The journey here had been rough. Vikram had spent the majority of the voyage curled over the Corsairs banister, heaving from the seasickness. Surely there were better modes of transportation, alas the pair had little in the way of resources. The ship itself had been chartered by whomever held Maudes leash. He could hardly believe that a sandblasted mural on a ruin in the middle of nowhere had led him across the world to here. Maude had been little for chatter up until now, as he guided the pair through the boulders littering the Docking Coast towards their destination.

    Surprising was that they weren't the only boat to have anchored there. several others in various states of abandonment littered the coastline. Some were presumably adventurers or pirates, there was scarce little in the way of authority on this isolated island. The looming pillars of stone they began to walk through stood in dark contrast to the overcast clouds above. A remnant of the storm they had passed through on their way in. 

"Fire Keepers live here, I only pray they adhere to their isolation. It would be problematic were they to interact with Scorched Ones and find themselves an ally."

Maude grunted a reply. Undecipherable in the best of times. 

"Do you know where we are headed? This place where giants move the earth? I must admit I'm not familiar with this area as much as I'd like to be, considering our goal supposedly in reach."

Vikram could barely keep pace with the lithe hunter, clambering boulders took considerably longer for the heavily clad warrior. He paused to catch his breath.

    

The waters held memory of that once guiding tent at the heart of Bura. No doubt now it had been stolen or sold off to some unbeknownst traveler still searching for what lie beneath the sands. Maude had pulled taut many a small knot of fishing line. The jigs were unnecessary and more than likely would not have worked on whatever game had lurked below the swaying vessel. He had seen fish lifted from the Luna Sea but a handful of times, for the ocean disquieted his heart. Large and angular creatures whose broad scales and spines supposedly held medicinal properties. They tasted bland and filmy but one couldn't deny how many a single catch could feed. Larger than an owlbear wide and four horses long. He could only imagine the rod and line required to hoist such a foe from the depths. His shoulders lowered as he returned to the moment at hand.

The image of a scrambling Vikram as he moved with a heaviness unseen before their departure causes a quirk at the edge of his lips. He turned again forward. Ferrow had given him a heading and a handful of landmarks to follow on the getting there. When the sukhbir had exclaimed quite ominously, "The Arid Mesa," upon reading the deciphered note Maude had hoped for reprieve from the heat of Zeinav. No such luck would visit his unfortunately pallid complexion once storm had fully passed.

The canyons were a sight to behold. The craters breathtaking in scale. If not for the scholar's verbosity, however, Maude would have lost himself in its labyrinthine designs. Most of the rock structure seemed exactly the same as whatever had just been passed. Not but the sprinkling of cave entrances and the reds and browns painted within the stone differentiated them. He was thankful for the shrewd old man for the first time in quite a long while. After all, Ferrow was the only one who knew what dangers lie ahead of the pair.

Thankfully he had left Vikram's continued assistance out of whatever reportings had made their way back to the Mystwud. His progress and the ramblings of the scholar must have sold well the lead for a day hadn't passed before a quartermaster approached the party. They relayed the news of the charted voyage from the Sultan's port city of Kalibad to the Docking Coasts of Mesa. Whatever this stone was it was greatly desired. Perhaps to a degree above the slack his station afforded him.

"Not much further."

Atleast Maude hoped as much. The winding could get confusing at times even for him. Along the path, they had come across signs of camp being made. He hoped it to be whoever these firekeepers were and not the competition in this quest. Rumor hunters, perhaps. Religious symbolism was carved into naturally occurring blackened pillars. Some shaped like sconces for torches and others pitted for oil or scent bundles. The evidence of recent use being found in one of them. Maybe some of the pirates about the place were religious as well. He hoped for simple answers beyond his assumptions of golden teeth and burning corpses. Maude blinked away the vision and huffed. He began redressing his new headwrap. It had been a solid purchase from their last journey. If who he thought lie ahead of them proved to be he would prefer to remain rather indiscernible to concerned parties. The memory of the depraved was unusually competent. And more than one of the Scorched had spotted their handiwork and lived to tell the tale.

This whole debacle with the Sol Stone had led to many dead ends and a lot of headache for someone in the business of buying and selling information. How many opportunistic treasure seekers had approached him with threats of harm should he not share what he knew of the highly desired artifact. Truth was, even if he hadn't smashed their faces in for their insolence, they would have been disappointed with the quality of information he did have. 

The riddles, the ciphers, the sheer number of red herrings was staggering. It was like some grand worldwide hunt where there were not only those seeking, but those also sabotaging one another at every turn. He was certain though that he had figured out what was genuine and what was nonsense. The charcoal-skinned tiefling was not the only one though. 

Arriving at the Arid Mesa was a journey all in itself, and now landed on the bleak landscape it is clear many others believed they had narrowed down the location of the Sol Stone as well. He had been careful to stay out of the way of larger groups in case they turned hostile. While he was confident in his abilities, it was likely that reaching the artifact without being seen or without a fight was not within the realm of possibility. 

He watches arrivals with a discerning eye. He needed to find a group he could follow safely, preferably only a few that looked capable but not a danger to himself. His mark appears before him as a pair of men of foreign dress. Turning invisible, he silently follows them a ways and listens in on their conversation.^[1,2] A few terms peak the tiefling's interest. Fire Keepers. Scorched Ones. He hadn't heard of these as of yet, perhaps these two knew more than he did after all. 

As the pair come across the strange camp, he debates revealing himself. On one hand, they may not appreciate his tailing up until this point. On the other hand, it was obvious others had already passed through this area not that long ago. The possibility of a confrontation ahead was undeniable. These two would be outnumbered if the plethora of dusty footprints on the ground were any indication of how many were lurking about. 

He'd risk it.

He allows the shimmering veil of invisibility cloaking his form to fall away as he raises a hand with a friendly wave and an equally friendly smile on his face. 

"Excuse me, gentlemen. I could not help but notice that you appear to be headed in the same direction I am." A lie, but he knew how to make it sound genuine.^[3]

"There is safety in numbers, perhaps I can lend my services and join your expedition?"

---

[1] Invisibility
[2] Silent Step
[3] Smooth Talking

    Still winded from the journey, Vikram looked up to see the lithe grey Tiefling manifest before them. His first reaction was to reach back to his sword. But after hearing the offer of assistance the shrewd look of surprise and anger dissipated. Friends were in short supply around these parts, and Vikram would be remiss to deny such generosity. He replaced the face he wore with a hearty grin.

"Of course!" He remarked loudly, "We are blessed with your presence friend, assuming you are not related to the various cults and cabals we are currently in pursuit of."

An eyebrow raised as he inspected the newest addition to their local reality. The dark cloth and gold trim would fit in well in the courts and markets of Zeinav. Though the Tieflings relaxed demeanor certainly set off alarms. Vikram was a very trusting individual, and thus concluded that if they had wanted a fight, they would already be in one. He shot a glance over at Maude and shrugged. 

"You say you are also En route to the Avenue of Giants? Wonderful! Perhaps you are aware of a path less strenuous and steep. My name is Vikram, and this dour fellow here is Maude. The pleasure of meeting is all mine"
His hand outstretched to formally introduce himself.

Vikram could only assume that if friendly Tieflings appearing from thin air were the weirdest part of their journey here, then they were in pretty good shape all things considered. The overcast sky above them began parting to allow the harsh rays of light through the cracks. A good sign, surely things would only look up from here. Maybe they would be the first to have discovered this location even since the days of the gods themselves.

Maude had a sense for danger. When his surroundings grew too quiet, people too still, or sudden sharp movements were taken he could always trust his eyes and ears to keep him prepared in time. Years of fieldwork. A decade of working shoulder to shoulder with cutthroats and murderers alike in the heart of untamed wildlands. Hadn't failed him yet. The appearance of this unknown party had him questioning his most dependable of skills. Their lack of armament and sudden approach said much more than the words from their lips would. Anyone who would apparate before a couple of strangers trusted in their own capabilities against them or had allies within distance enough to make certain their safety.

He studied their surroundings once more for sign of movement, silence of wildlife, or thrum of magics. Perhaps this demon-git was alone. Maybe that was even worse. They were obviously a mage of some sort. But their posture and physique revealed the hardened musculature of a well trained fighter. His horns looked familiar enough but the solid yellow eyes, almost matte, would always irk the scout. Maude had seen very few starchildren in his travels. More in Zeinev than any other were their numbers apparent. In the Moonglade and Marshflats they had been seen as ill-omen in his experience and he'd little chance to learn of their perception to the Zeinev local. Something to potentially pry about later if this one proved to be any amount of trustworthy.

For the time being, he would trust in Vikram's read on the man and maintain his vigilance. The old sword had earned as much from Maude. Their ventures may be few but never once had he done wrong by the scout. He hoped he would never be called upon to do so. There was only so much in life that the friendliness and warmth offered by the sukhbir could afford against the weight over Maude's shoulders. He steeled his face and posture.

The tiefling smiles at the pair. A decent reaction to start. Had they reacted poorly to his sudden appearance he would have of course simply fled. He didn't know if they were skilled fighters or not, but they were armed at the very least. The one who introduced them both, Vikram, was a friendly sort. He dressed the part of a Zeinav merchant or at the very least a local to the nation.

The silent one was curious. He had an air about him that suggested he was some sort of militant type. Perhaps a hired bodyguard? Or assigned more likely. Assigned by who was a question that floated through his mind, but it was of little consequence. He looks at Vikram again and lowers his hand, still wearing that friendly smile. 

"Likewise, it is a pleasure. My name is Zarius. I apologize for the abruptness of my appearance. There are many dangerous folk in this region and I wanted to ensure it was safe to approach before I made my presence known." He explains and while the words are true he actually isn't too concerned about being jumped. He was more than capable of fleeing or defending himself even against spellcasters. 

"I can assure you I am not a member of any cult. I am curious as to who it is you pursue." He won't mention that he is associated with the crime lords of the Ash Lands, such information is often taken poorly by strangers who know of their work. "I am afraid I am too at a disadvantage in this region. I hail from the other side of the continent far from these lands. Though from the look of this camp, we seem to be right behind those who have more familiarity."

From what he could gather, Vikram did most of the talking while Maude was just an intimidating shadow at his side. It was a curious pair to be certain. But his guess that this pair had information that he did not was proving to be accurate.

Cults and cabals, they mentioned. Could it be the same group he had run into in Moonglade when he traveled briefly with a fey creature of another plane of existence? They had managed to avoid a fight then using the cover of the tangled overgrowth. Here in the canyons they were exposed, and it would be all too easy to become cornered. 

    The campsite they had stopped in had a peculiar odor about it. Faint, but present. Sulphureous, sharp, and musty with the smallest hints of iron wafted from the fire. Poking around the coals of it, Vikram discovered two things. One, a coal had broken open to reveal a still smoldering core within. twelve or so hours since the fire died? do scorched ones make longer fires? Only speculation at that point. The second discovery was slightly more concerning. A burnt finger bone, hidden among the coals. It reeked of Sulphur, certainly a sacrifice of a sort. Vikram's big bushy eyebrows furrowed.

"It seems that our friends here are into a dastardly sort of wizardry. My best guess is that of the demonic sort, no offense my friend. The campsite seems to be similar to that of the Scorched, Sayad, anything of importance?"

Maude pointed at a carving on the wall. In the midst of all the fire and sunlight symbolism the Scorched ones were so fond of was an out of place bit of script. The Light Must Die it said, quite contradictory. Scorchers loved light; Vikram could only assume that's why they would come here halfway across the ocean was because they had deciphered their own piece of the puzzle before we did. Maybe he had misunderstood them, more likely it was a separate author altogether. Pieces of a puzzle yet to be solved. The carving seemed slightly fresher than those around it, perhaps another group came by between the camps original owners and now. 

"Quite odd indeed."

The best evidence of footfalls in this dusty opening was a sandy patch leading further into the stony labyrinth. Several sets of footprints, indiscernible how many. they all walked in and over and between each other in the narrow path. there was evidence of some unnatural traffic through here, though it was largely buried under more recent travel. Interestingly it seemed someone had brought several horses through here, though interestingly none of the hoofprints overlapped the others like the footprints. what was the purpose of training three horses to walk in lockstep directly in line with each other. The pieces Vikram had were definitely to an interesting puzzle.

Light footprints left an easily followed trail about the rest point. There were no signs of rest being had but their numbers were apparent. The uniformity of size was odd but not altogether strange. Many people wore similar footwear. Cobblers were an iterative sort from map corner to map corner. None wore riding boots. Flat, smooth leather slips was his assumption. They left no food, tobacco, nor grounds. These must have been the natives. At first.

Hermits. Keepers of the isle nation when the criminals weren't inhabiting it. Maude hadn't met one before. They were known the world over for the intrigue sparked by their solitude. Those so separate from others would do naught but inspire rumors and tall tales. Were they decrepit old monsters consuming any who dared infringe upon the forgotten temples? Or warriors to a god of yore left to tend to their long dead master's home? He made no assumptions with finality.

Whatever they were, more than the Scorched Ones were here. First this had been a place of worship. One of passing. The ashen remains of older offerings said as much. Then a checkpoint for whomever came next. Perhaps their adversary, but chance of it being otherwise was present. The scrawled text tensed his shoulders a smidge. Cultists to Lunala or Ziev? He couldn't imagine the majority faithful calling for such an extreme end. Taking a bit of the ash in hand, Maude cast it through the air gingerly as he stood. The buzz of divinity filled the air where it fell. That confirmed the keepers faith at least. As well, that the ashes hadn't been tainted by the finger Vikram inspected. Whosoever had defaced the intricate carvings could have been a simple stranger. Defacing that which other's care for simply because caring offends them. Fools would be more welcome than what was the more likely of culprits.

The zealots they had faced on the outskirts of Bura wouldn't call for a death to light. He believed they would sooner call for everything to be burned to dust before then.

After the first handful of steps had left deeper into the canyons there were heavier sets present. Traveling boots with hints of a trailing cloak on each of them. Better armed than the first signs for certain. Horses as well. Larger than a work horse. Centaurs? He followed its path about the scene. If there was more than one it stepped within the bounds of the lead like they were tethered and pulling a load together but without sign of wheel or sled that didn't seem a sensible conclusion. The hoof prints were as large as his wide-spread hand and without shoe. He dragged his fingers along the crushed imprint and brought it to his nose. Scents of musk and rot with the earthy sulfur far beneath that. Tasting the dirt struck him with the hints of old blood. Someone was riding this beast to death.

"Fetid iron. Ten atleast."

Maude spat into the dirt. Ferrow had guessed that there could be more hints acrosst the continent entire. It only made sense that something foul would be at work here. The Scorched seemed sensible enough. Disguises, tying up loose ends, arming themselves well. Riding giant, unshod colts or mares wasn't something that he'd imagine them doing with what short encounters they'd traded. Nor had he seen them sacrificing digits for Solaria's grace. There was good chance they hadn't been here. He hoped they wouldn't show. Whoever this defacer had been would be trouble enough for Vikram and Maude. Maybe this was who Zarius had been avoiding with their invisibility. He locked eyes, as best he could, with the starchild and motioned to the words.

"Recognize anything?"

Zarius looks at the writing and then crouches to inspect the hoof prints left in the dust. His expression darkens. He has a good idea of what the prints belonged to and it was nothing but bad news. Rising to his full height, he looks at the pair. It was best to warn them of what was ahead of them. 

"In Moonglade, I ran into a group of cloaked individuals and a strange entity." He points at the writing. "It said something similar after a companion and I stole what they had found which ultimately led me to come here. The entity is neither beast nor man. It is some sort of undead abomination. I did not fight it, so I do not know what it is capable of, but it is clear from these footprints that it found its way here."

It was a problem. Not only was the creepy centicentaur here, but so were whoever these two had mentioned as well. There were an alarming number of competing parties all vying for the Sol Stone and they were a meager party of three. He wasn't sure what kind of skills these men had either. He wouldn't wait to get into a fight to find out. 

"I do not mean to be rude, but if we are headed towards a fight it may be best that we know what we are each capable of so we can come up with a plan. I am no spellcaster, but I can give spellcasters a run for their Solars if I can sneak up on them. What skills do you both have?"

    Undead, Beast nor man, Abomination. This entity ticked several boxes on a list of enemies Vikram had once sworn to defeat. Enemies that were tailor made to feed on the fear of the populace. The kind of things that brought the aged man out of retirement to fight. And it was only half of the problem. This situation was obviously spiraling out of control, too many interested parties gathering in one location for one purpose. Maude was capable of many things, but neither were capable of miracles. His brow furrowed as he began to follow the footsteps of the supposed cultists.

"I am a warrior of peace. Sukhbir, in my peoples tongue. My calling is to rid this world of creatures and monsters that terrorize the innocent. This scimitar is the only thing I place between myself and the oblivion that awaits us all."

    Vikram faced the Tiefling, a hard, dour expression overtook him. The ability of invisibility not forgotten, though he kept his concerns to himself.

"It is fortunate that you do not associate yourself with magicians. They are a most devious sort, not to be trusted. My understanding of the magical weave is limited. only extensive enough to counter a magician briefly. Personally I am also interested in hearing the Sayad describe himself"

    A chuckle and a small smile grew as the winding path took them through a canyon. It was better described as a crevice through the flatter surface above them. Having been constantly uphill, the trail finally began to level out.

"Disturbing that a monster such as the one you describe has come here from the Moonglade. This only increases my suspicion that the rumours we chase have merit. In the interest of full disclosure, my friend and I have reason to believe another group has homed in on this location. The Scorched Ones, A rebellious cult established in Zeinav City has had access to similar information that we came across ourselves. Their leader, a gold-toothed woman capable of great cruelty and impressive magics had escaped our grasp in the desert."

The stone pillars opened to reveal their destination, or rather the greater location of their intended destination. The Giants Avenue. Its expansive vista stretched to the horizon as the sun beat down on them, no longer having the shade of the pillars to deny its full gaze.

Maude huffed. Invisible he may have been but he could stand tall when called on. Quick to offer what he had and to stand against whatever may yet come. They'd yet to learn of each other's intentions, nor their allegiances, yet the olive branch was there. Extended by someone who had already exposed themself to danger in the initial approach. Willing to sleuth and perhaps slay. Moonglade... A chance. The tiefling was afforded atleast that much. Answers for answers.

"Outrider. I track, watch, report."

For him that was that. It implied more than he'd like. A capable tail. Sly enough to have survived this long but an outrider still. Which meant a useful but expendable asset. Alone minus Vikram so trusted as well. He wouldn't say whom he reported to. That would be his death.

"I keep quiet."

He said it as though to himself and led on. The path was much easier to find now. Plenty of tracks when the path wasn't naked stone. The brush grew sparse and the canyon spread out into a craggy valley before them. This is where he thrived. Heat began to beat upon his face, reflecting from the rusty sands beneath their feet. Far on the horizon a handful of flat topped mountains as wide as they were tall stuck out above many mirrored smaller siblings. Like a family of alters, or steps to be used to ascend into the heavens. If the clouds remained or a morning fog set in he doubted he'd be able to see any beyond the sheer face of the closest one. There would be days of travel ahead of them if the tracks straightened out. His companions seemed ill prepared for a long trek. Water and food would have to be rationed and if the heat continued to rise that would become a dangerous balancing act. Firekeepers lived here without being seen for long periods of time. The land must provide. Birds were abundant so bugs, nuts, or rodents would logically follow. If supply grew tight he'd make due. And if asked he'd try to make due for a few.

"Etchings. North-east mountain face," He pointed. The scale alone was daunting. It was no wonder that the keepers weren't seen for such long periods of time if this was what they were working at.

“You are from Zeinav.” It is not a question but a statement.

Zarius had already discerned Vikram’s origins from his attire and some of the colloquial terms he used. His mother had passed on much of her knowledge and customs of the desert land on to her children.

He takes note of Vikram's distain for casters. "I agree, I have met some fairly arrogant spellcasters."

The tiefling nods in acknowledgement of what few words Maude was willing to communicate. He did indeed keep quiet. That was fine with him, best to be quiet than a chatter box and blow their cover as they pursue the groups ahead of them. 

"It does not surprise me that there are so many interested parties in the artifact. If it really is what they say, then whoever possesses it will have a lot of power and enemies." He ponders for a moment. "I have heard of the Scorched Ones, though I have never encountered them myself."

What he knew of the rebel cultists was fairly limited. Due to the risk of being recognized in Zeinav City, he had often kept a low profile when there. Too many opportunistic bounty hunters lived out amongst the dust and sands. He and his brother had already had one close call in a much smaller Zeinavian settlement. Unfortunately for those hunters they had to deal with a very powerful minotaur his brother had befriended. 

As they walk, he keeps an eye on their surroundings and falls in step behind Maude. It would be all too easy for enemies to drop down from above in the narrow passageways of stone. Still, it was quiet aside from the sounds of the wind and their footsteps.

Maude points out the etchings and the destination before them. It would be a long walk yet. So, they press onward through Giant's Avenue, exposed to the harsh rays of the sun during the day and the blistering cold winds that roll down the mountainsides at night. Out on the rocky fields there was little cover to be gained when they made camp each night. They took turns keeping vigil as the others got in what sleep they could.

After after a few days, they come across a ridgeline in the hills. The trail they had been tracking led them here and the signs had gotten fresher the closer they got. During the journey, they had passed a number of ruined remnants of defensive walls and decrepit.

Zarius pauses as they approach the ridge. The scent of smoke rises in the back of his throat and a wisp leaves the corner of his mouth as soft voices whisper in his ear. He wafts it away. 

"Something is off. Let me scout ahead unseen." He turns invisible and stalks off.^[1,2]

Skirting around the ridge, he comes across what looks like an abandoned temple with a few tents set up outside it. From his vantage point, he can make out five individuals outside the temple. His tail lashes back and forth in annoyance. He recognizes two of the figures as devils almost immediately. There was no sight of the centipede horse-man yet. 

He circles back to Vikram and Maude and relays what he saw. 

"How do you want to approach this?"

---

[1] Invisibility
[2] Silent Step

    Two devils, three cultists, no sign of the abomination. No sign of the Scorched leader either? An ambush was the first thing that sprung to Vikram's mind as he contemplated the arrangement. They must have had a scout observe us on the way here. Disappointing. Every bone in his body was telling him to charge headlong into the fray, but suicidal was not a descriptor for the old man. Caution was advised here. With two team members with proclivities towards the more underhanded fight, he would have to rely on them until the actual brawl started. And it would, almost guaranteed. 

" The first move I leave in both of your capable hands. Were I to jump in now, it would spoil any element of surprise that benefits us at the moment. Give me a signal when my help is needed, and I will arrive posthaste. In the meantime, the path to the temple shall be guarded from interlopers, or ambushers. I put trust in both of you, go with Solarias grace and guidance."

    Vikrams head bowed briefly in prayer. The sun hung lowly above the horizon, casting great shadows across the area they found themselves staging within. His eyes rose to carefully watch the ridgeline and various rocks in the distance. Each boulder peeking above the horizons edge a spy waiting for his moment, and each shadow an assassin unsheathing her blade. With a sigh, he moved forward, and waited for the signal to strike.

    There were several considerations to be made for the fight ahead. An undead abomination with several legs. A cult leader capable of dissolving into the sands themselves and burning people's eyes out. Devils with unknown abilities. He could only hope they were as weak to iron as stories say they are. 

Devils against and for. Creatures of inky black death within, undoubtedly. The one beside him seemed ever so little less threatening when compared to these gaunt red monsters. Their horns more developed, eyes more menacing, and skin more akin to molten metal than the charcoal of Zarius' complexion. One the cold night against the two blazing stars. The days between their meeting had built some stability between and now was to test it. Hopefully not to breaking.

"Night will not blind them."

He pointed to some precariously carved representation of the sun perched above the entryway then drew from it down to the waiting coterie of cult acolytes. Their armored boots and cloaks confirming their identity as whomever had come after those who'd sacrificed to the ashes. No mount revealed themself. He hid the shiver as he spoke.

"We'll approach to within charging distance." He crouched down and drew in the sand a representation of the devils and cultists before them. "You can disappear as you did before and position yourself where most apt." Three 'X's representing themselves, Maude drug a path across the open space south of the enemy encampment. "I will crawl across the sparse brush as slowly as needed. From there one will strike the monument overhead." He drew a circle over the main entrance. "Whether it falls or not should be distraction enough to close in on them. Disturbing the sands as much as you can during the ambush will take from them the advantage of assisting one another. Wrap your head tight. Reveal only a slit for your eyes."

Maude said the last despite assuming the other's knew very well how to prepare for such circumstances. Finding projectiles about their position was simple enough with ample amounts of craggy rocks strewn about the dirt. He palmed one and tested its heft. Setting his pack down, the man removed whatever extra bulk or noisy intrusion could be found on his person and set it within the bags confines. He ignored whatever surprise may have visited his allies faces at his wordy response. A plan was in action. No time for anything besides that. He bound his pack with his rope and loosely tied the opposite end to his leg. Securing his scarf tightly over head he nodded to the pair and prepared to begin the arduous task.

Zarius watches Maude lay out the plan and nods. It was a solid plan that made the most out of the limited resources they had at their disposal. Going into a fight against so many enemies using the element of surprise was wise and Maude’s suggestion of using the environment to their advantage spoke to his combat experience.

“I can get up there easily enough and topple the monument. I can also get down quickly to offer support. If we need to retreat, we should try to regroup here. Getting caught alone will not end well if they are in the sacrificial mood.”

With their plan agreed upon, a shimmer falls over Zarius’ form and he skirts back around to the side of the ruined structure.^[1] He simply creeps down the canyon walls like a spider, silently creeping along the stone surface.^{[2, 3]}

The two fiends scamper across the camp in front of the front of the temple. They go over to the fire pits and squabble in Infernal over what is left of a singed leg.

The main entrance to the temple appears to be sealed with a heavy stone slab, but the cultists outside did not appear to be working on getting it open. Had some already gotten inside and closed it back up? They wouldn’t know until they could take a closer look.

Moving silently, Zarius gets up to the exterior wall of the temple and makes his way up the side to the highest point where the monument towered over the barren hills of Giant’s Avenue. The tiefling crouches down at the base of the monument and assesses how much effort it would be to topple it. He would have to break his invisibility to strike it hard enough to knock it down.

Not ideal, but the opportunity to squash one of the cultists or even one of the imps was worth losing his stealth. It was probably best if he drew any fire from any spellcasters anyway so that Vikram and Maude could attack from behind.

He takes a deep breath and takes a few paces back from the monument while slipping on his knife knuckles to protect his fists.^[4] It was now or never. He takes a few big strides forward, winding up a big swing and slams his metal enforced fist into the thinnest part of the monument with one hand while pushing his shoulder a higher point of it. It cracks and begins to tip forward before it topples over and careens to the ground below.

A cultist looks up in confusion at the sound just as the heavy stone slams down on him, pulverizing his body into the dirt. The remaining two cultists jump up and ready themselves to attack as the two imps snarl and look up at the dark silhouette of the tiefling looming above them.

---

[1] Invisibility
[2] Silent Step
[3] Spider Climb boots
[4] Knuckle Knives