like “island” or “forest” were picked over “rock” or “grass”, allowing me to sculpt an entire landscape and test my ability quicker.

After weeks of practice, I feel confident that soon I will be able to write a single word Descriptive Book. With a single word, I should be able to test my abilities. The worlds may not be visually unique, but one step at a time.

I’m nervous, as soon as the ink touches the paper, magic will happen, but resources will also be spent. As soon as the ink touches, the path has been chosen and the first step taken. I hope it’s in the right direction.

The D’ni pens I found in J’Taeri are frustrating to use. I was never good with regular fountain pens, and these ones are quite elaborate. When I was young, I was left handed, but this made my writing somewhat messy and easily smudged. My teachers forced me to learn to write with my right hand, which made me very upset. Why learn to write all over again when I can do it well enough already?

I’m glad now though, writing with fountain pens and an ink-pot would be absolutely impossible with my left hand. I would have to wait for each character to dry! Imagine filling a Descriptive Book with the complex characters of the gahrohevtee with that sort of speed!

Where has Yeesha gone? Why has she abandoned this place? Why has she abandoned us? She is the Grower. The true Grower. This is her tree to grow. We followed her Journey, we followed her teachings, and yet she left us.

She said there was a reason, a plan. She said it is to protect us, but how can leaving this place to die just as it began to live again, possibly protect us?

At first, I remained here because I could not bear to leave. Now, I remain here because I have an obligation.

I continue to practice from the Codex. It is becoming frustrating, how slowly I make progress. I would have thought I’d be well versed in copying the same word over and over.

I’ve begun what I can only hope are writing lessons from this Codex. I feel like I am a child again, doing lessons, writing down my subjects into those blue copybooks. I went to school with the other children, but I had to endure extra lessons when I returned home. Once in a while Father would forget, and that old blue book would stay locked away. When I was younger I would go out of my way to remind him. That didn’t last long.

Some of my fondest memories were learning at school, with other children who undoubtedly had a much more normal childhood. I was especially fond of English (haha) and History. I was fascinated with the Sciences, but did not excel in them.

I am somewhat concerned that I chanced upon nothing more than a child’s textbook, and not the key to the gahrohevtee, but I’ll know soon enough. These lessons may take a long time. The D’ni must had other resources to learn from besides a book. There must be something I can do to increase the speed of this learning. Somehow it feels as if this will not be enough.

No, I must remember Rule 27; I cannot harbour self-doubt. I have come an incredible distance already. Soon Phase 1 will begin.