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Looking around the clearing revealed a compass, much like the one they’d been shown when they first arrived in the forest, written in glowing blue on the front of the skull’s former pedestal. Not finding any other clues, Aaron returned his attention to the coin, examining the front again before flipping it over to assess the back. There, unsurprisingly, was their next instruction: [i][color=deepskyblue]The night does end when the sun ascends to where your escape does start. But if you fancy another round, follow where the moon does descend.[/color][/i]

After nodding down at the coin and pocketing it, Aaron’s attention was seized by the sound of cracking. He looked around the clearing, assuming the sound had been a twig or something snapping to signal the arrival of another pair, but found no such intruders. All he saw was Max assembling his coin, Eris as sullen as before, and Varis, strangely silent. Odd, usually he had a few more things to say when he made plans, as much as Aaron knew he detested unexpected visitors. He watched Varis for a moment, puzzled, until he noticed the tense set of his posture. 

Aaron watched apprehensively a moment more, but when Varis started feeling around the skull, all was made clear. He must have lost his vision again; probably when the coin halves fused together, in retrospect. Since the vampires’ vision had returned upon entering the clearing, Aaron had expected them to lose it once more when they left, but for the millionth time he was shown that assumptions could never be trusted. 

Watching the colourful lightshow as Varis reduced the skull to powder made him flinch—not that he’d admit it—and his arm throbbed as if on cue, reminding him of just how much force the vampire could put behind his grip. He stepped forward immediately on the Count’s “suggestion”, of course, but this time he had Varis take his uninjured arm, hoping to give the sore one a break. Varis clamped on like a vice anyway, and Aaron carefully withheld a painful hiss behind his teeth, extra careful now to keep any outward expressions of discomfort to himself. 

With his free hand, Aaron produced the coin from his pocket and read its instructions aloud to Varis. Deciding that the thoroughly unamused tone of Varis’ voice meant he was serious about skipping whatever other challenges might await them, he concluded, [color=f0d705]“Seems like we’re going East, Master.”[/color]
[right][sub][@Scribe of Thoth] [@Hero] [@Achronum][/sub][/right]