The ranger and the rogues set off quietly into the night. About 30 minutes into the trek, Namura felt the exhaustion set in. It had been an incredibly long day. From the crash, to the first recon mission, to their failed journey to the city, the elf felt like she had been unable to catch a break. With a few yawns, she continued to lead the way, but both pirates would note that it took them much longer than it should have.

When they arrived at the lake, there wasn't a single sign of the crew. All three quickly swam across the lake, finding an eerily empty ship. Namura found little as they searched the ship. Whether from exhaustion or worry, her eyes seemed to glide right over any signs or tracks. Eventually, she did spot a single clawed paw print.

With a scream, Arial found Elto's body. Lero's hooded lantern finally allowed them to see the colorful splatters of crimson that covered the deck. "We were too late," Namura said numbly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, the weight of all of the lives lost today weighing heavily on her conscious. The ranger sighed, pulling herself back together. There was no time for tears, she reminded herself.

Somehow, she managed to keep herself held together the entire journey back. They arrived back at the tunnels about four and half hours after they left, while most of the party was sleeping. They were lucky Arial had the foresight to draw her mark on that tree, as Namura doubted she would be much help in her current state. The ranger couldn't stop herself from running through a million "if only's." She had been worried something like this would happen, it was why she had pushed them to go back in the first place. If she hadn't forced them to look for survivors like the stubborn gotii she apparently was, perhaps the crew would still be alive.

The faces of the dead haunted her trance, making it an unrestful one at best. She returned to consciousness at about 7:30, her cheeks wet.

As Lero's lantern lit the deck of the ship, Flux's servo could finally transmit an image other than darkness to Flux. Flux, shocked that the crew had been slaughtered, gasped, but continued on. While this was dire, they had come to a delicate part of the reassembly process. They yell out to Kraithee, who is nearby, hoping that they will spread the warning.

"Krai! Expect bad news when the others return."

Buama didn't sleep well, but sleep she did from being pretty much spent and having not quite healed herself fully. She started awake several times, the final time was when she heard Flux rudely yelling in the wee hours of the morning to Krai about to expect bad news. She closed her eyes again, but figured she would have issues falling asleep again. Bad news only meant that the crew left behind were dead. There was no dark site crew now and only two people that knew how to fly the ship. That meant Elto was probably in pieces. She bit her lip and cried for her newest friend. That's how she fell asleep again.

She awoke later when the three staggered in all tired and worn. She saw that Arial carried Elto's sword and something that came from the ship. She wondered if it was part of Elto. That important inner piece perhaps though who knew if Elto would be Elto if it could be made to work in another body. She cried some more and this time the emotional exhaustion made her fall into more restless sleep.

Kraithee was almost in a meditative state while the others were still up, trying to refill its essence with Aether when Flux yell gets its immediate attention: What do you know Flux?! What have you seen?!

Thinking to itself: Well, since everyone is asleep and need their sleep I should wait for their return, but I might start gathering our belongings if the need to flee emerges.

Seeing the group that went to the crash site appear again with no visible survivors and seeing that Arial carries Etho's sword, Kraithee understands what Flux meant by "bad new".

Pointing the recently arrivals to a place they could rest, Kraithee says: I cannot say that I know what you feel for the losses you suffered, but I can promise I will help you deliver pain to those that caused them. You should try and rest, if needed I can try and heat some meals for you...

Seeing that the sword that Arail carried into camp Duncan kept to himself. This was why he preferred to work alone. Yes company was nice, as long as they were alive. Pulling his hood over his eyes Duncan went to a corner were no one would see him suffer in silence.

Lero spends the majority of the night with Arial as they comfort each other. The crew was family, and though the loss of the Black Site crew was bad for the mission, the loss of their family was far more devastating. It isn't until much later in the day that Arial and Lero finally come down to the camp. Arial has Elto's sword slung on her back and Lero is carrying the Lifecraft device. They both split up in silence, going their own ways.

Lero catches site of Buama and approaches solemnly, "Elto meant a lot to us, even though we teased him constantly." He hands Buama the Lifecraft device, "They say the memories and personality of a lifecraft resides in this... I don't know how true that is. But if you ever find the time..." Lero pauses, unable to find the words, "We'd appreciate it."

Namura took Kraithee up on their offer of a warm meal when she rose from her trance. The ranger was all business, and didn't really notice what she was putting into her mouth. It didn't really matter if it was any good, it was warm and seemed to radiate that heat throughout the rest of her body. "Thank you, Kraithee," she told the strange being. "I would not have expected a person who does not actually need to eat to be so in tune with the needs of an elf like me." The people on this mission, it would seem, would never cease to surprise her.

It didn't take Namura long to seek out Lefelynn. She had to find ways to keep busy, and she didn't want the others asking too many questions about their failure of a mission. "Lefelynn?" she let out a sigh of relief when she finally found the other elf. "I'm Namura, one of the Renegades that just crashed in. I heard you know where the dark site is?"

Lefelynn seems surprised by the question. Apparently, she wasn't informed of her identity and affiliation being given out. She arches a brow, responding in Elven, "Darksite? What's that?"

"Darksite? What's that?" the other female elf replied with an arched brow.

"Sorry, there's a Renegade Site not too far from here. I think it was used for Aether collection?" Namura amended sheepishly. "Lahsuke said you knew its whereabouts. It's inside the base of a lhaesvinbiir, I think. It recently went dark, so we were sent to investigate. I've been around other renegades so long, sometimes I forget that I'm using their shorthand."

"Ah. That place. They never really gave it a name." She chuckles for a brief moment before the gravity of what Namura said sinks in. "Wait. The sight went dark?" A flash of worry spreads across her face as she starts pacing. "Nuuta. With this attack on Fhestrynn, that can't be a coincidence." Frustrated, she rubs her face. "It's a long journey. Probably three days by foot through the untamed forest. Located in what locals call the heart of Peema." She looks over Namura. "You're a native yourself to Peema, aren't you? My guess is you've been in the region before. It's covered in swamps and marsh. The only reason I can fabricate for why the Renegades picked it was because no one would ever want to go near it by foot."

She looks around, trying to spot the other members of the party. "When are you planning on heading out?"

"Nuuta. With this attack on Fhestrynn, that can't be a coincidence."

"I was thinking the same thing," Namura shook her head. "I'm going to assume the location is crawling with those red aetherbeasts."

"It's a long journey. Probably three days by foot through the untamed forest. Located in what locals call the heart of Peema," realization dawned on Namura's face. She would have trouble getting there, but she did know the general area. She had been into the Heart a handful of times, but it was a sticky place with little actual game. Her pack had rarely gone inside the actual swampy center. "You're a native yourself to Peema, aren't you? My guess is you've been in the region before. It's covered in swamps and marsh. The only reason I can fabricate for why the Renegades picked it was because no one would ever want to go near it by foot. When are you planning on heading out?"

"I don't entirely know," the ranger sighed. "I haven't spoken much with the other members of the party since last night. I'm sure they all know by now, but I don't know what they want the plan to be." She recalled the morning prior, when she had been so eager to snatch up the title of leader. Now, she wasn't so sure. Her actions had lead to deaths of many. The guilt of that was almost too much for her to bear. Seeing Lero and Arial's faces when they saw the blood of their family... She didn't know if she wanted to be the one responsible for more pain. "I'm going to go talk to them, tell them what you told me."

The elf began to survey the area, looking for members of their now small adventuring group that may be up and about.

Kraithee understands Namura's reaction to it knowing that warm food helps those that enjoy it to confort themselves, it says to her: "I might not eat, Namura, but since I was rescued by Tarlin of the Renegades I came to know the existence of "confort food", like, food is conforting some how. How it works I don't entirely know but when people died back when I was with Tarlin I came to see food be used for that reason."

Having said that it Kraithee hands her a plater of heated porridge and some warm tea.

Buama found simple foods among the survivors the best thing for breakfast. She knew she had to eat, felt more refreshed due to actually sleeping, and knew she had to go on. She could not figure out how to resolve her feelings about Elto though. Sure she mourned them all, but in a very short time she had connected to him. 

The answer was pretty much dropped in her lap by Lero. He handed her Elto's main essence in his lifecraft component. She caressed it thinking for a moment. She finally looked up at him.

"It is true and it will take time. I am hoping we can bring him back. I definitely want you and Arial there when we can turn him back on." She choked up. "He'll be very confused and in flee or fight mode no doubt due to his last memories." She wiped some tears away, but smiled. "I will keep this safe and soon we will have our friend back."

"Thank you Buama," Lero says, "It means a lot to us." He gives her a slight smile out of courtesy and then nods, "I am going to go see what elves around here eat for breakfast." He turns and leaves, making his way to a common area for some food.

Looking for breakfast, you see that most of the elves are gathered by the largest of fires, now dimmed down. The morning sun pours through the foliage of the cave, illuminating it in dancing lights as the foliage covering the mouth of the cave sway in the breeze. Here, Kraithee, Namura, and the elf guide Lefelynn can be found, enjoying some breakfast foraged from the surrounding forest. Mostly fruits and nuts, but there is some small game, some birds and rabbits, roasting on spits over the fire. Arial can be spotted returning from the entrance of the cave, dragging a dead boar behind her. Within a few minutes, she presents it to the elves, who look at her surprisingly. With a small chuckle, she responds, "I needed to take out some pent up anger... The boar seemed like a good option." She sits down and begins dressing the boar. "Namura? Perhaps you would care to help me? You probably could do it better than I could..." Her eyes grow a little watery, but she suppresses the emotion. "And with Lennin being the only one who knew how to cook on the ship... I could use an experienced hand."

A pair of elves, most likely a married couple, emerge from the wurm tunnel, with large bundles of bread. They make there way over to the fire as well, smiling. "We were able to sneak through the city and get to our bakery." They sit down, revealing several loafs of bread, and the remaining cinnamon rolls the party had found earlier. "It was quiet in the city... no cultists crossed our path on our way over, thank the aether. The strangest thing though... they seem to have had a snack in our bakery, and took some cinnamon rolls for themselves. May they choke on them and return to the Cycle."

Buama, despite still wanting to cry, starts laughing about the stolen cinnamon buns. "That is partly my fault. I ate one while we hid in the basement trying to determine what to do next. it was very good. I'd gladly pay for it." She gives the couple one of her genuine smiles not even her team mates had seen since the eating of the said cinnamon bun.

She munches on more fruit and nuts while scribbling some notes in a journal. She has Elto's lifecraft cradled safely in her lap and every now and then takes a good look at one part or another of it before writing more. Then she suddenly gets up and wanders over to where her stuff is stowed. She makes quite the mess as she unpacks quite a bit of it, but appears busy working on something at a furious rate. Elto's lifecraft lies close at hand wrapped in padding and inside a waterproof sack.

After her talk with Lefelynn, the ranger decided to fill her depleted arrow supplies. It took a few hours, but she managed to craft enough to fill her quiver. Her concentration was interrupted by the familar captain's voice. "Namura? Perhaps you would care to help me?"  Arial called out from across the cavern, dragging behind her a rather size-able boar. The elf was instantly brought back to the other woman's screams from the night before. "You probably could do it better than I could... And with Lennin being the only one who knew how to cook on the ship... I could use an experienced hand."

"Arial, I don't actually know how to cook," Namura responded quietly. "I'm a hunter, nothing more." She had grown up on raw meat practically, as tigers had no use for fires and spices. "I'm sorry." 

"We were able to sneak through the city and get to our bakery,"  A pair of local elves came in. "It was quiet in the city... no cultists crossed our path on our way over, thank the aether. The strangest thing though... they seem to have had a snack in our bakery, and took some cinnamon rolls for themselves. May they choke on them and return to the Cycle."

Namura practically choked on the water she was drinking, barely beating her body's urge to spit it out. She couldn't help but glance down at what she remembered to be a delicious cinnamon roll. The ranger made sure to grab one for herself, not making eye contact with the bakers as she did so.

An elven woman, with glassy eyes, holding something wrapped in cloth with both hands, begins making her way over to Namura as Arial responds. Arial nods her head solemnly. "Uncooked? I'm amazed you didn't get sick! Thank you though, anyway. Roasting meat on a spit can't be that hard." She continues to prepare the boar as best as she can as Namura makes her way over for another cinnamon roll. Another elf sits with the bakers. "They stole your cinnamon rolls? How rude. I had stashed a bunch of aether doses in a chest under my bed, and those were stolen too! It'll take some work before I'm able to rebuild that stash..." By this time the elven woman catches Namura just after she departs. Her voice is shaky, but she begins unwrapping the cloth as she speaks. "Excuse me, miss. I... I saw you crafting some arrows..." She sobs a little, and you look down to see a deep brown leather quiver with golden lacework covering it. The bottom glows with the familiar color of aether, and you see a slot where doses of aether could be inserted." My husband d...died saving me and my boy over there." She points off to a young elf who's feet are dipped in the pool of water where the wurm tunnel descends. "This quiver was special to him. I can't profess to understand how it works, but I know it saved his life many times while hunting." Her voice changes as she looks you squarely in the eyes, thrusting the quiver into you. "Avenge my husband through using his quiver. That is all I ask of you."

OOC: The quiver is an Efficient Quiver, with the added bonus of being able to enchant your arrows temporarily. By using a dose of aether as a bonus action, you can enchant 5 arrows in the quiver, causing them to deal an extra 1d6 radiant damage on a successful hit. The quiver currently has two doses of aether available for use, as well as a bundle of 44 arrows nestled within.

Namura shrugged at Arial. "I did what I had to," she began to back away from the other woman, itching to find something else to do. She turned away, calling back over her shoulder. "And I'm still here, aren't I?" The ranger began to walk towards the exit. Arial had the right idea; killing something would probably make her feel better.

"Excuse me, miss. I... I saw you crafting some arrows..." An elven woman, in tears, stopped her before she could get too far. Namura was notoriously bad at dealing with emotions. When she had first found herself in the company of other elves, she had bit the first person that had smiled at her. Naturally, that hadn't gone over too well. While she was past the 'biting things she could not understand' phase, she still had trouble concocting an appropriate response to displays of emotion. "My husband d...died saving me and my boy over there. This quiver was special to him. I can't profess to understand how it works, but I know it saved his life many times while hunting." Namura's jaw dropped open a little as the quiver was shoved into her hands. "Avenge my husband through using his quiver. That is all I ask of you."

"I cannot take this," the ranger shook her head, pushing the quiver back towards the woman. "I do not deserve this great honor." Her fingers began to trace the gilded quiver's intricate designs. "Your husband died a noble death, and I swear to you that it will not be in vain. But I don't think I will be able to avenge him. If a great warrior like he fell, who's to say I will fair any better?" She sighed, bowing her head. "I am lucky, nothing more. I don't deserve any this."

Lero pops up behind Namura, "Of course she'll take it." He gently pushes the quiver back to Namura, "And she's going to kill every last one of these beasts until their red aether runs blue. You have our promise." He then walks away to attend to other matters.