Sliding out of the water and onto the bank, the spirit evaded Eddard again, taking the chase back into the forest as it zigzagged through the underbrush.

This time though, it found a knothole in a tree, and swiftly moved into it, deciding to settle there for the time being, hoping the hiding spot would be enough to confuse the man who was chasing it. If the man ran past, the spirit could easily leave in the opposite direction, evading its captor entirely.

For now, it would wait.

Eddard followed the silvery trail up to the tree. He wouldn't have to teleport this time, but again he would have to use magic. He knocked out a beat on the trunk of the tree, his last thump make the tree around the soul incorporeal just like the spirit itself. He quickly enacted quicksilver, this time focusing on acting quickly as opposed to running fast.

So far in this chase, he had used three of his four known Wayfarer spells. Quicksilver, which allowed him to run and act at supernatural speeds and Flickerflash, which allowed him to teleport. This latest spell was known as Portal Passage which allowed him to open up doors and openings in barriers such as walls and in this case, the tree trunk. Hopscotch, which allowed him to jump like a cat had not been used, but he was sure he would have to use it eventually. If only could muster the strenght to perform it.

The urn swept through the tree a blur four times and four times the spirit deftly evaded his attempts. With another loud curse on the part of Eddard, the chase continued.

It's captor was definitely something special, the spirit knew as it deftly evaded four capture attempts in a small period of time. It recognized that the tree it had seemed so safe in had disappeared around it, becoming incorporeal, and making the spirit more visible to the man who wouldn't seem to give up.

Leaving the tree, the spirit shot up into the air, flying high above the trees this time in a final attempt to get away from the persuant man who didn't seem to want to give up.

Zigzagging left and right in the air, the spirit could feel the man behind him. Though it had been a fun game, the spirit knew it was now or never. The man was edging ever closer, and the spirit could feel him on its proverbial heels.

Diving downward through the leaves, it seemed to get caught up in the corporeal branches, giving Eddard just enough time to capture it, if timed correctly.

Eddard watched as the spirt took flight into the air and he continued to follow, running below it along the ground. The spirit could not shake him however, the silvery trail it left in it's wake would continue to guide Eddard until the spell expired. Shockingly, the spirit darted back down to the ground, flying through the branches. Eddard saw his opportunity, possibly his last, and tookit. Twirling on his heels a full three hundred and sixty degrees, Eddard enacted the last of his Wayfarer spells. Using Hopscotch, Eddard sprung through the air, the big man snapping through branches and foliage toward the spirit with a loud, cracking roar. He felt the last of his magic leave his body as he was propelled through the air, but it made no matter, he knew he had it.

As he made his final close on the spirit, Eddard yelled, "You're mine!" The lid slammed shut with a satisfying clank. Eddard reached the apex of his great leap at the top of the foliage of the trees. He reached out and grabbed a branch to steady himself one handed while holding the urn under his other arm. He quickly found his footing and looked back the way he came. It had been a good chase, but he traveled far. Luckily, the silver path left by the spirit was still present, he could easily find his way back to the aoide. He laughed to the urn, "Well played, well played."

His chase concluded, Eddard climbed out of the tree and made his way back to where the aoide awaited. He was covered in several knicks and cuts from running through the forest and now bruises from where he had slammed through the branches of the trees. He felt weary too, the toll for using up all his magic in such a short amount of time. He hoped to find a node, but was doubtful. It was dark when he stumbled out of the forest back onto the road where the aoide was. "Your urn, M'Lady," he said holding it out for her.

Enveloped in quick darkness, the spirit knew it had been caught once again. It bumped up against the sides of the urn, wondering if the man had a steady grasp on the vessel. Unfortunately, he did, and the spirit resigned itself to the fact that it had been caught. Any normal vessel wouldn't have been able to contain the ethereal creature, but the urn was quite magical -- meant for storing things just like this.

Aeneas had seen the sun go down, and as it had, she grew increasingly nervous. She'd finally stopped pacing and had seated herself under a large tree, scratching at the dirt with her sharp fingernails as she waited impatiently for Eddard's return.

She heard loud rustling in the trees, and a few minutes later, she spotted Eddard making is way down the dirt path, urn in hand.

"Did you get it Sir Eddard!?" she asked, jumping to her feet and looking at him anxiously. "Did you?"

As he handed the urn to her, she looked up and gave him a wide smile. "OH, you did it! I'm ever so grateful Sir Eddard. My lord would have been SO upset had the spirit gotten lost. I'm so happy you found it!" She sputtered the words in a long chain and resisted the temptation to give him a hug. He was quite valiant, she thought.

"Well, the city is just a mile or two up ahead. I think we should deliver this vessel, get some food and bunk down for the night. I'd hate to walk back to the Pantheon on a night such as this," she said, holding a hand out to catch some of the ash that fell from the sky.

"Shall we get going?"

Keeping a tighter grip on the urn, she began to walk quickly down the path, not really paying attention to Eddard's state of being. Soon they would arrive in the city, and he could get some food and rest. Surely that would be all he'd need to repair the small nicks and bruises he'd gotten on the journey.

"It was nothing, Aeneas. I said I would get you to the city with the urn and my word is every bit as good as an oath," he said to her in an attempt to calm her. "So close to the city you say? Well lets get going before it gets much darker as I'd hate to see what creatures come forth in the darkness." With that the two continued down the road together, the town growing closer and closer.

Eddard's exhaustion was sweeping over him. He hadn't exhausted all of his glamour in sometime and the event was ore taxing than he had initially thought. Their pace was much slower than it had been prior to the chase, the banal influence of his realized mortality only complicating matters. By the time they reached the town's gates, Eddard felt more glum than he ever had. Though he needed sleep and food to satiate his biological needs, he needed a node just as much to satiate his magical needs.

Eddard watched as she removed the pouch from her neck. It was pulsating light and Eddard didn't know what to think. He grabbed the dangling end of the pouch and tried to pull it out of her hand and then let go so that it would fall safely to the ground.

After a moment of silence with out event, Eddard bent over to examine the pouch. A look of concern washed over his face as he picked it up. The heat was still on the pouch but it was residual and quickly growing cool. Upon further inspection, Eddard found the pouch empty as he had concluded when he first picked it up.

He turned to face the Aoide, "Empty," he muttered as began to check his person for any sort of change.

Eddard took a second look at the pouch, a feeling of foolishness going through him. He no longer felt the same drive, the same attachment he had. He placed a big hand on the aoide's shoulder in an attempt to calm her down. "I'm sure everything will be alright." Something inside told him that he was only a passing interest to whatever lurked within the crystal, this Yu Five Claws, and that his enthusiasm had gotten the best of him.

The weariness in his body brought him from thought, "Come, let us finish your task here in the city, maybe find a place to rest. We'll think of something, someway of explaining this to your master by the time we get back tomorrow. I assure you, no harm will come to you so long as I'm involved." He turned away from her and started to enter the city, hoping the aoide would find herself and take up lead again. He wasn't sure just how heavy the situation was and thought it best that they move on.

Eddard followed the aoide through the city. He waited outside the shop just as she requested, leaning against the outer wall and watching the citizens pass by. He drew little attention and was glad. He had been an oddity in his home world due to his unnaturally colored skin. Here he could just be and never have to use his disguise spell.

When she exited he took up following her. "Nothing good you say? Well, much good occurred on our journey. I got to see more of this realm, had a nice trek, a good chase, and made a friend. All and all, I'd say its been a good trip for myself and you did finish your appointed delivery." He was starting to get a second wind and feeling a little better though he could use some rest. In the end though, as they passed back under the gates, he resigned himself to the long walk back.

"Well I had no intention to let you stand alone and bear the brunt of any punishment he might inflict. No, I intend to see this through to the end and that isn't until we both stand in the presence of Sh'Khin. Besides, I want to see this furious anger that you seem to fear so much and to make sure that whatever does happen is just and fair." He pondered his own words "just and fair." He didn't even know if he was fit to judge what was just and fair in this realm. On the other hand, when arrangements are made such as these than it is important that both parties acknowledge the fact that they are both likely to have varying points of view on the matter. With stoic resolve Eddard reached forward and grabbed the door to the shop and held it open for the Aoide, "Shall we finish it then?"

"We shall," Aeneas muttered as she stepped through the doors and into the dark, ash-filled room, dread knotting her stomach.

She made her best attempt to ignore the throne or anyone else who might be in the room and headed directly for the stairs leading to Sh'khin's quarters.

She paused outside the bronze door, trying to stall a bit as she admired the green patina that covered it. Beautiful decay, she thought to herself as she turned the handle and entered the plain chambers once again.

"My Lord," she squeaked, glancing around the main room for a sign of her master. "Sir Eddard and I have arrived home."

Sh'khin had not heard them enter from his bedroom, but upon hearing Aeneas' voice, he stalked out into the main room, greeting the pair in a happy disposition.

"Welcome home Aeneas, Eddard! I am glad to see you've both returned safely. How did things go?"

Aeneas averted her eyes from her Lord, bowing deeply, ashamed of her failure. "I have failed, my Lord," she said in a hoarse whisper, preparing herself for the punishment that would surely come. "Though the urn was delivered, the true task has failed." She didn't want to look up into those bloodshot eyes, certain they were full of despair and anger. "The gem," she managed to get out shakily. "It's gone."

Sh'khin's pleased visage quickly turned sour as he looked down upon his aoide, a scowl crossing his face. "What do you mean, it's GONE?!" he asked incredulously, his voice growing more loud as anger crept in.

Aeneas sniffled and replied to his question, growing ever more weary of his anger. "I do not know my Lord. It grew warm in the pouch around my neck. It burned. And then, as Eddard took it to keep it from burning me, it vanished!" She looked over at Eddard, hoping he'd interject. Perhaps hearing an explanation from the man would appease her Lord.

Eddard followed Aeneas through the shop and up the stairs as he had done so with her master a few days past. He could see her nervousness and understood her anxiety and hesitation at the door. When she finally did push through and enter Sh'Khin's quarters, he was glad to see him in a positive disposition. Unfortunately it was quickly washed away once the truth of the matter was conveyed.

"True task," hung in his mind briefly. So SH'Khin DID have the ulterior motive and really did intend for him to merge with whatever being existed within the pendant's gem. How unfortunate that his plan had been foiled. Eddard was both relieved and disappointed. On the one hand he wasn't quite sure if this merging would be appropriate but on the other, the sting of rejection was never a welcome sensation. "Sh'Khin must be feeling a degree of rejection, himself," he reflected silently.

"Aeneas speaks the truth," Eddard cut in as if by queue to draw Sh'Khin's attention away from the little aoide he had grown so fond of over the day. "As sure as my skin is blue, she gave me the pouch, it still warm from the pendants heat within. But even as I inspected it, I knew the pouch was empty." He paused for a moment allowing Sh'Khin to digest the news but spoke before Sh'Khin could turn his attention back to the aoide. "I didn't sense any presence around us or even magical discharge of any sort. Do you have any ideas about what could have happened to your jewel?"

"Yes, my lord!" Aeneas exclaimed, her eyes welling with tears. "Sir Eddard is being honest. I do not know what happened to it!" She dropped to her knees pleadingly, hoping against hope that her master would be understanding.

Sh'khin frowned as she dropped down in front of him, not liking the formality that she showed him the majority of the time. "Get up. You do not need to grovel Aeneas," he said his voice returning to its normal state, although it still held a hint of annoyance.

She obeyed, rising to her feet, but keeping her eyes to the ground.

"I suppose it wasn't meant to be," he said, looking to Eddard. "I do not know what happened to it, but I can only assume that the jewel was not meant to be held. I shall have to speak to Him about it..." he muttered, the volume petering out at the end and trailing off. "I thank you for going on this errand, regardless of the failure," he thanked them both, voice rising again.

"Eddard, can I offer you a place to stay until you find your next destination?" he asked, wondering what the man had in store for his future. It did not seem that a god was his destiny -- perhaps something else could fulfill it. "Or is there anything else I can do for you to thank you?"

"Thank you Lord Sh'Khin, but I wish not to further impose myself upon you. I have it in my mind to seek out the god of knowledge, do you know where to find him? I need information regarding the lands of this realm as well as a bit of its past history." Information surrounding this realm was the least of his concerns. Eddard also wanted to find more allies and who better than the one with the most knowledge. Hopefully he would be of an agreeable nature, but he would have to wait and see.

"Thank you, Lord Sh' Khin. I wish I could have lived up to your aspirations for me. If ever I can aid you again, never hesitate to find me and ask." With those words, and a clasping of the hands, Eddard took his leave from Plague's quarters.