“Of course we can speak… why wouldn’t we speak? After all we worship the Allfather as well. How could we do that without the use of your language?” Rake sat back down, Raya was clearly afraid of him and most likely a Ercinee, one of the beings he had sworn to protect for saving his people all these years ago.

“I am sorry I didn’t know… what are you doing here, so far away from the colony.” Raya seemed to settle down a bit, or her curiosity won its battle over fear.

Rake stretched his legs before answering.

“I am enjoying my free time, what do you mean so far away from the colony? The colony is right down there is it not?” Rake gestured down to the military encampment, Raya turned to it and shook her head.

“No, that’s the military complex, the city is a couple of kilometers in that direction she raised one of her wings and pointed towards the cliff.” Rake frowned, why would they be separated like that if they were to protect the population of the city? It made very little sense to him.

“Hmm, I might have to visit some time. What are you doing here? If the city is so far away…” he turned to Raya and saw her blush, she walked over to the other side of the stairs Rake sat on and jumped onto the stone rails.

“We wanted to see where all the ships were flying… We thought there might be a treasure, or a secret temple of the Allfather.” She looked at Rake and her eyes narrowed slightly.

“You don’t look like a barbaric murderer… you look kind… why is that? I thought you humans wage war all the time for no reason?” Rake was slightly taken aback, talk about honesty.

“I don’t really know much about humans, I was just born a couple of months ago, I never knew what normal humans think is normal.” He shrugged and Raya’s eyes widened.

“You are less than a year old? You are so much taller than even the tallest Ercinee I have ever seen! How much taller are you going to grow?” Rake smiled at the little outburst.

“I don’t know, there is a couple of people taller than me but I don’t think I will grow. How is the city like? What are you learning there?” Rake wondered what the Ercinee needed to learn, according to Sue they knew most of the things they needed instinctively.

“Oh I am learning to become a doctor some day, just like my mom and my brother. We are all doctors in my family, that is our gift to the world's.” Raya sounded serious about it and looked over the military encampment while talking, Rake followed her eyes, she was looking at the barracks.

“How is it, not to be able to fly? I can’t imagine a life without my wings, the sky is freedom, how do you bare it down on earth for that long?” Rake thought about it, he was not really sure, since he never had wings.

“I never really think about flying, I guess it must seem strange seeing humans life their lives on the ground when you can just spread your wings and fly into the sky whenever you feel like it.” Raya looked at him and nodded.

“Hmm, might be true that you wouldn't think about it, you never could fly. But if you stick to the faith of the Allfather you will get wings in the afterlife for sure!” She nodded and smiled at him.

Rake thought about it, wings in the afterlife it didn’t sound too bad.

“Hmm, I might need a teacher then… Since I never flew.” He smiled at the thought of flying through the skies.

“Don’t worry I will teach you!” Raya smiled even wider and began babbling something about feeling the pressure on your wings before lifting off.

Rake settled his back against the rocks behind him, he was born to protect the Ercinee, to serve the Allfather and earn a place in the afterlife when he died. Now that he knew how the Ercinee were like he felt like there could have been a worse path set before him.

“... well if you could join the Iron Angels we could fly even sooner together. Have you thought about joining them?” Rake turned to her, Iron Angels? He had heard Rachel talk to Mint about it, some sort of test was about to happen.

“Hmm maybe I can ask Rachel about the Iron Angels? You say they can fly?” Raya stopped and looked back at him, her eyes glittering with anticipation.

“The Iron Angels are the humans that have allowed the Allfather to guide them in their quest to defend our path from the Empire. They are gifted wings so the sky becomes their ally, you should totally join them! The best and bravest humans make it, I bet you could too if you tried!” The little Ercinee’s excitement was infectious and Rake began to smile as well.

“Well you are still gonna need to teach me how to fly though, I doubt a human could do that as well as you.” Raya jumped into the air and used her wings to stay there, she only sank a couple of hand spans every time she flapped her wings.

“I am a great flyer, even our teacher said so! I will teach you on how to be the best Iron Angel there ever was!” She settled back down, the sun was slowly reaching the horizon behind her.

“I am sorry, but I need to go now. I can’t see well in the dark, can we meet again?” She smiled insecurely and rake got to his feet.

“Sure we can, I will be here at the same time every day. Come whenever you feel like it.” He smiled, Raya shriecked in excitement and swung herself into the sky.

“I will see you tomorrow then, uhhh… what is your name?” she staye in the air and Rake had to laugh.

“I am Rake, nice to meet you Raya.” She rose in the air and yelled back.

“Nice to meet you too Rake, until tomorrow!” she dove down and used the additional speed to sail higher on a gust of wind, Rake wondered how it must feel to fly through the sky. Iron Angels got a pair of wings, well he knew what he needed to become.