The current time and date at this juncture is dusk; twelve weeks and four days past the vernal equinox. We have retired this evening at a quaint inn colloquially known as the Prancing Poultry. Eleven days have elapsed since the destruction of the Crone and her New Moon Sabbath. For as many days we have been harried by the consequences of our own success.

 

In exchange for our company's safe passage to the Free Ports we were to investigate, and if possible, dismantle the New Moon Sabbath. Grand Cardinal Ulmpher was our sponsor, and shed light on a division within the Almighty's Church. We hoped this could be exploited to our benefit. However, upon completing our task, we were informed that the prior conditions were no longer satisfactory. Only relinquishing the body of the baphomet, whom Laven rescued, would suffice. Since she was instrumental in the Sabbath's destruction, and due to his nature, he declined her demands, cordially. Our differences were then resolved, amicably, and we agreed to go our separate ways.

 

Now our prospects appear bleak and our gallery of options deteriorates with each passing day. If only Christophaclies were many times larger; our company could take to the skies and make this journey brief. However, being ferried individually, and thereby separated for extended periods of time, would now put us all at undo risk. What strength we have left can no longer risk being diluted. Without knowledge of the road ahead we cannot plan for contingencies. It is likely the Church will seek retribution the moment we expose an iota of weakness.

 

At least for the short term we need not concern ourselves with Church forces. Tolerance of monsters in this region is fortunately substantial. This is, however, a consequence of its geography rather than the philosophy of its inhabitants. This Prancing Poultry is nestled between two demon realm's of significant size, so it is likely the denizens here wish not to, as the saying goes, 'rock the boat'. Why would we, who are mostly monstrous ourselves, avoid those regions? It is with profound irony that we are safer here.

 

The tavern air is rife with rumors that both realms fall under the shadow Typhoon's influence. Our previous encounters with Typhoon implores us to restrain ourselves to more neutral areas. And to that, avoiding conflict has become an increasingly arduous task. The further I investigate potential routes southbound, the more inevitable our clash with the gale force of Typhoon becomes. Our hand will eventually be forced, however, tis not to our benefit that we clash at this present time. The alternative would be to delve into Empire and Church controlled lands. That would be certain suicide after all that has transpired with the Grand Cardinals and the Inquisition.

 

Back to more immediate matters: There was no vacancy at this Prancing Poultry, but our presence ended up permitted in the fallow fields adjacent. The accommodations are not ideal, yet should suffice for access to adequate utilities and security. Over a hundred other souls crowd these fields. They did, however, keep their distance from us. It graced us with a welcome degree of privacy. Whole families and entire communities shared the same objective as we. Their backs were laden with everything they owned and the sight of it is heartbreaking. Doubly so in the frightened look of children as they did not even play. They merely meandered without purpose about their wagons and cowered the campfire in the arms of their mothers or whoever would accept them.

 

No price appears too hefty in the pursuit of hegemony across Cokraine.

 

The obstacles in our shared journey accumulate unceasingly. For these poor souls, it is their powerlessness, for us, it is fear of our power. Not only from the Empire's fanatic ecclesiarchy or terrorist cells of Typhoon, but lawless territories plague these northern corners of the Empire. These lands are fiefdoms of the old feudal system in name only. Absentee families have set up theirs courts within the safe regions nearer to the capital. A substantial number have gone so far as to take refuge in the southern territories of the Empire. This has left the local peasantry with no avenue to petition their lords and ladies for redress. Tension increases exponentially with every act, minor and major, that erodes Imperial authority.

 

Pagan communities scattered about the northern territories progress without pause toward the breaking point. The time is nigh when the North shall no longer tolerate further persecution and crusades waged against them. Certainly not when it is done under the thin guise of protecting humanity from monsterkind. Not when the security guaranteed to them by their lords and masters deteriorates. Lawless bands of outlaws run rampant along the major trade routes and the north is gradually being cut off from the Empire. Of course, if all the bandits were mere men, our situation would not be so dire

 

It took me a great deal of effort to dissuade some opinions in our company from conflict against these lesser foes. Simply forcing our way through would only serve to cause a power vacuums. The bandits could readily fall upon one another to fill the voids caused by our violence. This could only lead to further harming of innocents. After everything which has been done in our names over the past weeks, I cannot allow any further damage be the result of our direct actions.

 

All predictions from models I have calculated come to the same conclusion, there is an eighty-seven percent likelihood that use of sufficient force to carve a path (also accounting for the likelihood of resistant and pursuit) would destabilize this entire region. Furthermore, I have also foreseen the risk of bounties placed upon on us due to desires of revenge and to enforce a sort of solidarity among thieves. The lawless band's own unwritten code of ethics I have been able to divine suggest they wish to maintain the current status quo; the ninety-three percent chance of this occurring is too great a risk.

 

Yet as we travel the final and most insidious threat to our journey has now at last begun to raise its grotesque visage. With the appetites of our current companions, the bribes we must pay and the lack of guild presence in these lawless regions, we run into the most troublesome problem we currently face-

 

***

 

     “What'cha scribblin' away at here?” A childish voice rang out.

 

I was pulled back reality rudely. Upon looking up, I could not but see a mass of osseous material had interjected itself in front of my tome. The sharp pointed ends danced precariously close to my eyes as the miniature interloper they belonged to bounced to and fro without care. My spine went rigid from the tip of my tail to the nape of my neck, so I shut my golden tome and cradled it away behind my paws.

 

Twas not the wisest course of action. My reflexes stemmed from having my privacy so suddenly violated, but that is likely not the first impression which would be deduced from my actions.

 

The round face of the demon slowly looked up and menaced me with her wide grin; green eyes narrowing with suspicion. Ba'el suspected I had something to hide, but I had no means of knowing how long she had been present and what she had already observed. Her mischievous expression morphed into a knowing smile as she slowly backed away from the tree I sat under.

 

     With her chin in paw, she thought hard and mused, “Hoceptian, right? Been a long time since I've seen anyone use it.”

 

A painful throb coursed through my chest. My heart sunk, as if seized by some ethereal hand. I cannot recall any discussion whence I mentioned that old and forgotten language. Yet I could not be surprised. The girl before me has existed far longer than my own spirit. With tepid anticipation, I held the spirit of life within my bosom and without so much as a single breath from me to hinder time's passing. The demon thought hard, but not long and quickly retired.

 

     “Never seen it wrote like that before though. Is it some kind of colonial dialect?...”

 

I let slip a long sigh as my shoulders deflated. It was foolish of me to wish that even she would possess any knowledge on the matter at all. The curves and intricacies of each pictogram and the heavy tome cast from pure gold was all I had left. It was all there was left of what I had once called home. Everything else has been lost and forgotten. It would be better to let those things rest in peace.

 

     “Or~” Ba'el sang impishly with a sly grin, “Are you jotting something down with a cipher? You naughty girl you. What are you trying to hide?”

 

     “It was never my intention to hide anything,” I replied with more palatable confusion than I cared to display. “I am merely updating my records of our journey thus far.”

 

     “Uh-huh, sure you are,” Ba'el chided me in disbelief.

 

After all this time I am still unable to comprehend the intricacies of this demon's logic which fuels her sometimes bizarre and nonsensical actions. No matter how long or hard I peer into her I see nothing but an abyss; a shroud draped over something hidden further in the darkness. She is shrewd, but equally juvenile. Whether it is by design to maintain a childish impression of innocence or merely part of her true careless nature, I cannot say. A cornucopia of experience gained through millennium appears to have sieved through that horn crowned skull of hers. She stubbornly refuses to divulge what knowledge she does possess, or her memory is shattered and more unreliable than my own. That too is a frightening proposition. Tis almost enough to solicit sympathy from-

 

     “-Or are you just trying to slack off while everyone else is busy?”

 

Her choice of words and the tone in her voice caused an ear to twitch involuntarily; it was only with great effort I managed to maintain a straight face. This was the other side of that feigned innocence. Unlike a demon of high pedigree and pride, Ba'el delights herself with the aggravation of others. Not today. I shan't bring myself to such a level and engage with her on those terms.

 

A cursory look informed me that not much had changed since I had last looked up from the my tome: Rose and Christophaclies tended the campfire where they prepared tonight's meal. The same conversation they were having while the sky was blue has yet to cease. With heated passion they argued in circles over frivolous trivialities such as which famous heroes and beasts of ages past would prevail in the most ridiculous of gladiatorial arenas. Minte sat upon a branch in the tree above me. Song birds sang their farewells to the day all around her. Two perched themselves on one finger each; she watched them with rapt attention and sparkling eyes, the song birds paid more concern to her than any of the other branches. Despite all that, I could sense her insect eyes a top her head were scanning the area; her long antennae likewise twisted and twirled about to taste the air

 

Lastly, Laven was beyond the campfire. He labored with the sheets, rope, wooden poles and stakes of the tents we had recently procured. The summer rainy season will soon be upon us, but he insisted on being used to pitching them rather than fumbling when the skies were gray. Pragmatic, but I could sense the frustration as he struggled alone in vain.

 

     I cast my eyes back upon the demon, “If you are free to bother me in an effort to alleviate yourself from your boredom, why not render assistance elsewhere?”

 

Ba'el clicked her tongue, obviously none too pleased with my harsh tone. Yet she did not hesitate for long; she shrugged her shoulders and exaggerated the raising of her paws.

 

     “No one asked, so I wasn't gonna bother.”

 

I was not surprised.

 

     “Did you perchance not see Laven is currently in need of some assistance?”

 

     The demon twirled her paw dismissively in a circle, “Been there, done that. He hasn't given up yet, has he? Men have their pride too, he's a stubborn one to boot. He wasn't gonna take my charity. No, not till he figures it out on his own. Sometimes men gotta feel they are useful, even if it makes them look like fools in the process. I'd spoil all the fun if I helped.”

 

     “How convenient for you,” I growled.

 

     “Yeah yeah, you just keep bending over backwards for him and see how that works out for him. Oh, yes master, your wish is mine to grant, master,” Ba'el spoke fluttering her eyebrows whilst taunting me in a voice that was a mockery of my own. “Allow me to massage your feet, wash your back. I'm such a stuck up bitch with an ego the size of a pyramid. Your problems are nothing, nothing I can't just solve myself. Allow me to feel like a big girl by-”

 

I calmly retrieved an artifact pressed between the pages of my tome. Twas a small and insignificant thing. Nothing more than a coin sized ankh crafted from the same sacred gold as my tome. As the demon continued to prattle on in an attempt to upset me for her own amusement, and while her eyes were shut and defenseless, I gently pressed the relic against her bare forehead. Not even a second later, smoke rose from the point of impact. Three seconds later, the Demon finally noticed and froze on the spot.

 

     “Zaph are's u xesprew!” An infernal tongue slipped out from the demon's lips as she reached up and swatted the ankh off her forehead.

 

I must confess that I found a great deal of satisfaction from watching that. If only I had done so at an earlier date. There was no way for me to know what profanity she spewed, nor did I care. All I could preoccupy myself with was not undignifying myself by laughing at the black scorch upon her head in the shape of the ankh. Tis a shame it did not leave a permanent mark. After some scrubbing with the reverse side of her paw, it was gone.

 

     “When speaking ill of those who would help-” I began with aggravatingly haughty tone, “-and saying they make others weak by removing the onus of their burden so as rob them of strength gained by overcoming it: You would best remember the tale of a demon who immunized herself against the holy for so many years that the most simple of relics now harms her once stripped of that shield.”

 

Ba'el grit her teeth tight, with moist eyes where the start of tears lingered before she fought them back. I bore witness to genuine anger, the first time I had seen it within the demon. Her eyes were like sharpened daggers. There was enough power in those small arms of hers to tear me apart, and more than enough power in her breast to vaporize the ground I sat upon, but she did not; not even a word was offered in rebuttal.

 

For a being as strong and powerful as she, Ba'el has proven notorious for being incredibly unengaged. Worse yet, she was equally frivolous. I would have my doubts about her very presence here if it were not for the nature of her predicament. Rather than commit herself to rebuilding a disguise and disappear as she had done for decades, the demon decided to cling onto Laven instead. When she destroyed her old apprentice, she too should have been obliterated, so she claims. It is only through Laven's own intervention when... he- he made a pact that unwittingly bound the demon to himself.

 

It had better be that he made it unwittingly.

 

So help me- Nevertheless, her powers have diminished, but her destructive power and magic have remained intact to a degree which is not so easily dismissed. I would normally be opposed to a demon's presence: their virtue is scarce and their morals are pillars of sand, however, she cannot act true to her uninhibited desires. Ba'el's immortality has been compromised. Should her body sustain irreparable damage, it will not be hell she is banished back to. Due to her transgression of ancient demon law, she has been effectively been exiled from Pandemonium and thus would be cast into oblivion instead. She would be erased from existence. So too would she meet such a fate if Laven suddenly departed the land of the living. Verily, it is a fitting leash and muzzle for someone so potentially dangerous.

 

I take comfort, if only a little, that despite her villainous and unpredictable nature she has a vested interest in my liege's continued well being. Without Laven to anchor her here, she would face a destruction which I myself cannot even begin to contemplate. Therefore, despite any inclinations she may have otherwise, and due to Laven's good matured kindness, I tolerate whatever assistance she can offer. The time will come when we will need to turn her loose upon our enemies. I wish it were not so, but I cannot deny further bloodshed is inevitable and she would prove a valuable asset in that regard. If only she could prove useful in other ways during the meantime and not persist in being a constant nuisance.

 

However, I shall always remain vigilant. Under no circumstance will I suffer this petite demon corrupting the pureness of my pharaoh. That is why I shall never truly trust this precocious goatish imp. This task will no doubt fall upon me to a great degree, for I have one weapon in my arsenal against her incomparable physical strength and frightening magic potency.

 

     “You're trying to work out our money problems, right?” Ba'el said suddenly and so seriously.

 

She threw me off center. It was unexpected to say the least, but her words were true. I thought I was the only one to have noticed our more insidious threat, the one from the enemy within.

 

     “If that's what you wanted to ask all this time, then why not do so?”

 

The only answer I received was yet another apathetic shrug.

 

     “It ain't hard to figure out. The kind of food those two over by the fire can put away is something else. Can't quite get three square meals a day while on the move too. Oh, and that guild business, it ain't paying its dividends, right? Kinda hard to throw about IOUs and run a tab on some sleazy little merchants who packed up shop and ran for the hill.”

 

She definitely put it together. Not even Laven has noticed yet. His mind has been elsewhere and I have kept it to myself to prevent panic.

 

     “Not even enough to pay for six in the inn, right? Well, they didn't need to know that. Gave us that complimentary side of pork as an apology.” Ba'el smothered a hearty laugh, “That look on his face when that orc they keep around gave it to him with nothing but smiles on her face... It was adorable.”

 

     After shaking my head at her poor taste in humor, I set the conversation back on track, “Yes. That is precisely the dilemma I was set to address next before you so rudely interrupted me.”

 

     “I don't know why you keep dropping it everywhere we go. If you wanted more gold, there's been plenty of time to just take it. Plenty of times to just keep it.”

 

     “We. Are. Not. Brigands.”

 

     “Yeah, if you paid attention, you'd have noticed we're already thought of as worse. And that's not just to a few, we're talking about a lot of people here. Why bother with the holier than thou act? We're not gonna make friends by playing pretend.”

 

     “Only the truth matters, demon. I care not for what the masses and the Imperial Church believes. I shall not abide we denigrate ourselves, no matter the boon it offers, to meet their beliefs and expectations of us.”

 

     “So you'd rather starve, freeze and wander aimlessly looking and praying for someone, or something, to cut you some slack? Just get it over with and break on through.”

 

     “Yes. And so too shall you find yourself alone in this regard.”

 

     “Fine. Whatever! Everyone just ignore the 'demon',” Ba'el whined whilst she threw her paws up into the air and paced back and forth. “Anything the demon suggests is just evil by definition. She doesn't actually want to help or anything. That sure doesn't hurt my feelings or anything. No mam, not one bit!”

 

Perhaps I was too dismissive. Although I could not perceive her true nature beyond darkness, my intuition told me she truly wished to help.

 

     “And what, pray tell, did you exactly have in mind?” I asked, against my better judgment.

 

Ba'el's frustrated face transformed immediately into a sleazy smile. I was going to stop her before she began, but she slid right back up against me in an instant. She leaned in close enough so she could speak directly into my ear. I was tempted to get up and retreat.

 

     With a silver tongue any merchant would sell their soul to possess, she whispered softly and earnestly, “We got a lot of talent going on here. If we're running low on money, we just need to sell it for a premium. Ya following me?”

 

     I immediately voiced my objections, “We don't have the time nor the connections to safely-”

 

     “No no no, don't be such a Negative Nelly,” the demon said while waging her finger. “It's all a matter of supply and demand. We got something that is in high demand and we're just letting in squander away.”

 

     “Ba'el, please refrain from wasting my precious time with-”

 

     “Whoa there, girl. Hang on. Let me finish. All we gotta do to pull in some serious coin to fund our trip from here to the coast is to turn a couple of tricks here and there.”

 

     “Ba'el quit wasting my time speaking in riddles.”

 

     “Oho~” Ba'el grinned, “Aren't we the little angel? Or are you just pulling my leg now?... Anyway, there are a lots of lonely souls wandering around in this cesspit. They got more than enough in exchange for some-”

 

What the demon was saying suddenly clicked. My face went bright red from a clash of anger and embarrassment. The very thought she tried to slip into my mind caused my paws to shudder and clench til the point they pained me.

 

     “A high priestess such as myself does not debase herself with such debauchery,” I hissed though clenched fangs and lips quivering with fury. “Neither would I ever betray my-”

 

     “Whoa whoa whoa! Whoa there again,” Ba'el said waving her paws desperately in order to have me stop. “That's not what I was saying at all.” The demon shook her head in disappointment before explaining herself, “Really now, I thought you were supposed to be smart. Think on that for a second... Can you really sell something for anything when there's more than enough peddlers just giving it away for free? No no no... What I'm saying here is we dress up Laven in a bit of tight leather, go into the nearest demon realm and I bet you'll have a line up from one side of town to the other for just one-”

 

What clicked inside me, just now snapped.

 

     “Ba'el!” I said whist gnashing my teeth.

 

It was unbecoming of me, but I could not hold back my anger any longer. And then the demon's serious expression cracked. She took one look at me and she could no longer contain herself. What started as a snort quickly transformed into outrageous laughter.

 

     “Ha ha ha ha! The look on your face: priceless!” Ba'el laughed while making a frame with her paws to glance at me through, but she soon doubled over in laughter. “I could never in a million years imagine you with that look on your face!”

 

The demon continued to laugh to the point she could hardly breathe, let alone speak. I was left absolutely unamused. It took everything I had to remain civil and wrest control of my expression that was further fueling the imp's laughter. At last, Ba'el wiped the tears from her eyes and regained her composure.

 

     “I'm joking. That was a joke, stupid.... Like I'd actually throw pearls before swine.”

 

This is precisely why I find myself unable to tolerate this demon. Every time I grant her the benefit of the doubt, she betrays my expectations in order to play some childish prank. Allowing myself to be worked up any further would only spurn her on, so I inhaled deep breaths and calmed myself the best I could. So too did Ba'el follow suit until we were both staring at one another in silence.

 

     Until she titled her head to the side and with a straight face asked, “Unless you actually think it's a good idea.”

 

     “OUT!” I roared.

 

I ordered myself to remain calm, yet failed miserably. Shame fell upon me when I quickly regained my senses. Twas then I noticed that the ground had rumbled, and only once I realized it, did it fade away. A gust leftover from gale force winds rustled the grass and leaves. My eyes stung as if they had been replaced with burning red hot coals. Most foreboding of all, black light cast shadows ever so my Marks of Anubis before returning to white. When I gazed upon Ba'el, her paws were cupped over her ears. Her round face was scrunched up in pain and I spied a thin trickle of blood flow from her tiny nose.

 

     “Oooooow!” Ba'el moaned, “Yeesh, alright, alright! You don't have to go all out and shout power words at me.”

 

Ba'el stumbled during her hasty retreat. She could still not cure herself of the ringing inside her skull which had thrown her off balance. The demon tried in vain to cure herself of it by plunging a finger into her ears. Of course, she did not depart before leaving a trail of curses behind her.

 

     “Who does she think I am? Some sorta' gin and tonic bar's two-copper succubus? I used to be a duke for all the hells' sake, give me more credit than that. Hmph, I'm gonna go find the bug. It's a lot more fun trying to get any reaction out of that girl than play with this bitch. And to think I ever wondered where she kept that staff of hers. Should've known better when she's that stuck up all the time. I even give her a hint and she still-”

 

She has routinely underestimated my auditory senses, but I have no intention of informing her of that anytime soon. Much the same way that she has not yet gauged the full spectrum and depth of my abilities. Even so, when next I pray I must ask for forgiveness; forgiveness for overstepping my authority in invoking such a curse at such an inappropriate time, for such an inexcusable reason.

 

But at least I am free at last resume my duties. I learned my head back and saw Minte had already vanished along with the birds. Perhaps it was my fault, but her escaping before Ba'el found her, is to the girl's benefit.

 

Even onto this day I cannot fathom how any of the others, and especially Laven, are able to deal with that demon's antics. Neither do I suspect I will ever in the immediate or far flung future. I am unsure whether I am jealous or not of their ability to do so. My fear lies in order to do so myself, I would need to part with some precious part of my sanity. So long as the ground rules exist, and we share similar goals, I will respect Laven's wish that we all cooperate. If only it were not such an improbability that the demon would likewise do the same.

 

Now I could return my attention to the tome. One final entry about our departure from the North Marches would suffice. I set my index claw aglow and began to etch the pictograms into the soft gold.

 

***

 

We were bid farewell by the orphaned children we rescued from the clutches of The Crone; their foster families also extended their gratitude. I managed to negotiate with the village elder and have her swear upon her honor to raise those children well. She would refrain from influencing their decision to stay or leave upon reaching adulthood. Nor would she pressure or council those children to give up their humanity. Our paths were to diverge, and likely never to meet again, it was our only chance to give these children the life of peace and freedom they deserve. That is how Laven wished it to be.

 

Twas all we could do for those poor children. There was no other safe harbor for them, no other option which would not result in their imprisonment, or worse, execution. After potentially being tainted by abyssal energy, they would be considered a liability in human communities. There is no natural system in the human female form to purge itself of such a magical taint. It will dwell there, potentially awakening if agitated, aggregating until reaching critical mass.

 

Despite all its shortcomings, I felt as though Laven would take pride This act of charity on our behalf was accomplished with great personal cost. Laven appears troubled ever since leaving the farmstead nine days ago. He puts on the appearance of having left it behind, but I can tell from his eyes, and his aura, that it continues to torment him. Perhaps he feels guilt for forcing those girls along a certain path as other before have done. Mayhaps some encounter with The Crone and her sabbath have disturbed him in some way. I can do nothing but speculate, he refuses to open his heart on the matter. The past days have been a forced march further south and west and I have been unable to reserve even a moment to investigate what ails him. The frustration and feeling of

helplessness that I sense within Laven has afflicted myself. With a heavy heart I am ashamed to report my failure in fulfilling my duties these past-

 

***

 

I nonchalantly gazed upon Laven once more. After all this time he still struggles with find the appropriate knot. A savior from his struggles quickly arrived; with involatile energy in stow, Rose bounded toward Laven with a steaming bowl in tow. I pried my eyes away to continue scribing, yet my attention invariably returned to the scene. With a broad smile she thrust the fresh pork stew onto him. Not even stubborn Laven could hold her off, and he soon ceased to struggle with the materials of the tent. They exchanged empty platitudes while Rose lavished him with inane boasts and words of encouragement. And he smiled in return.

 

My heart fluttered, but quickly sank into my diaphragm and I struggled to breath. For a moment I forgot to breathe. Why? I had felt the tension he exuded, the weight upon his soul, but it was gone in an instant. His expression as of late was weary. Laven was someone who understood the world as cruel, and that colored him jaded and cynical. Yet he was still driven by a desire to do good in spite. It saved others, even it cost saving himself. There was nothing of that in that smile now upon his face.

 

The longer I peered into that glowing white aura, the pain in my chest increased exponentially. His eyes were not even upon me, but I could not look at it. He gazed upon Rose instead and-

 

No. Cease these ugly thoughts, there is work to be done. I shan't allow myself to be distracted now, not after managing to drive Ba'el away. Rose and Laven conversing as they always do- it is not something to get upset over. This is how it is between those two. Nothing more. It is nothing to become agitated over. I am most certainly not jealous. That is not the nature of this unpleasant feeling. I am above such things!

 

Another entry, that is what is required of me. The pages of my tome are not finite and there is an interesting diversity of the local fauna to document. There is a plethora of divergence between the southern regions compared to the far north. Of all the indigenous wild grasses, tubers and herbs that could be used by the local to prepare a rather delicious looking-

 

My claws reached up to the sides of my head and I ruthlessly tousled my long locks into disarray. I growled at my own flippantness and attempted to banish the thought from my mind in vain. The hearty smell of the stew's broth wafted into my aggravatingly astute and observant nose. Laven's expression betrayed his surprise that the bumbling buffoon of a brawler could manage to prepare something that succulent with so little. Rose's chest swelled with pride as her tail popped and crackled with fresh embers as it swayed back and forth behind her.

 

No no no no- Aside from the local vegetation, various types of song bird and small rodents are noticeably different from their northern cousins. With visibly more colorful plumes and lighter hides, their behavioral patterns are also diverged significantly. There is even a different mating season which makes cross breeding with their northern cousins less likely. On matters such as-

 

As I glared at the empty gold page, the image of his smiling face appeared as a hallucination before my eyes. No! Those thoughts are separate. They are not to be conflated! I am not at all concerned at the moment with where those eyes and warm smile are directed. Even as they so casually touch, prod, slap and beat upon one another, that's- That accursed Ba'el! Curse her for planting that wretched seed of a thought in my mind! For such a common thing as a smile to do this to me now. The very thought of it is absurd. How dare she treat my liege as a play thing. Even in nothing but the barest of leather, sweating in the daytime heat and covered in a glistening layer of palm oil-

 

I shook my head again, when my eyes refocused I saw my idle hands had etched an image of Laven on the gold page as- From my face down through the rest of my body. A hoarse yelp escaped from my throat and I flushed red. With a flash I Illuminated the pad of my paw, and frantically scrubbed the page smooth. My shoulders sagged and I buried my red faced visage further into the book. I glanced only once over the edge to see that no one was still looking my way. Twas a small comfort and I sighed in relief whilst retreating behind the tome.

 

Accounting, local history, recent proclamations and edicts! A precedent set by one Mr. Walger vs Mrs Derite over a fencing and property conflict. I filled the pages one by one. Anything to serve as a suitable distraction. There was work to do, too much work to do. I could not afford to allow myself to be so incredulous as to distract myself with foolish tribulations that belong instead to a young, naive and base little girl!

 

At last exhaustion overtook me. Several pages were covered in jumbled messes of script that even I myself could not decipher. My claw went dull as I resigned, and the light dancing at its tip flickered weakly until it died. With the sturdy tree trunk at my back, I cast my eyes upward where the canopy of green filtered the last red rays of sunlight. I closed my eyes as my paws drew the covers of my tome shut.

 

For now I could only think to meditate. My evening prayer was long overdo. I chanted the ritual as I always do, closed my eyes and quietly departed into my mind's eye. Twas nothing but a void now. An empty expanse with a single glowing orb of light. But that was how it has always been. It was all I had left. To it I offered my prayers. I sought strength, wisdom and its blessings.

 

Yet no matter how hard I prayed, the luminescent sphere remained silent. There was no reassuring voice, no gentle face or stern expression of disapproval. No demanding avatar of the Sun, River, Sky nor of Death and Law was there to greet me. No guidance was offered and no edict or order existed to be received. There was no will to this solitary orb of light. It merely gave and never asked for anything in return. But that could not be; the gods were demanding, they were capricious, they were all powerful and all-seeing. Yet they were not here. Only this small light of theirs was left behind. Had it been left behind for me? Where have they departed to?

 

Why are you not here now when I need you most? Was I not there for you? Did I not wait for so many lifetimes?

 

As I opened my eyes, I saw that the red rays of the dusk had been replaced by the ink of twilight. A chill breeze washed over me as only the stars in the heavens above illuminated the landscape.

 

How embarrassing. I selfishly drifted off during meditation. As my mind stirred back to wakefulness, something weighed me down. A canvas of fabric was draped over me. Its texture and color was that of the tents which Laven failed to assemble. I perceived a scent heavy within it; it smelled of Laven. The thought of him draping this over my slovenly self seemed very much like him.

 

I noticed the slumbering forms of the others laying about the fire. Rose lay with her arms and body wrapped around the wyvern's tail. The wyvern slept facing the other way, blissfully unaware. Ba'el lay slovenly, snoring and scratching her exposed belly in an unladylike fashion. Minte slept lay curled up by the smoldering campfire, although her antennae appeared as though she were still awake. It was rare to even see her sleep... But I did not spot a sentry. Several days have passed since we could last afford ourselves a rest such as this, and certainly doubtful that our enemies would be so rash in the face of so many potential witnesses nearby, but I was profoundly disappointed regardless. My absence always appears to prophesize a breakdown of responsibility.

 

There was, however, one less silhouette in the darkness than there should be. My heart raced upon realizing that the missing individual was Laven himself. Hours of sitting propped against this tree caused my weary and slumbering legs to waver, but the surge of adrenaline remedied their fastidious demands for restraint. I peered though the twilight, yet still failed to see him. With my nose lifted into the night air, I breathed quickly and picked up his scent. It was fresh, so he no doubt had not strayed far. I wrapped the tent sheet around my shoulders to keep the cold at bay and went on the hunt.

 

Twas not a long stroll after all. Laven was but a mere thirty seconds from the camp where I spotted the man lying down at the top of a hill. It gave an advantageous view over the congregation of other travelers far below where not soul stirred. I approached tacitly and took due diligence to disturb the long grass. Upon further inspection I saw that his eyes were closed: his face was tense and his breathing shallow. I knelt down beside him and studied his features as he slept. His face was tense and his body was frigid. I knew not what madness brought him out here to freeze in the late spring evening.

Something about the look on his face disquieted me. I leaned closer due to the faint moonlight being insufficient even for my eyes and I saw that Laven's face was not only tense, but also looked pained. His brow was furrowed and his lips were pursed. My curiosity seized control of me and I leaned in ever closer. I held my hair back with one paw and held myself over him with the other as I slunk ever closer.

 

What am I doing?

 

I hovered a nose's length away from Laven's face when I shook my head gently. I know not what came over me, so I sought to purge myself of the strange though whilst looking nervously to the left and right. There was no one else nearby, so why was I so racked with concern as though someone were watching over my shoulder in disapproval. When I looked back, I saw a pair of blue sphere staring back at me. With blackened bags beneath them, they were unfocused and dull, but pierced me all the same.

 

     “Huh?” was the only sound that burrowed out from the lump in my throat

 

     “Wha?” Laven mumbled in a daze.

 

I yelped. With all my strength I pushed away and full backward and fell onto the ground behind me. I landed on the base of my tail and tears welled up within my eyes. The sudden cry and movement caused Laven to panic as well. He rolled over, shielding his face with his hands. After his heart was finished pounding, and his mind had caught up with his survival instincts, he glared at me.

 

     “Susan? What the hell?” he yelled, visibility agitated.

 

Susan- I am disappointed whenever I hear that name, but I ignore it this time. If only because his state of mind while saying it was forgivable- But it was not he who would ask the questions.

 

     I quickly turned his indignation back onto him, “I shall ask the same of thee. What absence of good senses would compel you to abandon the safety of the camp? What would you have done should harm have sought you out? What assistance could we possibly render in time?”

 

Laven diverted his eyes. I looked down to see my knees splayed, and I quickly shut them. But there was sadness instead of shame in his eyes. He hadn't even noticed my unladylike position. He instead tried to hide something else behind a wry grin. His body was weary and he naught the strength left to put forward a satisfactory effort. He lay back down amongst the grass and cast his eye's at the stars above. But as quickly as his gloom set in, it was banished. He steered his gaze back onto me as a droll smile crept over his face.

 

     “Well, that isn't true. After all, you came along, didn't you?” Laven said.

 

My heart thumped. Although I had resolved myself to be indignant, my body shook and my paws fidgeted as I clawed nervously at the hem of my pant legs. The more I focused on how embarrassed I felt, and no doubt looked, the worse it became. Even my tail betrayed me as it swished behind me and against my will. I should not be so flustered after hearing such simple empty words; even if they come from him.

 

Yet something clicked. I recalled seeing that look which now was upon his face before. A minor twitch from the corner of his lip, he was trying too hard to hold back a laugh.

 

     I pointed down and nearly exploded, “D-d-don't play me for a fool, Laven! Do not for a moment t-think you can worm thyself out of this. These are serious matters. It is not up for ridicule. And why would you do something as mischievous and pretend to be asleep?”

 

     “Pretend to be asleep?” Laven reiterated, “I wasn't sleeping or pretending to be asleep, I was just resting my eyes- and thinking... Wait. Why does that part matter? What were you doing close-”

 

     “D-do not change the subject now!” I yelled

 

He looked off to the side and frowned; his ruse having been foiled. My anger rose as it replaced the void left behind by my embarrassment. But I would not say anything further about that. Tis not a time to be so upset. No, there would be no better time than now to seek the answers to the questions I needed to ask. Perhaps now would be the only time, in a long time, I would have such a private rendezvous with Laven. If there is something he cannot speak to all, then I pray that he might find confidence in sharing it with me. To that, I must first ask-

 

     “Are you alright, Shoshanah?” Laven looked me in the eyes and asked.

 

     “Huh? Wuh?” I blubbered foolishly.

 

     “You were sitting at that tree all day. You hardly spoke, you didn't eat anything and it looked like you were stressing out over something... Actually- you look really stressed out right now too.”

 

Wait. No. What? What is happening? I was about to- No, I mean I was the one who was supposed to- No, I shall not allow myself to be fooled twice in a row. He is dodging me on purpose and he is hiding something- My head became a quagmire before I realized it. Everything started to spin as I became dizzy from overheating as I felt myself flush red once again. He noticed? He was watching all this time? Was my worrying misplaced?

 

     “You never take so long to figure out something,” he said, making things progressively worse for myself. “Maybe if you bounce it off me I can-”

 

At last I broke. I panicked and lashed out:

 

     “You!” I shouted.

 

Laven stared at me for a moment before sitting back upright with a confused look upon his face. But that did not last for long, as he picked up on my anger, he too became furious.

 

     “What?” he shouted back.

 

     “Day after day, you just- you... you pretend like there's absolutely nothing gone awry, but I see it. You think if you just keep it all to thyself, that will trouble no one else! You fool, you foolish incredulous lout!”

 

     “And why are you acting all high and mighty all of a sudden?” Laven said while laughing bitterly, “You don't think I don't notice that look on your face when you sulk in the corner for hours on end? What am I supposed to think when you get frustrated and start pulling at your hair?”

 

I could not hide my surprise and I asked with my mouth agape.

 

     “You were actually- watching?”

 

Wait. No. That's not true. Every time I look at him, his attention always lies elsewhere. Not once did we ever even exchange so much as a- The night air went silent again. Laven and I both looked at one another. Everything we were prepared to say refused to come forth. His eyes shifted away and I spied a rouge tinge on his cheeks. It caused me to become self-conscious and divert my eyes away as well. And he did not say anything for some time. A sigh heaved his shoulders once, then he laid back down onto the ground and looked back up toward the heavens.

 

He is correct. I am the fool here. I lost my temper like I always do. An apology is required... But I could not muster the words. I sat there in silence, clenching my paws tight, my ears drooping and my tail, ashamedly, retreating betwixt my legs. My vision refused to train itself back upon him, I was prepared to get up, turn around and walk away, but that chance would not come.

 

     “I came up here to get a better look at the stars,” he suddenly spoke. “It's a lot quieter up here too. I took my chance the second Rose rolled over in her sleep and let me out of her vice grips.”

 

I felt a warmth spread throughout me. A wash of hope soothed my shattered nerves and toils plaguing my mind. I stood my ground, as I was doing before. I sympathized with his plight, but I admit that I was also mildly agitated to hear its cause.

 

And now I understood that peculiar sleeping arrangement I spied before.

 

     I pressed on, “W-while that may be so, you are at great risk up here.”

 

Not a word out of him. My chastising lecture failed to provoke anything, not even so much as a gesture of remorse.

 

     “I know... But I haven't had a good night's sleep for a bit now. I thought that maybe a little quiet time would help. Been about two hours now, so I guess not.”

 

His weak laugh did not inspire confidence in me.

 

     “It's been pretty bad skies for a while, It's such a clear and beautiful night that I couldn't pass it up. I looked up there... and it felt as though- well, how do I put it? Déjà vu? Maybe. I was on the verge of remembering something... But nothing came. I can feel it building a dam, but it's just making my head hurt.”

 

I slid nearer and gazed upon the sky just as he did. There I saw the heavens displayed in their full glory above me. The children above watched back as they sparkled just like the gods' own jewels. Irisia watched the world with her waning eye... And now I recalled the children we had rescued.

 

     “Gazing upon the heavens has allowed great thinkers from the furthest flung corners of antiquity unto this day make themselves feel smaller,” I said softly, “Tis a humbling experience which assists in tempering hubris and altering perspectives.” I looked back to Laven and mustered a gentle expression and said, “But there is no need to flagellate yourself by doing so.”

 

     “Come again?” Laven asked, visibly confused.

 

     “You need not torture yourself. I know the weight of those girls' lives still bear down on your conscious. It is written upon your face.” I crossed my paws over my heart and pleases, “If it offers you any solace... I earnestly believe you made a noble choice.”

 

A look of resignation crept over Laven's face. This was not something he wished to discuss. It was something he wished to bury, but I would not allow him to. This was something that must be put in the past, so that it does not continue to haunt the future.

 

     At last he opened his heart and asked, “But was it the right choice?”

 

     “No such thing exists,” I assured him.

 

     “No such thing as a right or wrong choice?”

 

Laven slowly turned his head to finally look upon me once more.

 

     “That's an odd thing to hear from you. Are you sure you're feeling alright?” he asked with furrowed brow and a voice heavy with skepticism.

 

     “As judge, I have only the law. The law which governs the relations of state, men... and now monster... But final judgment is aptly named. It is not until the end when sin and virtue will be weighed against one another. In this instance, the only people who have the right to judge you will be those whose lives you saved. I suspect time will vindicate you, but only the gods know of this for sure. However, I believe in you. And I can say with a sound heart that you are no less radiant tonight than you were the day I met you.”

 

Twas a... very embarrassing thing to say, but I spoke from the heart to help heal another. And verily, I saw radiance from Laven as- He smiled... warmly back at me.

 

     “W-what?” I stuttered bashfully.

 

I don't... I do not recall the last time I saw that look upon his face while he gazed at me.

 

     “Nothing,” he said with a chortle, “It's just been a while since I saw you smile like that.”

 

I reached up with my paws and touched my own face. Assuredly, my lips were drawn back and my cheeks were raised. It vanished the instant I realized it. Lightheaded seized me and the heat I felt surged up within me, I would not be at a loss should there have been steam pouring out from my ears. I thank the gods that his attention was already elsewhere and did not see my face deteriorate further while my nerves were in such a sorry state.

 

     “Your right, of course. I can't beat myself up over what happened in that cave forever,” Laven said. “But that's not everything I was thinking about these last few days... I just realized that when I looked up at this moon and everything else, no matter how long I look, it's all jumbled up and alien to me.”

 

My heart shattered and the giddiness running rampant throughout me proved to be short lived. How could I have forgotten something so simple? The stars above represented something completely different in Laven's eyes. It wasn't a mural to the gods' glory. Every night he looked up the sky it reminded him how far away from home he truly was. There was a calm and somber sadness in his eyes as they tracked back and forth across the heavens.

 

     “I mean, this moon orbits in the opposite direction. It rises in the west and sets in the east. Since it's so close to summer, those have got to be the cardinal directions if everything lines up. It was a full moon about a week ago, and now it darkens left to right too. Not to mention its huge! Something, like, what, a third bigger? There have got to be some real nasty tides and a wobble on this planet's axis. And right around here,” He said while pointing at various locations about the sky, “there should be Ursa Major and Minor. Virgo and Leo should be around here and there too.”

 

At last, he was comfortable to open up.

 

     “ Clamertz and Sidivis,” I responded as I pointed toward the previous two, “The Hunter and the Boar.”

 

     “'That so?” He asked.

 

And lo, there in the sky where I pointed, where the stars neatly aligned in rows. Two constellations locked in their eternal battle in the heavens.

 

     “So each one has its own story?” Laven asked. “I guess some things never change no matter where you go.”

 

And again he spoke of peculiar things. Laven does not do so often, but they are almost always fascinating. Perhaps I could goad him onward.

 

     “The children of Irsisia are amateur historians in their own right. They frolic in the heavens and stage their games upon what they see.”

 

     “Children of Irsisia?” Laven asked with a yawn.

 

Of course, he couldn't possibly know.

 

     “There is a myth which is common across many cultures, religions and even time: How the star children came to be. I know it from the tale of Nuthris and Irisia. They were goddesses who resided in the heavens up high long before the world was whole. They loved one another dearly, as sisters should.”

 

     “Let me guess,” Laven interrupted, “Day and night.”

 

     “That's right. They look near identical as well... Even in love. For you see, Horep, he who forged the land from mountaintop to valley floor, caught the attention of both. Yet it was Nuthris, with her beautiful blue eyes, who won the heart of the gentle giant. They would have a son, Rameth and it would be he who that travels across the sky and brings light and warmth over the land.”

 

Laven laughed quietly to himself, it caused me to pause. I do not recall this story being a comedy.

 

     “Oh, sorry,” he apologized and then explained, “It's just that- Light without the sun? If they were watching Horep earlier without- Sorry, I've heard that somewhere before and it's still just as silly... Go on.”

 

I cleared my throat and hoped the gesture would invite no further interruptions, “But Irisia, whose only difference were eyes pitch black, became jealous. One day Rameth did not rise above the horizon and the world remained dark and a deathly cold chill seized it. And so Nuthris journeyed across the sky to find where her son had gone. But she was lost in the absolute darkness, at least until she happened upon a trial of sparking pearls littered across the sky. She followed them until she at last found Rameth in the arms of Irisia who tried to nurse the child from her own bosom. Rameth cried and kept spitting it up, leaving the pearl like stones behind. Without her dearest friend by her side, and with only the darkness, she had abandoned her senses. Instead of being furious, Nuthris embraced and forgave her. It was then that Rameth at last smiled and laughed, the brilliant light of which gave the pearls life of their own, each with a fraction of Ramth's own. And that is how the night sky became lit. Irisia adopted the children as her own and basked in their light, never to be alone again. And those children would play and mimic what they saw upon the world.”

 

     “I'm not sure... if that's a happy ending or not,” Laven blithely said with another yawn.

 

     “Whether it is sorrowful or not is of no concern to mere mortals. It is the mysterious way that the heavens go... Are you familiar with such a story, Laven?”

 

     “Hmmmm,” his throat rumbled in thought, “Can't say I can recall something quite like that.”

 

Laven very often has interesting stories to tell; I was disappointed to see he was withholding them from me tonight. The way he explains things, details what he knows, the reasons he presents for them are more often than not also very compelling. I wished he would speak more of them tonight, but how could I- Of course!.. But first I'd need to- No. I can do it!

 

I fidgeted while gliding across the grass ever closer to Laven. Next to him I sat with my legs underneath me.

 

     “Ahem- Laven- please place your head upon my lap.”

 

His spellbound face as he stared at the heavens broke and he looked at me with bewilderment. I lightly patted the bare of my thigh again to make my intentions clear.

 

     “T-this will only work should your eyes see it at the proper angle,” I blustered.

 

Oh gods, what was I thinking?

 

When he did not move immediately, I repeated myself louder than before. My voice nearly cracking as I did.

 

     “Laven... Place your head upon my lap!”

 

My face was now undoubtedly bright red. Twas merely a flight of fancy and I was acting impulsively on a flash of inspiration. But I had faith in my scheme and in Laven.

 

He eventually complied, but his movements were awkward and mechanical. It was not unlike a poorly constructed golem shambling into place, but he eventually laid down perpendicular to me and placed his dew soaked head upon my waiting lap. I felt a chill surge through me and I was not sure if its cause; it was either from the cold or my strained nerves.

 

     “Now shut your eyes.”

 

     “Wait, what's this all about?” He said, his bewilderment turning to suspicion.

 

     “Shut your eyes,” I demanded.

 

Laven exasperated heavily, but complied.

 

It would be but a minor cantrip, but I believe its effect would be profound. These past days have been so chaotic, our priorities so scattered, that I had nearly forgotten something very important. From the aether I retrieved my golden tome and materialized it for but a moment. Safely stowed away between its heavy golden pages were a series of simple browning paper which were utterly unbefitting of the tome itself.

 

The proper chant, articulate somatic gestures and a wish is everything required. Each page fluttered into the air on their own accord. They danced in the wind and circled around the two of us seated on the grass until each page began to glow. Each spot of ordinary ink dotting the pages lit up. Numerous orbs of light peeled free from the pages and assembled together again. I watched them rise up into the night sky where they blanketed out the heavens themselves. I then scattered those hundred glowing spheres high into the sky above us. I vaguely knew their meaning, but if there was any meaning to gleam at all, it was not for my eyes to tell.

 

     “Now, Laven... open them.”

 

I looked down at Laven whose tired eyes peeled slowly, but suddenly shot open wide as he stared at the faint and flickering lights superimposed upon the heavens behind them.

 

     “Wait,” Laven said breathlessly, “That's the belt- Orion's Belt!”

 

I laid down beside Laven on the cold ground and stared up at the lights. He pointed at each group of lights, tracing them one by one and giving them names.

 

     “But where would-” His body shook as the spark of realization struck him, “Back at the library-”

 

He turned his head to look at me. I looked down at him, and then nodded in affirmation.

 

     “Far to the south, in the ruins of a civilization which existed long ago, these patterns were etched onto a temple's walls. Remember?”

 

     “And it's too exact to be a coincidence... Dammit! How could I have forgotten all about it?” He breathed a sigh of relief as his body appeared ready to melt into the ground.

 

     “Could it be-” I tentatively asked, “That for all these days: You've been stricken with home sickness?”

 

That had to be the root cause of all this.

 

     “I suppose-” He yawned much longer than before as his voice began to slur, “-it was... Is...”

 

     “Then be glad the rainy season will shield you from the mischief of Irisia's children,” I joked.

 

     A warm smile formed on his face as she slowly spoke, “Thank you, Shoshanah. I feel as if... I've seen this before somewhere... Maybe... In a dream-”

 

The truth of Laven's existence lies somewhere in this world. It is lost, but only forgotten: Hidden in a faraway land. Come hell or high water, we will banish those who bar our journey. For his sake I will clear a path. We will overcome the evil and misguided souls and reach the lands across the southern seas. It is there that all should become clear. Laven will never be whole until this mystery is solved. No matter where he goes, no matter how long he waits, or where he rests, nowhere will never be home until he is at home in his own mind.

 

When I gazed back down at Laven's eyes were closed, his breathing was rhythmic and he was at peace. It appeared as though the world weighing him down had vanished. The black marks below his eyes, which betrayed how tired to an unimaginable degree, seemed inconsequential. Not even I, in all my years of solitude, ever had to endure the pain of being separated from my home.

 

I dispelled the lights still floating in the sky and sat there for a moment to bask in the silence. Besides the gentle breeze, there was only Laven's quiet breaths. The ground was wet and frigid, but I dared not disgrace Laven by moving him. I had invited him, but he had chosen to slumber here on his accord. Twas not my place to move him. Instead, I adjusted the tent canvas draped over my shoulders to cover the two of us to the fullest extend possible.

 

Before I realized it myself, my paw came to rest on top of Laven's head. The jet black fur of my paw traced through his scraggly brown mane. The memory of his hand on top of my own head between my ears came back to me. Such a trivial thought filled me with such warmth; it was overwhelming. My cheeks felt as though a raging fire had been stoked within myself. When I spied droplets of water trickle from the corner of his eyes, I did not fret, because his smile had not abandoned him. I gently plucked the water from his cheeks with my claw and dried his cheeks with a brush of my paw. No longer was his body cold and frigid. There was warmth there and I could feel his heat transfer to me.

 

     “We did not meet long ago,” I spoke gently to his sleeping face, “But I feel as though I have already known you for an eon.”

 

Why is it only now-

 

He did not rouse from his sleep due to my words, but that did not cause me to cease. My paw returned to his unkempt mop of hair and tenderly pet him.

 

-That I can be so honest?

 

     “For many thousands of years my spirit was hidden away. I spent nearly two hundred of those awake, but alone... Yet... I would now not have it any other way. I no longer fear any hardship, no matter how insurmountable the odds may be... Because- I have already overcome the most difficult of them all. Our meeting was the most improbable event: The result of a ridiculous series of coincidence, accident and impossibility.”

 

I brushed his bangs aside once more and teased them between my paw.

 

     “So sleep for now... And may sweet dreams grace you. Tomorrow will soon come, and Rameth's shining glory with it.”

 

This time I cared not if someone saw or strayed near. I leaned over, slowly, and brought my face next to Laven's. My lips hovered above his forehead for a moment, but I felt a pull tease me elsewhere. They moved to his own lips, parted slightly and defenseless. And I gently pressed them both together. The warmth I soaked in before was but nothing compared to this. My heart raced, but my mind calmed and became serene. A thunderstorm of worry that assaulted my mind was banished in an instant. Then I pulled back and looked upon his unsuspecting and smiling face. Once again, I could not stifle my own.

 

     “Goodnight, Laven.”

 

And once more I looked up into the sky. Dancing there, amongst the heavens, a single child streaked gleefully across the sky. His brothers and sisters cheered and applauded, twinkling as they always have, and always will. The night is dark, but those children are always endeavored to be there for one another.

 

And so too, shall I.