Night had fallen, judging by the time on Scrooge's watch. Hungry, tired, it was getting harder to concentrate on the task at hand. They decided to take a short break to eat, being careful to ration the food they had. The good news was that Webby had managed to find the rune that would lead them out of the chamber, which Huey promptly marked so they would remember it later. The bad news was that they were still nowhere near finding the rune that would deliver the antidote.
The hunger, exhaustion, and the constant worrying were making Scrooge irritable and when he became ill-tempered, he needed to be away from people. He was sitting across the chamber from his family, trying to centre himself as he ate his portion of the food. Years of experience taught him that no good decision could be made under stress, hence why the magnate was attempting to calm himself. Unfortunately, Scrooge was not making much progress: every time he began to relax the anxiety crept back up, seizing him with a vigorous grip. He was suspecting that he would not be able to achieve peace of mind until he knew that Louie was safe.
"Uncle Scrooge?"
The magnate looked up. Webby stood before him, a hand on her arm. Scrooge felt some of his fears melt away at the sight of the young girl.
"What is it, Webby darling?" he asked gently.
"Mind if I sit with you for a bit? I just need to get away from it all for a moment or two," Webby said.
"The pressure is mounting for you as well, isn't it?" Scrooge said, patting the spot next to him. Webby sat down.
"Yeah. I can't seem to stop picturing the worst-case scenario not matter how hard I try not to. Granny always says to keep a cool head but that's much easier said than done right now," she told him.
"She is right. But I understand where you're coming from: I've been struggling to focus as well. This is just like the time you and Louie got lost in Toth-Ra's pyramid."
Webby looked at Scrooge in surprise. "Really?"
"Aye. I may have looked as if I was keeping it together but I was panicking on the inside. I was so scared that something bad was going to happen to you. It nearly did," Scrooge said.
"Louie almost died then, too. I guess this is bringing back a bunch of memories for you, isn't it?" Webby asked.
"I'd be lying if I said no. That's why I pulled myself away from the situation: I just need a moment to regroup," Scrooge explained. "I could feel my mood plummeting and that was just going to end with me biting everyone's head off."
"Wise decision. I've seen how you can be," Webby replied with an approving nod.
Scrooge raised an eyebrow. "Just because you're my daughter it doesn't mean you can get smart with me," he said reproachfully.
"Sorry, Uncle Scrooge…"
The magnate gazed at her. "Still not ready to call me 'Dad', yet?" he asked gently.
"Not yet… This whole thing is new and you've been 'Uncle Scrooge' for so long. It's going to take some getting used to," Webby replied.
"Aye, I agree. I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that you're a genetic clone of me. But I'm very glad that you are and there's no rush in establishing a parent-child relationship. We've got all the time in the world," Scrooge said, giving Webby a one-arm hug. "Besides, you were already family before that revelation. That'll never change."
"Thanks, Uncle Scrooge," Webby said with a smile.
Scrooge mirrored the smile before catching sight of Louie approaching out of the corner of his eye. The boy sat next to Webby, looking drained. Too drained for the magnate's liking.
"You okay, Louie?" Webby asked, sounding as worried as Scrooge felt.
"No," Louie replied, slowly shaking his head. "My head is killing me and I feel a little dizzy."
"I think we've got some headache medication in one of the backpacks. Want me to get some for you?"
"Please do."
Webby got up and hurried across the chamber. Scrooge gazed at his grandnephew.
"I'm not sure if the medicine will help, considering how this isn't an ordinary headache," the magnate said.
"There's no harm in trying, right? I'd do anything for some relief right now," Louie said.
His great-uncle reached over and grabbed the canteen he had brought with him. He handed it to Louie.
"Drink. It's important for you to stay hydrated," Scrooge instructed.
The green triplet obeyed. Wiping his mouth, Louie said, "I think I'm getting two symptoms at once. Huey said that the dizziness would come after the headache, not with it."
"This is getting more worrisome by the minute. If symptoms are showing up in pairs, it means that the effects of the poison have accelerated even further. We're running out of time and fast."
"Still confident that we'll find that antidote in time?"
"I'm not giving up. Scrooge McDuck never throws in the towel, especially when it comes to the safety of his family. We will find that antidote, lad, even if it means promising to never adventure again."
"Bradford would have loved to hear that if Magica De Spell hadn't made him into her pet," Louie remarked with a weak smile.
"Don't remind me of that crook. He got what he deserved," Scrooge said bitterly.
Webby returned with a pill bottle in her hand.
"Here," she said, giving the bottle to Louie. "I don't know if it'll help much but you never know."
"Thanks, Webby," Louie said. He took a pill out and swallowed it with some water. Webby sat next to him.
"We've got an entire wall covered," Webby said. "The south wall, to be exact. No antidote there but Donald almost got himself impaled with another poisonous arrow. Della would have banged her head against the wall if it wouldn't have triggered another trap."
"What about the other walls?" Scrooge asked.
"The north wall is almost done and it seems to be the same as the south one. Donald and Della will focus on finishing up there while the boys and I take care of the other two walls. We're getting pretty tired, though, and that will affect our work. Once the twins are done with the north wall they'll take over from me and the boys so we can get some sleep," Webby replied.
"I was going to suggest that we sleep in shifts. We cannot afford to all go to sleep at once," Scrooge said, nodding in approval.
"So we'll sleep when Mom and Uncle Donald are done with their wall? Got it," Louie said.
"No, lad. It's time for you to remain on the sidelines," Scrooge said firmly. "You did your part but now you're starting to experience more serious symptoms. Preserve your strength because you won't have much of it going forward."
"Uncle Scrooge is right, Louie," Webby said as Louie opened his mouth to argue. "Especially considering how the next symptom is the sapping of your strength."
"See?" Scrooge said plainly.
Louie held up his hands. "All right, I get it. But I'll still keep an eye out from where I'm sitting," he said.
Scrooge ruffled the green triplet's hair. "Good lad."
"I feel like we've been missing something this whole time," Webby declared. "How can we have spent all this time translating these runes and still not find the right one?"
The magnate had wondered that as well. The people who had built this temple must have been among some of the sharpest and smartest people that had ever existed. It was the only explanation that Scrooge could come up that made any sense.
"I don't know, lass. There must be something we're overlooking; but what is it?" Scrooge said in wonder.
"That's why you need me. I can see all the angles," Louie argued.
"So can your mother so I don't want to hear any more about how you should continue to actively participate in the search," Scrooge countered sternly.
"We'll find the missing piece to the puzzle just like we always do. Maybe there's something in the Junior Woodchuck Guidebook that we haven't seen," Webby said thoughtfully.
"Nope!" Huey called from across the chamber. "Already checked the whole book; there's nothing."
"Well, that answers that," Louie said irritably, crossing his arms. "What else are we not going to find?"
"Deep breath, Louie. Let's not allow our emotions get the better of us," Scrooge told him.
"Sorry…" Louie said awkwardly. "Headaches make me irritable."
"Even more than usual?" Webby asked half-jokingly. Louie stuck his tongue out at her.
"Enough, you two. Webby, go see if the others need help. I'll join you in a bit," Scrooge said. He was in no mood to break up a fight.
With a nod, Webby got up and crossed the chamber once more. The magnate looked at his youngest grandnephew.
"Has the painkiller helped?" Scrooge asked.
"Only a bit," Louie replied.
"I didn't think it would do much if it did anything at all. But a little relief is better than none."
"Easy for you to say. You're not the one with a throbbing pain in his skull."
"Hang in there, lad. I know it's hard but you're strong: if there's anyone who can make it out a situation as dire as this, it's you."
"I hope you're right, Uncle Scrooge," Louie said with a sigh. "I really do."
"I know I am. Now I'm going to go join the others like I've told Webby. Do you promise to stay where you are and take it easy?" Scrooge asked.
Louie did not answer. His great-uncle stared down at him with a stern expression until the green triplet sighed once more and said,
"Yes."
"Good. I'll come check on you in a bit."
The magnate got up and rejoined the others. The one time Louie wanted to participate in an adventure had to be when he needed to sit and let the others do the work. Maybe that was why the headache and dizziness came on simultaneously: Louie had not been resting as much as he should have. If that was the case, then Scrooge was not going to keep repeating that mistake. There was only one thing on this planet that the magnate wanted more than money and treasure, and that was to keep his family safe. And he was going to do that no matter what the cost.