The sun had only set an hour or so prior, so there was still plenty of night left for Kareet and Shirik to travel. Kareet had made all the notes she could for the moment, so she had no reason to hold up the start of this journey. Arcaeda was quite far, and depending on the path they chose, it could be weeks before they reached the capital. Internally, Kareet was hoping that nothing might happen that could make Shirik change their mind on their plans. This Iriad was an entirely unique being, and just the historical insights alone they could provide would be of immense value. They claimed to have experience an awakening centuries [i]before[/i] the fall of the Kolodon Empire. Admittedly, Kareet was still skeptical, but if that could somehow be confirmed, that would challenge some established notions on the nature of magic and its history in Kanth-Aremek. The prestige that unearthing such a discovery would bring to a Seeker would make her a household name in the Ascendancy. Or even beyond, in some circles.

The pair of them, however, had not managed to get all the way back to the town when they heard an ear-piercing screech fill the air. The sound was…bizarre. It felt like it might come from some kind of animal, but it was nothing Kareet was familiar with. Fauna may not have been her specialty, but these mountains were still her homeland and she was educated, yet she could not place what this might have been. She glanced to Shirik, but despite how well-traveled as the Iriad was, even they would not be able to recognize it.

To the Glen, J’eon, though, the screech was even closer. It sounded like it came from within the forest out of sight, just beyond his camp. The sounds of rustling leaves and signs of movement just at the edge of his vision would certainly make it seem as if he had heard correctly.