“You’ll also be happy to know, Mister President,” Lusamine reached into the pile of garbage on her desk and grabbed a silver can of Monster Energy® Zero Ultra between her index finger and thumb. She took a sip. “That I’ve finished the spreadsheets.”

Armstrong’s face lit up. “About damn time. What do we got?”

“Nothing.”

Armstrong broke the chair even more, and Lusamine slid down even more. “Nothing! After all your damn filibustering about finding where it isn’t to find where it is, you’ve got nothing?”

“Ah,” Lusamine said. “Little do you know that nothing is actually a lot.”

“We’re not doing this again. Say it in five words or less.”

“Sure. The tree is moving.” She wiggled her mouse across the spread of sheets. “It could be anywhere. Including places we’ve checked.”

Armstrong let go of the chair. “For the love of God.”

“You can’t say that, it’s—” Suddenly, Lusamine’s brain exploded. She fell from her chair and into a pile of more garbage. Thousands of thorns coiled around her brainstem and dug into the folds of her mind. She tried to scream, but even her breath was arrested from her control.

And I waterd it in fears,

Night & morning with my tears:

And I sunned it with smiles,

And with soft deceitful wiles.

Lusamine understood everything now. She clambered up to her computer and scrolled through her spreadsheet. She highlighted one. “Found it.”

Armstrong leaned over. “That’s our current location!”

“I felt it just now,” said Lusamine. “The Qliphoth is here. It’s decided to show itself.” She looked at Armstrong and smiled. “This battlefield will be fertile ground.”

- Ragnarust Round 4