A whole week passed by. There were no answering texts or calls from Rose. Jace became more and more depressed. So he tried ingame.

He searched for her, got her coordinates and checked her status.

Althea, Healer Level 16

Lazarus sent her some resources for building. She had no choice but to accept them. She did not have the same capacity to send them back. Her few carts with lower capacity would have to take numerous time consuming trips if she were to do that. So she had allowed his long line of fully laden carts into her village. It wasn't her problem if he wanted to send precious Resources to her. His loss, she thought vehemently. What a fool! Did he really think he could win her back that way? It was shameless daylight bribery!

He remembered how badly they needed resources at that building stage to ensure a steady growth. All the buildings and mines needed to be levelled up. Training soldiers too needed huge amounts of Resources. So he had sent her 1,000,000 of each basic resource, food, ore, stone, wood and silver. At his level, his City was producing at an amazing rate.

Then he had tried going to her place. Her small growing village was still vulnerable. She could not afford a Shield yet. But he got no further than the main gates. Her guards denied him entry; politely at first, then with force. It was the Lady's implicit orders. Lord Lazarus was not to be allowed in at all costs.

Although he could have easily forced his way in with some of his army and demanded an audience with their Lady, it was not what he wanted. So he had left after sending her a message.

Please, talk to me. Just give me a chance to explain. It can't end like this. Please.

No response.

He had waited patiently in front of her village for several days. Every time he logged on, he would loiter at the Healer's village. He ignored her NPC's peeking at him from the main gates and windows. Her guards had doubled, then tripled and were extra vigilant, they knew full well if this ghost lord retaliated, they would be dead in a second. He was powerful but so far he kept to the social rules.

The week dragged on. Time seemed to crawl. He tried again and again.

In the end, he had taken one last look and turned dejectedly away. He was aware of her gaze on him. He had detected her hiding behind a building near the entrance. Well, that was that.

Please, I'm asking you for the very last time. I will not bother you again, if I don't hear from you soon.

The response was not what he wanted. She blocked him, sending a clear message without actually answering him.

Jace was devastated.

After that, he passed the time in Virtual keeping himself busy. He levelled up steadily, playing like a madman, spending almost all his waking hours ingame. He concentrated on running dungeons and upgrading his city. He Researched his Hero's tree, City's Enhancement tree and Army's tree. Now he could train more types of soldiers, both for offense and defense.

Sometimes he played alone, sometimes with Valentine. The Thief wanted to level up too. Valentine's promised team disappeared when he revealed Althea was in it. Lazarus just shrugged, his face going blank at the mention of her name. He talked less and less.

Ash was worried. In class, Jace became almost invisible. Spacing out, holding his hand phone at the back of the class, only coming to life briefly when addressed directly. He skipped meals and sometimes wore the same clothes consecutively for several days. He lost weight and rarely smiled anymore.

Rumours spread that Jace was broken hearted.

"You got to snap out of it."

"What?"

"This!" Ash indicated Jace. "This depression. It's not doing you any good."

"Did she text you?" Jace asked in a dull voice.

"You know she didn't."

"Oh," he replied listlessly and fell back into his stupor.

Ash looked helplessly at his friend. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to help. Jace was hurting.

"You know, she was the first girl in two years who didn't ..." Jace trailed off his voice cracking. Then he looked away, wiping unbidden tears with the back of his hand impatiently. "Damn it."

"Yeah, I know."

"I will just focus on the game now." Jace said, then added softly, "No more distractions. I'm so done."

Ash looked sadly at his friend. Damn, he could almost hear the emotional walls going up. He had to do something.

----------

Ash said a silent prayer as he pressed the 'Send' button.

Ash : Please Rose, give Jace a chance. He has gone crazy. He's not eating and is not himself. He looks terrible these days.

Rose : He is just being pathetic to get sympathy.

Ash : You know he is not like that. You are the first girl in two years whom he has actually opened up to.

Rose : Tell him to apologise for killing me, making me level down and ruining my perfect record. Better yet, tell him to 'unkill' me, then maybe I'll think about forgiving him.

Ash : Rose, you know he can't do that.

Rose : Then forget about it.

Ash : Stop being so childish and unreasonable. If you don't resolve this misunderstanding now, it will only get worse with time. Don't you think you've done enough sulking? He might get the wrong idea and think you don't want to be with him anymore.

Rose : Childish? Sulking? Who is sulking?

Oh damn. Ash read the text and winced. Maybe he should have used another word. Before he could think of a tactful way to answer her message, another came in.

Rose : I think he has the right idea. He is smarter than you.

Ash clenched his teeth and closed his eyes in frustration. She may be sixteen and two years younger than them but he believed she was mature enough to understand the circumstances. They both liked each other, so what was the big problem? Taking a steadying breath he texted her. Jace needed her. He was barely holding it together. He was falling apart.

Ash : Rose, please think this through. You both care for each other and should work things out. Unblock him, talk to him before it is too late.

Rose read Ash message and snorted. She decided not to text back. If she did, there will be no end to this absurd conversation.

He tried one more time.

Ash : He needs you. Please, don't push him away. Don't do this to him.

Rose blinked back tears as she saw what Ash has written. Stupid Ash, making her feel bad when it was all Jace's fault. Why wasn't he angry at being killed by his best friend? She didn't know what to say so she just let the conversation end there.

Ash waited in vain. Rose was ignoring him. He frowned. He had to think of another way to stop Jace from his free fall depression.

After a few minutes, his face brightened. "Why didn't I think of that? Sometimes I'm a genius!" he congratulated himself.

----------

Lazarus, Assassin Level 78 and Valentine, Thief Level 76 stood side by side. Anya and Tania stood in front of them.

Valentine had just levelled up and could now truly see the Familiars for what they were. Lazarus still hadn't chosen.

"Wow, they are awesome."

The Familiars started preening. They had followed Lazarus everywhere during the week, hoping to be chosen, popping up at the most unexpected places, often scaring him half to death. They had accompanied him in front of the Healer's village. That had been boring. They had run dungeons with him too and stalked his city from the outside when he was inside. He didn't allow them in since they were not of his pack. Something about them being dangerous wolfy predators who might scare the dwellers in there. How silly was that?

They had gotten to know Valentine too, since the two Heroes often ran dungeons together. The two wolves had even gone into the dungeons to help the Heroes ... because they had nothing better to do, they said. But Lazarus had the funny feeling that the wolves were judging them, evaluating them. They took turns guarding the two Ghost Lords, often switching between them, almost like they were testing each of them out. It was weird.

They were going to be chosen today. The dark haired human had promised them that they would be chosen by the fair headed one when he levelled up and could see them. Well, he could see them now. It was about time. They had waited long enough.

"You ready? Which do you want?" Valentine asked Lazarus.

The assassin shrugged. "You choose, I'm still undecided if I should."

"They were a big help in the dungeons. I think we wouldn't have been able to kill that crazy level 65 Boss if not for their help."

Before they could say anything else, Anya got up and padded over to Lazarus. Meanwhile, Tania went over to Valentine and transformed to human form. Anya didn't bother.

"This one is mine," Tania tugged at Valentine's shirt.

"Huh? But I thought I was supposed to choose."

Tania rolled her human eyes at him. "You took soooo long to be able to see us. I am not going to wait for you to choose. You might take forever." She glared fiercely at him making him gulp.

Tania, She-wolf wishes to be your Familiar. Accept / Reject.

"Umm ..."

Suddenly Valentine heard a low warning growl. He looked startled at the tanned girl beside him. She was growling at him, daring him to reject her.

Hastily he reached out to touch the 'Accept' button. He grinned sheepishly and hugged her briefly.

"I really was going to choose you, you know," He said. "You were awesome in the dungeons." She smiled happily.

Tania, She-wolf is now your Familiar.

Meanwhile, Lazarus was having his own conversation with the white wolf.

"I really shouldn't choose you," he said softly. When the white wolf looked down sadly, he took hold of her great furry head gently with both hands and held it up. "I would if I could Anya. I just don't want to hurt you when I have to leave you alone later. I don't know if I'm going to make it. I don't know how long I'm going to last in here."

She licked his face and gave a small whine.

"Oh? Really?" he seemed to hear something she said. "Are you sure?" he asked doubtfully.

She nodded and licked his face again.

"Okay then. If that is what you want. Just for as long as I last, okay? I can't promise you anymore than that. As long as you know the stakes." The assassin reached out to touch the thin air in front of him.

Anya, She-wolf is now your Familiar.

Valentine looked at Lazarus. "What did she say?"

Lazarus smiled sadly, "She says that she understands my situation. She said I can release her when I can't go on. She will be free to be chosen again."

Valentine's eyebrows shot up. "Oh, wow. It's all cool then."

"Yeah. She won't be tied down to me."

-----------

"You shouldn't have lied to him." Tania growled at Anya.

"I had no choice. He wouldn't have chosen me otherwise."

"Playing and having fun is fine but lying is not a good thing. You know we are bound to our chosen forever. What if he tries to release you later and can't?"

"He won't."

"Why not?"

"Because he is not well. I smell a strange sickness in him."

"All the more reason not to choose him."

Anya licked her nose and looked at her human. He was talking to the other one, Tanya's chosen. There was something about him. She remembered the way he had looked directly at her in the crowd of humans at Kwan's place. "No, I want this one."

"Are you sure? There are other healthier ones who will soon be able to choose. You just have to wait a little longer."

"No, I want this one. I like him," Anya repeated decisively. She cocked her head assessing the dark-haired human assassin with silver eyes, "He needs me. I will stay by his side."