Otis walked out the back entry of the Tamberlain temple of worship trying to wipe the blood and gore from his hands with a rag. Eventually, he made it to the well where he filled a bucket and washed and did his best to clean his dark, dented armor and beard. No more I can do here, he thought. The healing spells granted to him as a Guardian priest of his god were spent. He set the bones he could set and severed the limbs needed with the bone saw seared with hot iron.  The infirmary spilled out into the worship center with makeshift beds. Nursemaids, at last, allowing themselves to cry. He looked to the eastern sky. The dragon constellation Fitarus sank in the west. Dawn approached. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply knowing he would get no rest this night. Panahdae, you test me yet again.

Footsteps approached.

"What do you need, Stonesinger?" asked a familiar voice behind him. "The council will provide."

The Dwarf glanced back at the tall Man approaching and let out a heavy sigh. "The gates and timber walls need fortifying like I've told you, Camryl."

The Man watched him with keen eyes and rinsed his shaking hands next to the Dwarf. "I believe this will finally convince them to unlock the treasury."

"A heavy cost." Otis shook his head. Their politics be damned. "The town needs Men from Corfé City—probably twenty militia to fill the ranks. My friends and I could use some rations and water. Help ourselves to a few supplies."

"Done," said Camryl without thought. "Can you find the taken?"

"I don't yet know," Otis said turning to face him. The councilman's face looked older and fear gathered in his eyes. His clothes were just as bloody as the nurses inside. "Haygen is as close to an Elf tracker I've seen, but they went into the woods."

Camryl nodded. "I heard. What does it all mean?"

"These were no plundering Goblins. Something else is at work here. Something sinister. No one goes into those woods anymore...least not without dark purpose."

"The gallows man questioned your prisoner."

Otis raised an eyebrow, "And?"

"Silent till the end."

"Blast. I cannot linger on it."

The two clasped forearms.

"Come back in one piece, old friend," said Camryl. "The gods help us all."

[][][]

In the morning, Otis arrived at the Fuzzy Quarterstaff with supplies in tow to find his three friends waiting for him.

Wess perked up and said, "Look who decided to join the party." Then his eyes caught sight of something in the Dwarf's supply sack. "Hold on, is that a new cloak? Where'd you get it?"

"Compliments of the Tamberlain council," said Otis. "For services of valor defending the town. Your reward!" He threw Wess the dark brown hooded cloak with a deep belly laugh. "Har!"

Wess chuckled and tried it on. "Not a bad fit. Thought I'd be heading out without one which would have been tragic let alone bad luck."

"Try not to burn that one," said Haygen with a yawn and hugging a steaming cup of root tea.

"Yes," Kayla agreed, "running through fire...bad. Trust me on that one."

"Anything else?" asked Wess.

"Yeah," the Dwarf said, "the opportunity to kill some bad people." He tossed the Faeling a bundle of short crossbow bolts.

"My lucky day," said Wess with a grin.

"Rations for the rest of you," Otis said. "I will admit to you now that I did not recover my healing powers. We needed them in the infirmary last night and not a wink of rest came to me."

Kayla spoke, "We do not have time to waste. The sun now rises and we need to get into the Whispering Woods as deep as possible."

"Sure you can get us through the woods?" asked Haygen. "I felt its power again. Still strong as before."

The Wizard pulled the hood of her emerald robe over her head projecting an ominous look. "Let us go. I will tell you on the way what needs to be done."

The four companions set out the gates of Tamberlain with a large group of the townsfolk seeing them off and wishing them luck. They made their way through the long grass and paused at the edge of the woods.

Haygen pointed. "The path is through here."

Kayla told everyone to take a knee and she began her story, "As you all know I've spent the last couple years learning at the Towers of Ulmaka. I was accepted into the Order of Fire soon after." She lifted up her right sleeve showing a circular brand burned into her skin with arcane symbols none of them knew. She presented her staff bearing the red crystal. "My masters gave me this as a reward. It holds great power, some I do not hold trust to, nor do I believe in fully. But know this, I've never stopped looking for the answer to our questions about the woods. Sadly, I do not have all the answers for the curse of the woods is a relatively new occurrence and not much lore is known. However, I have discovered a way to pass safely through them."

"What do you want us to do?" asked the Half-orc. He drew Icefang hoping it was something to do with cutting or chopping.

"Stay still. I must cast a ritual here before we go in. I must continue casting without interruption until nightfall. If I'm distracted, or injured, I will need time to start the ritual over again. We will be on our own."

"We'll look after you," Otis promised, "don't worry over that."

Kayla pushed the end of her staff into the dirt and dragged it through the earth making a circle around the four of them. Then she made several arcane marks within the circle. She then removed a small clay teapot from her bag and placed it in the middle of the circle. Ignoring the strange looks from the Barbarian and the look of overwhelming awe from the small Assassin, she began the ritual enchantment. She murmured her mystical lines repeating them in quintet fashion over the teapot. Next, the Wizard added a bit of charcoal and a torn insect wing. As she rose to her knees, her voice grew into a violent scream and her veins pulsed on her smooth neck. She raised her staff and speared it into the ground.

They all stood in awe as hundreds of bright purple butterflies erupted from the teapot. Many landed on each of them exploring them while the rest fluttered and bobbed no more than twenty feet away. A smile of wonderment crept across their faces.

"I've never seen anything more beautiful," said Wess.

Haygen picked one off his shoulder. "Hello there little bug."

Otis said, "I've seen many things in my time, but nothing like this. No, nothing like this."

"It worked," said Kayla exhausted yet staring in a trance. Her blue eyes faded from joy to focusing back on the arcane ritual. "Do not harm them for they will protect us."

Finally into the woods! Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment below.