Katasu was beautiful, far too beautiful for her age. She must have been approaching fifty years, but as she lay there in her bed she didn't look much older than her daughter. She lay there still and peaceful, only the slow rise and fall of her chest revealing the fact that she lived.

Tsuraine sat down beside her and took her hand. "Oh, mother," she whispered. "I'm a freak." She shook her head, tears shimmering in the sunlight that came through the only window in her mother's room. "They're never going to let me go back. Your brother wants me disowned. He called me a freak and a disgrace—a brute animal."

"I gave birth to you so you could be strong, Tsuraine," her mother said softly. Tsuraine blinked—words from her mother were few and far between, but each one was important. She stared intently at her mother's face, but her eyes did not open. "I was weak, but I still fought, so you could be strong."

Tsuraine squeezed her mother's hand, trying to hold back tears. Was crying any way to be strong for her mother? "You fought…so I could be strong?" she repeated. The words sounded strange. She was used to being called weak—her magic was average at best, for all that she came from a powerful family. Could it be that her father was…

"I knew that you would live," Katasu continued. "I'm so glad that I was able to live, too, to see you."

Tsuraine wanted to cry out, "but you don't see anything, your eyes are never open!" But she did not. She only waited until Katasu had enough energy to speak again.

"I was always sick, growing up. They doubted that I would survive--and I wouldn't be able to without our magic."

"You're one of the strongest seers--" Tsuraine began.

"You can stand on your own two legs, without leaning on the crutches we've created in our paradise," Katasu continued, her voice growing fainter. "Be strong, Tsuraine…my child…of earth and sky…"

Tsuraine waited for more words, but she did not receive them. It must have pained her mother greatly to say even that much, but Tsuraine believed it was enough. Yes, it would have to be.