“May this child know pead love forevermore. Our sister in the Light. May she find prosperity and happiness, cradled and nurtured by its radiance for all her days,” the midwife decred, her voice ringing with authority and reverence as she raised the newborn child high above her head. The sunlight streaming through the opy of golden leaves caught the infant’s wings, their dowhers shimmering like liquid pearl. A collective intake of breath rippled through the gathered crowd at the sight, the sheer purity of the moment gripping each witness.

  The baby girl blinked slowly, her unfocused gaze flitting around at the strange and dazzling new world she had been thrust into. Her tiny chest rose and fell rapidly, her breaths erratid shallow, as her senses drank in the riot of sensations: the cool whisper of the air against her damp skin, the prickle of warmth from the sun’s radiant embrace, and the kaleidoscope of light that seemed to refract off every surface, bending and curling as though to cradle her.

  She stared in wonderment at the brilliant beams ing around her, soft and alive, so uhe quiet stillness she had known before this moment. But then came another sensation, jarring and sudden: a burst of soued from below.

  The onlookers standing proudly by the verdant greenery lining the garden broke into jubint appuse, their cheers reverberating like rolling thuhe sound shattered the fragile co of peace that had momentarily enveloped the child. Her tiny face twisted, arembling mouth opened wide in protest. A pierg wail escaped her, high and raw, cutting through the crowd’s joy like a knife.

  “She cries! A voice full of life!” someone excimed with delight, their voice barely audible over the otion.

  Unaware of the praise, the baby’s little wings unfurled instinctively, the dowhers quivering as they fpped weakly in a futile attempt to escape the overwhelming ears rolled down her flushed cheeks as her cries rose in iy. Even the sunlight, though it tried to soothe her, could not still her distress.

  The midwife, uerred, gently lowered the newborn, her movements deliberate and serene as though to impart calm. She offered the squirming buo a figure who stepped forward from the crowd—a woman whose presence exuded warmth like the sun’s gentle caress.

  The child’s cries faltered as she was enveloped in new arms, soft and firm, her small body cradled against a silken fabric that smelled faintly of flowers and hohe baby sniffled, her sobs hicg into muffled whimpers as she sought something—anything—that would ground her in this strange ence. Her pudgy fingers flexed and reached out blindly, catg on strands of something soft and fine.

  It was hair, long and luminous, casg over the woman’s shoulder like a river of molten gold. Without hesitation, the baby clumsily stuffed a fistful into her mouth, her toothless gums gnawing experimentally. Her wings drooped slightly, their feeble fpping stilled as she focused entirely on her new discovery.

  The woman ughed, a sound so melodious it seemed to harmoh the sunlight itself. “Ah, little one,” she murmured, her voice a lulby. She adjusted her hold, brushing her fingers over the child’s soft cheek.

  The baby blinked up at her, startled by the glow of her face, which seemed thten the longer she looked. Something a and knowing stirred in the woman’s eyes, and the child, mesmerized, let the lock of hair slip from her mouth.

  Another voice broke the moment, belonging to a man who stood nearby, his white wings folded ly against his back. “Have you sidered the matter of her name, Sa’nal?” he asked, his toh curious and deferent.

  Sa’nal did not answer immediately. She carried the infant to a dais at the heart of the garden, her movements purposeful and graceful. Around the dais, tall pilrs rose, each etched with delicate patterns that shimmered as they eled the sun’s energy, fog its life-giving warmth onto mother and child. The air seemed to hum with a subtle resonance, a Harmony that vibrated through the souls of all present.

  Settling herself upon the dais, Sa’nal gazed down at the baby cradled in her arms. Her fiips traced light, circur patterns along the child’s fragile brow as though itting every detail of her to memory. Finally, she smiled—a soft, radiant expression full of love and promise.

  “I have,” she said, her voice low and tender. She leaned closer to the baby, speaking directly to her instead of addressing the questioner or the crowd. “I give you the name Sa’telle.”

  The crowd erupted into a new wave of appuse and cheers, their voices melding into a song as old as their people. The melody spoke of creation, of beginnings and endings, of the eternal cycle of life ah. It was a song of unity, of shared purpose and love, and its Harmony wove through the garden like an invisible thread, eg every soul present.

  The child, soothed by the song’s gentle ce, stilled in Sa’nal’s arms. Her bright eyes reflected the world around her—a world full of light and wonder. A small, toothless smile spread across her face, an expression of pure, unbridled awe. And in that moment, all who beheld her knew she was destio be a blessing upon their people, a new bea in the Light.

  “Are you well, Sa’nal?” a voice broke the tranquil silence of the home, its gentle ce carrying the weight of .

  Sa’nal turned her head, cradling her little oo her bosom as she lounged with her in a hammock swaying lightly in the soft breeze. The golden glow of the setting sun streamed through the open archways, bathing mother and child in warm light. To greet the familiar face, Sa’nal beamed, her serene expression lighting up. She shifted her weight with a practiced grace, swinging her legs from the hammod nding lightly on her feet.

  With her free arm, she pulled the edges of her flowing closer around her form, not out of modesty but for fort as she stepped forward to close the distaween herself and the visitor. “We’re doing very well, thank you,” she replied, her tone warm but curious. “May I ask why you’ve visited, Te’korin?”

  Sa’telle stirred against Sa’nal’s chest, her tiny hands kneading as she suckled, the rhythmic sounds punctuating the moment. Te’korin’s frost-tipped wings shifted slightly behind him, catg the light and refrag it into a cascade of shimmering hues. His frosted hair, streaked with threads of silver, caught the same glow as his pierg gaze softened upotle one in her arms.

  “It’s only proper to do so,” he said after a moment, his voice touched with a faint, almost nostalgic sigh. “When an Empyrean takes the oath, he follows through.” His lips curved into a faint smile, though a flicker of something deeper passed through his expression as he crossed his arms. With a slight harrumph, he added, “I gather no one else has checked on you?”

  Sa’nal chuckled softly, shaking her head with a knowing smile. “Ah—sir Korin, you’re so old-fashioned!” Her tone carried a teasing lilt, though there was no mali it, only fond familiarity.

  Te’korin raised a brow, his wings shifting in what might have been modignation. “I suppose you say that—though I’d call it principled. Holy, I don’t know what’s wrong with the people these days. They sing the songs, feel the joy of the wih their wings, the bliss of living side by side with our forever partner, Light. I doubt Empyreans could ever fet this, a…” He shook his head, his tone darkening. “Some traditions have faded, and we suffer for it. I’m very ed.”

  “You stopped by to rant?” Sa’nal teased again, though her smile faded slightly as she rocked Sa’telle gently, trying to soothe the small sounds of distent that bubbled up from her. “It’s simply how things are. You ’t trol the people’s se. Why, I’m already old enough that I don’t fully uand the way the young think anymore—but it’s normal for traditions to ge, don’t you agree?”

  Sa’telle shifted agaiiny wings quivering faintly as if sensing the tension in the versation. She fussed, her small cries muffled against Sa’nal’s chest.

  Te’korin’s gaze fell on the child, and he exhaled a long, measured breath. “I suppose that’s true, too. Us old ones ’t ge the world. Such is the province of youth.” His voice softened as he tihough there was an undeniable note nation. “It’s too te for one such as I.”

  Sa’nal frowned slightly at his words, cradling Sa’telle closer as if shielding her from the weight of the exge. “But the people want ge,” she said after a moment, her voice quiet but firm.

  Te’korin’s sharp eyes flicked back to her, searg her expression. “You speak of the little one’s father, do you not?” His voice was low, almost a whisper, but there was a bite to it, a shadow of disapproval lurkih his otherwise calm exterior. “Ones such as he want ge. But do you? Distent with the blessings we have is nothing but folly.”

  Before Sa’nal could respond, Sa’telle’s soft whimpering turned into a full wail, her tiny fists g as tears streamed from her bright eyes. “Oh, my—” Sa’nal murmured, immediately shifting her focus to her little one. She patted and rocked Sa’telle gently, her voice dropping to a soothing hum as she whispered calming words.

  Te’korin’s posture stiffened, and he cleared his throat. “My apologies,” he said, bowing his head slightly, his frosted hair falling into his face. “I did not mean to raise my voice. I’m not here to debate, Sa’nal. As an old-fashioned gentleman, I ask you again: is there anything you hat the moary donations you receive ot provide?”

  Sa’nal stilled, her gaze dropping to Sa’telle as she began to calm, her cries tapering into soft hiccups. With a heavy sigh, she turned her head slightly, looking at Te’korin over her shoulder. Her lovely wings flexed faintly, catg the light, as she regarded him with a mixture of fondness and exasperation. “There is nothing that another could provide me,” she said, her voice heavy with emotion. “Could y him bae?”

  Te’korin’s expression faltered, his stern demeanor softening into something almost mournful. “That’s a wish I ot grant you, Nal,” he said after a long pause, his voice barely above a whisper. “While the man isn’t dead, he may as well be to our people. Frankly, my dear, you o move on and find greater happiness.”

  “It’s not that simple,” Sa’nal whispered, her lip trembling as she fought to hold back tears. Her fingers stroked Sa’telle’s small, downy wings as if grounding herself in the moment.

  Te’korin’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he spoke again, his voice carrying the weight ret. “I sometimes regret having chosen to remain,” he said, almost to himself, his words hanging heavily in the air as the light around them dimmed ever so slightly.

  “‘Telle, what are you doing?” Sa’nal asked softly, her voice lilting with curiosity as she gazed at her child, who sat cross-legged on the floor, engrossed in pying with a brightly painted rocket toy. The little girl’s delicate wings twitched with excitement as she made swooshing sounds, moving the rocket in wide, looping arcs.

  Sa’telle grinned up at her mother, her eyes sparkling with wonder. “FLYING!” she crowed, her voice brimming with enthusiasm as her imagination carried her far beyond their home.

  “Really?” Sa’nal ughed, her melodic voice ringing like chimes. She walked over and k beside her daughter, brushing a strand of her silken hair away from her face. “You haven’t practiced your actual flying today. Why not spread those cute little wings of yours for a ge?”

  Sa’telle’s expression fell, her brows knitting together as her lips kled into a small pout. “I ’t!” she decred, clutg the rocket tightly. After a pause, her face brightened with determination. “But—if I have one of these—” She held the rocket aloft, her tiny hands trembling slightly with the fervor of her dreams.

  “‘Telle—” Sa’nal sighed, her heart ag at her daughter’s struggles. She reached out aly pulled Sa’telle into her arms, cradling her close. “I know you’re having problems with catg the wih your wings, little o’s not unusual for other four-year-olds to have these difficulties. Your wings are growing well, my sweet. They’ve been molting steadily these past few years, haven’t they? I’m certain that your little cherub wings will soon bee plumage to be proud of.”

  Sa’telle’s lip quivered, her small voice crag as she whispered, “I don’t think so.” She clutched the rocket to her chest, as if it were her lifeline. “I’m not good enough—”

  “Oh, sweet one,” Sa’nal murmured, stroking her daughter’s hair tenderly. “Of course you are. The Light is with all of us. e to uand this, and you achieve anything you set your mind to. No matter how difficult the task seems—no matter how immense—if only you keep your attitude positive—” She leaned down and booped Sa’telle’s button nose, her touch feather-light. “If you do that, you achieve anything.”

  Sa’telle’s witched at her mother’s touch, and a giggle burst forth, unbidden. “Okay, Mother—but not today. I have a very important mission!” she decred with a sudden burst of fidence, her pearly white baby teeth fshing as she grinned.

  “Oh, my—that sounds very important indeed!” Sa’nal ughed, her eyes dang with amusement. She tapped her thoughtfully, pying along with her daughter’s game. “Su important—and dangerous—mission requires some assistance, does it not?”

  Sa’telle squealed, boung up and down with joy. Her little wings fpped with excitement, beating so furiously that she lifted off the ground for a brief moment before her heels tapped back down on the polished stone floor of their home. Sunlight streamed in through the transparacrete walls, their porized gss-and-crete blend casting warm, diffused light into the space.

  “Yay! Thank you, Mother!” Sa’telle cheered, her ughter filling the room like music.

  “Now, tell me about this quest of yours?” Sa’nal pressed with a pyful wink, tilting her head as though awaiting a grand procmation.

  “Umm—” Sa’telle fidgeted, her small fingers nervously fiddling with the rocket as she hesitated. Then, with a deep breath, she admitted, “Ah—I’m supposed to take my rocket all the way to Ga’daigm Park—um—a ba a few hours—”

  Sa’nal ughed softly, shaking her head as she realized the scope of her daughter’s “mission.” “A very adventurous mission indeed. Let’s go this instant!” She extended her hand, which Sa’telle grasped eagerly, her excitement bubbling over.

  The two stepped out of their bright, airy home and onto the streetway, hand in hand. Towers of gss rose toward the heavens in every dire, gleaming in the perpetual light of Empyr. Soft illumination from embedded crystals ehat no shadow ever lihe sky above was a vas of gold and azure, dotted with ships that sracefully betweeowers like gliding birds.

  As they walked, Sa’nal pointed out ndmarks and exged greetings with passersby. The street came alive with the sounds of ughter and distant music, but her mother nor child noticed much—they were lost in their own little world of shared adventure.

  When they reached Ga’daigm Park, it aradise of vibrant flowers, lush greenery, and shimmering streams. Animals of all shapes and sizes moved freely among the visitors, some grazing peacefully while others ied with those roached respectfully. The air was filled with the heady st of blossoms and the faint hum of a thousand wings.

  But as Sa’nal and Sa’telle passed beh the shadow of a nearby skyport, the atmosphere shifted. Above them, a ship desded with an aura that seemed to ripple with uhe sleek craft, bd angur, cut through the air with ominous precision, its edges gleaming darkly against the golden sky.

  When it nded, a hush fell over the nearby Empyreans. One by oheir faces turoward the ship, their expressions a mixture of awe and trepidation.

  “What could it mean, Mother?” Sa’telle whispered, clutg her toy tightly. Even in her innoce, she felt the strange, heavy presence emanating from the vessel.

  Sa’nal pulled her daughter close, her eyes narrowing as she studied the mysterious craft. “I don’t know, my little one,” she murmured, her voice low and cautious. “But it’s... different.”

  Around them, the soft hum of versation turo murmurs of wonder and uainty, as the ship’s enigmatic presence cast a shadow across the radiant world of Empyr.

  Relwing