I lost all feeling in my legs.

Seriously, if I thought the second lesson was any at all a pain in the ass, if I thought the focus and determination I needed then was already a bit too much - hell, that's nothing compared to what came after.

From the way I was trying to place one foot over the other, my entire lower half may as well be one of those flailing inflatable balloon guys you'd see in shopping malls and the likes, and if the hard stumbles I just took were any indicator of anything, then I clearly had a puncture hole somewhere cause I was deflating fast.

Furthest I got was just barely past the doorway and even then if it weren't for the amazing breakthrough that was concrete walls, I'd have nothing to lean on to save me from another painful fall.

That's another thing about muscles - when they get sore, they really get sore. Christ almighty...

Thought for the longest moment that one foot out into the empty halls would be as far as I get in my current state of being... Haven't slept for the longest time, forget fumes - my body felt like it was literally cannibalizing on itself from within just for that extra spurt of energy to push on.

Then in echoes that gradually, hastily, drew nearer... footsteps and a voice, so loud, so proud.

"Master!"

I wasn't fast enough to lift my head up before I felt the strain in my legs lessen. Once my eyes were raised, they were immediately buried in a sea of silky smooth white. Somehow, even while standing still, I manage to stumble again, but I didn't fall.

A pair of arms held me tight, gently, yet firmly. It was a familiar feeling, a nice feeling.

"Well, look at that," I croaked, managing a smile. "Looks like you'll always be here to land on, after all."

I heard a chuckle leave with her sigh, "I'm not a pillow."

"Really?" I let her swing my arm around her neck. "Maybe you oughta be."

"Please Master, save your breath for now," She said. "It will simply not do if you aren't there to celebrate your triumph with the others. Concentrate."

Bit by bit, slowly and steady, Ash was doing her best to keep our pace aligned with each other, and though a look of concern was plastered on her face, there was no absolutely no denying the twinkle of pride in her eyes. Every time she turned to look at me, there was always a smile, always those words.

"You did it."

Stairs were the hardest part, we got two flights to scale my knobbly legs up, but I guess Ash decided it really wasn't worth the struggle… so for the second time in less than a week, I ended up being swept off my feet like a newly-wed bride down a rose littered walkway.

Didn't got any complaints here. Ash was warm, and her clothes were soft. If there was anything to detract from the experience, I suppose the view looking up… ahem, took a lot of willpower to avert one's eyes away from.

Tried to distract myself with small talk against her advice.

"Did all of her make it up there?"

Ash glanced down at me, smiling that smile at me that was like chicken soup to soothe the ailing soul.

"Yes," She said. "Mistress Ria manifested with not a single thing amiss."

"I think I took too long though…"

"No, perish the thought, Master," She replied almost instantly. "You've done much more than what was demanded of you. We've anticipated but a fleeting outline of her to emerge, and yet instead you've materialized her in her entirety. Any expectations held, you've already far surpassed."

The way she was hamming it up, how her rising inflection kept soaring to newer levels of wonder and hype, it was as if what I just did has never been done before.

"Why, it's never been done before!"

Oh, well that answers that.

"At least, not in the timespan that you were allotted," She continued. "A day. To accomplish such a feat, a novice in magic… as always Master, you continue to confound me to no end."

"Stick around then," I whispered, smirking with closed eyes. "I'm full of surprises."

It was hard to share in the awe that she had with the way my body was barely hanging by a thread. I should be proud of such an accomplishment, I'm sure - but right now though… I'm just simply content with lying there in her arms.

Couldn't have asked for a better mode of transportation, and I highly doubt any could surpass this.

Yet alas, all good things must come to an end.

By the time we reached the sixth floor, enough of my stamina had returned to me to finish the rest of the way journey onward myself. Ash kept close, ready at any moment to catch my stumbles, and steady my wobbles.

Limping, shambling - there's the doorway… one more step to go.

A full day away, and yet not a single thing had changed. I could still distinctly remember every piece of rubble and where they rested in the room, recall every ruptured piece on those tall high-rise windows, refracting the rays of sunlight filtering through the distant cityscape, so I would know exactly if something differed even slightly from memory.

And something definitely was.

The straying embers, the warm pulsating glow sourcing from afar. Those crimson red locks sprawled out against the floor. Fourth floor, sixth floor - the way Ria's body laid out in the open was as if she never even moved an inch.

What a heavy sleeper.

"He's here," Ash proclaimed, drawing up to my side. "I've brought him."

The moment Ash's voice resounded, a blurry speck of black bolted right across my feet, nearly knocking me flat. Before I could even process what the hell just happened, I was holding Mr. Black in my arms, brushing aside his bushy tail from my nose.

He meowed.

I smiled. "Missed me?"

"Oh, you don't even know the half of it."

Suddenly from the corner of my eyes, Amanda appeared, wearing a smile of her own… gaping at me with as much incredulity as Ash did not long before.

"Cried for you all night, didn't sleep a wink," She still had her mouth half-open. "Neither did I… and after what I just witness, I don't think I can now even if I try. You… you're amazing."

I just shrugged, petting the furball that was purring against my chest. "Don't feel amazing."

Still with that dumbfounded look, she leaned in closer, whispering, "It was the sandwich, right? I knew it'd help. You're welcome."

"Uh-huh," I said, stifling a chuckle. "Just where would I be without you?"

Amanda continued to beam, looking quite proud of herself, which she rightfully should be. I owe whatever I accomplished to her… if it weren't for her trust, don't think I could have done it.

The same goes for Ash… her smile, the very sight of her was like a beacon of light in the murky night. Her unwavering support is like one of the only things that continued to keep me upright.

Irene…

Always the last to approach, always the woman of little words. Her actions would always speak for her instead. It was how she was back then, and how she was now.

I see her.

She never budged at all. There she was, kneeling beside the slumbering phoenix… as always silent. It was how she moved that really spoke, the way she gently brushed away a loose strand of hair from Ria's face. That was she expressed herself.

Happiness, relief, and a tinge of sadness all from just one single motion.

Overall, she just looked glad that a friend so near and dear was brought over unscathed.

I slowly lumbered my way over, wincing and hissing, I kneeled myself just right across from her.

"Crack of dawn, right on the dot," I said, placing Mr. Black down to scurry away elsewhere. "Don't mean to sound conceited, but I think I did a pretty good job."

She drew her eyes up. "More than pretty good."

"Happy?"

"Maybe."

Again, not really a woman of many words. But actions, expressions… now she was a woman of variety. A twitch at the ends of her lips, the spark in her eyes, writhing and squirming, the fingers in her palm.

There's no maybe about it.

"Guess our little private tutoring paid off after all," I said, throwing caution to the wind. "Should I say thank you?"

"No need," She replied flatly. "What I did was for your benefit… if you succeeded that's thanks enough for me."

I raised a brow "Sure?"

"Positive."

"Could give you a peck on the cheek if you say please."

Irene glared at me, but she didn't look at all the least bit affront about the prospect, but as always… gotta maintain that pristine image of professionalism squeaky-clean.

"So..." I tilted my head. "What's next?"

Her glare lingered, but nonetheless, she spoke out. "You've condensed six month's worth of trial and error into a single day. Even for a prodigy… it would have at least taken them a week or two."

"Promising for me," I remarked.

"Yeah, you're your mother's son, alright," She said it, but she said it light. "Now I'm fully convinced."

I didn't say anything. I was waiting for it… that's two praises in the row, two compliments to build me, you don't say those things without any caveats.

"But."

There it was.

"But?" I repeated.

"You're still struggling with using more magic than you really have to."

"How can you tell?"

Irene gave a look. I knew that look, I grew accustomed to that gaze. I said something stupid again didn't I?

"How can I tell?" She snorted. "Your face has whitened again. You're on the verge of losing all your magic for the second time coming. You pushed yourself too hard."

"It was the only way," I argued back. "If I didn't, then Ria wouldn't - "

"I know," She interjected. "Trust me, I know. I'm not saying you did it incorrectly, I'm saying you need to better prep yourself more."

I blew a breath. "So, in other words…?"

"The final lesson," She affirmed, nodding once. "You're gonna have to go through with it."

Ah man, I was kinda hoping we wouldn't have to be wasting any more time on any more lessons. First one was a headache, the second knocked the wind right out of my sails… I can only imagine what the hell the third one would entail.

Oh well, if Irene think it's best… then, "What do I have to do?"

"Well, depending on how strong your intent is," She explained. "This would either be the shortest lesson or the longest one you have yet."

I did not like the sound of that, and I'd made sure she knew of that fact. A frown on my face, a furrow in my brows… "Why's that?"

"Subjugation."

Oh.

Oh no.

"You do this, you'll no longer have to worry about expending more than you should."

I was hearing her words, but it was like I was far into the distance. All of a sudden, I was back, my legs among the nippy grass… stretching a hand forward, the thunder rumbling, the lightning flashing from up above.

"Focus, determination, intent."

I whispered those words.

Over and over again.

The rain still fell.

Adalia still stumbled.

I failed back then.

I cannot fail now.

Irene was still speaking, but I cut myself across, my voice strangely calm. "Subjugate what?"

She must have noticed something was off, for she paused briefly, and just stared briefly… after a while, she responded.

"Not a what..." Irene muttered.

A who.

I met her eyes, but she didn't meet mine, hers strayed, drifted… attaching itself to the figure that hovered closely by, that always kept herself closely by... always by my side.

Felt my heart drop, knowing already the words that would leave her lips far before she even said it. I heard it in my head, and I never wanted to hear it again.

But all the same, she spoke outloud.

"Subjugate the Elf."