Sweet, so the slow update wasn't because of business; it was because of length. 1,640 words, people. This is the third-to-last chapter. TENSION. IS. OOOOONNNN!!

I really hope you guys like this, cuz it's all action and suspense from here-on out!! (But as if it hasn't been like that before, right?? XD)

-Laz

26

Timpani and Blumiere stopped in the center of a three-way intersection in the hallway. Timpani groaned, displeased at how long this was taking to find the demented jester. Blumiere just looked around, unsure of what was occurring.

"Ugh…which way do we go??" Timpani slumped over. Blumiere looked to his right and left, completely thunderstruck.

"I don't know at all; for some reason, this part of the castle doesn't look any familiar to me, and I've lived here for thirty-one years of my life," Blumiere replied. "This is very strange. You'd think I'd know this place like the back of my glove, huh?"

"You mean you don't even recognize this part? How will we find Dimentio now?" Timpani asked. "But wait, couldn't we just pick a path and try down it?"

"If we pick a path, we could most likely end up to this outcome or even a dead end."

"And you don't know where Dimentio is?" Timpani questioned. Blumiere shook his head sadly. Timpani grimaced.

"So far, the 'wait for him' plan isn't working so well…" Blumiere admitted, leaning against the wall. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I'm unsure of it right now, amour, but I'll think of something soon. I couldn't bear to think how Gustav and Ettle are doing if we're not doing well ourselves."

Timpani frowned and sat on the ground, desperately trying to think of a solution to their situation. If Blumiere didn't know where they were, there was something very, very wrong. The only explanations were Blumiere forgetting his way around the castle, or something of Dimentio's doing.

However, upon trying to think, she heard a buzzing sound. Timpani leaped to her feet, grabbed Blumiere out of the way, and dove to the ground.

"Timpani, what was that for?!" Blumiere cried.

"Didn't you hear that?!" Timpani asked.

"…No."

Both stood up, Timpani disappointed. However, right on cue, a blast of lightning headed straight for Blumiere, who quickly ducked, but just barely.

"Whoa—okay, I believe you!!" Blumiere yelped. He grunted as one nearly hit him once more. "Agh!! Show yourself, Zahira, you coward!" As more blasts rang out at the couple, Blumiere grabbed Timpani and went partially down the hallway to the right to take cover.

"Timpani, we need to split up; it'll be harder for Zahira to get us that way," Blumiere explained. Timpani frowned.

"But, where do I go?! How will I find you?!" Timpani asked.

"If you don't panic and keep running, and you'll be alright. I promise."

"Blumiere, what if Dimentio—"

"I'll deal with him, Timpani, don't worry," Blumiere took a deep breath and prepared to run back in the other direction. "Go on; we'll meet up later!" He hugged her and quickly dashed off, creating a diversion for the electricity-wielding girl. Timpani blinked, winced, and hurried in the opposite way, quite scared of her present state.

"Gustav…Gustav!!" The voice seemed so distant, but inched closer as its volume increased.

Gustav's eyes slowly opened, exhausted of what he had just gone through. Two silhouetted figures, one male and one female, towered over him, startling him greatly; Gustav scrambled up and lowered into a fighting position.

"I demand answers, you tyrants! Who are you and vhere am I?!" Gustav ordered. The female stepped out of the shadows, looking concerned, but hopeful. Gustav gasped; the woman before her was Countess Taire Fidéle.

"…Countess Taire??"

"Oh, goodness, Gustav, you gave me quite a scare; I thought you didn't recognize me for a while," Taire smiled. Her soft voice, nearly silent from disuse, was so comforting, almost hypnotizing.

"You brought Ettle and I here?!" Gustav laughed. "Oh, mein gott!! I dought Zahira and Dimentio did dat…!"

Taire smiled as she shook her head. "It was not me, though."

"I did all the work," The male added. Gustav cleared his throat.

"Count Noir…am I vight?"

Noir nodded. "It wasn't easy; you have some strange powers over you, Gustav…"

"Ja, I do. I vill explain later," Gustav replied. "But how did you two escape so easily?"

"Long story short: I was able to focus some of my staff's power into me, and I broke out." Noir smirked as he twirled his staff. Gustav blinked, completely dumbfounded.

Powers?! Vat powers?! He cried in his head.

Taire knelt beside an unconscious Ettle and frowned. She hoped that transporting the maid here didn't injure her too seriously, let alone kill her; like Timpani, she valued any living creature, despite rules or laws.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and found it to be Noir's. Surprisingly enough, he was smiling; and of course, she rarely saw that in him. Taire couldn't even remember the last time he had smiled so pleasantly.

"I…am sure she will be alright." Noir nodded. Taire was taken aback by his comment; the Noir she knew would never have said such a thing about a human!

"Noir…"

"I think she can wake up on her own." Noir winked and pulled Taire to her feet. She was speechless, for she did not know how to react, but decided to agree to leave Ettle resting. Gustav, however, thought otherwise, and took Ettle into her arms as he once saw Blumiere do to Timpani. Unfortunately, she was heavier than expected, and he almost fell to the ground from the weight.

"Where is Blumiere?" Taire asked openly. And where is Timpani? She thought.

"I last saw Blumiere in what I dought was the third level, but vhile trying to find you, I became extremely lost," Gustav replied. Noir scowled.

"Ugh, that's right; Dimentio cursed the entire castle before you came here," Noir recalled. "The halls now turn anyway imaginable and lead you to dead ends, hoping to finally aggravate you enough into giving up or surrendering; it's like a maze."

"So how do ve find him?" Gustav asked.

"The only place we can go to is the part he hasn't cursed as of yet…" Noir responded. "The main hall."

Blumiere stopped in the middle of the intersection, waiting for any noise, any movement of any sort. Timpani had obeyed his commands; she was running to wherever in the castle, and his only hope was that she would be safe that way.

But after a moment or two of silence, the count simply decided to move on forward; knowing Zahira and Dimentio, they probably got bored or wound up and left. So, as silence walked with him, Blumiere could only think and reflect back on recent and current events...

"You're being ridiculous; she's a person, too! You cannot keep me away from her!"

"Silence, Blumiere. You know better than to oppose me; she is a human, and a worthless one at that. Leave her be. She's not worth your time."

"Father, she—"

"Enough! I do not want to hear anymore of it, Blumiere. You are to stay away from her, or both of you will face drastic consequences."

Blumiere looked up from the floor as he faded back into reality, eyeing his surroundings. This was his castle, the place he was born and once lived in, but he couldn't picture himself two years ago in it. His father had been so harsh and merciless to him, but his mother wouldn't and couldn't do anything about it. All he wanted was support in his life for what he wanted to do, but he didn't receive it.

So the question was: why on Earth was he planning to save the man that had attempted to separate him and his true love?

Unfortunately, Blumiere could not explain it. His sentimental attachment to his father and mother as a child may have affected his decision, but he lost all trust and love for his father since the entire incident a while ago. His mother was different, however; she didn't have a say in the matter, so it wasn't fair for him to judge her feelings.

His only hope was that his father had changed in the few years he had not seen him. He did not want his father and Timpani to meet up while she was desperately trying to split up from Blumiere, but the chances were unknown…perhaps they would be high or low.

Blumiere suddenly heard an evil laugh ring out, causing him to stop and turn this way and that, desperate to find the source.

"Ah ha ha ha, my, Blumiere!! You're looking worse than ever!" Dimentio and Zahira suddenly appeared before Blumiere. "Do tell what in the world is wrong with you; I'm dying to know!!"

"None of your business, Dimentio. But I have to say, I'm actually glad you're here for once; I've been longing for a two-hit fight for days now since you decided you could pull your crafty little trick on me," Blumiere lunged for Dimentio, but instead was met with Zahira. Nevertheless, he whacked her to the side with his staff and shoved Dimentio to the ground, pointing his staff at the jester. "Which, I'm sure you were laughing about, but as you can tell, I am not laughing."

"Goodness, are we testy, count!!" Dimentio laughed and kicked Blumiere backwards. He got up, ready to counteract any blow Blumiere had to offer. "I assure you, however, that I need, nor want, a fight for now."

Blumiere sat up, holding his head. "Then what did you want in coming here?"

"Only to warn you." Dimentio smirked.

"Of…?"

"Something darling to you. I suggest you hurry off now…" Dimentio cackled, and with Zahira, they teleported off to an unknown place to Blumiere. He blinked, but instantly remembered the jester's plans.

"TIMPANI!!" Blumiere cried, scrambling up and sprinting off to his wife's path.