Sangua's dagger now felt heavy and difficult to handle, sweat rolled over her face as the hours ticked by and she kept on training all day long. After sometime a gentle breeze passed her by, caressing her hair, healing her exhaustion and singing to her an enchanting melody through the rustling of the trees and the dancing of the flowers. The air smelled fresh and in that late afternoon as she was inspired she decided to play again her flute accompanied by the wind, accompanied by the trees and the flowers her exhaustion was no longer there and a peaceful melody sprang from deep within her heart

Lithian who had just arrived form his latest trip to Earth was wandering aimlessly in the blessed gardens of heaven. His mind was still on his protected; she always occupied a part of his thoughts and always would, he thought with a smile as the memory of her sprang before his eyes. She was a part of him, a part which he could never ignore, or forget, she was his heart, without her he would die. Suddenly a soft music broke gently through his thoughts. Enchanted he followed the sound of the flute breaking like waves through the wind until his eyes picked up the form of a girl through the green foliage. Upon looking more closely he realized she was Sangua the blood spiller but he sensed that something was different this time... she seemed healed. Curious he continued to watch her intently half hidden amongst the leaves.

The wind gently caressed Sangua's face, he danced before her like a young, smiling child who happily swung himself on a swing. Memories came rushing continuously in her mind as she could now feel God's hands around her waist, playing with her, smiling at her, his eyes glittering with great majesty, purity and an immense love which gave birth to her and her fellows angels, that same love which connected them all, that same care which comforted her when she was in tumult.

Suddenly the magic broke as whispers from the wind told her that someone was looking at her. Sensing a benign force Sangua decided to keep on playing the last bit of her melody; which she herself wrote and called "In paradisum Angeli"; then like a graceful ballet dancer she turned backwards and in a soft- like hum she said : "Greetings to you" she paused and smiled then went on "Who is there?"

Lithian watched her almost childlike antics and smiled at her new found innocence, glad that she had finally found her inner peace once again. Then moving away from the shade into the golden light he said warmly “Greetings to you Sangua and welcome back home. Your presence has been sorely missed. These gardens have been silent for too long without your melody”

Gracefully Sangua woke up and slightly bowed to Lithian, with radiant smile on her face she said, "My heart rejoices in seeing you again Lithian, I’ve missed the gardens and all of you as well." she then caressed her flute as if it was her only true treasure " I've always found hope in playing melodies, maybe they helped me to find my inner self as well, now let's stop talking about me, what has passed over you lately?"

Her words gladden his heart, he was right she had been healed and his soul praised the Lord for after all the seed of hope is sown even in the darkest places and at the first hint of light it grows and matures. As he looked at her perfect face, he saw that her eyes no longer held traces of Lucifer lurking in her soul. “Well, to be honest I’ve been worried lately, especially when I heard you were in Rome at the Vatican City.” He told her gently as he studied her. “I was afraid you might encounter Rowyn on one of your trips...” he said ambiguously “and well we were all rather worried for you after your last visit to the Pope, you see you hadn’t forgotten you Sangua, we all prayed for your return.” He added softly.

Hearing the words of Lithian, Sangua lost herself in a silent deep thought, unaware of her surrounding. " That night Lucifer's voice entered deep in my soul, his darkness has poisoned my blood. Yes I remember him obliging me, urging me to taste the warm, gargling blood of the pope, his screeches possessed my very own being and as the killing time passed slowly, endlessly, I heard the lost voices of the souls in hell, as non-tuned drums beat with every little breath I tried to take, swirling me, inflaming me.....that pain.....that voice...."

She suddenly stopped as she sensed Lithian looking questioningly at her. She then shook her head in a child-like manner and with gleaming eyes she whispered, "I’m sorry that I’ve brought you worries, and i thank you for all your care Lithian, it really means a lot to me because you still believed in me. " she paused for a while looking directly in Lithian's mysterious eyes then she went on, "Talking about Rowyn how is she?" noticing a tender expression as he first mentioned her name.

At her words Lithian felt a deep sorrow stirring in his heart as he realized all the pain she had endured, “but she survived and is stronger for her experience” he thought silently. “Do you care to take a walk with me for old time’s sake?” he asked her as he held out his hand for her. Walking in the gardens always soothed his soul form the worries and aches the memories of his protected brought along. “Well Rowyn isn’t doing too well lately, since she moved to the Vatican City her visions increased their frequency and their intensity. She has started to sense demonic auras when ever they are near. Their hatred fills her with fear which makes her sick to weeks on end. She has lost her job and lately has started babbling about some great battle, which could mean the end of the world. I’m worried for her Sangua, she’s only a mortal, she could come to some harm and I would not be able to intervene. I wish I could show myself to her comfort her in tangible ways but I’m afraid, she wouldn’t understand and that I’ll scare her away.” Lithian confessed his voice full of worry and love.

Lithian’s hands felt warm and gentle. His touch was filled with an immense power of deep feelings as he softly pronounced his beloved one's name. Sangua closed her eyes happily savouring and sensing his strong feelings then she replied: "Lithian, Rowyn is not a simple mortal being. She has been given a gift by our father. He knew what he was doing when he gave her that gift so he knew that she was going to be strong, She'll manage to cope with all of this and if she has been chosen to predict time, it being so infinite, then it means that she is something. I'm sure Lithian that Rowyn would want you to help her to wake up and rise up again from her darkness when she's sick, so let her feel your presence, let her know that she is not alone, that she'll always have someone who'll take care of her. Fold her in your wings at night, protect her and caress her hair, let her feel some love in such dark moments of her life. Whisper in her ears songs with the wind of courage and of determination and be her compass when she feels lost. For the rest....you don't have to worry she's taken care of, from someone beyond ourselves." she then squeezed his hands a little and in a strong resonant voice she told him "I'm sure of that."

Lithian closed his eyes, allowing his soul to soak up all the strength Sangua was lending him. It was the first time he had spoken his worries aloud and confessed his feelings for Rowyn to someone and he was surprised by the sensation of relief that washed over him. I love her… I love her… he said slowly over and over again to himself. Love, he thought, is such a wonderful thing in all its forms, it is what we are made of… what keeps us alive… it is what we are… everything that is, is a by product of love. We know it and recognize it from the moment we are born… it is everywhere and nowhere, it cannot be seen only felt. He thought with a sigh.

His musings ended when the warm pressure of Sangua’s hand brought him back to reality. He looked into her eyes “did I tell you how glad I am that you‘re back?” He asked her in a whisper realizing how much he had missed his old friend as he wrapped his arms around her in a grateful hug of friendship.

Sangua closed her eyes as Lithian hugged her strongly but gracefully. She felt for the first time as if she really truly belonged to somewhere. There as she let herself relax in the tender embrace of Lithian she felt alive, she knew that she was existing. Her thoughts ran as her soul drew images filled with enchanting colours and melodies filled her heart. "So many questions and no answers, I always asked if I was real, if this reality was real, how could I ever rely on my senses if maybe my senses were wrong? How could I prove that reality was the one I lived in and not the one I dreamt of? How could I know whether I look the way I do? Or whether my mind is making up all this... but now....now I know I am alive. I do exist, for my heart is feeling the warmth of a being who's in love.....such strange emotions, such strange feelings, feelings which carry pain, sufferings, sorrow…but feeling which carry happiness, joy, laughter all of these...all of these feelings embraced in one...love…like my Father is made up of three entities so is love made of so many bodies....love....love …love." This word echoed in her mind and filled her whole being.

Suddenly tears started falling down her tender face, her wings folded inwards as she silently let herself go then in a silent resigned voice she approached Lithian's ears and whispered, "Will I ever find my love? Will I ever find someone with whom U can share my life? Will I ever know what it means to suffer for the one I love Lithian?"
Lithian felt Sangua’s body drawing closer to his, searching desperately for a safe heaven after the terrible storm she had been through. Instinctively he embraced her even closer and his arms tightened gently around her small frail figure… comforting, soothing her. As her tears wetted his shoulders he drew his wings around them, holding on to her as he might have held on to life. The worries and pains of the world ceased to exist in that single moment of peace as Lithian encompassed Sangua in his aura, enabling her to experience for an instant his pure crystalline love.

To any stranger they might have been two statues chiselled by perfection, standing still immune to time but in the sheltered harbour of his arms Lithian made the world anew. He drew on to his very being and with immense faith he prayed…. He prayed for the all the wrongs to be righted, for all the wounds to be healed, for protection of the weak. He prayed for all the unloved, lonely souls. But most of all he prayed for hope… “Hope” he whispered to gentle breeze. There’s hope for all, he knew that… even for the demons haunting the pits of hell.

As his mind wandered to his sundered kindred a piercing wind rustled through his wings and quickly he looked down at Sangua’s face. With a gentle hand he wiped the tears that were running down her face and said “Sangua do not be afraid. You are not alone, we are all part of a great design… we are one, together with all of creation. We are not meant to suffer but pride and arrogance have marred our perfection. But have hope Sangua it is not for us to despair, we who feel the Lord’s radiance have learned the art of patience and through him we have learned to hope. I pray each and everyday for Rowyn’s soul, that she’ll manage through and that one day we will bask together in the sun. Yet I know that the wait is long and my hope might never come to be, but I cannot despair because I have the gift of faith.” He told her gently trying to sooth her. He did not have the answer to her questions, he did not know her fate, he did not know if she was meant to find her soul mate in an other being or if she was already whole… what he knew, was that she would never be deprived of love or comfort in all her existence.

Sangua closed her eyes savouring Lithian’s words as the wind washed over her long silvery hair and whispered words of hope similar to those of Lithian’s. Then her thoughts stuck on Lithian’s sentence and as she closed her eyes, she found herself naked hugging herself as her grand wings covered over her soft body. As she looked around she could see nothing and hear nothing until finally in the distance she saw a powerful figure vividly surrounded by an immense, white, radiant light. His eyes looked gently upon her as his warm smile covered Sangua with a very cosy feeling. Then uncovering her naked body Sangua drew her hands towards that powerful figure as he gently approached near her and hugger her strongly then softly putting her hair behind her ears he told her : “ Sangua you’re my child and if you have hope in me, if you believe in me, then let my light guide you in times of anger, in times of darkness, in times if tumult, let me be your pointer, let me held your hand and show you the road which you must take, for I will never ever leave anyone one of my children be lost and even if they do I’ll walk by their side ready to catch them if they fall. Let me be your hope.” Slowly the figure vanished in his own light, as his voice still echoed in Sangua’s ears.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked directly in Lithian’s eyes then she said “Yes, Lithian, my Father will be my hope” with a new determination in her strong voice.

Lithian looked at her with a smile and gently he tucked her hair behind her ear. “That’s right love … there’s no need to worry you’re safe now, you’re back home.” he said softly in a whisper as he slowly flexed his wings and released Sangua from his hold.

Sangua then sat on a rock nearby and invited Lithian to sit as well. She stood still for a moment, not saying a single word and not moving as if tasting that moment of peacefulness form deep within her heart. She then turned towards Lithian and said," Gabriele told me to go and help Jaras some time ago and maybe provide him with some good advice but he seems to be troubled." sounding a bit sad.

Troubled… aren’t we all? He thought as a strange feeling clutched at his heart making him remember how troubled Rowyn was a few days earlier. Standing up he unsheathed his scimitar and ever so slowly ran his index finger over its blade without shedding one drop of blood, whispering strange words and chants till the blade glimmered with a strange light and then grew dull and deep. “Come Sangua, come and see” he told her quietly as a hooded figure appeared on the blade’s surface, emerging in a shadowy piazza. "This is Rowyn" he said in a whisper as he caressed the image longingly with his free hand.

“On this night very strange has happened. A very powerful and unlikely prophesy has been made true. Three souls met by a twist of fate in that abandoned church Rowyn is now walking to….. While the fourth trembled outside… I couldn’t help, I was ordered not to intervene.” He added in a sigh.

Then as he sheathed back his scimitar he continued “You see Sangua, on that night just as Rowyn had prophesized the fates of two demons and an exiled got intertwined. More I cannot say for I do not know what happened” he said with a final tone in his voice.

Sangua watched in awe at Lithian's scimitar, and as Lithian slowly ran his fingers on Rowyn's image, she saw his eyes emitting a strange, gleaming light of love and happiness. Sangua the laid relaxed on her back as she gently folded her wings letting the peaceful wind wash through her hair. At one moment she looked at Lithain and said, "I was thinking, what if we go to Jaras? maybe he can tell us more about what's happening, he must know something him being their captain."

“I don’t like this business at all, it is very strange ... yes, I think it’s time we had a little chat with old Jaras, to see how things are going... It has been long since any news came from mount Karza” he said as he ran his fingers trough his dark hair.

Sensing great feelings of worry and burden in Lithian's words, Sangua said encouragingly :" Lithian do not let yourself be troubled, I know you're feeling that maybe some of the exiles are loosing faith and that some of them will in the near future; if not already; have their souls corrupted, but if they truly believe in happiness, if they truly believe in hope, if they can see beyond their own interests, then Lithian count on my words that they'll choose the right side." reassuringly Sangua put her arms softly around Lithian's neck as she directly looked in his eyes and said " we will win this battle, we will bring light again, but we need to stay together we need to help the exiles as much as we can and show them the one true road shown to us by our father."

Lithian rested his head gently against Sangua’s forehead “but we can’t afford to lose them too… something must be done evil is already working hidden amongst them... they’ve been away from the light too long. The time of praying and watching from afar has now passed, it is time we did something …Sangua we must act…I must act” he said with steely determination clutching his fists in his ruefulness “ we must visit Jaras, we should go to them.. Show them that we haven’t forgotten them... they are like the stars... distant but still shining from afar, forever in our thoughts.”

Sangua stood still for a moment then she suddenly took Lithian's hand and opened her beautiful, silk-like feathered wings and said : "Let's fly as fast as we can" with a sarcastic smile on her face.

Lithian smiled as he felt himself being pulled up into the air. Swiftly he opened his magnificent wings and with a few strong strokes he reached in level with Sangua. "Lead the way." he told her as he flew higher and higher tugging on to Sangua's hand, his face pulled in a teasing grin, his eyes alight.