I set out early the next day. I left Cole and Maddie in charge of getting things around Goodlabor sorted and both Suni and Fasil would continue to hunt and forage for food. It was as if the hand of Eui touched the forest. Trees, formally withered and dead were sprouting leaves and forest animals untouched by mutation were returning to the area. Fasil had even managed to bring down a buck and some of the women were even now skinning and prepping it for supper.

  “I’ll be back once I secure aid from the Abbot,” I said to everyone who had come to see me off, which turned out to be just about every survivor who was able to get around. All of them wore expressions of worry or sorrow that I was leaving, but with a map drawn by Cole in my hands I felt confident I would find my way. I also didn’t want a guide coming with me, as I didn’t want to be responsible for anyone else’s safety.

  Hard enough protecting myself.

  Leif broke away from where he stood beside his family, running up to me to throw his arms around my waist for a hug. I smiled and patted his shoulder.

  “I’ll see you soon, Leif. Keep an eye on things for me, won’t you?”

  “I will,” Leif sniffled. “But Mother went somewhere and she didn’t come back!” I knelt down in front of Leif and looked him in his eyes.

  “But I will.”

  I made the rest of my goodbyes and followed the trail Cole’s map indicated was the quickest way to the Abbey. Leif’s Mother and several of the others were still missing, but it was suspected this was the way they had gone. Apparently, a group of townsfolk, including Leif’s mother, had left with Vicar Hamish for the Abbey, but nobody knew or could remember what became of them. This was another mission I gave myself, for Leif’s sake. The Gods agreed with me.

  You have been given the Quest: Locate the remainder of Goodlabor’s Survivors.

  Success: ??

  Failure: ??

  Hmm, not much to go on. Still, I will take this as a sign I might locate someone alive at the Abbey and hopefully not dead in a ditch.

  I was blessed with a pleasant day as I maintained a steady pace. Sun shone through the budding branches and I witnessed fresh blooms of Morning Glories, Mirbells and Gold Ferns. Gone were the pervasive scents of Shadowmurk rot and I filled my lungs with the sweet scents of nature.

  Suni and Fasil were right. The forest hasn’t wasted any time in regenerating itself. Shadowmurk doesn’t kill. It warps, changes and drains. Ord, what is its purpose? What was Sneed hoping to accomplish with his heresy?

  I was nervous about meeting this Abbot Caspendeau. I still didn’t know much about the Abbey, not even its name! Everyone had simply called it “The Abbey” and hadn’t known much more than that. Nobody had ever been inside its walls and the only monk anyone had ever conversed with was a Prior Sandoval who had been described to him as a terse, older man who had only ever seemed to regard the people of Goodlabor with constant disapproval.

  Disapproval of what, I wonder? I remember Brother Cammon once telling me about how some monks get it into their heads they are Ord’s very mouthpiece on Aramyr. I hope I wouldn’t have to deal with that. There are more important things at stake than how we interpret the God’s teachings differently. Father Wolric had even said definitively it isn’t a sin to ask questions.

  I wanted to help others, not tell them how their lives should be lived ‘or else Ord’s punishment’ and so forth.

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  I took frequent breaks as I walked, but also wasn’t shy about employing Innervation whenever I could. I had also stored several water skins in my Inventory. I had already suffered a dehydration debuff once in my life and had no desire to experience it again. Fortunately, Purgation had also purified Goodlabor’s central fountain and its well. My food was another story. I had refused to take any of Goodlabor’s meager stores save a bit of dried deer jerky. I was used to fasting, if not outright privation at this point. It was reflected in my body and face. I had become leaner, but not dangerously so. My stomach had simply shrank a bit as I became used to a monk’s eating habits rather than a noble’s.

  I was chewing on a bit of jerky when I saw something strange off to the side of the trail. It was set back a ways surrounded by trees, but I saw what looked like tall stone slabs set at regular intervals in a circle. They were covered in roots and thick layers of moss were sprouting to cover them like a green blanket.

  Nobody mentioned a Menhir out here? They may not have known. Perhaps the Murk rotted away what plant life was covering them before and I only spotted them now for that reason?

  Menhir, or circles of First Era stones, were scattered across Aramyr. They could even be found across the Orichalcum in the deserts near Nephilim and further East into Elven lands. Normally one found Menhir atop hills or in places of ancient significance to the First Era tribes of Men. There was some debate as to what they symbolized, but most thought them commemorations of ancient battles or burial ground markers. There was one in the duchy near Cozyfields, but I had never seen it, of course.

  This one is out in the middle of some woods. How strange…

  I ran my hand along one of the stones and pulled away some of the tangles of roots covering the surprisingly smooth blue stone. There were white veins of quartz running through the stone that had somehow been shaped into runes. Some long ago Earth Mage, I surmised, but even I was astounded at the intricacy and skill of the shaping.

  I had to duck under branches and avoid the worst root tangles, but soon stood within the menhir’s radius. I felt a sense of calm settle over me. The world stood still, even the air. There was another pillar of stone, this one much smaller, enveloped with vines dead center of the circle. A buzzing sound filled my ears. My eyes narrowed. The sound was coming from the central pillar.

  You have cast Caretaker’s Guidance!

  It was instinct that guided me. Stone pillars did not make buzzing sounds, which meant it was no ordinary pillar. A now familiar rectangular screen flashed into existence floating above the pillar, my Hul blessed eyes piercing the illusion. No longer did I see a pillar covered in vines, but a sheer black stone etched in flickering runes. I stepped forward and attempted to read what was written upon the screen. Some of it was gibberish, but the rest I was able to understand. It was part of a single message repeated over and over.

  …PURGOS SYSTEM TERMINAL 7EXSNP…STANDBY FOR ANNOUNCEMENT…ALL PURGATORIUM PERSONNEL ARE TO CEASE ALL SEEDING ACTIVITY AND RETURN TO…SECTOR MALFUNCTION…IMPUT C.E.L. CODE…

  Purgatorium? Astoundingly, this stone was related to the Purgatorium Mystics. It made some sense since they first appeared at the beginning of the First Era. They must have placed it here as a marker of some sort. A part of me wanted to visit some of the other menhirs and see if they held similar messages. Seeding activity? Were they planting something?

  It wanted a code of some sort, but I didn’t know where to begin with such a request. The Purgatorium Mystics were a fascinating topic, but also ancient history. I had more immediate concerns, but I would return here if I discovered anything. I hypothesized the code had something to do with Cel, but if the God of Magic cared about this he would issue me a quest. Since he hadn’t, I would move on.

  I fingered the sleeve of my new robe. I hadn’t forgotten that I was wearing a dungeon reward that was related to the Purgatorium Mystics either. This wasn’t as strange as it sounded. First Era Artifacts relating to the Purgatorium Mystics had dropped in Dungeons before. I had calculated a few of their taxable rates as part of my Merchant Training work, after all. They could be expensive, but not priceless. Some were not even considered to have much worth. St. Caradan’s owned a Purgatorium Mystic book crafted of some soft, metallic material. None could decipher the words within and so it didn’t hold much value, save as an item of historical interest. I estimated the Robe of the Purgos Mystic I wore was worth quite a bit of gold, but its value was in its attribute bonuses and resistances. That it was related to the Mystics was negligible.

  I left the menhir and its mystery behind and continued on my way. With a little luck and some Innervation, I hoped to arrive at the Abbey before dark. A walk of a few hours mostly along flat ground, Cole had said. The Abbey itself was on a premonitory that overlooked the forest and the Orichalcum ocean below.

  The Sun had just begun to set and I was about to refresh Innervation when I felt a sudden sting on the back of my right leg. With a cry, I fell forward onto the ground. Clutching my leg and gasping, I saw blood leaking through my robe and felt a tiny, sharp needle embedded through the robe’s cloth and into my flesh.

  What in the…

  “So, you finally reveal yourself!”

  Still clutching my wounded leg, I quickly looked around, trying to locate where the voice had originated from. I yanked the needle from my leg with a grunt and held it up to get a closer look.

  What a tiny arrow…

  “Thou shalt pay for thy transgressions! Thou shalt repent of thy sins!”

  “Wait, wait!” I called out, even as I sent a Minor Heal into my leg and closing the wound. “Don’t shoot!” Something was wrong. I felt tired and I couldn’t keep my eyelids open. I tried to move my mouth to form words, but it was like I had just taken a drink of unsweetened Gnomeleaf tea. It was like the inside of my mouth was filled with beetle oil.

  You have been poisoned!

  Have to…toggle…Purgation…ah, Wik take it…

  I fell into darkness.