Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“So what’s going on?” asked Hugo as he stepped off the gondola after Varian and Nuru. The palace loomed behind them as they made their way towards the treeline where Yong was waiting.

“Yong has something to show us,” said Nuru. “He’s been working on it on the side while we’ve been helping King Edmund out.”

“Almost done…” said Yong, as he was tightening a bolt on a large blocky machine set on four wheels and with a funnel sticking out the side. He looked up with a smile as they came near. He jumped up and splayed out his arms in excitement. “Ta-da!”

The three others humored Yong with smiles even though they were confused about what they were smiling at. Ruddiger crept forward and sniffed the machine curiously.

“What do you think?” prompted Yong.

“Want to tell us what we’re looking at first?” Hugo teasingly asked.

“Oh yeah,” said Yong. He reached for a burlap sack next to him. “So I was thinking… We've been helping rebuild the kingdom but that’s not gonna do much if people can’t get here right? They need more roads!”

The other three nodded in agreement as Yong started pouring something from the bag into the funnel.

“So that’s what I made!” continued Yong. “With just a little combustion, this blast furnace will melt the gravel down to make a path that’ll last way longer!”

“Combustion?” asked Varian nervously. “Like… continual explosions? With black powder?”

“Yup!” said Yong excitedly. Varian looked a bit panicked at this. His eyes started to dart around the machine like he was looking for a weakness. Yong finished pouring in the gravel and tossed the bag away. “Let me show you!”

Nuru was watching Yong but Hugo was watching Varian- who looked like he was in the middle of an internal crisis. As Yong reached for the lever on the machine Varian’s hand reached towards the younger boy and he seemed to be dying to say something to stop the proceedings. But before Yong pulled the lever down he smiled at Varian and paused. Hugo watched as Varian took a steadying breath and then put his hand down. He smiled back at Yong and nodded supportively.

With that Yong yanked down the lever and the machine jolted to life, chugging and vibrating before starting to roll forward. After a few feet they heard the telltale signs of explosions going off inside the metal plating and a moment later a chute opened up at the bottom. As the machine moved forward a substance started to pour out leaving a dark trail on the ground, but then the machine stopped, the chugging and popping increasing until the whole thing started to shake violently. Pieces started rattling apart and falling to the ground.

Yong rushed forward and slammed the lever back up, turning the machine back off. He turned back to the group sheepishly.

“Guess it needs a bit more work,” he said. “But, that’s the idea… so… what do you-?”

Varian had already rushed forward and pulled Yong into a hug. Yong laughed and happily hugged before Varian let go to look at the machine. “It’s amazing,” said Varian. “You came up with this yourself?”

“Well,” said Yong, his cheeks red from the praise. “I’ve been watching you so I borrowed some of your methods but kind of just added my own spin.”

Varian wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. “It’s beautiful. And it almost didn’t start falling apart.”

“Yeah,” said Yong. “I know there’s no more time to work on it now. But maybe after we find the Library… Can you help me finish it?”

Varian seemed surprised by this request but then smiled. “Yes, I don’t see why not, I mean after the Library we’ll have lots of time.”

As they started making their way back to the castle Hugo touched Varian’s shoulder. Varian stopped and looked back at him curiously.

“I’m impressed, Goggles,” said Hugo.

“Impressed?” asked Varian in confusion. “With Yong?”

“No, with you,” said Hugo. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you wanting to step in there. You were worried he was gonna blow things up again, weren’t you?”

Varian rubbed the back of his neck guilty. “Oh, well, knee jerk reaction I guess. But… at least I didn’t actually say something right?”

Hugo nodded. “That’s what I’m saying. You trusted him. It’s good to let people make their own mistakes.”

“Oh,” said Varian, realizing what Hugo was saying. “Yeah, I guess… I guess I did.” Varian laughed. “Never thought I’d be hearing that from you, though. So you think people can be trusted then?”

Hugo seemed taken aback by that statement but shook his head and started walking after Nuru and Yong again. “I never said that.”

Varian watched Hugo for a moment with curiosity but then followed as well.

~ * ~

They were deep down under the castle, the dark stone hallways dimly lit with an occasional sconce which made their shadows flicker on the walls. Adira led the way with confidence as Hector followed at the rear, supposedly to make sure none of them took a wrong turn and got lost. This was especially true when a side hall opened up to reveal a sewer flowing with lava which nearly distracted all four of them before he shooed them forward.

“The entrance isn’t far now,” said Adira. “Stay close. No one has been down this way for almost two decades.”

“Since my mom,” added Varian. He looked at her curiously and asked, “Did you show her the way, too?”

Hector laughed. “That was your father. He was the only one willing to trust her after she and the grumpy one trespassed.”

“Trespassed?”

The four teens looked back at Hector for an explanation but Adira was the one who clarified. “Supposedly, in their attempt to locate the trail they found the moonstone and tried to touch it. It’s actually how the lovebirds met.”

“I insisted they be dealt with immediately for their crimes against the Kingdom,” said Hector. “But our brother let himself be charmed by a pretty face.”

“But they didn’t mean to cause trouble, right?” Asked Yong. “They were just lost?”

“So they said,” said Hector. “But strangers can never be trusted at face value.”

“True,” said Hugo. “So maybe he didn’t trust them. Sounds more like he was trying to keep a close eye on them.”

“Must have been a very close eye,” said Nuru with a smile. “Considering they ended up together.”

Varian’s cheeks tinted red and he seemed deep in thought. He was so distracted he nearly bumped into Adira who had just stopped in front of a large stone arch. The stones making up the arch were transcribed with runes and each side of the arch was decorated with fractal patterns.

“This is the entrance to the trial,” said Adira. “I should warn you that this one is quite dangerous. Many have perished inside and your mom nearly did as well.”

Varian had already brightened up and pulled his mother’s journal from his pack. He seemed to ignore Adira as he opened to one of the bookmarks and started cross-referencing it with the runes.

“Your concern is heartwarming,” said Hugo. “But considering the first trial nearly ended with Sparkles and Hairstripe taking a swim in molten hot lava, I think we’re aware of the dangers.”

Nuru nodded. “Demanitus didn’t want just anybody getting to the Library. But we aren’t just anybody.”

“So much confidence,” said Hector. “Nephew!”

Varian looked up from the journal, startled by Hector’s sharp tone.

“Don’t make us have to tell your father that this is where your story ended,” said Hector, his tone straddling the line between commanding and caring.

Varian smiled. “We’ve got this,” he assured. “We’ll see you soon.”

Hector nodded. “Come then, Sister.”

“Good luck, Varian,” said Adira. “Good luck Princess, Hairfluff, Beanpole.” Then she followed Hector away, leaving the four of them to their task.

“Alright then,” said Hugo. “How do we do this one, Goggles?” Hugo asked Varian.

Varian went back to staring down at the journal and walked through the arch. Just beyond was a small, dark, and circular room with a similar archway at the opposite side. Though this one was also adorned with runes, its entrance was sealed.

“Well,” said Varian, as the other three gathered around behind him. “Thanks to the work I did decoding my mom’s journal I know exactly what these say. The runes out there just marked the entrance and warned people away. But these,” he pointed to the arch ahead of them. “Are a riddle.” He held the book up higher.

“Ah-hem. I am the end, all future decay, In demise and destruction, I lay. Your habits of order, To cease my disorder, Only hasten my final hooray.”

“He’s doing limericks now?” quipped Hugo. “Who rhymes ‘order’ with ‘disorder’?”

“Ooh! Oh! I got this,” said Yong, hopping with eagerness. “I am the end… the end… um…destruction...and disorder, so it’s gotta be war?”

Varian smiled kindly at Yong’s guess as the others watched with amusement. “Good thinking, Yong, but-”

“Oh or, or it’s like getting old,” rattled Yong. “Or like-”

“Um, Yong?” Interrupted Nuru. “I’m sure you’re going to get it, but Varian might already have the answer.”

Varian nodded meekly. “Well, yeah, I do. It was in the journal.”

Yong visibly deflated and Varian hastened to add on. “But you’re really close, Yong. What do those things have in common?”

Yong seemed happy at the chance to solve it himself and tapped his temple in thought.

“It’s a scientific principle,” hinted Varian. “It’s why your explosions happen.”

This clue seemed to jog Hugo’s brain and he lit up. He opened his mouth to guess but Nuru clapped a hand over his mouth and shot him a look, “Don’t you dare say a word,” she hissed.

“Um… it’s um,” said Yong, his eyes screwing up with the effort. “Destruction, explosions. They’re caused by... by- OH! By entropy!”

The runes lit up a bright teal blue and the stone blocking the archway slid down into the floor to reveal a passage.

“Hey! Way to go, Yong! You got it!” said Varian, holding his hand up for a high five that Yong cheerfully accepted.

Nuru dropped her hand from Hugo’s mouth, looking very pleased with herself. Hugo rolled his eyes in response but couldn’t suppress his smile at the boy’s excitement.

~*~ 

They walked forward into the long dark passage before them. Both sides were made entirely of what seemed to be polished obsidian which reflected them as shadowy silhouettes. Varian pulled his staff from his back and let it light up but even then their reflections remained like shadows.

“Spooky,” said Yong, tapping the wall with apprehension.

“Yes,” said Varian, “But spooky is not dangerous. Let’s just keep going. We just need to reach the end of this tunnel.”

They walked forward, occasionally glancing sideways at the walls. Yong, trailed behind a bit, fixated on his shadow. As he looked at it, a second shadow split off from his as if reflecting someone beside him. Yong looked, but there was no one there. He looked back. The shadow looked like Varian’s and as Yong watched it he could hear Varian’s voice in his head. “Not now, Yong. I’m too busy.” Yong, shocked, looked over to where Varian was walking ahead with the others, but his mouth wasn’t moving even as the voice continued. “There’s just too much to do. Too much to learn now that the Library’s been found.”

Then Yong heard a second voice and saw another shadow that looked like Nuru. “There’s really no reason for you to be here. You’re too young to understand any of this.”

And now Hugo’s shadow joined. “Hope you had fun adventuring, Kid, but now it’s time to leave the adults alone and head back home to your family.”

Then a fourth voice joined in and Yong recognized it as his own. “But, I thought we were…” The three other shadows dissipated, leaving Yong’s all alone.

Yong stood in shock at what he’d just seen and heard. Tears stung his eyes and he wiped them away.

“Yong!” called Varian. Yong jumped and looked over to see that this was the real Varian calling for him. He shook himself and ran after the others.

“I wonder what’s up with him?” asked Nuru, looking back at Yong who was now jogging to catch up. She turned to look back forward when her eye caught something in the reflection. She did a double-take and realized there was another shadow standing next to hers. “Zuri?”

The shadow of Zuri had her head in her hands and her shoulders shook. Nuru listened in fear as the sound of her sister crying started to fill her ears. “It’s gone. You’re too late! Oh, Nuru. All that time wasted when you should have been here for your people! For your family! Instead running away to the edges of the world for a library that couldn’t even help us!” Both Nuru and her shadow reached out for her sister but she vanished into the mirror.

“Wh-what?” stuttered Nuru. She rubbed her eyes as tears started to form.

She felt Varian’s hand on her shoulder and turned to look at him. “It’s okay. I-It’s not real,” he said sympathetically. “Mom said it shows you your worst case scenario. Basically, like, your worst fear.”

Nuru let out a shuddering breath. “Y-you sure?” she asked.

Varian nodded. “It’s showing me the Library. But it’s a Library that’s completely empty. Not a single book. No knowledge. No answers. No sign of what happened to… to my…”

“To your mom,” finished Nuru.

Varian smiled sadly, “Yeah.”

Nuru looked down. “I see my sister. She’s telling me that I’m too late to save Koto. That I’m selfish for being here and not there with my family.”

Varian squeezed her shoulder. “Your sister was the one who gave her blessing for you to do this,” he reminded her. “And we still have plenty of time to stop that comet, right?”

Nuru sniffled but nodded. “Yeah. Yes, you’re right.”

Yong ran into the two of them, hugging them tightly. “It’s telling me that after the trials you’re all going to get too busy for me and want me to go away.”

“And see, that’s something we would never let happen,” said Varian. “It’s just a trick. Right, Hugo?”

He looked over at Hugo who was still staring into the obsidian.

“Hugo?” repeated Varian. “Hugo!”

Hugo shook his head and blinked his eyes as they refocused. He looked at the others and cleared his throat before responding. “Y-yeah?”

“Hugo, what did you see?” asked Yong.

Hugo shook his head again. “Nothing. It’s nothing. Like Goggles said, it’s just trying to mess with us.” He started striding down the hallway. “Come on, let’s just get out of this depressing place.”

The other three looked at each other then followed.

“You uh, don’t want to talk about it?” asked Varian, catching up to Hugo with the effort as he walked briskly.

“You know, Goggles,” said Hugo as amicably as possible. “I would but you know that touchy-feely stuff doesn’t really do it for me, and anyway after all of you shared your deepest fears mine would just be so boring and, oh look! We made it to the end! Gotta focus on getting out of here.” They stopped in front of another arch covered in runes. “Go ahead, Short, Dark, and Nerdy,” said Hugo. “Tell us what to do next.”

Varian seemed unconvinced by Hugo’s bravado but dropped any more attempts to pry as he looked back down at the journal.

“These runes say ‘Shadows of Heart, May one day be set free. Nothing is for certain. Reach forward and you shall see,” explained Varian.

“I liked the limerick better,” said Hugo.

“Shadows of Heart,” said Nuru. “So everything we just saw.”

“What does it mean, ‘be set free,” asked Yong anxiously.

“Nothing,” said Hugo, now starting to sound irritated. “It’s just trying to scare us, right Goggles?” Varian stared at the inscription a beat longer.

“It’s right.”

“I'm sorry- What?”

“Entropy is about lack of order or reason. Everything that’s unpredictable. Life is unpredictable. I think it's trying to tell us what we just saw is... possible. And that we have to accept that.” Varian grimaced. The group fell quiet.

“...So the library might not be able to help any of us,” Nuru said solemnly.

“And everything we saw might happen?” Yong squeaked.

“No.” Varian's gaze turned stern and full of conviction. “Possibility doesn’t mean probability. Just because we might not find what we need doesn’t mean we give up. The library is still the best shot we all have. We need to find it.” After another tense moment, each one of them nodded in agreement.

“...So what do we do?” said Yong

“We reach forward,” said Varian. He tucked his staff against his side and used his now free hand to touch the wall in their way. Hugo immediately followed suit. Nuru and Yong reached out more slowly but as soon as their fingers touched the stone it dissolved into a dark smoke that quickly dissipated into the air, not unlike the shadows they’d just all seen in the obsidian mirror.

Beyond, they saw a massive cylindrical room. In the dead center, about fifty feet across was a circular slab. Around this were five evenly spaced pillars, each varying in height from about four to five feet.

They entered cautiously, looking around at the simple layout for clues. Hugo walked along the wall, he ran his fingers lightly over top and realized there were long lines carved into it that occasionally turned at right angles without a perceivable pattern.

Yong walked to the pillars and took a closer look at them. When he looked at the first up-close he saw that it had an oddly shaped, roughly fist-sized hole in the side, near the top. The next pillar had a similar hole, though the shape of it was not quite the same.

Nuru inched up to the slab in the middle of the room and tapped it with her toe, but for now, it did not seem like more than simple stone, though a single rune was carved in the middle.

Varian started paging through his journal once more. “Okay,” he said. “So this is where I started having trouble figuring out what she was saying. She kept switching up the code… But this room has something to do with the totems. The ones we have already. That rune there in the middle… that says ‘trust’. And that’s what this part is all about. Demanitus wants us to trust him enough to give up the totems we have in order to find the next one. Then there’s something about them falling? Or something falling. Trust falls? But whatever it is, it leads to the next part which is…” Varian held up the journal to turn it, discerning a rough diagram in the pages. “-some kind of labyrinth I think?”

“So, step one totems, then?” said Hugo.

“Step one, totems,” agreed Varian, slinging off his bag and rummaging through it. “Let’s see, let’s see, they’re… oh here! Fire!” Yong, who was closest, came to take the totem as Varian held it up. Then he walked back to the nearest pillar and reexamined it. He looked between the hole and the totem before trying to push it inside. He frowned when it didn’t fit.

“Oh, good thinking,” said Nuru. “You probably have to match it to the right one.”

“Match it! Right,” said Yong, running to the next pillar to try it out. He fumbled with it for a moment, turning it until, finally, it slid into place. “Hey!” It fits!”

“Perfect,” said Hugo, striding over, “Let’s do the others then.”

“Here’s water,” said Varian. He handed it to Hugo then pulled out the next one. “Uh, and here’s the air totem.” Nuru came and took this one. Varian fished out the final totem and stood. “And earth. Let’s do it.”

The three of them tried to match their totem to the correct hole like Yong did, moving back and forth between the pillars until one by one they each found the correct place and slid their piece inside with satisfying ease. Nothing happened.

“What about the fifth one?” asked Nuru.

Yong rushed over to the remaining pillar and found that it had a hole like the others, though this one was a bit smaller in size. Yong’s brow furrowed, considering it, then looked down at his own hand. “I think it wants me to…” Yong put his hand inside.

A resounding click permeated the room and they all looked around for the source. There was a brief pause that followed before the rumbling started. The four pillars with totems inside sank into the floor and disappeared from sight with only Yong’s remaining where it was. Then more rumbling, this time a bit stronger, shook the room and the circular slab in the middle sank down into the floor and then split into wedges that slid apart to reveal a massive pit.

Silence reigned once more as Varian, Nuru, and Hugo inched towards the opening. They looked down to see complete darkness within. Varian pulled out one of his usual chemical vials, shook it to light it up then dropped it down. The glow shrank to a pinpoint before vanishing entirely. They listened, waiting for the sound of it hitting the bottom but not a single pin-drop met their ears. They looked back up at each other, apprehension on their faces.

“Guys? Guys help!” Shouted Yong. They looked over to see Yong with his hand still in the final pillar. “I’m stuck!” Yong was leaning back and tugging on his own arm in a desperate attempt to free himself. They rushed over to look. The hole seemed unchanged but each of their efforts to get him out failed. “What’s happening?” asked Yong, scared.

“Now don’t panic,” said Varian. “It’s probably all part of the trial. Just don’t panic. It’ll be okay.”

“Okay, well what’s next then?” asked Hugo.
Varian, getting flustered, looked back through the pages. “I… I’m not sure. I thought. I thought that would do it.” He knelt down on the floor, the book in front of him so he could use both hands to examine it. “They’d fall down and then… but there’s just that hole now and… and…” Varian looked over at the pit and his eyes widened. He let out a nervous laugh and looked back down at the journal. “N-no. That couldn’t be what she meant. There’s no way. There must be...”

“Goggles? What is it?” asked Hugo, his attention now fully on Varian as the other two continued trying to free Yong.

Varian looked back at the pit. “It’s about trust,” he muttered. He got to his feet, leaving the journal on the ground, and walked slowly to the edge. “It’s not the totems falling… it’s…” He looked back at the others. “Uh… you all just wait here, okay?”

“Easy enough for Yong,” said Nuru distractedly, now trying to use some oil to slick up Yong’s hand.

Hugo, though, had eyes locked on Varian and watched with shock as Varian took another step closer to the pit. “Goggles?” Then another. “Hey- hey now! Woah woah woah!” Varian was about to step off the edge as Hugo darted to him and yanked him back by his vest. Varian fell painfully onto the stone floor.

“Ow!” exclaimed Varian. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“W-what am I doing?” bellowed Hugo, standing over Varian in bewildered outrage. “What are you doing? You were about to nose-dive straight into ye olde endless abyss of doom.”

“That endless abyss of doom is exactly where we need to go,” said Varian, getting back on his feet and dusting himself off. “ I just didn’t realize it until now. That’s what my mom meant by falling. Someone needs to fall down there to complete the next part.”

“Now wait just a minute,” said Hugo, putting himself between Varian and the edge. “If we need to get down there we’re smart enough to figure out a way to do it. Alchemy or a balloon, or hey, crazy thought. How about a rope?”

Varian shook his head. “No. That won’t work. Knowing Demanitus, it might even make things worse. This is about trust, Hugo. Trust. If I don’t show trust then it won’t let me in.”

“How could you know that?” said Hugo. “A moment ago you had no clue what to do.”

“The notes didn’t make sense until now. Now, it does,” said Varian, gesturing to the journal on the ground. “‘Trust falls’. It even said trust right on top. Think about what Demantius is trying to tell us. The science of entropy. Uncertainty. Expansion. Letting go of order. That’s what he wants from us.”

“And what if you’re wrong?” asked Hugo, voice tense.

Varian looked down solemnly. “That’s why I’m going to be the one to try it. Because if I am wrong then at least I’m the only one who has to pay for it.” He started to step around Hugo, but Hugo side-stepped in his way.

“So noble and heroic,” said Hugo. “But also certifiably insane logic. I'm not gonna trust some old dead guy's death trap.”

Varian glared and tried again to get around. “Just trust me then, okay? I know what the risks are.”

Hugo grabbed Varian’s shoulders and pushed him back from the pit a few feet. Varian twisted in his grasp. “Hugo. Hugo, let go of me.”

“I’m not letting you jump down there, Freckles. We’ll find another way.”

“What happened to letting people make their own mistakes?” asked Varian accusingly.

“Not when it means certain doom!” said Hugo exasperated. “This is completely different.”

“You’ve asked me so many times to trust you!” spat Varian. “Why can’t you trust me on this?”

“Fine,” Hugo shoved Varian back. “But it’s going to be me, then.”

“What? No!” argued Varian. “Why you?”

Hugo stood up straight and flipped his ponytail. “Maybe I want to be the heroic one today.”

“No way,” said Varian, pulling a pink ball from his pocket. “My theory. My risk.” He tossed the ball, but Hugo saw it coming and threw one of his own to knock it away. He pulled out another and tossed it back at Varian.

“So selfless,” said Hugo. “But how are we supposed to find the Library if you don’t make it?”

Varian barely dodged out of the way Hugo’s bright blue ball crashed into the floor, icy spikes splaying across the stone.

“You’ll still have the journals,” said Varian, making a break for the pit, Hugo caught him by the arm, holding him back. Varian turned and tried to get Hugo off of him. They both locked onto each other and started to grapple, each trying to get closer to the edge than the other.

“Guys! What-” started Nuru, only just now realizing what was happening. She started to walk forward but both Hugo and Varian looked at her sternly.

“Stay back!” they yelled together. Nuru hesitated and they looked back at each other.

“I’m older,” said Hugo.

“Because I care about that,” said Varian.

“You have your mother to find,” reminded Hugo.

Varian stiffened at this, fixing Hugo with intense sincerity. “My mother who might not even be there to find. What about you? What about your goals? Your dreams!”

Hugo shook his head. “Not important. Not when…” He bit back the rest of his sentence. There was a beat, then Hugo tugged Varian’s vest halfway off and twisted it around his arms, effectively tangling the man as he was pushed to the ground. “Sorry, Goggles.”

Hugo sprinted for the pit.

“No!” cried Varian. He pulled an arm free and tossed another ball after him. It burst into bubbles just as Hugo leaped forward. One of the bubbles caught Hugo’s leg, holding him up in the air as Varian raced to jump first. Hugo pulled out a dagger and burst the bubble just as Varian was beneath him. Hugo grabbed the other alchemist and they both tumbled down into the dark.

“No!” Yong and Nuru screamed as they saw the other two disappear. Yong was still stuck in place but Nuru ran forward.

“Varian! Hugo!” She yelled. Before she could reach the edge another rumble rattled the room. She stopped, flinging her arms out to keep upright. As this quake died down the walls lit up, bright blue light shining through the carved lines. It caught Nuru and Yong’s attention and they looked around realizing the lines formed a large elaborate maze. It wrapped around the entire wall from one side of the arch to the other. At the center, on the opposite side of the arch was a circular portion of the maze and after a moment two dots appeared in the middle of it. Nuru turned and looked back at Yong, both of their faces a mix of fear and wonder.

~ * ~

Deep down inside the stone pit, far beyond the last shreds of light from above, the darkness became impenetrable and all-encompassing.
Varian groaned and pushed himself up from the floor. He tried to look about but it was as if he hadn’t opened his eyes at all. He held his hand right in front of his face but couldn’t perceive it at all. He pressed the palm to his face, needing confirmation that it was there. Then he started patting down the rest of his body, seeing the only way he could, with his fingertips. He imagined himself in outlines, a rough sketch without color or detail.

“I’m okay,” he muttered. “I’m okay! Hah! I was right! I knew it! I- wait… Hugo!” He started patting the floor around him, a smooth unyielding floor added to the sketch in his mind. “Hugo! Oh please. Please be okay.”

There was another groan from the dark, this time in Hugo’s voice. “Why? So you can gloat at me?”

“Hugo?” Varian crawled toward the sound of Hugo’s voice.

“Right here, Goggles,” Hugo said. There was the sound of shifting and then Hugo drew in a breath. “It’s so cold down here.”

Varian just kept shuffling forward until his fingertips brushed woolen-covered knees. He kneeled up and raised his hands higher, brushing over biceps, then shoulders, then finally a bespeckled face.

“Hey, watch the glasses there,” said Hugo, putting his own hands over Varian’s to steady them.

“Are you okay?” asked Varian.

“Yeah, fine,” Hugo assured. “You good?”

“Yes! Yes, I am, and you know why?” Varian didn’t wait for a response. “Because I was right!”

Hugo shoved him off. “I knew it.”

Varian laughed.

“Don’t get too cocky about it,” said Hugo to the sound of his hands feeling around his pockets. “Can’t even see anything. How do you know we’re not just trapped down here forever.” A moment later, pink light shone out from a small vial in Hugo’s hand and filled the space with its soft glow. Despite his words to the contrary, the light revealed a small smile on Hugo’s face before he could stifle it.

“Only way to know is to find out,” replied Varian as he pulled out another glowing vial, blue now mixing with the pink, creating violet light where they intersected. He got to his feet and cast the light around, willing it to reveal a clue of some kind. The room was circular like before, but with large openings on either side. He approached these and looked out to see empty hallways extending left and right. Hugo went to look out the other side.

“See anything?” asked Varian.

“Oh, lot’s of things,” said Hugo. “Floors, ceilings. Dark mysterious corners.”

Varian rolled his eyes and walked a little further out before coming back into the room. “This must be the labyrinth.”

“Okay, so how do we get through it then?” asked Hugo.

Varian winced. “Not sure, actually. And I left the journal back up top.”

“Heh, so sure of yourself, yet you clearly had enough doubt to leave it behind.”

Varian’s brow furrowed. “I had to account for all possible outcomes.”

“So much for trust,” Hugo scoffed.

“Trust doesn’t have to be blind,” retorted Varian.

“Doesn’t it though?” countered Hugo. Varian paused.

“What does that mean?” he asked. The other grimaced.

“Forget it,” said Hugo. He stepped into the center of the room, looked into the inky black above. He cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted up into it. “Starlight! Firecracker! Hey! Can you hear us?”

They waited but got no response. Hugo shrugged. “Well, Goggles, guess we’re figuring this one out on our own.” He considered both exits then picked the one to the right and started down it with Varian following behind, the wheels in his head still turning over what Hugo said.

~ * ~

Nuru and Yong watched as the dots on the wall began to move. Nuru got closer to it as they moved closer then farther away again before moving together down one of the paths.

“Nuru?” asked Yong “What happened to them?”

She looked back at him and sighed. “I could be more certain if they’d bothered to talk to us before having their little contest but I think…” She pointed to the dots. “I think that’s them. I think they made it to the next part of the trial.”

Yong visibly relaxed, happy to accept any evidence that their friends were alright.

“Let’s see,” muttered Nuru, coming back over to where Varian had left his mom’s journal splayed out on the floor. She picked it up, eyes scanning the open page and Varian’s half-finished cipher key. “He mentioned a labyrinth. That must be what this is. And if that word is labyrinth…”

Just then, Yong was distracted by a click from his pillar. He looked down to see a panel on it flip around to reveal a switch. After just a second of hesitation, he pulled it down. Nothing seemed to happen so he put it back up then tried it again. This time he tried to pull out his arm but it still refused to budge. Yong flipped the switch up and down a few more times and looked around the room to see if anything was affected.

Finally, his eye caught a blinking light and looked to see that a section of the line next to the two dots was flickering on and off. Yong held the switch down and watched the section go dark. The two dots moved closer and Yong watched them pass through before slowly starting down a new path.

“Hey, look!” said Yong. “I think I’m helping.”

“What?” asked Nuru, looking up.

“Look!” Yong pointed over to the wall to where the dots were now. He flipped the switch again. This time a different part of the line, closer to the dot’s new location, blinked into darkness. Nuru watched with Yong as the dots stopped their movement and then slowly passed through the new opening.

“Oh!” said Nuru, looking back down at the page. She ran to Varian’s pack and pulled out something to write with and began to scrawl a piece of scrap parchment. “Yes, right. Because that's definitely the word door. So yes. You’re supposed to be up here, Yong. They need someone to help from above, opening doors along the way.”

“But how do we know where they’re supposed to go?” asked Yong.

Nuru shrugged. “I don’t think we can know. No one here has all the information.” She let out a frustrated puff of air. “If some people had let us plan before jumping…” She huffed again. “We’ll just have to do our best and hope those two have clues we don’t have. You keep opening doors, Yong. In the meantime, I’ll keep looking through here to see if I can figure anything else out.”

“Right,” agreed Yong with a nod.

~ * ~

Varian and Hugo walked with cautious purpose down one of the seemingly countless dark hallways. Everything was made from smooth, unmarked stone and it was cold enough that their breath was visible in the blue and pink light.

There was a loud ker-chunk making both of them nearly jump out of their skin. They looked around wildly for the source.

“Where’d it come from, this time?” asked Hugo.

“I didn’t see. Hold on,” replied Varian. They spread out as much as they dared, raising their chemical lanterns up to cast the light across the walls. Neither of them noticed when one of the shadows on the floor moved erratically before settling back into place.

Another loud ker-chunk and Varian jumped back as a wall slid up into place. “Aahhh!” he screamed. And again as the same three-foot stretch of wall slid down again. “I am never getting used to that!”

Hugo rushed over and tried to see beyond the new opening. “Just more boring hallways.”

“Well, come on then,” said Varian. “It obviously wants us to go through.”

“Yes, but, Goggles, I don’t see why you think that means it’s the right way. It could be trying to trick us.”

Varian side-eyed Hugo then grabbed his wrist, dragging him over the threshold. As soon as they were through the wall slammed shut behind them. They both jumped again at the sound of it, the power and speed of it providing nearly impossible to anticipate.

Hugo pouted at Varian. “Let me guess, you want me to just trust you.”

“Maybe I do,” said Varian playfully.

Hugo opened his mouth to respond but a shadow moved behind Varian, putting Hugo on immediate high alert. He stepped around Varian, using himself as a shield.

“What?” asked Varian.

“I saw something,” said Hugo. “There was something moving.”

They both looked around but nothing caught their attention. They looked at each other, then nodded before continuing forward cautiously. Varian kept his attention forward while Hugo kept his eyes on where they’d come. They made it like this for a little while, turning a few corners as they went until they hit a dead end.

“Ugh, great,” said Varian. “Guess we have to retrace our steps.”

“There’s not one of those doors over here?” asked Hugo, his eyes still scanning the dark behind them for another sign of whatever he’d seen before.

Varian moved up to the wall and ran his gloved hand over it. Then he knocked on it gently with his fist. “Hello?” he tried.

Behind him, Hugo continued to stand guard. The blue light of the tube in Varian’s hand cast a long shadow down on the floor. By chance, Hugo glanced down at it.

And saw it wave to him.

Hugo stepped back in alarm. He rubbed his eyes under his glasses then looked back at the shadow. It moved a bit as Varian moved but other than that seemed normal.

“I guess not,” said Varian. He turned to walk back but Hugo held out his arm to stop him. “What?”

“It moved,” said Hugo.

“What moved?” Varian looked up at Hugo with confusion and he pointed Varian’s gaze back down to the floor in front of them. With Varian close now the shadow was squatter but still there.

“That, the shadow,” said Hugo. “It waved.”

Varian walked toward it even as Hugo tried to hold him back. But with Varian’s light moving with him the shadow shifted away to Hugo’s other side. Varian touched the spot where it had been with his foot, then shrugged and looked back at Hugo.

Varian’s face paled. The shadow was now up on the wall of the dead-end and as soon as Varian looked back it started coming right out of the wall. Hugo caught the look on Varian’s face and looked back. He yelled and stumbled back as the shadow continued to emerge, forming into a dark vaguely humanoid entity.

“What is that?” asked Varian in alarm.

The shadow creature swayed unnaturally before them.

“You know I don’t think I want to find out,” said Hugo.

“Me either,” agreed Varian. “Come on!”

They sprinted back down the hallway and skidded around a corner. They heard the telltale sound of a wall opening and without hesitation dived through it. It closed behind them and they both took a moment to catch their breath. Varian doubled, hands on his knees as he recovered. “We should keep moving,” he panted. “There could be more of those things.”

Hugo looked up. His pink light shone on Varian, casting a shadow behind him and Hugo watched with wide eyes as it started to form into another creature.

“Goggles, behind you!”

Varian looked and shrieked, running right into Hugo as the creature formed faster this time. Its strange, dark head tilted.

“Guess you were right,” said Hugo, pulling out a dark green alchemy ball. He chucked it at the creature but the ball just stuck into the side of it as if it were made of tar. The creature seemed to look down at the orb and consider it for a moment. Then the orb popped right back out and landed harmlessly onto the stone.

Varian and Hugo watched this with horror as the creature lifted its head once more. Then suddenly it pointed its arm at them and a gush of dark viscous matter shot out of the end, straight for them.

They ducked out of the way and ran once more. It did not seem to follow but to their dismay, new creatures began to form. Every time they started to slow down one of their shadows would start over, forming into the strange creature and attacking them. They tried throwing more concoctions at the monsters, Hugo and Varian each pulling whatever they could find in their pockets but direct hits would only stick uselessly into their sides. Even when a vial hit stone and burst the explosion had no effect on the monster, seeming to only inconvenience it before it was once more jetting its strange dark mass at the two alchemists.

They barely got away each time and it wasn’t long before exhaustion started to take hold.

Varian tossed another vial at the now four shadow monsters stalking towards them. It burst at their feet and covered the ground in pink goo which the monsters merely stepped over.

Varian and Hugo backed up, having hit another dead end.

“That was my last one,” said Varian.

Hugo patted down his pockets. He found no more alchemy orbs but his fingers found the handle of his dagger. He raised it up to strike but then one of the monsters launched another spray of darkness. It hit the blade of the dagger and yanked it out of Hugo’s hands.

“Okay, we’re going to need some new ideas really fast,” said Hugo. They took a few more steps back and their backs hit the wall. Varian turned and pounded on it.

“Hey! Now would be a good time to open up!”

Hugo still had eyes on the creatures. He watched with dread as their current shadows started to form into two more monsters. He looked down at the light he was holding, then back up at the creatures.

“Goggles put out your light.”

“Are you crazy?” asked Varian, eyes full of fear.

“Just do it!” Shouted Hugo as he smashed his own light against the wall. The pink glow disappeared, leaving only blue. The creatures continued to advance.

“But we won’t be able to see!” protested Varian.

“Trust me!”

They met eyes for a split second before Varian smashed his vial to the floor, and darkness swallowed them.

All that remained was the sound of their labored breaths. They each braced themselves, waiting to be mauled by the oncoming monsters.

But nothing happened.

“Hugo?” whispered Varian, too scared to speak any louder.

“Right here, Goggles.”

“Are they still there?” asked Varian.

“I have a theory,” said Hugo. He started to walk forward towards where they’d last seen the creatures. Varian sensed the movement and shot his hand out into the dark. His fingers found the fabric of Hugo’s jacket. Hugo’s hand moved to his and gently pried Varian’s fingers off before holding his hand. Then Hugo moved forward again, this time pulling the other alchemist along with him. Varian expected them to run into one of the monsters at any moment but all that happened was their feet found the edge of the pink goo. They both quickly stepped back so as not to get stuck in it.

“It was the light,” said Varian. “They were created by the light casting shadows.”

“Exactly what I was thinking,” said Hugo. “Which means that if we want to get through this labyrinth-”

“We have to do it completely in the dark.” Varian finished.

~ * ~

Nuru and Yong watched the dots as they darted around in circles.

“What on earth are they doing?” asked Nuru.

“Maybe they’re chasing something?” Yong offered hopefully.

“Or being chased,” said Nuru ominously. She groaned in frustration. “Really, Demantitus? You expect us to just sit here and watch?” She stomped over to the wall where the dots were and started to prod it.

“What are you doing?” asked Yong.

“Something,” said Nuru. “Which is way better than nothing.” When her prodding yielded no results she started to feel along the wall instead.

“Look!” said Yong. “They stopped moving. Hmm… but there aren't any doors near there. I hope they’re okay.”

Nuru got closer to the wall and squinted into the crack. She noticed something and pulled back. She tapped against the wall, producing only a faint sound. Then she moved her fist and did it again. This time there was an audible, hollow knock.

Nuru leaned into the wall and pushed. At first, it seemed futile but she gave a particularly forceful shove with her shoulder and it slid back slightly. Nuru pushed again and it slid a bit more, swinging back as if on a hinge.

Yong’s face brightened when he realized what she was doing. “Did you find a secret room?”

“Looks like it,” said Nuru. She gave one more push, forcing the stone ajar just enough so she could squeeze through. Behind the wall, everything was lit with the same blue that shone through the cracks in the wall. Bathed in its light was a series of machines with little fans that were happily whirring away. Weaving through all of this was one continuous pipe. Nuru shivered as cold air hit her but her eyes followed the pipe until she could see it disappear into the floor.

“Interesting,” she muttered.

~ * ~
“There’s no way,” said Hugo, letting his hand drop away from Varian’s and severing their connection in the pitch back.

“There has to be,” said Varian. “Demantitus wouldn’t give us a task that was impossible. There has to be a way through.”

“By stumbling blindly through the dark? No way of knowing where we’re going or where we came from? Goggles that could take forever.” Hugo’s feet shuffled backward.

“So what, we give up?” asked Varian, annoyance creeping in.

“No,” said Hugo. There was a soft thud as his back hit the wall. “No, we stop for a moment and think this through so we can come up with a solution that doesn’t involve us being down here so long we have to resort to eating our shoelaces.”

Varian could hear Hugo slide down the wall to the floor. Conceding to Hugo’s point, Varian carefully walked over to the wall. By feeling around he found Hugo’s mop of messy blond hair, then he slid down to sit beside him.

They sat there for a moment, just thinking.

Then Varian spoke up.

“Did you see how easy that was?”

“What, thinking?” asked Hugo sarcastically.

“Me trusting you,” said Varian.

“Ha,” laughed Hugo. “How I regret ever bringing that up. Goggles, you letting Firecracker make a few explosions so he can learn to be a better engineer is one thing. But outside of that trust will only ever lead to disappointment.

“How can you say that?” asked Varian in alarm.

“Goggles, how can you deny it?” asked Hugo.

“I… Listen.” Varian sighed. “I get it. People are going to hurt you. And after you- you go through something like that, how can you ever trust anyone again? After everything that happened with the Princess and my dad, that’s exactly how I saw the world. And all it did was make everything feel cold and small. Learning how to trust again, letting down my wall, it was hard but it was like- like finally seeing the sunrise after a long winter’s night.”

“That’s beautiful, Goggles, but warm fuzzies don’t make the world go round. Not everyone is like your perfect princess. Sometimes when you turn your back people don't waste any time stabbing it. I was an orphan. And when you grow up like that you learn that survival is king. Trust doesn’t factor into that equation. Disappointment is the least that trust can get you. At worst it can end you.

“It can save you, too. Look at us. Trusting each other is how we’ve survived. Trusting you is what saved me from the Water Trial. And you earned that trust. You don’t have to let people in right away. Trust is something that should be worked for.”

”And what if they did?” Hugo yelled. Varian jumped at the sudden anger in his voice. “What if they worked for it and acted like they meant it only to smash it to pieces when I needed them most?”

Hugo was breathing hard as if winded by his outburst. He rummaged in his pocket and the sound of tiny metal pieces clinking together met Varian’s ears. Hugo pulled something out and held it in his hand.

“Ingvarr orphanages aren’t the kind of places you want to stay for long. I learned early that stealing for a living was better than starving. A few other kids had the same idea. And then there was Solomon… Anyways. Me and these guys would pull jobs together. Small ones. Ignorable. Safe. We were something of a family you could say. But one day old Sol’s eyes got too big for our stomachs. Everything went wrong. And in the end-” Hugo stopped suddenly and paused, taking a deep breath. “In the end, they just left me for…” Hugo trailed off once more. This time he seemed to give up on the words. “I was eleven.”

The silence is heavy and long as Varian and Hugo stare into the darkness.

“That must have been terrifying,” Varian finally whispers, as if afraid to break what he’s been given.

”...Yeah it was.” Hugo conceded. He shrugged against the wall, shuffling as if finally realizing how much he’d said. “Anyways. Ever since then, I don't do teams, I don’t do friends, and I especially don't do trust. Only an idiot voluntarily sticks his hand back in the fire after getting burned.

“...Okay. Then- Take the whole trust thing at your pace then.” Hugo looked in Varian’s direction in surprise at this. Varian interpreted the silence. “Yeah, I know. I’ve been harping on trust all this time and with the trial. But... you went through something awful. I get you can’t just turn it off. I realize that now. But… when you are ready… I still think you should consider it. Yeah, people are pretty bad. Dangerous even. But for every person that didn’t deserve my trust-” Varian leaned into Hugo, pressing them shoulder to shoulder, “The ones who did, made it worth it.”

They sat in silence as Hugo absorbed Varian’s words. After some time Hugo leaned a little closer. “Goggles, I-”

Another voice cut through the dark.

“There’s a pipe! It’s weird! Everything else is cold but it’s still warm!”

“Did you hear that?” said Varian, pulling away from Hugo. “It sounded like…”

“Did you hear me, Yong?”

“Princess?” said Hugo. He turned toward the source of the sound. He put his hand up and felt the wall beneath his fingers.

“Nuru!” called Varian. “Nuru! Nuru it’s us!”

“Varian?” Her voice continued to come out of the wall. It was distant and echoing but still undeniable. “Are you okay? What’s happening down there?”

“No need to ask if I’m okay,” said Hugo.

“You better be okay after that stunt you both pulled!” she snapped. Both Hugo and Varian recoiled with guilt. “When this is all over we are having a long discussion about communicating with your teammates.”

“Sorry,” said Varian.

“Speaking of,” said Hugo. “How are you talking to us now?”

“It must be this pipe,” said Nuru. “It’s carrying our voices. I was just trying to figure out why it’s here.”

“Nuru,” said Varian. “We can’t see anything. We tried to use light but every time we were attacked by monsters. We need a way to get through the maze without being able to see.”

“Well, we have a map up here,” said Nuru. The boys gasped in excitement until she continued. “But the problem is it doesn’t say where you’re supposed to go. Even if we guided you we could just send you in the wrong direction.”

“So what’s the solution then?” asked Hugo.

“Ugh, think, Varian, think.” Varian pressed his forehead against the wall. After a moment he pulled away. Then he pressed his forehead into the wall again. “Wait a minute.” He pulled off his gloves and tucked them away, then felt the wall with his bare hands. “Do you feel that?” He reached out and managed to find Hugo’s hand so he could press it to the same spot.

“It’s warm,” said Hugo.

“It’s warm,” Varian confirmed. “Everything else has been cold.”

“Cold? That makes sense, there's this whole cooling system up here leading down there. But why would that one be warm?” asked Nuru, still listening from up above.

Gears worked behind Varian’s eyes. Then it clicked.

“Entropy is increased by heat.”

“We have to feel our way through,” said Hugo as the realization hit him.

“What are the chances this leads us straight to the totem?” asked Varian cheerfully.

The alchemists got to their feet, finally confident in their plan. Varian still had his hand in Hugo’s and did not let go. If anything, he held it a bit tighter as he placed his other hand against the wall to feel for the path. As Varian started forward Hugo let himself be led through the dark.

~ * ~

The darkness did finally come to an end. They didn’t have to follow the trail of warmth for long until another wall ker-chunked into the floor and warm, orange light poured out. Hugo and Varian rushed through and into the final chamber. As the door slid closed behind them they smiled at each other, then realized their hands were still clasped together. They pulled away simultaneously, faces suddenly pink. They distracted from the awkward moment by taking a look at where they were.

Looking around they realized what the source of the light was. At the far end of the circular room was a pool of lava.

Positioned above the pool were the four totems they’d already gathered and in front of the pool was an inscription next to a single lever.

Varian got closer and started to read.

“To come so far is no small feat. Here are the fruits of your work, complete. For the next prize to be created, Destroy the rest, their end is fated.”

“Not his best work,” said Hugo. “But at least it’s to the point.” He walked up to the lever. “Shall I?”

Varian gestured for Hugo to go ahead. He pulled the lever back and the four totems plunked down into the lava. The pool boiled more fiercely, then all of a sudden another object rocketed out of it. Varian reached up and snatched it out of the air.

“Ow, oh, oh, hot,” Varian juggled it in his hands until it cooled down enough to hold. It was much bigger than the other totems and looking closer they could see that the four had been molded together to make this one.

~ * ~

Nuru and Yong were sitting back against the pillar, Yong’s hand above him as it was still stuck in place. They waited until they heard the sound of something from the pit. They perked up and looked to see a platform rising up, stopping once it was level with the rest of the floor. Standing atop it were Varian and Hugo.

Nuru ran forward to greet them. Yong looked down dejectedly at his hand until he realized it had slipped out of its prison without him realizing it. “Yes! Finally!” He rushed over to be with the rest, throwing his arms open to give Hugo and Varian a big hug. Hugo stiffened slightly as Varian gladly returned it.

As soon as Yong let go both boys felt a sharp smack to the backs of their heads. They yelped in unison and rounded on Nuru who looked ready to strangle them.

“Don't you ever scare us like that again.” The unspoken threat was heard loud and clear and the two nodded in sync. Instantly Nuru’s fury dropped in naked relief as she also hugged them. Yong continued to buzz around them excitedly, clearly fit to burst from being forced still for so long.

“I knew you guys would make it! Did you see the doors? I did that! What was it like down there? Did you find all the totems?” Yong rambled. At the final question, Hugo coughed awkwardly and excised himself from the others’ embrace.

“About that!” He gestured down to the ground, where the newly fused totem stood in an impression of its own, having been the key to the lifting platform. Yong knelt down and carefully removed it, looking at the warped item in awe.

“What does this mean?” Nuru looked down curiously. Varian met Hugo’s gaze out of the corner of his eye, then grinned.

“It means we’re one step closer.”