At Stargaze's squeak, the creatures paused in their approach, several of them blinking rapidly while others glanced at their neighbours with an expression resembling confusion. This hesitation gave Fellwing a moment to get a better look at them, and she notices that beneath their rodent-like features, they actually have very fairy-like faces, albeit bloated and distorted. Some of them are also wearing clothes, or at least the ragged remains of clothing.

Her mind flashes back briefly to her vision earlier that day, of Alpin and Bartley, of their conversation about how the other brownies had been acting strangely, of the dark green patches of skin on Bartley's face as they snarled and shouted at their friend. She even notices now that one of these creatures bears a striking similarity Bartley, even wearing the same shirt and shoes they had in her earlier vision. The dots slowly start to connect: these creatures are, or were, brownies, and whatever's happening to the island has horribly affected them, turning them into these feral beings. 

This revelation is unsettling, but also good as identifying them allows Fellwing to start going through all the facts she knows about brownies, hoping that something might give an idea about how best to deal with them: first of all, she knows that brownies, like all fairy creatures, are weak to iron. Merely touching it burns their skin, and getting cut even slightly with an iron weapon can lead to horrible injuries or even death. Of course, in their current environment, there are no readily available iron tools or weapons, nor is Fellwing familiar enough with this area to be able to locate any natural iron deposits. 

Secondly, and specifically, brownies are notoriously hardworking, particularly when it comes to domestic chores or farm work. If there is a job that needs doing - be it a messy room or the starts of meal - a brownie will often be compelled to do it with very little prompting required. Some dragons, particularly those of Houses Semscale and Myndoth, will hire them to help with the upkeep of their strongholds, and paying them mostly in food, particularly bowls of milk or cream which are their favourite. While they may seem easily pleased, they are also renowned to be easily offended. Upsetting a brownie is generally a bad idea, as they can range from elaborate revenge pranks, to flying into a rage and breaking everything in sight, to simply disappearing without notice and never gracing you with your presence again. The Darkness has likely taking advantage of these severe tantrums to turn them into the vicious creatures the group sees before them. However, this flighty behaviour can also work in the other direction, for as easy as they are to anger, their attention spans can also make them quick to forget. Surely, even in their current state, there should be a way to distract them.

With all this in mind, what will Fellwing and the others do?

[hr]

Skobeloff continues his journey unhindered, as it is far easier to find the path without the pixie's constant meddling. However, that same unnatural stillness remains, even seeming heavier than before now that Skobeloff scared off the only other living being besides himself. 

Thankfully, he doesn't have to put up with this for long as he soon reaches the hollowed-out tree that forms the old Tessith stronghold. Upon close inspection, it's easy for Skobeloff to see why House Myndoth are eager to claim the building for themselves as it shows a lot of the natural yet mystical aesthetic they favour in their architecture. It will need some expanding and refurbishing, of course, as Tessith buildings tend towards minimalism. Tessith dragons prefer to sleep beneath the stars if the weather allows it, so their strongholds focus on providing shelter from the harsher elements and storing the bear essentials. This may work for the House of Diamond, but not for Myndoth. No, Myndoth will at very least require a decent-sized library to store their centuries worth of knowledge, as well as an observatory for observing and charting the movements of the movements of the stars and moons. They'll likely not want to stop there, either. If the presence of fairy creatures, the strange sand and the presence of a mixed elemental like Echo were any indication, this island was a gold mine of magical resources.

Magical resources that probably won't last long if the Darkness remains here.

Focusing on the front of building, Skobeloff can see that the door is shut and there are no signs of movement within the windows. The same quietness that followed him through the forest is no less present here, and if not for Fellwing's vision, it would easy to assume that there is no one home. What will Skobeloff do now?