She desperately wanted to be the one to go find Laell but contrary to what most people think, she did know a thing or two about social graces. She stayed invisible in Shade form to inspect the stranger that had appeared to save them - Verne announced curtly that he would find their runist, leaving the three of them in awkward silence.

Aris noted how different the person’s solute was. If she had to describe it, it would be that the color seemed deeper. It had a dark blue hue to it but ‘looked’ to have more contrast than the surrounding Great Solvent. “So who is this?” she muttered in what she hoped to be close to Ral’s ear.

“It’s Mikol.” Ral didn’t even bother lowering his tone. She could hear the barely contained rage in his voice. He had told her about the Somas he had grown close to during his time in the desert. The same one that ultimately betrayed him during a crucial moment.

As fascinating as it would be to study what a Yscian solute looked like and how it differs from a Gaian’s, Ral was more important.

“What is a desert dweller doing so far north?” she asked, still in Shade form.

“A ghost speaks,” the Yscian said in accented Standard Gaian. He did not sound afraid in the slightest.

“I’m a lyssiin, yes,” Aris replied. “A ghost.”

“Lyssiin? Maybe you mean Iilyssan. Small difference in sound, from different Yscians. Where did you learn this?”

Aris ignored his question. “Are you here to break my brother’s heart again?”

“Ralos’s sister is a ghost?” Mikol sounded amused now. “He did say he feared you.”

“As should you.” Aris materialized in approximately the spot between Mikol and her brother, hopefully facing the Ysican. She pulled off the bandages from her face and showed the crusted mess of her eyes. She then disappeared again and reappeared (in what she hoped to be) immediately in front of Mikol, her hands sliding in place over his face and digging her nails in. “Because unlike him, I won’t hesitate to kill you.”

Aris watched with satisfaction that his solute shook and his body tensed under her clutch.

“I suggest you start thinking about how to redeem yourself,” she whispered down to him.

“I understand, small moon,” he said in a quiet voice.

Aris was about to give him a piece of her mind for using the overly familiar nickname, but she spotted the approach of Verne and Laell, joined by a third familiar solute: Rask. She stepped back from the Yscian. “I’m done threatening him,” she said over her shoulder to Ral. “If you need help burying a body in a shallow grave I can help.”

“A-aris!” Laell was breathless and came to her side. “Is t-that - ?”

“Yeah,” Aris looked thoughtfully at where Rask would be approaching. “The captain is here?”

“I am,” Rask said. When he got close enough she felt him ruffle her hair. She gave a sour look at his general direction. “You look a lot better.”

“Yes, not dying is a good look on me. Are you going to tell me it’s a coincidence that you’re at the same place as this Yscian?”

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“No, it’s not a coincidence. He found me a handful of days ago. Saved me, actually.”

“I look for the Freerunner to find Ralos,” Mikol said. “We need to talk.”

“Ral, you don’t need to do anything,” Aris said heatedly. She felt Rask gently pat her on the shoulder and Laell’s hand tugging her arm back.

“Little moon. I’ll stay with Ralos to see what his friend has to say. It may be useful for you to go with Laell to look over the enchanting circle… or what remains of it.”

Aris crossed her arms. “You’re parenting us.”

“Of course, I’ve done it before.” Rask sounded amused.

“You could never with me,” Aris smirked back.

“No,” Rask tousled her hair again. “That was Nilda’s job.”

Mentioning Nilda took the wind out of her sails. It cooled Aris off enough to understand the Freerunner spent much more time with Ral, and so would know how best to protect him. She tugged at Laell’s hand and turned to Shade form to follow the runist around what remains of the settlement.

Aris quietly summarized who Mikol was to Laell, leaving out the more private details she wasn’t sure Ral wanted people to know. But by the way the runist was murmuring in acknowledgment, it was probably obvious.

“Your brother is s-smart,” Laell said reassuringly. They were still speaking quietly but Aris had the impression they were far enough so the other couldn’t hear.

Aris snorted. “Really?”

“He is, a-and so is Verne, who is his friend. And so is your Freerunner,” Laells said. “Don’t worry.”

They spent the next few moments trying to record what remains of the enchanting circle that summoned the Gate. Laell said that somebody poured blood and drew out runes in the middle of the field - a technique that was incredibly difficult. But given the amount of blood that would be used, it would result in a very powerful spell. However debris, footprints and the remains of their fight ruined most of the enchantment.

It was similar through Aris’s ‘sight’ - though some runes glimmered in existence, the schematic was mostly ruined. They did the best they could in recording down what they could see.

“Na, lou, poh and yu runes,” Laell muttered.

“No, I think that’s a yo rune,” Aris said.

“Y-yes, the soil warped it…”

“You like men, right?” Aris suddenly asked. They still spoke in hushed tones so the others wouldn’t hear.

“Uh… why?”

“Is the Yscian good looking?”

Laell spluttered for way too long before failing to give a proper answer.

“Laell, it’s a simple question.”

“It’s my first t-time meeting a Y-yscian,” Laell hissed back. “H-how should I know?”

“The Yscians procreated with Gaians to make Caelisians, you know. People like me and Ral. We’re not so different,” Aris said a-matter-of-factly. She then sighed. “Maybe you’re the wrong person to ask. You think Camaz is good looking.”

“I d-d-do not!” There was a clapping sound and muffled groans of despair.

“You do avoid him nowadays, but back then out east? I could tell even when I’m blind and in pain.”

“Oh Parts have m-mercy.”

“You should just tell him,” Aris said. “He’s painfully single.”

“I’m t-too young for him,” Laell said quietly after a stretch of silence. “I’m n-not much older than you.”

Aris snorted. “So? Noblemen often have lovers and wives half their age.”

“Why a-are we even talking about this,” Laell muttered. “Let’s finish recording t-the runes.”

Bringing Camaz into the conversation and teasing Laell was just a distraction - an attempt for Aris to stop wondering if Ral will allow himself to be manipulated again. A distraction over how the fight they just won could have gone very poorly. But maybe it was cruel of her to bring up Camaz at all. Aris sighed.

She had no right to tell Laell how to navigate relationships when she couldn’t handle one simple friendship.