Later that day, Ash was lounging on a mattress in Jace's small studio apartment. Jace had finally managed to get a cheap place that was near enough to walk to class. The one room affair had a bathroom, a tiny open kitchen area and a small living space. It was empty of anything remotely resembling furniture.

The thick comfortable mattress was in a corner along with Jace's duffel bags and a bag pack, where all his worldly possessions were stuffed in. Next to it, sat the VR gear from Simtrixx. His lap top was on an overturned crate, a make shift table. Jace was surfing the net checking something out.

"You know, you don't have to live like this."

"Like what?"

"Like this." Ash waved his arms around indicating the tiny empty studio apartment. "You don't have to rent this shoebox."

"It's cheap and convenient. You were the one bugging me to get my own place."

"I know, it's just that ... you know."

"No, I don't know. It is better than being a charity case at Lady Jayne's or sleeping in parks. It's all I can afford at the moment with the money from the Game. I'm saving most for the future and emergencies."

"At least get a proper bed and some furniture." Ash sighed. "Jace, seriously, you can just buy the whole goddamn building. Cash."

Ash was referring to Jace's accumulating allowance and trust fund. The generous monthly allowance that Jace wouldn't touch because it would be an admittance of needing his estranged father's financial help, of needing a family he wanted to forget. A family that had never been there for him when he had needed them the most. Ash had never met anyone as stubborn as his best friend.

Jace clenched his jaw and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't need the whole building. All I need is a place to sleep. This is good enough." His tone said that the discussion was over.

Ash rolled over onto his stomach. "You can't change who you are however hard you try."

"Don't go there Ash."

"Fine."

After a while, Jace muttered, "Simtrixx should really fix this loophole."

"What loophole?"

"The orb trials, Simtrixx should make it so that only the Hero requesting it should be able to do it, not his whole team. It makes things messy."

Now, one person could request their trial but the Hero could either solo it or try to complete it with a team, as long as members of the team were also eligible (level 50 and above). Those not eligible were automatically excluded.

"If a Hero who tagged along completed the Trial and got the Orb, not the Hero who requested it, then what?"

Ash shrugged. "I don't know. Guess Simtrixx will have to figure it out. What did you mean earlier when you said it was on the other side of the Portal?"

"Hmm ...?" Jace asked distractedly, tapping on the keyboard.

"You started to say something was on the other side of the Portal then you changed your mind and said something else."

"Well, you can't be too careful, don't want to give anything away."

"Okay, yeah, I get it. What's on the other side? ... besides the orcs and the Life Stone."

Jace stopped scrolling on his lap top to turn fully to Ash. The intense look was back on his face.

"The cure Ash, the cure to Lazarus's poison is on the other side."

"Huh?"

"Varbuk's sacred Illaru knife was made in his world, right? So the poisoned must be from there too. Why didn't I think of it before?"

"So the antidote or its ingredients must be from his world too?" Ash asked sitting up.

"Yeah, Ash ... I have got to go over and find out who made that dagger. I've got to find out what poison was used and get the antidote."

Ash frowned, not liking the idea of Jace going alone into unknown enemy territory. It was dangerous. It was full of bloodthirsty orcs ... it sounded like fun. He broke into a wide excited grin.

"Okay, I'm in. We will make it a group quest and go together. If the same system holds for the Portal like the Orb Trials, that means you can get the Orbs and I can follow you over, as long as I level up to level 80. Sweet!"

"Umm, there is one problem ... see?" Jace turned his lap top so that Ash could see the screen.

Ash read for a second. "Seriously!?! C'mon, that is not fair!"

"Yeah."

"What do they mean, even a Gatekeeper have to pass the Trials to go through? I though you could just call the others and borrow their Orbs. I thought we were special," he said mournfully stressing the last word indignantly.

"Apparently not." Jace couldn't help laughing at his friend's hurt ego. "I will have to meet all of you in there and complete your Trials to use your Orbs."

"Okay, you get the Orbs, then we go through together. Who first?"

"Isis," he said decisively. "I'll start from the bottom and work my way up to Constantine. He is the highest level."

"I'll give Vera a call to let her know I'm coming."

Just then an upbeat melody blared into the air making Ash jump.

"You changed your ringtone? The last one was a metal cover of classical rock, what's this one? I don't recognise the tune. It has a nice beat to it."

"It's a remix of a current popular Asian track," Jace said as he reached for his phone.

"Asian?" Ash asked. "Japanese?"

"Korean."

"Nice," Ash started drumming his fingers to the unique beat. "Let me know the song, I want to check it out."

"Okay." Jace smiled and nodded, "... and you said my taste in music is weird." His smile faded as he read the caller ID.

"What is it?" Ash asked noticing the strange look on his friend's face.

Jace looked up, his green eyes wide open in amazement. "It's mum."

----------------------------

An hour later, Dr. Jennifer Anderson arrived at her exclusive club with her son. She was dressed in a simple mauve dress. Cleverly tailored designs showed off her stunning figure. She did not need jewelry to enhance her natural beauty. Beautiful, smart and professionally acknowledged by her peers, Dr. Anderson was the epitome of success. Her only flaw was an invisible one, her relationship with her estranged family.

She was here to fix it, starting with her son.

Jace walked beside her, matching her pace. He smiled pleasantly at everyone. His charming manner and polite behaviour reflected his ingrained social upbringing. Everything had come back to him automatically. He looked gorgeous in a formal black suit and tie. He was every inch the son of Grayson Carter, the powerful and influential billionaire mogul. His calm and confident demeanour hid his racing heart and the nervous chaos in his mind.

He was here because she wanted to have dinner with him.

They made a handsome couple.

"Dr. Anderson, how nice to see you again," a man dressed smartly in a tuxedo greeted them. He smiled warmly at her in welcome as his eyes darted to the young man accompanying her.

"You remember my son, Jonathan?"

His eyes lighted up in recognition. "Ahhh, of course, Mr.Carter. It has been some time, sir. Welcome back."

Jace inclined his head politely at the maître d'.

"Please, follow me. Your usual table is ready."

He turned on his heels and personally led them to a private table. Dr. Anderson was a valued member in the club indeed. Her table was next to the floor to ceiling glass window which displayed the magnificent view of twinkling city lights below.

Once seated and ordered, Dr. Anderson scrutinised the young man seated opposite her. This time, she really looked at him. He had changed, she thought. He still had her fair complexion, dark hair and moody green eyes but he was much thinner than she remembered. He was also leaner, more muscular and broader of shoulder. The way he carried himself was also different. He was no longer the obedient, easy-going playful rich boy he once was. He now had a calm quiet confidence about him that came with coming to terms and accepting himself for who he was through hardships and experience.

He had matured.

The last time she had seen him, he had been unconscious and recovering from surgery. He had been very pale, his head bandaged and he had been tied securely to the hospital bed with needles and tubes in him. Seeing him in that condition had shaken her up badly and had broken her heart. She had vowed to be a better mother.

The elegant woman caught her son's eyes. She did not want to waste time. She got down to business. This was why she was here. She wanted to see if there was a chance to salvage her relationship with him.

"Jonathan."

His eyes met hers. "Yes, mother," he replied in a calm voice.

"Thank you for coming. I wanted to talk to you."

"Anytime. What is it you wanted to talk about?"

"I, umm ..." she trailed off and tried again. "I'm sorry, I'm not very good at apologising."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Mum ..."

She held up a slim hand, cutting him off before he could utter another word. "No Jonathan, listen to me. I have to say this before I lose my nerve." She drew in a breath and continued. "I want to apologise to you, for not being there when you needed me the most. It has been rough on you, I know. Unfortunately, I was also going through a tough time emotionally but that was not an excuse, I know that now and I'm sorry. When I saw you laying there in that hospital bed ..." she stopped then, biting her trembling lips, unable to continue.

"So you really were there. It wasn't a dream after all," he said softly.

"Yes, I was there ... " she reached for his hand across the table, " ... Jonathan, can you find it in your heart to forgive me? I was wrong. I don't want to lose you."

"Of course mum," his voice cracked. "I thought you did not want me in your life. I was so afraid you did not want to see me ever again." He blinked several times trying hard not to lose his composure.

"Thank you, darling." She breathed a sigh of relief as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I do want to be a part of your life, if you will let me." She gave him an apologetic smile. "I will try harder but you will have to help me. I admit, this is one thing I'm not very good at."

Dr. Jennifer Anderson, not being good at anything when she put her mind to it was unheard of. He gave a small laugh at her joke. He felt lighter than he had in months. He felt good, all his nervousness and fear melting away as he regarded the beautiful woman sitting  across him.

"We will help each other."