Lunise's amazement was interrupted when Meesei greeted Sabine and Karl. She quickly cleared her throat and faced them, apparently having not noticed them at first.

Sabine and Karl had themselves been standing close together and quietly talking while their hands loosely held onto the fingers of the other. They stepped to face Meesei and Lunise when they emerged through the portal. Sabine had a wide smile. "Hello again," she said. "Today has been well."

"Quite well." Karl nodded. His voice was almost as hushed as Sabine's was. Behind his own small smile was nervously shallow breathing. He stood only two finger-widths taller than Sabine, thin and dressed in a hide coat, shoes, and breeches. His fair clean-shaved face and grey-blue eyes were slightly worn with the experience expected of a Breton in his early thirties. His short widow's peak brown hair was also unfortunately thinning. Though not an impressive physical specimen, his brow, nose, and cheekbones gave him a handsome look. The easiest signs of his visual impairment Sabine had previously explained was a straight stick in one hand held close to the ground and Sabine guiding him by the crook of his arm. He evidently still had enough sight to make out Meesei and Lunise's outlines as he made eye contact and bowed his head in respect.

When Karl breathed in, Lunise spoke with more initiative by coincidence. "A pleasure to see you again, Sabine. And you must be Karl?"

"Correct," Karl said after a pause. He took another shallow breath and tried not to stammer. "It is an...honour to meet the champion in person. And her partner."

Sabine looked to Karl and pulled at him teasingly and murmured to him. "You do not have to be nervous, Karl."

[hr]
Fendros wiped his hand over his cheek. He was just as reluctant as Ri'vashi was. "I would like to hear another plan if we can think of one. I am merely presenting an option." He lifted his voice. There was no point in drawing it out further. "We have means of reanimating corpses through necromancy. If we can raise enough of them, and they prove hidden enough, they may serve as a harassing measure to buy enough time for Ahnasha and Sabine to escape should they be noticed. If undead may get close enough without triggering the wards, it is an immediate form of help that at once is disposable and surprising. And I do not see them presenting a mortal threat to any of Do'rhajul's party."

Janius bared his teeth tensely. "This is not exactly how I expected we would go about this."

"Unless we have enough grease and magic to make some automatons silent, I do not see what else we can dispose here," Fendros said, half-seriously.