Kaos, the name of the newest threat to peace on Helovia. Not that peace was all that common to begin with - if anything, having a monumental threat unified the herds more than ever before. A common goal, a common enemy did wonders for promoting herd co-operation and unity - though it came at great expense (there was no putting a value on the very lives of others, was there?).

Volterra had cautioned her about exploring the lands alone, had warned her of this new threat, but Amaris was a scholar if nothing else - she wanted to know more about this threat, she wanted to learn and understand and simply know what it was, who it was, where it was. So she explored, she investigated, she got out there and she learned whatever she could.

Which wasn't much, really.

Amaris was never alone, not truly - Dramyrth, a constant hum on her mind, a comforting presence against her very soul, explored with her, scouting from the skies above, sending her images and feedback constantly on the world that surrounded them. With him, she hardly felt like she was blatantly ignoring Volterra's advice and seeking out "danger" intentionally.

'It's a wasteland,' she thought idly, looking over the Marsh - the same land her mother had ventured into all those years ago, during the great darkness. Why was it that the Spectral Marsh attracted such events, such disasters? Sprectral in itself suggested something relating to ghosts or otherworldly creatures, and at that thought, a blue spirit came into existence.

The dragonmare's magic was not always voluntary, and Dramyrth huffed grumpily as the blue dragon danced on the heady air before them. Amaris tread carefully through the Marsh, smiling wryly at both her companion and the spirit's antics as she went - if anything, the 'background noise' helped her to concentrate, to notice curious details and come to conclusions she otherwise would not have ventured.

A mare, ahead, was inspecting a great obelisk - a monument, an altar. Dramyrth announced their presences with a soft coo, a gentle song (he had been practising his many different songs, you see), before flying closer to the structure to investigate it for himself. The blue spirit who drifted eerily near Amaris simply illuminated Amaris' path for her as she approached.

"Hello," she said quietly, nodding to the curiously web-featured belle (she was reminded hauntingly of Lace, but did not allow that thought too much purchase in her mind), before returning her gaze to the obelisk. "Do you know what this is?" she asked, genuine curiosity colouring her tones - the other seemed quite keen to get up close and personal with the altar; Amaris was perfectly content to stay back.

Amaris