The Invitation.

"Zoe, calm down calm down" you reach your arms out, placing a hand on each of her shoulders, stopping her from her movement. "Look, I've thought about it a little bit and there was something I wanted to ask you."

"Oh my god oh my god oh my god" Zoe starts to interrupt you, her eye going wide as she looks into you.

"So, you know we're going to war with Rathkin, heading there tomorrow after the sun starts to set. I don't know how long that will take or hell, if we will even be victorious. Rathkin is a powerful Kingdom and their inner cities have really strong fortifications." you begin "But, once we leave Rathkin to head back north to the Syndicate, I'm going to stop back here on my way north."

Zoe's eyes light up and her mouth starts to drop open. The smirk that is appearing on her face says she's really excited. "Oh my god oh my god..." she keeps mumbling out.

"If you'd like..." you start.

"YES YES YES!!!" Zoe ignores what you're saying "Oh my god. Ooohh my god. It's really happening. It's really happening. Oh my god oh my god." she grabs your wrists, which are still resting on her shoulders "It's...it's...ooh Darien oh my god. Yes! Just ask me. Just say it. Yes I will! Oh yes oh yes oh yes!" her body is pulsing with excitement.

"You don't..." you let out a giant huff of air, her excitement is quite intoxicating "Anyway...If you and your family would like to come north to the Syndicate with me, you're more than welcome too."

"MMMMMM!!!!" her body is visible shaking "Oh my god oh my god oh my god. Oh oh oh!!!" she pushes your hands off her shoulders and lunges forward into your body, wrapping her arms tight around your midsection, pulling her close into you.

It catches you off guard, your arms are still out, not embracing her, almost a little in shock.

"Thank you thank you thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me. I've looked up to you since Nillix, I've trained to be like you, I"m so happy!!!" she's yelling into your body. "Thank you thank you!!!"

You let out a brief laugh and then bring your arms down, throwing them behind Zoe's back, embracing her hug on you. "You're welcome, Zoe. I hope it'll be a long lasting relationship for us."

"Darien, you're the best!! The best, the absolute best!!" she pushes herself away from you, smiling at your face once more "I can't wait to tell my..." she pauses, her eyes start to go wide "Tell my..." she pauses again "My mom is gonna kill me...." you see her gulp heavily "She's gotta be awake now and I'm not at the Tavern. Oh no. Oooh no." her hands go up to her face as her mouth drops open. "I gotta go!!!" she turns around and starts to walk towards the exit "She's gonna kill me...ooooh she's gonna kill me..." you hear her mumble to herself as she vanishes behind the curtain towards the exit.

You can't help but watch Zoe exit this hidden cellar, she just seems to have so much motivation, so much drive and yet is absolutely scared of disappointing or upsetting her mother. She just seemed so innocent, carefree and pure.

Should you really bring her back to the Syndicate and train her to be a Sunrider. "Ugh..." you rub your forehead thinking of the situation.

Either way, you have more important matters to attend to first, such as the destruction of Rathkin...