It was almost funny how often she found herself traipsing across the sandy beaches of the Terminus Sea. In a way, it was a lot like the swamps in Terrastella; no matter how often she tried to avoid them, she inevitably ended up there. Honestly, Israfel hated it. She and water simply did not mix. Regardless, the day was a nice one for a quick sashay across the sand and it was hard to say just how much longer the good weather would hold out given that winter was just around the corner.

’And what a winter it will be,’ she groused, nonplussed by the fact that the Dusk Court would struggle through the frigid depths of winter because their patron Goddess was a colossal bitch. With Terrastella’s supplies still in the gutter, she had no idea just how well they would survive, but with Asterion’s masterful diplomacy skills, or by sheer luck, they had wormed their way into the good graces of Denocte. Maybe they could buddy up through the worst of the freeze, or something.

Regardless, the Sun Daughter’s focus was on the current day, standing tall and proud with gilded wings drawn close to her sides, posture rigid and collected befitting her station. Wind whipped strands of ivory and gold danced upon the ocean breeze, salt and brine coating her tongue and nose. Vermilion eyes peered out across the vast churning waves, watching the dreadful element of water rise and fall, rise and fall, white-caps crashing into the shoreline only to be drawn back by the sheer strength of the ocean.

No fucking thank you. She was a creature literally born in flames, the daughter of a Sun God. Fire could be manipulated and controlled at her whim; water was the opposing force.

Above her stationary sentry, Solaris circled lazily about in the air, the Phoenix’s great golden wings spread wide to glide effortlessly along the breeze in vast, wide circles. There was no alarm, no cause of concern, and the bird of fire was content to simply ride the waves of air coming off the ocean, dropping and darting upward, twirling about in the air in a beautiful display of alabaster and gold.

It was at the sound of another, hooves crunching in the tiny granules of white sand which caused a pale ear to flick behind her and for the first time lured eyes of piercing vermilion away from the churning blue ocean. She frowned, rose-kissed lips pulled downwards as she scrutinized the individual who seemed unaware that she had been stationed there. Turning about, cloven, golden hooves digging into the sand, she faced the stranger and gave a flick of the tail in nonchalance.

“Hey.” The greeting was spoken upon gruff vocals, her voice oddly raspy for a female. The Sun Daughter arched a pale brow, watching the way he shifted and listened curiously to the uncertain, meek way that he spoke. Golden as the sun she was born from, the stranger watched her with a tentative expression masked behind a curtain of white. He seemed at war with himself, caught in some kind of internal struggle before flashing her a smile that honestly looked far closer to a grimace, as though the action brought him physical pain. After spending so much quality time with Ulric, it was strange to be around a man on the completely opposite end of the spectrum. Interesting.

Michael. That was his name. A wild, rueful grin pulled up the shield maiden’s lips.

“Good to meet you, and stuff. Israfel.” Hopefully he understood her crass introduction. Rolling a shoulder, which popped in a satisfying way, the Warden pressed on almost curiously. “… Am I what?”

"Speaking."