There was a loud crack as the floor tile gave way beneath Helm's feet. Boone scuttled over as fast as he could to grab onto her arm and Maria followed suit. She glanced behind her at the chasm that opened and shut her eyes. On the Northern side of the crossing, Rita stood and watched silently. Helm was the last one to cross the bridge. She'd taken a lot of risks for the group so it was fair game that she was being hesitant now and Walton was silent as ever.

He slumped down against the wall looking very ill. Ever since the poison incident he'd been even less responsive. He seemed to be lost somewhere in his own mind. He was sweating heavily and making an occasional groaning noise, albeit very quietly. Captain Urkimar was pulling some kind of plant out of the ground and throwing it at the bridge which wasn't particularly helpful.

Rita stepped cautiously onto the bridge. It was made from a series of stone tiles, some of which had no substance and would crack if you stepped out onto them. They discovered this when they first transitioned into the room from the future and Eleanor strode out onto the bridge, barely avoiding a fall into oblivion. There was no telling what was beneath the tiles as it seemed to go on forever.

Heading out scared her. At this point morale was low and death seemed like a foregone conclusion, so making the first move was not something she volunteered for readily. However Helm probably needed a bit more support. She carefully walked across the tiles, breathing deeply between each one. A small plant-man looked up at her curiously before scuttling back to the Northern side of the bridge. With one further step she would-

There was an audible crack as the tile gave way beneath her foot. She jumped back with a shriek and found herself standing very alone in the middle of the bridge. She should've just stayed put. What good was it if they all died in the process? She didn't know Helm very well and it wasn't that she had no fondness for the female warrior it was just...she wasn't quite ready to risk her life for somebody relatively unknown. Particularly somebody for whom they had no real read on the status and abilities of.

She scrunched her eyes shut and tried to think of something else but it was no good. She'd have to face reality sooner or later. As she focused all she could see was her uncle, sneering at her and scolding her for being a disappointment.

"You were the real disappointment uncle. I ended what was a full reign of disappointments when I killed you. They'd view me as a hero if the Bito isles still stood."

The Emperor scorned. She was no hero and had no claim to the Kanakiri name.

And with that, Rita smiled and opened her eyes. It was true, she wasn't one of them. They'd run and cower. She shared their blood but sometimes it was nice to be reminded of the fact that was all she shared. She strode forth and leaned in to give Boone and Maria some support.

At that point there was a whistle from the North. The struggling figures turned to see as Urk dashed back and forth frantically trying to round up his plant-men and counting down with his fingers. It was probably time to move on. Rita gave Helm a hand upright and she dusted herself down.

"Th-thank you. I just...I just mis-stepped I suppose." Said Helm nervously.

"So who gets to go fucking first this time?" Said Eleanor, implying that she'd done her share. There were some uneasy glances around the group. Moving first was a huge risk, they all knew that. They couldn't ask Urk to do it because he was too important in keeping monsters at bay. It would have to be Walton again.

Rita began to move towards him as he sat bolt upright and took a sharp intake of breath. She stopped suddenly as Walton stood upright and began murmuring. He was swaying back and forth unsteadily.

"The voice...." was all they could make out.

Rita sighed. This again? It'd been ages since any mention of the voice. Listening to it had never helped them before now but it was such a crucial time. Could they afford to ignore it? She glanced around. Maybe Walton shouldn't go first this time until he clarified a bit more.

"I say we just push him." Said Urk cheerily.

The room fell to silence. They were fast running out of time.

"We neeeED to move on." Said Boone, scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"Let us decide fairly. Urk will write a number on the wall with some chalk. We each say a number and whichever selects the one he was written must go first no matter what."

There was some approval although Rita sensed people weren't overly keen on the idea. She was feeling a little braver though. The Kanakiri genes wouldn't hold her back.

"Four." She said, moving straight in.

The others said their numbers in turn. Boone picked two, Helm picked three and Maria picked five. Eleanor said one and Walton just murmured something incoherent. Urk looked from face to face and then stepped aside. A large number five was written on the wall.

Maria sighed and lowered her head dejectedly. Rita glanced across, somewhat annoyed. Maria had never gone first in the time they'd been together. She hadn't either, but still. There was still an element to Maria and Helm that didn't gel right with the group because they weren't part of the original split. She kept these thoughts to herself as Maria stepped up to the door and pulled out her key, turning it in the lock.

"Lady Maria, be safe." Said Helm nervously. The two were inseparably close at this point.

Maria smiled and turned to the door before pushing through and entering new territory. Helm quickly followed suit and Rita decided to go next. Walton was still following along, stumbling.

The room beyond was a standard size with a tall statue set against the Northern wall. There was barely a moment to register the surroundings before the air filled with a bright flash of white and Maria was gone completely. Rita blinked and dashed forward, noticing the glowing circle in the middle of the floor. The glow faded away as the statue stared on menacingly, its eyes fixed forward on the floor and its hands raised high.

Helm dropped down to her knees miserably as the room just looked on in silence.

She disappeared right in front of their eyes. Things were getting crazy down here. Walton was taking it all in but he was finding it difficult to speak. He hadn't been right since the poison. He hadn't been right since before the poison to tell you the truth. Sweat formed on his brow as he looked around at the group. They were discussing what to do next.

"It is unfortunate but she could be anywhere. WeeeeE have to continue."

"I must say I'm not happy about it. We...she and I...we always travel together. I don't want to just leave her now when she needs help the most." Said Helm mournfully.

In the blink of an eye any one of them could go. It could be him next, Walton thought. He tried to speak but speaking had become hard. He was lost and stranded down here. He was sick. He couldn't escape the confines of his own mind. Glancing around in desperation he longed to talk.

"Come on everybody! All is not lost yet!" Said Urk cheerily. He was taking on the form of a happy little clown today.

Walton felt hopelessly lost. There was nothing left for him in this world. Not since that day. He had to do it. It had felt right at the time and he was told...he had a greater purpose. It was his...it was his destiny.

He still saw their screaming faces as they writhed beneath his iron-tight grip. Walton wasn't evil. Far from it. He was a soldier of justice and he had to escape confinement. They'd all died for a greater good and the devil had tried to lock him away but...but he had escaped to return on his journey.

His journey into hell.

"Walton. What are you waiting for? I told you to let them know."

The voice cut into him. He was trying so hard to ignore it. Some days he felt like he wasn't really sane at all. They really did look terrified when he strangled the life out of them. Those screams in the darkness. The looks on their faces...

"Walton why are you ignoring me? You know what will happen if you do that."

I don't have to listen to you! He didn't. They had taught him how to escape the voice in the institution. He had...he had been doing fine. Until he came here and then it got ten times worse. Sometimes it mixed in with another voice. That one was nicer. It told him how much hope he still had. It kept him going in the darkest of hours. Not this one though.

"Walton..."

"I HEARD YOU!" Walton shouted out.

The group paused and looked at him open mouthed.

"Hearing voices again Walton?" Said Rita nervously.

"Just what we fucking need." Said Eleanor bitterly. She closed her eyes and started to focus on something.

"Well in brighter news, Maria is fucking close. Somebody just showed up five rooms East and two rooms North."

Boone scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"That would put her in 2223. I hope she comes back South to us."

Helm looked around desperately.

"Maybe...maybe I could go and find her?" She said hopefully.

Boone shot a look to Rita.

"That never really works out so well. Best we all stick together for now."

"Walton. It is time. Tell them what I have told you and do it quickly."

"My voice...." Walton said croakily.

The group gathered around in anticipation.

"My voice said that...Urk needs to go West. There's a monster there and it'll only be defeated if he goes first."

Boone rubbed his head in confusion.

"Urk does not normally neeeEeed to go first."

This was the hard part. Nobody believed what he relayed about the voice. He even tried to put doubt into their minds because it frankly sounded ridiculous to him some days. He was scared though. What if it really meant something?

"Walton. You know I do mean something. Tell them the rest or else."

"My voice....my voice says Maria will die otherwise."

Helm frantically turned to the playful Urk clown and tugged at his arm, pleading with him.

"Urk please! You must!"

"I'm not sure..." Rita began but Urk raised a finger and cut her off with a blow of his horn.

"I'm not afraid, haha! Let's go already! Nothing could possibly scare me today!"

With a grin and a flourish, Urk marched towards the Western door. Walton watched in fear and anticipation. Still, he'd done his part. The voice had been relayed. It was hard to talk now but...maybe if he listened to the voice he would have his own voice back. Maybe he would escape this torture that he felt each passing second. The looks on their faces when he throttled...

The door to the West flung open as Urk marched cheerily into the middle of a pentagram. The world seemed to pass by in slow motion as the room temperature raised. Suddenly, Walton wasn't so sure of himself. He'd...he'd done what the voice asked hadn't he?

The voice was gone though. He was all alone again. It always chose the worst possible times to disappear.

Urk turned to look at the group with a smile. He raised his hooter and honked a couple of times before his entire body burst into flame.

"URK!" Shrieked Rita. Boone was leaping up and down howling. Walton felt the sweat pool around his feet. He'd done what the voice asked...

Urk flopped around laughing maniacally as the flames grew higher and higher before collapsing onto the floor. Finally the flames subsided and the group dashed in to investigate. Boone leaned over and felt his skin, recoiling from the burning instantly.

He turned to the group with a look of sadness and took a banana peel from his bag, placing it solemnly on Urk's body. The group fell to the floor save for Walton who just stood on looking, sweating and worrying.

He'd done what the voice asked...

To say they were in trouble would be an understatement. As Walton led the way through the Western exit, Boone looked back sadly.

"What did you ask him?" He said to Rita.

She just shook her head sadly.

"It was rather...personal." She said and left it at that.

So much death and destruction. It was clear now that Walton was either insane or his voice was trying to kill them all. Either way they couldn't afford to take any more liberties so they were making sure he led the way into this room. It was for the best. Boone was getting weary now. He fumbled through his journal, trying to make sense of his maps and that river...

It was hard to think with what they'd just witnessed but it was important to focus. Worse still was the fact that he'd had to replay the whole thing in his head once he placed the banana down. Poor Urk. Not only had they lost a comrade, they'd lost their only line of defense against the monsters that roamed this place.

Yes things were pretty grim indeed. Boone took a few moments to glance around at his surroundings. It was twice the length of a standard room with an exit on the far Northern side and another on the South. Empty stone seats overlooked them. The floor was sandy and in the middle of it was a metal grate which descended far into the ground below. There were spikes at the bottom. Typical.

"Two worthy challengers, pick up your staves and battle. Whoever wins will receive a great prize. Whoever loses will be fall down below." Eleanor read carefully.

"A fucking arena. No chance we're going to do this one."

Boone shook his head.

"No chance we're going to do any one. Things are getting tough now. Just five of us left."

They really had seemed so hopeful after the meeting. Even with Angela's rather shocking death, morale had still been high. If anything, that incident had brought them together more. But things took a turn for the worse soon after and they never really came back together. These things would happen.

Boone's emotions during these times were rather strange. He both longed to be back in a human environment, but the primate longings were far greater. To live in a real jungle...one could only dream. He would find Urkbunny and take her there along with baby Burke. Ah yes. He could see it all now.

But so easy to get distracted and there was a job to do here still. No point in getting waylaid this early.

"South will take us to the damp room on the map. Only two rooms to go." He pointed out.

"Walton can do the honours!" Said Rita more cheerfully than she intended.

Walton nodded. It wasn't like he could argue. Helm shot him a look though which was tinged with guilt. She got far too emotional for practicality sometimes.

"I think he should maybe have a break just this once. I really don't mind this time." Said Helm.

That was generous. Still, the likelihood of the South being trapped with so many around here seemed slim. This would be such a horrible corner otherwise. Helm approached the Southern door and pushed it open, stepping cautiously out onto a dirt covered floor with long grass surrounding it.

"Careful..." Said Boone flicking through his journal.

"I think I know what this room is..."

He read frantically. Dark shapes inside the cages. Oh dear.

"Helm look out!" Boone shouted as there was the sound of something clicking open. Helm barely had time to turn and look as a monstrous black boar dashed out of the cage and charged headlong into her. It was a very powerful attack that ended with a horrible snap. Helm recoiled over backwards and coughed, spewing blood out across the floor.

"HELM!" Shouted Rita. Another one? So cruel.

Boone scuttled along once the boar had cleared, reaching into his pack tenderly for his banana.

And a second later he was walking through into the arena room.

"Did everything just....go back....?" He asked curiously.

Helm looked down at her body in awe. She had a sickly look about her. Not surprising.

"Well that was a fucking stroke of luck. Unfortunately we still need to go down there." Said Eleanor helpfully.

There was silence. Boone tried to think of an alternative. He had yet to take an injury but he was rather hoping to save himself. Besides, the group needed his map making skills. They would be in trouble without his updates. None of the others were that strict.

"Any takers?" Said Eleanor, also not volunteering herself.

Finally somebody stepped up.

"I...I will do it." Said Walton muttering.

He didn't look well at all. Boone had no doubt the boar would kill him. The man had shown himself to be a liability, but still.

"Are you sure?" Boone asked, not intending to ask again.

Walton pushed open the door.

"Ready as I'll ever be...." was all he could say as he stepped out in between the long grass. The rest of the group was silent. Helm was still in a state of shock.

Surely enough the sound of an opening gate quickly followed a sickening snap. The boar finally cleared the area, but in their wake, Walton lay bleeding on the floor.

He was smiling. That was the thing that unsettled Boone the most.

"The....the voice......" Said Walton smiling. Boone scuttled over.

"What did it say this time?" He asked.

Walton looked up at the air with a satisfied grin.

"Nothing....it says....nothing......"

And then there were four.

Yet another encounter with death. This was becoming all too common now. Helm wished that she had the power to stop things like this from happening but she was cursed. Ever since that fateful day when Dern had fallen at her hand. The death that she herself had wrought on the world. It was fate wasn't it? Fate was having revenge. She begged forgiveness to Dern in her heart but it didn't soothe the ache. Then she begged forgiveness to Ayeo, his adoring wife.

She was not him. No matter how far she came, she was just scared and powerless. She tried hard but it was all just an act wasn't it? What more could she offer this mission? No more than she had ever been able to.

Nor was she able to have her heart's true desire. She had always intended to help and support them from the start but things were different now. Death could do that. Not that any of it mattered because right now she just felt completely powerless.

"I can undo all that has been done."

It always left behind a little doubt, but so strong and soothing was the voice. It was the voice of Ayeo in her mind. It spoke to her experience and it spoke to her longing. There was only one thing she would want to change and it was completely unchangeable.

Well, seemingly. But if there was even a slight chance of changing it back then...well...how could she turn it away? It wasn't that she intended to hurt anybody. Rather...she would only do so if they didn't see eye to eye.

And it would only be temporary because she would change it all to make it go away. For instance, that attack she just suffered was temporary. And yes it hurt and yes it was shocking but it went away and now she was back as if nothing had happened.

It wasn't an experience she wished upon anybody. Only if they got in her way and wouldn't let her do the one thing she needed to do. Dern wouldn't take no for an answer on this. He would stand up for what he believed in.

But she was not him.

"He still says he was just the reviver. He won't talk about the voice at all." Rita said, focusing on her thoughts carefully.

"Oh well. Best not to fucking worry about it." Said Eleanor.

Boone checked the walkie talkie again with a shake of his head.

"Nothing but static heeeEere. What about Maria's position?"

Eleanor focused again and opened her eyes.

"Somebody three rooms North. Unless Maria can fucking teleport we have a problem."

Three rooms? Who could that be? Airlea's group? They had always had a slight disdain for Helm so she wasn't overly keen on meeting back up. Besides, smaller numbers was better for her objective, just because there were less to try and stop her and that was where things got unpleasant.

"Must be Airlea. I do not understand why she isn't answering though."

"Who fucking knows. I guess I'll go first this time. This is the damp room right?" Said Eleanor, pushing the South door open.

Surely enough, it lived up to the title. A gigantic stone container stood solidly against the Western wall. A giant waterfall was pouring down noisily into it from a slit in the wall above. A second container was stood next to it with a slanted tube extending from the front. Two giant wheels sat next to both containers. The water trickled away below the bottom of the one it entered and splashed out awkwardly onto the ground.

Helm took a look at the wheel closest to her and began to turn it. She may as well be useful for something. As she turned the wheel, the waterfall began to rock unsteadily. Some contraption was turning in the background. A stone slab began to slide across the back wall, blocking the flow of water until there was nothing left.

"What about this one?" Said Eleanor, turning the other wheel.

This one opened a second slit in the wall which allowed water to pass down through. The water began to splash down heavily, filling the second container and allowing the water to pour out through the pipe at the front.

"Hopefully that will do it." Said Boone, proudly.

Would that really have worked? If it connected to the pipes in the future, that might mean it had changed 3620, the tower room. There was no way of knowing from here though. Maybe it was her turn to step up now? She felt ready.

"Which way now?" Asked Eleanor.

Boone scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"North will take us to the mysterious person. The other side of this room should leeEad to the other side of the rotating bridge. We could also go East to the tower and see if this did anything worthwhile."

"We've come this far around, we should teleport here and head for the bridge."

Helm was looking uncomfortable.

"I would very much like to head out East to find Maria. I feel like we need to stick together. Can we safely say the other side of this room is not dangerous?"

That was a worthwhile point. Willis would stack traps all along the path to the guardians and if this led to the guardian...

"I would quite like to seeeEee what is South of here. Just for the purposes of my map. I'm not sure if we will be able to easily come back so maybe we could take a quick diversion to see?"

He shrugged.

The suggestion made Rita a little uncomfortable, especially with her potentially leading the way. She was fighting the Kanakiri genes hard but it had its moments. Still, it was her time.

"So who goes fucking first?" Eleanor asked civilly.

Rita began to open her mouth before Boone jumped in. That was surprising.

"I will go first this time. I have not gone first much before, but everybody else must do so after."

There were nods of agreement from the other group members and Rita felt a touch of relief. Still, she hoped Boone would be okay. He walked towards the Southern door and pushed it open, flexing his long arms with a grin.

"Wish me luck!" He said before walking out.

The room beyond was twice the width of a standard room with exits to the East and North. Boone flipped open his journal to check on something. He probably had this one noted down too. The walls were made of yellow stone, covered in ivy that seemed to spread out over everything. A large hole was visible in the Southern wall with a smouldering fire in front of it. There were also three stone statues of people in various poses with horrified expressions on their faces. They all seemed to be covering them with their hands.

As Rita looked on she noticed snakes wriggling around by the cave entrance. Suddenly this didn't feel right.

"Boone...watch out." She said, trying to get his attention.

"According to my notes, this room must beeeeE..."

Boone looked up for a second and then paused.

"Oh deeeeEar..."

There was a blood curdling scream as a lumbering monstrosity came out from the cave wall. A horrible female figure that was twice the size of an ordinary adult. It was bloated and foul, with what may have been skin peeling off in all directions. The hair was a writhing mass of snakes and it lurched around, shrieking and swatting the air with razor sharp talons.

"Do not look at the eyes. Close your e-" Boone began.

Rita did so at that second. The shrieking carried on for quite a while longer before it eventually subsided and the creature returned to its dwellings. Finally, Rita opened her scrunched up eyes. She turned to see Helm and Eleanor do the same.

There were now four statues in the room in front of them. Three people with horrified expressions, and a rather sad looking chimpanzee.

"What can we do with a fucking stone monkey?"

"Make your move. No time like right now is there?"

Her voice came back through loud and clear. She always picked the best moments to make an appearance.

"Look, I'm not chancing it right now. I don't even have any weapons."

Rita leaned over and touched the statue gently, shaking her head.

"We can't even get his items. The pack turned to stone along with him. We have to just go back on our own and open the bridge."

Helm looked up towards the Northern exit and looked to the East, shaking her head.

"I think...I'm not going to go back North. We can come back to the bridge later when we find the other group along with something to save Boone. But for now...there's one of our group just out there and she needs out help."

Eleanor concentrated.

"Isn't it wonderful knowing where they all are? Like shooting fish in a barrel."

She scowled at the distracting voice within. She only showed up in this time. It was so much better in the future, not that it changed her agenda any now. She knew what she had to do. There was only one way to purify the world and she had it right in front of her.

It had taken a lot of persuasion. For the longest time since "she" had begun to show up, Eleanor had resisted and refused. She was working for the betterment of her friends the entire time. She hadn't once faltered from that. It was just that now...it was a lost cause anyway? Why just die and achieve nothing when she could achieve the most important thing of all. The power to change the world.

No more fascist corporations. No more dictators keeping her down. She would create a new age of blissful anarchy and she would be a hero. People would talk about her like they talked about Lenin and Marx. Eleanor, the leader of the new movement. It would be so easy too.

So she didn't need persuading. Yet "she" still showed up to complain and annoy her at the worst possible moments, just like she always had done.

"Just leave me to do it okay?"

"Not a fucking chance. What are you even waiting for? Jump on this chance. Go with Helm but make sure to get a weapon at the same time."

Eleanor opened her eyes.

"There's somebody two rooms to the fucking North. But I agree with Helm. We need strength in numbers and that won't be fucking Maria will it? It'll probably be somebody like Tyrese who will just kill us all."

Rita looked unsure.

"I really doubt Tyrese is still alive. It could be Mark but he'd be with the others. And we came all the way around here, why would we stop when we're this close."

Helm shook her head.

"We can come back! I just...me and Maria....we've never really been apart. I feel like she needs our help. It won't be much longer..."

Rita threw up her arms.

"I can't believe you're both suggesting this. Fine, okay, we'll go to the tower to see what the switch does. After that, we're coming straight back."

Helm nodded.

"Perfect. Keep the group apart. Soon they will all fall and your revolution will commence."
"Look just leave me the fuck alone okay? Now we have to volunteer to move first."

Helm looked around sheepishly.

"So...who wants to go first this time? I would it's just that...."

Rita gritted her teeth and threw up her arms in exasperation again.

"I'll do it. I'm not injured and it's not like there's much left to live for right now anyway."

She stormed over to the Eastern exit shaking her head.

"That was fucking close."

Eleanor peered into the room that Rita just entered. There was a statue of an archer woman in there which kind of looked like Airlea holding a bow and arrow up high. The statue was surrounded by overgrowth and the room was filled with tapestries depicting woodland creatures and the forest. Overhead was a thick canopy. As she looked on, the archer's eyes lit up and something whizzed overhead.

Rita's eyes filled with panic as a flurry of arrows descended from high above, piercing the ground all around her and a couple going straight into her torso. She let out a shriek of pain which caused Eleanor and Helm to rush in.

"Don't feel sorry for her. She's one of them. Part of the aristocracy. Are you a fucking fascist now."
"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE ALREADY."

Eleanor crouched over Rita and pulled one of the arrows out which was followed by a shriek.

"Shouldn't be any permanent damage, just no more going fucking first for you."

Rita nodded but looked at the other two.

"But now we're all injured. Who's going to do it?"

Eleanor licked her lips.

"I don't feel safe going out there with nothing to arm me but pass along the fucking hatchet and I'll go first each and every time. We have to look out for one another now."

Rita paused for a second but then nodded and reached into her pack.

"Like fish in a barrel."

It actually worked! The switch they activated flooded the room with water in a distant time. She couldn't even begin to imagine how but it was a miracle in and of itself. Maybe soon she should make her move, she didn't want them to get too close to Pandora but she would need the guardians herself at the end presumably. It was so difficult to decide. She wasn't really cut out for this sort of deception.

"Time for a fucking swim." Said Eleanor, diving into the tower of water without a second thought.

Eleanor was feeling very brave all of a sudden. Once Rita had given her the hatchet, she seemed able to take on anything. What's more, on teleporting in room 3512 they'd come across a chamber in the wall. Eleanor once again leaped into action and decided to try it out amidst Rita's protestations of it being dangerous and a trap. When she came out, she proudly announced how the chamber had doubled her strength and made her much harder to hit.

Those would have been useful traits. The ability to attack once and the ability to survive one attack. Helm so wished she'd been brave to volunteer. Dern would have done it but she was not him. She dived into the tower next and began to swim to the top. It was an awfully long way.

They emerged on a platform, high above the ground level. There was a single door that opened East. Eleanor hadn't picked up any signs of life nearby for a while though. It made her worry to say the least. She pushed open the door and stepped out onto a dark black floor. Occasionally a small spark surged upwards.

"Careful where you tread. It's very..." She began, and then she saw her.

Laying sprawled across the floor, motionless and pale.

"NO! No, no no! Not again! Not again!" Helm yelled out in anguish.

Always she lost the ones who meant something to her. She reached down and held Maria, her closest companion in here as tears welled up in her eyes. Next to her arm was an amulet which Helm picked up and clutched tightly.

"You found it...but it did you no good...now you're...."

She was shaking. Rita placed a hand on Helm's shoulder.

"We're so close now. Let's keep moving. Once we get the guardians you can have your revenge."

Revenge...yes that would be sweet. But changing it would be better. Helm was never more sure than right now. She had the pistol close by. She would take out Rita. Rita must have the sword because she wasn't worried about leaving Boone. And with the sword she could go for Eleanor who had some defense but...it would be a start. Then she just had to find the others and...well it was unpleasant but she had to change it. Now more than ever.

Eleanor pressed the release for the Eastern door and they stepped out into a familiar room, albeit much higher than they were used to. They were stood on the balcony of the main hub room, right where the shades had come from originally back when they had their weapons. The portal was flickering below and Talion's rotten corpse still lay undisturbed.

Soon it would all be over. Soon it would all be better.

"What we really don't understand is where his army is. Why are there no shades all over the place attacking us to try and stop this? It just feels really uncomfortable, like we're about to walk into something."

Virgil braced himself and looked upwards.

"He must be using his forces to attack Paradiso. They probably need my help. We have a strong army but if he has the army of the damned, it'll be a tough fight."

He turned to look at the group.

"My best guess is that he couldn't afford to spare anything. If he keeps Paradiso at bay, he can move on opening Pandora. He can do everything all at once. Quite clever really."

Rita studied the figure in front of them. He was a young-ish looking man with no particularly distinguishing features. He also seemed very eager to get away. He wore a long, white hooded robe.

"I will help when the time comes. Take this."

He handed Rita a parchment with a poem scrawled across it.

"Recite it when you need me and I will come and aid the fight. For now though, I have to take my leave. May Paradiso guide you."

In a flash of blue, he vanished completely. Rita smiled down at the parchment. She couldn't believe it. They'd actually done it, they'd actually woken a guardian. Suddenly everything didn't feel so helpless.

"About fucking time. Shall we go and find another?" Said Eleanor, heading towards the Northern exit.

Rita was curious to see where this one led. She stepped out onto the balcony of 2830. The red room where they'd lost Tyrese. The door to the South sealed shut once they moved out. It couldn't be opened again. Suddenly it made sense.

"Okay so we really need to find somebody and work out what to do with Boone. Can you sense anybody nearby?" Asked Rita.

Eleanor nodded. "About four rooms North."

Rita sighed. Too far away. Still, it was a start. Maybe it was time...

"I think," She began, reaching into her pack.

"I think it's time to use this."

She pulled out the portal case and flung it down on the floor, activating the switch. Nothing else happened. The other side obviously had to use it too.

"Now somebody just has to use theirs and they'll be right with us. I hope they do."

"Well personally, I fucking don't." Said Eleanor.

Rita assumed it was just one of her jokes at first but she turned to see Eleanor was deadly serious. She opened her mouth to speak and recoiled as in a flash, Eleanor charged forth with the hatchet. Swinging it in a deadly arc, she planted it firmly in Helm's mid-section.

Helm fell to the floor, coughing blood and gurgling.

"Dern...Ayeo......forgive....me...." She muttered.

Eleanor hoisted the hatchet from her body and swung it once again, this time connecting with Helm's neck. There was very little resistance as her head rolled across the floor.

Rita backed away towards the edge of the balcony. Could she jump? She'd surely die. There was no hope now was there. She closed her eyes and just wanted it to be over. Eleanor went through Helm's pack, pulling out the pistol and the amulet, putting them away before grabbing the pistol and pointing to the Eastern door.

"Don't even think about using the fucking sword. I'm sorry but you left me no choice. You're gonna lead the way a bit just in case of traps. Now fucking walk, okay."

Rita closed her eyes and nodded. At least she would die at her own pace.

It was now or fucking never.

What she really needed was a cache of weapons. She had the gun, the hatchet and her power from the booth. With all this combined and the sword from Rita, then she would be able to do some serious damage. She'd feel a bit more comfortable with just a little extra though. Revolutions couldn't be won without supplies.

Rita walked through the Eastern door silently and Eleanor followed suit. They came out in the long room with the monster chained to the balcony or whatever the fuck it was. At its feet was the treasure chest, still unopened.

"There you go. There's the support you need. Take the chest."

Eleanor hesitated.

"But we both have to play and I might lose."
"You might lose? So fucking what. You have armour and enough weapons to take whatever she wins. You can't even fucking lose this so don't give me that."

Eleanor was a little unsure but then...it did seem like the odds were stacked against her right now. Rita turned to look pleadingly. Well that wouldn't work would it?

"Why can't you just let me do it my way?"
"Because if I let you do it your way, we wouldn't even be here. Remember you trying to kill yourself in the cage, that was a classic letting you do it your way."

Eleanor was fed up. She wished that "she" would just leave her alone to do this. Still. She needed all the help she could get. She grabbed the gun and pointed to the chest.

"Here's the deal. We're going to play this fucking game. And if you win, you give me whatever the fuck you get. And if I win, bad luck. But if you don't fucking play, you don't even get the chance to continue on."

Rita closed her eyes. There wasn't much she could do to argue. She just nodded sadly.

"Right." Said Eleanor happily. This would be easy.

They both had to creep towards the beast. One of them would take its sword to the face and the other would open the box. But Eleanor had her protection plus a ton of armour.

"You can't even lose so why are you fucking worried?"

She started the creep and Rita quickly followed suit. The two of them were creeping for quite a while when the beast snarled and shrieked, leaping out forward with its sword. It was still too far to hit them but it was pretty terrifying, even with the protection.

"Keep fucking trying." Said Eleanor waving her gun. Rita let out a sigh.

The crawl went on quite a while longer. Eleanor was flanking on the left hand side. The beast wasn't looking at either of them particularly. But Eleanor was so close to the chest, she could feel it. She'd already won. She reached out slowly. Gently does it...gently.

She touched the top of the chest. It was hers! With a swift movement she clicked it open.

And then the beast shrieked. It turned away from Rita and drove its sword right at Eleanor's head. She jumped out of the way but it still caught her across the mid-section. Because of her protection, she felt herself recover but she knew there wasn't another one in her. She took five seconds to catch her breath and then turned.

"Bad luck," She said, brandishing the gun.

"Aren't you glad you have me around to help you out here?"

She didn't respond to that one or do much of anything else. The sword came slicing down faster than she could even blink. Suddenly her entire body was ravaged with pain as she felt herself literally breaking to pieces.

"That was so fucking stupid. How could you be so fucking stupid?!"

"She" didn't respond. At least Eleanor was finally going to have peace and quiet.

Rita was sat on the balcony looking down. She didn't want to move. She wanted to camp here and just hope for the best. She'd taken care of Eleanor but now she was hopelessly trapped, all on her own. It wasn't that she didn't have weapons, it was the lack of armour that bothered her. Nothing in the chest was that helpful for surviving traps. Moving would be fatal.

She had moved though, hadn't she? She distinctly remembered exiting to the West or attempting to. And yet, here she was, right back where she had been waiting. How could that be...?

All at once it hit her, Mark.

So Mark had taken a second hit. Time had reset once before, it must have just reset again. That meant Mark was completely out of them now.

It came as a relief. They suspected a while back that Mark was evil, though they never really had anything to back it up. She only hoped the group with him were okay. It was sad not knowing what was going on.

Still...it was good to be alive.

The reset allowed her a little more time to wait around. She held the sword close to her. She would just wait and hope...

She almost didn't notice them on the ground below. The shades had moved out and the area was completely clear so she wasn't really paying attention. It was only because she saw the leaping figure out of the corner of her eye that she turned to look.

Down there was Hobert, waving his doll. Tyrese was stood next to him looking more than a little awkward.

She didn't understand. Why hadn't he attacked? Was he still keeping him hostage. Rita glanced down at her sword and sighed. Now she had somewhere to go, there was no sense just sitting here. She headed for the Western door. It would take her a while to climb down but she had to do what she could.