After hearing Halon's proposals, Basil looked at Pip.
The little fairy boy, who had once been the village's "burden," now stood tall, his powerful, metallic wings gleaming with a power that defied his race's comprehension.
Basil saw in Pip a new and brilliant path; the possibility that the fairies might cease to be merely "invisible gardeners" and become beings capable of dictating their own destiny in Mythlorien.
The Elder felt deeply tempted to accept the protection of that small blue sphere and the powerful fox.
However, as he looked back, Basil saw the faces of his people.
He caught the whispers of prejudice, the fear of the "ugliness" of the black gelatin, and the latent anger toward Pip for having "tainted" his essence with the strength of a monster.
The noble fairies still trembled with disgust as they looked at the obsidian shell that Lohan could manifest.
Then Basil let out a long, melancholy sigh.
