Two long, bland, eventless weeks had passed. Thavron had forced himself to work, promising himself to put aside all other thoughts while he walked the expanse of Lomedor's walls to monitor the other guardsmen. The brown angel still wore the golden-colored armor that had been given to him. It was of such high quality that rumors had been circulating that he stole the beautiful Resplendant pieces. Any mention of this to his face, however, was nonexistant. Even then, not many thought it true. With wings folded at his sides and Raven grooming her feathers atop his shoulder Thavron paced along at a steady rate with his hawklike eyes fixated on each person he encountered. His glances had no benevolence in them; only an intimidating discipline that sent shivers down the spines of some. After briefly speaking with an archer, Thavron continued his usual walking route when he was stopped by a grinning satyr. The horned man briefly eyed the brown angel, trying to imitate Thavron's glare but exaggerating it to the point of it looking comedic. The guardsman was not laughing.

"Larionus," Thavron growled, his countenance darkening. The satyr, who wore light chainmail and had a great bow strung around his back, took a step back from his ally's sudden bad mood.
"I would insist you call me Larry, Thavron." Larionus retorted. "What's gotten into you lately? You're been as bland as this here wall. I haven't seen you smile in weeks, let alone have any expression other than indifference or anger!" Thavron momentarily considered his words, then tried to walk past him. Larionus quickly leapt back in front of him. "Birdboy! Are you hearing anything I'm saying!? There's something wrong with you, man! What happened, your dog run away?"
"I don't have a dog."
"Then tell me what's wrong. Hey, I know what'll help, a drink! Me and a few other guards are gonna be out at Wilwarin tonight, you should come!" He smiled at the thought. "Booze helps everything." The satyr had a slim build, but his hooves were stocky and heavy. Two twisting gazelle horns portruded from his forehead. Thavron lifted an eyebrow.
"You expect any supposed 'problems' I have to be cured by getting blindingly drunk with you and your friends?" Thavron growled. Larry shifted in annoyance; his mood was darkening the more he spoke with the brown angel.
"A simple 'no' would have sufficed." But he paused, an idea coming to him. He returned his attention to Thavron with an almost concerned look. "It's her, isn't it?"
"Excuse me?" Thavron replied, trying to fake ignorance. Larry didn't fall for it.
"It's okay, birdboy, people die all the time in the Guard. It's a dangerous job. You just gotta move on. Hey, at least it wasn't you at the top of that hill burning like a candlestick, mm-mm." This reply, although its intent was to comfort, it did the exact opposite. The brown angel tossed Larionus a ferocious glare, both personally insulted and insulted for Raikenza, the archer in question who had died two weeks ago. The second time he attempted to pass by Larry, the satyr allowed him.



"Evening, Thavron." Kamotse said without even looking towards the opening door. The inn room was just as dark and gloomy as it had always been. The anima had been nestled in the corner of the room, sleeping. Thavron said nothing while he put on some cleaner and more casual clothes. He climbed on his cot accross the room from Kamotse. The brown angel laid there for a great amount of time, staring at the ceiling of his room in thought. "...certainly a tragedy, wasn't it?" Kamotse commented in his intelligent, slightly accented voice. Thavron's eyes widened and his body shot up into a sitting position. He eyed Kamotse, astounded.
"How---"
"It was a lucky guess." The brown angel eyed him for a few moments, then laid back down on the cot, sighing.

I guess Rai was meant to die. Perhaps the afterlife is peaceful and painfree. Certainly a change from the manner at which she was killed...ugh. What I'd give to have her back, though. She was...a...great friend...

His thoughts paused, as if a new notion had just entered his mind. I...love her. The brown angel quickly leapt out of the cot and walked over to his desk, where Raven was eyeing a corner of the room suspiciously. He pushed her aside and quickly picked up a couple golden coins which he placed in a small bag. Turning towards Kamotse, he threw the bag in his direction. The anima caught it in his beak and peered at his owner with a puzzled look. "Kamotse, go to the spell shop I showed you the other day. Use that money to buy a scroll that has Revive Soul on it. I need to plan other matters relating to this." It took a few moments for Kamotse to digest his sudden orders, but with an unwavering loyalty he opened the inn room's door and spread his wings for flight.

Death had been kind to Raikenza, she guessed. It had been virtually painless, the chain's single strike killing her in a moment. She blinked a few times at Thavron, after he gave Kamotse the order to get a scroll of Revive Soul. Her mind flickered back to attention, and she realized the importance. He was going to ressurect her! Then she came up with a second thought, as to why he didn't do it to her earlier. Ah well, perhaps it was just a slip of the mind. Rai kept next to him as he planned and pondered, as she had since her death. Not that he could tell!

"Remember, the Quenyan language is very complex, class, and we do not currently have anyone to teach you the spoken language. However, the written language is something I can do." The elven teacher droned on. Raikenza, sitting on the outer edges, legs crossed, only nodded. The abstract concept of schooling the elves had, unlike the humans had always puzzled her to some degree or another. Although she learned quite a bit, most of it revolved around poetry and the arts. Certainly she was good with ink drawings, but she was absolutely miserable at any form of poetry.

Her love and her life was focused in the general direction of being a hero, so that was the main subject of the art she created. Her teacher had pointed out the guard for her, his ears twitching at the thought. She had learned that most of the time those ear twitches meant annoyance from the elves. Her teacher thought she should become an artist. She thought she could become an artist too, it was just not what she wanted to do.

Thus, the girl of six had her life planned out and set out before her. She would protect people, as a guardswoman.

Quenyan had been such a miserable language, she reminisced. Oh, certainly it looked beautiful, and there were ways to express yourself in it that you could not with Aduniac or Sindarin. But that brought a level of complexity that snapped the young girl. She hated poetry, writing, and instead stuck to her drawings. She ruffled her spirit-hair, and sighed. Memories, memories, why did she always bring them up?

Raikenza, now twelve, found herself sitting before class yet again. Her best friend, a white-wing, had tried to soothe her, but Lorien had failed. The raven-winged was depressed, while just moments before she had been happy, giddy, and completely in touch with the world.

"And what do you have to say for yourself, miss Raikenza Valyre?" Her teacher stated. His hand waved towards the elven boy, ears twitching furiously. This one was anger, and his face was contorted into an unfamiliar amount of rage. She had just given him a light clap with her wings, not nearly enough to kill him at all! What was so wrong with what she did!?

"He...He ruined my drawing!" Raikenza stated. She held forth the ripped drawing, one of a falcon. The teacher shook his head at what seemed to be a two mood girl. She was either happy or in a sort of wrathful depression. It wasn't exactly a disorder, but it was brought on by what seemed to be the lightest of things. He always had thought literature had been the only thing worth saving, and thus didn't understand the girl at all.

"Your drawing, Raikenza, wasn't complete, don't get so an-" He stated, before Raikenza cut him off. The young girl was incensed, enraged.

"None of you understand me! My parents hate me, everyone hates me! I...I can't stand it!" She shouted. The teacher reeled back, although he knew the truth of the matter. He lightly brought his hand upon the incensed girl's shoulder.

"Raikenza, you should know...You aren't going to live past your eighteenth birthday. None of your kind ever have, that's why everyone tries so hard to avoid you. What you are, girl, is a walking tragedy in the works." He stated, as though it was nothing. Raikenza's eyes shot open, wide, revealing a third emotion. Shock, pure and unadulterated pierced the elf, and she fell backwards.

The man had no tact, but he was right. To tell a girl of such an age her fate was why he lacked tact. The idea was simply ridiculous, to break her heart before she even used it. But life was life, and she couldn't change it now.

"Dammit, Raikenza! Be a normal girl, continue your arts in school!" Her father shouted. His name was Mar, and her mother's was Tiaza. Such odd names, they had given themselves she thought. Hers was so much prettier, and at this point any thought to keep her mind off of her parents was good. Anything to keep her from snapping was even better.

"Joining the guards!? Are you insane! Lorien is continuing! Stay with her!" Mar contiued. Tiaza simply stood back, shaking her head. This was a combination of contempt for her daughter and her husband. Raikenza didn't flinch, now fifteen she should have the right to decide whatever she wished. But alas, it was not so for one who was doomed to die on her eighteenth birthday, anyway. Her parents thought the best way to enjoy it, and no doubt a plot to cash out on the young girl was to make her a great artist, then to sell her art after her tragic death. People were disgusting.

"I am not Lorien! I want to help people, not continue my art! And I can continue being an artist as a guards woman. You know they are down men, and they need every able bodied volun-"
"Well, I'm not letting you volunteer yourself, Raikenza Valyre!" Her father shouted. Raikenza found herself, yet again, shocked. He wasn't going to let her!? She was going to, anyways! Her heart skipped a beat as she considered openly rebelling against her father. Could she really do this? Her eyes narrowed to slits, and she walked out of her own house, idly flicking the door open. Her walk took her through the heart of Yomeniapa, and right into the guard's station. Not the recruiting stations set up throughout the city on this day, for her parents would check those first.

"I wish to see Captain Salirith. I want to join the guard." She said. The room full of elves paused, and then they stepped aside, some of them pointing out the proper room. Some of them knew the girl's plight, her wishes, for she was here often, whenever she had free time. She had even made the current guard recruitment posters. As she entered the office, Salirith waved her into a chair.

"So, Raikenza, you want to join the guard? Now, how may I help you?"

Her guard days in Yomeniapa had been enjoyable, to say the very least. She loved the danger, and she loved her archery. Even more enjoyable was helping people. The children loved the pretty young archer, how she was always so quick to assist them with whatever they needed. It was her job, yes, but it was also an option to be as nice as her. Her dark moods were rare, except for a few occasions.

"Archers, knock arrows! Aim! Waaaaaaaaait...FIRE! Let that dragon know its actions will not be tolerated!" Came the shout of Captain Salirith. Raikenza followed his orders, the sleek black elven bows twanging in unison. The dragon took a multitude of arrows, but the great red drake wasn't going to fall quite yet. It was avoiding close combat with the guards, and that was where they would win. She glanced upwards, watching as the dragon open its maw to release another torrent of flames upon the city.

"Captain Salirith! Permission to engage this thing in the air!" Raikenza shouted. Salirith hesitated, and then nodded.

"Just don't get hurt, Raikenza! Your parents would have my head!" He shouted. Raikenza paused at the mention of her parents, but spread her anyways. The great obsidian feathered appendages worked quickly, the powerful winds causing the elven soldiers to brace themselves. Moments later she was soaring above tree level, chasing after the dragon, struggling to ready her bow. She overtook the dragon, hovering just between its powerful wings. The force of the dragon's wings created something akin to a gale above it, and below it. Raikenza struggled to keep stable in her flight, and readied an arrow quickly. She made her move as the dragon prepared to bathe the archers in a deluge of flame. Her wings tucked in, and she darted down next to the creature's head.

She flew parallel to it, and turned onto her side for a moment. The bow drew back in moments, and an arrow was loosed. The shaft sunk itself into the creature's thin scales near the tip of its nose. Blood streamed out, flicking into the red's eye as one of the giganting yellow orbs gazed upon her. A heavy talon flicked upwards, smashing into the young archer. She rolled to mitigate as much of the damage as possible, but still she hurtled to the ground. A gash was rent through her side, and Salirith gave a shout. Another volley of arrows hurtled upwards, striking the dragon up and down its stomach. The creature began to swing around for another pass, as Raikenza landed. She stumbled, and Salirith ran over to her.

"Give me your sword, Salirith."
"Raikenza, you should go get yourself patche-"
"The sword, Salirith. I'm finishing this." Raikenza said. The man unsheathed his sword as precious moments wasted away. Raikenza immediatly siezed the saber, and hurtled skywards. The dragon noted her new incursion into its life, and prepared to use its fires upon her. Its maw opened as Raikenza hurtled within. She stopped with a good amount of luck by planting her feet firmly between razor sharp teeth. With that, she rammed the saber into the roof of the creature's mouth, slicing through the thin flesh and into its brain. The creature gave no scream, but simply tumbled to the ground. Raikenza ripped the saber out, and threw herself out of the falling dragon.

She idly felt the wound in her side, and noted it was deep, and she had been bleeding for quite a while. A curse flitted through her mind as she hurtled earthwards, her sixteen years of life seemingly flashing before her eyes.

Raikenza sighed a little, the unheard gesture still one she meant. Memories were painful for her often, however there were a few bright ones, and some she regretted like nothing else. But one of her happiest days had been after she the healers had gotten done fiddling with her after the dragon incident.

She was standing before Salirith, bandages strapped to her side. Sixteen, and wearing a rather adult dress, however she didn't mind. She was to join the ball tonight, in honor of her bravery. Raikenza was sort of a hero, but looked at as a hot headed fool by most. Her actions were foolish, yes, and had costed the city a bit in the long run, rather than just scaring the thing off. But she couldn't let it destroy her beloved home city.

"Raikenza Valyre, your bravery is commendable, and perhaps stupidly brave at that, girl. But you did well. Just, be eyecandy for the event, and nothing else, the politicians have to wave along their thanks for you. And don't be yourself, be moderate, like the rest of the elves."
"Yes sir." Raikenza answered simply. Salirith nodded, and he gave a smile. The artistic red dress revealed the girl's legs, and a good amount of bosom. This smile might have been in honor of her or her beauty, she would never know. A tinge of sadness entered him as he observed the great black wings. Raikenza sighed, knowing her life would be like this often.

"Anyways, come along miss Valyre, the politicians need to gloat around you."

Her memory cut off just moments before the ball, knowing what came next. Her seventeenth birthday was that same day, as well. No doubt symbolic, as the put so much into. But this was the day her parents had been proud of her, right up until that moment they heard Lorien recite some poetry in honor of her friend. Her parents, a week after the ball, invited her home yet again. Raikenza sighed, regretting this above all other things she did in her life.

"Raikenza, we think your life would have been better spent as an artist. Then you wouldn't have gotten injured!" Tiaza explained. She smiled, as did her father. Raikenza shook her head, in her elven designed mail. They had no clue, still loving the arts above all else, stupid white-wings.

"Please, daughter, you have to continue the family tra-"
"Tradition!? Is that all I'm good for? My life is too short as it is to waste on getting yet another career, changing who I am!"
"Tradition above all else, girl! I was hoping I wouldn't have to, but if you can't be a Valyre by tradition, you will no longer be a Valyre at all!" Mar shouted. Raikenza paused, thinking of losing her name, her family, and her entire life to just one stupid girl. One white wing ruined her entire life in a single go, and she knew it. No longer would she be a Valyre, and the elves would turn against her simply for avoiding tradition. Tradition is for the dead.

"Let it be that way then! If I have no right to be who I want to be, why do I have a right to be anyone else!" Raikenza shouted. Her parents nodded slowly, and they left the house. They were going to change some record or another, something that would ruin her life.

"Goodbye, Raikenza." Her father said as he left. Rai stared at the intricate blade on her hip, the one that had been awarded to her after taking the dragon out of the air. She ripped it off of her belt, and threw it out of the window. The delicate elven glass shattered, and her favorite blade fell to the ground so far below. She left the house as well, to the staring elves. She glared at them, and jumped off of the walkway. She spread her wings, and quickly darted into the trees.

A minute later she was observing Lorien, her hands shaking on the bow. One arrow loosed, and pierced the girl in the jaw. She flinched as Lorien fell, screaming. She drew yet another arrow, and claimed the life of the loving mother who ran to her daughter. The third arrow pierced her father's heart as he drew his own bow, hoping to reclaim his family's honor on the death of the unmistakable form in the tree.

"Good riddance, all of them. White wings..." She whispered.

It struck her like a hammer blow at that moment, and Raikenza gasped. That was it, she needed to atone, atone for her crime, let the unbalanced vengeance become balanced. She loathed the very thought, but she would allow it. Then she became aware of the world again, at some commotion around her.

"Thanks for everything, my love."

There was a flutter of wings outside and Kamotse collapsed through the door to the inn room. Thavron, who was sitting at his desk writing some figures relating to Raikenza's resurrection, jumped and turned his head toward the noise. He rose immediately to close the door. The anima was completely out of breath and barely able to continue walking, but fortunately there was a tattered scroll tied around his cranelike neck. Thavron tossed a concerned look at Kamotse. "What trouble could you have possibly gotten into? Or were you just in a hurry?" He asked, folding his arms questioningly. Kamotse hesitated his answer, trying to combat his exhaustion. "I saw Valith. I am confident he spotted me, but luckily he doesn't know I'm in league with you." Thavron stroked his chin, thinking about it, then finally came to a conclusion and peered back towards his familiar.

"You know what? I don't care. Valith can be fully aware I serve Threnody. If I could right now, I'd walk straight up to him and tell him to his face that I have a religion. If he disagrees, that's his problem. I'm fed up with all of these secrets." The brown angel's tone wasn't necessarily angry, but still carried a great deal of frustration. Kamotse's stare was unbelieving.
"He would kill you instantly."
"Not in front of other guardsmen. I know he's not what he claims to be, possibly a demon possessing the real Valith. He needs to uphold his little ruse for now, and killing me won't do any good for that. And if he attacks anyway, well, I'll just have to deal with it then, won't I? You're coming with me to Raikenza's resurrection whether you like it or not, Kamotse. I want you to meet her." The brown angel untied the string and carefully unraveled the scroll. At the very top was the elegantly-written spell name, Revive Soul. Able to bring back the soul of a fallen companion without need of a body, which the spirit chooses. Thavron smiled, his anima had done well.

The brown angel darted towards his desk and picked up the paper sitting on it. He put it behind the scroll, observing both in quick succession. Then he turned towards Kamotse once again. The great bird had settled himself in the corner once again, deep in thought, but gave his owner his attention. Thavron briefly glanced out a nearby window at the setting sun, then back towards the anima. ”Tomorrow.”



The grasslands in this area still carried the stench of death. Thavron stared down at the depression in the earth. Raven was perched on his right shoulder and Kamotse was sitting at the feet of the guardsman to his left. All three studied the patch of flowers, silently agreeing to one another that this was the ideal place to cast the spell. It was still unknown whether Raikenza’s spirit would desire to come back to the realm of the living, however. The brown angel reached into his pocket and pulled out the rolled-up scroll. He began unraveling it, but, in a peculiar twist of fate, dropped it. His arms were twitching involuntarily and his fingers were contorting into odd shapes, unable to hold the paper that once was grasped between them. Thavron’s legs were next to go, the muscles tensing and quivering. He instantly fell to his knees. Raven squawked and flew off his shoulder, landing next to him. Kamotse was immediately at his aid, but could do nothing. Thavron’s vision flashed red, which was followed by the black of complete blindness. Then the brown angel found out the true meaning of agony.

Terrible, incomprehensibly painful stabs rushed through his mind, worse than anything he had felt before. He held his head with spastic hands, trying in futile to stop the brutal assaults. It felt as if his skull was being slowly torn apart, all the while being completely pierced through. But alas, there were no wounds Kamotse or Raven could see. All of it was in the mind. After just barely enduring them, Thavron attempted to fight back. The pains dulled slightly, but came back twice as ferocious as before. The attacks were so horrendous they brought him inches from death. He was almost certain he would be joining Raikenza in the afterlife. Thavron’s eyes rolled to the back of his head and, giving up, he collapsed.

He awoke, possibly hours later, to the defensive silhouette of Kamotse hovering over him, glaring every direction in the distance. The brown angel clambered to his feet, filled with the terror of possibly another mental attack. There was none. A vulture corpse, completely chewed up and shredded apart to the point of the inability to identify it, lay a few meters away. Kamotse’s beak was lightly covered in blood, but it wasn’t easy to see. The anima would still be presentable once Raikenza would be resurrected. That is, if Thavron would be able to hold the scroll. The brown angel glanced towards it; he had dropped it among the patch of beautiful flowers, where it lay undisturbed. ”What happened?” Kamotse asked, looking up at him in a genuinely concerned fashion. Thavron dusted himself off.
”Magic did it, I know that. But something as simple as a mental assault isn’t going to stop me from resurrecting Raikenza.” He declared before retrieving the scroll and glaring at it. ”Kamotse, Raven, Raikenza, prepare yourselves.”

Thavron stood before the depression in the grasslands, Integrity in his right hand, began uttering a long string of words in Sindarin, spoken so rhythmically it almost sounded like a chant. A blue and white glow began to fill the circular area, including where he and his birds were standing. The glow radiated upward, with magic swirling through the air above. Salquedor’s air became thick with the presence of powerful arcane and holy magic. The spell was incredibly draining, especially in being done just minutes after the mental attack, but Thavron continued. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Finally, he finished the long incantation. A shockwave of light radiated out a short distance from the depression, but the glow remained. The brown angel stood, motionless, tense with anticipation as he and his two familiars waited for the spell to take effect and Raikenza to choose a new body…or for the glow to cease, signifying her spirit’s decline of the resurrection.

She had followed Thavron out to this spot, keeping her head out of her memories. They were dangerous, although those that she had not spent the past day and a half thinking on were the most dangerous of them all. So today her mind was empty, and she drifted along behind Thavron, often passing through him and his bird-harem. Kamotse would have been nice to pet, if it wasn't for the fact her hands went clean through it. The angel and his bird-harem stopped before the flowered grove where she picked her flowers. Ah, such a beautiful funeral, she had thought.

But now, the tranquility of death was far from her. The glow of light was incredible, inexcapable, and she found herself being drawn towards it. She stepped within, without resistance, and realized this was her salvation, her true last and only hope. If she refused here and now, she would remain dead forever. If not, well, she would return.

"To the magic within all of us, I wish to be a white-winged angel." She said, hoping that was what it meant. The light became a sudden column, extending into the sky. The guards could no doubt spot it from the walls, the light itself began to encompass the full flower patch. Then she felt herself contact the ground for the first time in what seemed like a year. The light faded away, leaving Raikenza standing in the center of her little grove of flowers.

She was garbed in a red dress, a gentle slit from midway up her thigh to the bottom on both sides. It had no shoulder, although it did have sleeves. Her figure was different, and Raikenza gave a quick squeak of discontent when she spotted this herself. She would need bandages if her archery was to be a simple task. Otherwise, she would have to use her bow in a completely new way. Well, she shouldn't need to fire her bow today anyways.

Then comes the subject of the bow in her hands, a sleek black creation. It emanated a feeling of balance about it, and was of expert crafting. This was the bow she used to use back as a guard in Yomeniapa, but blown out of proportions thanks to her own high standards for the weapon. Some gave it the incorrect name as a demon bow, but in truth the weapon was more of a powerful weapon of balance, its enchantments effective against both good and evil.

And the most shocking of all was the wings. Great white wings that spanned across the entire flower grove. White wings of such incredible beauty that they almost made up for the iridescence of her black wings. Almost. She gave a weak smile to Thavron, and then strode forwards.

"Thank you, Thavron." She said. Her arms slipped around him, as did her wings. They held the man close, close enough to smell the sweetest of perfume on her skin. Something akin to apple blossoms, and how she smelt like apple blossoms, the world will ponder for years. Her face gave a much warmer smile as she cheered up, and then she whispered into his ear.

"Thavron, I love you, I really, really do. I would like nothing more than to spend the life you've given me with you." She whispered. There it was, all of her hopes thrown out into the man she loved, and now to only hope for a positive response. Or find herself with a broken heart yet again, what a familiar thing to the white winged angel.

The column of light was almost blinding. Thavron took a few steps back and covered his eyes with an arm. Kamotse and Raven seemed unfazed by it. The lights ceased and the brown angel lowered his arm. The joy that followed was almost overwhelming. Standing before him was Raikenza, a person he thought he would never be able to see again. For the first time in two weeks, the guardsman smiled. It was intriguing that the form Rai chose was that of a white-wing, the most hated race by both of them. Thavron felt anything but hatred for her new form, however. Whatever she chose was completely fine with him. "Thank you, Thavron." Those words were Raikenza's first since her death. The brown angel nodded, realizing just how much he had missed her voice. Even though he was practically completely drained of magical energy and could barely stand, Thavron welcomed her hug. Raikenza's resurrection, he decided, was the best thing he had ever decided to do in his life.

Kamotse would have smiled. He had never seen his owner happier. The brown angel hugged Raikenza tighter, folding his wings around hers. And then, "Thavron, I love you, I really, really do. I would like nothing more than to spend the life you've given me with you." she whispered in his ear. A chill ran down his spine, not from fear, but from the sheer coincidence of it all. Those were the almost exact same words he was thinking at that moment. He chuckled under his breath, grinning before finally whispering in reply, "of course, dear." The two stayed that way for moments longer, then finally Thavron folded his wings and took a step back. "Raikenza, I would like to introduce you to Kamotse." he motioned with his left hand toward the anima, who graciously bowed his long head adorned with white and lavender feathers.
"Charming to meet you," the anima said. He approached the pair slowly. Thavron looked back at Raikenza. "I never showed you my inn room, did I? Those barracks are certainly... interesting, if that's the best word. Here, follow me."


As Thavron led Raikenza through the streets of Lomedor again, just as he did on the day of her death, the pair passed a restaurant briefly. He stopped and looked through its large window, his eye having caught a glimpse of a group of three white-winged angels seated at a table. They were conversing, but one lazily turned his head towards the window, seeing Thavron. The other angels saw this, and soon enough, all three soon looking at the brown angel. Thavron expected hostility, but was amazed. Each of them smiled. The guardsman returned with a weak grin of his own, and they all returned to what they had been doing.

He knew in his mind that peace between races was attainable.