I'm going to light the bonfires, because someone has to.

The eclipse is a little over a month away, and three of the townsfolk have already lost their souls. I thought the soul decay was bad, but the loss is worse. There's nobody left in there, just their anger. I was holding out hope for some of them to get better once the eclipse had passed, but for the lost, there's no one in there to get better.

We can't just hold out until things get better. I'm going for the bonfires.

I've only ever made it to the gulf before, never past it. That's where even the trade-tongue stops being something I can understand. The first fire will be north of there. It'd be dangerous even if there wasn't an apocalypse on. After that, I'll cross through the first fire and travel in the fire until I reach the site of the second fire. It'll be a long way, in the ordinary world and in the world of fire. 

I've packed well, and I know how to trade for food and water all the way through the ordinary world. I found an old book of trade-phrases in the language of the fire folk, and they seem to only trade for gold, so I hope I can trade for that along the way. I have contacts to the north who can supply me, if they're still in their bodies.

Both bonfires have to be lit if anyone at all is going to survive the eclipse. Well, maybe the fire folk would live, they survived one eclipse without soul-light. But no one's talked to them in centuries. They might not even be alive anymore. But surely they'll have left something behind, some clue. Ruins, writings, artifacts. A girl can hope.

I'm writing this journal in case I fail. So whoever reads it will be able to pick up where I left off, for the slim chance you can get the fires lit. And because I want to be able to read these back, in case I start drifting too. I might catch it sooner. Oh, let's be honest. I'm writing this all down because I'm scared, and I don't want to do this alone, but I've always worked best alone, and a journal is the next best thing to a friend.

I leave at dawn.