Though reluctant to abandon the beautiful sorceress in the Sunglade, the thought of facing an elven lich didn’t appeal to her, even for the couple who had rescued her, and Courynn and Nymara couldn’t afford the detour to see her home to Delthuntle, which would have taken them to opposite end of the Yuirwood costing them a full month just to get back to where they were. So they bid Lynneth farewell and moved on eastward, believing they were now just days behind Calastra and the Ancient, but still mystified as to their ultimate destination. They knew there was little chance of actually finding their tracks but hoping to encounter someone who’d seen them. Then, near highsun, the beautiful star elf came to a shocked stop, almost in mid stride. After freezing in her tracks for a moment, she seized the hilt of her dagger and spoke out load to thin air; “Thank you for keeping your word to informed me of any new reports. We’ll head there at once.” Then she blinked as if to clear her vision, and saw Courynn staring at her with grave concern, as if frightened she’d lost her senses and chuckled while informing him; “I just received a sending from Dervila through my Twilight Blade. Calastra and the Ancient were seen yesterday by a Masters patrol in the southern reaches of the Tannath foothills just west of the river Task. Do you know where that is?” “Yes… that puts them just a day from here,” he advised her, relieved to remember the enchanted dagger’s sending ability, and encouraged by the fact that they’d never been so close to their quarry, but equally apprehensive about facing the near mythical baelnorn. However, he’d committed to stand by her side regardless of the danger and he wasn’t about to abandon her now. As they made haste toward the nearest menhir circle to the area, planning to track the patrol back to where they encountered them, Courynn’s trepidation continued to grow. He wasn’t well verst in the specific abilities of a lich, but all Aglarondans had heard stories of the infamous Thayan Zulkir Szass Tam, and if this baelnorn was anything like him they’d be lucky to survive if they did find them. Just like her human companion, Nymara found herself growing more anxious with ever step. Her magical instruction hadn’t included the specific process involved in the creation of a lich, but it had encompassed their general qualities and common capabilities. So, she had some idea of what they’d be facing… and those thoughts were far from comforting… but what troubled her most was what such a creature wanted with Calastra. Tracking the patrol back from the menhir circle, till they cross paths with another trail, one left by what appeared to be a man leaning heavily upon a staff and a small woman, wasn’t difficult as the Masters had made no attempt to hide their presence. That trail led them straight to the ruins of an ancient elven tower not far from the river. Clearly from the era of Yuireshanyaar, the star elven kingdom the rose in the Yuirwood before the arrival of humans from across the Wizard’s Reach, the upper floors of the tower had collapsed, likely over a millennium ago, but they found a clear intact flight of stairs leading below ground from which they could barely make out the flickering light of torches. Steeling their resolve, they cautiously descended, constantly on guard for whatever dangers might be dwelling in the darkness below.