Fanilly felt quite lost at this point, sighing, her shoulders sagging. No matter how they discussed it, the conclusion was obvious: The shard was no longer in the keep. All these brave soldiers of Thaln had died in a horrific manner, and they couldn't even locate the culprit or the artifact that caused the madness to spread.

"Oiii, you've got some leads, right?" commented Alette, "Don't look so damn sad, you were cuter when you were determined, y'know?"

The Knight-Captain wasn't exactly sure why that mattered, but the truth was they at least knew what they were looking for and who was involved in its transport. It was better then nothing.

It was around that moment that Sir Fleuri, Sir Gerard, and the pale and mysterious figure of the Stingray emerged from the fort.

"The Silver Stone?" Fanilly said, stunned for a moment, "Why would they...?"

She couldn't understand why anyone potentially associated with the horrific acts here would be carrying such a note. Did they intend to meet there? At the holiest and oldest shrine? After being involved in something terrible like this?

Regardless, the blonde knight nodded to herself. This was their best lead, the only location they had any information on.

Thus there was only one path forward.

"... We ride to the Silver Stone," Fanilly said, striding back to her horse, "We have no further time to lose."

Alette sighed, hands on her hips.

"Tch, of course our job ends up like this... Good thing they paid half ahead, I guess," she commented, moments before the Stingray suddenly wrapped her arms around the mercenary captain, hanging off of her affectionately.

Fanilly pulled herself astride her horse.

They had to hurry.

[hr]

The Silver Shrine was half a day's ride from the fort, at speed, which made the note even more suspicious. It had to mean something. It had to mean this was a meeting spot, didn't it?

It was coming into view ahead, at the edge of the Brennan Forest. A large, silver-white stone, sitting pointing skywards. When close enough, it would be possible to make out numerous sinuous, spiraling carvings, created by some of the most ancient residents of Thaln in honor of the Moon Goddess. It was surrounded by smaller stones, and a large, flat table with a hole in the center, leading straight down to an underground water source. It was not infrequent for offerings to be left here, cast into the 'moon pool' beneath the table or set at its edges.

Fanilly had been here once before, when she was seven years old. It had felt strange, an ethereal, light sensation filling her chest as she  approached the shrine. The same feeling was present today, too, but at the same time...

Something didn't feel right.

[@HereComesTheSnow][@TheFake][@Crimson Paladin][@PaulHaynek][@FlappyTheSpybot][@Raineh Daze][@ghastlyinc][@Krayzikk]