Felix and Ryan sat in their living space. Ryan twiddled his thumbs, trying to think of something to say to break the silence. "What time do we have to be there?"
Felix looked at the clock. "In about an hour." They had received an invitation to a party in a place called Brennenburg. All they knew was it was asking them to come down for a 'get together' and it gave them directions to the place. The sender only added the name 'Alexander'. No last name.
"I think I'll go get ready then." Ryan got up off the couch and walked to his room.
"Okay, Cry." Felix smiled, using Ryan's nickname. A short while later, Ryan came out wearing a hoodie and a new pair of jeans.
"You should probably go get ready, too."
"I've been ready for the last hour and a half." Felix laughed.
"Oh... I guess we should get going then."
They got in Ryan's car and headed towards their destination.
After a half an hour of driving, Felix was getting frustrated. "We're going to be late at this rate! Do you even know where we are?"
Ryan took a deep breath and pulled to the side of the road. He looked around, seeing only trees and nature. "I'm... really not sure. We've followed the directions exactly, so we should be in the right direction."
"We're not even on a road anymore!" Felix said, gesturing to the dirt path that passed for the road in front of them.
"I know, I know. Let me see the directions again." Felix handed him the paper and sighed. "According to this, we are getting close." Ryan said, adjusting his glasses.
"That's what you said 10 minutes ago." Felix grumbled under his breath.
"Calm down, I know what I'm doing." Ryan said, starting the car once again and driving back onto the road.
They soon saw light coming from the far end of the lane. "I think that's it."
Ryan pulled into the driveway and turned off the car.
"Finally. Atleast we're not late." Felix smiled with relief.
"This is a pretty big place." Ryan stated, looked above his glasses at the large mansion standing before them.
"Who'd think that there would be a house like this in the middle of no where."
They got out of the car and walked to the front door. After knocking a few times, a man with long white hair answered the door. "Yes?" he asked in an English accent.
"Are you... Alexander?" Ryan asked nervously. Something about this guy made him feel uncomfortable.
"Yes I am; and you are?"
"My name's Ryan and this is Felix. We got an invitation to your, um, party."
Alexander smiled widely. "Ah, yes, please come in. The gathering is right through here." he gestured to a door way at the other end of the room.
Felix and Ryan nodded, walking inside. Alexander lead them into another room which was much bigger. "Um, why aren't there any people here?" Ryan asked, looking around. Something about this place wasn't right.
"They will be here any time, I assure you. Can I get you anything while you wait? Perhaps a beverage?"
"I don't think so-" Ryan started, but Felix cut him off.
"I could go for something to drink."
"Very well. I will be back shortly." Alexander turned and left the room.
After Ryan was sure he was out of ear-shot he nudged Felix. "Are you crazy? Why would you do that?"
"What?"
"Felix, I think we should just leave. I have a bad feeling about this place and that guy."
"Oh come on, Ryan, we just got here."
"Still, I have a bad feeling about thi-"
Alexander walked back in with a glass of red liquid. "Here you go, sir."
"What... is this?"
"Wine."
Felix reluctantly took a sip.
"Felix..." Ryan said in a warning tone.
"Ryan calm down. There's nothing wrong with-" Felix stopped and held his stomach.
"Are you okay?" Ryan asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"I don't... feel so good." Felix stumbled backwards a bit and fell to the floor, blacking out.
Felix woke up in a strange room. He groaned, sitting up and holding his head. "Cry?" he called, searching for his friend. "Ryan?" he called again. He got up off the bed he was in and walked to the door. He turned the knob, but it was locked. "Crap."
He stumbled around the room, looking for a way out.
The walls of the room were light red, and there was a desk, bed, bookshelf, and desk lining the walls. "How the hell am I supposed to get out of here?"
He walked over to the desk and saw a scrap of paper. He picked it up, scanning the words written across the page in messy hand writing.
Felix,
It seems you have been locked away in this room as well. It's sad to see new people fall victim to Alexander's traps.
I am here to aid you in your escape. In one of the drawers you will find a key to your door. I must warn you first, though, that what lies ahead is quite dangerous, though you do not have much choice.
I leave you with a warning: if you ever feel fear, run.
-Daniel
"Daniel?" Felix said. "What the hell is going on?"
He folded the note and put it in his back pocket, opening the top drawer to the desk. Inside was a small silver key. "This must be it."
He shut the drawer and opened the second one. Inside there were two small cylinder containers. "How am I going to carry all this?"
He looked around for something to use and saw a small strapped bag by the bed. He picked it up and slung it over his shoulder. It was old and worn and dusty, like it had been around for years.
He stuffed the containers in the bag and went back to the desk, opening the bottom drawer. Inside was a small tube of liquid labeled laudanum.
"Okay, time to see where I am." He took out the key and walking to the door, unlocking it and opening it slowly.
He walked down the corridor, always looking behind him. Every once in a while he could have sworn he heard foot steps behind him, making him quicken his pace.
After 5 minutes of walking, Felix came upon another door. He opened the door and walked in, making sure to shut it behind him.
He looked around the room, which was another bedroom. Searching through all the drawers in the dresser, he only found a shirt and another cylinder container. He walked to the desk and found another scrap of paper. He picked it up and read it.
Felix,
I trust that you have made it this far with out getting into trouble.
Good. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Daniel. I was trapped here a long time ago. I ended up in the same situation you are in now; I awoke with out my memory, I had no idea where I was, and Alexander was most likely to blame.
Alexander is the Baron of this mansion, and he has survived through out the decades tricking people and trapping them here to die.
He is not to be trusted.
There are things lurking in this place, things the mind never thinks about. You will do best if you avoid these creatures.
Please do well.
-Daniel
"Things lurking in this place...? What things?" Felix asked, getting quite frightened now. "I need to find Cry and get out of here."
As he finished his sentence he heard a strange sound from the hallway. It was a sort of growling. Felix froze in place, breathing heavily. He looked around for a place to hide.
He ran to the other side of the room and crouched between the bed and dresser. Seconds later, the door started to crack, like something was clawing at it. It continued until the door was completely shattered.
Felix squeezed his eyes closed, hoping whatever it was wouldn't find him.
As the creature roamed the room, Felix heard a soft whisper. "Chairmode... Chairmode Felix..." he looked around but saw no one.
After a few more minutes of hiding, the creature finally left. Felix peaked over the bed to make sure nothing was there. He stood up and breathed deeply.
He looked around again for the source of the whisper. "H-hello?"
"Felix..." the whisper came again.
"Who's there?"
Suddenly, a person appeared on the other side of the room. It was a man who appeared to be about his age, dressed in a green and white shirt and black pants.
Felix jumped back. "Who are you?!"
"I am Mister Chair." he said timidly, adjusting his thin glasses.
"Mister... chair? Why are you...?"
"I'm the human form of the chair." he said simply.
Felix shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I must be going insane."
"Quite possibly, but I'm part of the crew here to help you." he smiled.
"'Crew'? What 'crew'?"
"There are more of us."
"More chairs?"
"No," Mister Chair face palmed. "I mean there are more of us here to help you. We are part of the magic that surrounds this castle."
"Oh. That makes sense." Felix said, even though he didn't have a clue about what was going on.
"I know it's hard to grasp, but you're trapped here until you complete your mission."
"My mission?" Felix asked.
"Yes. Your mission is what your trying to achieve. What are you trying to achieve, Felix?"
"You mean saving Cry?"
"If you by 'Cry', you mean your friend, then yes."
"How did I get mixed up in all this?" Felix asked, sitting down on the bed.
"I know, you didn't sign up for this." Mister chair said, sitting down next to Felix. "Trust me, you think I signed up for being a chair that sits here until Alexander's next victim rolls around?"
"Are you atleast going to come with me?"
"I'm afraid I can't do that. I'm stuck in this room."
"So I'm not going to see you again?"
"You're going to see me again. I appear in all the rooms. I just can't leave to go other places, if that makes any sense."
"Okay. Well thanks for the help." Felix got up and walked to the door. He stopped for a moment and turned around. "You wouldn't happen to know where Cry is, would you?"
"I'm afraid I don't have that information, but I can assure you that he's out of harm's way... for now." Mister chair smiled.
"Okay, thanks anyway." Felix smiled and walked back out into the hallway.
After what seemed like hours, Felix finally came across a staircase. It lead to a large door labeled 'Wine Cellar'.
"Well doesn't that seem fun." he grumbled. He walked down the stairs and jiggled the door knob, only to find that it was locked. He cursed under his breath and walked back up the stairs. "Where am I supposed to find the key?"
He walked along the corridor until he came to a door he hadn't tried before. He opened it, walking in and shutting the door behind him. After what previously happened, he'd rather have a door in between him and whatever was out there than to have it just waltz right up to him.
He walked to the desk, which had another scrap of paper on it. It was the only one he'd seen in a while.
Felix,
I see you have made a friend. The objects in this place can help you depending on the situation. Friends are what help you through these bad times and I only wish I had someone there to help me in my time of need.
But be aware, not all the things you encounter will be good. There are things that will stop at nothing to prevent you from venturing on. Just use your better judgment, and you will be out of this mess in no time.
If you are looking to get into the Wine Cellar, you will need a key. Check everywhere you can think of, because things are not always in plain sight.
Your friend is safe for the moment, but don't think that means you can slack off.
-Daniel
Felix sighed. He knew this was far from over.
"'Ellos Felix." A voice came from behind him.
Felix jumped. He slowly turned around to see a man leaned against the desk. "What?"
"Well it's nice to finally be acknowledged." the man said sarcastically. "My name is Stephano."
Stephano was very tall and dressed in all gold. Even his skin was gold. "Oh, my name's Felix." Felix said awkwardly, extending is hand.
"I already know that, you idiot." Stephano said, taking his hand and shaking it.
They fell into silence. Felix tried to think of something nice to say. "Um... you have a very nice accent."
"Thank you, it's french."
"Are you one of the people who are supposed to help me?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"I am your companion. I will travel along side of you through your journey here."
"You mean you get to come along with me?" Felix said excitedly.
"That is what I just said."
"I'm trying to find the Cellar key, can you help me with that?"
"Ah, the cellar key. I know where that is, follow me."
Stephano and Felix walked through the halls until they came upon another room. "This should be it."
"Thanks!" Felix walked into the room, where it was extremely dark. "Whoa, why is it so dark here?"
"Probably because it is dark outside."
Felix looked out the window and saw that it was night time. "Then how am I going to see?"
"Have you not found a lantern yet?"
"There was a lantern?" Felix asked dumbly.
Stephano rubbed his face with his hands, frustrated. "There was, but there's no use in going back now. Just use your tinderboxes."
"My what?"
Stephano looked at Felix as if he had said something stupid. "The things you use to light rooms with, you idiot. You know, the containers?"
"Oh! You mean these things?" Felix dug into his bag and pulled out a couple of the containers he had found.
"Yes, that is what I mean. Now light the candle over there on the desk."
Felix followed the order and walked into the dark room and located the candle, lighting it. The room got a little brighter, bright enough to see. "Now where is the key?" Felix asked, turning back to Stephano.
"I am not going to tell you everything, Felix. You have to do things on your own as well."
Felix sighed, searching through the drawers of the desk and dresser. "I can't find it." he said, turning back to a very bored-looking Stephano.
"Things are not always in plain sight. You have to check in the less obvious places, too."
"Like where?"
Stephano sighed. He knew this could go on forever. "Check behind the painting."
Felix went over to the painting on the wall and removed it from it's hook. Behind it was a small space with a few tinderboxes, the Cellar key, and a laudanum. "Hey Stephano?"
"Yes?"
"What is this for?" Felix held up the small tube of liquid.
"That is for healing injuries."
"Injuries? What kind of injuries?"
"Like the kind you get when you run into the creatures."
Felix swallowed hard. He hadn't seen the thing from before in quite a while, and he wanted to keep it that way. "W-what do they do if you 'run into them'?"
"I guess you will have to see for yourself. Now let's go back to the Cellar."
They walked all the way back to the Cellar door, where Felix took out the key. "What are we going to do once we get in there?"
"I am afraid I will not be coming with you."
"What? Why?!"
"I cannot pass through doors like these. But do not worry, if you are lucky, I will be down there waiting for you. Now go, Felix."
Felix nodded and unlocked the door, stepping into the Wine Cellar.
Meanwhile...
Ryan struggled against the chains on his wrists. "Let me out!" he called for the thousandth time. "You can't keep me here forever!"
He slumped against the wall. There was no use yelling when there was no one around.
After Felix had passed out, Ryan dropped down to his side. "Felix?! Are you okay?"
Alexander laughed, startling him. Ryan looked up, rage pouring through him. "What did you do to him?!"
"Ah, boy calm down, he is merely passed out. He will awake with nothing more than amnesia."
Ryan continued to shake Felix, knowing that he wasn't going to wake up soon enough. He stood up and pointed a finger at Alexander. "You are going to be in serious trouble, you monster!" he pulled out his cell phone and dialed 9-1-1. Alexander snatched the phone out of his hand and snapped it in half.
Ryan stood there, bewildered. "Let us go!" he said after coming to his senses.
"I'm afraid I can't do that." he said, snapping his fingers.
All of a sudden, Ryan was being dragged away. He struggled to get free, to see his captors, but he was too tightly restrained.
He was dragged down to the great depths of the castle where it was too dark to see anything. The next thing he knew, he had chains on his wrists and was sitting on a cold, hard floor.
After his eyes finally adjusted to the pitch black room, he looked around. He was in a cell, with a pile of dead bodies laying across the floor from him. "Oh God..." he said.
Now here he was, trying to get free. He wasn't worried for his own sake, he was worried about what would happen to Felix. He couldn't stand the thought of anything bad happening to him.
"Let me out, Alexander! What have you done with Felix?" he continued to shout, although he knew it was no use.
He finally stopped. He rested his chin on his chest and breathed deeply. A single tear fell down his cheek. "Please don't hurt Felix... please."
Once down in the cellar, Felix looked around. The place was lit by numerous torches lining the walls. He slowly walked through the musty room, checking the ground for anything of use. He found nothing and sighed. "What am I even supposed to be looking for?"
As he walked in and out of the rooms, Felix couldn't help but feel like someone was watching him. As he walked into the last room he could find, he saw another note on the ground.
Felix,
There are many dangers down here, so be very aware. The more light you have around you, the better your sanity will be, so stick to well lit areas.
I am aware that you do not have a lantern. There will be one down here, along with some oil. Do not waste your lantern, because in dark times, you will need it most.
Remember: the light is the best thing to fight against the evils of this horrid place.
Stay safe, my friend.
-Daniel
Felix tucked the note away in his bag and looked around. "I've searched every inch of this place, so the lantern must be in here."
Felix looked everywhere, but couldn't find the lantern. As he shut the drawer of the desk, he felt like he was being watched again. He stopped breathing and slowly turned around.
Something from the shadows of the doorway lunged forward and tackled him into a pile of barrels. He fought with the creature to get up, but the thing was to strong. He finally gave up and accepted his fate.
The thing put it's head down by Felix's ear, causing him to shudder.
"Do you like it when I touch you like that?" The thing whispered in his ear.
"W-what?"
He finally got the strength to push the creature off of him and backed up into a corner.
As the thing came into the light, Felix saw that it wasn't a monster. It was another person. It was another guy, wearing a pink, tattered shirt, tight black pants, and floppy ears on his pink hair. "Who are you?"
"My name's Piggeh, friend."
"Is there a specific reason why you attacked me?" Felix asked, laughed nervously.
"I saw you and just couldn't help myself." Piggeh winked at him.
"Oh... um..." Felix said, at a loss for words. "I'm assuming your another 'helper' Daniel has sent."
"You bet!" Piggeh said, helping him stand up. "I'm here to take your mind off things."
"Good, I could use a friend down here." Felix smiled.
"It is a bit creepy, isn't it. Don't worry, if you get too scared, I'm always here for a cuddle." Piggeh said with another wink.
"I'll... keep that in mind."
Felix dusted himself off and adjusted his bag. Some of the stuff had fallen out, so he bent down to pick them up.
"I wouldn't stay in that position too long, if I were you." Piggeh said from behind him.
The realization of what he meant made Felix crouch down instead. As he picked up the last tinderbox, he saw something where the pile of barrels were. "Hey, this is the lantern!"
"That'll come in handy."
Felix picked it up and filled it with the jar of oil that sat next to it. He put it in his bag and took a deep breath. "Do you have any idea what I might be looking for down here?"
Piggeh pursed his lips, thinking. "I remember something about a hidden room down here, if that helps."
"A hidden room?"
"Ah, man, I've said too much!" Piggeh said, scolding himself.
"It's okay, if you hadn't said something we'd probably be wandering around down here for hours."
"Good point. You're gonna have to find it on your own though!"
"I think I can manage that." Felix laughed.
They walked out of the room and into the musty cellar once again.
After walking around for about 10 minutes, they finally came upon a hole in one of the walls. "I think if we can break this, it'll lead to the hidden room." Felix mused.
"Sounds like a plan to me." Piggeh smiled.
"What do we break it with?"
"I'm... not allowed to tell you that."
"Okay, fine. Can you atleast tell me where to find it?" Piggeh looked hesitant. "C'mon, Piggeh! My friend is locked up somewhere and I don't want to spend another hour trying to find it." Felix whined.
"Okay, okay. I don't think Daniel would have a problem with that reasoning. It's in that room." Piggeh pointed to another room across from them.
"Thanks, Piggeh." Felix smiled.
"Don't mention it, Baby Cakes."
They walked to the room and opened the door. "Why didn't I see this room before?" Felix asked, looking around.
"All doors look the same, you probably skipped over it thinking you already went in."
On the table along the far wall was a row of tools. "Something here should be able to knock that wall down..." Felix said. He scanned the tools, his sight landing on a hammer. "You think this could do it?"
Piggeh looked up from his fascination with a strange puddle. "That's it! That's what you need!"
As Felix picked the hammer up, a familiar voice came from behind him. "Oi, Felix, it took you long enough."
Felix turned around, only to see Stephano sitting on one of the work benches. "Stephano!" Felix exclaimed, hugging the man.
Piggeh looked at them, jealous.
"You know how long I've been down here waiting, Felix? You are very slow."
"I'm sorry, I got a bit side tracked."
Stephano looked at Piggeh. "Ellos Piggeh."
"Hey, Stephano."
"You two know each other?" Felix asked, looking between the two.
"He has tried to come on to me several times, so I guess you could say we 'know each other'."
"Oh come on, you know you liked it." Piggeh said, leaning on Stephano's shoulder.
"Get off of me, you pervert."
Piggeh laughed and backed away.
"So are we ready?"
"Yup."
"Of course."
"Good, let's go."
They walked back to the wall. Felix took out the hammer, positioning it to hit the wall. With one swift motion, the wall was crumbled. Piggeh nodded, impressed.
Inside the room was a layout similar to the ones upstairs. There was a bed, desk, dresser, and the usual stuff. "Why would there be a bedroom down here?"
"I don't know, man. That's something to ask Alexander."
As they stepped through the rubble and into the room, a growl came from outside. They all looked at one another. "Hide!" Piggeh whispered.
As Stephano hid in the closet and Piggeh hid under the bed, Felix stood there, helpless. There were no other hiding spots.
As the growl came closer and closer, Felix heard a voice. "Chairmode, Felix... Chairmode..."
"Mister Chair?" Felix whispered.
The growl was now right outside the hole in the wall and Felix stood there, frightened for his life.
"Felix, hide!" Piggeh said from under the bed.
"Where-" he started to say, but was cut off when the creature made it's way through the hole. Felix stood there, in awe by it's appearance.
It had no lower jaw, it was almost completely naked, and it had bandages wrapped around it's torso. It growled it's displease for Felix's presence and swung it's giant clawed hand at him, sliced his arm.
Felix cried out in pain.
' If you ever feel fear, run.'
Felix looped his way around the creature and ran out of the hole. He ran through the rooms, looking for a place to hide, with the thing hot on his trail. He ran into the tool room, shutting the door behind him, although he knew that wouldn't stop it.
He hid behind the tool bench and winced in pain as his arm bled. The sound of the door being shredded came soon after, making him wince even more.
The door splintered into pieces and the creature made it's way into the room.
Felix was close to crying now. He had never felt fear like this before. His heart thumped in his ears as he held his breath, trying to stay concealed.
After a few more minutes of crouching, the thing finally left. That didn't make it much better for Felix, though. The blood loss was starting to get to him.
For the second time that day, he black out.
Felix woke up in a bed once again. He sat up and looked around. Stephano was propped up against a wall next to his bed while Piggeh and Mister Chair sat together on the floor.
"What's going on? How long have I been asleep?" Felix asked, panicking.
"About 10 minutes. You've lost quite a bit of blood, so we gave you some laudanum to heal your injuries. Now you know what those things can do to you."
Felix nodded. He looked over at Piggeh and Mister Chair. "Mister Chair? When did you get here?"
"I was always here. Sittin' right over there." he pointed to the desk.
"I'm so glad to see you." Piggeh said, stroking Mister Chair's hair and kissing his forehead.
"You should be more worried about Felix, Piggeh." Mister Chair blushed.
"I never see you anymore though."
Felix watched the two with confusion and looked at Stephano.
"They have a bit of an... er... intimate relationship. More so with Piggeh than with Mister chair, but Mister Chair still loves him the same."
"So they're... together?"
Stephano nodded. "Always have been, probably always will be. Rather cute, if I do say so."
Felix looked over at the two. Piggeh was now cradling Mister Chair in his lap while whispering to him. Felix felt a sort of sadness.
He thought of him and Ryan. Why couldn't he have that sort of thing? A close bond, that's all. He knew Ryan would think he was crazy if he even suggested it.
"We also blocked the hole so the Bro couldn't get in while you were healing."
"You call him the Bro?" Felix asked.
"Better than not having a name at all."
"... We should probably set out again. I can't stand to think of Cry locked up some where, all alone."
Stephano narrowed his eyes at him. "Do you and Ryan have a bond like those two?" He nodded his head toward Piggeh and Mister Chair.
"No, not really. I mean, we live together, and we're best friends, but that's about it."
"... You seem sad about this."
"Sad? Why would I be sad?"
"Perhaps you should ask yourself that question."
Felix looked down at his lap. "So what now?" he said, changing the subject.
"We located the key for you since you were unconscious. You are now able to go to the Archives."
"Will I see you there?" Felix asked.
"Perhaps. You must go now, Felix. Ryan is waiting on you. Be his hero."
Felix blushed. "Okay." He got off the bed and picked up his bag. "Can you atleast walk with me to the door?"
"Of course."
They walked to the hole, removing the barricade. Felix turned back to Piggeh and Mister Chair. "Are you-"
Stephano put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Let them be. They hardly ever get to see each other. Now come on."
He nodded and went out into the Cellar. They walked back to the Wine Cellar entrance and turned to each other. "Thanks Stephano."
"No problem. I will see you in the Archives."
"So I will see you?"
"Perhaps."
Felix turned and opened the door. This was one step closer to finding his friend.
*
As Felix roamed the halls of the upstairs, he was constantly looking over his shoulder. Another run-in with the bro just might kill him, especially because he only had one more laudanum.
"Now where is the Archives...?" he muttered, going through the maze of hallways. He came upon the room he started in. "So if I went this way, then I should go that way!" he walked in the direction of the right of the room.
After walking for what felt like forever, Felix was starting to get tired. He was constantly rubbing his eyes, trying to rid the sleep from them.
He finally got to another door similar to the Wine Cellar one. He used the key and slowly peeked inside. It was dark.
"I guess this is a good excuse to use my lantern."
He pulled out his lantern and turned it on, causing a bright glow around him.
He wandered through the dark halls, unsure of where he was headed. He thought he could hear piano music, but when he went in the direction of it, it stopped playing. He shrugged it off and continued on.
He checked the first room and looked all around for Stephano, but he was no where to be found. He did, however, find another note.
Felix,
Your sanity is draining slowly, although you may not realize it.
Beware of the Brute and his tricks. Hallucinations can be a very scary thing.
Please use your lantern only when you need it.
I leave you with a message: Find Stephano. He is going to be your best bet at making it through all of this. Ryan is still safe at the moment, but I fear that that will not last long. Please hurry, Felix.
-Daniel
"Hallucinations? What's that supposed to mean?" He tucked to note into his bag and continued on. He walked out of the room and heard another growl from the bro. "Shit." he said, running back into the room and shutting the door.
When the door didn't do the usual clawing noise, he slowly peaked from his hiding place. He creeped over to the door, opening it slowly. "I have a bad feeling about this..." The Bro was no where in sight, thankfully.
He went on until he found the next room. He opened the door to see Stephano leaning against the bed, looking very bored. "Stephano!"
"Ellos Felix."
"It's a relief to see you. I keep hearing the Bro around, but I never see him."
"That is normal. He isn't really seen much around these parts."
"Are you ready to go?"
Stephano raised an eyebrow. "Do you even know what you are looking for?"
"Well... no, but I assume it's another key, right?"
Stephano sighed. Felix was not much of the smart survival type. "Yes, you are looking for the key. Now let's get going."
They left and wandered through the halls, searching every room and looking along the floor but finding nothing.
"Do you happened to know what time it is?" Felix asked, yawning.
"If I had to guess, probably late night."
"It feels later than that."
"Time drags by when you are in a sticky situation, doesn't it. Come, let's check that room." Stephano said, pointing in the direction of another door.
Felix went to turn the knob when a voice came from behind him. "Stop."
They turned around to see yet another man, wearing a brown shirt, brown pants, and sunglasses. "What?"
"You can't go in that room." The person said in a deep tone.
"Why not? Stephano, what's going on?"
"Oi, not him again." Stephano said, pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing. "This is the Barrel. The annoying one of the bunch of us."
"Is he here to help me too?"
"No, he's here to try and get in your way. All he does is pester you, though."
"Hey that's not true! I stop lots of people!"
"Oi, Barrel. Go back to the basement where you belong."
"Why don't you go back to the antique shop where you belong."
Felix looked back and forth between the two as they argued. "Um, guys? I'm kind of in a hurry here."
They both stopped and looked at Felix.
"Yes, of course. Come along, ignore him."
"Don't ignore me!"
Felix and Stephano went into the room, leaving the Barrel behind. They searched through the room, only finding tinderboxes, a tube of laudanum, and a few spare shirts in the dresser.
"You guys aren't going to get away that easily." The Barrel said, walking into the room.
"And what are you going to do to stop us?" Stephano snapped.
"You can't save your friend if you can't get out of this room." The Barrel said, smirking as he blocked the doorway.
Stephano, being twice the Barrel's size, shoved past him and gestured for Felix to follow him.
The Barrel scowled at Stephano and followed after the two.
"Why is he following us?" Felix whispered to Stephano.
"He is one of the failed distractions Alexander has sent to stop us. He won't give up until we give up."
"... That's stupid."
"Don't think I can't hear you two!"
The two of them went on through the halls, the Barrel trying his best to stop them and Stephano pushing him aside.
When they walked down the final hallway, Felix saw a note on one of the small tables.
He picked it up, along with the jar of oil sitting next to it.
Felix,
I see you have met one of your enemies. He is not the only one around here, so be careful. Not all of them will be a docile as he is.
I have left you some more oil for your lantern. The key to the dungeon is not far ahead.
Your friend is at the furthest part of the dungeon, locked in one of the cells. Alexander will do everything in his power to keep you from proceeding to him, so be on your guard.
I trust that you will make it out of here, Felix.
Alexander is watching, so once again, be aware.
-Daniel
"According to this, we aren't far from the key."
"Good. I don't know how much more of this moron I can take."
The Barrel frowned. "Hey, I'm just doing my job."
"Well you are very bad at your job."
"Am not!"
Stephano took a deep breath, irritated. "See? I have to deal with this forever. Atleast you get to leave."
Felix sighed, exasperated. "I hope so."
They went to the last room in the corridor and searched high and low. "Where is it?"
"Don't ask me. I'm just as confused as you are."
The Barrel sat in the corner of the room, smiling. "Having fun?"
"Shut up, Barrel."
By the time they were done searching, the room was destroyed. The bedding was on the ground, drawers littered the ground, and paintings were removed from the walls. "I give up, we're never going to find it. Cry is just going to be stuck in there forever and it's going to be all my fault."
"Do not be so dramatic, Felix. We will find it and we will save your friend."
"Neither of us have any clue where it is!"
They stopped and looked at the Barrel, who was casually sitting on the dresser, swaying his legs back and forth. "Need some help?"
"Yeah, can you help us?"
"Felix, he's not going to help us. He's just going to sit there and smile like an idiot."
"I could help you... for a price."
"I don't have any money."
"He's not talking about money, Felix." Stephano glared at the Barrel.
"Then what does he want?"
"Nothing much." he grinned.
"... He wants you to take him with you."
"Why is that a bad thing?"
"Felix, you don't understand. Having the Barrel with you causes more bad things to happen. The Bro will appear more, more enemies will appear, and your sanity will drain."
"Stephano, we don't really have a choice."
Stephano gave Felix a worried look. "Felix, it will make it harder to find your friend."
"But if we don't find the key, we won't be able to find him at all."
"... Valid point," Stephano said after a moment. "Just be careful, okay? I will see what I can do to help you. I may of may not be down there waiting for you."
"Okay. Thanks Stephano." Felix smiled.
"So what's the decision?"
"I guess you can come with me." Felix said reluctantly.
"Great! Oh won't this be fun?" The Barrel said, hopping off the dresser and grabbing the key from where he was sitting.
Stephano and Felix looked at him, astonished. "You were sitting on it the whole time?!"
"Maybe."
"You tricked me!"
"So?"
"So that's not fair!"
"Life isn't fair, my friend."
As they argued, a growl emitted from outside the door. They all went wide eyed and scrambled to find a hiding place.
Felix crawled under the bed just as the door was clawed down. The Bro stumbled into the room, growling.
Felix started to feel slightly dizzy as the Bro came closer to the bed. He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the head ache that was coming on.
After a few seconds, the Bro finally left, leaving Felix with a massive head ache.
They all came out of their hiding places and gathered around. "Well wasn't that exciting. Shall we leave?"
Felix glared at the Barrel. "Fine. Let's go." He snatched the key out of the Barrel's hand and walked out of the room. As the three made their way to the Dungeon door, Stephano and the Barrel kept bickering back and forth.
"You're a waste of space, you know that?"
"Why don't you go eat a danish, French boy."
"Danishes aren't french, you idiot."
"Oh... well go eat something french and go away."
"Well aren't you the master of comebacks."
They finally arrived at the large door. "Okay..." Felix said, breathing deeply. "This is it. Will I see you in there?"
"If you are lucky, yes."
Felix laughed a little. "Okay. Thanks again Stephano."
"No problem. Hopefully I'll be able to meet your friend."
"I'm sure he'd like you." Felix said, unlocking the door. He smiled at Stephano one last time and went through the door.
Meanwhile
Ryan was starting to fall asleep.
He knew he couldn't fall asleep, though, knowing Felix was somewhere in the Castle, all alone.
His face was tear-streaked and red from crying. He had lost his voice by now from screaming, so he had just given up.
As he started to drift off, a loud noise awakened him. He looked up, hoping to see Felix, but instead he saw Alexander standing outside his cell, smiling. "Hello, Ryan. How are you feeling?"
"Horrible." Ryan said in a raspy voice.
"Hmph. You'd think you'd be more grateful since I've spared your life."
Ryan's eyes went wide. "D-did you...? Is Felix...?"
"Don't worry, your friend is fine. In fact, he is roaming the castle looking for you."
Ryan's eye lit up. "Really?"
"Yes. But don't get too excited, he will not be able to save you. I have my fair share of distractions waiting for him."
"Where is he?"
"He should be getting close now, which is a problem. If he gets too close I may have to do something about it."
"Don't hurt Felix!" Ryan tried to shout, but it only came out as a whisper.
"My boy, I do not take commands from children."
"I am not a child, now let me go!"
"I think I'll have some fun with this. It's much like a fairytale, don't you think? But instead of a princess, it's a you." He smirked.
"What are you trying to say?" Ryan glared at him.
"I'm saying that you are Felix's damsel in distress."
"It's not like that..." Ryan looked down at his lap, embarrassed.
"We shall see. I will come back regularly to tell you how your friend is doing. It's the least I can do considering your fate." Alexander said, turning and walking away.
Ryan was truly scared at this point. He didn't care if he died, but he couldn't live with himself if Felix got hurt.
Felix's damsel in distress.
Felix entered the dungeon, the Barrel not far behind, and shut the door. As he was about to turn around, Felix heard the growl of the Bro.
"Incoming." the Barrel said nonchalantly.
Felix turned around and saw the Bro charging at him. "Ah!" he cried, covering his head with his arms to brace for the claws. When nothing harmed him, Felix looked up, only to see that the Bro had vanished, leaving a poof of dust in it's place.
The Barrel giggled. "You should have seen the look on your face."
"Shut up, Barrel." Felix snapped, walking on without waiting.
The two roamed the stone halls, lighting the torches on the walls every so often to mark where they'd been.
When they came upon an already lit torch, Felix sighed. "I think we're going in circles."
"Wouldn't be surprised. The dungeon is like a maze."
As they turned yet another corner, they came to an abrupt stop. Standing in the middle of the hallway was another person. A man, slightly taller than Felix with ear-length black hair and green eyes, clad in a shiny suit of armor, stood in their way.
"Hello Felix." The man said in a thick English accent. He smiled a wide grin, almost mischievous.
"Um... hello?" Felix said, narrowing his eyes at him.
"Hey there, Statue..." the Barrel said, blushing shyly.
"Hello, Barrel, nice to see you again," the man nodded once in the direction of the Barrel and turned back to Felix. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Statue Knight, or Statue for short. I'm here to be your trustworthy companion." Another strange grin.
Something seemed off about Statue. "You mean like Stephano?"
"Er, um... sure! Like Stephano."
"Okay... just try to keep up, I'm in a bit of a hurry." Felix said, trudging past him and through the hall.
Behind him he could here the Barrel and Statue talking.
"So how have you been?"
"Fine."
"Oh... that's good! I've been good, just so you know."
"I didn't ask."
"I-I know, I just thought maybe you'd want to know."
"Very well. Now that the hellos are out of the way, how is the adventure coming along?"
"It's been pretty boring, if you ask me."
"I didn't ask if it was boring," Statue snapped. "I asking how it was coming along."
"Oh, right. Um, we've encountered the Brute a couple times, he has been aided along the way by the others, and-" the rest was too quiet for Felix to hear.
They came upon the first door a couple minutes later. It was a sturdy, metal door, which was thankfully unlocked.
He opened the door and walked inside, only to be greeted to the smell of rotted meat. In the corned was a wooden bed frame and a pile of naked bodies. "Ugh, that's disgusting." Felix said, covering his nose with his hand.
"Oh don't be such a baby." Statue said from outside the door.
Felix rolled his eyes as the Barrel giggled again. He moved the bed frame and found more tinderboxes, which was good because he was running low. Along side of it was a jar of oil and a note.
Felix,
Be careful who you bring with you on this quest. Not everyone can be trusted.
You are only part way through the dungeon, but not close enough to your friend's cell.
You must hurry, Felix. Alexander will not put off Ryan's safety much longer. I left you some more oil and tinderboxes for your way through the dark corridors. Stay safe, Felix, and remember: use your better judgment. Not everyone is who they say to be.
-Daniel
Felix narrowed his eyes and turned back to the two standing in the hall. "Statue?"
Statue looked up. "Yes?"
"Are you sure you're here to help me?"
"Of course! Why would you ask that?"
"Because I don't trust you." Felix said simply, stuffing the note in the almost-full bag.
"Now why would you say such a thing?" Statue asked, cracking a toothy smile, which annoyed Felix further. "I am even better than Stephano, if I do say so myself."
"Liar!"
Statue pursed his lips. "Have your own opinion, but I am here with you whether you like it or not. Now let's get going, wouldn't want your friend in danger, now would we?"
Felix's eye twitched, but he kept calm. "Yes, let's go."
They walked along the never-ending halls, turning, then turning some more. They finally found another door, which was also metal.
Felix tugged on the door, but it wouldn't budge. He yanked on the door until in finally opened, although the hinges squealed in protest. Standing inside was Stephano, with Piggeh and mister Chair standing next to him. "Hey guys! I'm so glad to see you."
Stephano looked up and smiled, but almost immediately scowled when the Barrel and Statue came up behind him. "What is he doing here?"
"Who? Statue?"
"Yes, him." Stephano stepped past Felix and walked up to Statue, who looked at him with a bored expression. "What do you think you are doing?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. I am simply helping Felix along with finding his friend." he smiled.
"Wipe that stupid grin off your face, Statue." Stephano turned to Felix. "Felix, he is not to be trusted. Why would you bring him along with you?"
"He said he could help, so I thought why not?"
Stephano closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Statue, I will take things from here. Now go look pretty somewhere else."
"Such attitude for a 'noble' man. Very well, I'll be off. I will see you around, Barrel. Try not to make a fool of yourself."
"O-okay, you got it. Bye, Statue." the Barrel waved as Statue walked off down the hall.
"Why don't you go off with your boyfriend, Barrel."
"I really don't want to be a bother to him..." the Barrel said, looking down at the floor.
"Leave." Stephano said sternly.
The Barrel nodded and ran off in the direction that Statue went.
"You handled that rather well." Felix noted.
"They can be pests, yes. And pests must be taken care of."
Felix looked in the room where Piggeh and Mister chair watched with amazement. "Mister Chair? What are you doing here? I thought you couldn't leave the rooms."
Mister Chair smiled. "I got permission from Daniel to come along with you. Piggeh begged and begged, so now here I am." Piggeh laced his fingers with Mister Chair's and kissed the top of his head, making him blush. "P-piggeh, not in front of everyone."
Felix smiled. "Well looks like everyone is here! Let's get going, Daniel said that Ryan could be in danger if we don't hurry." They went from room to room, collecting tinderboxes, talking, and searching for any clues to where they might be heading. After a while, Felix was starting to get worried. "Guys?"
They all stopped talking and looked at Felix. "What is wrong?"
"What if we don't get to him in time? What do you think will happen?" Felix looked at the ground as he walked.
"We'll find him, don't worry." Piggeh said.
"Piggeh's right. We'll find your friend."
"But look," Felix pointed at a lit torch on the wall. "We've been here already! What if we're just going in circles?"
They looked at one another. "... Felix might be right. That door's already open, which means we were already down this way." Mister Chair said as they passed by an open room.
They came to an intersection of hallways. "Well there's no light down this way, so we haven't gone there yet. Come." Stephano turned down the corridor and motioned for them to follow.
Stephano was right. They didn't see any lit torches on the way, which gave Felix some hope. "I think thing's are starting to-" something slammed into Felix, causing him to fall backwards on the ground. "What the hell?!" he looked up to see a naked body laying on top of him. "Ah!" he shoved it off and scurried backwards.
"Are you okay, Felix?" Stephano asked, helping him up.
"Y-yeah, but what the hell just happened?"
"Another one of Alexander's tricks, I'm afraid." Mister Chair said quietly.
"What?"
"You have to be careful walking the halls or bodies will appear out of nowhere and knock you over."
"That's disgusting!"
"Very disgusting, but it doesn't stop him. He will do anything to keep us away."
Felix looked down at the naked man on the ground and cringed. "Let's go. This place is getting weirder and weirder."
They walked a few feet and came across a door hidden by the shadows. With much resistance, the door finally let them through. On a small table next to another bed frame was a note.
Felix,
You are getting closer now, which means Alexander will be even more ruthless. This could mean sending more enemies, or it could even mean hurting Ryan.
You have to be quick, Felix. I've said this many times before and I will say it again, Ryan is in danger. Alexander may be close to harming him. I've left you something here to help you defeat Alexander once and for all.
You're almost there, so don't stop now. You will not be seeing much more of me anymore, so please consult Stephano with everything you need. I wish you luck, Felix, God knows you're going to need it.
-Daniel
Felix's lip quivered. The thought of losing Cry, after everything they'd been through, was worst than this whole mess itself.
"Felix?"
Felix didn't answer, he just crumpled the note into a ball and stuffed it in his bag along with the tool Daniel left for him. "Let's go."
"Felix, are you okay?"
"We need to go, now." Felix walked out of the room quickly, not bothering to wait for the others.
Meanwhile
"Your friend is almost here." Alexander said, waking Ryan from his sleep. He felt ashamed for falling asleep, but he couldn't help it anymore.
"You mean Felix?" Ryan said, clearly regaining his voice.
"Yes. I can't risk this much longer," Alexander unlocked his cell, opening the door. "I'm afraid you'll have to come with me."
"W-what?" Ryan said shakily, his eyes wide with fear.
"This game has gone on long enough, and it's time to proclaim the winner." he snapped his fingers. Seconds later, two people came. Ryan couldn't quite make out their features, but that didn't lessen the fear any. "Take him to the chamber."
One of the individuals held Ryan's head down while the other unlocked his chains. The each took one of his arms, despite Ryan's feeble attempts to get away, and dragged him away.
"What are you going to do to me?" Ryan called to Alexander who still remained at the end of the way by his cell.
"Whatever it takes." Alexander smiled.
Ryan was starting to cry again, but he didn't even care anymore. "Felix!" he shouted, hoping for a rescue. "Felix!"
The four of them soon came to a door labeled 'Cells'. "This has to be it." Felix said, turning the nob. It surprisingly opened easily, which was a relief.
They rushed through the halls of many cells, looking in each. "Cry!" Felix called.
They turned the corner and stopped short. At the end of the hall stood Alexander, next to an open cell door. Felix felt anger like he'd never felt before. He walked to Alexander, ignore the urge to furiously kill him. "Where's Cry."
Alexander looked up, as if he didn't notice Felix before. "Ah, Felix. Awake from our nap I see?"
"Where's Cry." Felix repeated, much louder this time.
"I'm afraid your friend is no longer here. It seems you were too slow. Too bad, really, such a young boy." Alexander said smoothly.
"What did you do to him?!" Felix shouted.
"He is being taken care of else where. It's just you and me, good sir."
"Where is he?" Felix asked, stepping closer to him.
"As I said before, he is being taken-"
"Where the fuck is Ryan?!" Felix said, now crying a bit.
Alexander didn't even flinch. "A bit overwhelmed, I see. Afraid that your lover will be harmed?"
Felix stopped. "My what?" he said quietly.
"Oh? Are you two not lovers? It would seem you care a great deal for him."
"He's my best friend!"
"Is that all?"
"Felix, he's trying to mess with your head." Stephano said quietly from behind him. Felix had almost forgotten they were there.
He ignored Stephano. "We're nothing more!"
"It would seem you friend thinks differently."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Felix scowled.
"I could here him in here, muttering to himself. Saying things like 'when will I ever see him again?' or 'I'm going to be so lost with out him' or even 'Why didn't I tell him I loved him when I had the chance?'."
"Y-you're lying!"
"Do you think I would lie about this, Felix?"
Felix didn't know what to say. He didn't know if he should believe him or not. He didn't know what to even do. "It doesn't matter. Tell me where he is!"
"I don't take commands, I give them. What are you going to do otherwise?" Alexander sneered.
Felix pulled the dagger Daniel had left him from his bag and held it to Alexander's throat. "Tell me. Now."
Alexander simply smiled. "Kill me if you'd like, child. Your friend is in the chambers, awaiting death."
Felix's mouth dropped open a little. The dagger dropped from his trembling hands. "Death?" he said, starting to tear up.
"Felix, go find Ryan." Stephano put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll take care of Alexander."
Felix nodded, turning and running as fast as his legs could carry him out of the cells. He ran down the hall, looking for any sign that would lead him to the chambers. By now tears were streaming down his face as he ran.
After what felt like forever, he finally found another large door labeled 'torture chambers'.
Felix pushed open the door and ran in, only to be greeted with the sight of Ryan strapped to a long vertical table. "Cry!" he exclaimed running towards him. He was almost there when two people blocked his way. He looked at them, only to realize that it was the Barrel and Statue.
"Not so fast."
"Let him go, you scum!"
"Felix, is that any way to treat the people in charge of your friend's life?" Statue grinned.
"Please," Felix said, trying not to cry anymore, "just let him go."
They both shook their heads. "We can't do that."
Felix looked up at Cry, who was breathing heavily. He didn't have his glasses on, which made his eyes look more puffy and red. Felix looked back at the Barrel and Statue. "Please," he begged. "I'll do anything, just let him go. Take me instead!" Felix didn't care how stupid it sounded, he just wanted Ryan to be safe again.
"Don't say that, Felix!" Ryan said.
"Cry, I can't let you die. I'd rather you be safe."
"Don't do it, please. Just leave me, and worry about getting out of here."
"No, Cry," Felix sobbed. "I'm not going to leave you!"
The Barrel and statue looked at each other, surprised. "Well, we can't take both of them..." Statue muttered.
"But we can't let him go either..."
"What are we supposed to do?"
"I don't know, Alexander didn't say what to do if this happened."
As the two argued back and forth, Stephano, Piggeh, and Mister Chair came rushing in. "Felix are you okay?" Stephano asked.
Felix turned to them. "No. They won't let Cry go."
Stephano nodded, glaring at the two who were still trying to decide what to do. "Let me handle this." He walked to the two. "Let him go, you idiots, or you're going to end up like your master."
"What? What happened to Alexander?" Statue said, looking at the Barrel, who looked at him.
"What do you think happened? Now let Ryan go, or I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands."
Statue turned to the Barrel. "We can't get in trouble if he's gone... should we just do it?"
"I don't know, Statue, how do we know he's not bluffing?"
They looked at Stephano. "Are you wiling to risk it?" he crossed his arms.
"Just do it, Barrel." Statue snapped.
The Barrel looked between Stephano and Statue. "Now."
The Barrel swallowed hard, walking over to the table. He pressed a button which laid it flat again, and unfastened the straps. Once Cry was free, he got off the table and ran over and hugged Felix, who hugged him back. "I'm so glad you're safe."
After a few minutes of calming remarks, they parted and looked at the others. "Felix? Would you mind introducing me to your friends?" Ryan asked awkwardly.
Felix nodded. He pointed at each one, going down the line. "This is Stephano, Piggeh, and Mister Chair." They all smiled at Ryan.
Ryan smiled back at them, looking at each one. "Um, if I'm not being too rude, why are you golden?" Ryan asked Stephano.
Stephano laughed. "I think your friend has quite the adventure to tell you about."
Felix explained everything, from waking up in the room, to the notes and Daniel, to Mister Chair being a chair, Piggeh being a pervert, and Stephano being his companion, and his run in with the Barrel and Statue.
"Wow..." Ryan said after Felix was done. "Your night sounds way more exciting than mine."
Felix smiled, but then frowned. "I'm so sorry you had to go through all this."
"You've gone through way more than I have!" Ryan said. Felix hugged Ryan again, which Ryan accepted gratefully. "Felix?" Ryan asked softly.
"Hmm?"
"I... I love you."
"I know Cry. I love you too."
Cry pulled away and looked at Felix. "Really?"
Felix nodded. "Really."
They heard a sniffle behind them and turned to see Mister Chair tearing up. "That's so... sweet."
Piggeh chuckled and held him closer.
"So now our only order of business is getting out of here." Felix said.
They all fell silent for a moment.
"About that..." Stephano said. "There is a way out from here, but it's a bit complex."
"What is it?"
Stephano sighed. "Well, there is this spell... but like I said, it's pretty hard to do."
"Why is it hard?"
"Because the only one who can do it is Daniel." Piggeh said.
"Oh... that is pretty tough." Felix said. Somewhere along the conversation, he and Ryan had started holding hands. Not that he minded though.
"Well, it looks like we're going to have to go the long way." Ryan said.
As they started walking towards the door, a faint light appeared behind them. They turned and saw a glowing figure standing before them. "Daniel?" Stephano gasped.
The glowing man nodded. He held out his hand and gestured for them to come towards him.
Felix and Ryan stepped closer, though Ryan was a bit reluctant.
Daniel held his hands out for the both of them, which they took. Felix turned back. "Wait, will I ever see you guys again?"
"We cannot come with you, but we will always stay with you, in a way."
"The curse on the castle has been broken now that Alexander is gone, which means we don't have to stay here any longer. We will be moving on." Mister Chair said with a sad smile.
Felix gave a sad smile. "Thanks again, for everything."
They all smiled and waved as Daniel, Ryan, and Felix slowly disappeared.
Felix woke up on their couch, cuddled on top of Ryan. He looked around, making sure he was home. He smiled, and shook Ryan to wake up.
He slowly opened his eyes. His glasses were back, although they were a bit crooked. "Felix?" he said sleepily.
"Ryan, we're home!"
Ryan looked around they're living room and smiled. "Kinda like it was one big dream, huh?"
"More like a nightmare..." Felix said, sitting upright to let Ryan get up. They sat next to each other on their couch in silence, taking everything in. "I'm so sorry, Cry." Felix said quietly.
"Why are you sorry?"
"It's all my fault that we got there. It was my idea to go to the place, even though you wanted to just stay home. It's my fault that you go locked up there-"
"It's not your fault that it happened." Ryan put a hand on Felix's shoulder to calm him down.
"But if we hadn't gone, we would have never went through what we did, and you wouldn't have almost died! It is my-"
"Felix." Ryan said, stopping him.
"What?"
"Shh." Ryan smiled and kissed him to shut him up. The kiss only lasted for a few seconds, but it made a difference in Felix's mood. They pulled apart, smiling. "It's no one's fault."
"Thanks, Cry."
Ryan nodded. "Let's go to bed, it's gotta be early morning now."
They got up went to bed, leaving the bad memories behind them.
