Falgout insisted that the group do something with the body they had found in the shrine, so they lugged it and both chests back out to where they had left Oleanne. Jana's horse and Belshar remained there with all of the things various party members had left behind. Oleanne and Arlin, however, were absent. Kaileer picked up some trail signs she had left, "Oleanne come back dark."
"Could someone help me bury the body?" Falgout asked, "Or burn it?"
"I'll help you, Falgout. Which is better?" asked Rumer.
"It would be best to burn it, as it would prevent the dark priest from raising him as a zombie." Lasiar said. "Here, I'll help you build the fire. We should do so considerably away from the camp though, so as to not attract any unwanted attention to ourselves. Let's carry him to a safe place, collect branches, and then light the pyre." Lasiar made way to go with Rumer and Falgout, and any else coming along, by grabbing one end of the body and then looked at Rumer for help. "Would you, please?" he asked with a grim smile.
"Sure," said Rumer, trying not to cringe as she touched the corpse.
After Ranchefus' unfortunate victim had been put to rest, the day had grown even later. The party was faced, once again, with the question of how to proceed.
Aloysius sat down next to a tree and pulled out his nearly-empty waterskin. After sucking out the last few drops, he sighed and replaced the 'skin in his pack. "'Twould appear that Stargazer hath run out of water," he said. "I wonder if the creek near here be suitable for drinking?"
He addressed the group generally. "Methinks we should at least wait for Oleanne to return afore we depart this place, e'en if it be to return to the keep. I believe we should camp here overnight, then proceed to Kuiper's 'pon the 'morrow. If Ranchefus didst take the tunnel, Ao only knows where he could be by now. He wants these chests back, so I feel certain that he shall have Echo at the Glade. Kuiper can tell us what we'll need to know of that place."
"Who's Stargazer?" Rumer asked.
"Hmm . . .?" replied Aloysius, apparently surprised that Rumer had addressed him. "Oh. . . I am Stargazer, er, Aloysius Stargazer." He cocked his head and looked oddly at the gypsy. "But . . . we met afore, did we not? Stargazer understands not thy inquiry."
"Why do you talk about yourself like you're someone else? That's really weird, Al." replied Rumer.
The mage's face turned the same color as his robe and his eyes seemed to bulge from their sockets. He stammered momentarily and awkwardly stood up. After reaching for something in his pocket, he hesitated, then stormed off in the direction of the creek.
Lasiar walked tiredly back into camp with the others and sat down hard on a nearby log. After a few gulps of water and downing some hard tack, he asked the others, "So friends, where to now?"
Etienne approched Belshar then sat down near the wolf. He propped his head against a tree and listened to the others talk.
After Aloysius's and Rumer's discussion on Aloysius's name, he just shook his head and rested his eyes. "I will ask Oleanne if she know of this glade Ranchefus speaks of, when she returns." He was quiet after that.
