the monsters turned out to be just trees

hope keeps us breathing, just to kill us in the end

Remi nodded. He too had had less comfortable accommodations in his life, so whereas others might have argued, even without knowing about Loren's history, the alchemist merely accepted the summoner at his word. The refusal of clothing though struck Remi as some strange form of self-inflicted punishment. Surely Loren would reprimand the alchemist if he chose to remain injured rather than accepting easy magical help with it was offered. Frowning deeply now, Remi merely sighed a note of discontent but nodded.

"They said I could stay, so long as I did not help you escape." Remi explained, then offered a sheepish smile as he clarified: "They are all attuned..sort of it, as I said before."

As Loren turned to address Astra, the alchemist looked at the luxere with a sad understanding. "I can send her down to you—" Remi began to offer. The amount of telekinesis needed for something as slight as Astra was well within his limits, but as he turned his gaze back to Loren, he was shocked to find the man receeding into a part of the pit he couldn't see.

"Loren?" He implored softly, thinking maybe something had simply caught the summoners eye. But when seconds passed and Loren didn't reappear, Remi sat up abruptly. "Loren?" He called out, his voice quivering with uncertainty and perhaps a tinge of frustration.