Quiet talking filled the time as they journeyed northeast. Rask spent much of their time explaining what he reasoned out over his time helping Sansre and the surrounding area. While initially there were signs of enchantments used to open Gates, months afterwards they spotted more Gates that were not associated with runes.

“It feeds into the theory that Gates are all natural occurrences,” Rask said. “Not helpful at all. People would rather believe that their fellow Gaians are completely innocent. It will be hard to convince them otherwise.”

“Is it possible these Bringers found a way to open a Gate without runes?”

“It would be devastating if that was true,” Rask said. “But I don’t believe that’s the case. The Bringers try to target more populated areas. Naturally forming Gates are appearing in very isolated areas, almost at random. Although it seems like a sacrifice of some sort is still required. In each instance a corpse is found at the scene.”

Ral considered Ankle’s brief tutorial on closing a Gate - the act of holding and crushing a solute. “Perhaps a solute is required for it, specifically,” he said slowly. He glanced at the fire they sat around. Night was falling and they made a very bare-bones camp. “Like fuel is needed for fire to burn. The Gate opening itself looks almost like black fire. Perhaps solute is the fuel needed to keep it open.”

“That makes sense. But then how to explain Gates forming by themselves?”

“The god, or thing on the other side of the Gate.” Ral suddenly remembered with a chill. “Do you think they have the ability to open Gates themselves?”

“If that was true, they would have taken you long ago,” Rask said, frowning and crossing his arms. “Why go through all that trouble in Alkkes? It seems like Bringers were needed to both open the gate, capture you and bring you to it.”

“So its abilities are limited, “ Ral agreed. “Could it have something to do with the location? Something to do with Caelis?”

Rask shook his head, explaining how his investigations had concluded nothing. He was focused on humanitarian efforts, as were Sansre’s resources. “We’re too far out for the Heart or the Academy to send any real aid,” Rask said. “That was the initial purpose of Caelis - to represent the Gaian empire at such a remote location. But now with everyone gone…”

Rask didn’t need to elaborate. As a boy, Ral was confused at how the emperor had abandoned them. But after traveling for many years with and without Rask, he can sort of see the reasoning. It would be a waste of soldiers and resources to fight for a lost cause so far away from the Heart of the empire. It didn’t mean Ral had to like the reason.

They continued their journey towards what Ral remembered as home. Green increasingly painted the landscape the more they walked. Rask was able to find more foraged foods and Ral found an abundance of game once grass and trees became more commonplace.

“Can’t believe you can do that with your bare hands,” Rask once muttered, eyeing the dead pheasant Ral caught and was cleaning so that they could cook it.

“They seem slower than normal,” Ral said.

“No, Ralos, it’s you that’s faster than normal,” Rask chuckled. “It seems you learned a lot with the Somas.”

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Ral fell silent, pretending to focus on preparing their dinner.

“Not everyone likes us,” Rask said. He seemed to have remembered everything Ral told him about the Somas with crystal clearness. “Just like how we don’t always appreciate the moon or the sun. Perhaps it’s too bright or too hot. There isn’t a thing in this world that everyone will like.”

“I understand. I’ve also accepted that,” Ral said. He flicked away the remnants of the gutted pheasant more forcefully than intended. “But to feign friendship and then discard me like I never existed? Who does that?” For once Ral let the hurt edge into his voice.

“It sounds like it was more than friendship between you and this Mikol,” Rask said softly.

“Does that even matter?” Ral snapped.

“Yes because it’s why it hurt you so deeply,” the freerunner said. “It’s why you can’t let it go. Not that I’m telling you to, he wasn’t very kind to betray you.”

“Yes, and for something I would have given him,” Ral said. “Why couldn’t he understand that?”

Thankfully Rask didn’t prod any further about Mikol. In the days afterwards, their conversations about the Somas became purely technical in regards to their philosophy on manus abilities. Ral regurgitated everything he could remember Bette teaching him - about stillness and control, about the burst of energy.

He took out the staff Rask gave him every day and practiced using it. The user had to change the shape of the metallic tip by coaxing it via the runes on the staff.

“That’s the hardest part,” Rask said. “The rest would be intuitive for you as a manus user.”

Activating runes were difficult for Ral while he remembered it being second nature to Aris. It secretly made him jealous back then, that his sister could easily memorize runes and make enchantments off the top of her head. He smiled down at the staff, the tiny runes etched at the metal tips glowing as he tried to form a spike. She would probably be laughing at him right now.

“I wonder what the little moon is doing,” he said softly.

“Perhaps in danger,” Rask said. Ral looked up, alarmed. The dull spike he managed to coax out immediately disappeared. “The Bringers found you. What’s to say they wouldn’t find your sister?”

“She’s in the Academy. They’ll protect her there, especially that professor Mother wanted her to stay with.” Ral said all this mostly to himself. He thought of his unsettling dream of her. The way she cried. The way she murdered an infant. Was any of that real?

“No, I received word that she left,” Rask said.

“She left the Academy?”

“Yes, Professor Camaz left no indication he knew where she was going, just that she left. Perhaps he was hoping I would know,” Rask huffed.

Perhaps the little moon was just as lost as the little sun. The thought sobered Ral. “Should I go find her?” he suddenly asked.

“Would it be wise to have both of you in the same place for the Bringers to find you?” Rask asked. “Or perhaps it’s wise to gather your strengths together. The two of you always wreaked havoc together quite easily, even as toddlers.”

Ral snorted but he had to agree. He’s heard many lengthy tales on how their antics gave Rask headaches. Funny he never remembered Nilda ever complaining. “Then it sounds like a sort of plan,” he said. “After we finish aiding the people in Sansre, may I go find my sister?”

There was a strange silence and Ral turned to see Rask had stopped in his tracks to stare at him. “You do understand you’re not a child anymore, Ralos?” Rask said. He gave a small smile, one that Ral thought looked pained. “You’re to live your own life. You never have to ask me for permission anymore.”

“Right.”

You’re not a child anymore, Ralos. For some reason the words made his stomach turn. He knew he wasn’t a child anymore but having Rask say it to him made him feel it in his bones. If he stood with proper posture he found himself two finger’s breadth taller than the freerunner. He wasn’t a child anymore. That realization should grant freedom, liberation.

Instead Ral felt more lost than ever.