Finally, we were getting somewhere.

Questioning and speculating, that was all over and done with. Planning and preparations took center stage now in the forefront of my thoughts. Amanda's little memoir over here served us the promising lead we had so far, so it was about time we got to sniffing.

For her trouble, I brewed her up another batch of the steamy bitter broth that she just couldn't quite get enough of.

We relocated ourselves across from each other at the dining room table, bouncing ideas off of one another on just how we were going to land ourselves in another interview with Mr. Game Director himself.

Learning magic of course was still an utmost priority for me, but until I find myself a suitable teacher that - A: Wasn't asleep B: Knows a thing or two about the type of magic I'm trying to learn themselves - then I pretty much have no other choice but to leave that pressing obligation on the back burner for now.

Besides, the plan we were cooking was starting to get pretty solid.

We know for a fact that in spite of the chaos happening across the globe, any and all local businesses situated far from the epicenter of the Blight were still up and running like nothing's ever happened, and in a stroke of good fortune, the Cyberware branch here in the city was a ways away from the sticky red/black gooey stuff.

Amanda already had an upstanding reputation with the people given her prodigious nature. All those awards and praises she had attained in her field weren't just for bragging rights, her name had a definite weight to it, and most importantly it was what's gonna get us through the front door.

After that is where the path gets mostly govern under the close eye of dear Lady Luck, the planning gets a little murky after going through those double doors… just had to hope on her that he was there, just had to hope on her that we could find him… and if we do, once we do… haven't reached that far ahead yet.

If he really was the culprit, if he really did cause the Global Blight to happen - then why? What's the end goal of turning the Earth into a land of nothing but death and decay?

The way Amanda wrote about him, the way he looked in that photo - carefree, with eyes brimming with ambition… he just didn't seem like that type of guy to be causing a Kronocia 2.0 to the world…

Guess looks can really be deceiving…

"So when do we actually put the plan into motion?" Amanda asked, frenetically tapping hyperactive fingertips against the table.

Think she might have had too much to drink…

"Good question," I took a moment to think of an even better answer. "We'll say, maybe… soon as those two over there wake up."

"Immediately right after?"

"Immediately right after."

Her patterings only got faster and faster, while she herself began making wordless grunts and noises that leaned heavily on the uncertain side of things.

"But who knows how long that'll take?" She said finally, giving voice to those gruntings. "I asked Irene that, she just said soon - but when is soon? Hours? A day? Anytime now?"

It was a valid concern, and it was not one I could quell easily, for I too had a brow raising at that. Must not forget… we too were on a time limit here. Death and decay were not going to wait for us as we idle about at a dining room table, sipping pots of coffee and talking to one another like it was a regular Sunday afternoon.

We had a matter of days now… time was really of the essence. Couldn't afford any more downtimes, the time to act was now.

"Two hours," I replied quietly. "If they don't get up within two hours, then we'll head out ourselves."

Amanda softly chuckled, pouring herself another cup straight from the pot, smiling faintly as she did. "Ahh… this was really not how I planned my week. Preventing a world-ending catastrophe was certainly not on my to-do list like - ever."

I offered a smile, and raised my mug to hers. "Welcome to the club."

She played along with the gesture, raising hers in return. Together we clinked our mugs, gave a toast, "To saving the world" and in true impetuous fashion, downed our mugs like it was the end of the world.

That's when it happened, between slamming our cups to the table, and gasping for air - a tremble, a shake… in the corner of our eyes, mistaken once as nothing, thought twice as an overactive imagination… caffeine can do that... then three times…

We were staring now.

The couch was moving ever so slightly. Gentle breathing interrupted by harshes, heavier ones.

Amanda and I turned to look at each other, thoughts aligned, reactions mirroring one another.

"Go wake Irene," I said to her.

No hesitation, no words, Amanda hastily stood and raced up the staircase two steps at a time, as I scrambled and spurred, skidding to a sharp stop in-between both sofas.

My neck was getting a workout, twisting wildly from one to the other. I wasn't sure where to keep my gaze fixated, only sparing a second or two at one place before it went swinging round to another.

Ears perked, eyes wide… drowning out the ambiance all around, a small sign of life was all I needed, a slight jerk, heavy breathes maybe…just anything but the silence of slumber.

Ash remained inert, ears limp, loose strands of white draped across a blank expression. It was hard to tell if she had even moved a single inch, if ever at all… her arms still to her side, her face still slanting slight. The luster and shine of her emerald eyes, still nowhere to be seen.

I missed looking into them. As much as I did the assuring warmth of flames burning bright.

There wasn't a single straying ember from those long locks of smoldering hair, the luminosity of Ria's flames still burned as dim as the darkness did. She's never been a quiet one, she… there always something that needed to be said, always a remark that needed remarking… those lips of hers never stopped flapping for even just a moment.

There were times I yearned for peace of mind whenever she came barging into a room… but it was only now, after everything, that I've come to realize that I've had it all backward.

Not being to hear her at all was a hundred times worse. She was much better off talking her lungs off.

But she still wasn't talking.

Ria still wasn't moving.

And Ash…

Maybe it really was just the caffeine.

I turned, a step forward back to the dining room table, already readying my sorries for a mildly irked Irene, an apprehensive Amanda. A false alarm, an overactive imagination, that was it all was… excuse the disturbance.

Then I saw it, a glint, a shimmer, stopping me dead in my tracks… through fluttering narrow slits… a hint of emerald green.

Couldn't believe what I was seeing…

"Master…" She murmured.

What I was hearing…

I stumbled towards her, feeling a tightness, a sudden swelling inside of me, constricting my voice. "Ash…"

Her eyes blinked once, movement, her hands struggling to impel herself into upright. Expressions, emotions, I could see them forming, confusion, bewilderment, how her eyes slowly searched all around.

I expected questions, many, many questions… about herself, about what happened. The first thing she'll say, I thought I'd knew exactly what it'd be.

Never have I been more wrong. It wasn't herself that she worried for, it wasn't just confusion showing in her eyes...

"Master," Her voice was husky, her gaze heavy. "Are you… are you unharmed?"

That was it. That was what cracked any restrain I still had within me. I wanted to give her a smile, wanted to simply assure that everything would be alright. I didn't.

Didn't know how. Didn't know when. I remembered standing before her, looking at her...

The next I knew... I had my arms wrapped firmly around her, quivering hands curling into fists. Ash gave an audible gasp, I knew I was close... closer than I should be, arms tighter than they should be. I just didn't care, I didn't want to let go.

This feeling… this relief… after such a long, long marathon of nothing but harrowing plights… after every bad news one after the next… this one time, something finally went right.

And now I could hope again that everything will be alright.

"I'm alright," I said to her, I assured to myself. "Thanks for asking."

I didn't know one bit how she was processing everything. The stillness, the silence, I didn't know what any of that meant, until I felt her… felt her arms slowly cling to me too, heard her breathe… how relieved it sounded.

And I knew exactly what that meant.

I was glad to see you too, Ash.