Chapter Nine

## Plot

Directly after Chapter Eight, Numair leaves the cafe he fell asleep at in Enodia. He waits for the bus for a few minutes before realizing that they are no longer running, and begins to walk in the direction of the interdimensional hub.

Meanwhile, Hawk chatted with Abi, Felix, Aram, and Kim while finishing dinner. They talked about Minnie and the reasons people were allowed to stay in Enodia, as well the differences between the Order and RIT. Kim tells Hawk how Aram got his bad leg by shapeshifting with the harpoon injury, and then thanks him with a kiss on the cheek. Hawk walks home alone at about the same time as Numair, buying a snack and magazine on the way.

As Numair passed a figure, a large wolf-like figure with slaver bonds stepped out of the subway stairs. The first figure transforms into a lithe white dragon, and tries the two try to restrain Numair, with Numair dodging their blows before magically jumping onto a building. The dragon follows him. He jumps off the other side of the building, sending a shock of electricity behind him. The dragon, at the same time, releases a blinding ray of light. When Numair lands, he has trouble seeing as he fishes his pillbox out of his bag and takes a dose. Hawk notices the light and sets off to investigate.

Numair had a bit of a head start on the slavers, and passed Hawk as he was escaping from them. The smoke from his medicine was a dark, translucent grey, and passing Hawk gave him an unusually vivid image of a prairie landscape. Hawk raised his wings, blocking the slavers. He fought with them for a minute, as Numair attempted to use the last of his energy to create a shield. When Hawk turned around, he found Numair collasped. Lacking other options, he takes Numair to Vlad's house.

When Hawk set Numair down on the couch to try and gauge his state, Hawk spots the owl again. Hawk chooses to try and harness his powers to revive Numair. In doing this, his upper body briefly gained feathers and a reifa like beak. It works, though, with Numair coughing up some blood before passing out again. Hawk cleaned up the feathers left behind, moved Numair to his bed, and slept on the couch, where Vlad noted him both after he returned from Aetheri and when he left for work.

Numair woke up confused in an unfamiliar place, and made his way downstairs where Hawk was making eggs for breakfast. Numair tells Hawk that he recognises him, though Hawk has no idea who Numair is. Numair also tells Hawk that the last thing he remembered was thinking he was about to die since his medicine did not have time. Hawk, for the first time, explains that he is fairly sure he sees death and can sometimes chase it off. Numair takes this in stride, comparing it to his own visions of emotions, and comforting Hawk with the knowledge that what he sees is real.

Hawk offers to walk Numair to the portal, which Numair agrees to. The pair chat about Aetheri's stagnation and Numair's plan to eventually bring radio and other forms of communication to the country. While the two are waiting for the subway, Numair asks Hawk if there is anything he do in return. Hawk initially denies the offer, but just as the Numair is about to leave on the subway, Hawk asks if he would mind meeting up again. Numair agrees, and quickly plans to return the next Saturday afternoon. The subway leaves, and both Hawk and Numair are left wondering why he offered and why he accepted, respectfully.

## Characters

* Numair d'Escala
* Hawk Press
* Felix Kildeer
* Abi
* Kim
* Aram
* Vlad du Russi

## Trivia

* The chapter title refers to return strokes, or the visible flash component of lightning.