Two days after passing through the exhausting Wastes gave Lyn enough time to reach far into the borders of a nearly desolate Gietha. Although the Sand Sinker was destroyed, its many usage brought consequences for the existing civilians that thrived off of its landscape for their homes.
Lyn approached the same camp where she had met Ardine and Dorothy, pillaging a bandit's blade and infusing it with energy. She then made haste for Gietha, only for a familiar voice to stop her from behind.
"If it isn't the talk of the town," Ardine's sarcastic voice came through to Lyn's, prompting her to turn immediately. "And unscathed, I see. Some call you the city's judgment day, others their savior. But I don't resonate with any of that."
He approached Lyn with a confident grin on his face, astonished that he would see her after everything that had happened. "I had thought we lost you, but it looks like we don't need to worry about that anymore."
"Where are Dorothy and Scabs?" Lyn asked.
"In the city. They're helping the survivors rebuild the city and gathering supplies for them. It's exactly what the people need; some sort of respite after the attack," Ardine rubbed his head in awkwardness. "Although the pirates don't exactly trust me anymore after the amount of casualties, we still emerged victorious because of what you did."
"There is no victory, yet." Lyn said. "Kaiden's still alive. Krin is the one responsible for saving him."
"The one you mentioned earlier?" Ardine asked. "Who is he?"
"A monster born out of hatred," Lyn clarified. "He has the ability to transform into people, manipulating others for his own benefit. He was the one who turned Kaiden against everyone, and he is trying to transform him into his own monster."
"Then we have to stop it, don't we?" Ardine asked.
Lyn shook her head. "I'm afraid it's too late. Krin has him trapped... and, he has my blade. I saw it."
"You did?"
"Yes," Lyn said, looking at her new bandit's blade. "And... I want it back. So I am returning to the sinker, alone." She said, departing without him.
"You said you were going to give him an honorable death," Ardine mentioned, reminding her of their previous conversation prior to the battle. "I'm still astonished you really meant it. I thought you would go against my order, but you didn't. Why?"
Shifting her gaze back after stopping in her tracks, Lyn gave Ardine a blank stare. "I do not know," She voiced out. "I just did. And now I have learned that none of this was his fault. He deserves a second chance."
"A second- wait. Wait!" Ardine rushed toward Lyn and held her shoulder with his palm to stop her in her tracks. "I can't... I absolutely can't believe this is happening. Give me a moment to process all this," He said, placing his hands on his head to calm himself. "I always thought Kaiden couldn't be saved beyond all this, and now you're here, talking as if he deserves it."
"All of humanity deserves a second chance," Lyn stated, quoting the old woman she rescued at the bonfire cave. "The world deserves better. And I will change that."
"I can't even process this," Ardine said, slumping down to the sands below. "I'd never considered if someone as heartless as Kaiden..."
"Sacrifices may be made," Lyn clarified. "But I will stop at nothing to save those who deserve it. Even if I have to kill."
Ardine's forehead curled forehead, lost in thought as he remembered his past life with who he had deemed loyal.