Kronya slashed the throat of the last of the Bokoblins who had tried attacking them. "That was fun."
"You and I have very different ideas of fun," Ashe said.
"Come on, you don't enjoy fighting even a little bit?" Kronya asked.
"Not really," Ashe confessed.
"Well, I love fighting," Kronya admitted. "There's something just so exciting about a fight to the death. It makes me feel so alive!"
"Live by the sword, die by the sword?" Ashe asked.
"I don't intend to die any time soon," Kronya said.
"There's always someone stronger than you," Ashe told her. "You won't always win."
Kronya remembered her humiliating defeats at the hands of the Yiga assassin and the Lynel. She shook her head. "Why do you care?"
"We're friends, aren't we?" Ashe asked.
Kronya thought about that. Ashe was a primitive, a lowly worm. But she did enjoy his company a little bit. "I don't know, but...I might actually care whether you live or die."
Ashe smiled. "I'll take it."
Hubert decided he had put off conversing with Flayn long enough. "Flayn. I would like to ask you a few questions."
"Certainly," Flayn answered.
"First things first. You and your brother are related to the Archbishop, are you not?" Hubert asked.
"...What makes you think that?" Flayn asked.
"You look a lot like her," Hubert answered.
Flayn sighed. "Yes, she's my...distant relative. She offered to take Seteth and myself in." She frowned. "I wish they were here."
"That would likely have been for the best," Hubert agreed. Having the two powerful warriors in Hyrule would have been of great benefit to the company, and Fódlan would be freed of their influence without a fight.
"I am worried about them," Flayn admitted. "They are probably worried sick about me, and I can't let them know I'm all right."
Hubert nodded. "My mother, sister, and brother likely feel the same way."
"Not your father?" Flayn asked.
"I couldn't give a damn about him," Hubert said.
"I can't imagine feeling that way about my own father," Flayn said, before covering her mouth.
"Seteth is your father, not your brother," Hubert inferred. "Am I right?"
"...Yes," Flayn confessed.
"I can't see why you would want to keep that, of all things, secret," Hubert admitted. "A father and daughter are hardly an uncommon sight, even without a mother in the picture."
"I thought it was excessive as well, but Seteth wanted to be sure," Flayn said. "Please don't tell anyone."
"I see no reason why I should tell anyone," Hubert said.
Internally, he came to a conclusion. Her heritage aside, Flayn really was just the ordinary girl she seemed to be. It wasn't an act.
So perhaps there was more to Rhea and Seteth as well. He didn't believe they should be in positions of power, but perhaps he and Edelgard had been hasty in judging them to be tyrants, ruling Fódlan from the shadows.
"Tell me," Hubert asked. "What are Rhea and Seteth like when they aren't in their public personas?"
"They're both deeply kind, compassionate people who work tirelessly to better the lives of the people of Fódlan," Flayn said. "But I don't think their public personas truly capture how alone they feel. How scared they are of being rejected."
That read as projection to Hubert. If it was true, it wasn't just true of Rhea and Seteth.
"Hubert, we're friends, aren't we?" Flayn asked.
"We haven't interacted much," Hubert said. Seeing her dismay, he added, "But I can be your friend if you want me to."
The logical part of himself justified it to the paranoid part. If he could befriend Flayn, maybe he could convince her that Lady Edelgard's plans for Fódlan were in their homeland's best interest. And if they ever returned to Fódlan, Flayn could convince Rhea. She might actually listen to Flayn. Having the Church on their side would make things easier.
And if they didn't return, the there was no reason not to be friends with her.
As the sun began to set, the eight were crossing the Bridge of Hylia. Flayn watched the sky. No Farosh.
What did appear in the sky was a number of ghostly creatures in hoods. "Ghosts!" Lysithea panicked and started throwing spells at them. Ashe similarly panicked and started shooting.
The ghosts, if that's what they were, flew closer to the eight members of the company. Flayn saw that they had lanterns in their hands.
When they got closer, the ghosts started throwing purple fireballs at the party. The other party members started trying to attack the ghosts, not very effectively.
That was, until Linhardt hit one with a Nosferatu spell, making it solid enough for an arrow from Cyril to destroy it.
After that, Lysithea and Flayn also started throwing light spells, enabling the others to take down the ghosts.
Hubert picked up one of the ghosts' lanterns. When he did, the lantern absorbed the dissolving ghosts, and a purple flame lit within.
Hubert put the lantern in the Korok pouch. "I think I had better find out from an expert what this is."
The next day, the party reached Faron Woods. There, they found Kass. "Kass?"
"Ah, I recognize all of you," Kass said. "I trust you're keeping well?"
"As well as can be," Ashe said.
"We're looking for Farosh," Flayn said.
"Farosh?" Kass asked. "I have seen her in these parts. Every few nights, she flies from the Riola Spring. But getting there might be difficult."
The Riola Spring. That was a concrete location. "Thanks, Kass!" Flayn thanked him.
"Wait," Kass stopped them. "Why don't I guide you there? I know the way."
And thus, Kass began to lead the party to the Riola Spring.