He didn't know what happened. That was obvious from the start. He was beginning to realize that there were things in that castle more powerful than him, and far stranger as well.

But it wasn't until he had been left alone in that dark hallway that he made his second revelation. He had no idea where he was. He couldn't remember the way he came from, or the way to anywhere. This was the first time he'd even left his room since he first arrived.

The dim lighting flickered gently. The hallway seemed to be very low lit, likely intentional. All the halls he passed seemed to be like this. In fact, he could think of no difference between this hallway and every other one, save for the events that transpired in it.

Toby looked to his right, and then his left. He couldn't see far either way. He inhaled slowly, and then let it out, feeling his warm breath against his scarf. He turned to his right, and started to walk.

He had no idea if he'd made the right decision. But then again, he never did. That was why he was there in the first place. There was no use changing that now.

Every hallway looked the same. Sometimes he would pass through a room he didn't recognize, or be led to a dead end, the only real landmarks that existed.

Walls. Rooms and walls and lights and anger, on and on, never truly changing but never quite the same.

It didn't take long for him to get annoyed. He was tired. He just wanted to go to sleep. Why did he have to live in a maze?

Of course, he had tried to ask Masky for help. He wasn't stupid, despite what most people assumed about him. But the masked person had walked away, either not hearing him or not caring.

Toby yawned. The dim lighting wasn't helping him stay awake at all. He was beginning to realize that he wouldn't recognize the door to his room if he saw it. It looked just like all the others.

He stood in place.

The hallway looked the same as every other.

Sighing audibly, he leaned his back against the sleek onyx wall and slid down to the floor, holding his head in his hands. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what to do. Was there nothing he could do?

He needed help, somehow.

There was a noise.

It was faint. Very faint. So faint that he probably would have missed it completely had he not stopped at that very spot. It came from the door across from him. It looked the same as all the others.

He strained his ears, trying to make out the noise. Sometimes it would get too quiet to hear, but most of it was audible. It sounded like a song, a vaguely happy tune. A tune he didn't recognize.

But then, another part of the song began to play, the proudly chiming melody. Even he, someone who never touched a controller in his life, could easily recognize it.

His mind flashed back to the boy from earlier, the one who somehow calmed down that deformed dog. At the time, he thought the clothes were just strange, but now they held new meaning.

Shuffling to his feet, he pressed a hooded ear against the door. Yes, that was it. The main theme for the Zelda games.

'This is how it is now.'

He had to know.

He knocked. The noise echoed through the hallway, but no response. He knocked again, louder, the fabric of his gloves rubbing slightly. Still no response.

For a moment, he considered leaving, but then he remembered there was nowhere he could be except there. His room was lost in the vast walls of the castle.

So he opened the door.

The room was small. Much smaller than his. There was no dresser or nightstand or window or even a lamp. All there was was an old television, its light reflecting off the tiny room's walls.

And in front of it was boy, clothed in strange green garb, a controller in his hands and his back facing the door as he sat atop the worn down hardwood floor.

Toby glanced to the screen. On it was a boy just like the one controlling him, except with brighter colours and bearing a sword and shield.

Stepping into the room, he glanced down at the boy. "Um, hello?" he said.

Now seeing the child from the side, he saw his eyes were pitch black with glowing red pupils that reflected onto the convex screen. It must have been irritating, but he seemed to make no effort to remedy this.

The boy kept his gaze on his game, the buttons on the controller clacking loudly. He was about to speak again, but was interrupted. "You must be Ticci Toby."

Surprised, Toby nodded. "Yeah, that's me," he said, slightly nervous. "Um, what's your name?" he said, assuming that he wasn't named 'Link' like his garb suggested.

The boy spoke again, this time more promptly. "Ben. Or Ben Drowned, as some people say. But the 'Drowned' is a verb, not a surname, so just Ben is fine."

His voice was high, like a child that just hadn't quite reached puberty yet. Usually not very intimidating, but the way his voice remained dead and emotionless somehow made him seem rather unnerving. An eerie juxtaposition. Toby twitched.

The two went silent for a moment, the sound of faint music being the only comfort.

Finally, Toby spoke again. "Hey, how did you manage to calm that dog down?" he asked, seeing that the boy was in no mood for a conversation and cutting what he really wanted to hear.

His eyes were still glued to the screen. "Animals listen to me. Its a universal ghost thing. You could do it too if you died just right."

Toby gasped, taking a step back. "You're a ghost?" he said, though by now he shouldn't have been surprised.

Ben seemed to agree. "This coming from a person who serves a tall, faceless man with a list of unnatural powers and a craving for human death and suffering."

Link killed a monster, grabbing the drifting heart it left behind. "Yeah, I guess you're right..." Toby said, though he was a little concerned of the child's view on his master.

Again they returned to silence. Toby felt less than welcome, but he wasn't exactly told to leave, either. "What did you mean by 'this is how it is now'?"

The room flickered in the dim lighting. "That it is how it is," he said bluntly.

Toby raised a brow. "What does that mean?" he asked.

"What it sounds like."

"But it sounds like nothing!" his voice raised in volume. He couldn't help but feel like he was missing something obvious, like he was supposed to understand. Which was probably what the young boy intended.

Ben said nothing. Toby sighed. This ghost, whoever he really was, was not any help at all, and clearly did not want to be. Giving up, he turned back the way he came, twisting the sleek brass doorknob gently.

"You know Masky doesn't like you, right?" the boy called out to him.

Toby stopped. "What?" he said, turning his head around. Ben's eyes were still on the dim television screen.

He continued as if nothing had been said. "Of course, he doesn't like most people. Some get on his good side, but not most, and especially not you." His voice was just as level as before, if not more, as if his own words bored him.

Turning around completely, Toby narrowed his eyes. "But I haven't done anything to him," he protested, thinking back to the few times they interacted and examining his every action.

Link swiped a patch of grass. "You didn't need to. He just doesn't like having another Proxy around."

His curiosity outweighed his growing mistrust for the child. "But he was nice to me earlier," he argued. Even if he didn't help him find his room. But that didn't mean anything.

Even now, Ben still played his little game. Both of them. "That's because he doesn't realize it yet. Give him time," he said. Toby wasn't sure, but he thought he may have seen a smirk. However, that may have been just another shadow from the flickering television playing its tricks.

"Well, um," Toby stumbled, "that still doesn't explain why he doesn't like me. I mean, it can't be just because I'm a Proxy, right?" he considered, thinking out loud.

Ben nodded slightly. "You're right. Normally he'd probably like you, or at least tolerate you. But you came here at a bad time. You have standards you'll never live up to."

Toby huffed. "Alright, I'm leaving," he said, finally opening the door to reveal the now welcoming hall.

"Watch out for open windows," Ben called out once again.

Toby paused at the doorway and sighed. "What?" he said, his voice overflowing with annoyance. He was beginning to regret ever entering that room.

Still Ben played his game. "Reference joke. Don't expect you to get it. I'd explain it to you, but apparently castles filled with killers still have social taboos."

Toby groaned. "Goodbye," he said bitterly, and slammed the door shut before he could hear another word.

Wow, that kid was weird.

He sighed. That was far from helpful, and he quickly realized that, though there was talking on both ends, the young boy said nothing other than what he knew would irritate him. Much like a video game, he had been played.

And now he was back in the hallway, which was just as dark and empty as before. He had no idea where to go, but he was not about to go back and ask for help.

He hugged his body tightly, keeping himself as still as he could. There really were no friends to be had in a place like this, were there?

"Looks like you've met Ben."

Toby looked up towards the voice. Standing by another nearby doorway was a young woman, her spiky brown hair messy and unkempt from tossing around and turning in the right. Clockwork, if he remembered correctly.

"How did you know?" he asked, feeling his eyes begin to droop just a bit. He was tired. Very tired.

The girl laughed, blinking her single bleary eye. In the darkness, he noticed that her green iris had a faint glow around it. "You weren't exactly being quiet," she said.

"Oh," Toby said, lowering his head. "Sorry."

Clockwork smiled, shifting the thick stitching on her cheeks. "Don't worry about it. Everyone's first meeting with him is the same. Kid's a total asshole," she said reflectively.

Toby laughed bitterly. "Yeah, I could tell," he said before yawning. What time was it? He glanced at the girl's left 'eye'. 4:18. How long he had spent up and about, he would never be sure, but if felt like far too long.

He yawned again. "Hey, um, is it okay if, um..." he trailed off.

To his surprise, Clockwork nodded. "Can't find your room, huh?" she said calmly.

Surprised by the girl's understanding, Toby nodded. She looked like she had just woken up, and most likely by him. He knew just by looking at her that she was a psychopath, and probably killed many more people than he. Yet still she helped him.

Clockwork smiled and closed her door behind her. "S'alright. Everyone gets lost at first. You'll get used to it after a while, trust me. This place is actually pretty cool once you know where everything is and get to know the right people," she told him as she started down the hall.

She turned back, signalling for him to follow. "C'mon. I think I know where your room is. Knowing Masky, he probably put you in the best one. He's a sweetheart, really. Just doesn't want anyone to know it."

Toby followed. Together they walked back towards his bedroom, her talking about whatever popped into her mind while he listened. They passed through countless rooms and hallways, all looking the same, but Clockwork knew exactly where she was going.

She was helping him.

Maybe there were friends to be had in a place like this after all.