"Wait a moment." Kire frowned. "So these two gods, they were--are--real? Really gods?" She had assumed the story Ruli had just told her was a mythic version of the truth, with parts exaggerated or embellished, but the more he spoke, the more he made it sound like he was talking as if every detail was objective fact. For a few moments she forgot Ruli was there, lost in thought. After all, before she had received the Ring, she had thought all that--Paladins, dragons, elves, portals--was all a myth. They did have what Amrians call "Off-Worlders" who had brought the 'common tongue' to Amria many generations ago. Kire, however, had come to believe that as just another story based on a truth, that these people might have simply come from somewhere very, very far from the mainland continent of Amria and had been branded as so exotic they couldn't have been of this earth. "Hm. I suppose if dragons are real and elves are real, it isn't too big of a leap to imagine gods are real." Kire wrinkled her nose at that. "Either way. In any story involving a god, it's never been good news to be a god's lover." Kire didn't feel too sympathetic to Akay; if he was a god, he should have known better. But the woman he had loved, who made the sacrifice for her children, Kire felt for her. "It's always the mortal lover who pays the price for gods' mistakes, isn't it?" 

She didn't fail to notice him neglecting to elaborate on Aera, but Kire decided not to needle him about it. His story about Envy's past was plenty interesting, at least. "What an absolutely barbaric lot, these Kartaians," Kire said, grimacing at the absurdity of thinking the mere fact of sharing a womb was some challenge to be met with violence. And yet Envy was Kartaian, born from that life. "I suppose if you were from that clan, being a decent person really is an abomination. I'm surprised his sister didn't smother him in his sleep. I have been worried about him being in close proximity to people who fear and hate his kind, however." She pointed her thumb back at the mountain. "I feel if that tension isn't resolved one way or another, it'll come to a head eventually."