It was sunny; sparrows and pigeons littered the sidewalks as they passed cafes and restaurants, and monsters relaxing at them, or else perched on walls or beneath telephone poles.

"Well, I like to visit Enodia on my days off," Numair explained. "Usually I'll have a cup of tea and be home before dark. But yesterday I, er...dozed off. It was dark when I awoke."

"Why visit here, though?"

"I don't know how to tell you this, but Aetheri can be quite dull."

Hawk snorted. "Really??"

"Have you been? It's hardly changed in seven thousand years."

"Fair 'nuff."

"In any case, Enodia has more to offer with my...research."

"On what?"

Numair seemed to instantly have second thoughts about bringing it up. "...This may sound silly," he said.

"Try me," Hawk countered. Numair hesitated for a moment.

"I want to bring mass communication to Aetheri," he said.