Elrodan had decided to take another boat ride, Moonglade to Frostgale. He'd heard word of a snow covered forest, the stories of glistening snow sounded fantastical. He'd not seen snow before and for it to combine with a forest, how could it be anything other than heaven.  He had thought of flying around but he had found a passion for riding the wind at the top of a ship with the crew in the crows nest. The islands they stopped at along the way all advised to wrap up warm. At the final stop he relinquished, the price of course higher than the earlier spots. It felt funny to be wrapped up and all of the items to fit him were improvised from other things.

Once over to Coldwood, he couldn't help but fly around, smacking into snow laden branches and watching it fall. Going ever deeper into the woods, he laughed along the way. There was a freedom that the cold gave, even if he was more restrained by the clothing he wore. The only thing he found hard was a lack of wildlife. As he stopped for a break on a tree, he started to understand why as the chill wind blew and bright a pain to his cheeks. Of course they'd hide in the warm rather than this.

Deciding to fly high and look down on the snow scene. Yet it wasn't any tree, snow or animal that caught his attention. Well, maybe animal, but there seemed to be people, some in groups, trekking from different places on an intersect just ahead. Then there was one other that this didn't apply to. It was almost comical hours the sets were congregating and this one just didn't. Gently coming down he set himself in a tree on the path of the wayward traveller. That he may better investigate the rogue walker.

Ray had traveled to the Coldwood of Frost Gale once more, the frozen branches and thick snow were at once beautiful and chilling. His last adventure here had led him to drink and eat with strangers, strangers he hadn't seen since then... The forest had a mystical feeling to it that was compounded by the loneliness he came there to seek. His tracks were the only ones he'd seen as he strolled along what looked like an animal trail. The snippy breeze encouraged him to pull his hood over his face, tightening it and pulling his cloak tight around himself. 

"Something stirs, seeker, the snow hides not their treachery..." Qil's voice shocked Ray, he'd been quiet this whole time, and he jumped at the sound in his head.

What did he mean stirring? Usually he was very sensitive to magical disturbances, could this be something of that sort, the woods already seemed magical without some strange activity occurring there. What could he mean by the snow not hiding it?

Ah...

He spotted a set of tracks along his path. A single set that looked to head deeper into the woods, perpendicular to his own direction. Qil was onto something... or someone. A glint of something caught Ray's attention from the corner of his eye, though it was gone when he looked towards it. He swore something had been sitting in a tree ahead. Walking closer he decided to call out to ensure he wasn't surprising some poor traveler.

"Hello? I mean no harm..." He said it in a normal voice, yelling felt like a violation of these quiet woods.

Elrodan had been swifter when he wasn't encumbered in these clothes. There was a time when he'd easily hide from any print eyes, not so it seemed now. He'd tried to hide from the person he was intercepting, that way he'd be able to observe them and approach on his own terms. Confound these wraps. Oh well. Peering around the trunk he looked at the stranger who'd called out. They seemed harmless enough, he stood out on a branch. The wraps of clothing hid most of his visage, and at only two foot tall, that didn't leave much.

With a flutter of his wings to keep them warm he gave his reply "Hello! I...hello". He realised that he had only planned to watch and not to speak. As a few seconds passed, his brain worked furiously, at last, something came to mind. "Your... Your friends are heading that way." with that he gave a point in the general direction all other travellers had been.

He'd tried to not talk too loud, it already seemed to echo and lose itself. As a final effort, he gave a little wave. It felt rather weak, he left his hand flop to his side. He felt embarrassed by his wings and quickly closed them to from sight. Their one bright colours now diminished to a grey save for two small patches of green and blue. 

A faerie, a true to life faerie... Ray had a knack it would seem for wandering across faeries in the woods. First an ice faerie and now a... little faerie? This one seemed a lot more faerie like, approachable and friendly seeming where the last had been cold and standoffish. This one was even cute in a way, wrapped up like a babe in fluffy clothes that seemed all too big for it. It pointed out the direction of the second set of tracks , stating his friends had headed that way? 

"Whatcha mean, friends? I came out here alone, other folk my size maybe?" Ray was scratching his head with his arm as he asked, taken aback by the sight of a faerie as he always was. His voice was still low, afraid to attract more faeries.

He then thought back to the threatening and mysterious behavior of the last faerie he'd met in the woods and grew on guard. 

"I don't mean no harm, no need for any faerie magic or tricks now ya hear..." Speaking barely above a whisper, Ray took a cautious step back with his hand up in the air.

"Seeker... you're actions betray inexperience and uncharacteristic timidity..." Qil's voice in his mind seemed patronizing, mocking him for a childish fear. Not that he needed to be assured it was childish, he knew.

They were alone? Those others weren't with them? It was curious. A funny coincidence at least, that in this cold forest, three sets of people should nearly meet. "There are other big folk. They aren't your friends? Perhaps we should catch up with them? It's funny we'd all be in the Dante place at nearly the same time right?".

No magic or tricks? Did he think he was like that other naughty fairy over in moonveil? It was a most odd sensation. None had recoiled from him before. Least of all one so mightily sized. "No magic, no err not much of anything I guess."

With that, he stepped off the branch and flapped his wings at the end just enough to land softly on the snow below. "Interesting". The voice still caught him off guard leading him to reply to it with his voice rather than think it, "what is? Oh sorry. Wait? Why would I harm you? You look more like the one to attack and eat me! Others have you know! Well, not killed or eaten me else I wouldn't be here now would I. Is your arm ok?". As he spoke, he walked forwards, well approached in a very zigzagging way as his mind went from one thought to another. 

Ray's expression grew serious as he furrowed his brow and tilted his head, trying to make sense of this strange faerie variety that now approached like a distracted child. The last faerie he met had thrown ice daggers without thought, this one seemed like he'd be more likely to get into trouble than cause it.

He seemed to reply to nothing, talking to himself? That he thought Ray capable of eating him was humorous, the question about his arm was asked with genuine care that gave a sense of relief. 

"These two tread a similar path, Seeker, can't you feel it?"

Wait, two? But there's onl--- Qil's disappointed voice brought Ray's attention to it, a feeling like he'd had in the Sky Gardens... He could feel a presence of a sort with Qil's help, the little faerie wasn't alone after all. If Qil was right he was safer than his imagination had led him to believe. Perhaps they'd both been guided here by The Wanderer for some greater purpose.

"My arm... Is better as it is than as it was." He looked to the stump as he spoke.

"I've a feeling I misjudged you. I'm a traveling healer, those other folk are likely up to no good and I'd avoid em if I were you."

"Now, just what sort of faerie are you and what are you doing waiting in the woods here? You live out here in this bitter cold?" Ray shivered, walking had been keeping him warm.

Elrodan looked rather quizzically at the man. "Your arm... Is better than it was? Do you mean to say you had less arm than you have now and someone helped you get that much back? Why didn't they return your whole arm? I can't imagine why they would do such a thing?" he shook his head, looking skyward with a finger on his chin.

"Oh! My name is Elrodan. I'm also a healer! Though I'm not a travelling one. Hmm, although I am travelling around at the moment but is that what you meant?" he said again wobbling his way over a hand outstretched in offer of greeting. "I hadn't ever thought of what kind I was before, though if you are used to ones like that little fluffy bird legged one over in moonveil, then I'm definitely not that sort. Hmm... I have legs like you for one. And wings too..." he said giving a shift in his posture to show them off. "Though, they used to be a lot more colourful, and the white on my hair wasn't there before. Still, I wasn't waiting for anything other than you. I thought you were going the same way as the others. Though something is telling me to follow them. If they're about to hurt someone, I can be there to help after. Were you on your way to somewhere special, or would you like to come along too? I don't think they were all that scary looking." then turning to look the way they went.

A hundred little questions hurled in his direction caused Ray further confusion as to the nature of this curious little being before him. It had wings, so it was definitely a fairy, though far less scary than he'd imagined them to be. The little being's ways caused a smile to creep onto Ray's face. He extended his hand, catching the little one's and enveloping it in his own, in a handshake. 

"I truly prefer this arm to stay missing, time is still healing the wounds it caused. As a healer yourself I imagine you would understand that the physical part of a wound is sometimes shallower than the mental part..."

The words of Qil hung in his mind still though, what could he have meant by 'these two'... Either way, the treachery that was afoot remained higher on the priority list and if this little one was checking it out he would need someone to keep him safe. Ray knew enough of the woods to realize that whatever they were going towards would likely be criminal in nature. Nothing else existed this far out, after all, besides fairies apparently...

"We'd best get moving if we aim to follow em. You're a lot harder to notice than I am, perhaps you could take the lead?" He nodded towards the tracks in the snow.

He wanted to keep the fairy in front of him, all manner of treachery could occur if it was out of sight. It reminded him too strongly of the pixies that had wreaked havoc in Gazablaak... Qil wasn't clear enough in his speech to remove the doubts Ray held.

Elrodan was a little confused by the concept of not wanting to heal and replace it but nor would he want to go against someone's wishes. "People are complicated" he said echoing the words Kamille once told him. "All life is Elrodan, you fairies too." came the voice, causing Elrodan to flinch slightly "Am I? Ooo..." |Am I?| realising he spoke again aloud but then remembered to say it in his head.

Elrodan looked ahead in the direction the others had gone and shrugged. "Ok, if you're sure. I wonder what they are doing out here? Perhaps there's a secret party! Maybe they think they're all bad dancers but still want to have a big dance with others? I wonder if we can join in? That'd be fun wouldn't it? Just imagine... Oh oh! Maybe they're having a big snowball fight? Or, or, or maybe they're building a big snow creature! Wow! I wonder how big it will be with all of this snow!" he says as he walks ahead, quite lost in his own world.

Ray definitely didn't imagine a dance to be the end of this journey. Though, if it were, even dancers who'd hidden in the woods were likely better at the pass time than he was...

"I think we should be quieter, this is likely something very dangerous..."

"Seeker, dark biddings are done ahead, prepare yourselves." 

"Shh, Elrodan, something's ahead." He said and tapped the fairy on the shoulder with his hand.

As they approached a clearing through the trees some slight voices could be heard. Inching closer they could see out into the strange and macabre gathering. Many individuals of varied races and nationalities all mingled in a large clearing and at their center was a large stone that was being used as a stage of sorts. Behind it were boxes, cages, and many armed guards. 

Upon the stage stood a group of hooded figures, every part of their bodies was covered with dark cloth and they were each flanked by multiple armed guards.

One stood in the center and the others held either strange items, caged animals, or chained people at the ready.

This seemed like a black market auction of some sort, highly illegal and terribly immoral... 

"Ahh, anything but this, there's at least a hundred of em..." Ray whispered to Elrodan.

"What can we even do here?"

Elrodan reluctantly goes quiet at the request to be so. Then again, they seemed to know what they were doing. When Ray tapped him on the shoulder and pointed out the assembled host before the pair, he couldn't help but let out a small gasp.

"There's quite a lot of them. Now I can see them properly, they do look a bit unsavoury. I think we could get closer though" Elrodan whispered. "Given fairies don't seem too popular here, it might be odd for me to be with you... Or you as my pet. How about if I were a gargoyle? Do you think that would keep enough of them from coming too close?"

Elrodan continued to crane his neck, looking at the people and the various goings on. "Just think! We could disrupt a whole gang with something... I just don't know what."

Ray took Elrodan's idea and rolled it around in his head. It would seem odd for a fairy to simply walts in wouldn't it. His idea as to how to proceed would need to get them both in and, as Elrodan mentioned, disrupt whatever was going on...

"I hate to even say this, but I am wearing a cloak. You could simply sit under it and hold on, maybe we can poke a hole somewhere that you can look through?" 

It wasn't his best idea, that was certain, but it would at least let them get closer and see what was happening.

He raised his brows at the fairy, uncertain as to how he would respond. This was likely not something he'd planned to do today...

To hide under his cloak was certainly a different one he hadn't thought of, not that he really had thought of many plans. "Up above your shoulder level for my head or fully behind you or even sideways? It could be awkward with my wings. At least if I can see out there's some hope for being able to help... Not sure what I'd actually help with. Or should I be facing backwards and can watch your back?"

Thinking over the choices he felt a pang of fear at trusting a relative stranger, but in response came that voice in his mind. "You need not fear, I will be with you."

Well, that sealed it. "Ok let's do this. I doubt we'll come up with anything better. I guess we should have some kind of signal too. If you say or do it, I'll know to spring away." Elrodan smiled, this felt exciting and scary in equal measures. "I wonder if we could get away with taking something." he mused as thoughts continued to bounce through his mind and moved ready to climb into position.

Ray let out a deep breath, a look of discomfort on his face. He'd never done well with people inside his personal space, this felt even more precarious as it was a fairy he was trusting...

"Here's how we'll do this, I'll cut out a small flap in the back, you hang onto my shoulder and peak through my hair to see out the front, look out the little flap to see out the back. If you see something, whisper to me..." He could hardly believe he was planning to smuggle a fairy into a blackmarket under his hood.

Ray took out a small knife and sliced a thin line into the back of his cloak's hood so Elrodan could see out of it. Then put it back on and let the fairy hop inside. It was as uncomfortable as he'd imagined, thankfully his backpack covered up the lump that was Elrodan's body and made it look more natural. Ray pulled the hood over his head and huffed nervously before heading out of hiding and into the mad market below.

"If I start prayin, you'll know its time to spring." He whispered as he moved into the group.

With his hood up, dark robe, and rough appearance he fit right in with the market goers. A number of them actually looked less intimidating than he did. As they moved through the crowd there was all sorts of odd discussion and bits of gossip Ray overheard.

"I hear tales of some sorta scroll what's for sale..."

"You ever seen a live pixie? I got three up for auction..."

"Akse morak, ternuv ai ler vilar..."

"Slaves, are not, made equal I tell ya..."

One caught his attention over the rest though.

"That scroll for sale... supposedly it's got something to do with the Sol Stone..."

"Now you see our way, Seeker?" Qil, of course, seemed to be gloating about having guided them there now...

Elrodan couldn't help but half hold his breath for the first few minutes of hiding within the cloak. It was nothing against Ray but the pressure of the situation. In the end he had his breath under control and not before time as the voices came into earshot. When he heard about the pixies, no doubt Ray would have felt Elrodan tense up. If he could have seen who had said it, or where they were, he may have dropped the plan, but it was not to be. Maybe there would be time for both, or maybe not as he watched a series of creatures being half dragged along by some brute, signs of cruelty and mistreatment rife.

Elrodan then picked up the second part about the scroll, the Sol stone. Now there was that name cropping up again. He strained to hear more, pushing forwards to gain every last miniscule of chance to hear or see more. It was tricky, the limited view, muffled sound, restricted movement and then the rest of the sounds going on all contributed to his difficulties. So he tried his best to act as watch as he was meant to. Keeping an eye out for any trouble that Ray would not be able to see happening behind him.