There were too many questions on Rin's mind. She didn't know where to start.

Thankfully, Sara helped out in that regard.

"What are you doing here?" The woman asked with ice coating every syllable, her sword looming over Ava's neck.

"I was going to make Rin an offer," she replied. "No, I was not going to attack her, I did not come to harm anyone."

"It's a little hard to believe you when you snuck in like some kind of creep!" Eve stated.

"If I meant to hurt her, wouldn't it have made more sense to come with a weapon or two?" Ava replied, pulling her robes up to show she wasn't carrying anything.

"Mages exist," Sara responded.

"Indeed," Ava replied just as quickly. "And, my offer has to do with some magic, yes. I did come with the intention of casting a spell if Rin agreed."

That statement did not do much to lessen the girls' caution. But, curious, Rin wanted to see what exactly she wanted.

"Explain."

It was then, prompted by that order, that Ava delivered a statement that shook the very foundations of Rin's reality.

All, with just four simple words.

"Your brother is alive."

The room went quiet. Sara, Eve, Xhez, all their eyes fell on Rin.

"What?"

Your brother is alive," she reiterated, "and I know where he is."

"..."

Rin's mind went completely blank. Out of everything Ava could have said at that moment, that statement was probably at the bottom of the list of what Rin expected. It was impossible. Unbelievable. And yet, Ava's face was straight and firm, as though she actually expected Rin to believe the crap that had just come out of her mouth.

For a moment, she wondered if maybe she was dreaming this. If she'd fallen asleep, perhaps, and all of this was just the product of a tired, hopeful mind.

If it was, she was having a hard time getting this dream to end.

"What do you mean?" Rin asked, her lips quivering once.

"Can I stand up already!?" Ava countered.

Sara, who kept that blade hovering over Ava's throat, looked at her and Rin nodded, letting the woman stand.

Dusting herself off, Ava said:

"I can take you to him."

Yet another statement that felt world-breaking to Rin. However, one that could be tested in a more immediate fashion.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Deciding to challenge this notion, Rin replied:

"Alright. Let's go, then. What are we waiting for?"

Ava sighed.

"No, no. We can't just walk to his location."

"Why not?"

"Because he wouldn't exactly want me showing anyone how to get to him," Ava replied. "He's not missing. He's in hiding. Taking you to him that way would defeat the purpose of being in hiding."

Rin did not like how that sounded at all. She also had to wonder if this woman was actually telling the truth or not. If Tristan really was alive, well, he'd have a lot to answer for. But, what Rin was most worried about was...

"So, how do you plan to take me to him then?" Rin asked.

"I would teleport you to his position," Ava replied. "I would go with you, of course."

Which was exactly the answer Rin did not want to hear.

She inhaled sharply, staring Ava down. Those words hung in the air for a little while longer before Rin asked:

"Do you happen to work for the Mages Guild too?"

"The Ma- no," Ava shook her head. "No, I learned this spell from someone else."

[That's the worst answer you could have given me,] Rin thought, trying not to let her feelings show. [So... Then, Tristan...]

For his sake, Rin truly was hoping that Ava was lying.

If he was alive, Rin had a few reasons not to be too happy upon seeing him.

"Anyway," Ava continued. "I can teleport you to him. I already sent him a letter earlier telling him that I would try to convince you to go see him."

[So, he would be expecting me?]

"Uh, Rin," Eve said, flying over to her. She whispered, "this all sounds pretty damn shady... What should we do?"

"Do you have any evidence that he's alive? Anything to back up what you're saying?" Rin asked.

"I do," Ava responded confidently. "He anticipated that you wouldn't be so trusting, after all. After I sent him my letter, in the one he sent back to me, he told me to tell you that the 21st of July has been an especially hard day for him these past 3 years, as he had to celebrate these days alone. That you'd know what he meant by that."

Eve raised a brow.

"What...?"

As she looked over at Rin, she failed to finish asking her question.

Rin was visibly shaken.

"Dad's birthday..." She muttered so quietly that only Eve heard her.

"Crap..." The fairy muttered as well. "So, she's probably not lying, then."

Therein lay the problem, for a few reasons.

Such as, but not limited to:

[It's probably safe to assume Tristan knows the {Teleportation} spellsign too, then. But, if he does, why wouldn't he come here on his own? He could have just popped up in the night like Ava did. If he didn't, it's probably because...]

Rin bit the insides of her cheeks out of anger.

"But, still, this-"

"Okay," Rin said, suddenly. "Okay. Here's what we're going to do," she clapped her hands. "Eve, Sara. I'm going to go with her."

Sara's eyes widened. Eve pulled back like she'd just been insulted.

"But..."

RIn cut her off, pulling the fairy and Sara closer.

She then whispered:

"This is probably a trap. I know. But, look, I brought a messenger bird with me. As soon as I find out where I am, I'm going to send it here to let you know. If I don't... Well," Rin gave Sara a dark glance. "You know where she works. She ever shows up again, you cut her in half."

Seeing the conviction in Rin's eyes, Sara nodded.

"I understand."

"Okay," Rin turned back around toward Ava. "I'll go. But, I'm not going alone. Xhez," Rin finally turned to the sprite who'd been looking at her this whole time like she'd grown a second head.

"Unfortunately, the teleportation rune isn't big enough for-"

"Xhez can get smaller. It's fine."

On cue, Rin put Xhez's bag in front of herself and Xhez jumped up, shrinking in the air and falling into it.

Ava had certainly not expected any of this. And she did not look happy about it at all.

"What?" Rin asked. "Me having a little bit of backup isn't going to be a problem, right?"

Ava did look uncomfortable, but she rejected that notion, saying:

"Not at all. Tell me when you're ready."

"Alright. Give me a moment to change, then."

With her travel bag in hand, she walked over to the bathroom.

Here, Rin tried to calm herself down.

Only slightly, though. She needed to keep her guard up, after all.

[I'm gonna have to change into my fighting gear. The {Teleportation} spell was made by the Mages Guild, and, as far as I know, there's only one other group that can use it. If Tristan is with them...]

Rin's hands balled up into fists. Her knuckles cracked.

[Then this isn't gonna be a very happy reunion, is it?]