Knocking on that door was one of the hardest things Asabel ever had to do in her entire existence. She was right to be worried; when Avalon opened his front door and saw Asabel, another vampire drenched in swamp water, and Professor Hayden laying across Hollowguardian, unconscious, he immediately became angry. "What is going on?!" he hissed.

Asa talked, quickly. "Please ask Fripp to erase this man's memories of tonight. He and I found my friend in the swamp, and if he doesn't forget what happened, things will be worse for all three of us. I promise Zerxes and I will leave, but I just need you to tell Fripp to do this. Please, Avalon."

Thinking for a moment, Avalon said, "Bring him inside."

The vampires brought Professor Hayden into the house and laid him on a couch.

"It's not that simple to erase memories," Avalon said, frustrated. "Besides, it's only temporary. There needs to be another solution."

"Look, I don't know who this guy is, Asa, but my method would have been way simpler," Zerxes stated.

She shook her head. "Let me see Fripp. I'll do anything, Avalon. Just let me talk to him; he'll know what to do."

Avalon sighed. "Very well. I'll go put the horse back in the stable while I'm out."

He left the house and soon returned with Fripp. Asa stared at the cosmic being for a moment before saying, "I'm sorry. I need your help."

Asabel's voice was filled with defeat and shame. After briefing Fripp about what was going on, he simply nodded. "I will do what I can, but there's no guarantee he won't eventually regain his memories. In the meantime, why don't you two get cleaned up?"

"We need to leave; the sun will rise soon."

"There's not enough time. If you go out now, you'll be caught in daylight. You can both stay at my home until nightfall."

"Hey, wait a minute," Zerxes said. "Why should I trust a blue squirrel?"

"Cosmic being," Fripp and Asabel told him at the same time, and Fripp told him, "I assure you, no harm will come to you while I'm here."

"They're friends," Asa explained.

Avalon scoffed. "Hardly."

"Follow me," Fripp told them, ignoring Avalon.

Soon, Asa had a shower and some new, dry clothes. She wore a dark orange sweater and brown pants. While Zerxes was showering, Fripp spoke to Asa. "I am glad that you found one of your friends, and that he is no longer lost to you."

She nodded. "Thank you for letting us be here until tonight. I know you already have so much to deal with, and my prolonged stay isn't helping matters."

Fripp began to say something, but then, Zerxes entered the room, also dressed in new clothes. Fripp handed them both a bottle of rucibius. "Here. I'm sure you both need nourishment."

Zerxes narrowed his eyes. "I must have missed a lot. How do you know anything about rucibius? Us vampires were the only ones who knew the recipe."

"We found the recipe recently. There will be more bottles made for you before you leave."

"Fripp, you don't need to do that, especially after everything that's happened," Asa told him.

"It's no trouble," he responded. "Now, you two should get some rest before your journey."

Asa and Zerxes slept most of the day, and Asa was awakened by Fripp whispering her name. He motioned for her to go with him to another part of his home. He kept his voice low and steady, but she could tell he was nervous. "Asabel...I need your help."

That was one of the last things she expected to hear. "I don't know how I can. I almost destroyed the world; there's nothing I can do to make up for it."

"There is," he insisted. He told her that Anne, with the help of a Vala witch, performed a ritual that aged up Concorde, her soul horse. The ritual had caused a Chaos Vortex to form over Devil's Gap, and it threatened to destroy everything. "With the Vortex, Dark Core, and the resurgence of Vala magic, we need everyone to research and investigate different things so we can come up with a plan. The more people we have helping, the better."

Asa looked away. "I can't risk doing more damage than I already have. No one trusts me, anyway, and I don't blame them."

"Please, Asabel. We need you here. We may even find out what became of your other friends during our investigations."

"What?"

"Isn't it possible the remaining three may still be alive, so to speak?" Fripp suggested. "Do this, and I promise to do what I can to help you find closure. Then you may leave Jorvik when all of this is over."

Asa thought about this. "I'll have to talk to Zerxes about it."

"We will all be working together in the Fort Maria library. I assure you that you will both be safe."

"Fort Maria? But what if someone sees you?"

"The Keepers of Aideen can no longer hide ourselves; we must do all we can to save Jorvik."

Asa was quiet. She was torn. She wanted to help, but she didn't know if she could or if it would even be a good idea. Plus, Zerxes didn't know anyone, nor did he trust anyone. She said, "I can't promise anything. I can only talk to Zerxes and go from there."

"I understand. I will be waiting at the library for you if you decide to join us."