I lost the privilege to speak my mind bluntly with you a while ago, Ahito. If I do not explain myself, you won't believe me. If I take too much time, you deem it a waste and unimportant. You can't have it both ways, and yet you expect me to find a third one.

[It's a bit colder than he'd like, the fraying edges of his exhaustion. But he simply exhales, a hand pinched to the bridge of his nose.]

Are you aware of the wizard known as Oz?

There is a village associated with him in the North. I need a group to come with me to check on the people there later this week.