As they stepped from the cavern they shielded their eyes from the crimson light of the setting sun, the final golden tendrils clawing at the horizon as day fought against the thick swaths of clouds and ever creeping darkness of night. The ground around the cavern exit was clear for a mile, nothing but pale grey shale that faded into thick clusters of brush and pale blue green grasses that whispered in the breeze.

"The area looks clear for now." Pag said looking to Aviva.

Aviva gave a short nod before speaking. "I've already sent a message, they should be here shortly. Well need keep going even after the sun sets to ensure we get to Kyrbane with plenty of time to split from them and get to the lunar empire with enough time." She says frowning. "The monsters that come out after dark tend to be." Aviva stopped mid sentence with a grimace.

"Stronger?" Pag asked with a sigh.

"Not just that. They are also affected by the wild mana and change." Andromeda says toying with a small blade.

"Wild mana?" Pag asked furrowing his brow.

Aviva nodded. "Not necessarily dark or evil, just extra responsive. Particularly responsive to the strongest emotions, thoughts and fears of both npcs and players."

"What do you mean?"Pag asked cocking his head to the side and crossing his arms.

"During daylight hours, especially in cities or towns with heavy warding, mana is weaker and it takes conscious effort to shape it. The popular theory is because the energy emitted by Domina, the sun, acts as a sort of cleansing force. If you want, once we've gotten to a safe spot and you're no longer on a timer I can give you the long of it but for now the short of it is that the wild mana can bring your worst fears to life if you don't hold your mind in check." Andromeda said turning to watch the last of the rays from the sun slip beyond the horizon.

Pag arched a brow and nodded, eyes roving over the area as they waited in silence for Toula and maverick to join them. They didn't have to wait long before he heard their echoing footsteps coming from the cavern and turned to watch them step out into the dark staring up at the night sky.

Toula wrapped an arm around Mavericks shoulder and looked between the three of them. "We'll have to go on foot if you mean to keep traveling through the night. We can't risk the spell going wild."

Aviva nodded. "Pag. Well need to leave the leprin here, we can summon them once we make it to the town and have dropped off the others since they can't summon their mounts and the leprin are only bred for single riders."

"We haven't got far to go before we reach Kyrbane. The trip through the mountain cut at least two days travel time. Though given the small size of what we saw of the base I'd say some kind of special magic is at play there. Be careful not to use special or teleportation spells while in there in the future." Andromeda said, putting the small blade away.

"Is everyone ready?" Aviva asked. "it's a straight shot from here and we should get there well before dawn. we’ll need to keep our spell usage to a minimum."

Pag blinked. "Oh, let me reload the vambrace real fast." he said bringing up the option and stored the burning wall spell within it, watching as his mana dipped before quickly refilled.

"Anyone else need to make any preparations?" Aviva asked when no one responded; she gave a nod to Pag.

Pag took a deep breath, smoothed out his robes and looked at each of them in turn before trudging towards the brush. The pale loose shale underfoot shifted and grumbled at their steps, only stopping when they hit the waist high grasses. A gentle breeze tugged at them sending the grass to whispering around them but the silence hung heavily over them and with each step Pag felt as if he was being wound tighter and tighter.

"How far out are we from Kyrbane." he asked, turning to Aviva but not breaking stride.

"See that forest up ahead?" she asked pointing. "Just on the other side is our goal."

"What kind of trees are those?"

"The outer trees ringing the edge is a mix of aspens and spruce, everything past that is actually one tree. Once we hit that point we will be in neutral territory until we hit Kyrbane." Toula said coming up beside him. "most of the creatures in there aren't aggressive, at least not in the daylight." she says with a grimace.

" then we shouldn't have a problem with them, the wild magic doesn't cause that much of a change. however if there are any aggressive creatures they will be stronger until the sun rises." Aviva said running a hand through her hair. "Do you know the areas where they are aggressive?"

"Around the old ruins mostly. There area few roaming packs of creatures but i don't think they are nocturnal"

"Ruins?" Pag asked.

Toula nodded, stopping long enough to allow Maverick to hop on her back, before responding. " there used to be a city in there at some point, i don't know much about it as there aren't any records that i know of and no ones been able to get into any of the buildings or find any sort of artifacts but when i was younger and our parents took us to visit family in Kyrbane I used to go to it with my cousins and their friends. one summer when we were there my cousin Beckett tried to get into one of the buildings. That's when we found out that the statues were actually sentries of some sort, they gave him one warning then tossed him out of the city. his leg never healed right." she said, her voice barely more than a whisper at the end.

"Then we just go around the ruins?" Pag asked scratching his chin.

"They lie dead center and sprawl through most of the interior. we’d need to skirt the entirety of them." Toula said hiking maverick farther up on her back.

"How big are the ruins?"

"Nearly large enough that if it were still a living city it could easily hold about ten thousand people give or take. though that's going off of the still standing structures." Toula said.

"There's also the theory that there is more below ground that that which is above ground." Aviva added. "That it connected with the cold water river at some point but to the best of my knowledge that rivers been dried up for years."

Pag stopped mid step and looked behind them. " Is there any way that it was connected to the base at one time?" he asked, furrowing his brows. "when i used the repair function it did ask if i wanted to repair an area below the bridge called cold water caverns."

Aviva stopped and looked back at the mountain they had exited earlier. "did it bring up any more options?"

Pag nodded. "A tower of some sort. That's all that it gave for that area. Might be other areas we haven't looked into yet as well."

Aviva muttered something under her breath before turning back to the forest with a wince. "We'll have to worry about that later. for now we are on a time limit."

"Is there anything else you could tell us about the ruins?" Pag asked glancing at Toula.

Toula shook her head. "That's the most I can remember. It's been years since we last came this way."

Pag gave a small nod before gesturing to the forest. "Well then let's do it."

As they neared the trees the psithuristic whispers of the trees spilled from the canopies of the trees to the depth of shadows and underbrush that lay beneath them. The shadows seemed to have a palpable weight as they crossed from the tall grasses to the underbrush. They picked their way through the thorn leiden vines and dense clusters of ferns, the leaves beneath their feet hissing with seeming irritation with each step they took until they didn't. Suddenly they found themselves stepping out onto the remnants of a cobbled road. Pag stopped at the edge, scratching his chin consideringly as he looked at the stones beneath his feet. The road that now sat before them ran in the exact direction they were walking. The sight of it made cold sweat form at the nape of his neck but he knew that it would be easier going than picking their way through the brush. though how far that would be true, how far the could follow it before they encountered something dangerous he couldn't tell.

"We'll follow the road, but not on it. Just to the side of it. A single file line. I'll lead, followed by Aviva, Toula, Maverick, and finally Andromeda. Toula and Maverick will watch our sides while Andromeda watches behind us." Pag said quietly as he gestured to the left side of the road.

Aviva looked at him with an unreadable expression before nodding and moving to the left side of the road. Pag furrowed his brows momentarily trying to decipher the expression before moving to the head of the line and picking his way through the bushes. They followed the road for what felt like an hour before he felt a hand land on his shoulder, pulling him to a stop. He glanced back and Aviva pointed to a lumbering form. The shadow painted silhouette looking like an angry cross between a porcupine and moose. Pag blinked. The thing was massive, the bottom of its stomach at least two feet above their heads. Each spine was longer than he was tall. Pag swallowed arching a brow and glanced back to Aviva who shook her head and gestured downwards indicating that they should wait and lay low until it passed. Pag grimaced swallowing again, this time against the tickling at the back of his throat and the rattling empty plastic wrapper feeling in his chest demanding that he cough. He took slow shallow breaths and reached into his bag, pulling out a water-skin taking a slow sip from it watching as the thing pawed at the ground snuffling about. Finally the conglomerate creature crept into the underbrush to the right of the road, its massive antlers tearing branches from the trees in a raucous cacophony that slowly faded to silence. Pag stood slowly and began to gingerly pick his way through the ferns again but stopped, blinking, when he saw a shadow shift in front of him. A low hiss rose from the feline form and Pag felt an electric thrill shot through him as his eyes slowly began to pick out details. The creature was the size of a mastiff, its fur black as pitch seemed to drink in any light that fell upon it. The thick tail that sprouted from its hind quarters split into three lean tails, each flicking restlessly as it stared up at him. Its ears were laid back but not quite flat against its skull. The eyes that looked up at him were a tawny gold and locked in him in an almost anxious expression.

"Aviva?" Pag breathed, not taking his eyes from the cat.

"Take a step to the left, slowly. Maybe we can go around it." She breathed into his ear, her warm breath making gooseflesh form at the nape of his neck.

Pag swallowed, fighting back the tickle in the back of his throat, and took a step to the left. He grimaced, turning his head to the side as a rattling cough tore from him. His chest burned, sharp sun bursts of pain exploded with each cough sending him to his knees as tears poured from his eyes. He fought to pull in air as the thick wet coughs pulled globs of stuff from his lungs. No sooner than hed spit one dark mass out than another would obstruct his airflow. Finally as he lay shivering in the cool cobblestones taking in deep heaving breaths blinking away the tears. His heart strutted as he registered the golden eyes inches from his. Pag gasped a ragged breath and jerked back. The cat chuffed and turned flicking it's-. no his tail ,and there was no doubt that it was a male. Pag grimaced and pushed his self up, wiping drool laced with the iron taste of blood from his lips. He pulled the water skin out again and took a hesitant sip before slipping it back into place and looking to Aviva who was staring into the darkness of the forest with wide eyes.

"We need to go. Now. Stay on the road." she breathed not looking at him.

Pag frowned during his brows as he tried to see what she was seeing, only able to catch the occasional shift of shadows. Massive shadows, all bigger than them and some as big as the monstrous moose if not bigger. He felt his jaw clench and nodded as he moved to the center of the road and began to follow it. Shadows moved in the underbrush all around them, only the rustle of bushes and trees reached their ears telling them that it wasn't just a trick of the light. Heat flooded beneath his skin and his ears began to ring, nerves standing on end and his heart thudding heavily, as adrenaline flooded his system. Crumbling stone ruins of pillars and arches rose from the sides of the road as they walked, one lichen covered arch had decayed to the point stones littered the road forcing them to climb over the massive blocks or risk picking their way through the underbrush. Once over the stones the shadows of buildings came into view and they passed under one more arch, curtained with a dense blanket of what looked like Spanish moss. They pushed through the moss and out into a broad Avenue, trees lining the road between buildings. The shadows of doorways and windows gaped like black eyes and mouths staring in shock at their appearance. A fountain burbled spilling a weak stream of clear water into its basin from a small garden whose benches were coated in clinging vines with pale while petaled flowers and angry thorns. They passed another nook that had a waist high counter top made of field-stone. Holes large enough to hold sizable bowls dotted its surface and one end connected to a fireplace. Rough lichen covered tables sat not far from it. They passed more buildings and a dried out aquifer filled with leaves and dirt. Pag made a mental note to return to this place and stopped as a window popped up before him.

"Run, Pag, run" Aviva yelped sprinting the direction they had just moments before been walking in. "Whatever you do, don't use any spells." She called over her shoulder.

Pag sprinted behind her, his chest burning. The shadows around them shivered and creatures began to sluggishly form from them. A leg here. An arm there. Tentacles and glowing eyes from another. He kept one eye on the timer, cursing mentally as the timer edged closer and closer to zero with no end to the city around them in sight. Finally the last second slipped from the clock, a massive gong echoing out over the city and reverberating in their bones. Aviva cursed and they stumbled into a round about, four broad avenues meeting in a circular pattern encircling a massive fountain filled with stagnant water and lilly pads. A black hand rose from the water, grasping the lip of the fountain basin as it pulled itself from the water. Pag furrowed his brow, staring at the shadowy simulacrum of himself as it tossed a leg clumsily over the fountain lip to the cobblestones then pulled the other leg from the water. Rivulets of murky water clung to the figure, streams of water spilling from the shadowy double of himself as it turned to stare right back at him and took one posture much like his own. Pag raised an arm in a hesitant wave, watching at the shadow Pag did the same. Pag chuckled, shaking his head and the shadow Pag did the same. An idea formed in the back of his mind and he turned to Aviva, never taking his eyes off the shadow Pag watching as it mimicked him.

"I'm going to distract him." Hearing her take a breath to interrupt him he wave a hand at her. "If I die I'll re-spawn, you guys wont. Get out of the area, I'll follow as soon as I'm able."

"Pag-" she began before stopping with a sigh. "Don't die. Please. I'll shoot a fireball once we've made it to the edge, it'll act like a flare. Don't cast anymore spells than you need to, you'll risk anything you cast going wild. The more you cast the messier it can get."

Pag gave a short nod. "Get going." He said slowly still watching the simulacrum.

They passed him and ran, giving the fountain a wide birth as they passed it, and followed the Avenue that lead the direction they'd be going. The shadow version of himself didn't move. Once they'd moved beyond sight Pag smirked, the mirror image of himself returning the expression, and he did something he'd wanted to do for a long time.

"Dance off." Pag said quietly, the simulacrum silently moving its mouth to match his. Pag bit back a laugh as he started doing the Charleston, then transitioned to the electorshuffle edging ever closer to his shadow self that followed his every movement. Maybe if he made no threatening moves towards it he could keep it distracted long enough for them to get out and he wouldn't have to risk casting a spell. Part way through orange justice though that thought went out the window as the simulacrum of himself lunged forward, his fist plowing right into Pag's stomach and driving all the air in his lungs out in a sound that reminding him of a deflating balloon, then grabbed him by his robes as if grabbing a pup by the scruff of the neck and tossed him into the murky tepid water of the fountain. Pag rose sputtering from the water and crawled over the lip of the basin tumbling to the cobblestones mentally cursing as he fought to get his breath back. He took one heaving gasp and sprung to his feet to see the simulacrum waving a hand to indicate he should "bring it on".

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Man I had trail mix in my pocket, have you ever eaten soggy nuts? It's not that great let me tell you." Pag growled lunging at him, fist cocked back, but his mirror image dodged with a silent laugh, hitting him upside the head. He swung his leg out hoping to trip the simulacrum but it danced away and stuck its tongue out. Pag swung wildly to where his shadow stood, watching as it danced effortlessly out of the way again and grabbed his arm as it passed, pulling him into a headlock. Pag clawed at the arm wrapped around his throat, stars springing into his vision. He kicked feebly behind him aiming for a kneecap but missing. He squirmed trying to break the grip as his vision began to grow black at the edges, his eyes feeling as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. Well at least now he knew with certainty airplay was not a game he was interested in.

"Screw this, I'm not a melee or grappling focused character." Pag thought as he reached a hand backwards and activated his fireball spell.

<"Fabulous" field effect activated!>