A'shinok took the information in while sipping his tea. He had heard the story of the Tree during his days as a boy being trained for the arena. He was certain it was fiction and it shown on his face as he lowered his cup and simply looked to Kettle. He couldn't recall very much of the story, as those telling it to him were barely literate and he had heard too many versions as arena champions generally came and went. He wasn't shocked in the least, simply in disbelief. He rested back in his chair that he barely fit into and the back made an audible creak as if it were seconds from giving out. "Ro... I'd say you were crazy had you not gathered so many here." He looked around, and after looking at everyone he looked up for a time. He bent his body forward once more and let a bit of a flame out to warm the remainder of his tea before taking another sip. "I will follow you there if you ask it, for it is a sin in many a place to allow a friend to take such a journey alone." A'shinok raised his cup of tea in the air gave it a swirl and drank it.

During that brief swirl of tea A'shinok was deep in thought and prayer. He prayed to gods of madness to keep Kettle sane, gods of travel for safety on their journey, to gods and goddesses of any kind to keep them all safe hoping for their favor. He recalled the story of the tree as well and it sounded as ridiculous as he remembered but he had come a long way and found many things he previously considered ridiculous. He believed Kettle's words as he believed the words of many a god. He put the cup down harder than he should have, not hard enough to break anything but hard enough to hear silverware rattle on plates a few seats down. "I'll follow you into the darkness and bring the light with us as we go."