The final shrine was a vast redwood tree, stretching over a hundred meters tall. It clung tenaciously to the edge of the sinkhole, roots as thick as a human torso curling out into empty air while others anchored it to the remaining earth. By all logic, it looked like it should have tipped into the hole, and yet it stood steady. The actual shrine took the form of a hollow carved into trunk a few handspans wide and perhaps a meter high.
The skull of a stag, seemingly cast from liquid silver that gleamed in the moonlight in the moonlight was affixed to the wood just above of the hollow, which held a small shelf for offerings. Unlike the others, it was not damaged, merely neglected. The blank eye sockets stared down at her as she busied herself arranging the prepared offerings. Dried and treated fruits, a portion of cured meat, and other such knicknacks, meant to appease the spirit which presided over the place.
With everything in place, she carefully kneeled among the roots and lowered her head, offering the correct words of propitiation. It took time for the last of the hostile air to fade, but when she opened her eyes, the offerings were gone, save for a few scraps.
She carefully swept those back into the bag, letting out a breath of satisfaction now that the job was done. As she turned around though, she froze.
Behind barely three meters away, there loomed a massive shadow, great many pointed horns curved into the air, gleaming with the light of the moon meters above her head. One did not normally think of a deer as a frightening animal, but the massive black furred mountain of muscle, more than three times her height at the shoulder, certainly put the lie to that. The potent mass of its qi, a match for what she felt in Zeqing's storms put to rest any other doubts.
She stared into the creatures silver eyes for a few horrifying seconds as it bent its neck to peer at her, nostrils flaring as it scented her. Slowly, almost mechanically, she clapped her hands together and bowed her head in silent respect. What else could she do at this point?
Moments ticked by while Ling Qi tried to calm her nerves. She had not made any mistakes, she would be fine. It was difficult to to flinch when she felt the spirit beasts breath on her face, felt her hair fluttering in the breeze it kicked up as it snorted, but then it was gone. The weight of its presence vanished, and she heard a soft thump as something landed at her feet.
She opened her eyes, seeing nothing but the ragged landscape of fallen trees, and four deep depressions in the earth in the shape of hooves. She glanced down, and found a small wooden cube covered in complex silver patterns. Carefully picking it up, she found that the silver lines picked out dozens of tiny wood slats, some of which moved when pushed.
She had seen puzzle boxes before, but never one so complex. On its side though, covering the largest solid piece, was a black circle chased in white. The sign of the new moon. Ling Qi peered around, but she still alone. Perhaps Xin was still looking out for her?
