The first thing Kael did after leaving the Forest of Unheard Prayer was search for the nearest temple of Solvantar. He could have followed the temple officials who had arrived in town, but a creeping sense of foreboding held him back.
If he had shown himself back then, both he and Eryn might be linked to the crime, or worse, detained for questioning. That risk wasn't worth the delay. For some reason, Kael was also reluctant to talk about what he witnessed in the forest.
If they delivered the bones still clad in the old priestly garments to receive their final rites, someone in the temple would surely recognize them as priests, Kael thought as he followed Eryn in silence.
The two walked along a narrow, sun-baked path that wound its way through sparse woodland, and before long, the flatlands came into view once again. They passed no villages, only the occasional cairn or rusted milestone, half-swallowed by weeds.
At one point, Kael spotted a raven circling above, trailing their steps like a quiet omen. He watched it for a few minutes, his eyes focused above instead of ahead. Due to this, he didn't notice when Eryn suddenly stopped, and he ended up bumping into the young man's back.
"Oof. Sorry," Kael said, rubbing his cheeks, which hit the guy. "But what's the matter?"
Eryn half-turned to him and gestured to what lay ahead.
"Ah…," Kael followed his gaze, then looked back at Eryn. "You don't like getting wet?"
They reached a wide river. The current wasn't strong, and if one looked closely, one could see the riverbed. The water was likely rising no higher than a person's knee.
Eryn pushed his sleeves further past his elbows as he said, "I don't mind. But we haven't eaten since we left the forest. Aren't you hungry?"
Now that the young man had mentioned it, Kael felt his stomach twist in protest. He gave a nod and mirrored Eryn's actions, rolling up his sleeves in turn.
Having seen him roll up his sleeves as well, Eryn frowned. He grabbed Kael by the arms and dragged him over to a nearby boulder. "Do you know how to fish, Priest Kael?" he asked, pushing him down onto the rock's flat surface.
Kael nodded without hesitation and answered with confidence. "I do."
"Good for you, then," Eryn replied. "But save it for when you're alone. You hired me, remember? So, let me do the fishing."
With that, the young mercenary stepped into the water and began catching fish.
Left with nothing to do, Kael felt a twinge of guilt. To make himself useful, he decided to start a fire and began gathering twigs nearby. While collecting, he wandered a little farther from the riverbank than he intended.
Realizing this, he quickly scurried back, but something caught his attention. Not far from him, there was something half-hidden behind a tree.
Curiosity struck him, and before long, he found himself drifting closer. Nestled beside the trunk of the tree stood a small wooden shrine, no taller than a man's waist. It was raised on four short stilts to keep it above the damp earth, its slanted, pointed roof capped with aged wooden shingles. The wood had darkened over time, weathered by the rain and sun, and the corners of the roof were beginning to curl and splinter.
Its twin doors hung slightly askew, as though they hadn't been opened in years. Thin trails of moss clung to its base, and a faded paper charm fluttered weakly from one corner. Though old and neglected, the shrine still stood, as though a higher being was carefully watching over it.
Kael stood before the tiny shrine, hand resting on its weathered doors. "If a spirit still lingers here," he murmured, "forgive the intrusion. I mean no harm."
Then, slowly, he pushed the doors open, half-expecting to find something—an idol, an offering, a charm, anything. However, there was nothing inside. Just the smooth, darkened wood of its hollow interior.
There wasn't even a residue of a single incense, no offerings, no sign that a god had ever been worshipped there. Kael heaved a low sigh. He was certain it was a god's shrine, not one built for a demon or anything else darker. The moment the doors creaked open, he had felt it: a faint wave of pure spiritual pressure pulsing outward.
It was subtle, like a tremor in the soul, but unmistakable. The shrine was real. Whatever had once dwelled there was now gone, or perhaps the one who built it had reason for leaving no sign of the god it honored.
He furrowed his brows, whispering under his breath, "Some believer must have built it while passing through here…"
A soft rustling of footsteps came from behind, light as first, then firmer on the dry leaves. Kael turned just as Eryn's voice rang out.
"What is it?"
Kael stepped aside, nodding toward the tree. "A shrine," he said simply.
"Is it Solvantar's?" the young man asked next.
"No. Not sure whose god it belongs to," Kael answered.
Eryn approached, his boots crunching over twigs. He leaned in and bent forward, one hand resting lightly on his knee as he studied the weathered structure. For a long moment, he didn't speak.
Then, "...this looks familiar," he muttered. "There was one just like this in a village near Devil's Mountain. Same design. Feels the same too."
Kael paused to ponder. He recalled what the village chief had once said about a wandering monk who built a shrine near their village. Normally, shrines were built within the village, where people could come to pray, but this monk had placed it outside the village limits.
And notably, the chief hadn't mentioned which god the shrine honored. That likely meant the monk hadn't said.
But then…why build a shrine if you weren't going to call people to pray to your god?
Kael glanced at Eryn. "Was it also empty?"
"Yes," Eryn replied. "It had nothing inside, just like this one. I passed by it once and thought it was some kind of food storage, so I opened it. But then, I felt a wave of spiritual pressure, and that's how I realized it was actually a shrine."
Still bent forward, the young man turned his head toward Kael. "Are you thinking of restoring it? Should I look around for good wood?"
Kael gave a faint smile. Why was this young mercenary always ready to help him with anything, even with things he hadn't asked for?
"No," he said. "I was just wondering if it was the same monk who built this shrine, too. If so, why didn't he leave any sign of his god? I may be devoted to Solvantar, but saying a little prayer for that god is not that hard."
"You're right," Eryn paused, then straightened and stretched his arms. "Well, whatever it was, it's not feeding us. Let's go back before the fish swim off with our lunch."
Kael smiled warmly. "Let's go then."
He cast one last glance at the little shrine, still and silent in the shade of the tree. Then he turned and followed Eryn.
Kael's job of starting the fire had been stolen from him by the young man as well, so now, munching on the grilled fish filled him with mixed emotions—fulfillment, shame, and guilt all at once.
After eating, they rested beneath the shade of the tree before deciding to resume their journey. When they reached the riverbank, where the water met the soil, Eryn suddenly crouched down, arms stretched back, as if inviting someone to climb onto his back.
Seeing this, Kael nearly choked on his saliva. He patted the young man's shoulder and said awkwardly, "Eryn, if you're waiting for me to ride on you, forget it. I don't mind getting wet."
Eryn stiffened for a second, then he laughed.
Kael frowned slightly, confused. He replayed his words in his head but found nothing strange about what he said.
Still chuckling, the young mercenary replied, his voice laced with amusement, "The scroll on your waist will be ruined. And my good, innocent priest, how many times do I have to tell you that you can use me for anything? Or are you reluctant because you don't intend to pay me in the end?"
"What? No, no! I'm paying you," Kael replied quickly. He rubbed his forehead and muttered, "I just think that carrying me is too much. What good are my feet if I won't make use of them?"
"Thank goodness. I thought you were planning to dash and disappear once the job is done," Eryn teased. He looked up at Kael with a smirk, his eyes gleaming with something unreadable. "You can use your feet to run away, Priest Kael…but I definitely won't let you escape."
Kael froze. He lowered his head, letting the shadow hide his face. Thankfully, Eryn looked away again after coaxing him to hop onto his back. Kael had no choice. Carefully, he climbed onto the young man's back, silently praying that the rapid beating of his heart wouldn't be noticed.
But why, though? Was he really that afraid of Eryn chasing after him?