Ven smiled, too, and looked around a few times, taking a few steps forward. It felt strange, after all this time, to look at something and understand it, and to move his own feet instead of just watching, uncomprehending as time passed somewhere beyond the light. They weren't his real feet, or eyes - he knew that - but all the same, it was nice.

He felt sure, now that he was ready. He could stand on his own.

But he couldn't go yet. There was still something he had to do.

"It's been awhile, hasn't it?"