[Mana exercises. Magic. Wings. Kratos hadn't quite thought of that, until just now; but the thought makes his stomach flip. He hasn't brought out his wings in fifteen years. He hadn't been able to, though he does remember trying, in the distant past when he'd hoped he could use the Eternal Sword to kill himself.
[As it turns out, the seal is smarter than that.
[We should see if I can do them, first. It wouldn't do to show the Chosen the wrong exercises, if Kratos can't do them properly.
[But at the last, Kratos huffs something very nearly a smile.]
There's always stars to be counted.
[Stars are one of the few things older than Kratos, and not nearly as delicate as most of the others.
[The smile fades before reaching critical mass. Yuan had his hand on Kratos's mana centre, before; is he bringing this up now because he'd felt something? A bit tentative, Kratos broadcasts this question, undertoned by worry, by adriftness. He's been an angel much longer than he's been human. If he can't even pull his wings ...]
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[As it turns out, the seal is smarter than that.
[We should see if I can do them, first. It wouldn't do to show the Chosen the wrong exercises, if Kratos can't do them properly.
[But at the last, Kratos huffs something very nearly a smile.]
There's always stars to be counted.
[Stars are one of the few things older than Kratos, and not nearly as delicate as most of the others.
[The smile fades before reaching critical mass. Yuan had his hand on Kratos's mana centre, before; is he bringing this up now because he'd felt something? A bit tentative, Kratos broadcasts this question, undertoned by worry, by adriftness. He's been an angel much longer than he's been human. If he can't even pull his wings ...]