{Rin}

[Hm... We turned right here... surely.]

As Rin tried, somewhat unconfidently, to make her way back to the pond where she and Xhez had found Saria, her mind wandered.

First, she thought of the poor fools she'd just defeated. How would things have gone if she had spoken to them? If she'd tried to tell them that there was very little difference between the sprite they had captured and a regular person?

Well, when it came to many of them, anyway. Rin could still remember what happened when she and Xhez had run into that other sprite during her team mission. If all of the sprites these people had met were like that one, maybe it would have been a tough thing to sell them on. Then again, the fact that Vortell and Saria could talk should have been a clear indicator. Apparently, they didn't care too much about that, though.

After that, her mind suddenly went somewhere she hadn't expected it to. It happened as she roamed around some strangely familiar-looking woods and remembered that she was currently walking through the area just outside the Scorned's cave. The place where she'd been teleported to.

It sent chills down her spine to think about the fact that their faction was potentially quite close by. She had no desire to see, or hear about them, again, unless it was in the context of seeing their tombstones or hearing about their complete destruction.

Eventually, however, as the sun hung on the horizon, Rin finally returned to the pond she and Xhez had departed from, spotting her friend sitting by the edge with her two mothers, their legs submerged in the water.

Breathing a subtle sigh of relief, Rin approached them.

"Hey."

That simple word prompted Xhez's head to snap up. She saw Rin and smiled a little.

"You are back," Xhez noted. "The humans. Are they...?"

"Getting away from them was easy enough, Rin stated.

For a moment, she sensed disappointment coming from Xhez, but Rin's eyes then drifted away from her.

"Is she alright?" Rin asked, her eyes landing on the hunched-over sprite to Xhez's left. Vortell appeared quite tired.

"Yes, yes, she... She needs some water. She's been out in the sun for a while."

"Right..." Rin replied, nodding.

Vortell looked at her as well, though her eyes did not quite hold the same warmth that Xhez's did. Rin figured she couldn't blame her for that. Still, she said:

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"According to Xhez, it was only because of you that I am safe now. Thank you."

"No, I didn't do much," Rin waved off her gratitude. "But, you're welcome."

"No, I..." Vortell looked at her daughter. "I have been thinking that it came to my mind that if Xhez had been with us when we had encountered these humans and you had never met her... Would it have been she who was taken?" As she posed that hypothetical question, she looked away from her daughter's eyes and back at Rin. "I do not believe we would be able to rescue her as you two rescued me if that was the case. So, again, thank you for being her..." She struggled to say it, but soon forced out: "her friend."

It was touching to hear that. Rin chuckled, somewhat embarrassed.

"It was no problem, really. But, uh, what are you gonna do now?" She asked. "You're not staying here, right?"

"No, no. Of course, not." Vortell was quick to ease Rin's concern. "We sprites are nomadic creatures. We remained here because it was the last place where we spoke to Xhez. We knew her memory would take her back here, was she to come looking for us. But, now... Maybe it is time to look for new waters."

"Where are you thinking of going?" Xhez asked.

"Maybe we could ask the Bright Ones to let us stay with them for a time," Vortell pitched. "They might agree."

"The Bright Ones?" Rin asked, raising a brow. "Who are they?"

"Do you...? I am surprised a human does not know of them," Vortell noted. "The Bright Ones are enigmatic creatures. Older than sprites, but not older than humans. Their existence is difficult to explain, but one could say they are like sentient beacons of life. They also happen to be quite kind to sprites, so, we see them whenever we can."

"I have never heard of sprites living with them. Will they accept us?" Saria asked.

"Maybe. I believe it is worth a try, at the very least. If they do not, then... We shall return here temporarily. Just so that Xhez may find us again next time she wishes to visit us."

"I...!" Energetically, Xhez opened her mouth as though to say something, but she then gave Rin a look and closed her mouth. Rin wondered what she wanted to say, but, it seemed like Vortell had some idea.

"You have done a wonderful job taking care of our daughter, it seems. Please, continue to be as kind to her as you have been."

"Uh..."

Rin blinked. She was caught off-guard. Up until now, she'd been worried her time with the sprite might come to an end soon, but, it seemed as though those concerns were unfounded.

"We should stay with you till tomorrow, though," Xhez said. "If those barbarians come looking for you again, we will be ready. And, well, I did come to visit you," Xhez added with a smile. "I have a lot that I would like to share."

"Is that so?" Vortell asked with a smile of her own. "Maybe a few stories is exactly what I need to get my mind off those humans. Rin," she turned toward the human, "if I am not mistaken, you do not do as well in the cold as we do, right? You might want to make a fire for the night."

"Oh, shoot. You're right."

With that, Rin walked away from the pond for a little while, intent on finding a few things to make a camp with.

---

{Xhez}

The day came to a cozy end, with the sprites resting in the pond and Rin outside, laid down by a tree with the remains of a small fire a couple of meters next to her.

A lot happened, but it was done. Vortell was safe, and now Xhez could enjoy the time she'd earned with her mothers.

But... she was unsatisfied.

There was a reason she had not yet joined the others in their sleep.

She couldn't shake the dark thoughts. The thoughts that had entered her mind the moment she'd seen the parts of her mother's head where her hair had been ripped out.

Anger simmered under her skin until, as the moon hovered over her head like a lamppost from Libera shining its light down on her, Xhez began walking away from the camp.

She did so with one singular intention.

To see those humans once again. The ones who had tortured her mother. The ones who Rin implied were still alive.

As far as Xhez was concerned, their business was not yet settled.