The Path Forward

A faint smile touched Gladius's lips as he moved closer to her. 

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice steady and measured. "Are you worried about that guy? You said it yourself - even if Starforge is alerted to their deaths, he won't be able to track sword force energy."

Arianna's brows knitted together, her pink lips curling into a thoughtful frown. 

"Mn. I did say that, but..." She paused, weighing her words carefully. "It's really hitting me now. With the death of these talented individuals under Starforge's wing, he's bound to take this situation - to take me - far more seriously."

Her eyes, usually alight with curiosity, now held a glimmer of apprehension. "Like I said before, this Starforge... despite his arrogance, he's a prodigy among Mages. He's transcended the Nascent magical realms and reached Origin Attunement. The power gap is... significant."