A/N: Back to the current day (7th Day). Also introducing the Strongman and the Bereaved.

The day went on without anything interesting happened. Mainly because it was pitch black despite the fact it was supposed to be sunny.

Maxwell only watched as his partner put a log into the fire pit to keep the fire going, thus protecting them from Charlie. But his thought went somewhere else; what would happen if they're out of woods?

"Maybe you should slow down a bit with that fire, Willow," he spoke with a concerned look. Even though he had spent his life in the darkness while sitting on the Nightmare Throne, the scene still gave him the creeps.

He guessed the challenges the King had set up for them had begun.

"Sure," the woman replied, brushing off the ashes that got stuck in her fingernails. As she gazed at the blazing flame, the magician's worry increased.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly. "Why shouldn't I?" she retorted.

"You've been staring at the fire for so long; I was wondering if you're starting to lose your sanity. This place isn't very nice to begin with, after all."

"Nonsense. Like I said before, fire is my friend. It will comfort me with its flares."

"Don't tell me-"

"Yes, I'm a pyromaniac."

Maxwell blinked his eyes hard when he heard her confession. He merely had thought her interest of fire was just a quirk.

"Your skills of building a fire was surely impressive," he tried to get back to her good side.

"Thanks," was the short reply. "Wanna see something cool?"

Puzzled, he turned to her curiously as she slowly held her hand forward to the blazing fire before his eyes widened.

"You will get yourself burned if you-!" he started but was cut off by the strange sight unfolded.

Willow's limb was right into the fire, yet she was grinning from ear to ear at the fact of it.

"You...were impervious to fire," he finally spoke after a while.

"Amazing, right?" the firestarter giggled, lifting her hand away. "Speaking of abilities, what do you work before? You don't seem to do much labour work, from what I've seen of you."

"A magician. Please ask no further about it," he said quickly. She nodded in acknowledgement of it.

"How's our supply? Are there enough for us to last the day?" Maxwell queried, trying to divert her attention. Willow took a moment before answering, "The food's fine; the woods aren't."

"We need more logs, then." "Yes."

"That means one of us have to leave to cut down the trees," the magician said in realization, his face was distraught.

"I will go," said Willow almost immediately and stood up. Stunned, he got up as well and called out in distress, "But you will lose your sanity if you're away from the fire!"

"It won't take long," she said, taking her backpack. "Besides, I have this little one." She showed him her lighter, in which she flicked it on with a wide smile.

Maxwell watched as the small flame flickered to life and lifted his gaze to the woman before him. "Be safe," he finally said, holding both of her hands.

"See you later, William," Willow teased before leaving. "And I want to see the fire's still on when I come back!" The faint radius from her lighter went further as he observed.

He had never felt so alone in his life as he waited for her return.

(line break)

On the other side of the Constant's main island, two survivors were resting beside their campfire when they heard a shriek.

"What was that?" one of them, a muscular man spoke in fright. He scooted closer to the campfire while looking back and forth at his surroundings with wide eyes.

"The darkness must had struck the unfortunate one," the other replied quietly. She was a girl with a red flower pinned above her right ear, and currently was caressing another flower in her palm with utmost care.

"Wolfgang dislikes darkness," he continued. "But if Miss Wendy gets hurt, Wolfgang will save you!"

"Thank you for your concern, Wolfgang," Wendy responded. "Why don't you get some sleep? It will be long before the next sunrise." She took out a straw roll from her backpack and gave it to him.

"But what about you, Miss Wendy?" Wolfgang asked in worry as he curled into the straw roll.

"I will keep watch on the fire. Rest well," she said, unfazed with his concern.

"See you tomorrow." With that, Wolfgang rolled aside before falling to sleep with a loud snore. Wendy's mouth almost lifted to a weak smile when she heard him before putting a bundle of grass to the fire.

"You could just leave him here if you want to," a voice suddenly spoke. She stopped and looked around in wary.

"That's right; you have a better chance at surviving than your pathetic friend over there, whose facade was as worthy as dirt," the phantom went on, its saccharine voice was gaining her attention.

Wendy turned to her partner and silently gulped; she did acknowledge Wolfgang's cheerful demeanor but had never thought about it until now.

"With the help of your deceased sister, of course," it continued. At the mention of her sister, Wendy hugged the red flower in her hands closer.

"Leave him?" she finally questioned curtly. "I don't think so." She placed another bundle of grass into the fire.

"Why won't you?" the ghost queried.

"Partners are supposed to be loyal to each other, isn't it right?" she asked back.

"But you are not loyal, young Wendy. In fact, you're merely using him to ensure your own safety," the voice egged on. Wendy almost could feel whoever that talked to her was currently having a malicious grin on its face.

"In which I can't help but to profess the truth," she whispered. "We people tend to take advantages of one another, and in this world there are more to be."

Silence came over and Wendy wondered briefly if the whole conversation she just had was a figment of her imagination.

Then she heard a sound of a twig being stepped on and quickly brandished her axe. Her ghostly twin sister, Abigail was resting inside her flower and she didn't dare to wake Wolfgang up. She tightened her grip on the axe and raised the weapon, ready to attack.

That was when she faintly saw a pair of black shoes, just a bit far from the radius of the campfire.

"Greetings, fellow prisoner," she said perplexedly upon the sight and lowered her axe. "Step into the light or the darkness will kill you."

"I thought you aren't afraid of death," the shoes' owner replied cheerfully. "I don't," she retorted, noting that the person stood before her was a man. "It's just quite dramatic for a passing to the other side."

She heard a mirthful chortle before he continued, "Well, I have to admit, you are an interesting character, Miss Wendy. As for that, I decided to give you a reward."

"A reward?" she repeated, frowning.

"There's a pair of survivors up ahead in north. If you go there now, you may reach them by full moon," he explained. Wendy was having doubts about the information, but decided it wouldn't hurt to see if it was the truth.

"May I ask why you won't come into the light?" she asked. "The darkness is my friend," he told in return, "just like you and your dear partner over there."

"I see." Wendy kept her axe back inside her bag.

"I will have to take my leave now. Either you trust me or not, it's your choice." The shoes started to back away, and she couldn't help but to call out, "Will we meet again?"

"Find the Door, and you will see me again. Until then, Miss Wendy. I wish you good luck." A whoosh entered the air and she immediately knew he was gone.

Just then, Wolfgang woke up. "Is Miss Wendy alright?" he asked while rubbing his eyes.

She was about to answer him when a howl echoed all over the place. Smiling, she instead said, "We'll have to go now, Wolfgang. Adventure awaits for us."

They quickly packed their stuff and ventured ahead with torches held up high.