"It is correct it can sense an enemy," Esther nodded. "But it only does a specific type. Undead. I don't see anyone here that fits that description or they're doing quite well in fitting in." She looked to Aurea once more before speaking.

"Rudolph is right, paladin," the Order member muttered. "It is a fool's hunt to look for the hunter that hides amongst its prey. Lycanthrope was a threat back in the first Midnight Sun, the texts back in the port church had mentioned that termination of all of them took the Great Purge. It also costed a lot of lives. So think carefully..."

Now she remembered. The lantern, and why she shouldn't have gotten closer to it. While Aurea recognized the object as something familiar, she realized what it actually is a minute too late. If not for the circumstances, she'd probably find it curious. Right now the knight had to thread carefully. She glowered first at Esther, then at Rhea, and then back at the order member.

"Who's the wiser? The one that did, and achieved nothing, or the one that at least tried? Something has to be done, but be it ignorance, be it incapability, no one is willing to act." She sighed, before addressing the rest of the group as well. "Some of you think, that it is not their problem, that that's not what they're here for. That the town will fall, and that's it. Just one less spot on the map. Even with silver, the Lycanthrope will eventually overrun Thornfell, killing half of denizens, infecting the other and they won't stop there. They're organized, clever, unlike their rabid brethren. With increased numbers, they'll find another village, city, erasing it from the map before any army gets there. And then another, and another, their numbers constantly multiplying. A flood that will keep on taking lives until it is stopped. Who knows how long before it reaches your homes, who knows if we won't need another Great Purge." Even though she spoke rather quietly, in her monotone voice, the words had certain power in them. They didn't have to be shout out loud. "But there's a chance to stop it, before it truly begins, as the problem has just took its root and is concentrated in one place. But the town? It has already been hit too hard to be able to handle the threat alone, if not power, then morale-wise. The army? It won't get here in time, assuming the messenger even makes it through the forest. They won't keep up once the Lycanthrope start moving as well. Someone from the outside has to do something, and it has to be done now. That's why I'm willing to go and at least try, even if it means I'll go alone... I don't ask any of you for your help, I ask you think, and make the decision for yourself...And if you don't want to do anything...at least don't hold me back." After the longest speech the knight has given so far, Aurea took in a deep breath, sweeping the group over with her gaze, and turned around towards her horse, adjusting the saddle and straps once again as if nothing happened.

Futile hopes...

"Right now the Lycanthrope retreated to presumably one location, weakened after the raid, and exposed in daylight. Maybe they're not even transformed...This is a waste of time and opportunity, standing here."

While everyone was discussing their grandiose schemes and plans, Rabbit was unfortunately doing something he'd been doing all along. Reading his book.

He flipped the pages while the speech was going on, and through the great tension. He scribbled and scrawled, while everyone else was, as he liked to call it, "Killing the dead fish".

As usual, Rabbit was completely unproductive. He glanced up once, just to see who was talking, but then lost interest and buried his face.

"Aurea..." Within those powerful words were a tidbit the young knight did not mention, "You did not answer her question." Would it matter? Would this undead threat blindside everyone later? Would the knight's equipment origin hint toward something important?

And then there was Rabbit. Absorbed in his own little world of words, scribbling and sprawling his scribing. Perhaps that book was nothing short of an artifact. Perhaps a communication tool toward someone... Like the lycanthropes. He proved to be useful enough in the fight, and if this seed of doubt weren't carefully planted, this dysfunctional would be completely useless.

"Undead? Wretched zombies." Rudolph spat at the thought of them. "Festerin da mines loike maggots. But Oy dunt think we got any of them here too. They got a lot of space between deir ears. 'N da only one Oy think is dumb enough, sadly ain't dumb enough." But the dwarf had to agree with Aurea. "Da lassie got a point, sittin in da woods'll get ya as much dun as moi pa when 'e drinks ale instead of goes to the mine." He smacked the golem's side. "C'mon golem, let's get a move on. Ye all join da lassie, me n 'im will get dis to da town."

Esther shrugged. "Paladin, if a group of Children of the Sun found it difficult against this lycanthrope pack what hope do you think this ragtag party has? How sure are you you can find and kill them all by sunset?" The Order member stared at Aurea. "I suggest we tread forward with your actual mission and see if we can have the elves of Twinveil assist. They will respond to an Order's distress call. Felicity, the Bearer's champion, was an elf."

"What question?" Aurea genuinely had no idea what the merchant girl was talking about. There was no question thrown her way in particular. "The dwarf is right. We'd know if there were any around...The forest is reeking with foul essence, maybe that's what is affecting the lamp." Only the knight knew how much the confidence in her voice has costed her.

"This party? Hope? I have no idea, yet. But if they were entrusted with such important mission, I'd believe they're capable enough to be chosen. And if I'm wrong..." Aurea paused for a moment, and gave the woman an ambiguous shrug. It was a weird feeling; Her confidence toward the matter was like a tide constantly flowing in and out. The knight remained silent for long after Esther's proposition, thinking it through as her fingers moved uneasy on her blade. She was looking away in the direction she was originally heading. "How long before we get there? And how sure you can be they will help?" Aurea finally asked.

It seemed, to Ox, that he was the only on earth who noticed the rather odd interaction between the Lantern Bearer and the knight. Was the knight undead? he wondered. Of course, this wasn't just a hunch that he wasn't going to share without better proof. Right now, he needed to focus on getting the prepared weaponry over to Thornfell, hopefully, before sundown.

"Rook, you heard the man. Let's try to make this snappy, yeah?" He said, holding back his thoughts on the Lycan matter. He believed that going there and getting killed would only make the townspeople' so position worse, but that idea being let out wouldn't exactly stop the discussion like he wanted it to. "I'm sure we can talk about this at the town. The forest ain't exactly the best place to discuss plans like this... there are things sneakier than animals out here, you know?

Rook gathered up the sleds once again, waiting for someone to give him the signal before he began pulling.

Rhea clapped her hands together rather annoyed. "It's a nice feeling when someone else proposes an idea similar to your own. I'd rather not be out here holding anyone up any longer. I'm going back to Thornfell with this cargo, gathering anything I may need for the ride, and heading off. The mayor asked us to check in at Castle Astenborough on our way to Highmount. Perhaps it would be best to make it there, check on them, and see if they are able and willing to come to Thornfell's aid, assuming last night wasn't the last of the attacks. There are too many variables with dealing with these Lycans, if we even can, and it seems to me that it would further waste time." She continued after making her way to the front of the sled where Visage and the mounted crew were before continuing, "I'm all for helping, but we can't save everyone. If any of you wish to ride off with Aurea and Sir Dreimon then sure, change tasks and go right ahead. I for one have volunteered for one job, and that's the one I'm doing. The silver was more than what's required already." Rhea eyed Lera as she walked past the group, "Don't get yourself killed on some fool's errand." With that, she made her way back to Thornfell.

"I would not bring it up if the elves would not heed the call," Esther reminded Aurea. "If you so desperately want the village saved, the elves will prove to be a better force against them. TwinVeil and Thornfell are twin cities, born from both elven craftmanship and human innovation. They're more connected than you think. Travel to Twinveil will take a day or two depending on the trail we walk on. And Rudolph, kindly take the girl with you."

Esther looked to the young one still in the sleds then nodded to Rudolph and Rhea, she then turned to the rest of the party. "It would be best if we move now. There might be elven patrols around Twinveil, if we get spotted, they may lead us into a quicker way to their city. So we'd best get moving."

"Hold on," Sir Dreimon announced. "I don't believe we've met and you've already begun barking orders. Who might you be?"

"I am Esther Farron, Fedimian footman. A member of the Order of the Ghostlight."

"Nice to know formalities work with the Nameless God," Sir Dreimon replied. "I am no footman, woman. I am a captain. Be careful of your words, when I return, you may hear from your Lord Chaptermaster." The captain's horse approached the woman and Dreimon looked down.

"Respect when its due, captain," Esther mocked. "You must also remember that during the time of the first Amber Ring, Fedimia basically left Grissom for dead. You carry no weight here except the fears of the mainland."

Rhea did an about face at the mention of TwinVeil and the Order of the Ghostlight. "TwinVeil works, though we won't be delivering supplies and catching up with Castle Astenborough." Sir Dreimon was spewing noise again, trying to swing his rank around as if it were his cock. Both of which wouldn't impress any woman, not even Aurea. After clearing ushering Rook and the rest of her group to follow suit down the path, Rhea asked Esther, "What brings a member of the Ghostlight this far west? I thought you all stayed rather close to Lantern's Cross."

Esther looked to the ranger, ignoring Sir Dreimons glare. "I do come from the Port Church but that city was sieged by a virus of unknown power. An escape caravan was sent to Thornfell, my group were its escort. We were separated by a lycanthrope attack. I ask you in turn, has the caravan arrived?"

"A caravan arrived if you'd call it that. Only had two. Apparently they too were attacked by Lycans. It seems that this threat isn't isolated to just these woods. I've heard of disturbances out at sea as well, but I don't hear too much these days. I wonder if the same virus that infested your land was the same one that Nocturn fellow was going on about with the Mayor. How about your group, how did the rest of them fare?"

"Stop it" Aurea exclaimed, but it was somewhat audible that she meant Sir Dreimon rather than the both of them. "With the silver...Will the town withstand another night or two?" As much as she hated it...Esther - as she just learned her name - was right. Getting reliable help was probably a smarter move than...what she planned on doing.

Sir Dreimon reigned back his horse from close to Esther, moving to Aurea. "They will. The silver does give them aid," the captain assured. "The people of Thornfell are a hardy folk it seems, they will make it. I still have my men stationed there to add to the fight."