"You seem awful serious for someone that looks like she'd have a sense of humor."

Elspeth ignored the man sitting on the table next to her. She was determined to learn everything about this world that she could so that if the time ever came she would have the ability to fight for what she believed in instead of fighting for the side that had taken her in. Then realizing, too late that she was fighting for something she despised. So far she actually didn't dislike what she had learned about the Mikirran Empire.

"How long are you going to ignore me?" he almost whined.

"Until you leave me to my research," Elspeth shrugged and turned the page of the history book she was reading.

"Really? But I can help you."

"You haven't been so far," Elspeth pointed out without looking up.

"That's cold."

"If you have a problem then go talk to someone else," Elspeth suggested.

"I'm Kaious," he smiled.

"I know," Elspeth nodded, "I heard you when you walked up."

"What's your name?"

Elspeth rolled her eyes and looked at him over the top of her book, "I am Elspeth. I am a healer at the moment and I'm busy. Is there anything else you'd like to know?"

"Wow. That was..simple. Um...maybe everything?"

"Really?" Elspeth asked flatly.

"Haha, no," Kaious shook his head.

"Okay then," Elspeth nodded. She smiled warmly, "If you don't mind I'd like to go back to my book now."

Kaious sighed and nodded, "Alright. See you around sometime."

Elspeth nodded. She watched him leave. Finally. Libraries are supposed to be quiet and he wouldn't shut up. She shook her head. That was mean. He might have just wanted to help. There's no need to jump to conclusions like that. Besides. I guess he wasn't so bad. Elspeth sighed and went back to her book.

She spent all of her free time in the library. When she wasn't tending to the sick she was learning about this world that had taken her in. The Mikirran Empire had a fascination with planeswalkers and everyone that arrived on their world was treated with the utmost respect unless they were something like a necromancer or a blood mage. She learned that they were very discriminatory however which disturbed her. The government was slowly but surely tearing itself apart. Elspeth's eyes narrowed. Deep seated and long bred discrimination and believed superiority is something that will take generations to undo. People don't live for that many generations. She sighed, "Alright." She put the book back on it's shelf and nodded to the librarian in thanks before leaving.

"Elspeth!" she was so glad she had finally convinced the city guard and the local healers to stop caller her ma'am. She looked at the guard. He was new, obviously just out of training. "What is it?"

"One of the alchemists shops was attacked," the guard exclaimed.

Elspeth nodded, "Lead on." She followed him to what was now a burning building. There were some wounded but most of the people were unharmed. The alchemist was just watching the building crumple in shocked despair. "Tell me what happened," Elspeth ordered.

"Havniil hunters attacked the shop," the leader of the patrol said, "We don't know where they went."

"Clear out the audience," Elspeth waved her hand and walked over to the alchemist. The woman was wounded but looked numbed by shock. Elspeth had not run into the Havniil in her research yet but acted like she knew exactly what was going on so the people didn't start panicking. She kneeled down and healed the alchemist, "Are you alright?"

"I will be once I get my shop up and running again," the alchemist nodded appreciatively, "Thank you, Lady Elspeth."

"It's just Elspeth," Elspeth corrected, "I do not wish to be known by a title."

The alchemist nodded, "Elspeth."

Elspeth rose to her feet and looked around. She had the feeling she was being watched but couldn't see anything. She pushed the feeling away and approached the guard members, "Send the people away with a warning to be careful. I don't want anyone dying in any possible future attacks."

The guard members nodded. Elspeth wandered through the streets thoughtfully.

"Hey! That was great how you handled that," Kaious jogged up to her.

Elspeth suppressed a sigh, "Thank you."

"You don't have to be so...polite? Regal? I don't know," Kaious shrugged, "You aren't the only one that doesn't like being treated with respect you haven't earned."

She sighed, "Okay then, Kaious. What do you want?"

"I want you to meet someone," Kaious grinned excitedly, "He's great and he can teach you to use weapons. Well swords anyway."

"I don't remember showing an interest in fighting," Elspeth gave Kaious a stone cold look.

Kaious bit his lower lip, "Fighting is this world. These attacks have been going on for a while now. Now that they've seen you, not being able to defend yourself makes you a prime target."

Elspeth rolled her eyes, "Thanks for the news flash." She sighed, "Lead the way then."

"You're agreeing?" Kaious squeaked in surprise.

Elspeth gave him a flat look, "Yes. I am agreeing. I'm sorry but I don't have all day."

"Right," Kaious nodded and led the way to the nearest barracks. "Hey Eldric, this is Elspeth."

Elspeth nodded. He was a middle aged, battle scarred man. His whitening dark brown hair was cut short and his hazel eyes glowed in welcome, "I've definitely heard a lot about you."

"I hope nothing bad," Elspeth said evenly.

"You put on a completely different face when-"

"I'm not being annoyed," Elspeth finished for him.

Eldric raised one eyebrow, "Alright. I see you two have already gotten off to a great start."

Kaious chuckled nervously, "Haha, uh, yeah."

Elspeth shot him an unimpressed look.

"Alright, Elspeth. What are your prior experiences with weapons?"

"I've almost been stabbed. Otherwise I have none," Elspeth stated, "beyond seeing plenty of weapons."

"Any weapon you want to learn in particular?"

"I have little preference," she shrugged.

"Ooh that means that-" Kaious fell silent when Elspeth gave him a cold look and Eldric gave him a warning glance. He sighed disappointedly, "Never mind."

"We'll start with a basic sword. It'll come to about your waist," Eldric said, "And it'll start heavy."

Elspeth nodded, "Of course."

Kaious stared after her as she followed Eldric into the field, "'Of course' she says. And I get an icy cold glare? That's not fair." He sighed and walked out onto the field. He just watched Eldric show her a basic attack and defense tactic and sulked.

Elspeth walked past him without a second glance when Eldric called an end. Kaious watched her go. "What did I do?" He asked as Eldric sat next to him.

"With what?"

"What'd I do to be treated like I don't exist?" he asked sulkily.

Eldric shook his head, "She wears a mask, Kaious. When someone digs at a person with a mask that person gets defensive and angry."

"But I didn't dig at anything," Kaious whined, "I just want to be her friend."

"Exactly," Eldric nodded. He patted the younger man on the back, "Keep trying. The mask will fall eventually and then you'll have a friend to stand beside you forever."

Kaious sighed and wandered through the city.

Elspeth covered her uncertainty behind a firm voice and a confident face. She walked calmly through the now shrinking rows of the sick in the cathedral. She finished her work there before going to the library. She decided to specifically look into the Havniil. She didn't know them and there was apparently a conflict with them involved going on. She found out that Havniil are basically human except they have more feline features. Some only have cat-like eyes while others have the appearance of cats that walk upright. The more feline features a Havniil has the more social standing they have in amongst their own race while the Empire saw more value and beauty in the ones with less feline features. She cocked her head to the side, "If my memory doesn't fail me..." She got to her feet and put the book away. She hurried through the city. Eventually she found who she was looking for sitting on the roof of one of the smaller churches. Elspeth looked up at him, "Kaious!"

He smiled down at her, "Elspeth, what's up?" He slid off the roof and landed gracefully in front of her.

Elspeth narrowed her eyes, "I want to talk to you." She led him to the outside edges of the city and looked him over carefully. His jade green eyes had catlike slit pupils. She nodded, "You're a Havniil."

Kaious nodded, "Yep. That didn't take you very long to figure out huh." He smiled, "You're a half angel, a guider of souls."

"A what?" Elspeth stared at him.

"That aura of yours. Everyone here can feel it. The Mikirrans have always been sensitive to auras like yours. It's half the reason you're given as much respect as you are," Kaious shrugged.

I'm a what? A half angel? But angels can't be planeswalkers.

You're a half angel. Rheah's voice echoed in Elspeth's ears. It makes you something of an exception to that rule.

Elspeth sighed, "Alright. So neither of us are human. But why is there a conflict between the Havniil and the Empire? I've learned plenty about what they look like and how they act but I still don't know anything about that. Conflict wasn't even mentioned in any of the books in the library."

Kaious bit his lower lip, "Well, that's a bit of a secret. I can show you but if we get caught we're completely screwed."

So there is something. "Alright," Elspeth nodded.

Kaious continued to chew his lower lip nervously, "And could you not tell anyone about the whole-"

"My lips are sealed," Elspeth promised without thinking. Making a promise like that might backfire. Oh well. She glanced at the sky, "When?"

"Two nights from now ships will be coming in. Those ships will have important...cargo on them," Kaious explained.

"Two nights from now," Elspeth nodded, "I'll meet you at the dock in the evening."

Kaious nodded. Elspeth walked back to the library.