Both Chloe and Rosaendra avoided the restroom for the time being. Ashley seemed to be...alive and at risk of dying. How painful did it have to be? Rosaendra picked up her mirror when she came into the room.

“What’s happening to Ashley?” She had asked it.

“Her patron has used some of his power to fulfill her wish. Unfortunately, turning back the clock with just magic is...extremely painful, as mana is a pure, energetic connecting force.”

“I see...so she will be alright?”

“Yes, just don’t touch her. Her nerves are currently being reconstructed as well. Luckily she blacked out pretty early in the process, so she’s not feeling anything at the moment, but if she were to wake up...”

“Hey, Chloe?” Rosaendra turned away from the mirror, “Your mother will be fine as long as we don’t touch her.”

Chloe was just about to enter the restroom to check on her mother.

“...are you sure?”

“That’s what Miss. Servitor said.” Rosaendra said.

“I see...”

Chloe’s shoulders slumped, and she moved away from the hall. Just like that, they avoided the restroom. As they were waiting around in the living room, Chloe took a few practice swings with her sword.

“Do you know if any of these, ‘doors,’ are nearby?” She asked as she looked at her fuzzy reflection in the blade.

“There should be, why not go outside and check?”

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“What do they look like?”

“Well, like...doors.”

“Like, actual doors?”

“Yes.”

“Huh, I was imagining something...”

“Something more mystical?”

“Yeah. I thought the phrase, ‘doors,’ was like a...uh, how do you say...”

“A metaphor?”

“Yeah.”

“Same.”

“Do you think we could go into one? I want to test this out.” She holds the sword, “Now that I know my mother’s alright...”

Rosaendra too was getting antsy. She wanted to help Ashley out, and as time passed she might just ignore the servitor’s suggestions. So it was probably better to do something to get it off their mind.

“Let me get ready,” Rosaendra said.

She grabbed hold of her athame, her grimoire. She was still wearing most of the hockey armor that she had on before Ashley had come over. The bracer on her torn wrist had been broken beyond repair; the elastic bands that had held it in place had been shredded much like her arm, but now that there was Chloe, perhaps there was no need for the armor.

“Can you help me put this on?” Chloe motions to the sheathe she held with up. “How do you do this?”

“I think that thing goes through your belt.”

“I don’t have a belt.”

Rosaendra dug around the dresser at the foot of her bed and pulled from it a belt which she tossed over to Chloe. It barely fit her, which was to be expected; Chloe had wider hips that Rosaendra’s relatively slim build.

“Thank you,” Chloe said. “Sorry to ask, but do you have a hairband? Want to keep my hair out of my face.”

Rosaendra grabbed one from the top of her dresser and tossed it again. Chloe caught it and tied her black hair back in a ponytail.

“Let me get some other things,” Rosaendra said.

She went to the kitchen and put another full bottle of lighter fluid and another full box of matches inside her bag. She also pulled out one of the many first aid kits she had laid around the house, just in case. Ever since she left the cult, there had been something wrong with her blood; it was too thin, the doctors said, so when she bled, she bled a lot. Maybe that’s why blood was her given medium? Now that weakness could become a strength of hers. She tossed her backpack over her shoulders and secured it in place over her chest.

“Ready now?” Chloe asked as she finished buckling her shield over her arm.

“I am,” Rosaendra said as she finished tying up her own hair.

“Let’s go.”

Chloe could barely hold the excitement budding in her voice, and bleeding through the hurried steps she made out the apartment.