The following morning, Angelico woke to an empty guest room. The other eyas who had been his roommates all week had already left Majwa Pavilion.

Angelico flexed his wings and arms. His back felt fine. He was fit to fly.

Medical treatment in Ouranos was definitely different.

After packing his rucksack, he went back to the infirmary. Getting one more check-up and some expensive medicine for the road didn’t seem like a bad idea at all.

There was a lot of noise coming from behind the infirmary door when Angelico got there: Quartermaster Yeng’s gruff voice and some wretched whimpering, as well as some priests saying that, “The poor eyas has re-opened his wounds.”

Then Angelico had to clap a hand over his nose and mouth as the fresh smell of raptor’s blood exploded from behind the door.

“Is somebody waiting out there?” Called the Quartermaster.

Angelico turned and hurried out of the Pavilion before his condition could actually trigger.

This was not the time or the place.

---

Outside Majwa Pavilion, the Caritas Farewell Ceremony was in full swing.

Colourful banners strung over the trail going down the mountain flapped in the wind, and the priesthood lining the way played out a buoyant tune on their drums and flutes.

Angelico slung his rucksack comfortably over his shoulder, between his wings, and skipped over to join the crowds of Aven making their way down from Mount Majwa.

The denizens of Ouranos had come to see them off, perched on the cliffs above the trail.

Archasaurs and their retinue called out, encouraging eyas to enrol with their local Towers and train to get invited up in an official capacity.

Angelico spotted Nihyl, standing beside the Acting Grand Chancellor in the Hierarch’s stead, looking smug and self-satisfied at the mass exodus.

Juress was with him, also in high spirits, dressed in the uniform of the Celestial Guard.

“How unfortunate the Grand Chancellor isn’t here this time,” said the ‘ven walking in front of Angelico. “Usually the only absences are the Hierarch, and the Vanguard and her scouting party.”

The priesthood’s music crescendoed, and on the cliffs, the Acting Grand Chancellor opened his wings. The Chief Ministers of his Court did the same.

Truly, how fearsome and glorious was the Inner Sky.

---

At the end of the aerial gondola ride down from Mount Majwa, the throngs of Aven began to go their separate ways, headed back to their homes in the various Quarters of Stratos.

The wealthier Aven were headed East, around Lake Heaven’s Mirror.

Angelico was headed West, toward Hativa Quarter, where he would meet the rest of his kith near the floating market, before they all got on their boats and went back into the Jawbone.

After exiting the gondolas under Mount Majwa, Angelico spotted Neeno getting pushed around in the hustle and bustle.

A pair of well-dressed raptors bumped into him, and the mask that Neeno had in his hands fell to the ground.

“Hey, can’t you see we’re right here?” they said. “Watch where you’re going.”

“Sorry,” said Neeno, picking up his mask and dusting it off. “I will watch very carefully.”

Neeno turned his head, showing them the terrible scarring all over one side of his youthful face.

One of the raptors bit her lip hard enough to draw blood so she didn’t shriek at the messy clawmarks gouged into Neeno’s skin where he must have been mauled by a feral animal.

The raptor pair hurried away and Angelico went to Neeno, who was looking at his ruined mask, now broken and trampled by the crowd.

Angelico took a mask from his own rucksack and handed it to Neeno.

Neeno mumbled his thanks. “You brought this with you? I’ve never seen you wear it.”

“Well, I would if I was in the same place as Master Akiyoh. But he always wears a veil out, so I never need to wear that,” Angelico replied.

Neeno put on the mask. “I suppose there’s no need for both of you to cover up.”

The two of them squeezed their way through the crowd.

“You’re not… hungry are you?” Asked Angelico.

Neeno huffed. “No. Those two.. All their gear is only for show. They probably don’t have the spiritus to make it halfway up Mount Majwa. They didn’t smell like anything at all.”

---

Near the floating market, Angelico and Neeno met up with the rest of their kith.

They were lazing about in their boats, some distance from the docks where the business of the market took place, floating idly on the tiny slice of Lake Heaven’s Mirror that belonged to Hativa Quarter.

Kennia and Darakan had haggled some snacks off of the loud and lively stallkeepers, who were in a good mood today from all the business that the aftermath of the Caritas Festival always brought.

Angelico reclined in the boat, enjoying a skewer of sweet and savoury rice cakes, as Polienne steered the both of them away from where their kith were starting a game of duck, duck, goose.

Beaming sunshine played over the lake’s glittering water, and fluffy clouds drifted overhead, blowing southward, towards the striking silhouette of Hollowoc Tower on Stocross Mountain.

The wind changed direction, and the smells of food cooking filled the fresh air.

Angelico twirled his skewer and took a bite.

There wasn’t long left to wait now. They were almost strong enough to survive the purification rites. Then Master Akiyoh would take them up to Hollowoc Tower, and their bloodlust would finally be sated.

The mark of Death Sorcery on them would be lifted, and they could partake in the world without shame, like every other Aven in the Eyrie.

Polienne sat down on the boat. His long hair, tied back, rippled like a banner in the breeze as he started to preen his brightly-coloured wings.

“Careful with your skewer, Angelico. I think somebody’s going to swoop in and steal it.”

“Hey!”

Low over the water, Neeno zipped past their boat and plucked Angelico’s snack from his hands.

The bunch Neeno flew back to laughed.

“Never drop your guard,” tutted Polienne.

Angelico dipped a wingtip in the water and flicked at Polienne, who shielded himself with his own wings.

“I guess I can get another one,” said Angelico, taking up the steering rod from the bottom of the boat, and moving them slowly back to the market.

“Not going to fight for it?”

“No,” said Angelico. Neeno was somebody he’d fought with more than enough.

“Congratulations on last night’s wingfight by the way,” said Polienne, meticulously re-aligning his feathers. “Could you have imagined something like that, a year ago?”

Angelico smiled. Polienne was someone who knew very well how much Angelico had to go through to get as good as he was now.

“By the way, Angelico, what will you do if the Chief chooses Lieran as his disciple? Will you still call him Master Akiyoh? Or will you call him Chief like the rest of us?”

“I don’t know if I can call him that,” said Angelico. It didn’t feel right. That’s why he had to beat Lieran.

“Well, I guess Lieran already has a Master,” said Polienne. When they’d all first met, it was only thing Lieran talked about, and he’d hardly talked at all.

“Is that even really true?,” said Angelico. “Maybe everything we’ve been through has made him delusional.”

“It has to be,” replied Polienne. “You think he learned spellfire by himself? There’s no way. He’s younger than all of us, except for Svennon and Neeno.”

“You know, I saw him in line at the gondolas, but he kept pretending he couldn’t see me,” said Angelico.

“You’d think his Master would have taught him some manners,” said Polienne. “Unless they’re as crass as him, and that’s why he’s the way he is.”

Angelico docked the boat, and he and Polienne stepped onto the busy docks of the market.

A larger boat was coming in, from the direction of Mount Majwa’s base, and Angelico could see Lieran brooding alone on one side of the vessel, away from the other passengers.

As usual, Lieran had avoided all his kith when they went up to Ouranos for the Caritas Festival. Nobody knew where he went or how he spent his time, and nobody ever saw him flying or training, but he definitely was, for his skills and condition afterward were always greatly improved.

When the boat docked, and Lieran subtly shoved to front so he could exit the boat first, Angelico and Polienne greeted him.

“You’re down late. The best food’s all sold out.”

“Keeping some kind of secret?”

“It’s none of your business,” said Lieran, trying to outpace the two of them with his long stride.

“Is the Master still up there?” Asked Angelico.

“Huh?” Said Lieran. “What would he go up for?”

The noise around them on the docks got louder as the other passengers on the boat disembarked.

They were an Order of eyas, kitted out in premium raptor’s gear, much nicer than any of the other academy uniforms Angelico had ever seen in Hativa Quarter.

The merchants and many of the locals greeted them, welcoming them back with handshakes and handouts from their stalls.

“They’re the eyas of Hollowoc Tower,” said Lieran spitefully. “Their sponsor is the Captain of the Guard there.”

“Wow,” said Polienne, watching them and the locals laugh and pander to each other. “I can’t imagine how hard that boat ride was for you.”

The locals’ gushing was nonstop.

“Captain Haisuh raised the colours for you, see?”

“He’s happy all of you were able to go up and get your names out there.”

“I’m sure he can’t wait to see how you’ve improved.”

One of the eyas stepped up and held back the encroaching crowd. “You’re all too kind. We’ll be sure to send him your regards when we get back to the Tower.”

“Oh, Hwanda. Are you injured? They treat you right in the Inner Sky, don’t they?”

Hwanda winced, but appeased the crowd. “Of course they do. I’ll be in the air up and down Stocross Mountain again in no time.”

The locals dispersed then, and Angelico could finally put a face to the voice he’d heard that morning in the infirmary.

At the same time, Hwanda turned, looking right at Angelico through the shifting crowd.

“Hey, I know you, “ Hwanda said with surprise. “I saw your wingfight against Nihyl last night. It was a tie, right?”

“Oh? You were there? Thanks.” Said Angelico bashfully. It was different hearing acknowledgement from a total stranger who knew what he was talking about.

“Yeah,” said Hwanda. “You must be so relieved Nihyl went easy on you on Frigid Mountain. To be the opponent he randomly chose… that was his charity, you know. Caritas.”

“Charity?” Said Angelico, face falling.

“One in a million. I wish I was that lucky,” said Hwanda. “Of course it doesn’t matter who his opponent is. He was just taking the opportunity to show off while the Hierarch wasn’t watching. Juress was getting all worked up about it to her kith after you left.”

Angelico was speechless. Hwanda thought he brought the wingfight to a tie with luck?

Hwanda waved goodbye with a smile, when his kith came over to point at a raptor patrolling over the top of Stocross Mountain.

“Well, the Captain calls. Hey, come up to Hollowoc Tower one day, Angelico, and I can teach you how to take a real wingfight.”

When they had all gone, and Angelico, seething,  still hadn’t moved, Polienne put a hand on his shoulder.

“Let’s get out of here,” said Angelico, getting back into their boat.

“What about your snack?” Said Polienne. “Don’t you want to eat something too, Lieran?”

“There’s nothing I want here,” said Lieran “I’d rather have crumbs in Ouranos than a feast in Hativa Quarter.”

When they re-grouped with the rest of their kith, the light-hearted atmosphere had well and truly died.

Neeno was pointing everyone’s attention westward, into the sky, where someone was circling in the distance at the edge of the swamp, over the location of the Jawbone manor.

That someone descended into the trees.

“Anybody know who that was?” Said Darakan.

“Maybe it was the Priestess,” suggested Svennon.

Darakan shook his head. “When has the Priestess every flown like that?”

With an uneasy feeling, they all hurried home.