Alala looked a little downcast as she considered Vilas's question. "Safe again...I suppose if we somehow found a way to give poltergeists new bodies, or killed the lot of them. I heard the city of technology was researching the creation of empty, soulless bodies before the plague wiped most of 'em out, but hadn't yet succeeded. If we get our scientists on that technology... But right now, our priority is to help the living by finding a cure and vaccine for the disease. This disease claims the lives of mutated and common sylestis and must be eradicated." She raised her eyes to the sky. "I'm sorry, but for now, if safety is your priority you'll come with me to the settlement. I'll allow you some time to pack your things."


Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, Luciana fluttered above the trees. She was on a supply run, bringing back supplies from smaller, evacuated towns to the main settlement. A large bag was clutched in her front two hands, stuffed with food and medicine. Her light caused a cyan glow to appear on the tops of the dark trees.

"Well I guess since I'm a ghost I don't really need anything, huh?" Zerial said in a humorous way. After Vilas went inside to pack, Zerial thought for a moment before asking, "So if they figure out the whole soulless body thing, could any spirit that wants to be alive again get one? Or would it be like a robot or something?"


Vilas nodded and rushed inside. Grabbing the largest bag she could carry with relative ease, two carefully folded blankets, her favorite pillow, some food, and any other important things she could find were put into it. "That should do, I suppose... Hm, artificial bodies, huh? That sounds better than killing them..." She said to herself, and left to join Zerial and Alala.

The wind was blowing making it hard to use ones nose to find anything worth investigating. How long had it been since they had last seen the settlement they called home? Too long some would say though that may have been an exaggeration. It had been nearly two weeks, that was all. Aife could smell the distant smells of the city though the wind was blowing towards them which could be very deceiving if it wanted to be. Least there be a ghost or a poltergeist around it was her job to sense them before they attacked. It was rather hard to be honest the fact that the fate of the party depended on if she felt something nearby. What if she messed up and got one of them hurt? The thought though was one she would rather not have at the moment. Finian was walking next to her his head to the ground as he went. Was that Alala he smelled? Was she out on this almost fine day? Who knew. At the moment they both just wanted to be home, to be away from this cruel place that they called the outside world. Again they came up empty handed, though they did find another town. Between the both of them they carried a good number of items. Some gems had been found, as well as a tapestries, and an old woven blanket. They even found a painting! These would fetch lovely prices in trade, if anyone wanted them that was. So the two walked on not speaking in fear that they would have to fight something this close to home.

Alala shook her head sadly. "I wish it were that simple. There are several problems with it. First of all, is the challenge in getting to the city of technology in the first place. Since the island is shaped kinda like a C, to go across we'd need to go over sea, which isn't an option since we don't have the resources, skill, or manpower to build boats right now. The other option, going over land, is dangerous because of all the poltergeists and mountains. And once we even get there, its extremely likely that any tissue samples or artificially created bodies will have decayed and died from lack of staff to maintain them. And even if they were still there, there's also the fact they hadn't created a successful one yet." The Lupora finished this pessimistic, yet tragically realistic, monologue with a sigh.


Luciana fluttered below the trees to alight on a branch to take a break when her blue glow lit up the faces of some explorers. The surprised sylesti gasped and dropped her bag. She fluttered in the air anxiously, wondering how they'd respond.

"Well that was... Not the answer I was hoping for, but it was honest. Maybe someday it'll be commonplace for spirits to take soulless bodies as their own." Zerial said, maintaining his optimism.


Vilas bounded back to her brother's side, now with a full bag. "I'm ready to go now." She said softly. Vilas didn't notice how confused Zerial was about her being so quiet and calm, but she never was very good at reading emotions.

(Shortish post. I'm beginning to get tired and I just couldn't think of anything for this one. I might call it a night in a few minutes.)

Alala nodded and turned, beginning to leave the yard with the two Luffoxes behind her. The town was only a few miles away, but who knew what he forest would bring? Lifting her nose, she thought she caught a whiff of two Puffadores, but the wind made it hard to tell. She padded into the trees, now dark in the night, and looked behind herself occasionally to check the two Luffoxes hadn't lost their way. Zerial gave off a very faint, ghostly glow in the dark.

(I understand, sleep is important after all. Goodnight!)

A blue light engulfed them causing the two to turn their backs to each other. Finian looked up to see a lumamera hiving over head. "Good evening friend." He said he looked up. Aife kept quiet in fear that for a single moment she would let her guard down and they would all he attacked. The male looked to the pack which hand been dropped and picked it up. Spreading his wisp like wings he fluttered up to her holding the bag out with a paw. "I believe this is your my friend."

"Ah, thank you..." said Luciana quietly, blinking her bright blue eyes while taking the bag in her two front hands. "Are you going back to town? I'm going back there. If we're going the same way, perhaps I can serve as a light?" She asked hopefully. She didn't know everybody in town and was eager to make new friends.

"That's very kind of you." Finian smiled looking down at the ground just as Aife spread her wings to join them. It seemed strange that they hadn't started out this way but truth be told neither was that good of a flyer. Wings took a lot to manage and frankly it hurt to fly for too long. "Led on then." The male said already growing a bit tired from the effort. One thing was for sure puffadores were not made for flying. Though flying was an easier option at the moment since it was growing dark. They were at least some what save up here for the time being.

Luciana fluttered ahead of the two puffadores, her blue light illuminating the trees in front of them so they could fly accordingly. "My name is Luciana, what are your names?" she asked the pair curiously. She was quite eager to befriend them, though she hoped talking and flying wouldn't be too much for them. The lunemara knew puffadores weren't as adapted to flying as she was.