She’d been having a nightmare. Two blinked at the dimly lit ceiling and tried to remember it. The dream slipped through her fingers, but the shape of it remained. Her heart pounded but it wasn’t the race borne of sudden fright.Instead, dread’s lurching thud echoed in her ears.

It writhed in her stomach like a living mass, while also leaving her empty. Like there was something missing; two realized she was slick with sweat. She lurched to her feet, throwing silken sheets to the floor and stumbled about the room before she steadied herself.

One breath, then two as she grasped the feeling and forced it down into the recess of her mind. Only when it was properly buried did though return to her, did she finally wake up.

She took a final shuddering breath and begin her preparations. A lingering ache panged in her chest but she would have to manage. Today was the day after all.

Two strode onto the porch.

Wind swept through the trees rustling up a storm, gray clouds sat heavy in the sky. Their presence cast a grey palor over the world. It had drizzled a few times over the last week, but they’d all been light showers. The clouds were still gathering, thickening until they’d become an impenetrable wall. She could taste their building anticipation. By month’s end the Rain would begin.

Two stepped off the porch and the winds pulled at her clockes hem, but found no seams to slip through. Abery had succeded in retrieving the thing and over the month he had taken to fixing it. Before it had been a thing of patches and questionably stiched tears.

The cloak was her oldest possession, she couldn’t have been older than ten when she got it. Back then she didn’t know how to care for it let alone repair it from the wear a life on the streets brought. It had been a patchwork of patchworks, her skill with the needle illustrated the growing quality of each patch and stitch.

Gold thread replaced most of her clumsier repairs. Most of them gathered at the hems; where her younger self had tried and repeatedly failed to shorten the cloak into something manageable. The result was like precious metal wheeling from her cloak’s cracked sleeves and bottom.

It wasn’t the first or even the fifth time she was seeing it but it still left her impressed. A part of her was upset that someonelse had touched something of hers but the rest of her? “It bears repeating Abery this is excellent work.”

The mouse beside her preened. The boy was also prepared for the rain. He wore what could best be discribed as a ‘formal raincoat’. It was a painfully white thing taht covered him from head to, a presently open polished silver zip ran down its front. Exaggerated but functional, what two could not understand was why his sleeves had cuffliks of all things.

The hood was down and combined with his large ears it made him look like a doll. Tw would not have been suprised if that was Lancet’s intent. Two shook off the thought and gestured for him to lead.

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The governor’s manor had not changed, the tiered tower that stood as if in objection to the pressing clouds. The pair entered through one of the garden entrances and Two’s mind turned towards the future.

Two was to refine her foundation essence today. It would be the first step of her cultivation. She’d take an emotion and make it everlasting. She hadn’t been told what the process would entail, only that she would need special supervision.

She had thought that would be in the form of Lancet but the first steps down a flight of stairs threw doubt on that idea.

“Abery where are we going.” She asked lightly.

“Uh, I don’t know” conveyed the entirety of her frustrated incredulity with a single glance. “I was given instructions, but I’ve never been there.”

Two blinked and fought down her exasperation and released a stilted sigh. She opened and began to speak but found an odd taste in the air. It was warm and airy, a flowing weightless rich thing only described as light.

Light.

All at once, she froze and stared at the corner they were about to pass. Abery fidgeted by her side in naked confusion. A smooth chuckle told him what Two had discovered.

“You are very perceptive,” without the slightest whisper of wind or cloth, the white angel stepped around the corner. He loomed above them without effort, a natural consequence of how tall he was. He smiled, and Two couldn’t remember ever seeing a more striking image. The very world seemed brightened by his mere presence.

He was resplendent, it only added to her terror. She couldn’t fathom why he’d be here, there was no reason for something like him to bother with her.

“Good day Emissary it is a-“

“Oh, none of that.” they waved. Their skin shared colour with Two, but that felt like saying fetid mud and rich wood shared a shade. It was different from Igni, he had been so blatant strange that there was no reason for comparison. But this angel, everything from the way they moved to their casual words. It was close, close enough to imagine they were just a person. “I just came to have a quick chat.” His steel eyes bore into her and his pupil seemed to glow despite being black. Two remembered the eye and the luminous abyss at its centre.

Two nodded.

The angel smiled brighter.

“Number one, my brother thinks you’re interesting, try not to die or get too maimed, it’d disappoint him.” Two nodded numbly and tried to fathom how her life had come to this. “Now onto number two. I’ll be honest I had trouble with this one. I considered telling you not to use him, but…” they scanned her up and down. Their wings rippled in what two took to be amusement.

“I’m not sure you could do that, even if we ignore the fact you’re no better than the people that died that day. The simple fact is that you’re mortal and such a weak one at that, just being around him soaking up his general awesomeness is taking advantage. You understand?”

It rankled her she had no refutation to give to that. “I do,”

“Instead, you’re going to be sincere, honest. Can you do that for me”

Two stared at the incarnation of light before her, and found herself confused. She’d expected a threat, or some judgment with smiting involved. She could consider this one, but… The angel’s angelness might be confounding but it felt sincere. Two took a leap of faith. “You aren’t threatening me?”

They tilted their head and ruffled their wings. For a moment, they looked like a pale reflection of Igni. Then their smile returned. “I didn’t think you’d have the guts to ask me that.” They chuckled and the lamps that lit the hall brightened. “No, I’m not threatening you, physically at least. If I think you trouble I’ll tell Igni to ignore you and that will be that.”

With a few words, Igni had changed the course of her life and opened a door she hadn’t even considered. To lose that and his calm company… There were worse things that could happen but Two had so little and she doubted the future would be any kinder than the past. She wanted to be, to exist without death or damnation hanging over her. And maybe one day find the dreams she’d abandoned in the name of survival. “Then there’s something I should say. The governor asked me to report my time with Igni. My time as guide was brief but I obeyed that order.”

The angel raised a brow. ”Igni?”

In the name of ‘sincerity’ Two shot him a flat stare. “Is that what concerns you.”

“I’m not an idiot, it’s rather obvious if you spend two seconds thinking about it.”

A knot grew in her stomach. “Then Igni knows.”

The angel smirked, and opened their mouth, but their expression twisted into intense focus that broke into a wry smile. “Probably not, he’s been rather focused on other things.” The knot loosened. “You should explain the whole political situation when you talk to them.”

The angel sauntered past them. Abery gaped at his back then snapped to Two as he turned a corner. “You know Emissary Lux!” Two didn’t bother answering, she was busy considering the new challenge in front of her.