Salvanis closed his eyes and leaned his head back in his chair. "Yes. Once." he sighed. "It was one year ago. I visited a city populated mostly by angels. It was one of our earth outposts. I was just passing through. I didn't want to stay very long. It reminded me too much of ho- what used to be my home." he breathed in, "I went to the market, I needed supplies. In the market various creatures to preaching bout various things. I stopped to listen to what this one angel was saying. 'We should eliminate demons once and for all' was all I needed to hear. I ended up staying in the city for weeks, trying to figure out a way to get myself to Heaven to protest all the hate and unneeded violence. I actually somehow found a transport and got as far as Heaven's gates...." he paused to remember. His jade eyes opened and looked into the fire. "But I didn't go in. I don't know why I turned back so close to what I had wanted. It just...." he searched for the right words, but nothing came to mind. He really didn't know why he didn't go any further. "I guess it just didn't seem right for some reason." but those weren't the right words. Salvanis stared into the fire looking for the answer.

She looked down at her lap. "I see." She brought her eyes up, looking at him. "Even if you never go back, even if you hate everyone there, your still from heaven. But home is where your heart rests, and I've found that here, in this inn. If you wish to stay here, I can promise, you'll find a new home with us." She watched him for a moment, then looked back into the fire.

Salvanis smiled at Anora. Her words mimicked his thoughts. "Thank you." his voice was barely above a whisper. Maybe he didn't have to travel anymore. Maybe he could just stay here. With a new family. A new home. A home that will give more than half-a-second to think about my opinion when I voice my mind. he thought as he looked back to the fire. He smiled and closed his eyes. He felt truly relaxed for the first time in his life, and that was quite a long time.
"How about you? Have you ever thought of going back to that special someone?" he asked softly. "I would think if they loved and cared about you as much as you seem love and care about them, they would leave and come here with you..." he glanced over to her.

Since Sy disappeared on me I slipped into my cat form and went down stairs. Seeing Salvanis and Anora in front of the fire I went over and sat at their feet, meowing.

Anora lowered her head. "He couldn't. That's why I left. You seem, I'm from a place north, called Valhalla. We Knights aren't exactly mortal, and in fact the only way for a Valhallan to die for good is of old age, which is in the 1,000s of years old. When we are killed in battle, we are reborn in the halls of Asgard. But Odin, the Lord of Asgard, has discovered a way to stop knights from returning. Now he's forcing all knights to swear loyalty to him. So of the Knights, like Loki, didn't like this, so they rebelled, and have now found a way to keep people from returning to the halls by using weapons that seal the slain souls of Knights in them."

She looked into the fire. "One of the Knight I was close to, Revan, was Odin's best tactical general. However, once Loki found a way to even the war, he left to join him. So did my mother. This left me promoted to Odin's highest position, right under his son Thor. But I'm no Revan, and we started to loose." She reached down and scratched Keseiko behind the ears. "One night, while I was on the battlefield, Revan came to my tent in the dead of Knight. He proposed to me, and asked me to join the Rebels. He told me his plans to betray Loki after he beat Odin, and claim the throne himself."

She shook her head, tears in her eyes. "I couldn't accept, so he drew his sword and gave it to me. 'Kill me now, then' he told me, 'and Loki will fall. You'll be a hero, but I can not continue to fight against you.'" She hung her head. "But I couldn't. I took the sword, held it at his throat, but in the end I fled the tent and my army." She wiped the tears from her eyes, and looked up again.

Salvanis listened in silence as Anora told her story. He watched as the tears welled up in her eyes. He had nothing to say, it wasn't a time for words anyway. Salvanis simply held her hand and looked at her with warm eyes. She had just adopted him into her family, the least he could do was provide some support.

Nicholette slid back into the door of the inn, her lime green eyes darted around, she picked up one new voice, her ears twitched and her tail swung back and forth. She threw herself into a chair and watched the other people in the place her tail swinging back and forth lazily.

After taking a moment to put her wits together, she cleared her throat. "I found out later Revan marched on the camp the next day, and tore them apart. Now it's only a matter of time before he takes Azgard with Loki. I can't go back, Odin would have me killed, but I can't turn my back on my home, and I don't want it to fall into Loki's hands. While I'm sure Revan's plan is good, no Knight will recognize him as the new leader. It'll break down into warlord Knights, all claiming the throne, assuming Thor doesn't attempt to take revenge for his father." So looked into the fire again. "So there it is. I wandered the roads until I came here. What could I possibly go back to?"

"I would suggest that you return after the war to try and put things in order, but I know that is much easier said than done." he said with a sigh. He withdrew his and and thought for a moment. As he did this, a cat-girl came and pounced onto a chair near them, her tail swishing this way and that.
After a few more moments of silence Salvanis snapped his fingers and cupped his hands over one another, concentrating. He might have just the thing that would cheer the Valhallen knight up. a white-blue light came from his palms as his magic slowly worked.

I jumped into Anora's lap and rubbed against her, purring. It was the only comfort I could give her.

Nicholette watched the mans hands glow, her tail stopped moving as she watched wondering what he was doing. Her lime green eyes were trained on the light but her ears were swiveling, still listening for any signs of them. She growled at the thought her vampire fangs grazing her bottom lip. She forced herself to calm down and her face relaxed into its calm expression again, showing no emotion.

Anora nodded, and rubbed Keseiko's back. "I suppose I should. Maybe one day I will." She watched, interested, as Salvanis did something with his hands. She raised an eyebrow at the light, but said nothing as she waited.

Salvanis could feel eyes on him and breathed deeply, trying to keep his concentration.
There was a small 'pop' and the light dimmed until it was no longer there. He slowly peaked into his hands to make sure he had the right item and let loose the breath he hadn't known he was holding when it in fact was the right item. He had learned how to twist and bend his third spell to only pulling one thing out of the void.
In his hands was an intricate silver locket attached to a delicate silver chain. He got up and carefully pulled it over Anora's head and then gently pulled her hair out form under the chain. "It's a memory locket," he said with a warm smile, "Just open it and any memory you wish will appear within it. I'm not sure if it's exactly what you want or need, but it's helped me before and I thought it might help you."

"I'm so sorry I keep disapearing today." Sy said blushing. "I just can't keep track of myself." She shook her head.
"Anyways. I'm sorry not to have met you yet. I'm Sybella, everyone calls me Sy. I'm the owner of the inn." She smiled to the new angel.

Anora took it, her breath catching in her throat. She was glad Sy interupted, because she had found herself at a loss for words.

My ears perked at the sound of my love, going to her side I rubbed against her legs, meowing and purring.

Sy smiled and picked up Kiseko. She watched Anora carefully. 'Did he call it a Memory Locket? Didn't Sokey have something like that...' She frowned a bit, but quickly eased it, with a smile and kind eyes she piped up "It's gorgous Anora! Usefull and it looks lovely on you!"

I continued to purr loudly and rubbed my head against Sy's cheek. I saw the small frown and licked her.

Anora found her voice. "Thanks, Sy, and thank you, Salvanis, I love it." She put her hand on it, running a finger along the design, and smiled at it. "It's beautiful." She stood, and kissed him on the cheek, then headed over the the bar. She glanced at the four of them. "Anyone thirsty? I'm going to make myself some more Hot Apple Cider, so I'll happily make for everyone else." She practically skipped to the bar.

Sy smiled, and petted Kiseko. "don't worry love. T'was only a thought that brought it..." She whispered.
"I'd love a cider. Thank you Anora." Sy sat on the fireplace mantle. "It feels weird to be served, after so long of serving others... First as a Hunter, and then as an Inn keeper."

I licked her again and rubbed my cheek against hers. Settling into Sy's lap I meowed at Anora.

the owner of the inn appeared out of nowhere and introduced herself as Sybella. "A pleasure to meet you." he said with a smile. Sybelle then commented on the locket and Anora thanked both her and Salvanis. He was glad that his gift had helped, and blushed when Anora kissed him. He found himself at a small loss of words and watched as Anora skipped over to the bar. When she asked if anyone wanted cider, Salvanis raised his hand, "I would love some." he said, walking over to the bar.
Salvanis stopped walking when he heard Sybella say that she had been a hunter at one point. "Pardon my asking, but what sort of hunter were you, before the inn?" he asked.

She started working on them, glancing up at Nicholette. "Nichole, do you want one too?" She looked around, and spotted a tray to carry them all on, and set it down near her as she started to work on the drinks.

Sy looked at the Angel. "I hunted anything with a reward on it's head." She shrugged. "It's easy to get information when you're a succubus." Sy laughed, scratching behind Kiseko's ears. "Salvanis, was it? Are you a hunter as well?"

Salvanis smiled, so Sybella had been a bounty-hunter from the start.
"Um, yes to both. But I'm quite sure I'm not as good as you, given I've only had a few years in the practice." he said with a shrug. "I only started hunting 'anything with a price on it's head', as you've so cleverly put it, when I fell. It was the only thing I found myself good at."