The chapters will be fairly short, but they will be relatively frequent. This is my first fic, so please tell me what you like and what you think I should improve on. Please don't just tell me that you liked/hated it.

Chapter 1.

Black. That was the colour that she hated, that she had to see every day in the mirror. Not the faux black skin colour that is more brown than black, but pure black.

The colour of her wings.

She had been exiled from her home because of them. Forced to leave the ones she loved. Her father, her mother.

Her sister.

Her sister gave more than her life. She gave up her body, her mind; her self. Despite this, those that know her still call her by her name, Mina.

Mina Windia, sister to Nina Windia, the owner of the black wings.

It has been one year now, since they sealed Deathevan and destroyed the false church of Saint Eva. Ryu nearly gave up his life that day, as his mother did, before him. At the last moment, his father, Ganer, had crashed the flying Town Ship into the mountain, sealing the entrance to Infinity, and with it, Deathevan.

When she returned home, Nina expected to be treated like the hero that she was, but she remained an outcast. The people of Windia were blinded by superstition against her black wings. Her mother and father, the king and queen, had offered to take her back in, despite the will of the people, but she had refused.

Since then, she had spent the time travelling, honing her magic, and being with Mina. Now that Deathevan was gone, she could allow herself to cry over her lost sister. Whenever she stared into the bird's eyes, she would start crying again.

Lately, however, she found herself thinking of Ryu more and more. She had been in seclusion long enough; she was ready to face her friend.

A clang rung out across the field as Ryu's sword collided with the plate of armour. He had to make sure he was in top shape in case any of the remaining demons attacked. Although most had disappeared after the sealing of Deathevan, the occasional survivor would appear and attack a town. At the moment, he was locked in mortal combat with a straw dummy. In the past year, had teamed up once again with his friend Bow, and they were once again taking jobs as Rangers. Their success in sealing Deathevan had bumped them up a few ranks, to say the least.

Bow casually approached the scene, unnoticed. He watched for a while before he pulled out his crossbow and impaled the dummy's head. "Now that's how you kill something, Ryu!" he shouted to his friend.

"Sure, Bow, when you're at the other end of the field," Ryu shouted back, "but try doing that when a demon is trying to show you your own organs!"

Bow was the only friend that he had regularly kept in contact with. All of the others had gone off on their own. Rand had gone back to tend his mother's farm, while Sten had returned to Highfort to marry the princess, Elforan. Jean had gone to look after his sister and aging father at Simafort, and Bleu had gone back to sleep. No one knew where Spar had gone, but they assumed that he had decided to return to nature. Katt had decided to go on a long trip to find the rest of her tribe, the Woren, and they only saw her occasionally, through brief but enjoyable visits. She had had no luck so far, but she would occasionally hear rumours of cat-like people near one town or another. Nina had tried to return home, but was still considered an exile by the Windian people. She had gone off on her own with Mina and no one had heard from her for months.

"Come on back, buddy, it's getting late." Bow's words jolted Ryu from his memories. "Yeah, just let me pack up my stuff," he called back.

It was on the way back that he saw the giant bird.

Nina knew that she would find him in the now-landed Town Ship. They had all built the place together, after all. As her eyes scanned the area, she spotted him in a clearing on the outskirts of Gate, hacking away at a straw dummy. She smiled. She could imagine the focussed look on his face. She saw him pack up his sword and start to head back, and she saw him look to the sky and see her riding on Mina.

She flew in to land at the town square of Town Ship, and Ryu quickly climbed the ladder on the edge to get to the top of the plateau. Mina flew off to do whatever she did and Ryu ran to see Nina. "Nina!" he exclaimed. She said nothing, just hugged him, which he returned. "Are you all right?" he asked. Nina nodded. "Yes," she said, to show that her voice still worked. "Where's Katt?" she asked, as the walked back to the main building. "She's trying to find her remaining tribemates," Ryu answered.

She started as a hand clasped her shoulder. "I thought I saw you!" exclaimed Bow. "So did Ryu, seeing as he took off at a full gallop. What brings you here?" Nina smiled, and spoke quietly. "I'm finished grieving. I've had enough time to think and I wanted to see my friends again."

Bow nodded and ran ahead. "I'll see you later, if you're staying! Right now, I'm starved! I'm gonna go cook up some dinner!" Nina turned to Ryu. "He's the same as ever, isn't he?" Ryu laughed. "You know what they say, you can't teach an old dog new tricks." Nina laughed as well. "So, you are staying, right?" questioned Ryu. "Only as long as I'm wanted," answered Nina. "What have you been doing, Ryu?" He wiped his brow before he answered. "We've gone back to being Rangers. Do you want to join us?" "Sounds like something to do," Nina said.