D2 The West Wing
"What's the deal with the West Wing in this castle?" Mira wondered as she made up her mind to follow them.
Even Nosedive had moved on, and as Mira moved towards the steps, she saw that they were heading to the third floor. She hesitated only for a moment, and then she darted up after them.
When she finally reached the corridor on the third level, she saw Wildwing standing out in the hall.
"It's time for you to be in your own room," Wildwing said as he saw her approach.
"I came to help you," Mira insisted. "I know there's not much time, so tell me, what can I do?"
Wildwing hesitated for a moment and then drew out a set of keys.
"I can't explain why, so don't ask. But each night I lock Mallory, Tanya, and Nosedive away in a room. But if you would, then tonight I want to you lock me up too, and keep the keys hidden with you."
Mira took the keys from him.
"All right, I guess I can't wait for an explanation."
"One more thing," Wildwing said as he put his hand on her shoulder. "You must keep the doors locked and not return to this wing of the castle until after dawn. Is that clear?"
"Yeah, okay."
"Let's go then. Tanya, Mallory, and Nosedive are in that room. Go and lock the doors. I'll head to the room across the hall."
Mira nodded and hurried off to follow his orders. As she approached the door to the large room, she saw Nosedive standing with slumped shoulders on one side of the room while Tanya sat on the floor below a bird cage that hung from a stand, and Mallory lay down upon a bed. They all appeared to fear and loathe whatever was coming, but Mira didn't stop to think about what that was. She locked the doors to the room and tested them to be sure they were secured.
Next she moved to the room where Wildwing sat upon a bed. She hesitated for a moment, but when he nodded, she also closed and locked the door to his room. As she stepped away and started to leave, the sun sank into darkness outside the window at the end of the hall.
Mira felt an ominous mood sweep over the castle, but she was about to continue on when she heard a sound from the room where Nosedive, Mallory, and Tanya were locked away. Probably best to keep moving, she thought.
But the sound came again, and this time it sounded like a call… perhaps a call for help. What if they need something? Mira wondered.
Returning to the double doors, Mira pushed aside the warnings in her mind and used the key to unlock them. Entering, she half closed the doors behind her, but she was quickly stopped by what she saw.
"It can't be," she said in a tone of disbelief.
On the bed, where Mallory had lay down, was a glass figure and the perfect copy of Mallory's face, form, clothes, and armor. But it was motionless as if she was frozen and yet only made of glass. And in the moonlight, she appeared so fragile that Mira dare not touch her. She feared that if she breathed too heavily that this glass figurine would break.
On the other side of the room, Mira turned and saw Nosedive, standing exactly as he had been except that his head hung lower. But it was not Nosedive – or at least not as he should have been, for here was a statue, a stone figure unable to move or speak.
A noise from the part of the room closer to the door caused Mira to turn again. And she saw a yellow bird with purple wings sitting in a cage with the door open. It looked like some kind of cockatoo with a tuft of yellow feathers on its head, but Mira quickly realized it was Tanya.
"Help…help," the bird said plainly, and Mira walked towards it with a sad gaze.
"Oh, Tanya. Can you hear me?"
The bird turned its head, but it's blank gaze seemed devoid of all understanding and intelligence.
"Can you hear me?" the bird repeated. "Can you hear me?"
"Tell me how to help you," Mira asked.
"Help you, help you!" the bird chanted.
"You're cursed to only repeat what's said to you. Is there nothing you can say on your own?"
The bird turned its head and looked at her again.
"Help…help," it said with its rough and cackling voice.
Mira sighed, and not knowing what else to do, she turned away to leave and lock the doors again. As she turned her back on the room, she heard a fluttering sound and suddenly something yellow flew past her into the hall.
"No, Tanya!" Mira called as she started to rush after the cockatoo.
As she ran out into the corridor, she saw the bird fly towards the stairs, but Mira glanced back at the doors that stood open upon Mallory and Nosedive.
If Mira should stop and consider the situation, select D2 Go Back and Lock the Door.
If she should run after Tanya, select D2 Hurry and Go After Tanya.