Encore [Legendseekers]

“Come see this!” Bravura called to Chiptune. He spread one of his massive, feathered wyvern wings to point to Troia’s and Pantalaimon’s compasses struggling to point in the same direction in unison as both of them played their songs.

“This must be it!” Chiptune exclaimed, and she landed by Pantalaimon and Troia as they played. Pantalaimon paused to collect their thoughts before speaking, and Troia eventually stopped plucking at the harp- both of their compass needles, predictably, began to spin out of control as each one stopped playing in unison, before they petered out with their movement.

But where the dials landed pointed in a slightly different direction than every other xyn that played individually.

Pantalaimon blinked. “So if we play our individual soul songs, together as one, then…?”

“We need to give it a try,” said Bravura. 

Pantalaimon paused to think. Even if Troia was reserved, you two know each other, don't you? It helps that you felt connected together when playing your soul songs at once- perhaps that, not only was it oir, but that unison is what was able to steer the compass..."

A lightbulb lit up over Pantalaimon's head as realization dawned upon thrm. "Thats right," they said, excitedly, "Everyxyn has been so frightened about recent events that they haven't been able to find the solace and comfort they want within themselves and others... But when I focus on playing my soul songs, it reminds me of that."

Bravura and Chiptune flew over the crowd to explain to the present crowd:

"Their Clef Compasses began to move once they played their Soul Song together! When we give the command, Every one of you must try to play your own Soul Song at once! Please remember: It doesn't matter how perfectly you can play music or sing, so long as you do it with sincerity."

And from there, everyone in the crowd, including Bravura and Chiptune themselves, began to play together at once- just like a symphony. Under most circumstances playing regular music in this way would have resulted in an unintelligible mess of sound. But, strangely enough, what resulted was a harmony that touched the hearts of those who heard it...

Troia, who naturally felt very little, was able to feel something stir in her heart from the sound of everyone's soul song playing together.

Everyone's clef compasses whirled together at once, and pointed east, towards the gates exiting Moonreach itself.

Troia and Pantalaimon paused playing briefly. "It's pointing outside of Moonreach?" Pantalaimon creased their brows, worried. "These Clef Compasses aren't fooling us with some trick now, are they?"

"I know a working compass when I see one." Chiptune replied, pausing her music. "But we're going to have to be escorted out of Moonreach if so. I don't know if Moonreach can spare anymore Knights to help us through."

Bravura chimed in. "And though we see the direction is East, we don't know for how long or far the compass will have you travel until you reach the final destination- you're racing against time before the final battle, if you can even make it back in time."

Troia stepped forward. "I'll ask the captains together with Pantalaimon. We can't lose this opportunity while there's still time."

Her face darkened inwardly. What would they find at the end of the compasses path? If there was anything that could keep her from resorting to unleashing Yang in the final battle, then...

---

It didn't take long for their entire group to be assigned a small troop of knights- Oberon played a significant part in the negotiations, insisting that the discovery of what was at the end of the compass's guidance was of utmost importance for Moonreach. If their entire group couldn't return within three nights, they would be forced to turn back to Moonreach.

Troia, Pantalaimon, Chiptune, Bravura and every xyn with a Clef Compass marched out, with individuals taking turns playing their combined soul songs for a few hours at a time, just enough to keep their compasses steadily guiding them. They continued east.

Eerily enough, corrupted Xyns and Corruption Beasts gave them a wide berth within hearing range of their Soul Songs, if they saw any Corrupted creatures at all..

As they traveled, they passed through the withered remains of the lands that spread out before them. Trees at this time had nearly shed their wilted leaves to the point that they were barren, normally bright and colorful at this time of year. One-lush fields of grass withered dry, and not even weeds had the energy to thrive and overtake what once had been fertile soil. They, too, could see very little of the wildlife, if there was any at all…

After over a day of traveling the group arrived at the civilization of Wingfell. It was eerily silent now; almost every xyn living here had been evacuated to Moonreach, and the temples and buildings of the city lay in disrepair since the battle where the corrupted xyns once overtook everything in sight. 

But despite the lingering scents of corruption, not even corrupted xyns were present here…

"You think that what the compasses are trying to show us is in this area?" Asked Pantalaimon. They paused to glance around at the crumbling stone and wood architecture of the once-populated civilian areas of Moonreach; what once was tranquil was eerily silent, if not stifled; a place that felt full of sorrow from it’s abandonment. Not even lunerestian moss could overgrow, and thick, cold mist hung heavily over the region. Troia shuddered as she felt the unusually cold air sink in.

Troia studied her compass. It was continuing to point in an eastern direction.

“I think… I’m not sure." She said, hesitantly. The needle did not twitch with any uncertainty as to it’s final destination.

Chiptune flew over to the both of them, showing her compass as well. “It should be here soon. Just trust your gut feeling. There has to be something in Wingfell that it’s trying to show us, because any further east is the Corrupted Lands…”

—

The group pressed on for one more hour, when Yanwei was at its highest; Trellis and Oborn still hung still in the sky, subdued, and sad. They had passed into a secluded forest.

As they continued to play their soul songs, all of their compasses glinted, and the closer they reached the direction they pointed, the brighter they seemed to shine, and the warmer they felt. 

They had finally reached their destination.

Many of the xyns gasped, horrified at what they saw; a beautiful shrine here had recently been burned down to ashes and black ozoe, and the stench of corruption was high. Whatever neglected place had been left here was trampled by either corruption beasts or corrupted xyns and little had been spared. Only a rock formation stood amidst it all, covered in ooze, but.

Bravura sniffed the air, eyebrows furrowing. 

“I can sense the remains of a powerful spell here. It must have been a protective barrier.” He gazed at his surroundings, sadly, and many xyns in the crowd followed him as he turned his head. “But something has broken it not too long ago…”

Troia stepped forward, lashing her tail. “I felt something stir just now. Do you sense something?”

The other xyns looked, and most nodded in unison. The air suddenly chilled...

“I sense it too.”

“Several things!”

“Here they come!”

And right before them all, revealed under the faint moonlight of Yanwei, stood the faint silhouette of a xyn; it was ethereal and transparent, it’s edges only highlighted by a pure white.

“It’s a spirit,” said Pantalaimon. Without hesitation or fear, they stepped towards it, curious.

Troia wanted to pull them back, but her body could not move- frozen like ice and trembling. She had never knew it was possible that spirits had ever existed.

The spirit’s hollow eyes right into Pantalaimon’s and then at all of the xyns, forlorn, shaking it’s head sadly. As they did so, numerous other spirits materialized into view- equally as saddened as the first.

“Please… help us…” pleaded the first spirit. It spread a wing, silently, to demonstrate the destruction around the perimeter of the stone. 

One by one, the other spirits began to chime in- and each voice spoke with a grief.

“Two moons went silent… "

“No protection… no hope…”

“...Corruption came…”

“Took everything from us…”

“Lost all that was left…”

“Helpless… Couldn’t save… shrine…”

“We paid the price…”

“Everything turned black…” 

“Eyes... Crackled like lightning…”

 “Never saw… this kind of corruption… before…”

Some of the xyns in the crows recoiled, and huddled, frightened by what they heard. “We came to a graveyard, didn’t we?!” hissed one to another. “Are we next?” “What did the Clef Compasses lead us to?”

But one spirit’s voice resounded clearly above all of the others.

“Please help… us… clean… our home… we… can’t…”

“How horrible… but I understand why the compasses brought us here.” Pantalaimon furrowed their brows, and turned to address the crowd.

“Everyxyn! Please don’t be afraid. These spirits are scared- they don’t want to hurt you. Please, help us clean these ruins for them!” 

“I know deep in my heart that this is the reason why we were called here; and there’s something waiting for us if we can accomplish it." Pantalaimon continued. "Didn’t you feel it in your soul song? I know I did…”