Two loud voices could be heard in the midst of an argument even through the natural muffling of the stone door and insulated wooden walls.

“Why can’t you understand that I won’t accept what you’re offering?”

“Why can’t you see reason, Dorji?”

It had been several days after the events at the summit of Mt. Gulg, and with Dorji having woken up from her aether-induced coma, the two sisters were finally able to talk to one another about their next steps. Stubborn as they both were, neither were budging from their chosen positions.

Dorji, as she was wont to do, spoke from a place of bottomless hope, even as she experienced loss after loss. “G’raha’s gone, for now or for good. He…tricked us all to see me survive. We’ll find another way.”

There was a hardness in Emegen’s tone that she rarely used against her twin, but this was one of those situations where she refused to compromise. “And what if there are no other ways? Ryne can only do so much to stabilize the Light running rampant through you; even with me flooding you with all the Dark aether I can spare, I fall short of containing it. We have to start thinking of —-“

“—- Of what Y’Shtola talked about. The very last resort.” Dorji’s voice was quiet now in her interruption. The whole of the Scions had had a conversation shortly after Dorji had awakened (which she had hated), when their blind companion had gone through a few scenarios with them all to help chart a course for their future. The most effective plan involved another sacrifice that no one wanted to witness.

Emegen’s frustration diminished as Dorji seemed to curl in on herself in sadness, any further arguments withering away. With a heavy sigh, the older twin moved to embrace the younger, planting a chaste kiss on her forehead. The mage had always been soft for her sister. “I know you are opposed to it, and you know I have no longing for death. But if I can give you even an hour more of peace, or an added day to decide how to expel the excess Light within, I will gladly give my life with no regrets. Besides, haven’t we heard since we were young that we complete each other? We would become one being, as we were meant to be from the start.”

Dorji, mindful of the sharp pieces of her armor, buried her face into her sister’s shoulder, arms wrapped snugly around her middle. “…I don’t want to live in a world without us both in it. It’s not fair. We’ve come so far together…I won’t let this be the end of our journey.”

“Marry me.”

The words slipped out before he could take them back, if he wanted to at all. He certainly felt like he had meant to say them, and their surroundings lent themselves to proving the ideal spot for such confessions.

Koet had invited his most beautiful and amazing girlfriend Mei out to one of the many private balconies overlooking the sea near their free company house. He had managed to grab her during one of her few non-busy periods between handling and sorting stacks of miscellaneous paperwork and official missives, and he was fortunate she went along with his whims with no protest.

It was a picturesque early evening, where the skies were a kaleidoscope of warm hues and the rolling waves of the ocean met the sands with gentle curls. No one seemed to be in the area except for them, much to his delight. It was rare that something or someone did not interrupt their times together, and he had planned on taking advantage of this to simply enjoy Mei’s presence.

It had been her impulsive idea to dress more formally, as befitting their location; the spontaneous meeting transformed into a proper date. Maybe that had been the catalyst for the proposal: seeing his beloved wearing a lovely kimono and accessories that accented her features perfectly, and hearing her soothing voice wrapping around, how could he do anything but be taken in by her charms?