Changes

Mel-Mederoh decides to conduct surveillance of the road, but of course quickly discovers that it is over 250 kilometers long. He also consults the oracle, who tells him that the truth will be more than he can bear and that it might break him, but that he will prevail if he decides to proceed. Mel-Mederoh then goes to the Jeenor of Estonoh and tries to persuade him to order his troops to take part in the surveillance of the road. When Jeenor learns about the oracle's prediction, he agrees.

Mel-Mederoh decides to conduct surveillance of the road, but of course quickly discovers that it is over 250 kilometers long. He also consults the oracle, who tells him that the truth will be more than he can bear and that it might break him, but that he will prevail if he decides to proceed. Mel-Mederoh then goes to the Jeenor of Estonoh and tries to persuade him to order his troops to take part in the surveillance of the road. When Jeenor learns about the oracle's prediction, he agrees.

Mel-Mederoh uses 50 thousand troops to surveil a 100 km section of the road, from which the stones have been disappearing. During the night soldiers see a beast which appears over the road and then breathes fire onto one of the stones and destroys it.

Mel-Mederoh uses 50 thousand troops to surveil a 100 km section of the road, from which the stones have been disappearing, but finds nothing. Nevertheless, his massive operation makes him famous. Jealous of his success, Mel-Bortoh inserts herself back into the case by claiming that the thief must be a superhero warrior, who is strong enough to take out a stone and carry it with them. She points to a lack of evidence of the heavy stones being pulled across other stones or across the surrounding terrain, and the absence of hoofprints by beasts of burden, capable of transporting the stones.

 

This theory fuels the imaginations and reports of the "red road thief" of varying credibility begin to pour in.

Porteek then proceeds to discredit the story, detailing his own travels through Maird and how he had discovered an old road, made out of red stone. He then hypothesizes that the secessionists from [[Gordohse]], a settlement  established at that same time, needed access to fresh water that they could get from the mountains of Maird. He then demonstrates that they most probably stole most of the stones from the road between Estonoh and Ernele, and that the closest portion of the road would be the middle, exactly the portion reported to be losing stones.

Porteek then proceeds to discredit the story, detailing his own travels through Maird and how he had discovered an old road, made out of red stone. He then hypothesizes that the secessionists from [[Gordohse]], a settlement  established at that same time, needed access to fresh water that they could get from the mountains of Maird. He then demonstrates that they most probably stole most of the stones from the road between Estonoh and Ernele, and that the closest portion of the road would be the middle, exactly the portion reported to be losing stones.