They're walking south on route in the former Pestoria kingdom. Ruins are everywhere, inhabited by none but the spirits of its former occupants. They're taking a break from walking as they decide to forage for additional food.

  Kilian and Alina are trying to catch a bird, but Achran succeeds.

  Amaru and Baldric and preparing the ingredients.

  Hiero is doing some scouting in the area to make sure they are safe. With his ability to fly he can cover vast distances in a matter of minutes.

  Fuki and Lumi are both looking for mushrooms, their favorite.

  Look Fuki! I found a big one! Lumi pulls a big mushroom from the ground.

  I don't think it'll fit in the bag. It's already full. Here let me go back while you wait here and pick the remaining ones.

  Fuki goes back to the rest of the group.

  But when she returns, Lumi is gone. The mushrooms picked. But no trace of Lumi, or the mushrooms.

  She hurries back to the rest of the group.

  Lumi is gone! I don't know where he went!

  Okay, let's split out into groups, come back in an hour everyone.

  Ah right at dinner time of course, Baldric sighs.

  They look around but find nothing.

  Perhaps he continued down the path? Or he found something? Amaru says.

  I don't know, it's nothing like Lumi to leave me alone. He would've said something. Fuki sobs.

  We'll look for him after dinner. We can't all split too far. Perhaps he will smell the food and come to us.

  But even after a hearty dinner, there is no sign of Lumi.

  They pack up their stuff and follow part of the trail.

  Someone's been here before us, Achran says. Look at these footsteps. He points at some barely visible footsteps in a muddy part of the road. Two children I suspect, judging by the size.

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  It has to be Lumi! But who else could be with him?

  They follow the path further, occasionally noticing signs of the two children. It leads to a small village.

  But unlike most villages in the region, this one looks pristine. It's houses look well maintained, the roofs intact, the walls kept and not dirty. Over to the side of the village is a small lake.

  Something is not right about this place, Kilian says.

  They walk through the center, and notice the shops are stocked, but there's no villagers.

  They knock on one of the doors. No response.

  Then Achran notices a door opening in the distance.

  Did that door just open by itself?

  Must be the wind.

  Fuki starts screaming. Lumi! Where are you! Lumi!

  I'm here! she hears in the distance.

  He's here everyone.

  Then suddenly, in front of them a shopkeeper materializes.

  Oh good, you're friends of Fuki. We thought you were intruders.

  Then several more villagers become visible around them.

  Welcome to Traaspool! The man says.

  We're under a powerful illussionary spell to prevent evil from interfering with our peaceful village. It's how we've evaded destruction many times. We don't get so many visitors, you know!

  Fuki runs to Lumi and they hug each other.

  Sorry for making you worry. I ran into a new friend and he needed the mushrooms for his pet dog, who refuses to eat anything else. I was planning to go back before nightfall, but they showed me this village and I got distracted.

  Can we get something to eat? I'm starving, Baldric says.

  We just ate! Kilian says.

  We have some fresh roasted fish if you're interested, it's on the house, the shop owner says.

  They all enjoy a feast that night in the pristine village of Traaspool, and stay the night there with the locals as they share their various stories.

  At night they share a table in an inn when an older man approaches Killian.

  You're not just travelers on a rescue mission are you, he says to Killian in private.

  I can tell. We don't get many visitors in Traaspool. Nobody comes here because all the towns are abandoned. There's nobody to rescue you. You're after the Arcana empire aren't you.

  Well it's okay. I once fought the Arcana empire, he says. He lifts his shirt to reveal a massive scar across his chest. Barely made it out alive. You guys need to strike at the right moment. You can't just go to the heart of the Arcana empire and kill whoever you want to, you'll never make it out alive.

  Killian nods.

  There's a celebration every year in the Arcana empire, called the day of death. Their leaders travel to a blessed temple of death and perform a mass sacrifice. It's always in a recently conquered region. They call it the day of death. The man hands Kilian a scroll with more information scribbled on to it. So I suggest you figure out where that is and go there. Then you strike when they're enroute.

  Kilian is slightly baffled, this man saw right through them, but he's on their side at least.

  He looks at the scroll. There's a crudely drawn map on it as well. He sees their opportunity. They can intercept the caravan heading to the temples easily, near the former Xaston dynasty.