AELLA

I smile to myself as I stand on the front porch and watch Blaze swing Delphine at Asher, who jumps out of the way and attempts to summon a fire orb, flames flickering around his hands, but it fizzles out and he sighs.

"You're doing better than before," Blaze says and swings her saber over her shoulder as she rests her other hand on her hip.

"But that isn't good enough, is it?" Asher looks up at her with sad eyes before shaking his head and going back into a fighting stance, "Again. Let's keep going."

Blaze tilts her head and examines him curiously before nodding in agreement and holding her saber out once more. Asher lunges at Blaze and when Blaze swings at him he catches onto the blade with his hands, which begin to have flames swirling around them and the heat sends off waves of air which flutters his hair slightly and he smirks. Blaze stares at him for a moment in awe and takes in his strong expression full of energy, hope, and determination before trying to kick his legs out from under him. Asher, however, anticipates this and jumps just in time to avoid it. He ends up floating on a tile made up of energy and flames, which surprises both me and Blaze. I take another sip from my hot chocolate and watch as the fight continues, enthralled. Asher lands behind Blaze, who quickly turns around and swings Delphine and sends a wall of flames flying at him. Asher's eyes widen in surprise and he puts his hands up and closes his eyes to brace for the attack, but instead a wall of glowing, orange energy mixed with flames appears in front of him and blocks the attack. He stumbles backwards slightly because the force field breaks, but then regains his composure.

"How did you do that?" Blaze asks, surprised.

"I'm not really sure," Asher shrugs, "But it was cool."

A soft smile appears on Blaze's face and she almost looks serene.

"What're they doing?" Salem asks from beside me, startling me.

"When did you get here?" I gasp and nearly choke on my hot chocolate.

"A few minutes ago," Salem shrugs and puts his hands in his pockets, "Why?"

"Oh," I say, "I didn't notice."

"I guess I'm just sneaky like that," He says and sends me a half-hearted smile.

"Anyways," I start, "Blaze was teaching Asher how to fight. She's been training him all night."

"Really?" Salem says, "It's nearly seven in the morning now."

"Yeah," I say and my gaze goes to the sunrise in the background coming up from behind the mountains and the falling snowflakes which have calmed to a slight fluffy now, "Isn't it beautiful out here?"

"Yeah..." Salem trails off, "Hey Aella, can I ask you something?"

"Huh?" I turn to face him and take another drink from my hot chocolate.

"What does Hell look like?" Salem asks quietly.

"What?" I find myself taken aback by his question.

"Well," Salem pauses and runs a hand through his hair as his eyes search mine, "What I mean is, does everything look like it's made out to be? Dark, painful, burning in flames, you know, the stereotype?"

"I'm not really sure," I frown, "I've never been there myself, but from what I've heard it's not like everyone says it is."

"So, is it actually really that bad of a place?" Salem asks.

"I guess it depends on who you ask," I say carefully, "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know," Salem shrugs and glances at the floor, "I've been thinking about myself and what I am a lot lately..."

"Wh--" I go to ask why, but a gust of wind blows and flurries of snow come flying my way from the roof.

Salem quickly grabs my hand and pulls me so hard that I fall right into his chest and end up staring up at him as he drapes an arm around me and keeps me from being covered in snow.

"Careful," He says quietly.

"T--Thanks," I stammer, feeling heat rise to my cheeks as his hazel eyes bore into my green ones.

"Yeah," He says as his thumb grazes my cheek and brushes off a stray snowflake, "No problem."

I suddenly become aware of the fact that Blaze and Asher have grown silent and I turn my head in their direction to see them both standing there staring at us, Blaze smiling and Asher smirking.

"What are you two smiling at?" Salem scowls, but a faint blush appears on his face.

"Nothing," Blaze shrugs and says innocently, "Right, Asher?"

"Right," Asher nods.

"Ahem," Corliss clears her throat as she stands in the open doorway, "We're leaving for the Chaosgrove in a half hour, so I suggest you prepare. Also, I did some research as to how Nokomis had her katana back, after all it should've remained shattered. It appears Lotus has also escaped from prison and she managed to get Nokomis's katana back from the mirror realm."

"Lotus has dominion over part of the mirror realm, so I suppose that makes sense," I frown.

"Also," Corliss's eyes find mine, "It appears that you're on your way to making a decision, then?"

I begin to blush again and back away from Salem, who looks at me in a confused manner due to Corliss's words.

"I'm not sure..." I admit.

"A decision about what?" Salem frowns.

"Nothing," I sigh and shake my head, "Don't worry about it."

"Alright, well," Blaze says and swings her blade around before sending it away, "I'm going to go get ready."

"In addition," Corliss says as Blaze walks past her into Eira's house, "I have also sent Lucilla to stay with Aeldra so that she isn't in harm's way."

"Thank you," Salem sighs and seems relieved, although also sad.

Corliss nods and turns around before walking back inside the house.

"How do we get to the Chaosgrove anyways?" Asher asks.

"I know the way," Amorette says as she peeks her head out the door, her blonde locks shifting around.

"We have to be careful on the way there and once we get there. Not only will Alder and the Time Twins probably be an issue, but there is an Angel who guards the Chaosgrove," I say.

"But we aren't trying to harm the Chaosgrove, so won't the Angel just let us through?" Salem asks.

"No," I shake my head, "The Angel who guards the Chaosgrove is known as Seiko, and she was born half from chaos itself."

"She is an Alpha class," Amorette says quietly.

Salem's breath hitches in his throat and his eyes search mine as if to ask if we'll be okay, but I can't bring it upon myself to assure him that we will. After all, nothing is ever set in stone, and as much as I don't want to admit the fact that either Salem or I may not come back from the Chaosgrove alive, it's a possibility. However, I know that I'll do everything that I possibly can to protect him. No matter what happens, I want him to be safe.