Journal Entry of Matre Iseous Xavier
I continued marching on this wasteland alone, possibly farther away from the Arkade checkpoint. When I would run out of the only, near-depleted canister of the purest air I breathed, I would have to travel again and take another hit. I couldn't risk that, knowing I still couldn't control where I land. The beacon must be activated before the end... Where have they moved it?!
At moments of fatigue and injury, I do wonder why I stayed on this hopeless world. The radiation seemed to grow stronger every hour, adhering to the fatal, biting blizzards that racked a war-torn continent the size of Russia and Antarctica combined. Like the most stubborn man I ever was, I chose to go forward indefinitely, not considering the slightest possibility someone around could know the coordinates of the Arkade that exploded hundreds of years ago. I need to find some light in the near horizon.
But it showed itself to me through glitters of torchfire and muzzle flashes. Great, muggers out in the wilderness are perfect, I shouted out. The perfect time has come for them to graze my hazard-leather suit which kept me from nuclear exposure and hypothermic death.
Before I could react to the bullets nearly missing the leathers, a sudden red light emerged and rested glowing above them; I heard stomping and furious grunting from behind, and watched a charging reindeer gallop past towards the startled lights. Explosions accompanied the men's screams. Several black shrapnel landed on my feet.
After their lights died down, what seemed like a dwarf came up to me holding a box half its size. I stepped forward to illuminate the contents held by the masked elf soldier - several clean gas canisters, pastes of food rations, water cantinas, two flashlights, a pistol and ammunition. It acquired a flashlight, waved it around and pointed a thick, leather finger at itself, suggesting I call them for help using that. In the immediate distance, two silhouettes of reindeers being ridden by more elves appeared and called to return their deliverer.
The elf turned to shoot a stranged flare up into the hazy dark sky above. As soon as all the elves vanished in sight, the red flare exploded sideways like antlers of their reindeers. I guess this beacon wouldn't be that hard to find anymore.