I could remember now the thrill of battle and how it had coerced me from my quiet bed in order to rise toward the sun, to challenge the fool Bucephalus. Clearly his fall from fame was warranted, because he certainly hadn’t returned. His words had been so biting, so self-assured, that I found it humorous that Ghost had filled the vacancy I’d left behind. Women from the Falls were not specimens to jest with or threaten- we took what we wanted with the skill and tact of more seasoned authorities (or at least where Ghost was concerned). I doubted my own wayward abilities to act rationally when my heart was involved.

While distracted by images of the scuffle between myself and the Sleuth before me, I nearly missed Ghost’s approval of my training request. I wanted nothing more than become efficient where I’d once been merely conceited. After all, if one put in the time then they would reap the benefits, would they not? That’s what I hoped would become of my efforts, so long as the Cadaverous was willing to mentor me in the way of her arts and obvious skill. That’s a job that I would love nothing more than to assist with. We’re a minority it seems and I’d like to see our numbers grow,” I answered with obvious determination. “We’re surrounded by warriors here it seems, but it wouldn’t hurt to give them a helping hand.” It was certainly the truth. In the time I’d come and gone, only to return again, I’d noticed the certainty in the way the residents of the Throat carried themselves. They were strong, undeniably so, and trained to craft and wield objects of war. It was only right that whoever I collected for their ranks had at least as much heart as those who’d welcomed me.

The Cadaverous was moving on quickly, being careful to note that our alliances were pertinent to our skill. However, the information left little to the imagination and I wondered what kind of allegiances we carried… What of the Falls? The Edge? The Basin? It seemed like an important matter that needed to be discussed and so I vowed to find the time to question an individual of the right authority in order to nail down any ties we shared with the lands beyond. I hadn’t any reason to go about stealing precious items for the sake of entertainment, but if the day ever arose, at least I could be prepared. “I’ll make no attempts without your permission.”

Yet, my musings were quickly swayed at the mention of the rifts. According to Ghost, the God of the Earth had claimed they were settled, packed away into a neat little corner where they would hopefully die in peace. I was still skeptical about them though- still curious as to whether or not the God spoke true. I nodded lightly toward her comment, but didn’t have the reason enough to speak for it. Even when she admitted that the vial that hung about her neck had been received as a gift from the obvious rift wars, I could not find the words to justify or understand it all. It was a piece in her timeline that would never find a place in mine… and that was just that.

As we stood alongside each other, both euphoric and perhaps a bit thoughtful about my return, her own ability to make it happen, and everything in between, I listened to her tales. She too had been struck by the pains of invasion and she too had been lost for a time. Together we were sisters for those reasons and for the second time I vowed never to leave her again… She was indeed a friend that I’d made for life, perhaps the only friend I’d ever made alongside Elsa. I was glad… so very glad that we had found our way back to one another. Ghost may have laughed, perhaps relieved, perhaps regretful, but I was still grateful for the fates. “I am too… Trust me, I am.”