Erin found herself standing on the roof of Orion's Seat, marvelling at the sheer beauty that was Dorafeir. The sun had begun its late evening decent, transforming the sky into a collection of magnificent colours whilst bathing the entire capital a deep orange.

She now stood, arms resting against the stone balcony, enduring the slight chill that hung in the air around her. Even though it was summer, crisp traces could still found within the heart of the Serandore kingdom.

After making her way into Orion's Seat, with Casius in tow, Erin had finally managed to track down her brother - who had then given her one heck of a lecture. Apparently she wasn't allowed to just barge into his abode whenever she felt like it.

His abode... Her eyes wandered over to Elric, who stood beside her, his gaze fixated on the glorious view that lay ahead. He's like a proper ruler, she thought. Always taking himself too seriously, never overlooking anything for the sake of his people.

Moments after her brother had concluded his royal lecture, Erin had taken the opportunity to casually introduce Casius before explaining how he - Elric Maelstras - could help with their current dilemma. Even she had to admit that his solution had been rather amusing.

An aloof grin pulled at the corner of his lips as she wondered about whether or not a certain knight, who had been assigned to watch over Casius for the evening, was banging his head against the wall.

'So...' It was the sound of Elric's voice which disrupted her chain of thought. 'How's Bayloch?'

'Quiet,' Erin replied, her gaze never shifting from the illuminated gathering of houses in the near distance. 'The Cryptess has been on a roll lately, protecting the town and keeping watch over the Library.' The grin she wore faded a little when she realised just how meagre her duties sounded compared to her brother's.

Elric nodded. 'Good. That's good.'

'And how's life as the beloved Champion of Serandore?'

'Ah, it's no walk in the park, that much I will say. Father left behind a lot when he died, although I'm only just starting to gain trust and approval from leaders of the neighbouring kingdoms. It's hard, but I'm slowly starting to adjust.'

Erin's features relaxed and she managed a slight smile. 'That's great,' she said. 'It seems like Father made the right choice by making you his successor.'

Elric snorted. 'You think? I mean, I've got Darrius as my Head Knight, and he's so supportive, as are the other knights of the Serandonian Army, but I'll never be able to live up to Father's expectations.'

'Well, it could have been worse,' Erin muttered. 'He could have picked me - the family klutz. Luckily the disease didn't make him delusional. No, he just stuck me in the background where I belong, watching dusty old books and dealing with a talking ornament who pisses me off to no end.'

In the corner of her eye, she noticed her brother's face darken. 'Don't think like that,' he said. 'Standing guard over the Library of Great Magicians, over the family secrets, is a very important task, too.'

This time it was Erin's turn to snort. 'Yeah, right...'

'I'm serious,' Elric said. His brows furrowed and he turned to face his sister, who took note of his forehead, of the multiple creases which sat over his skin, making him appear older than he actually was. 'Look, no matter what happens, Erin, you will make it into the history books. You'll be known as the person who stopped the darkness from getting their hands on the heart of the Maelstras' secrets.'

'But-'

Elric reached out, taking her hands within his own. 'And no matter what happens,' he continued, 'I'll do everything I can to ensure your contributions do not go unnoticed. Okay?'

A pause. Then, 'Okay.'

'Good. Now, come here.' He reached out, drawing his arms around her and pulling her in towards him. Erin acknowledged her brother's embrace by placing her head against his chest, savouring what little warmth his plated armour could hope to supply.

Together, they watched as the sun continued upon its descent, its vast, flaming form slowly shrinking below the horizon. Erin couldn't resist a smile, especially when she played Elric's kind words back through her mind.

Maybe there is hope for me after all, she realised.

* * *

Mortals were so mysterious and creative. The way they were able to trade goods and make money from doing so. Oh, and the way they able to strike up conversations with one another simply by referring to the weather...

It was all so intriguing. Fascinating, even.

Casius continued along his way, striding through the crowded streets of Dorafeir. Every little thing, every little detail. It all caught his eye. Being a stranger to this world had its fair share of advantages and disadvantages, though he could never hope to experience this kind of excitement back in the Empire.

I never knew the Mortals were so imaginative, he thought as he passed a series of strange, wheeled booths, all of which held and displayed various goods. What were they called again? Ah, yes. Stalls.

He turned his attention to the tall man known as Darrius, who trailed behind him. The man's features were twisted in a way that made him appear sincere, and his shiny silver clothing now burned a deep orange, reflecting against the vivid glow of the sun. 'So what is your occupation, Mortal?' Casius asked.

Darrius sighed. 'Could you not refer to me as a "Mortal"? It's rather disturbing.'

'Why do Mortals not like to be addressed as Mortals? You know, Erin said the exact same thing to me when we first met.'

'I wonder why...'

'That I do not know, hence why I asked.'

Darrius looked down at Casius and rolled his eyes when he caught sight of the oblivious expression plastered across the angel's face. 'Let's just keep moving, shall we?' he muttered, his voice low and monotonous.

'Yes. Let's.'

The pair continued through Dorafeir's streets, pushing their way past the crowds who were still intent on purchasing such wondrous goods. Casius looked up at the sky, the sight of which was enough to halt him in his tracks. He stared, admiring the various colours which blossomed high above. Pinks, blues, whites and even purples stretched overhead, their natural tints combining to form a single, breath-takingly beautiful trail.

Look,' he urged, grabbing a hold of Darrius' steel-clad, muscular arm, stopping the man before he had a chance to overtake. 'Look up.'

The knight came to a stop and did as he was told. 'What is it?'

'Don't you see all the pretty colours?'

'Yeah. And?'

The smile Casius donned faltered slightly when he observed at Darrius, who held a look of disinterest whilst gazing up at the colours above. 'Does such a magnificent sight not fill you with bliss and joy?'

'No. Why should it? I've witnessed a sunset countless times already.'

Casius tilted his head back towards the sky. 'But it's so beautiful. The way that the sun, which is but one colour, can create so many different shades. It's incredible! How can one not marvel at such a-'

Before he could finish his sentence, however, a flock of black, winged creatures flew overhead. His eyes widened, reflecting the sheer panic which consumed him from within when he failed to recognise said creatures, and he stabbed a finger up at the sky.

'DRAGONS!' he exclaimed. His voice was a shrill, bitter shriek capable of alerting those residing on the far side of the capital. 'DRAGONS HAVE COME! LOOK ABOVE, MORTALS, FOR AN INVASION IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!'

All heads turned towards the two men, forcing Darrius to reach out and clamp a gloved hand over the angel's mouth. Casius continued to scream, though the remainder of his words and warnings were successfully restricted, muffled by the knight's leather-clad palm.

'Shut up, you mad fool!' Darrius hissed. 'They're just birds!' Concern clouded his face as he went to address the perplexed crowd. 'Do not acknowledge this man's words! As a knight of Orion's Seat, I can guarantee that no such dragons are invading! Please be assured that our ever-lasting reign of peace continues!'

His words were enough to calm the bystanders, who quickly dismissed the demented man screaming of dragons and continued with whatever it was they had been doing before the sudden interruption had occured. Moments later, it was as if nothing had ever happened.

Casius soon calmed when he looked closer and saw that Darrius was correct, that the flock of creatures were indeed birds, not a horde of fearsome dragons looking to invade the kingdom and its people.

Pushing the knight's hand away, Casius took a deep, cleansing breath and nodded. 'I apologise,' he said. 'My outburst was uncalled for.'

'Of course it was!' Darrius exclaimed, his face a dangerous shade of purple. 'Now, we must be off!' he added. 'It is getting late, and I have been tasked with ensuring your safe return. Besides, I have reason to suspect that your acquaintance may be worrying.'

'My acquaintance?'

'Erin.'

'Oh. I see.' Casius followed after Darrius, who marched briskly up the cobbled roads. For some reason, the other man seemed eager to return to his own abode. The angel's thoughts soon turned to Erin, and he recalled what she had told him when he had asked about her occupation as a Mortal. It was the very same thought which led him to ask, 'Who are the Maelstras family?'

The knight blinked, as though surprised by his question. 'The Maelstras family?' Casius nodded. 'Well, uh, they're a family of famous magicians. Each and every one of them have made it into the history books because of the fantastic things they did when they were alive. Memorable things.'

'I see. And what kind of things are we talking about?'

Darrius scratched his head. 'Uh, well, let's see. Lysander Maelstras won a feud by inventing his own spell, which he used to annihilate the enemy armies,' he explained. 'Oh, and when an outbreak of talon fever broke loose within the kingdom, it was Helaine Maelstras who embarked on a dangerous quest in an attempt to find a cure, which she then used to heal the infected population. Also, Xalvadore Maelstras, the last Champion who elected his son, Sir Elric, as his successor before his untimely demise, was responsible for ensuring the kingdom's reign of peace and tranquillity by ordering the extermination of every known mercenary and dark magician residing within Serandore.'

Xalvadore Maelstras, the angel wondered. So, he is Erin's father?

'Untimely demise?' Casius asked. The knight looked down at him.

'Pardon?'

'You said untimely demise? He passed on?'

'Well, uh...yes.'

'In what way?'

Darrius hesitated. His eyes narrowed and his lips fell downwards in a look that was almost disapproving. 'That is none of your concern,' he said at last, dismissing the angel's question with a wave of his hand. 'Now, where was I? Ah, yes. The Maelstras family have all made history with their fantastic contributions, making them one of the greatest generation of magicians ever to exist. It is said that their...'

But Casius was only half-listening as the knight resumed upon his lecture, explaining the significance of the Maelstras family. He looked towards Orion's Seat, which sat in the distance, patiently awaiting their return, and pondered on Erin's personal achievements.

He had witnessed first-hand the potential she held as a magician. The corners of his lips twitched whilst he recalled how she had managed to summon a towering wall of ice using only a short chant.

It made him wonder what she was truly capable of...

* * * *

Ahh, so we're discovering more about Dorafeir (and about why you should never take Casius out into a heavily populated area).

And would you believe Erin has a father? Well, she must have. She didn't just appear fully-formed from the bottom of a swamp :3

Any thoughts on Darrius, Elric's right-hand man? Did he do a good job as Casius' babysitter?

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to vote! :D