Hours later, Sonja and Tucker were diligently working on expanding their farm underneath their house. The entire group had been eating nothing but fish and bread since they'd run out of the food Star had provided them. Everyone was sick of it, but they did want to feed themselves, so everyone made sure they had enough.
The couple worked in silence, Tucker tilling soil while Sonja alternated between lighting the place and digging further into the mountain. It was a tense silence, but neither of them wanted to breach it. Until Tucker's stomach grumbled loudly, and Sonja finally opened her mouth as he started nibbling at a loaf of bread.
"You know, a steak would be a lot more filling than bread."
"Sonja..."
The woman shrugged. "I'm just saying. I could really go for a nice, juicy apple, personally. Or maybe lamb chops. Ooh, with some pumpkin pie to top it all off—"
"Alright, enough!" Tucker shouted, gripping his hoe tightly, putting notches into the handle with his nails. "Cut it out!"
"Cut what out? I'm just talking about food." Sonja faked innocence, intentionally not looking at her boyfriend and continuing to mine.
"Cut the shit. You're on Martha's side, Sonja? You're on crazy girl's side?!"
"I'm not on anybody's side!" She shot back. "I'm just sick of fish and bread, Tucker, and if Star can give us food, then I'm willing to work with her!"
"I can't believe this..." he growled, going back to tilling the soil with extra force. "How has everyone forgotten about what she did! She nearly killed Jordan—"
"After she completely healed him with a potion, gave all six of us a place to stay for the night and supplied us with stuff, and even after she attacked Jordan she offered Martha a potion to fix her nose."
"Are you defending her?"
"No! I just... aren't you curious about her? What would cause a person to act the way she did?"
Tucker stared at her, incredulous. "Are you?"
Sonja whirled on him then, looking him straight in the eyes. "Are you not? Think about it. What has gone on in that girl's life to make her so kind and accepting of complete strangers, and yet react so violently at the mere mention of Ianite's name? Why is she living alone with a bunch of wolves? C'mon, you can't say you aren't curious!"
"Maybe I am, but—"
Sonja rolled her eyes. "Besides, the two of us have been way too lucky in the past worlds we've been in. Our god has always been there for us, in some form or another."
"But we haven't been able to contact any of the gods here. Maybe they don't even exist in this world!" Tucker argued back, not looking up at her and continuing to farm. "And if they do, why should we focus on finding a girl we aren't even sure is going to help us, instead of actually looking for Mianite himself?"
The woman paused in her mining, her voice lowering. "Tucker... don't try to tell me you didn't feel it too. When Star got angry, and attacked Jordan. You felt him, right? Given that praying hasn't gotten us anywhere, I think you know as well as I do that Star might be our only chance at finding Mianite."
At that, Tucker fell silent, the sounds of farming quieting as he stood still.
"What are you afraid of?" Sonja's question was soft, not challenging Tucker, but instead prompting him to be honest with himself. He resented how well it worked, but tried to fight it.
"Star's going to kill us if we go back, Sonj," he tried to reason, but she just shook her head.
"No, she's not. She's looking for Mianite followers, and possibly friends. We can fill both of those roles. Martha's right - her only problem is with Jordan."
"She's going to wonder why we changed our minds and figure out what we're planning." He tried again, becoming a bit more desperate. Again, she shook her head and answered in the same calm tone as before.
"She knows nothing about us. We've both been double agents before. Faking it long enough to get food and information will not give her enough time to figure out anything if we play it right."
Tucker tried one last time. "She's not going to tell us anything! Or worse, she's not going to know anything at all!"
Sonja rolled her eyes. "We won't know until we try. That was a lame excuse and you know it."
He fell silent, and Sonja lowers her voice even more, shifting in an accusing tone he doesn't care for.
"What are you really afraid of? Yes, she's powerful and slightly unpredictable, but I think it's because of that that making friends with her can only be a good thing. She has food, information, power, and might be our only hope to figure out anything in this world. What reason could we possibly have to deny that?"
"She's evil, Sonja! A ruthless person who would attack anyone just because they don't follow the same god as her! It's not that deep!"
Sonja narrowed her eyes. "Like King Helgrind? Like Lieutenant Al?"
"Yes!" Tucker nodded enthusiastically, glad she was finally understanding.
"Like you?"
His eyes widened and he opened his mouth to argue back, but she held up a confident hand and it was enough to make him pause.
"Maybe you didn't kill anyone. But you helped the King purge his city of anyone he disagreed with, based solely on the god they worshipped. Steve, Andor, Tom, Jordan. You sided with him."
"Tom had it coming!"
Sonja tilted her head. "Did he?"
Tucker waved his hands to emphasize his point. "He destroyed things! He blew up the jail!"
"Are all Dianitees like that, Tucker?"
He paused, licking his lips and wondering where that came from. "Well, no, I guess not. Steve was pretty cool, and Mot is completely opposite from Tom."
Sonja's gaze was steady, boring into Tucker. "But if you only knew Tom, and had nobody else to compare him to, how do you think you would describe Dianitees? What would you think of them?"
"Um, destructive? And unruly, and dirty cheaters, and chaotic and schemers and..." Tucker trailed off.
"Evil?" The one word, a question from Sonja, and he stopped what he was doing completely, staring solemnly at the ground. "I think that's really what you're afraid of, Tucker. That what we learn from Star isn't going to let you hate her anymore. That, whatever her reasons are for hating Ianite, whether true or not, are valid and you can't just write her off as crazy anymore. You're afraid that she's not the monster you think she is."
Tucker's shoulders dropped and he opened his mouth to argue against her. That no, he wasn't afraid of that, Sonja was wrong, Star really is a danger to them, but all the words died on his tongue and he just felt defeated.
Sonja made her way over to her boyfriend, her voice gaining warmth as she spoke. "This world doesn't seem very well inhabited. We know that. There probably aren't that many followers of the gods. But all it takes is one." Sonja sighed and puts her pickaxe away, placing a gentle hand on Tucker's slumped shoulder. "I understand why you don't want to go. I really do. But... I really don't think Star is lashing out just out of malice. I feel... sorry for her. I just want to let her know that Ianite isn't the killer she thinks she is."
"What if she is?" Tucker's head jolted up, and he gained new frantic momentum. "What if this world's Ianite is cruel, and evil, and a killer, and everything Star thinks she is?" His eyes were wide, sure that his girlfriend wouldn't be able to counter that.
To his disappointment, she didn't take the bait, and instead shrugged casually.
"Well, then I guess you'd get to say I told you so. But you'll never get that chance if we don't go." She patted his shoulder, then gave him a peck on the cheek. "Just sleep on it, alright? Think about it, and if you really don't want to go, then we'll figure out something else, ok?"
He licked his lips and nodded, grabbing her wrist as she turned away looking her in the eyes. "Are we... alright? Not mad?"
Her lips widened in a soft smile, and this time she pressed a kiss onto his lips. "Not mad. But tired. I'm going to bed. You coming?"
He looked down at the tool in his hands, then back at her and shook his head. "No, I think I'll stay and work a bit. I've... got thinking to do."
Sonja gently caressed his cheek before heading upstairs, and the ghost of her hand remained there as he tried to sort through the thoughts she had just thrown into turmoil.
"I'm not going."
Tucker told Sonja the next morning. When she looked back at him, she could see the determination in his eyes and she knew there was no way she could convince him now.
"Tucker, come on..." She pleaded, giving him sad eyes. He shook his head forcefully.
"No. I am not going to risk my life on the chance that a teenage girl is somehow going to have all the answers we need."
She sighed. "Fine. Then don't."
He looked up at her, eyes lightening and a smile returning to his face. "I'm glad you've come to your senses. Honestly I was worried you weren't gonna-"
"You made your choice, Tucker. But I get to make mine. And I'm going back to see Star."
Sonja matched his tone, and met his shocked face evenly. "You weren't the only one who had to do some thinking last night. And I decided that even if I needed to do it alone, I was going to go talk to Star. There's too much that we could possibly learn to not give it a try."
"Sonja, what if she kills you?! You can't just risk your life like that!"
She doesn't blink. "I absolutely can, and I will. And you can stay here or come with me, but it's not going to change my mind." Sonja then turned around and started suiting up.
While she didn't really believe that Star would attack her, it did not hurt to be armed and protected when she approached, on the off chance that her assessment of the teen was completely off the mark. If she was attacked, she had not just Star to worry about, but her pack of wolves as well. Not to mention the obscene amount of mobs that would spawn during the night.
"How are you gonna find your way back?"
The question came out of nowhere and she tilted her head back to look at him.
"Um, I'll just go back the way we came. It was pretty much a straight shot, wasn't it?"
Tucker raised his eyebrows. "I dunno, was it?"
Sonja rolled her eyes, but was also upset that he managed to pick up on the one worry that was still bugging her. How would she find her way back? There weren't any specific landmarks within this land. All the mountains look the same and flat land was just a mess of color.
"I'll find my way back. I can take care of myself."
That was that, and neither of them said another word to each other as they suited up and headed out to the Quartz House to meet up with their friends.
Martha wasn't pleased to hear the solution Tucker and Sonja had come to, but she didn't spend too much energy arguing with either of them. It was clear that they wouldn't be swayed from their decision, and it benefited everyone to have at least one person stay behind in case the people they were looking for found them instead.
"So then Wag and I will search for Andor, Jordan and Tom will search for Dianite and Mot, and Sonja will go speak with Star while Tucker stays here. Each search party will take enough food to last for two weeks, and we will meet back here at the end of that time, whether we found something or not. And if someone is not here after the two weeks, we will wait two days before searching for you. Any questions?"
"Yeah, just one. How the hell is this trip gonna be any different than the other ones we've been going on?" Tom asked harshly, leaning against his sword that he braced against the ground.
"I was kinda thinking the same thing... we've been searching for over a month. If we haven't found anyone by now, are they even in this world to begin with?" Jordan added, a bit calmer than Tom. Martha nodded.
"It's a valid point. And yes, there is a chance that we landed in a different world than them. But... I have a gut feeling that they are here, somewhere. And I will be honest, I don't have any evidence behind it."
She took a breath and looked around at them. "The visions I've had while we're here... I believe they will happen soon, and I have felt Dianite's presence within them. That tells me that at the very least, my uncle is here."
"So we're just going on a feeling?" Tom asked.
"Do you have a better idea?" Wag added, and he didn't have an answer to that.
Martha put a hand on her hip. "If there's nothing else, then let's get going. Take a compass and a clock." Martha handed out said items to each pair.
After taking it, she turned to Tucker and sighed. "I'll see you soon."
"Two weeks." He agreed, kissing her quickly.
Sonja felt her stomach twist, though she wasn't sure why. Was this a good idea? Would Tucker be right, and Star really would kill her on sight? Should she stay here with Tucker, safe and comfortable and just try to forget?
"Sonja? Are you coming?" Martha's voice broke her out of her thoughts, and when she looked around she realized Tucker had left.
"Y-Yeah, coming." She stuttered, rolling her shoulders. Martha gave her a look, but didn't comment.
"So, what's your plan? How are you actually gonna find Andor?" Sonja asked the mystic once they started walking. Martha sighed.
"I tried all last night to center in on his soul. If he's in this world, I should be able to find him through that little thread. But for some reason... it's so faint. He must be hundreds of thousands of blocks away, for it to be that weak. I was able to find Star's threads easily, once I tried. But Andor... leave it to that boy to be elusive from me." She smiled softly, and Sonja patted her shoulder.
"I'm sure you'll find him."
She nodded, then glanced at her. "So then, what's your plan? Do you remember how to get back to where we landed?"
Sonja faked a confident smile. "Of course! I just keep walking for like, hours, and I'll find it. That area was full of super weird mountains, I know I'll recognize it." That came out a lot more confident than she'd thought it would, and Martha was convinced.
"I'm glad. Honestly, I am worried about you... I thought that going in groups of two would be safer, but you going off alone... Please, just promise me you'll be safe."
The brunette's smile became more genuine, and she softened. "I'll be alright. I'll make sure to dig myself a hole before the sun goes down. And you know, Star might actually be nicer if only one of us finds her. If it was both of us she might think we were there to attack or steal from her or something."
"Fair point." Wag piped up, readjusting his robe. "You're a lot less likely to punch her in the face right off the bat."
Sonja rolled her eyes. "Hopefully. We were arguing about what we were gonna do last night. He's insisting that Star is evil and is going to kill me on sight."
"But you don't think so?" Martha asked. Sonja shook her head, leaping off a small bluff and rolling to avoid hurting herself. She stood up and brushed herself off, then began walking again.
"Star is so young. She's had to grow up in this weird world, and gods only know what her parents were like. I think something happened when she was young that made her hate Ianite."
"Like what?" The wizard tilted his head. He and Martha had discussed the possibility, but Sonja was saying it like it was fact.
"Like, I dunno... she took something away from her and Star never forgave her. She could be blaming Ianite for something that wasn't even her fault, for all we know. I mean, it's even possible that she's Ianite's daughter in this world! You never know, maybe she's your counterpart, Martha!"
The light haired mystic snickered. "Anything's possible." Then she became more solemn. "Maybe she's like my brother... After Freya and Alva passed, he disowned Ianite and looked to Mianite for guidance... seeking order after his life was thrown into chaos. It worked for a while, but... he went too far. Perhaps Star is the same way."
Sonja chewed her cheek. "I didn't really make that connection, but you're right... Well, I made it through that once, I can do it again, right?"
Martha nodded. "Indeed. And Star doesn't have an army on her side like Glede did."
Then her eyes went out of focus for a moment, and she stumbled. Wag was quick to catch her - it seemed like this wasn't an out of the blue occurrence.
"Martha, are you alright?" Sonja asked, concerned. The other nodded, a hand going to her forehead and rubbing at her eyes.
"Yes, I'm fine... I caught a very strong thread of Andor's essence. We must part ways now, Sonja. It's leading me this way. Good luck, and be safe."
She then all but sprinted away from the other two, following an invisible thread. Wag nodded to Sonja, repeating Martha's farewells before running after her. They soon disappeared over a hill and Sonja was alone.
Sighing softly, she rolled her shoulders back and steeled herself for a quiet journey With no wind or animals wandering around, the only sound that echoed in her ears was her footsteps and the steady rhythm of her own breathing.