As more of the shadows begin to spawn, Val continues to swing Rook about through the insubstantial creatures as the icy rage begins to seethe. As it dissipates into the breeze she looks around at the magic users in the group. “What do we do?! We cannot keep this up all day.”

Vark and Jex surge into the sky, shadows materialising around the half-elf as they go. However, already sixty feet or more off the ground, the undead merely plummet onto the mountainside below where they disintegrate on impact. Eventually, the two finally reach the warm embrace of the dawning sun and a few tense moments later, it becomes apparent that the mask has indeed stopped ejecting the malignant spirits.

Aiden barely looks up from his meditations as the shadows disintegrate as they hit the ground. He continues his prayers, calling on Thor and the rest of his gods for the power to remove the curse that has taken the arrogant half-elf's mask. It was a silly thing, he thought as he incanted. But what else were they to do? Jex didn't seem the type to relinquish his grasp on a something valuable to him -- a good trait, when it applied to one's friends. Despite his bluster, Aiden assumed that it did apply for Jex. A strange kind of loyalty, but loyalty nonetheless.

Unless, of course, it's his pants. The thought runs idle through his otherwise occupied mind and the others standing around can hear Aiden chuckle to himself from he kneeling position. He swears he could hear the slight rumbling of thunder as Thor laughs, too.

Jex feels the exhileration of the weightlessness and the sudden acceleration as Vark pulls him up into the air. He lets out a laugh as the shadows fall back down to the ground and they continue to rise. He closes his eyes as the sun bathes them and the morning warmth gently washes over his skin.

"Vark? This is what this is all about. Everything. A genuine moment of peace and beauty after the struggle. That's what it's all for."

Thurston looks up to his friends and relaxes his shoulders when it’s evident that their plan had worked. 

“I should ask Vark to take me on that flights sometimes...” he says apparently to no one. Then he turns to Val and Brundir “I will bring wood so we can reanimate the fire and get some breakfast “ 

He then walks away, tapping on Aiden’s shoulder in reckoning as he passes by.

"Sad we're t'that, right? Evil ghosts come up, we stomp'em out, then it's 'That was fun, time for breakfast'," Bründir puffs his chest in his best impersonation of Thurston's imposing figure.

The dwarf shakes off the odd juxtaposition and heads for the sunlight, "Jex! Ye got some explainin' t'do. Th' hell was all that? S'pose it's too late t'say 'stop killin' people cause it's wrong', but ye really need t'make better choices."

Vark can't help but smile as the sun washes away the tension of the previous moment and they are able to bask in the golden light. "Uhm, yeah I guess it is!" He idly drifts in an orbit around the rogue and looks at their companions below. "I hope Aiden is able to lift the curse though. You found it when we first went against the dragonborn sisters right? I wonder if it has something to do with the Morrigan."

Jex nods.

"I thought similarly. They sent us nightmares when we messed with them before. Now this. Though perhaps the shades are from me, perhaps the mask." He hesitates. "Maybe this is an area for Seid to research, something he may know more about than me." He averts his eyes in shame. 

Unsurprisingly the mention of Seid brings a grin to Vark's face. "Definitely! I'm sure he could figure it out." He spins in the breeze that surrounds him, enjoying the freedom of flight.

"They are up in the sky my friend I think he cannot hear you..." points Thurston to Brundir " And I don't really talk like that... don't I?" he asks to the others. 

Again, Aiden is somewhat disturbed from his prayers. "You do, on occasion." he says without looking up. He gestures to his closed eyes. "Had you not said something, I would have guessed you were repeating yourself." He smiles to allow Thurston to see the gibe for what it was, and finally opens his eyes, finding a resting spot in his prayers. "Are mornings with you lot always this exciting?"

"Great" Jex smiles. "You should send a message to him, I'll write to the professor and we'll see what they come up with."

"Oh right! I forgot about your professor friend. Maybe I can actually meet him once we're back in Sheercleft. What exactly does he study?" he asks as they begin flying down to rejoin the others.

"I try to avoid him, I'd rather not invite him to the city. He is the kind of guest you can never get to leave... He is quite brilliant though, he is an expert in history and lots of niche topics that I don't quite understand, though he has bored me on them at great length." Jex shakes his head in exasperation. "I am sure we will pass back through Hyranatar soon though and I can introduce you."

The party packs up camp after Aiden's prayers finish and they consume a light breakfast. Making sure to save some food for Jex and Vark, Aiden, Bründir, Thurston, and Valaith make their way out of the mountain shadow. The road meanders through cliff faces and tree-lined crags, but eventually they meet up with the two.

Aiden nods an approving look at Vark. "That was very impressive, Vark," he says. "I do not believe I have seen a man fly before, much less two men." Moving on from the complement without waiting for reply, he moves to Jex. "Let me see that mask of yours."

Atop Stonebrow, Bründir sits just a head above the others, for once. "Pro'bly a good idea, Jex. Last thin' we need is t'be ambushed by goblins, giants, and ghosts on th' road home. Not fer good, jus' till we're sure there's no more surprises."

Enjoying a rest after the battle, Jex and Vark wait for the others in relative quiet. Jex lies on a larger stone, looking out over the view. His head turns as the others approach, greeting them with a smile. 

Jex evaluates Aiden for a second, glancing at Thurston, then back at the man. He slowly takes the mask from around his neck, looking it over. Very suddenly, he turns it around and hands it over.

"Im not stupid, I don't mind you all having a look and working out what's wrong with it. It's very powerful though, and I'm not about to have it smashed in blind panic, even if you could do such a thing."

Vark blushes slightly and rubs the back of his messy hair. "Oh! Thank you." he responds. As Jex hands over the mask, Vark watches intently, eager to see how Aiden intends to lift the curse.

Aiden nods again to Vark and swallows as Jex speaks. "I did not mean to imply that you are stupid. Just protective of your things. I would not touch it without permission."

He takes the mask in his hands and pries at whatever dark energy was encompassing it in his mind's eye. Sparks roll down his fingers and across the mask, but he feels no change as the spell's energy dissipates. "I...I do not think that worked." He concentrates for a minute, heightening his senses to the stench of undead. Then experimentally, he walks the mask over to the shadow of a large boulder. No undead spring forth from the now softly glowing mask. "Maybe it did."

"Just to be sure, Jex, come stand over here in this shadow for a moment. Valaith, if you would, please ready yourself and kill these things if they begin to spawn again."

Jex shrugs, putting on the mask and following Aiden's finger to the shadow.