Yes, this all sounds very much like something from an old story. It's hard to think of it in terms of being real, but the scars and marks are unlike anything she's ever seen before.

"I see. So you're a guardian," she says, smiling. "Have you ever been seriously wounded or infected with something, and if so have you recovered fully or do you suffer with lingering effects?"

There are some cultures even in this age that could be likened to the one Alec is talking about, but Beverly doesn't think about them, let alone mention them. "You would be accepted here, absolutely. While I can't guarantee how every person would react to the idea of an angel or a warlock, there are all sorts of people in the Federation. You could find peace here, if you stay."