The castle in the sky

Fylikiel was still tracing diagrams on the floor of the courtyard at a spot Moreclaym had designated, when Liw, Auburn and Aishar landed. He barely noticed them. Ritual magic was a precise science requiring concentration. But when they lay Acane's lifeless body against the stone walls, no amount of concentration would save his ritual.

He steeled himself, his face becoming a mask; his emotions were his own and he wouldn't share them openly. Auburn's face showed his pain though, as Aishar's showed weariness. The encounter had been trying, for all of them. That had been beaten.

Moreclaym's cleared his throat. As all four turned their eyes to him, he started.

" Young adventurers, it would be proper to let you mourn your fallen comrade, yet We should remind you of where we are. The shadowfel might very well claim her soul as well as her body, if it really is where we are now. Her god might find her fast enough also. Was she the pious kind? ", he continued before they could think of an answer. " We'd say burn her body here and now... ", to that both Auburn and Aishar burst in protests, but the plagued mage stopped them, " or you can leave her to us. I'll perform a Gentle Repose ritual to protect her, and keep her within my keep. Murnorr won't mind the company either. He is not the complaining kind".

" Also, We are curious, " he said after a pause and a nod toward the statue of his friend. " What shall you do? It seems to me two of you wish to go back to the crypts, and two of you want nothing to do with crypts. We offer that you stay here as we drift back toward Daggerford. Those of you who are restless can go explore these crypts. ", he hesitated and seemed a little annoyed, "  Yes yes. I am reminded that you could use some of my own ritual equipment. Linking a teleportation circle with my own would make for easy travel. Mugnorr insists that I help you in this endeavor. ", he finished sullenly.

The decisions were their's to make.