While Grace keeps watch, Jelci buries the sack at the crossroads as instructed and the two thieves vanish into the night. Caio waits until dawn as the two had been told, but sees nobody come to search for their buried treasure.

     Astrid sits quietly in the shadows with the group, watching the spot intently where they laid their trap. She believes she sees the dirt heave slightly, but rubs her eyes and squints. Nope, still there. Searching still for more confirmation, the cleric chants a few words and her eyes begin to glow slightly as Brightmantle grants her the ability to see the hidden. Her vision is fuzzy but can tell tell that the bag remains nearby. 

     "So how long do you think we need to wait here?" She says to Caio. "You know if these people somehow knew we were carrying something magical, then they may have a way to know what's burred there isn't." 

The elf is motionless like a predator lying in wait. “Possibly. I am concerned that in our haste we left the relic completely unguarded. Can you check in with Brother Ludomir?” Meanwhile Ghoul swoops in wide circles overhead, scanning for anyone approaching the crossroad.

Clear lines of sight are hard for Ghoul to find between the densely packed buildings of the walled town. He spots a few ordinary looking citizens moving around in the early morning, but nothing particularly suspicious.

     "Oh, yes! That would not be good."

     Astrid pulls out the coiled copper once again and lightly speaks into it. "Uh, hello there... Brother Ludomir - This is Astrid. How are things there? Any more trouble?"

"Oh, no, I don't believe so," Ludomir responds a brief moment later. "Should we be concerned?"

     "We don't know yet," Astrid replies. "No one has come to pick the package here, so we were hoping they haven't returned there looking for your relic again."

"I understand," Ludomir replies. "We shall remain with the reliquary and pray."

Caio nods as Astrid fills him in. "Well, either we could wait here to see if they do come to grab their spoils after all, or we can return to our charge and wait for them to make an attempted theft again."

Shiva purses her lips. "I don't know if it would be that simple. We've made our move. If they return to dig up our decoy once we've left, they'll know that they've been found out and that we were trying to catch them in the act. That might make them more aggressive, and Grace and Jelsi would likely end up dead, cutting off our only line to them."

"Why don't they come with us? At least til we get to Paragon... I mean, we have supplies and they look like they're scrappy enough to help if the cultists decide to ambush us."

Alaris glances around to the others, then continues, "I mean, if the cultists want the relic, they'll follow the relic and if we're ready... we take care of business."

Caio's brow raises in scrutiny of both these lines of thought. "They did not seem so scrappy to me when they were hanging from my blade and Shiva's claws. They should flee. Considering their line of work, I trust them to be proficient at running from trouble. Keeping them close would only put them in more danger. And that danger is coming for us one way or the other," he adds, turning to Shiva. "We may lose some element of surprise if they find our decoy, but we retain the upper hand. We have what they want, we know they will come for it, so we must simply be ready for an ambush at any time. Perhaps I could arm the reliquary's container with a trap."

Shiva shrugs. "Upper hand is a very flexible idea considering we know nothing about their current forces, but I see your point. I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but I just prefer being on the offensive. Killing as many as we could now would relieve the stress of waiting around for them to show themselves later. But it seems like waiting here isn’t getting us anywhere either."

Caio nods. "So we wait here, now. For a little while longer at least. My patience is boundless as Necorath is cold, but we shouldn't waste the entire day here."

A couple of hours later the amount of traffic passing through the crossroads has increased significantly, but there are no cultists to be seen.

"I don't like this - let's get back to the inn before we draw any more attention to ourselves. We don't exactly blend in." Alaris looks around, brow furrowed in frustration, and slams a fist into the palm of their other hand.

     "I agree. Maybe it's best that we continue on to Littlewood? Also, should be take the bag with us? If whoever wanted the relic does come later and find it, then they will know someone was onto them. If nothing is there then hopefully they will just think that the thieves failed."

Alaris nods to Astrid, their mouth an unsmiling line of annoyance and tiredness after the long night of watching and waiting for nothing to happen. Compounding their aggravation is their growing feeling that the passersby are staring at the group out of the corners of their eyes and muttering mistrustful questions about the strangers. The young assimar grits their teeth and marches over to where the decoy was buried and slams their hand into the earth to yank free the bag. "Come on, let's go."

Alaris drags the bag up out of its hole, scattering fragments of earth in all directions and drawing numerous frowns and glances from the passersby.

Back at the Hearthstone, the group finds Nikolai standing outside the stables saddling his horse.

"I'm sorry, Shiva," he tells the other tiefling preemptively, shaking his head sadly as she approaches. "I have to let you down - I have to leave. Shahar has spoken to me. Something has shifted in the stars and because of it there is someone who I must find. Someone who I must guide for Shahar... but they're far away in the mountains between Eldren and Breanne. Maybe one day, when I've redeemed myself, I will return to you and Ling."

Shiva stops cold as Nik explains himself. "What? What are you talking about? You can't leave right now, we all need you. Ling needs you."

Shiva's voice grows quiet. "I'm sorry that things have been so ****ed up with me recently, but I can't do this without you. The only reason I'm still alive is because of you and Ling. I can't lose you both."