[okay she's not wrong, and aerith nods along because yeah it could be worse. she's seen worse? (and sometimes you really just go from one threat wanting to destroy you right to another so you know.)]

That's a really nice way of looking at it. [actually she kind of wishes a few more people felt that way, if only because it might make things a little better for all of them rather than some of the people who truly have assumed everyone was going to die immediately.] As long as we keep at it, I think we really do have a chance of avoiding the ritual. We just need to learn a little more about what it takes.