One month down, 2 to go.

It was strange, Phoenyx thought as she jogged to the 5-block perimeter for her patrol, that people thought midlessly adhering to a letter of law was Wise.

How many of them would kill to preserve the law? What was the limit before they employed vulgar magic? Would they risk killing an innocent man, or use vulgar spells?

Law was necessary, certainly. She never disputed that, and whether she agreed with it or not the process had been complete. She had been found guilty and would serve her time.

Her footsteps tapped the ground, keeping pace.

What was also strange was that the "punishment" was something she folded into her daily routine years ago. Patrolling the area around the Circle was something she did daily, as the sole Arrow. It was as if no-one knew what the Arrow actually did as a part of her orderly duties.

Then again, she mused, turning a corner around the edge of the block, she didn't know what Puck did all the time she didn't see him. Or Crystal, or Viggo. Anyone, really. The difference was that his was her order, her job. Surely mages had some idea what the other orders did. The Mysterium researched, the Ladder contemplated. The Guardians watched. She imagined Winter did similar things to her patrol, skulking around watching for any magical disruption that might breach the Veil. She didnt know that, but if it was suggested she certainly would not be surprised. And no doubt that he would break every single Law if it upheld his order's principles. He had also served a term of Penance.

And the Free Council did.... something. Probably.

She took a pause, looking up and down the street and buildings, her Supernal Sight trusted to catch anything noteworthy.

The strangest of all about this sentencing was that no-one was overseeing it. She was just... expected to do it without proof. No Oath, no jailer - They took some of her mana there and then and that seemeed to be it.

She had heard people say that this would be a "wake-up call", that "she should know better" from people who did not know her. That they would say such a thing only demonstrated how little they knew her, or cared about life. And Puck. Calling her actions unacceptable, when she had literally planted herself between the possesssed actors and the Acanthus. When she had done as he had pleaded, knocking Malcolm out safely. In return, he had raised an accusation, calling it "cutting corners". Better to risk killing an innocent man than employ Vulgar magic.

Idiot. Well, next time he could knock out his own damned possessed actors.

Phoenyx could feel the anger rising again. She took a slow, calming breath, and took off again at speed, pushing herself, turning the frustration into fuel. Far off in the distance, the sun was rising, turning the twighlight into day.

She knew she had done what was right, and that was all that mattered to her.

Soon, she would run the route again.