Crouching atop one of the spires of a great cathedral I surveyed the city below with great curiosity. The winds blew this way and that, gently ruffling the feathers on my huge wings. It was well past midnight but the people appeared to have no intention of retiring to their homes.

Yet for all its inviting allure a cold atmosphere hung about the city. It reminded me of Gotham, the fictional city of Batman. In my childhood I remembered myself resenting Gotham, disliking the emptiness of it. I felt a bitter smile tugging at the corner of my lips. The irony of it all, finding myself in a place so much like the one I despised.

“But don’t we all end up someplace we hate?” I turned my head but not all the way as to see who had spoken. I already knew the owner of such a haunting voice. I clenched my fists with irritation. I hate it when someone sneaks up on me. The creature chuckled at this. “Ah, but I also know you cherish your privacy,” it said “ and the only reason I came here was to tell you that you are needed.” This time I moved to look at my intruder.

It was Aquil, just as I thought. His majestic dark blue wings stretched out behind him, flapping once and a while to keep him aloft. I sneered at him and turned away, drawing my wingtips to my face, a sign that I didn’t want him here. I felt him shrug behind me. “Suit yourself” he called out. There was a strong gush of wind, and then unperturbed silence and I knew he was gone.

I spent a few more minutes to myself. Somewhere down below I could hear the mutterings of a mother, praying for her son. Thoughts of my own mother ran through my head. The one I had left behind right after the Transformation. They think I’m dead, I thought, and maybe I am.

Another voice interrupted me, this time in my head. I almost fell off the spire. The gruff, booming voice belonged to the Master, and I could not deny His request. Sighing, I unfurled my wings and let the sky take me.