The Lady In Black, Part Sixteen

{Asuka}

Asuka and Iris waited anxiously in Zenith's apartment as the hours stretched on, the fading sunlight casting long shadows through the windows.

The atmosphere was tense, the worry palpable in their shared silence. As the sky darkened outside, a sense of unease settled over them like a heavy cloak.

Iris fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve, her voice hesitant as she broached the topic that hung heavily in the air.

"Do you think... maybe something happened to her?" Iris's eyes betrayed her concern, reflecting the flickering light of the single lamp in the room.

Asuka's expression tightened briefly before she responded, her tone laced with determination.

"No, no. If Zenith made it out of the dungeon Dylan left her in, then... Trust me, she can handle anything."

"It was that tough?" 

"Tough doesn't do that dungeon justice. I still can't even believe I made it out alive, you know? Even though I never fought anything."