It made Zaveid feel guilty but it was for the best. He counted off the top of his head; this was the sixth friend who had succumb to malevolence within the past decade. The others were getting worried, and it dawned on him that their travels together might not last much longer. The previous day he had had a discussion with Eizen and they decided it was best to have Dezel out of harms way.

"Where are we going?" The young wind seraph asked the older. He gazed up to the other's discontented face as they strolled through Pearloats Pasture. "Zaveid?"

"Hey, so…" He began. "I'm going to take you to see my friend Larfarga. He's a wind seraph too."

"How come the other's aren't coming?" Though still young, Dezel could figure out that the older seraph was acting strange.

"Nah just us…Actually-" Zaveid stopped and let go of Dezel's hand. He kneeled down and put his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Listen, you saw the other day right? When Undine turned into a hellion?"

"The water seraph lady?"

"Yeah, this isn't the first time one of us has turned. We were able to get away in time but if it happens again well…it's probably not best that a kid goes and travels with us to such dangerous places anyway."

"Am I in the way?"

"No, no, uh." Zaveid scratched his head. "It'd be bad if I let you get hurt. You're still young and you have all this time to grow up and then uh maybe we can travel again, okay?" He noticed Dezel's distraught face. "Don't worry! You'll love Lafarga! He takes care of other kids your age too; I bet it'll be way more fun than hanging out with us!"

"Mm." Dezel held his hands together and began to slow his trail behind Zaveid.

"Ah, so you're Dezel? How are you my lad?" Lafarga asked enthusiastically. He kneeled down to face the child at eye level. "Don't worry you'll enjoy your time with us!" Behind, several young seraph chased each other in a game of tag in the field.

"Thanks, Lafarga I owe you one." Zaveid said.

"No, no. I'm glad to be taking on another wind seraph; it's always nice to meet others with the same affinity as you. By the way, how are you holding up?" Lafarga immediately recognized Zaveid's downtrodden face. "How many?"

"Six. That doesn't include other's I've only been acquainted with." Zaveid sighed.

"Six? That's truly unfortunate. It's as if the land is changing…there's more malevolence as of late. Perhaps another age of chaos approaches…"

"Yeah so…we're going to recoup and see what happens from there."

"What are you planning to do?"

"Who knows. I have to get back to Eizen and see what the deal is. It sucks you know? Seeing your friends turn into that."

"It's the destiny of a long lived seraph, my friend."

"I know… but don't go getting yourself killed or malevolent on me too ya hear?" Zaveid managed a grin.

"Of course, I have to take care of young Dezel here, right?"

Zaveid noticed Dezel looking wearily at him. He took a deep breath. "Aw don't give me that face, Dez." He knelt down and cupped the boy's hands; he let go revealing two pendulums with wing ornaments. "You can have these, I know you've been practicing with those pebbles." He laughed. Dezel looked at them in awe and held them out. "You can have my set alright? Maybe next time I see you you'll be able to use them better than me! When you become a man we'll have a duel, alright?" Dezel nodded solemnly. In a few years time he would forget Zaveid's face…