Time seemed to drag past, measured only by the beads of sweat that rolled down Madame Shu's face and the ragged breathing of her armsman as he lay on the ground. As you watched, slowly, his breathing seemed to ease, the colour returning to his face once more.<br/><br/>The tightness seemed to leave Madame Shu as her healing took hold, once more driving back the poison that it seemed still lingered. A few moments later she straightened up, shaking her head and looking around. "I think I have done all that can be done for now." she said, her voice weary. She smiled at Jiao as the other woman proferred a cup of water to her, draining half the cup before lowering it.<br/><br/>"Were you able to recover the sword?" she asked, looking at the two returned wu xia. "Did you see anything of the ogre?"