Entranced, Liri followed Caitlyn outside the building.

The courtyard was empty, covered in a cold blanket of darkness thrown over the courtyard. There was no one outside, save for a few distant guards on some tall guard posts, looking out the walls.

Hugging herself, Liri watched as Caitlyn stopped just a few meters in front of her.

The elf kept looking ahead, for a time. Liri couldn't keep her eyes from running down her slender back, though it was hard to see much in the dark.

Caitlyn made it easier, though, as she turned toward Liri and took a few steps forward. Her green eyes almost felt like they were glowing in the dark. There was a smirk on her face as she narrowed her eyes at the ven and closed the gap between them.

"Liri..."

"Y-Yeah?"

[Why is my heart beating so fast?]

Caitlyn got too close. So close that Liri could see herself in her eyes.

She placed thin fingers on Liri's shoulders, looking back at her with worry.

"Liri," she said. "You are so... so strong," she whispered. "Are you truly going to choose to do nothing with this strength?"

It didn't take much thought to figure out what this was about.

Liri had made her position quite clear after that meeting with the Elders. Sure, if the God-King was below 4000 Soul Rating there was a chance that Liri would be able to beat him in combat. Doing so would bring this conflict to a quick and sudden end. The problem was that Liri had no idea what the man's strength was. Because of that, she'd arrived at the conclusion that it simply was not worth it to fight humanity as she was now.

If she found herself face to face with the God-King and he ended up being stronger than she could handle, well...

Alteria would have to find herself another "hero" to bring into this world.

"I-I'm sorry, but I can't just go around getting into random fights," Liri said, taking a step back. In doing so, Caitlyn's hands fell from her shoulders. "I can't risk my life like that."

Caitlyn's concerned expression gave way to one that was a little more on the angered side of the spectrum.

"Fighting for my home constitutes a 'random' fight?" Caitlyn asked.

"I sympathize with what you've been through, I-I get it," Liri told her. "I had my home burned to the ground. I know what it's like to have a place you love get stolen away from you. But..."

"But you still choose to do nothing? Even though you're as powerful as you are?"

"Cait, in Diosia, when we were escaping, I had the element of surprise on my side," Liri explained. "I was only able to win because those guys, the Inquisitors, had no idea how strong I actually was. If they all had come at me cautiously, and respectfully, I probably would have just lost."

"You say that, but you beat them so easily if I recall correctly."

"But, now, they know what they're up against," Liri reasoned. "Chances are, they're probably sending a lot of other Inquisitors to Diosia as we speak. If I was to fight them again, I don't know whether I'd be able to win or not."

Predictably, Caitlyn wasn't too fond of the words she heard.

Liri didn't take any of it back, though. Seeing this settlement, speaking to the people here, and recalling what Alteria had told her was her objective had all formed a few ideas in Liri's mind.

And going back to Diosia to maybe, possibly, free a handful of elvish prisoners still left alive didn't factor into any of those plans she was concocting.

"So, are you a coward then?" Caitlyn asked. "The simple fact that you may lose means it isn't even worth it to try and save some lives? Before I met you, my family had been on their knees in Diosia's gallows, waiting for their turn to hang until I came and got them out myself. I am by no means powerful or strong, and yet I did that."

"Because they were your family," Liri said. "And, if my family was stuck in Diosia right now, I wouldn't be talking to you. I'd be running there to get them out as soon as possible. But..." Liri looked away, too guilty to meet Caitlyn's eyes but not guilty enough to stop herself from saying, "our families aren't there right now, though. Are they?"

Caitlyn opened her mouth to speak but no words came out.

"I'm sorry," Liri told her. "I don't know if I'll be able to give you your home back. But," she said, brightening her tone a little, "I promise. I will fix things. Or, at least, I'll try. Marching into Diosia and picking a fight isn't the best way to do that, though."

Caitlyn shook her head.

Liri, unable to handle the pressure from her green eyes, turned around and walked away.

[... I'll try,] she promised. [I'll try to save us. The ven, the drasen, and the elves. But, this can't be the right way. It's too dangerous.]

---

The following morning, Liri stood at the gates leading out from the settlement.

"So, these Mother Trees... they do what, exactly?" Elder Siran asked.

"Um, they heal the earth. Nature," Liri explained. "There are a few nearby. Trust me, you'll see what I mean once I get them up and running again."

"Right... When will you be back?" She asked.

"Hopefully, by the end of the day. Um... About my 'offer'," Liri said, blushing a little, "could you, ehm, tally up the people who agree?"

Siran cleared her throat.

"I will do so... I don't imagine there will be too many willing, uh... 'participants', but there may be some."

"That's fine!" Liri said as Arisa stood next to her.

From the entrance to the prison building, Caitlyn stood, watching Liri with annoyance. Liri felt some guilt, but she didn't regret her choice. This was, as far as she could tell, the best course of action.

"Okay," she turned toward Arisa. "Let's head out!"

Little did she know that this very act would change those plans she thought of drastically. It was what came to her mind at the time, though, and she stuck with it.