"How are you feeling?" asked the master when Lucius returned from the temple.
This was such a simple question, but it wasn't simple to answer it. Lucius was still processing what he experienced, and various thoughts intertwined in his mind. Still, he had to give some kind of answer to his master, so he thought for a few moments and said the following:
"I am definitely feeling more calm than when I came back from the mission. Everything that happened is still fresh to me, and I am thinking about it and will probably keep thinking about it for quite some time. That said, I think I'm beginning to understand my limitations. No matter how much my power might increase in the future, there will always be something more I could have done. This is something I'm not coming to terms with easily, and it will take time before I'm at peace with it, but at least I began that long and arduous process now rather than later."
"Are you saying this because you think I would like to hear something like that, or that's what you truly think?"
"A bit of both, actually. If you allow me to say so, master, you were and will continue to be the main source of wisdom in my life. If you advise me in a certain way, I have no reason to doubt that what you've said is wrong, foolish, or bad for me. Don't think I'm blindly accepting whatever you say, because I'm not. You taught me better than that. I analyse what I hear, and I find nothing wrong with your words. But to understand something is one thing, and explaining it to your heart is the other. If I could live without a heart and if I knew I wouldn't become a monster without it, I would take it out of my chest this instant. But that's not how things work. It's part of us for a reason."
The master lowered his gaze to the ground and nodded in agreement. For a moment, Lucius even thought that he noticed a glisten in one of the master's eyes, as if a tear had appeared and then promptly disappeared.
"Trust me when I say that I know perfectly well what you are talking about. Everyone has to go through what you are now going through. If I could somehow help you or make it easier for you, I would, but as you yourself nicely said, that's not how things work. That is for the best. As much as losses leave a mark on us, they can also serve as things that define us and make us who we are. It would be great if the price one has to pay to endure that isn't always so humongous, but then again, life in which you don't have anything to lose is not a life at all, but a mere existence."
After these master's words, both of them remained in complete silence for a few minutes, busy with their thoughts. The master was the first one to speak again.
"Considering the current state of your mind and spirit, would you rather take a few days off to recover a bit, or would you like to depart on your third mission?"
"If you allow me to, master, I choose the third mission." Lucius answered without any hesitation.
"There is no need to ask for my permission, Lucius. Remember, you are no longer my apprentice. You are now my colleague. If you wish to continue calling me your master due to a habit you formed during your apprenticeship, so be it. You are free as a bird, Lucius; I'm just here to advise you on your options. Understood?"
"Yes. Honestly, it would be weird to call you by name after all these years, so I'll stick with "the master" if that's alright with you."
"Understandable. Good. Now that's settled, let me ask you if you are 100% sure you want to get back in the fray right away. Who knows? Maybe a few peaceful days would help clear your mind."
"When you put it like that, it doesn't sound bad at all, but I doubt I would be able to find peace. My thoughts wouldn't let me. In the end, I think I would feel even worse if I stayed here and did nothing. I would feel useless, for sure. That's why I think it's best to continue with my work as soon as possible. As the human proverb says, "Work maketh a man!" Maybe the same thing could work for an angel." said Lucius with a smile on his face.
"Maybe it could. Alright, if that is what you wish, I won't try to stop you. However, if you agree, I think it wouldn't be bad for your next mission to be a bit less demanding than the previous one. I'll immediately say that I'm not recommending this because I doubt you. You know as well as I do that your previous two missions were successful. Never the less, I think a bit of change from the elimination type of mission will do you good. You have been almost exclusively interacting with me during all those years of your apprenticeship. It's time for you to go and spend your time with some of our brethren. You need friends, Lucius. Friends other than me. You cannot fight this war alone. You need people that you can rely on. People you can talk with, share your troubles with, or just exist with."
"While I don't have anything against a different type of mission, as long as it's not too easy, I'm not so sure about that part with friends. Don't think that I'm cynical or pessimistic, but wouldn't the involvement of others serve as just another burden, just another thing I have to watch for so I don't lose it? Wouldn't it be better if I focused on what matters, i.e., on my duty?"
"I wouldn't advise that. Maybe that sounds like a good idea in the current moment, but sooner or later you will need company. Just think about it. Your job is to purge demons that are too much for a regular angel. In time, your power will grow, and even bigger and more dangerous missions await you, where your power will be big enough for you to substitute for whole batallions and maybe even armies. Trust me, nobody can carry that kind of burden alone. I should know..." the master said with visible melancholy in his eyes.
Noticing this, Lucius didn't want to contradict him.
"Alright. I will give it a shot."
"Good. Now, back to the mission. Honestly, I don't know how hard or easy it will be because I don't have all the details, so I can only guess. But first, listen to the details I do have, as sparse as they may be. On the eastern border of Elysium, along its whole length, there is a series of fortresses built as the first line of defence against the demons. But much more than a line of defence, they offer good strategic positions, and just by their existence, they stop the demons from marching deeper into our lands because they would soon find themselves being attacked from behind by the forces garrisoned in these fortresses. Right in the middle of the border stands our biggest fortress, the Morning Star fortress. The angel in charge of this majestic fortress is my good friend, Nicholas. I heard that he had some troubles lately, but I didn't manage to find out the details. It's safe to assume that demons are the source of those troubles, but one doesn't have to be all that smart to conclude something like that. I'm sorry that I can't be of more help."
"Don't be, master. I think that I should be able to adapt to the situation. If it's something dangerous, all the better for me. I won't refuse good training. And if it's just a routine job, I suppose we can count it as a form of rest." said Lucius jokingly.
The master smiled at his way of thinking.
"So be it. Just keep in mind that this is a perfect opportunity for you to talk to some experienced warriors, especially Nicholas! Who knows? You might even learn a thing or two or get good advice. Talk as little as you can, and listen as much as you can. Even a fool can teach you something, and there are very few of our brethren I would call fools, and Nicholas and his men are definitely not among them. Also, please pass on my greetings to Nicholas. I haven't seen him in a long time. Hah, it sounds very absurd when you say it. We travel over great distances in seconds using portals, and yet I haven't seen him in years."
"Well, why don't you come with me then?"
"I wouldn't want to take the attention from you. This is your mission, not mine. I would just get in the way. I will visit him soon. I have much to say to that man. But enough about that. What I would like to know is, are you ready to embark on your next mission?"
"Yes, I am!"
"Good. Allow me to open you a portal to the Morning Star fortress."
The portal was soon opened, and without any big, long goodbyes, Lucius stepped through it. Thus began the first mission in Lucius's life that could be considered a real adventure! Of course, he had no idea that was the case. He was in for a big surprise!