He let his arm fall gracefully back to his side, aware that he had overstepped but tactfully letting the moment pass rather than draw more attention to the faux pas, when Arduinna seemed willing to look past it. "I take it there are more places like this one?" he asked. "Or is it spreading from this spot like water from a tainted well?" He nodded to her question and began to turn away, letting his feet guide him--
Nowhere in particular. Perhaps back towards the barrier scar, perhaps not. He tried not to think about it, or let his mind dwell on his destination.
"I will see what the histories have to offer. If this was seen by the authors of the earliest books, or at least written down by grandchildren who recorded their memories, I'll do my best to find it within the Atheneum's archives," he promised. He wondered, too, if this was what the Hollowed Grounds would have looked like in another hundred years or so, withered and lifeless, all the vitality sucked from the earth and the creatures that depended upon it. But for such decay to spread in a matter of weeks, barely even months since the barrier had fallen, was more than merely alarming. There was magic involved, perhaps life draining magic, but... "There are some among the human mages," he said slowly, "who have an ability to drain the life force of a creature - or a plant." Edy and the vampire gourds came to mind. "Though it wouldn't continue without them draining themselves dry in the process. Do the Fae - or any others in these woods - have any magic like that?"
Nowhere in particular. Perhaps back towards the barrier scar, perhaps not. He tried not to think about it, or let his mind dwell on his destination.
"I will see what the histories have to offer. If this was seen by the authors of the earliest books, or at least written down by grandchildren who recorded their memories, I'll do my best to find it within the Atheneum's archives," he promised. He wondered, too, if this was what the Hollowed Grounds would have looked like in another hundred years or so, withered and lifeless, all the vitality sucked from the earth and the creatures that depended upon it. But for such decay to spread in a matter of weeks, barely even months since the barrier had fallen, was more than merely alarming. There was magic involved, perhaps life draining magic, but... "There are some among the human mages," he said slowly, "who have an ability to drain the life force of a creature - or a plant." Edy and the vampire gourds came to mind. "Though it wouldn't continue without them draining themselves dry in the process. Do the Fae - or any others in these woods - have any magic like that?"
