"So, I was thinking after showing you the depressing memory about our first meeting with Averno, I'd finally show you around Jovis, like I promised."  Zion's voice finally pushed through the fog that laced Evabelle's mind.

The young brunette tore her forlorn gaze away from the gorgeous golden sky that lit the jade trees and hill that were garnished with the glittering sapphire lakes and streams to the dark gentle face of her father who blinked patiently at her.  "Sorry," She pushed away from the wall that she had been leaning over.  "It's just I can't help but feel helpless when all of my friends are going through so much."

Zion smiled, coming over to her and scooping her up.  "Come on, let's discuss it on the way."

Evabelle blinked in surprise that she could even be lifted by a man who was not physically there, but then she wasn't either.  It was just a dream.  "You mean you're actually showing me Jovis?"  She'd asked several times since Zion had told her he would if he would take her, but instead they had only talked or as he had said, shown her the one memory.

The late Anahalian king nodded.  "I told you I'd show you around.  I don't think your memories will cover everything.  You didn't get the chance to go everywhere as I recall."  His gaze softened a bit.  "And don't worry.  We'll discuss your problems as we go."

Evabelle felt herself deflate a little.  "Is that what I do?  Just whine about all the crap in my life?"  She muttered.

Zion leapt onto the wall and spread his wings that almost seemed to blaze against the sky that could not compare to his own majestic feathers.  "I am here to help, Evabelle.  That's the whole reason I did this spell in the first place."  Then the man leaned forward and fell just as Lucis had done from the cliffs at Calandra's.

Evabelle was so surprised, she gasped and clung to her father's vacant form.  It was quite different then in her waking world.  This wasn't exactly a dream, it was a reality in which ones thoughts remained rational and awake in a sense. 

Aza had once told her about a dream she had had about the two of them turning into giant goldfish crackers and racing away from a giant version of Evabelle's brother, Thom, who was determined to eat them.  Aza had told Evabelle that in the dream she had believed it to be completely normal and didn't question any of it until she woke and logic reminded her that turning into a snack food was not something that was a natural occurrence.

That was something totally alien to Evabelle.  She had never had a dream that had her own mind so mixed up.  She had only started remembering her dreams rather recently and they had all been vivid and made sense.  And unless she was remembering a memory, she was always aware that she was asleep, for she could sense that none of the things around her were completely tangible.

But as they fell, Evabelle had that sense of one falling just before they slipped into to sleep.  Normally that would wake someone up, but luckily it didn't wake Evabelle.  That sensation gave her the impression of falling but not really, and it made her a little sick.  Zion angled his wings and the curved up again.   He was grinning, and Evabelle wondered if he felt a similar sensation she had or if he could actually sense the fall better than she could since he no longer had a physical body.  She closed her eyes for a moment.  This whole real but not real was starting to give her a very real headache.

"I don't really know where to start."  Zion admitted and Evabelle opened her eyes again.  "There isn't really much, but at the same time there is."

Evabelle sighed.  "You're not helping, you know."

"What?"  Zion blinked.

The wingless princess shook her head.  "Nothing.  How about you show me where the other Anahalians live."

Zion nodded.  "Ah, yes.  That's perfect."

They continued to glide across the breathtaking landscape and Evabelle finally started to feel a little excited again.  This world.  This other dimension.  It was a place she had once lived and it had actual magic.  Well, she supposed that Earth technically had it too, but this was a world of pure magic.  It was created by the Anahalians so that they could be free and not have to hide like the rest of the magical populace.

Evabelle caught glimpses of the angelic creatures playing in the woods, flying and swerving around trees, laughing with one another.  She thought she saw a large glass dome randomly in the middle of the forest, but then she saw a tall vibrant winged man step out and smile, allowing another Anahalian to enter it.

"That was one of the Earth houses, wasn't it?"  Evabelle asked.

Zion glanced back.  "Yes, indeed it was.  So, I take it you remembered a bit about them?"

Evabelle nodded.  "I remember you asking me if I would ever want to go to Earth.  You knew at that point.  You knew you were going to die."

Zion smiled sadly.  "You're certainly not that innocent little girl anymore, are you Eva?"  With another great flap of the king's wings the two of them flew upward and into a large cleft between two enormous peaks that quickly closed in around them, causing Evabelle to hold tighter to the man that was not there.  The multicolored stones rapidly zipped by and the young princess was amazed that Zion was able to glide so easily through the tight space.  Then after a few minutes of nothing but rock, the narrow crevice broke into an enormous cavern that opened to a the heavens with so many different shades of blue and gold, faint hues of purple and shimmering streams of silver that had Evabelle blinking in amazement.  She turned her head this way and that, taking in the beautiful world that just continued to grow in magnificence and splendor. 

Above their heads, enormous artistically carved stalactites made of the colorful stones glimmered and swirled down.  As they neared them Evabelle shook her head as she saw the stained glass windows and rails where a young Anahalian girl leapt up and down with excitement.  Her wings were fluffy and gray.  "Can we go now, Mama?"  She cried up to the tall woman with dark black wings like Del, but with rich blue streaks cutting into the dark feathers. 

The woman smiled and took the child's hand and leapt onto the rail.  "Hold on tight, Cambri."  Then the mother and child leapt into the chasm.  The woman flapped her wings and the child did as well, but it was apparent that the little girl had never done so before.  She squealed and flapped vigorously, but the mother merely smiled as she kept her daughter airborne.

Mesmerized by that for a moment, Evabelle gave a cry as she was suddenly wrenched back to her place when a large dark skinned Anahalian man with emerald green wings streaked right over them.

Evabelle stared after him for a while.  She'd never seen wings like that.  Then an oriental woman with white wings that had purple and aquamarine feathers dappled throughout flew beneath them that ended up turning Evabelle's head back out. 

"I never knew wings could look like that."  She murmured.  "And that they live in stalactites!"  She turned her attention back to her father, who was grinning.    

"Not everyone.  This particular place is known as Lapialis.  They're usually starter homes for younger families.  It's a very good place for teaching fledglings how to fly as you saw.  But there are some who like the stone homes and will stay throughout their lives.  There are more below."  Again the king readjusted his wings, causing them to dip low enough for Evabelle to see a majestic city begin.

An immaculate bridge made of thin white shimmery beams, crisscrossed across each other in an unique pattern.  There was something delicate about it, but strong at the same time.  Around the bridge buildings spiraled up similar to stalagmites to match the rock formations above.  But not all were that way.  There were others that had similar architectures to buildings that Evabelle had seen in some of her old textbooks about other countries.  She saw similar arching and structure to that from Italy, Mexico, Shanghai, maybe Brazil too.  Waterfalls and streams fell and zigzagged through this breathtaking city where children with their own unique wings laughed and splashed through.

Zion finally landed on the bridge that seemed to span on forever through this spectacular cityscape.  Evabelle slid out of his arms, her mouth still open in awe, slowly stepping forward and leaned out over the bridge's rail, that was wrapped in purple and gold leaves all the way down, to take it all in.

The colors were bright and inviting, warm and exciting.  The shapes, though various and vastly different all seemed to fit together like a perfect puzzle.  Anahalians of every color, race, and ethnicity each with their own unique set of wings talked and laughed.  Whenever Evabelle turned her head the sound of gorgeous harmonic singing met her ears all in different languages ranging from English, to Portuguese, to French, to Tagalog, to the Anahalian's native tongue, and several others.  It amazed Evabelle that she could actually recognize all those languages as well that all the songs didn't clash against each other.   

Beyond the colors and sounds there was an array of aromas that had a few familiar tangs, but so many more that were completely foreign to her.  She wasn't sure if that just meant they were from the other countries or the Anahalians own special recipes, unique to them.  Though it was all a dream Evabelle's taste buds began to buzz and she longed to go and try whatever these angels had cooking. 

Zion let Evabelle run up and down the bridge and explore with her eyes, ears, and nose for a while.  Evabelle didn't realize how long; she so enraptured in it all. 

While the structures and layout of the place was purely stunning, the amazed girl was continually staring at the wings that grew from the backs of each Anahalian.  There were the simple but elegant sets; white with shimmery golden tips.  Then there were the eerily translucent wings that reflected the light like a prism.  The more Evabelle watched, the more she noticed about them.  Not only the color was unique to each angel, but the shape was not the same.  Some Anahalians had a long, thin, sharply angled wingspan that seemed to help them dart slickly through the air.  Others had shorter, rounder wings that did seem to go slower, but they didn't have to flap as much and had an easier time gliding. 

"I thought they were kind of like birds wings."  Evabelle finally found her voice again.  She turned back to Zion, who was leaning against the other side of the bridge, his arms crossed, and a strange expression on his face as he watched her.

"Hmm?"  He blinked, his caramel eyes sliding back into focus.  "Oh, yes, I mean no.  They're not like a bird's at all.  Some might have similar appearances to birds you know, but they're actually built different."  The King pushed off of the bridge and began to walk over to his daughter, pausing for a few children to run by, even though they couldn't see him and probably wouldn't affect anything if he let them run through him.  "I suppose on Earth most angels are thought to have white wings, like Lucis, but in reality for us Anahalians that's actually not that common.  It's more likely to have at least two colors in one's plumage.  Usually it would only be those with angel hearts that have the purely solid color, like myself and you.  There are a few though.  Lucis and Delaney are quite special individuals."

Evabelle nodded, thinking of the man with the intense green wings she had seen earlier and the girl with the clear glassy ones.  Anyone who had wings like those guys had to be special.  And admittedly she hadn't seen many with just one single color, besides those two, the brothers, and her father of course.  Even Faux and Tru's wings hadn't been solidly, silvery blue or russet red.  Tru's wings had gotten darker as they went down, and Faux's had some darker brown feather scattered through his.  "Exactly what makes an Anahalians wings the color that they are?"  Evabelle wondered.

Zion sighed.  "Now that is the million dollar question.  Now even we know for certain.  There is no genetics involved with the color or power that each holds.  But there are those who have made guesses.  Most say that it is a reflection of the soul."

Evabelle laughed.  "Well, I've never thought of anyone having a green soul before."

Zion laughed too.  "You saw Jarl, then.  He's just a few years older than you, you know.  I think you two did meet once."

"Really?"  Evabelle shook her head.  How could she forget meeting such an impressive man with wings as green as gemstones?

Zion nodded.  "But as I said, it's just what people say.  That somehow, something is reflected from the our desires or the different parts of ourselves, that somehow are shown through the angel's manifestation."  Zion smiled and leaned forward on the railing.  "I used to tease Levana, saying that it was proof that I had a heart of gold."

Evabelle watched her father, loving how his eyes slid out of focus when he talked about her mother.  "What does it really mean to have a heart of an angel?"  She asked after a moment.

Zion turned back to her.  "That is another excellent question.  It means that you have more power of course.  Your entire body flows with angelic grace that allows you to use it without munera.  You naturally heal faster than others and are stronger and faster which makes you harder to kill, but it's not impossible, obviously.  You naturally heal faster than others.  All of this though is the physical part of it.  There is mental and emotional parts and then there are parts that go even deeper."  Zion began to stroll down the bridge, closely followed by Evabelle.  "They say you are kinder and wiser, but we certainly still make mistakes.  Empathy is very natural for us, but we still can hurt others."  Zion suddenly stopped, almost making Evabelle run into him.  The King turned.  "The most important thing for you to know, is that while we are more angel than most, we still have human in us too.  We can still make choices that lead to mistakes."  Those gold eyes matching the wings on his back, identical to Evabelle's own irises, penetrated her.  The princess of Jovis could see her father's pain, see how much it tormented him that he had left her to this war.  She longed to say that it wasn't his fault, he couldn't have known what Averno was, but in that moment she saw herself.  He tortured himself just like she did whenever she screwed up.

Even though it wasn't quite the same as if he was truly there, Evabelle reached up and wrapped her arms around the man.  Every time they embraced, it hurt Evabelle.  It was like something frustratingly out of grasp.  He was right there, but he wasn't.  Again, the girl's eyes burned, but she didn't let anything out and just held her father. 

A faint airy kiss brushed Evabelle's cheek as the King withdrew.  "I'm sorry."  He whispered.

Gah!  Evabelle had to take a deep breath to keep herself from crying.  She rubbed her eyes and turned away for a second.  "Please don't apologize.  You've done everything for me."

"It's a father's job to do everything and more for their children."  Zion replied.

Silently the two of them continued down the beautiful bridge, allowing Evabelle to take in more of this world.  Finally she broke the quiet.  "You mentioned King Lir was a good friend of yours."

Zion nodded.  "Yes, he is a very good man.  He is a kind, generous King, one I was privileged to know."

"Did you know he had children?" 

"Yes,"

Evabelle glanced at her father.  "Did you know Kai and Gem were those children?"  Zion hadn't told Evabelle about Faux when she had mentioned him at first.  Had he known about Kai and Gem as well?

"The vampire and the elf that have been living at the Ensign's with you?"  Zion blinked.  "No, not at all.  Elves don't reveal their children to even their own kind until the heir's coronation.  The elves want them to live a life outside of royalty to experience things from the other side."

Evabelle nodded, remembering what Kai had told them.  "I was just wondering."

Zion stroked his chin.  "A vampire as the prince of the elves."  He mused.

"Yes, and the King still wants him to be the heir."  Evabelle nodded again.  Thinking of Kai's last words to her before she had fallen asleep, she asked.  "Do you think it's a good idea?"

Zion was silent for a moment.  "What does he think?"

Evabelle sighed.  "Well Lucis says maybe it could change perspectives and help the elves not to be quick to hate, but Del thinks it will only bring conflict and cause revolt."

Zion shook his head.  "No, what does Kai think?"

Evabelle exhaled blowing some hair out of her face.  "Well, I think he agrees more with Del, actually I know it.  He really doesn't think it's a good idea."

Zion nodded slowly.  "And what do you think?"

Evabelle shrugged.  "I don't really know."

"That's not an answer.  It is important to take a side sometimes."

Evabelle looked up at Zion, a little surprised, who continued to stare ahead.  "But I can see reasons for both, I'm in the middle."

"These are the decisions that don't have a middle."

"But it's not my decision!"  Evabelle exclaimed.

"No, it's his.  This specific topic of conversation is his choice to make.  But in a general sense, you face the same decision.  I know you are open to helping and fighting for the cause, Evabelle, but you haven't chosen to be one of us completely."

Evabelle felt her insides drop.  She didn't have her wings.  She was willing to fight, to help the others, just like Zion said, but was she willing to rule, to lead, to become so much more?  She did want to, but there were still things holding her back.  She was still afraid.  She still needed consolidation for stupid things.  She still doubted herself.  She was frustrated, just as she was sure that everyone else was.  "I know." 

"It's alright, Eva.  I just want you to think about that."  Zion replied.

Evabelle nodded.  

"And as you said, this is his decision.  If he does not believe he can handle the elves as he is, then he won't.  And the same goes for you and for everyone.  If you don't believe you can win this, you will most certainly not."

"This war?"  Evabelle gasped.  "But there's only seven of us.  We can't win a war like that!"

"So recruit others.  Believing in yourself is essential, but it's not the only thing.  You have to take action."

Evabelle shook her head.  "No one wants to help the Anahalians.  They all feel betrayed.  Almost every angel born I've met has treated them like crap."

Zion sighed.  "It won't be easy, I know."

Evabelle looked up at the masterpiece of a sky and felt like screaming at it.  "It's almost like the angel borns hate the Anahalians more than the demon borns do.  I just don't get it."

"It's those that we love that are the ones that face the potential future of being the most hated by us.  And the same goes the other way, those that love us are the ones that could hate us the most."

"What?"  Evabelle looked back at him.

            "You can hate people like Adolf Hitler, I suppose, but if your friend, Aza decided to start killing and caused a disastrous war that cost thousands to millions of lives, which one would hurt you more?  Which one would make you angrier?"

            Evabelle shook her head.  "Aza would never do that."

            "And it's that precise reason that it would hurt more.  You trust her to never hurt you in that way.  The girl Sophie or Etheldreda, tell me what you felt about discovering the truth about her."

            Evabelle swallowed.  "B-but..."

            "I'm not saying you shouldn't trust your friend's, Eva.  Far from it actually.  But I think you should understand why the angel borns hate us so much."

            Evabelle closed her eyes.  "Oh," she murmured. 

            "Anahalians were once very loved.  They were the heroes to everyone.  They didn't just protect humans, but elves, fairies, pixies, all of them from the demons and their descendants.  They were the fighters."

            "They were the bigger siblings, standing up from the younger ones," Evabelle said softly, remembering something Calandra's mother had told her.  "But why are you referring to Anahalians as 'they'?  You're an Anahalian too."

            Zion gave a warm smile that Evabelle was beginning to find frustrating.  It was the smile that said he wasn't going to answer her question that easily.  She just didn't get it.

            "The point is that many of the angel borns have found it very hard to forgive Anahalians, and I believe that they hold a deeper more emotional hatred for us than any demon born, who it just made to hate us in their creation, which is a very different kind of hatred.  That difference is that you can only hate those who you never cared for before, but you can loathe the people you love.  It's like a pyramid.  The two extremes are at the top: pure love and pure hatred.  It's so easy to take one step over the line and pass over from someone that was so loved to being the most hated person in the other person's or people's life."

Evabelle massaged her temples as if it was difficult to process, but it wasn't really.  It made horrible sense.  "So, how are we supposed to recruit people if they all hate us."

"This hatred is something that has been passed down.  There are those that don't see us as the ones that betrayed them just like King Lir.  I suggest starting with him, but maybe don't just stick to the angel borns.  You're already working with a vampire after all."

Evabelle nodded, actually starting to feel a little better.  "Okay,"

Suddenly, Zion scooped her up again.  "I don't know how much longer you'll be with me, so I think I'll take you one more place."

The two soared past the city and over another spectacular forest and across another exquisite valley.  There were more houses, Evabelle saw.  Some were similar to your average united states suburban house, and others were made from clay and dirt.  She saw what looked like a camp fire and a group of Anahalians flying and dancing around it, making Evabelle grin.  Other astonishing things caught her eye.  The girl saw a tiger and an Anahalian boy playing together.  Several other wild animals roamed with the people.  Anahalians flew alongside great birds.  It was awesome when she saw a red tailed hawk and an Anahalian with practically the same kind of wings flying as one.

Finally Zion landed on a cliff a ways from the city and the other houses.  "This is the place I taught you to fly."

Evabelle's eyes widened.  "Really?"  She whirled around and took it all in.  No matter how much she looked at it, it never stopped being amazing.  But this peak was the place where she had actually flown?  It was tall and gave you the perfect view.  Evabelle closed her eyes and waited to see if the memory would come.  Nothing happened, maybe it would later, but she could still imagine it.  

"So tell me what you think of the place."  Zion said, breaking through Evabelle's thoughts. 

The princess opened her eyes to stare across it all.  The rivers, the forests, the mountains, the valleys, the sky, the earth, the buildings, the people, the cultures, the harmony.  Evabelle beamed.  "This place is perfect."

Zion nodded.  "It's a Garden of Eden or in other words, a fake paradise."

Evabelle blinked, her smile slipping, and she turned to the King.  "Fake?"

Zion stared passed his daughter at the beautiful view.  "God gave Adam and Eve a commandment to bear children, but they could not do as he asked in a place where they never felt happy or sad or anything.  They didn't have the knowledge."

Evabelle shook her head.  "So what are you saying about Jovis?"

"The Anahalians were commanded to protect the humans, to fight for them.  How can we do that here?"

Evabelle gave a start, staring at him with her heart thumping.  "Are you saying that the angel borns are actually right to hate us?  Are you saying you agree with Averno, that Anahalians are wrong?"

Zion turned giving her a sad smile.  "Are?  Evabelle, the people who decided to create this world are not the same people living in it today.  You can't—"

Sudden hard rapping on wood brought Evabelle to a sudden darkness before her eyes flashed open and she snapped up in her bed back at the elf palace.  "Hello?"  She gasped, her heart still beating a little faster than it normally did.

"We're going to the elf's portal to get your friend and the others."  Grunted Del's voice from the other side of the door.
                 
Evabelle let out a long sigh and flopped back onto her pillow, her arms splayed above her head as she stared at the ceiling that glittered with tiny jewels.  Back to the real world then.

* * *

Evabelle slid out of bed and opened the door to see Del already descending the steps.  She rushed after him.  "Where's Lucis?"  She asked.

"He's with Kai doing their best to get the portal running.  It's pretty rundown like the king said.  But Calandra said that it should work, but it doesn't have too many runs left."

"Runs?"

"How many people it can actually take," he clarified.

They reached the bottom of the stairs and Del lead them past the door that lead to the Com Mirrors and to the end that had another door with a staircase that spiraled into darkness.  The twins must have woke up before her and had been shown where to go. 

Evabelle swallowed hard and followed Del into the blackness.  The rest of the castle was dark because of the covered windows preventing the sun from hurting Kai, but there had been fairies floating around the ceiling, giving the place some decent light.  However, there weren't any of the glowing creatures down here.  It also didn't help that Del wore practically nothing but black to match his hair and wings.  They were just a few steps down into the pit when he had completely vanished.  She wasn't quite as blind as she had been when she had been blindfolded by the elf scouts.  But still, there was very little she could see. 

"Umm, is it like this all the way down?"  She asked.

"Yeah," Del's voice echoed eerily in Evabelle's ears.  She couldn't even tell where exactly it came from, but he sounded a little ways ahead of her.  She sped up a little.  "The elves don't really use this place to do much besides grow the plants that only cultivate in complete darkness, so they keep it this way on purpose."

"Oh," Evabelle shivered.

She heard a sigh and a moment later Del's hiss of a spell sounded through the darkness.  "Lucis." There was a brief flash of violet light and then it brightened to a normal pale white glow coming from the Anahalian's hand.

Evabelle opened her mouth to thank him, but then gasped as a long, dark, heavily distorted hand appeared out of nowhere dangling right in front of her face.  She gave a cry and stumbled back and landed hard on one of the steps.

Del paused and turned back, the light from his palm, creating sharp slanting shadows against his face and across the walls.

Evabelle stared temporarily horrified at the hand, but when the more direct light landed on it, it was revealed to be a low root that hung limply before her.  Taking several deep breaths, she pushed herself to her feet.  "Sorry, the root there surprised me."

Del rolled his eyes.  "Turn of the lights and everything becomes a monster, isn't that right?"  Then he turned and continued on.

Evabelle gave a little huff.  Now that her crush on the dark angel had receded a ways, Evabelle did have a better perspective of Del.  Aza was right, he could be a real jerk sometimes.  She hurried to catch up to him, though. 

For some reason, the moment when they had been in the Hall of Honor randomly popped into her head.  Maus.  He had called her that like it was a reflex, which meant he must have called her that before.  It had felt like he had held something back from that last comment.  Did he almost call her it again?

But she didn't ask him about him about it.  If what her father said was true, then she could perhaps find the memories that she had spent with the brothers.  "So you're powers are back, then?"  She asked instead.

Del nodded.  "We woke up back to normal."  He replied right as they reached to bottom of the stairs and sunk a few inches into the moist dark earth.

Evabelle's spirits sank.  My old nemesis.  Mud.  She wasn't wearing any shoes so her bare feet squelched into the stuff as she followed the shadow boy, inwardly squirming at each step.  Taking a few deep breaths, Evabelle did her best not to focus on that and instead on the rest of her surroundings.

As Del had said, there were plants that must only be able to grow in complete darkness.  Even as Del passed close to any of the foliage, it seemed to shrink away from the light that he held.  And Evabelle did her best to stay closed to him for that reason.  These roots and undergrowth were rather creepy.  The way they bent and twisted made disturbing shadows across the walls and ceiling. 

A faint light at the end of the tunnel joined the one that Del held.  Evabelle could see two figures, one large with great wings protruding from his back, and the other not quite as tall but far more slender than the other, deep in discussion with each other as a bright glowing ball of light bobbing around their heads.

When Evabelle and Del reached them, the dark Anahalian released his own munera to hover alongside his brother's. 

Lucis turned to Evabelle and smiled.  "You slept for quite a while.  Did you have good dreams?"

Evabelle realized that he was really asking if she had remembered anything more.  She shrugged coyly.  "Um, actually, I was wondering what time it is.  With everything going on, I've lost track."

"It's about six o' clock in the evening."  Kai replied.  "I know you're probably starving.  Del woke up and had some food, a little bit ago.  But I don't know when the last time you and Lucis ate anything."  He glanced at Lucis. 

"We ate a little bit before we were taken by the patrol, but that was hours ago."  Lucis responded.

As if to prove a point, Evabelle's stomach gave an obnoxious yowl.  She blushed, furiously.  "I'm sorry."

Kai smiled.  "That's alright.  After we get the others here, we can go and eat."

Evabelle nodded and glanced down at the soft ground around them and noted that they stood right next to a large, slightly raised flat rock that had the familiar black star carving.  Although, this one did look far more weathered than any other she had used.  "So do we know how many runs this has left?"  She asked, using the new term she had learned.

Lucis shook his head and crossed his arms, staring at the portal thoughtfully.  "No, but not many.  I told Calandra the coordinates and she got a link to it, but it's weak."

"Could she fix it?"  Evabelle asked.

"If she came here and worked on it from this side, probably.  She still might need at least one other mage to really get it to full functioning power, though."  Kai replied.

"Well, isn't she coming?"  Evabelle questioned.

Lucis shook his head.  "She says that she won't be able to.  She said she'll send Gem, Faux, and Aza over, but she had certain things she can't leave behind at the moment."  The Anahalian stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment.  "She muttered something about the full moon since its tomorrow she definitely couldn't."

"What's the full moon got to do with anything?"  Del grunted, his hands shoved into his pockets and the light of the muneras occasionally bouncing off his eyes that were oddly reflective, reminding Evabelle of a supernatural purple-eyed cat.

Lucis shrugged.  "Your guess is as good as mine."

It was almost imperceptible, but there was a faint tremor that shook the dark underground cavern.  Evabelle turned back to the black star that didn't glow precisely, but the faded lines seemed to darken temporarily and suddenly a small slender figure appeared, clutching an actual cat in her little arms.

"Gem," Kai's face split into a huge smile, and it was for the first time since they had arrived that Evabelle believed it to be completely genuine.

The little elf turned her head towards the sound of her brother's voice, her own smile lighting her blind eyes.  She dropped Jewels on the rock and leapt toward Kai, who swiftly caught her in a hug.  "I can't believe we're actually here again!"  She squealed.  Gem pushed back from her brother, her whole body practically buzzing from adrenaline.  "Did you see daddy yet?  How is he?  Did you see Saya again?  Did she miss you?"

Kai's beam faded with each question his sister asked, but she could not see it.  "Yes, I saw Father.  He hasn't been quite himself lately, but I'm sure once he sees you, he'll feel much better."  Evabelle noted how he skimmed over the questions about this Saya person.

Gem jumped up and down.  "I can't wait!  I've missed him so much!"

Looking at Kai's face broke Evabelle's heart.  Everything had happened so quickly for the vampire.  He had been thrust back into his home where his own kind hated what he had become.  And now hearing that Gem had truly missed this place was now another weight.  Evabelle longed to tell this prince that his sister had made her own decision and that she could have returned anytime, but Kai wasn't one for seeing things like that.

Again the slight quaking occurred and the lines of the portal intensified for another smallish girl to appear.  "The fun has arrived!"  The crooked grinned girl sang and gave a bow.  "Thank you very much."

Evabelle's mouth broke into a grin, seeing the craziest best friend in the whole wide world skip across the portal to slam into the tall brunet, who nearly fell into the sinister mud pool surrounding them.  "Don't deny it.  I know you missed me."  Aza sighed dramatically as she placed a hand to her forehead adding to her show.  But then she put it to the side of Evabelle's face.  "But never fear, my dear, for I am here now."

Evabelle laughed.  "Oh, praise the lord!"  But then her laugh faded.  "I'm sorry, Aza about not bringing along initially."

"Shh," Aza put a finger over Evabelle's mouth.  "Don't worry your pretty head about it.  I heard it was you who convinced them to let me come and besides, I don't hold grudges."  The small blonde leaned in close and whispered.  "Unless we're talking about the sucker of all things happy over there."

"You know this place has really great acoustics."  Del glared at the two girls.

Aza chuckled.  "I noticed.  It's absolutely FABULOUS!"  She belted the last word causing a reverberating echo to nearly take out everyone's eardrums.

"For the love of those who want to hear for the rest of their lives," Del snarled and turned away as the cave gave one last hum and a scruffy red feathered winged man appeared.    

  "Where are the ladies?"  Were the first words uttered from the always classy Faux.  "I am ready for some elven women!"

"I'm done."  Del turned and began to head back toward the staircase, his munera following him like a bizarre glowing pet.

Lucis sighed, but there was a playful grin on his face.  "But there's still the question of whether the elven women are ready for you." 

Faux nodded as he stepped off of the flat rock.  "Tis true.  It takes a special kind of woman to be able to handle all of this."  He grinned running his fingers through his messy hair.

From the fading ball of light that had just began its ascent up the stairs a voice muttered through the echoic chamber, "If by special you mean imaginary."

Everyone gave a little chuckle as Faux pulled a face.  "The Del-man is as sunshiny as always."

Aza still had her arm around Evabelle's neck as the two of them made their way, and that was when Evabelle noticed the slight offness of her friend's step.  Glancing down, Evabelle saw a large square bandage on Aza's leg.  "What happened?"  Evabelle asked worriedly.

Aza followed Evabelle's gaze.  "Oh, I just had a bit of a hard fall, but Callie put something magic on it and said that since we were going here, I could get it healed by some experts."  She swiveled her head to look at Kai.  "Isn't that right your freaking royal lying highness?"

Her tone was playful, but Kai pulled at his collar uncomfortably.  "Yes, we can get you healed right away." 
             "What happened to your hair?"  Aza asked suddenly realizing for the first time that it was short just as Evabelle noticed another bandage on Aza's forehead that had been previously hidden behind her hair. 

Kai sighed.  "It's a long story."

"There's a lot of long stories you've decided to not to tell."  Aza replied, but Evabelle pulled her away from the subject. 

"What happened to your head?"

Aza turned back to her.  "I told you I fell.  It was a real nasty one, that's all."

But Evabelle knew there had to be more.  Aza wasn't one to skate over a good story.  Scrapes like the ones that decorated Evabelle's friend spoke of a tale that would normally have Aza babbling on about her exploits whether it be a grand adventure or even if it was her own clumsiness that she could turn into a great gag.  There were details that the little blonde wasn't sharing, and that could only mean that something bad had happened.  Obviously reliving it was not on Aza's to do list.

"So nothing happened while we were gone, then?"  Evabelle tried one last time.

There was no hesitation.  "Only if you count shopping at Calandra's emporium of every piece of freaking clothing in the world, then nope not a thing."  Aza gave a side smile, but kept her gaze forward, staring into the dark slimy overgrown cave ahead of them.

Evabelle nodded.  "You went shopping?  No fair."  There was no doubt in her mind that Aza was lying.

~(A/N: Finally and update!!! I don't even know who's still reading, but for those of you who are, THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!!!!!! I know I've been absolutely awful! And I also want to apologize for this chapter. It's a long one that I know it has a lot of flaws and issues. If you guys find anything major please let me know!! It's a really rambly one too, so if you feel this was just too much info, or just not entertaining enough LET ME KNOW!!!!!! I wrote this with a lot of writer's block, so I know it's a big pile of blegh, just let me know where you think the roughest parts are and I am definitely trying to fix it. I just wanted to get this up because those of you still with me have been soooo patient and I thank you for that!!

So what do you think about Kai becoming the heir?  Do you think it's a good idea? If you were him, what would you do?

What  did you finally think of Jovis? Was it good? Or did it feel like too much as once? I could cut back and try and spread it out more. But don't worry Zion still has much to show Evabelle!  And what would you still like to see personally of Jovis??

Once again, I want to apologize for the enormous gap between updates! I'll try to get the next one up sooner!!

I love you all ❤️)~