[ there are weird phrases here and there; free us seems to be the loudest and most common one, but it all falls on deaf ears. whatever reaction sariel might have given the broken NPCs earlier on is now replaced with a single-minded focus that has him following dutifully after his creator. his steps are quiet, almost unnervingly so, like he's a shadow that can easily blend in with the darkness.

when stone blends into grass, the structures all around them become less familiar. there are tall trees amongst tall pillars, dense underbrush along broken rocks. there's a quaint cottage off to the side that sariel thinks he's seen somewhere before, but it's not important. the trail of ants on the ground are what matters most, a part of him relieved when lucilius doesn't step all over them. ]

Yes. I wanted to see the soldier ants.

[ that's the simplest answer he can give, even if it's a repeat. having conversation has never been his strongest suit either. ]

It was always quiet when I came to see them. [ there are no screams. there's no one pleading to be spared. ] However... it's not so quiet right now.

[ and he has no idea how to fix that, short of burying everyone around them. ]