In the days leading up to the Star Festival, small stone shrines began to appear randomly throughout Destiny City–on rooftops, in alleyways, hidden down long forest paths. They’re small, altar-like platforms with a little bowl in the center and a single glowing stone inside. There’s something peaceful, refreshing, about the shrine, even if no one seems to know who is setting them. However, if the stone is removed, the glow vanishes–along with your sense of peace. This was not your offering to take. Immediately, you feel something breathing on the back of your neck but there’s nothing to be seen. Returning the stone returns the area to an uneasy stillness, but if you attempt to leave without returning the stone, a mounting pressure and anxiety will grow within you. You never make it far from the shrine before some unseen force overtakes you. It feels like a great force collides into your back, and unconsciousness is quick to follow. When you awaken, the shrine is gone. All that remains is pain and fear. If you are tempted to leave an offering of your own, however small, you will find yourself feeling as though you have received the protection of something greater than you can understand. This strange blanket of security will last for the remainder of the day. A shrine never stays in the same place for long but no one ever sees who is setting them up or taking them down.
The park was still fairly full of people, and as Hybris slowly passed through, he noted that a large clump of them were wearing similar tshirts. Some community even then, maybe, or a family reunion. Glowing lanterns filled the sky above the park in gentle curtains of light, a local aurora of their own making.
Turning away down a quieter path, he focused on his senses, hoping to come across another energy signature. Order hopefully, but maybe a member of the Negaverse wouldn't be too bad. The last few he'd met with had been helpful, and it had sounded like Eles's Laundry Cocaine general wasn't the type to frequent parks. What he found first, though, was a small stone shrine, just off the path.
A stone glowed at the center of its bowl, and as he nudged it, there came both an energy signature as well as an ominous sense that he was inviting trouble into his life of a far less charming variety than the one he shared his bed with, and that it would be best to leave well enough alone.
It was tempting to ******** with it and see what happened.
But for the moment, Hybris contented himself with waiting to see if that signature approached and wondered if he should try making the little shrine an offering instead.
Amor Remanet
