A/N: Okay, I just figured I'd respond to whoever read this already.

Stormsworder: Heh, I know you. Well then. Thanks for replying. 'Course you already read it. And that would be because you know the silly rules of that site. And the silly margins. Glad you liked it.

Rock Raider: Thanks. Glad you liked. And here you go. More. :P

Page Seven

"What news do you have for me, Pious," Ulyaoth asked in his usual commanding voice.

The roman grinned. "We have the co-operation of the Red Queen," he answered confidentally. "The Great Ancient, Mantorok, is bound, and will soon wither."

"And what of the white rabbit?"

"We have uncovered a prophecy that shows where and when he will meet his demise." Pious' grin grew even wider. "You need not worry."

"You have done well, Pious," the Ancient remarked. "Let's see how long this reign of luck will last."

"I will not disappoint you, Master."

----------

"Alexandra?" Alex blinked, finding herself on the ground of an ancient temple.

"W-What... What happened?" she asked. She stook up shakily, holding onto Alice for support.

"I don't know. You seemed to have passed out," Alice replied. "Are you all right?"

"I... Uh... Pious," Alex muttered. She shook her head to clear it. "He was talking. To someone... Something... I don't quite remember." Hesitating, she turned around. "Who's there?"

Alice glanced around the dark temple. She frowned, walking slowly around the four stone poles in the middle. "Who's that?" she asked when she saw what the post had been hiding.

Alex moved to where Alice was, squinting in the direction of her friend's gaze. A thin Cambodian girl was sitting on the ground, reading aloud out of a large book. Her eyes widened. "She's reading out of the Tome!" As the Cambodian closed the book, she heard the door to the outside of the temple slam closed.

The girl stood up, the Tome of Eternal Darkness under her right arm, looking determinedly around the room. Her eyes fell upon a large, gold statue in the middle of the room. The statue had four arms and a strange necklace around its neck. She took it, placing it around her own. There was another loud noise, similar to when the door had closed. She turned around to find the door on the right hand side of the temple closed also. "Well, I guess there's only one way left," she thought aloud, and entered the only open door.

"What do you suppose this means?" Alice asked, kneeling down and fingering a tile in the center of the four pillars.

Alex eyed the tile. It depicted a strange, purple symbol in the middle of three others. "It looks..." She frowned slightly. "The outer symbols are placed the same sort of way that the recycling symbol is. Never mind," she said at Alice's confused expression. "Blue over red, red over green, green over blue. They must represent the three Ancients... If Pious chose blue, which if I remember right is Ulyaoth, then I think that's going to be what he'll fight us with."

"The red stands for physical stamina..." Alice muttered to herself, fingering Chattur'gha's symbol. "The green stands for mental stamina... The blue for magickal..." She looked up at Alex. "You remember that red vial I gave you in Dementia?" Alex nodded. "Well, there are others like it... Filled with green and blue liquid. That's what they're for: to restore one to peak condition."

Alex rubbed her chin. "Can they be used in attack?" Alice shook her head and stood up. "Oh, because I was thinking, maybe-" The distant sound of knives met their ears. Turning around, Alex realized that the sound was coming from the room that the Cambodian girl had gone through. "Should we go see what's happening?"

"I don't think so. She got through it once, this is just a flashback. If we interfere, we don't know what could happen."

"Ah. Good point." Alex glanced at the door opposite the open one. "Too bad we couldn't split up. This looks like a big place, and I don't feel the need to stay here any longer than we have to."

"Well, if the mechanism is triggered by something being around the statue's neck, then maybe if we just..." Alice took a few steps towards the statue, examining it more carefully. "Yes..." She placed her hands around the statue's neck. Adding a bit of weight to its shoulders, she heard the sound of something falling into place. A few seconds later, the sound of the other door opening met their ears. "I can't get through that way. You go. I'll go through the other way."

"But-"

"Just go." She grimaced slightly as she felt resistance from the statue. "I can't keep it open for much longer."

Alex nodded and ran through the open door into the dim room. As soon as she was through, the statue's four arms all wrapped around the dark-haired girl's throat. Letting go of the statue's neck, she fought against the four arms, gasping for breath. The statue's eyes bore into Alice's own. A few seconds later, it let go, returning to it's original position. Alice rubbed her neck, breathing heavily. She stood up shakily.

"What just happened?" she asked aloud.

Statues don't move, her mind told her.

"No... I'm not going mad..." She ran towards the open door on the left, trying to ignore her thoughts.

It's the first sign of madness, talking to yourself.

"I am NOT going mad!" Alice shouted. And with that, she ran through the open door and into the darkness beyond.