Finally, you reach Stonehaven Shrine, the final location on the tower's map. So far at the other two locations and even in the town outside Verdalia you have seen emergencies now you expect chaos like before, but you encounter nothing more than an empty patch of earth.

"These ruins have always been shrouded in mystery," Alster says. "Our scholars each have a different interpretation of what their purpose is but as they predate Verdalian history no one really knows what they mean. There are even those who believe the shine is a spiritual site connecting us and the sprite world." Richalt was in awe of the shrine as he had never journeyed here before. "This is sacred ground, that's what it mean." He spoke reverently.  Then he makes the observation, "The soil looks fertile enough here, but there are no plants or sprites anywhere." You agree, it's an odd sight compared to what you have found at the observatory and gardens… almost like it's supposed to be different. Alster  commented as well, "there has never been growth around the stones, some think that the metallic content of the rocks has poisoned the ground here."

You look closely at the symbols on the rocks and remember some of your Voek language, they symbols are the elements, fire, water, earth, air. 

A thought occurs to you. You ask Alster for any seeds he had been given and gather up all the precious gifts into your pouch. You walk up to the stone monolith marked earth take a few steps back and plant a seed from the pouch that you were given earlier. But nothing happens. "Well now I feel stupid! I thought being an earth mage and seeing as nothing was growing here I would dramatically plant the magical seeds from the sprites and.....oh well, worth a try right?" you say quickly as you walk away and shrug your shoulders feeling a little embarrassed. Then a small crack sound from below the earth is heard and you turn around. You point to the ground, tilting your head as if to ask the others what was that? Then on the ground, you notice one tiny flower growing at the base of one of the pillars, its the pillar with the earth symbol. Carefully, you take more seeds from the pouch handing them out to the others, "here Talik plant this one, Haden, here's yours, Alster," you kiss the little seed, "this one is yours, not sure if this is right or not but it feels right so plant the rest of them. They hesitated just a moment before sharing a look and then obviously deciding you might be on to something. They stepped up to the other pillars dug a small whole and buried the precious seeds. 

Dashing forward, Ivy surrounds the seeds, lending them her energy. Soon other sprites drift from the valley and join her. As they gather together, a sapling emerges from the ground in the center of the shrine forcing you all to back up and away from the middle where you all stood mouths agape. 

Before your eyes, the sapling grows bigger and bigger, until a whole tree looms over you. You and your companions stare in awe. It looks exactly like the etheria tree you found in the tower!

As you stand beneath the towering tree, night begins to fall. The air grows cool and still, a stark contrast to the chaos of the day. The tree's leaves shimmer faintly in the moonlight, casting a serene glow over the shrine.

Richalt, usually quick to brag about his knowledge of ancient mysteries, is uncharacteristically silent, his eyes still wide with wonder. "I never imagined I'd see this in my lifetime," he finally murmurs.

Suddenly, a figure emerges from the shadows—a robed elder with an aura of wisdom and tranquility. He approaches the tree, his movements deliberate and reverent. "You have done well," he says in a voice that seems to echo through the very air around you. "This tree, the etheria, is a sacred link between our world and the celestial realms."

"Who are you?" you ask, curiosity and caution mingling in your tone.

The elder smiles gently. "I am the Priest of Stonehaven, tasked with protecting its secrets and guiding those who seek to understand its power."

As he speaks, the ground behind the stone shrine shifts slightly, revealing a dusty, ancient pathway leading deeper into the shrine. "Follow this path," the priest instructs. "It will lead you to the heart of Stonehaven, where you will find the answers you seek."

You and your companions exchange glances, "well my mother told me never to get into underground stairwells magically revealed by appearing priests, so you go first Haden." As you all realised this was the next step in your quest determination hardens in your eyes. Together, you step onto the dusty path,  and down into the stairwell guided by the ethereal glow of the trees roots.

The pathway winds through the shrines stones as they go deep underground, each step taking you further into its depths. Finally, you reach a grand chamber illuminated by the soft light of countless candles. In the center stands a magnificent statue of an angel, her wings outstretched as if to embrace the heavens.

"She is the Angel of Verdalia," the priest explains, appearing beside you once more after a slow decent for an aging man. "It looks like Ky, you say to Talik, who says,"yeah it really looks like Ky." The priest continues "Her spirit resides within the etheria tree, a beacon of hope and strength for our people."

As you gaze upon the angel which you are almost certain is a representation of Ky, a sense of peace washes over you, you think to yourself, "we are all connected you know, even from back in the day".  The earlier battles and mysteries you faced to get here fade into the background, replaced by a profound understanding of your purpose.

"We must save Verdalia," Richalt says, his voice filled with resolve. "And we have to find a way together to do it, that is the key."

Haden nods and adds, "You're right my new friend but I think its bigger than that. The imbalance is under us and spreadign everywhere, we need to save Solea and unity is the key." Alster joins in, "We are obviously all being effected by something positive emanating from this tree that reaches all the way down here. The etheria tree has the power to restore balance and harmony to our world and make us feel the way we do right now. But it is up to us to protect the trees from whatever the imbalance is and ensure their survival."

With a final, grateful look at the priest and the angelic statue, who in case you hadn't said yet you are sure is a statue of Ky, mother of magic and the one who tired to unify the tribes way back when, you turn back towards the tree. The night is dark now specially after leaving the glow of the powerful etheria tree and although you just know the future will be filled with more unknown dangers, at least now you know now that you have  a better understanding of the problem you face and that untied you will have the strength and talent to face them, as long as Alster doesn't get distracted by a plant. 

As you leave the shrine, the robed priest's words echo in your mind: "The journey is long and fraught with peril, but remember, you are never alone. The spirit of the etheria tree will always be with you."

With renewed determination, you and your companions set out, ready to save Solea and work out how to stop the imbalance. 

There are at least 10 anagrams in the text above- for example name is an anagram for mean (that was one of them)- find the original word in the text for the anagrams below. Post them in Thy Quests below to move forward. Happy Hunting.

except

succor

persist

rates

grab

thing

glean

bored

study

vase

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