Part Fourteen

*An arid wasteland, an impassable void, a haunting visage...*

### Content Warnings

Flies, body horror (wooden finger), maggots, trypophobia, giant bugs, corpses, war, decomposing bodies.

## Summary

Having left the woods, Arthur and John continue through the desert, navigating a canyon with cocooned insects and narrow bridges. On the dunes they encounter three ghostly soldiers who guide them to a house and give Arthur a coin. Inside the house they find a letter from Frank Underhill to Henry MacFarland with clues that connect the Dreamlands, the cult on the island, Emily MacFarland, and the house where they found the cavern and the Yellow Sign. John convinces Arthur to take a night’s rest at the house and as Arthur falls asleep, the vanguard whispers a name: Anna Stancyzk.

## Synopsis

Having left the woods, Arthur and John walk through the desert. During a rest, Arthur and John discuss what they know of the Dreamlands, and what they should do next. They know the King promised to hunt them and reclaim John. They know it’s possible to leave, thanks to the recording of Kellin in the basement of the hotel. John believes that if the King owned the Dreamlands, he would have already found them and killed them. They discuss what would have the power to travel between planes -- an object, a person, or a place -- and decide all three are equally unlikely. They consider trying to find a cana for help.

On the dune, Arthur examines the glass given to them by the Trader. When John looks through, the glass reveals a location: a red sand desert with large dunes at its edge, and a red stone canyon sitting above the desert. Before the cliff stands a tall, pale yellow stone obelisk. There’s a hole in the side of the canyon wall. The environment looks similar to their current location, and the sky appears to be the same. Arthur suggests they check the glass again when the sky changes, to see if the view is current. Left with no clear path forward, John suggests they tackle their plan as they would eat an elephant: one bite at a time.

After stowing the glass, they continue walking until they encounter a canyon. Uncertain where the crevasse might narrow enough to pass, they decide to follow a path down into the canyon. While they walk, John shows investigative skills and, after being gently teased, reflects there are parts of himself he'd like to rewrite and how he can choose who he wants to be. Arthur reminds him that the goal is still to separate and while it's good they're on the same page, their situation is temporary. Further down, the walls are red stone and jagged as if torn apart. John sees large holes carved into the walls bearing claw marks. The holes are large enough to climb inside but instead of going deeper into the mountain, they decide to find a way up the other side.

They take a narrow bridge to the other side of the canyon, working together to avoid falling. On that side, they find the nest with a hatched cocoon and the bones of devoured food. Hurrying out, they discover dozens of holes in the walls, all vacant. In his hurry to escape, Arthur steps on a cocoon that hasn’t hatched yet. An insectoid creature emerges: the creature has translucent skin and its mouth is ringed with needle-like teeth. John urges Arthur to kill it, but Arthur runs. He reaches the top of the canyon without incident and chastises John for wanting to kill the creature, which was just a baby. John insists he didn’t want to kill it, and they argue.

Arthur states he feels like a prisoner with John having control over parts of his body, and tells John he can’t deny his identity as part of the King, even if he’s trying to change. John accepts this, and Arthur apologizes for bringing it up, saying he’s tired and frustrated by the heat.

They continue moving through the desert. As they walk, John notices someone standing on top of a dune watching them. It wears a dark hood and a flowing coat torn at the bottom. After failing to attract its attention, Arthur decides to ignore it and move on, but after cresting a dune and walking to the bottom they realize the creature has followed them. John then sees a second creature, also unmoving at the top of another dune. A third creature joins. All three stand unmoving in the same long coats and hoods. They’re able to move in the blink of an eye whenever John’s attention leaves them. Surrounded and unable to escape, John suggests approaching them.

When approached, the hood on one of the creatures falls back to reveal that all three are empty vessels. Arthur puts on the pallid mask and John sees three armor clad soldiers. Through head movements, the soldiers communicate: that they aren’t here to hurt Arthur, but to help, that they know the way Arthur’s meant to go, and can take Arthur there, and that they were from Earth. Arthur and John follow them. When Arthur asks why they’re helping, the soldier points to the book with the symbol of Shub-Niggurath.

When Arthur asks if there’s a way to get home, the soldier nods yes. When Arthur asks how, the soldier points: they’ve been led to a small building that stands alone in the desert. When it becomes clear this is where the soldiers intend to leave Arthur, Arthur pleads for additional help. The largest soldier hands Arthur an ancient coin with script from long ago, then all three disappear.

The building is a small house with a wooden door. Inside, it appears to be a normal apartment from Arkham, with objects from Earth like a radio and icebox. On the table they find a toy train and a letter. The letter is from Frank Underhill to Henry MacFarland; in it, Frank states that he’s been trapped in the Dreamlands, manipulated by those who hold power here. He debated staying in the house but decided instead to try to keep his promise to Henry to keep Henry’s daughter Emily safe. He writes that he will walk to a cliff on the horizon during the light of the blue sun, which is when the wind dies down.

After reading the letter, Arthur wants to wait for the blue light then move on. John convinces him to rest as he hasn’t slept in over a day. As Arthur falls asleep, the distorted voice of the vanguard speaks a name: Anna Stancyzk.

## Frank Underhill's Letter

I’m not entirely sure who I’m writing this for. Maybe myself, maybe you, my friend. Perhaps no one. All I know is that what happened to us, to me, changed me… I never left the Dreamlands.

I must’ve stared at that crack for weeks before I realized she wasn’t coming back. My wife is dead, just as she was in the real world. Just as you knew. Obviously, this place has a way of manipulating you – tricking you. Those who hold power here, who know how to control it… they drain your mind, play with what you believe is real, just like Antoine did.

I went outside when I felt the world begin to crumble to find a desert. I honestly don’t know how long I believed I was home… but there was no hallway, no sounds of the Arkham traffic outside my window – just endless red sand. How could I have been so blind? For a while I thought of staying put, giving up… but then I remembered the promise I made to you. A promise that I have to try and keep.

If you are lost here too and you’re reading this, I am keeping that promise. I will find and protect her. I will not let them hurt your daughter, Emily. I will find us a way home again.

I have nothing on myself but my clothes and my diary, but I’m leaving. In the light of the blue sun which comes every two hours or so, the wind tends to die down. I do not know why. There I can see a cliff on the horizon. It is far away, but tomorrow I will be heading out.

Good luck, Henry. I hope to see you again.

Frank Underhill

## Votes

* Chapter 66: **Head Into The Canyon [14]** / Continue Skirting the Edge of the Canyon [3]
* Chapter 67: Kill the Creature [5] / **Run [17]**
* Chapter 68: **Approach the Creatures [17]** / Run [1]
* Chapter 69: **Enter the House [19]** / Leave and Continue Through the Desert [0]
* Chapter 70: No vote