Zevella stepped out into the open, and looked about. There was something lovely about the small amount of freedom, and something very constricting about it. She took in a deep breath, and started to walk toward the house. "Yeah... it has been a long time." she chuckled back at Aspasia.

Aspasia followed her to Jaras house. It had been a while since she had visited him. "Maybe he'll have some interesting news," she thought as she neared the house.
Zevella raised her hand gingerly to the door, and knocked a few times. She didn't remember the last time she had been there, but she was there now.

Jaras looked up from some parchment maps of Earth in his study. It was large and old-fashioned, pinned by the four corners to a sturdy oak table with daggers, and colour-coded to show cities and regions under the influence of Heaven, Hell, and the Exiles. He made his way to the front door and opened it. "Yes, may I help you?"

"Hi Jaras!" Aspasia responded cheerfully, "It's been a long time!"
Zevella merely nodded as she smiled at him. "It has been a while... may we at least come in?"
Jaras stepped to the side and allowed them to enter. "Be my guests...Would you like any refreshments?" he asked, walking towards the kitchen area of his home...
Aspasia walked through the door and looked around. Jaras home was cosy and inviting and full of wondrous objects.

Zevella walked in behind Aspasia. "No thank you." she replied her attention being drawn directly to the map.
Though the Exiles certainly had a wide variety of food and beverage to choose from throughout the world, Jaras always chose to drink a mug of coffee spiked with a hint of sweet sake whenever he had company over. He sipped lightly. "I see the map has gathered your interest...Now, is there anything I can assist you ladies with?"
"We just stopped in for a visit... and to see what was going on." Zevella replied not raising her eyes from the map.
After hopping into a comfy couch, Aspasia looked around hoping to see a certain someone. "Is Ephraim here?" she asked Jaras.
"No. He is with his trainer, I believe. Though, they should be returning within the next day or so..."
Zevella chuckled as she glanced over at Aspasia.
Aspasia looked down trying to hide her too obvious blushing.
"Ummm... so any news about what's going on earth or with the demons? I haven't been to the mortal realm in a long time... So I'm not to par with what's happening." She asked Jaras.

Jaras stepped over to the map. "We still hold control of Tokyo. and there haven't been any major conflicts over New York City lately. The demons have been almost passive...it's a little disturbing to me..."
"Passive..." Zevella repeated thoughtfully. "You think they are planning something big?"
"That's strange. Normally they are always trying to stir up something. It feels like the calm before the storm. It's eerie," she replied running her hand over her arm to quiet the goose bumps.
"Let us hope that it does not come to that...The Exiles would probably not survive a major engagement...Nevertheless, we should prepare ourselves..."
"Prepare ourselves? I suppose that would be a good idea." Zevella said looking to the map again.
"What do you suggest we do? There aren't enough of us to fight all the demons of hell... I think we might adopt a defensive position if something were to happen, though it's too early to tell."
"That's what I meant by 'preparing ourselves,' Aspasia..."
"It dose seem that we need to do something... Standing around, and waiting for it to roll over us doesn't seem right, much less smart. Do you have any plans for our defence?" Zevella asked.


That night Sangua returned back to Mt.Karza. she was alone playing a sad melancholic melody with her flute, her dark dress was tattered as the previous day she struggled against her own evil self. Then she looked to the others as they were contemplating over the map: "I perceive a dark misfortune in the near future. I'm afraid the demons are planning something beyond us, but whatever you decide to do count me in. I'll help you. I've regained a lil bit control of myself now and I think that I can be useful."

"Well, there's not much we can do except for training more archers and swordfighter...Not many of us were in the army before our exile, so it'll be very important to train right away..."
Zevella shook her head. "I can help with the archers. I had become fairly skilled before everything happened."
"I'll have Ephraim help train some swordsmen and women..."


Serephina landed gracefully underneath a tree outside of Jaras' home. She smoothed her hair and her dress. Making her self as appealing as possible she strode toward the house. She swallowed hard and inhaled sharply as she came to the door. As her hand raised to the door, she exhaled and put on her brightest smile. Serephina knocked.
Jaras lifted his head when he heard the knocking. He walked to the door and opened it to see...Serephina. Great, he thought.
"Good evening, Sereph. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Serephina held tightly onto her smile.
"Just making sure you were okay, I wanted to apologize for how I left earlier. I feel so childish now." She slightly lowered her eyes and glanced at him through her eyelashes.
"Apology accepted. Is there anything I can do for you?"
She looked around uneasily.
"Uhm, well, I am slightly parched. It was a strong flight down here, if you don't mind."
"Alright..."
Jaras led Serephina to his kitchen. As they passed his map room, he said, "Pay no heed to them. Just some visitors pouring over a map, making preparations for any unexpected attacks in the weeks to come..."
She blinked startled at his nonchalant way of saying this, following very closely.
"Wait, Jaras, we're not going to be attacked are we?"
"I don't know. That's why I said 'unexpected'. What would you like to drink?"
"Oh, alright then. What have you?" The idea of being attacked pushed her attention getting side away, if only for a little while.
"Water...wine...fruit juices...milk..."
"Fruit something, it doesn't matter, Jaras... Is there anyway we'd know before hand if we were to get attacked." Her eyes were beginning to widen. She knew she shouldn't be scared and she really wasn't, just... concerned.
Jaras poured some kiwi-orange juice into a wooden mug. "Black cloud on the horizon...wailing battle cries...you know, the things typically associated with invading armies..."
She froze in the action of reaching for the mug. No matter how many times she thought of war it always hurt deep inside. How could he think of it so lightly.
"Jaras..." Her tone was warning and pained.
"When the battle comes. We will be required to choose sides. I plan on being on the right side, this time. We will return home, Sereph..."
"I, I hope so Jaras..." Gently she takes the mug and looks around.
"I believe it with every fibre of my being that this will happen..."
Serephina had no words. They were caught in her throat like flies in a web. She couldn't speak, his voice was so sure.


Sangua looked at the three of them and after a long silent time she said soberly: " I can help with the sword, I've been.......practising lately." she looked at her sharp sword stained with dry blood. Then she had a flashback and remembered about how she found herself holding a small, little, dead girl in her arms the week before.
Aspasia watched the unfolding events quietly. She ran her fingers over her staff. Perhaps she could finally find a real use for it.

"We need to start training Asap. I know it's been quite a long time since I've practiced. We also need to be more vigilant. I think we should send some scouts out to get a better feel for what's going on. What do you think?"
"Good idea. Start organizing parties of three or four. Stick to areas of low-population or low demonic activity...We don't want to provoke anything," Jaras called from the kitchen.
"I'm willing to check out Tokyo. Anyone else want to come?"
"I don't know... it might be useful to get at least a distant view of what the demons are up to." Zevella said deep in thought.
Aspasia watched Zevella's thoughtful face.

"Even though it might be more dangerous, how are we going to get an accurate idea of what's going on if we don't go where they are...." she mumbled.
Jaras re-entered the map room. "Of course we know where they are...well, where they're supposed to be, anyway. Scouts have not reported any inconsistencies with demon traffic, neither have there been any reports of any demons entering or leaving areas not under their control..."
Sangua looked at them and then said: "From some research of mine Lucifer's strongest followers are Demyx and Jezzel. If we would be able to attack them first we will greatly reduce Lucifer's strength. Apart I can see that Demyx is not fully sure about this battle maybe........maybe that's where we should attack first........in Demyx weakness.
"No! You are suggesting that we throw away all wisdom we have. No attacking first. We will not provoke them. Do you understand me?"
Sangua looked directly in Jaras's eyes her deep red eyes reflected the determination in her voice and then said " if you say so , but I don't think that we should wait until they attack us first or wait until they do their first move, because if they do we'll all be finished, you know Lucifer, if he starts something he'll make sure that it's finished successfully."
Saralia sipped quietly from her mug in the kitchen. Down the hall she could hear the muffled talking of the map room people. Setting the cup down, she silently led herself out of the place. As she opened the door she sighed and turned back, hoping to glimpse Jaras. She couldn't see him for the twists and turns in the hallways. One single tear drop fell onto the ground at her feet as she spread her wings and pushed off.
Aspasia watched as Sangua and Jaras argued. Fingering her golden hair she said
"Listen I don't think Jaras means that we should just hang around and let them attack us. We need to know who and what we are dealing with before we can construct a strategy.

We can't go around attacking blindly. We need to know what they are up to. And certainly they will tempt us and provoke us to attack, but we can't until we have a plan. If you go after them alone they will crush you."
Sangua turned towards Aspasia and forced herself to smile at her, then she gave one last determinate look to Jaras, and went away alone through the hallways as she spread her wings and flew away without looking back at them.
Aspasia watched as Sangua walked away.

"That girl is going to cause trouble for herself" she thought. "I hope that she doesn't try to face Jezzel and Demyx by herself...."

Directing her speech to Jaras Aspasia said "Thank you Jas for having me, but I'll take my leave now, since everyone is almost gone."

Aspasia opened the front door and flew out into the afternoon.
That night Sangua sat staring at the mysterious ,enchanting moon. The silver rays of moonlit hit her face revealing her immense beauty as the wind passed slowly through the rocks and caves in the mountains, chanting his old lullaby to a world which seemed to be too busy to notice it, and as the wind passed by Sangua started to play her flute again.

In her mind she saw herself as she used to stay on god's laps and hearing to him narrating her the stories of the secret harmonious melodies produced by some flowers in nights like these. A smile was on Sangua'a lips as her melody became lighter and more lively. But suddenly something stuck her mind the wind ceased and the moon was hidden behind a thick black cloud. the night was silent. Sangua could feel some unknown force dragging her towards earth.