As the waterfall cascaded down the moss-coated stones, it kicked up a spray of mist that beaded upon Autumn’s face. She waded barefooted through an icy pool towards the curtain of white water till she stood knee deep before it. The combined powers of nature and time had worn the rock behind the waterfall to a smooth polish. Autumn pressed her face against the slick surface. Her eyes locked onto the small gap between water and rock.

A crack ran horizontally at the water’s edge, just barely wider than Autumn’s waist. It’d be a tight squeeze. Autumn grimace as she lowered herself into the icy water. Unfortunately, all she could see inside was darkness. 

“Well?” Liddie asked.

The impatient pirate stood outside of the water’s spray, her arms laden with Autumn’s clothes. Given that the likelihood of there being a hidden cave was low, only one of them needed to actually get wet. Being far more invested in the idea, Autumn had volunteered and, at the thought of wearing wet clothes for the rest of the day, had stripped to her under-things.

Liddie had only smirked at the bite marks that littered her body, but that had still elicited a fierce blush on Autumn’s face.

Autumn shrugged at her question.

“There’s a small crack here, but it’s too dark inside.”

Rummaging about on her hip, Liddie unclipped her lantern and held it out to Autumn. 

“Here, use this then.” 

The hooded lantern was all twisted copper and glass. Magical flame burned away merrily inside. Taking it from Liddie, Autumn shone it into the crack. A focus beam of light illuminated the shadows. Crystal clear water glittered like glass. From the crooked entrance yawned a small cave filled with stagnant water. Only a small ledge of mossy rocks remained free, bordering the hidden pool. And as the light played over the back wall, a glint of white appeared.

“I think I see something?” Autumn cheered. 

A sharp glint appeared in Liddie’s eyes.

“What is it?!” 

“I’m not sure, but I was right about the cave!”

“Get in there then!” 

Icy water bit into her flesh once more as Autumn sunk to her belly. The gap was a tight squeeze. Autumn ended up having to suck in her breath to fit. Grunts and groans of a struggling witch echoed into the cave beyond until Autumn pulled free into the crystal waters. Ripples radiated out to lap against the mossy stones.

Standing up, Autumn swung the lantern about the cave.

The flash of white caught her attention once more. Moving closer, the white resolved into bones. A horned skeleton lay slumped against the back wall, one femur snapped in half. Whoever this was, they’d likely starved to death. Trapped.

Autumn shivered.

Decaying leather armor bound the body like a funeral shroud. A heavily oxidized copper sword rested in the crumbling grip of a hand adorned with tarnished rings. When Autumn pulled on the sword, the bones crumbled to dust and the rings fell to the rocks with a clink. 

Autumn grimaced apologetically. 

A pair of items adorned a rotten belt: a moldy coin-pouch and an odd Ivory key. Opening the pouch revealed the glinting of gold and silver: 9g, 13s by her count. The key was much more mysterious to her than a handful of coins for time had left it behind. Autumn’s fingers ghosted over an etched surface. She could somehow read them, although their greater purpose alluded her. 

Perhaps she and Edwyn could work it out later?

Just as she was about to leave, another curiosity caught her attention. Around a bony collar was a necklace of oak. Intriguingly, it was as flawless as the key.

“How is it?! Are you dead yet?!”

Liddie’s loud call echoed into the cave.

Autumn hesitated.

Only she knew what the loot entailed. Judging by the decayed nature of the body, it had been here a long while, yet the key and necklace remained pristine. To Autumn, that could only mean one thing: they were magical. And as she stood there, dripping water inside a lonesome cave, they reminded her of her plight. 

She was adrift in a world that wasn't her own. 

Getting home would require either vast wealth or vast luck, and these magic items could represent both. So it was with a guilty heart that she secreted them into her underclothes.

“There’s a body in here, all skeletal-like!!”

“Any loot?!” 

Autumn paused. Perhaps it was a good thing Liddie couldn't see Autumn. Her face flashed once more with guilt before she smoothed it and her voice.

“Just some coins, a couple of rings, and an old copper sword!”

“Grab the loot and get back here!”

“What about the body?!”

As a single touch had turned its hand to no more than dust, Autumn doubted she’d get it out intact. Even so, it felt disrespectful to leave it here. It might turn into a ghost or undead. God, she hoped that wasn’t a thing. 

“Leave it! We’ll tell the Mireguard later, they can deal with it!”

“Alright!” 

Arms laden with loot, Autumn exited with just as much grace as she entere; grunting and groaning. She flopped into the frigid pool like a drowned rat. Shivering under the downpour, she crawled free to rest in a beam of hot sunlight on the banks. 

“So? What did you find?”

The taller form of Liddie blocked Autumn’s light. In discontent, she thrust the haul towards the pirate for her clothes in exchange. With Liddie’s attention successfully diverted to the admittedly meager wealth, Autumn slipped her secreted items into her robe’s hidden pockets.

She felt a little awful for her surreptitious actions.

While allowing the sun to wick away the water on her, Autumn questioned the rogue.

“What do you think we should do? Weren’t we supposed to divide the loot up or something with the other parties?”

Liddie scoffed.

“Not over something so trivial, maybe if you found a secret dragon horde. But over 8 gold and some rusted trinkets? It’s unlikely.”

“9 gold and 13 silvers. I counted.” 

Liddie gave a cheeky smile and Autumn felt less bad about hiding loot from her.

“Can’t blame a rogue for trying?”

Autumn stared. 

“We’re being paid over a thousand gold for this quest, job, assignment, thing and you want to be greedy over a single gold? If you’re worried about not getting an equal share, you don’t need to be. I’ll be fair.”

Liddie scoffed again.

“It’s not about the gold, it’s about the stealing! Pirates gotta pi~rate!” Am I right or am I right?!” 

Autumn rolled her eyes behind her wet bangs. 

“Let’s just get back, shall we?” 

“Sure! After you!”

It didn’t take long for the pair to return to the wagon with filled water-skins in hand. Autumn’s wet hair and general sullen mood garnered her a few odd looks. However, a succinct explanation alongside a proffered copper sword smoothed things over.

Shortly after their return, the road ahead was unblocked, and they were away.

The day passed by uneventfully. 

At night, the rainforest didn’t grow any quieter, it only changed in what was hunting. In the dark, far more dangerous predators lurked. The confinement of the lush rainforest forced the convoy to encamp upon the road. Tents sprouted up alongside their wagons, using them for protection. The snaking camp required a greater presence of watchers during the long dark.

Autumn served her watch alongside Edwyn. The pair sat back to back upon the wagon, watching the forest edge. 

In her pocket sat contempt in the shape of an ivory key. All day it had played upon her mind, but her stance hadn’t changed. Getting home would always be her top priority; her main quest. However, rather than being the proverbial cat killed by its curiosity, she was going to let an expert look at it. It’d take a Runecaster to work out the purpose of the runes. Funny how that works.

“Edwyn?” Autumn whispered. 

“Hmm? Ye see somethin'?” 

Autumn shook her head.

“No, nothing like that. I was just wondering if you could look over something for me without letting the others know? If you’re not comfortable with that, it’s fine.” 

“Somethin’ secret ye say? An ye need ma help wi' it? Aye, ye got ma interest up. I’ll have a look aw quiet-like.”

A sigh of relief escaped Autumn. Shuffling slightly she retrieved the runic ivory key and handed it over to Edwyn. A bushy eyebrow raised in surprise as they glanced over it. 

“These be some ancient runes. Ae only recognize a few o’ them. Mind if Ae hang on tae it? Ae’ll need tae gae ov’ ma books tae get a proper read on it.”

“That’s fine just…keep it secret. Keep it safe.” 

Autumn’s lips quirked. 

“Aye. Micht Ae ask why?” 

Because it would be too hard to explain otherwise. Because she still didn’t trust them with her secrets. Because she was afraid. Afraid her friends might reject her if they knew.

“...I don’t really know. It could just be nothing, an ornament or something. I’d rather know what it was first before I tell everyone and cause a stir. Does that make sense?” 

“Aye. Ae get it.”

Edwyn nodded and pocketed the key before turning back to the darksome forest.

The rest of the watch was rather unexciting. Other than a few echoing roars off in the far distance, deeper into the forest, not much happened. Autumn found that she could extend her magic to her senses once again. Her magical channels had healed enough for that, but not much else. It was encouraging either way.

Warm radiance broke across the convoy. Morning weaved its way through the canopy to wake the wildlife within. The convoy was one such weary wildlife; they staggered about, packing away tents and supplies. Before long, they were on their way once more, trudging over a day’s worth of roots and rocks. 

Time was especially cruel today; dragging through a humdrum of inactivity. The only genuine change happened around midday when they came upon a great river: Iceflow Run. It divided the forest in twain. On one side lay the Bitter Forest they’d traversed, while on the other was the Gloomstruck Woods, full of dark, twisted timber.

It was impassable, at least where they were.

The road hugged the banks as it curved northwest and it was nearing the dimness of evening that they reached a crossing. A ford of white rapids rushed over slick rocks. If Autumn was foolish enough to cross it on foot, it’d crest her neck before it’d swept her feet out from under her.

She’d already experienced that once and had no intention of a repeat performance.

Luckily, she didn’t have to. The massive Agoroths pushed through the onrushing waters with powerful muscles. Water crashed into the wagons as they slipped on the uneven riverbed. Autumn clutched onto the wagon with a white-knuckled grip; screaming souls shone in the white foam. Sweat plastered her back as they slowly made their way across. 

Just as Autumn’s wagon reached the middle of the river, several fast moving objects slammed into the wagon, embedding into the wood and tearing holes in the leather. A foot-long quill quivered inches from Autumn’s face. 

Cries of pain erupted from the convoy amongst the fearful snorting of the Agoroths.

Exploding out of the water in a rush was a strange beast. It looked like a cross between a crocodile and a porcupine. A powerful jaw slammed shut around the leg of one of the Agoroths while a back of barbed spines fired off into its sides. 

The injured beast of burden bellowed in pain and thrashed against the monstrous beast that had attacked it. Shouting from the wagons echoed around as adventurers scrambled for weapons. Autumn dived for cover amongst her compatriots as another brace of quills fired off. 

“Ambush!!! Quillodiles! Push through, don’t let them bog us down! Hit 'em with range!”

In the Agoroths’ panic the convoy picked up speed. The stricken bovine was freed as the adventurers launched attacks on the unsuspecting monster, driving it back. Across slick rocks the wagons crashed and bounced. Autumn for her part launched the few spells she could through torn holes. However, with the constant shaking, they splashed harmlessly into the water. 

Arrows, spells, and pole-arms kept the Quillodiles at bay long enough for the convoy to reach the safety of the far bank. Once on dry land, the few monstrosities foolish enough to follow were quickly overwhelmed. 

At first inspection, the only damage to the convoy was a lashing of quills along the wooden sides and thick hides of their beasts. The barbs proved a pain to remove, but most of the Agoroths were otherwise uninjured. One had a rather nasty laceration on its leg. However, a clerical prayer soon had it back to peak condition. Only later did Autumn learn that a Duskguard had been unfortunate enough to be struck in the neck with a quill. 

They’d bled out almost instantly.

So, it was with a somber mood the Gloomstruck Woods welcomed them.