But before he left, he turned back to Noah with an expression that had shifted from enigmatic to sincere.
"Existence is vast and filled with terrors. A friend of ours loves to say this."
His voice held warmth that exceeded his usual detached nobility.
"Existence is also filled with unfathomable possibilities and wonders. Anaximander likes to say this."
Something like nostalgia flickered in those swirling multicolored eyes.
"If things were different. If existence was different... someone like Anaximander would have been much happier to be an explorer. Someone who looked to the stars, no authority within their existence, just curiosity and wonder that would take decades of his time, until he came to rest."
His flames dimmed slightly as he continued.
