After taking a moment to recompose yourself, you decide it best not to linger in this place any longer than you have to.

You thank the Grinning One for taking the time to share her knowledge with you, and bid her farewell, before making your way to the edge of town. Soon, you cross the gate to the Moonless Fields and, true to the information you were given, find them to be a veritable wasteland.

Before you, a completely flat and barren desert of coarse sand stretches into the horizon, without so much as a single stone in sight. Compass in hoof, and Moonflower at the front of the group, you begin your journey southward…

An hour's walk or so later, the town has long faded into the darkness behind you, and you find yourself surrounded by nothing but sand. You've made sure that your compass still works, and you've peeked through your lens of honesty a couple of times, but nothing seems abnormal. Just depressingly empty.

Rocket Rush: "So, any idea what this talking statue we're looking for is all about, and why it's somewhere called the Banished Lands of all places?"

Justice: "The oversized squirrel made it sound like it might be related to the philosopher's stone somehow, but nowhere in our history is it ever mentioned. I mean, of course it isn't. If anywhere, though, this realm seems like a suitable place for an artifact that wicked."

Rocket Rush: "No kidding. I like getting scared as much as the next pony, but with friends like that Grinning One, who needs enemies?"

You notice that Moonflower has been lost in thought for a while, so you try asking her if she is alright.

Moonflower: "Yuh uh. I'm just hopin' we can find a seed of the Yggdrasil tree when we get back. Ratatosk didn't seem too keen about it."

You promise to your friend that you won't return to Starfalls Town empty-hooved, and that seems to cheer her up, until her ears suddenly begin to twitch.

Moonflower: "Wait, I hear somethin' weird comin' from over there!"

You follow Moonflower's gaze just in time to see a shadow crawl out of the darkness, two red eyes glaring from within. Black smoke takes on the vague shape of a beast, moving swiftly in your party's direction, vanishing and reforming closer and closer. You immediately get the feeling of being chased.

Justice: "Isn't that—? That's a nightcrawler! We can't fight it without anti-magic, we have to run!"

Before you have any time to react, the monster's toothy maw opens wide, and it screeches a distorted noise so shrill that every hair on your body stands on end; a sound rivaling a thousand knives scraping ceramic plates all at once.

You clench your teeth and manage to fight through its dazing effect, but Rocket Rush isn't so lucky. Mechanical hooves covering her ears, she hits the ground, wincing. In an instant, the shadowy beast is upon her, ready to strike.