ou must be on your best behavior.
	What difference does that make, Mother? he asked caustically, spreading his wings.  These are all I have left from it.  I cant touch that power like this, and I cant even make it that I can.  The swords what does it, not me, and it decides when its time to open the door.  Im just a mortal, Mother.  If theyre so afraid of me, just take my sword away, he told her.  Then I wont be a threat to them or the Balance.  That way, everyone would be happy.
	You know thats impossible, kitten, she told him.  It wont allow anyone to take it from you.
	Tarrin folded his wings back behind him absently.  Then I guess were all stuck with it, he told her.  Them, me, everyone.  I didnt want this, and this happening to me is their fault.  So forgive me if Im bitter about knowing that now theyre afraid of me.  They started this, they made me like this.  Now they have to live with it, and so do I.
	Kitten, your emotions are talking, she said gently, putting her hand on his shoulder.  Go to Wikuna.  Go and rest and reflect on what has happened, and well talk again when you come home.
	Go to Wikuna? he balked, snapping out his wings.  Like this?
	Kitten, they are part of you now, she told him.  Best you get used to that fact now, quickly, and accept its truth.  Dont hate them for what they are, appreciate what they can be, she told him.  They are much more than what you think of them now.  In time, youll understand that.  In time, youll be amazed you ever hated the idea of having them.  She reached to his side, behind him, and he felt her stroke the inside slope of his left wing.  Besides, I find them to be quite beautiful.  A reflection of the beauty within, the beauty you so rarely show to the world.
	There was very little he could say when she complemented him so, since her good opinion of him meant so much to him.  That she found them beautiful killed any sarcastic or combative reply he might have made.  He simply blinked slowly and bowed his head, a gesture more eloquent than any word of thanks could ever have been.
	Theyre looking for you, my sweet kitten, she told him in an intimate voice, leaning her head near to his.  Go to them and think on what Ive said.  And keep an open mind.  Dont let your fear and worry over what happened jade your outlook.  I think youll find later that this isnt an act that curses you, but the day you have been set free.  She stepped back, away from him, her eyes gentle and benevolent, her expression loving.  She kissed her fingertips and motioned towards him, and then her Avatar simply disappeared.
	But unlike any time before, this time he felt that disappearance.  He felt her power flow, felt her use it to return her icon back to the courtyard.  He had never sensed that before, that use of divine power.  That, he reasoned logically in the back of his mind, had to be a side effect of the wings, or that the wings were a side effect of what had happened that had allowed him to sense that.  The door between him and his lost power was not sealed off, or the wings would not be a part of him now.  It was cracked open, the narrowest of openings, but it was enough to put the wings on his back, and it was enough to open his eyes and senses to things that a mortal could not sense.
	No, it wasnt just the wings.  He remembered seeing the eyes of Shirazi staring at him from within the sun several days ago.  That, that was the first time he had ever sensed the hidden world behind the mortal one, where the power of the gods operated.  That had been the first instance of him using the power inside of him, the first indication that Niami had indeed been right, that he had inherited some trace of power from his brief time as a god.
	He brought the wings forward, past his body, and looked at them, studied them.  They were the symbol of the change in his life, and not just the change within.  It would take time for him to get used to them, to become accustomed to their existence and get used to moving to take them into account.  He had no idea how Jesmind and the other were going to react when they saw them, but they would certainly require some changes to be made to his house and to his life with Jesmind to accommodate them.
	Nothing was going to be the same after today.
	He could hide from it, or he could meet the challenge of it head on, which was what Were-cats did best.  Meet the challenge head on, subdue it, defeat it, and prove who was the stronger.
	And Tarrin never backed down from a challenge.
	Slowly folding the wings behind him once again, he absently Summoned what was left of his beloved Ironwood staff.  What he got back was little more than a shard, a fragment, but a simple Druidic spell reached into it and encouraged the living wood to grow, to expand.  In seconds, the blackened shard that was all that was left of his trusted staff had expanded out to its original length, as the shaft of wood shaped itself to the image in Tarrins mind, all the way down to the scratches and slight dents that ran up and down it, minor mars in its smooth finish with which he was intimately familiar, causing the shard to become again the staff it had once been.
	That, at least, was something he could fix.
	He moved towards the Tower, seeing that some people were starting to appear, and they were all staring at him wildly.  He sent out probing fingers of Mind through the rubble, and to his surprise, he found very, very few traces of casualties.  Only about thirty.  The citizens of Suld had scrambled away from the fighting in a panic, and that panic had saved hundreds of lives.  That, or Tarrins dark reputation for laying waste to large areas when he fought was more well known than he first realized.  Or it was also possible that Karas and the Goddess had made sure to clear the area of people by having them flee.  After all, the gods knew it was coming, and they werent merciless.  Karas would have made sure to clear his children out of the path of danger.  Those dead, those he could detect in the blasted ruins, were the ones that refused to listen.  In that respect, Tarrin rather coldly felt that they got what they deserved.  One should never ignore the commands of ones god.
	It was a walk without much feeling, but with a great deal of inner turmoil.  The idea that the gods were afraid of him didnt bother him as much as it probably should, but the knowledge that they had done it to him on purpose ate at him in a way he couldnt forget.  He felt used, he felt violated, he felt that they had taken terrible advantage of him.  And after things went awry, they did not come to help him, they were so afraid of putting their precious power at risk.  And then, after the sword had unlocked his power, they had the gall to think that they should destroy him.  They made him what he was, they were responsible for it all.  And after their little game blew up in their faces, instead of taking responsibility for things and trying to help him, they sent the Goddess to placate him, put it all on her shoulders, still refused to even acknowledge the part they had played in this debacle.  And now Tarrin had wings he did not want, had discovered an awful truth about himself he would have much preferred not to knowand there was nothing he could do about it.
	It was dj vu all over again.  Once before hed been forced to come to terms with a dramatic and overwhelming alteration to his life, to radically deal with change, to learn how to live with something that had been thrust upon him by another without any choice in the matter.  Learning to deal with his Were nature had been long, cruel, and painful, but eventually he had come to terms with it, had even come to embrace it, to love it, and chose to be Were instead of human when he had once had the opportunity to make that choice for himself.  At least he would have, had Jasana not made that decision for him.  And now he found himself again at the beginning of a long, unpleasant road.
	It was more than just the wings.  He knew that they were just a symbol of an awful reality.
	He was no longer truly a mortal.
	And yet, he was not a god.
	He was trapped between them in the most terrible manner, more than a mortal, less than a god, and so far hed come to discover that the gods were afraid of him.  Theyd be overjoyed if he just dropped dead, as Triana had so eloquently said of the Were-cats where Fae-daNar was concerned.  For the same reason they had feared Val, and now that fear was directly leveled on him, despite the fact that he really didnt have the power that they thought he had.  So long as he was the way he was, he didnt have any divine power.  It was all gone, locked away, removed from him, with the wings as the only indication of the potential of that power, or perhaps some kind of latent semi-divine ability much akin to the powers that the Goddess thought he might possess.  In a way, perhaps the wings were that ability, finally having manifested itself.
	It was as good an explanation as any, for he honestly had no idea.  This was truly uncharted territory for him, a realm of things with which he had absolutely no experience.  He was no theologian, he was no sage, he had no idea about the true workings of the gods outside of Niami and the things that she had told him about the others.  That was all.  Mortal magic was totally different from godly power, divine magic.  The only one who could really explain to him what was going on was the Goddess, and it seemed that she was going to let him work things out for himself.
	Sometimes it irritated him when she did that, but he wouldnt dare challenge her over it.  Where Mother was concerned, there may be questioning, but never defiance.  If she wanted him to find the answers himself, then that was the way things were going to be.  He may not like it, but he would do it.
	As to the mortalswell, the looks on the faces of the Sulasians who watched him slowly pad past were not encouraging.  Not a single face did not show shock and fear, even awe, but then again, to be fair to himself, he realized that theyd just fled from a terrible calamity.  It wasnt unheard of in Suld to see strange magical effects from time to time, and it wasnt but three years ago that theyd fought a war right here in the city that had unleashed some spectacular magic.  But despite that tolerance for magic, he knew that it wasnt accurate to judge how the average person was going to react just now.  When he visited Keritanima, the reactions of the people of Wikuna would be a good basis for that.
	The first one in his inner circle to reach him was Kimmie.  She bounded over a pile or rubble at an intersection which marked the boundary of where the protection of the gods had ended.  On one side of the street, there was a pile of rubble built up in the street as if it had stacked up against a solid object.  The other side of the street was more or less untouched, as were the buildings behind it.  There was only broken glass littering the streets, shattered when the force of the battle had conducted through the protection of the gods and blown out the windows of the buildings closest to the protective barrier.  She gaped at him for a moment, then sprinted up to him so fast she had to skid to a stop, all but crashing into him.  Tarrin! she gasped, wrapping her arms around him.  Are you alright?  What happened?  Whats going on? she said quickly, looking past his shoulder, right at the wings.
	He put his paws on her shoulders.  Im alright, Kimmie, he told her wearily.
	Dont scare me like that! she said in a trembling voice.  She jumped up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, then kissed him passionately.  He put his paws on her back and kissed her back, and almost flinched when her paws grabbed him by the wings, right near where they merged with his back.  Kimmie rarely exhibited so much emotion, having to be careful about such things around Jesmind, but her fear for him had overwhelmed her usual stoicism.  Kimmie loved him desperately, and he loved her in return, and at that particular moment, Jesmind was the last thing on both of their minds.
	Tarrin, what happened? she asked anxiously, squeezing the solid fire of his wings.
	Definitely not what I intended, love, he replied grimly.  Ill explain it all when we get back to the Tower.
	Where did these come from? she asked, then she gasped.  Jesmind said you had wings when--
	Its a long story, he told her as he kissed her one more time, then set her down on the ground gently.  And not one I want to repeat any more than necessary.
	Alright, she said, hugging him tightly.  I was worried about you!
	I was worried about me there for a while too, he chuckled humorlessly.  Are the others out here?
	Jula and Allia are, but everyone else is waiting at the Tower.  The amulets werent working, so they sent us out to find you.
	They werent? he asked, and she shook her head.  Why didnt Jenna or Jula try to Whisper?
	They did, she said.  They even joined the Weave and tried something, they said something about your star, but that didnt work either.
	Huh, he mused.  I guess the barrier stopped everything, even Whispering or speaking through a star.  They must have stopped trying before the barrier was lowered.
	What barrier? Kimmie asked.
	Later, he told her, putting a paw to his amulet and using a trick he rarely used, speaking to multiple people at once.  Everyone close to him either carried or wore a shaeram, even Azakar, just so they could be contacted.  Im alright, he announced.  Dont try to talk back to me.  Everyone just go back to the Tower, and Ill meet you in the first dining room off the kitchen in the east passage.
	Tarrin, where are you?  What happened? Jennas voice immediately touched him through the Weave, as he heard her Whisper.
	He shook his head and grumbled, shifting his awareness just enough to answer.  I told you not to answer back, he told her.
	You think Im going to obey you?  Youve got another thing coming!  What happened?
	Ill explain everything when I get there.
	Are you alright? she asked in sudden concern.
	Ill live.  Youll understand when you see me.
	Love, what happened to you? Kimmie asked as she put herself under his arm, draping it over her shoulders and holding onto his paw tightly, as they started slowly towards the Tower.  For some reason, he suddenly felt more weary than he had when he was talking to When are those going to go away?
	They wont, he said grimly.  Theyre permanent.
	She gave him a startled expression, then she laughed.  Well, I guess its a good thing I think theyre quite handsome.  They make you look majestic.
	Thanks, he said dryly.
	How did that happen?
	I told you, Ill explain it later.
	I cant wait that long, my love, she told him quite seriously as she carefully helped him up the pile of rubble she had vaulted to get to him.  Anything that happens to you is something Im not going to wait around to hear.  You dont have to go into too much detail.  Just give me the basics.  The short version will do.
	He blew out his breath.  Youre going to nag, I take it?
	Darling, Im going to nag until theres no tomorrow.
	Sometimes I really hate you females, do you know that?
	Hate me now, love me tomorrow, she told him brusquely, helping him down the far side of it.  Now talk.
	With very little emotion, walking along streets as started, terrified residents of Suld watched them slowly go past, Tarrin curtly summarized what had happened.  He explained what Bane really was after he told her about his seizure of the Firestaff.  All these years, I thought  Val was dead, he said with a shudder, his wings shivering.  And all that time, that monstrosity that everyone thought was Stragos Bane has been running around preparing to fight me.  It killed the Were-kin and a bunch of others to steal their souls, so it could feed off of them.
	Why Were-kin? she asked.
	Because all Were-kin have magic, he answered after a moments thought.  Id bet most of the others he killed were arcane mages and Priests.  People with magical ability.
	That does seem logical, she agreed after a moment.  If it was feeding off of them, it probably sucked their magic dry, then took their souls.
	He continued, being quite honest about what happened with the sword, and how lost he was being in command of all that power.  I had no idea what to do, at least until I realized that the Firestaff was what was giving that thing its power.  I Summoned it to strip that thing of its ability to get its power, then it used its power against me as a last-ditch effort to kill me before I could figure out how to use my power.  When I saw how it did that, I copied it and did the same thing.  It had only limited power, but I didnt, so I just burned up its reserves.  After that, it was defenseless, so I destroyed it.
	Wow, she breathed.  You said that your Goddess thought that you might have some kind of latent ability.  But this--
	It wasnt me, he told her.  It was the sword.  Its an artifact, love.  And now we all know what it does.
	It gives you back what you lost when you sacrificed yourself to destroy Val.
	He nodded.  Part of it, at least, or else Id have known what to do, he told her.  The sword is sentient, Kimmie.  It was the one who decided to change me, not me.  It even used my own Druidic magic to Summon itself to me.
	Thats strange.  I never noticed anything like that from it before, and you even let me examine it.
	I know.  I didnt know either.  I could tell there was some kind of dormant power in it, but I never dreamed it could do what it did.
	That is rather remarkable, she said thoughtfully.  And I take it it somehow changed you back when it was over, but-- she cut off, touching his new wing.
	They didnt disappear, he affirmed.  The Goddess came and talked to me after I came to.  She told me that they wont go away.  Theyre a part of me now.
	Well, its going to take some getting used to, she admitted, then she chuckled.  So, can you fly?
	I, I have no idea, he answered honestly.  I know how they worked before, when the sword changed me, but I dont know now.  They dont feel quite the same.  I can make them move, but I havent tried anything else yet.
	You know that Phandebrass is going to come after you, she said with a wink.
	In a way, Ill be glad of it, love, he told her.  His endless questions might help me understand exactly how they work and what they do.  The Goddess hinted that theyre capable of things Im not aware of.  Phandebrass might be able to help me figure that out.
	He just might at that, she agreed.  Hes the smartest man Ive ever known.
	Too bad hes so flaky.
	Hes not that bad! Kimmie said quickly.  Kimmie was always very quick to defend her mentor.
	Right, hes not that bad, he drawled.  And I remember a certain time when he shrunk you down to the size of a chalice.  And then there was the time he stopped in the middle of a battle to ask a Demon questions.  And there was that Carnivorous Clock incident, and then there was that time--
	Alright! she cut him off with a growl, slapping him on the back.
	Im feeling a little stronger, love, he told her, taking his arm off her shoulders.
	I didnt put it there to support you, she said loftily, grabbing his arm and draping it back over her shoulders.
	Tarrin pulled her close for a moment, revelling in his love for her, and the eternal relief that she seemed to have taken his shocking news rather well.
	The walk to the Tower was long and nerve-wracking, at least for Tarrin.  Everyone was staring at him, and every stare was dumbfounded.  He knew that the wings looked bizarre, exotic, but they didnt have to stare that way.  But there was nothing he could do to hide them.  They were much too large, and since they were made of fire, they cast a rather bright light that made them impossible to miss.  He felt extremely self-conscious, and not a little out of place.  That seemed silly to him, since he was a Were-cat, and was at least head and shoulders above most humans.  He was used to them staring at him, but now it seemed unpleasant for them to be doing so.  It had to be because he hadnt had time to get completely used to this radical change in his life quite yet.
	One thing was for sure, he realizedgoing to Wikuna was going to be a test of courage for him, to face the world with him being the way he was now.  That itself seemed a bit ludicrous to him, since so few things actually scared him anymore, but it was there, and he was mature enough to see it and understand it.  But  knowing it was there wasnt going to make it any easier.
	Jula and Allia, who must have joined up before reaching him, came running up from a side street when they were about four blocks from the Tower.  Both put their hands on him and babbled at him frantically, Allia in Selani and Jula in Sulasian.  Im alright, Im alright, he told them both quickly.
	Brother, what happened? Allia said intensely, staring right at his wings.
	Its going to take a while to explain, sister, he told her, but he looked at Jula to cut off her inevitable question.  Im very tired, and I just want to get back to the Tower and sit down.  So please, save the questions until then.
	You want back to the Tower, father, you get back to the Tower right now, Jula said in a fierce voice, and he felt her set her will against the Weave.  With extreme speed, Jula sent out a probe of Mind weaves, and he felt them search an area within the Tower.  After that, she wove the spell of Teleportation quickly, surrounding all four of them with it.  In the blink of an eye, they went from standing in the street with the stunned citizens of Suld gawking at them to standing near the far wall of the dining room next closest to the kitchen in the east passage, where Tarrin had told them to gather.  She had probed the room with Mind weaves to ensure there was nobody inside, then Teleported them to it.
	Rather clever use of a Mind weave, given that they were close enough to make it a feasible trick to use.
	Lets get you to the dining room and get you comfortable, Kimmie said immediately.  Jula wormed herself under his other shoulder, and the two Were-cat females--who were the best of friends with one another--treated him like he was incapable of walking on his own, guiding him through the door that Allia opened for them and down thirty spans to the next door, the last one before the kitchen.  One of the cooks happened to glance down the hallway and spot them, and the tall, thin man dropped his ladle in shock and stared like a rabbit staring down the maw of a wolf.  He stared until Allia jerked open the door of the dining room, one of the larger ones, and the two females half-carried him inside.
	Within the dining room was one of the large tables, which had twelve chairs surrounding it, and six of them were occupied.  Jenna sat in the chair closest to the door, and beside her was Dolanna.  Phandebrass and Allyn were seated further down, and Camara Tal and Koran Tal were also present, Camara Tal holding a black-haired baby in her arms.  Those were just the ones seated.  Jesmind was pacing back and forth impatiently, her back to them when Allia opened the door, and all three of his daughters were gathered in the back of the dining room, playing with Fireflash, Chopstick, and Turnkey.  Sarraya was with them, hovering over Jasanas head.  Dar and Tiella werent there, nor were his parents, nor was Azakar.
	Tarrin! Jenna shouted in fear and relief when Jula and Kimmie helped him through the door.  Goddess, what in the world happened to you! she gasped when she saw the wings.
	You wouldnt believe me if I told you, he answered as Jesmind raced over and bulled the other two females out of her way, hugging him fiercely, her paws pushing up against the base of the wings before she realized it, then she flinched them away.  Tarrin looked at the others, and saw the surprise on their faces.  He wondered what expressions would replace them when they found out the truth.
	Papa, you have wings! Rina exclaimed as his three daughters gathered around him, hugging his legs, clamoring for his attention.  Can I have wings too?
	Tarrin gave the little girl a start, then he laughed helplessly.  Cub, if I could, Id give you mine, he told her as Jesmind released him enough to guide him to a chair, and he finally and quite contentedly sat down.  The bottoms of each wing were bent against the floor, something he recalled seeing happen to Shiika every time she was sitting at his parents table.
	Tarrin, just what are those? Camara Tal asked, pointing at his wings.
	A mistake, he said in a grim tone.  A very, very bad mistake.  And its a mistake thats going to haunt me for the rest of my life.
	Well, I think they look proper, Sarraya announced imperiously.
	Ive seen these before, father, Jasana said quite seriously, reaching out and touching one of his wings without fear.  When you fought Val.
	Tarrin sighed and pulled off the Cats Claws, tossing them unceremoniously onto the table.  I know,
 he told her.
	I say, youve got to tell us what happened, lad! Phandebrass said urgently.
	In a little bit, he answered.  Where are our parents, Jenna?  And Dar, Tiella and Azakar?  I dont want to explain this more than once.
	Dar and Tiella are on their way, Jenna told him.  Mother and father should still be in the kitchen.  Didnt you see them when you came in?  You had to come through the kitchen to get here.
	He shook his head as Jula spoke up.  I Teleported us here, she informed her, into the dining room beside this one.  We came from the other way.
	Oh, Jenna fretted.
	Cub, go get your grandparents, Jesmind ordered Jasana in a voice that would brook no disobedience.  She nodded without argument and ran out the open door.
	What about Zak?
	Hes in Wikuna, she answered.  The sashka requested him and three other of our best Knights to take part in Kerris personal guard, some kind of ceremonial honor guard.  I Teleported them and four Arakite Legionaires from the garrison Shiika still has in Suld to Kerris palace last night.  Darvon and General Kang from the Legions were summoned as well.  They went over two days ago.	
	Sounds like the sashka has some kind of big event planned, Tarrin mused.
	Vendari are paranoid sometimes, Jenna snorted.  I think hes just putting Kerri, Rallix, and the baby behind a wall of living steel and muscle.
	Dallstads axe! he heard Elke Kael exclaim as she rushed through the door.  In seconds, he was swarmed by his parents, as Elke put her hands all over him and Eron put his hand on Tarrins shoulder, asking him if he was alright.  Im fine, Im alright, he assured them.  As soon as Dar and Tiella get here, Ill explain what happened.
	What are these things, son? Eron asked.
	Theyre wings, Grandfather, Jasana replied in a surprisingly steady voice.  This is almost what father looked like when he used the Firestaff to be a god, so he could fight Val.
	Well, that sums up what happened rather well, Kimmie grunted tonelessly.
	What? Jenna said quickly.
	We wait for--
	Mikaras endless hoard! he heard Dar gasp in Arakite from the door as he came in, then he rushed up from behind Tarrin and looked at him.  Tarrin!  What happened!?
	Im getting a little tired of people asking that, he growled, giving Tiella a warning stare as she entered.
	She laughed nervously.  I was going to ask too, but admit it, friend, you dont see something like that every day, she said, pointing at his wings.
	Close the door, Tiella, Jenna ordered.  Were all here, so now Tarrin can explain what in the nine Hells happened.
	They all sat down around the table--Sarraya and the drakes on the table--with cubs in the laps of the Were-cat females, and after weaving a Ward to prevent eavesdropping, Tarrin finally started.  He left very little out, explaining how Banes hatred had attracted him to him, and then about the battle between him and a human-seeming Bane had ensued.  He described his shock at not killing Bane with the cannonball, and then how Bane had used the lion-face shield to give his sword an acidic bite.  He explained in greater detail how Bane had a magical device to counter every advantage Tarrin usually enjoyed after Jesmind asked him why he didnt just melt Bane with magic.  You should send someone out to find those objects, Jenna, he told her.  I touched the armor, so I can Summon it, all of it if I specifically Summon it as a complete set.  The gauntlets too, since I grabbed Banes hand.  But you need someone to go out and get the sword, shield, and a circlet that Mother said Bane was wearing.  You do not want those objects falling into unfriendly hands, especially that circlet.  It can stop Sorcery.  Goddess, it can stop any magic.
	She nodded, and Tarrin felt her bridge up just enough to Whisper commands to Ianelle.
	After that, he described in detail how Bane had maneuvered him into producing the Firestaff, how he had taken away all of his other options, and how he had made a grab for the artifact when he had a chance to do so without getting killed.  The instant he touched it, there was nothing more I could do.  He drew power off the Firestaff, and it let him get strong enough to shake me off.  Then he described how the shadow of Val cast off the mortal disguise it had been using and assumed a divine Avatar form.
	It was an Avatar? Jenna gasped.
	Tarrin shook his head.  Not quite, he replied.  Mother told me that it was a creation of Val, a kind of shadow of himself that he left behind after he was destroyed.  It was so weak it had to hide inside a mortal shell, at least until it got its hands on the Firestaff, he said sourly.  But once it did get its hands on the Firestaff, it used it to power its godly powers.
	I say, thats not supposed to be possible, Phandebrass said in quiet introspection.  The shadow shouldnt be able to exist without the god who created it alive to power it, it shouldnt.
	Thats how Val got around it, Phandebrass, Tarrin told him.  The shadow was like a magical object.  Val created it with certain abilities, some of them godly, but he didnt put his own power into it.  He created it in such a way that it could 