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The child had known that someone else was on the balcony with them. Considering which balcony it was, she had suspected who the hidden someone was. If a God chose to remain hidden though, it was not the place of a mere mortal to disrespect that choice. The child had not therefore commented.

Now however, a form slowly materialized before her eyes and there was no doubt it was him. World legends spoke of him as a rugged battle scarred ranger, of his long flowing black hair, his eyes with that startling hint of silver, and of the blades he wielded with such skill against his foes and for his friends. But that was the mortal Darius. Few had seen him since he had accepted the burden of immortality. The child looked in awe, then lowered her eyes and dropped into a deep curtsey. The child managed to whisper "My Lord..." but nothing further would come. This God was her liege, her lord and he was the all-powerful God of World.

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An aura of Gold surrounded him and his eyes were now pure silver. There was no hint of his thoughts in them; they were cold and hard. The wild windblown mane of black hair still framed his face and cascaded down his back, but the surface scars were gone, burned away by the powers that he could now unleash. Darius truly was the God of World, commanding the elements and custodian of the balance. Whilst Kayal had held the World in her palm, gently guiding it, the child feared that this new God held it in an iron fist. The stories of his ruthlessness had been foremost in her mind, but then he spoke. The deep voice still held hints of the mortal Darius; the words were firm but gentle. He said "Child, she needs to be alone. Wait for her by the fire."

The child left them alone. Darius looked at Kayal. Kayal turned, stood tall and proud, and returned his gaze saying simply "So dramatic. You know that I could see you already."

He sighed and said, "You should learn to bend, my Lady. Its easier than breaking. Are there things you would like to say that the child should not hear?".

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This time it was Kayal who sighed. He saw her shoulders droop slightly as she again turned to gaze at the Tree. Her words were soft and musing and she said "Tell her? Tell her how it feels to be cast out? Tell her that its like having a limb amputated? Tell her how the mind is fooled by the nerves into believing you are whole, until you try to unthinkingly use the limb? I wonder if those I cast into Exile felt like this? Did Wolfbane hate us? Did Whiterose hate us? Did Dice hate me when I forced him to give up everything? Did Glimi hate me when he killed himself to get away from World?" Kayal stopped. The silence lengthened. Finally she spoke again, adding softly "and do I hate you?".

Kayal turned to him and said "No, I don't hate you, but I wish I could. It was almost Machiavellian, to strip me of everything, and give it you, to give it to someone that I welcomed into World, that I watched learn the ways of world, that I watched shoulder responsibilities that most would have run from,....to give all I had...to someone that I trusted." Again the silence lengthened.