My dear, dear readers! Chapter 4 is going to be somewhat longer than the previous ones. I need to get this in a whole to make it naturally flow. I simply could not cut this story in half… But you will be clicking away to the end of this episode with much ease!

Azra met Murphy, and Murphy started his quest for Cheng Wang Liang. We will now return to Azra in China…

*****

The two days went by fast. It was Azra’s time to go home again. The intake interviews she had with Murphy were getting more interesting by the hour however.
– “Murphy…, I have no idea when I will be back. There‘s so much to do for me back home. I neglected so many things…. How will we proceed?“

– “Azra, let‘s not talk about time. We can just disable aging for a moment… We need to go back to where you first set foot on Chinese soil…. Can you tell me about that?
Were you already living in Riverview at the time, or did you travel into China from somewhere else?

Follow me…, I am taking you to a good meditation spot. Try to meditate and empty your head of all things but Cheng…. Can you do that? Anyway…, I have to be in Twinbrook next week, is it any close to Riverview? I could travel back with you there. It would give us some more time to talk about some of the details. I found out a thing or two….”

Murphy had asked Ho to do some info digging.
– “Ho…, can you do something for me?… Please go to the local NPC registry office and find out about all Wang Liangs who ever lived here in Shang Simla. Please report to me by using your cell phone, and… don‘t discuss any of this with Azra.“

Murphy traveled back with Azra. Close to the National Airport, just between Twinbrook and Riverview, they decided to spend the night at the local Inn. Murphy was wrapped up in his own thoughts. Ho‘s call this afternoon confirmed what he already had figured out. He would not discuss this with Azra just now. She looked kinda down as it was.

Azra went ahead to see if they still had lodgings available for them, and… oh… Murphy…. Murphy had to take a deep breath before following her inside. He found this woman all too charming!

The Inn welcomed the weary travelers with warmth and comfort. A fire was lit and a pot of hot coffee was set out for them.

Murphy struggled. He had a hard time setting his records straight. He did find out a thing or two about Cheng Wang Liang, or NPC‘s abroad in general. He had discovered, thanks to Ho, that there were many, many Cheng Wang Liangs all over the gaming world. Finding Azra‘s Cheng was a near impossible job to do. He also had a more personal reason for not sharing all this knowledge with Azra. Murphy was falling for her…. Falling hard!

The sun rose and the air was full of sounds. Summers at this point are lazy…; nothing much happening and the air full of anticipation of change to come….

– “Azra? Are you ready for breakfast?” Murphy was talking to the door to Azra‘s room. “I‘ll see you downstairs in a bit!“

It was Azra who was downstairs before Murphy. He had been talking to just a door.
– “Did you sleep well?“ Azra asked him.

Murphy told Azra he needed some extra time, where travelling was involved. There were rumors of a big group of Chinese NPC‘s hunting for treasure in the Al Simhara region, not far from Cairo. Azra said she had plans to travel to Egypt to play at the Cairo Philharmonic. So maybe they could head out there together?

As Azra got up to pick up her phone, Murphy was thinking about Ho‘s phone call earlier telling him about the NPC tourists. He was thinking how he could do some research without Azra on his tail. Yes, he liked her too much, but for his benefit and future things to come it was better she didn’t know all the details now. All he needed was time. Conflict situation though…He was hired to do a job. To find Cheng. But he needed the time for Azra‘s memory of Cheng to fade away into the background too.

It was an emergency call from her agent in Riverview. Azra was summoned to show up at the theater this afternoon.

All what seemed so simple in the beginning, started to look more difficult by the minute.
– “Murphy, I have to go. You go ahead and travel to Egypt. I‘ll get in touch with you when I get there.”

For Murphy this scenario was the best of two worlds. He had some time to do some research alone, and he would meet Azra again after! First he would go to Twinbrook as planned, and then pack his bags and take the first flight to Egypt.

Azra had been working like crazy in Riverview for two weeks and finally travelled to Egypt. After giving three concerts in Cairo, she was on her way to Al Simhara.

In her small but comfortable house she purchased awhile ago, she got some rest. She had time to answer some fan mail and make a new concert schedule. Now it was about time she gave Murphy a call.

Murphy had been in Al Simhara for a week already. He was told by the local Inn keeper that the Chinese tourist group had already left. There were maybe one or two still here and he should check out base camp, right next to the river.

All he had to do was wait; they would turn up eventually, returning from whatever adventure they were doing. And then, one of them sat next to him. He was one of the NPC‘s living a multi dimensional life.

– “I believe you are from China?” Murphy started out. “You must know Azra Romanov, she owns a house in Shang Simla, that’s where you’re from isn’t it?”

– “You are right about Shang Simla, but I don‘t know of any Azra person-“

– “That‘s strange, but maybe you know Cheng Wang Liang?“
– “Oh Yes!, Cheng and I went to school together! How do you know him?“
– “I don‘t“ said Murphy. “He‘s a friend of Azra‘s.“
– “That‘s strange, never heard of any Azra. No, you must be mistaken, Cheng doesn‘t know any Azra.”

Murphy summarized things up. It was as he had thought. A multi dimensional Sim! A hard nut to crack. But he had a lead. The locals had been talking about a gate in one of the pyramids. A gate, if unlocked could open up a passage to different dimensions. He wanted to check that out right away. This was a breakthrough!

In one of the smaller pyramids, he found a secret door. Was this the secret gate? Maybe this would lead somewhere…. Maybe this would open up the extra dimensions…

*Fred says: I know Murphy is wearing something else… he didn’t want to get his gear dirty so he quickly put on another outfit*

Murphy needed all his strength and finally the door budged…

Blackness…. The air on the other side felt strange to his skin.

Murphy pushed his way through the portal. It didn‘t feel good. The air was thick and he heard strange muffled sounds, voices of many… many people. What WAS this place?

He felt a change in his body the minute he crossed the threshold…. This was not good!
His cell phone rang…, AZRA!!!
Quickly he pulled back. He needed more time to prepare for this. Azra‘s call was great timing, he thought. He had missed her.

The door was open. He went inside to look for her. He was nervous. Why? He never was nervous! He had the courageous trait.

Azra was sitting on her bed, – “Murphy?“

He leaped and landed on the bed beside her. They just looked at each other and it felt as if they had known each other forever. It was so good seeing her again! They talked and talked, not until an hour later Murphy mentioned his research…about finding Cheng…
*…Silence*

Azra got up and went downstairs to fix them something to eat. Murphy was hungry… but not for any food.
Neither was Azra.

– “What‘s wrong Azra? Was it something I said?’ Murphy noticed the change in Azra’s mood right after he had mentioned Cheng, how could he have ruined the moment just there? Talking about timing… Azra struggled with her feelings, what was wrong with her? Why was she feeling so down all of a sudden? Just a couple of minutes ago she felt on top of the world, but then Murphy mentioned Cheng. She felt so bad not having thought of Cheng for a couple of days now? Was it days?

– “Oh no Murphy! Nothing you said! I…, I don‘t know…. I‘m so sorry!”
– ” ….SShh.. shush… oh girl…” Murphy put his arms around her to comfort her and then it happened!

He kissed her.

Azra wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. She kissed him back. They kissed with a hunger and an intensity they had never felt before… and they hungered for it to be eternal. Never wanting it to end…ever!

Murphy carried Azra back upstairs. Back to the bedroom.

They made love…. Passionate love, endless love…, again and again!

As Murphy watched Azra drift off to sleep, he was thinking about how he had to proceed with his mission. Now that he opened the gate it could be possible. The thing was though, he wasn‘t just thinking about how to proceed, but what to do with it. Just now he had opened another gate as well. There were now two missions…

Should he tell Azra what he had found?

To be continued…