Ulra was her name Ulra of the Uikega tribe. Her musket at her side as she led a very eager Private Haci through the ranger roads, slowly defending down to the forest floor amongst the roots of the Nuua trees where the smaller, shade loving plants dwelt.

Haci's rifle hovered close by as well. The woods held their own dangers. He was reasonably cautious.

"Where are we going?" He asked her as he leapt over a rotten log.

She gave him a sweet smile. "Anywhere, really. There's lots of places around Dunee. We have deep ponds, caves, canyons, a couple grottos, some remnants of Der are scattered all over, and..."

"Der?" Gasped the young soldier, his eyes sparkling. "I've heard of the artifacts, but I didn't think we were so near to some."

"Ooh, then I have something to show you," she perked her ears up and took off. "Keep up."

Easy enough. While Haci didn't know the woods well, he was still fresh from training and at the peak of performance. He was just a little clumsier than her.

A few mintues later he burst from between a path betwixt the roots of one of the grand trees and into a small clearing where a few rays of the sun shined through the canopy above upon a cracked stone cylinder from which sprouted the twisted roots of the tree that wound through its center.

Its leaves were tiny, nearly microscopic and packed, and its branches are elegantly positioned, as if once cared for by a loving gardener.

All around it were stones and pebbles, appearing to have been pulled up from the ground itself.

"There are several scattered around the area," Ulra commmented as she began to circle it with a smile at the bard's expression. "My father calls then Der Darts, because he saw a few of them fall from the sky amidst the moon's destruction as a fawn. Says the trees acted as fletching on an arrow, allowing them to land right side up."

"Wow," Haci said intelligently as he stepped closer and touched it. "A piece of Der. Its beautiful."

"Notice the triangles," Ulra pointed out at the remnants of a design on the pot. "We use it a lot in our daily lives because of these artifacts."

Haci was silent a moment more before circling around to stand beside the jest. "Thank you. May I see the other ones?"

"Of course," she assured him with a chuckle. Then she frowned and began sniffing the air. "Do you smell smoke?"

Indeed he did.

The two sa followed the scent until they came upon a small area a short ways from the artifact where a small plume of smoke arose above flowing embers.

"Hello?" Haci asked to the surrounding area. He hefted his rifle when no response was forthcoming.

Ulra was more relaxed. "I wouldnt worry much. This has been happening for months before the thing appeared in the sky."

"Random burning of plants?" The soldier inquired as he examined the scorch mark. It looked as though someone had dumped a bucket of hot coals upon a random plant.

A little overkill, and more than odd.

"I'll report it to the rangers when we get back," Ulra sighed as she shook her head. "Someone out here has a thing for lighting fires where they shouldn't. We can eliminate the rest of the village as suspects now, since they are all gone. Which only leaves us rangers, the sheriffs... Or someone else we're unaware of out here."

"I thought the rangers knew everything in the area," Haci said as he gave the surrounding foliage a suspicious look.

"Someone simply knows it better," Ulra shrugged. She kicked some moist dirt over the embers and began walking. "Come along, we've got plenty of artifacts for you to look at."

Wordlessly, Haci followed her.

When they were gone, a small lump in the foliage rose up and checked scorched section of dirt with careful eyes.

Satisfied, it slunk off in the opposite direction.