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This story and its characters are completely original and belong to Zelosh and him alone. Any resemblance it has to another story is accidental as well as coincidental. While this story is fairly clean there may be things you find inappropriate or offensive. Read at your own risk.

With that, enjoy your stay inside The Eternal Door.

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Eternal Door

" Can't you remember?"

Judgment shook as a whole, the room shifting and fluctuating before their eyes. A simple bookshelf against one wall began to fall apart, but its base frame stood firm. The shelves and books fell and scattered about the ground and the back of the shelf was being broken through like a bird pecking its way out of an egg. Over time, it became easy to see that there was something behind the bookcase, but it didn't seem possible. A passageway was appearing and yet the bookshelf itself didn't seem to actually be connected to it. Like it was some sort of portal.

Everyone was on their feet and cautiously approached, unsure of how to react. Jack spoke up nervously. "Shouldn't we go through?"

"We don't have a choice right? We'll get... disqualified." They all seemed to agree with Gil but it still didn't change the fact that they had no idea what was beyond.

Ryan, who had just found out what disqualification was, felt a creeping horror come over him. After a short silence he began to step through. "I can't take this... I'm not staying here for another second if it'll help my sanity, we need to try and find a way out at the very least." He saw the path beyond clearly now, a short concrete passage before leading out into what was apparently outside. "It isn't my best plan, but waiting around to find out what happens next without doing something about it, thats the one plan I can't stand. Follow me if you want." With that, he left them behind and went through, oblivious of the impact he had just made on all of them. They were given two choices that were clear in their minds yet not in his.

Blake was right behind him. "Well, he's got a point, I'm following Ryan."

Jessica seemed hesitant, mostly because of the little cub in her arms, but all the sudden she found Kid dragging her through instead. "Wha... fine I'm going I'm going."

Jack simple huffed annoyed for some reason, to which Gil smirked at, and they both went in as well.

* * *

The first trial was nothing like they'd have ever imagined. They seemed to be in a squarish clearing surrounded by well pruned hedges. At the end of the clearing was two entrances to what they could've only guessed was a hedge maze. A sign stood between those two entrances, marking the last noticeable thing that was even remotely normal in the place.

The sky above them was open and apparently is was far into the night, but the entire sky was completely crimson, like a red haze was hanging between them and the sky. The waning moon, finished waning, and then began waxing, and continued the process. The phases of the moon were literally passing before their eyes as the lighting in the area continued to darken or brighten. The hedges were also another anomaly, or rather what was on them. They were covered in a vast array of the most exotic and colorful flowers imaginable, but there was something menacing about them as they were completely unidentifiable with any flower they had ever seen. On those flowers and coiling around them were many vines that grew long silver thorns all pointing toward them as if to specifically stab anyone who came close to the flowers.

Was it beautiful? Perhaps, but it didn't get rid of the dread they all felt. At the very least, the grass they stood on was just green grass and not some blue mutant tentacle crap. Ryan was the first to get to the sign at the far end so he read it and waited on the others to get there and do so as well. "We got a problem..." He muttered not turning away from the board.

TRIAL OF DESTINATION

GOAL: Get to the end of the maze and reach your destination, then return to home base.

RULES: You must split into two groups of three, which means there are two destinations.

TOOLS: They have been placed next to the owner's corresponding name, do not take them off.

At the bottom of the sign were arrows with names and little pegs holding a ring next to each name. Blake read them out loud. "So I, Jack, and I'm assuming the scribbles means Kid, are going to the left while Ryan, Jessica, and Gil go right."

"Seems so.." Gil said somewhat stunned and reached for his ring to put it one. "Might as well go along with the game, we've come this far right?" He got a couple nods and everyone equipped the "tools." They only differed by color of a small gem placed inside each ring.

"Are these colors suppose to mean something?"

Ryan answered Jack and looked down the path he was suppose to take. "No clue but if they help then all the better. Lets just go before this lighting screws with my head..." It really was bothering Ryan for some reason, or at least more than just the normal eye pains from trying to adjust every two seconds was bothering him. Light, no light, light, no light... It seemed all too familiar to him and one memory seemed to stand out in his head. It was as if, whenever the place got dark, instead of seeing just dark hedges he saw metal doors which he soon recognized as being inside an elevator. The lights flickered, and so he was in the maze, the moon waned, and so he was in the elevator. He tried not to look agitated and simply held his forehead as if he had a headache, but the illusion held strong for the time being. His chest felt warm in that elevator, his arm reached to heaven in that elevator.

Before they could separate Jessica confronted Jack. "Jack, you're responsible for her alright? That means protect her with everything you have."

Jack instantly became indignant. "What?! Why do I have to-"

"ALRIGHT?!" She bared her fangs with ears back and eyes blazing.

Jack yelped and stood up straight. "Yes ma'am sorry ma'am." As quickly as Jessica changed into a motherly demon she changed back into just a somewhat worried one. Jack, trying to convince her, scooted awkwardly up next to Kid who didn't seem to take notice of the situation.

"Good..." She seemed at least mildly content.

Now that that was over with it was time they got going. "Well Blake you go ahead and lead your group, everyone else, lets go."

"Uh... kay."

"Bye mom..."

"I'll see you later sweetie, I promise."

"Good luck Ryan."

"Whatever..."

* * *

Ryan stayed a few steps ahead of the group, checking around each corner and whispering things like "all clear" and "lets move." Thankfully, despite it being a maze, there wasn't an absolutely ridiculous amount of turns, just enough for the occasional dead end. He tried to avoid splitting up to check multiple paths, but after a minute of practically crawling around the place the tension had begun to loosen up and Gil was the first to completely throw caution to the wind.

"Say I wonder why my ring is green, I'd think you'd have green Ryan." He said moving ahead of the rest of them, casually jumping around each corner.

"Hey just because I'm green furred doesn't mean I love the color, I really do prefer this silvery gem I got." He admired the ring on his finger, forgetting that he should still be whispering.

"Well aren't you all just having fun. Remember, we're suppose to be in danger?" Jessica criticized them and then showed off her violet gem. "And Gil having green is one thing but whats with the purple? I don't even like purple." Ryan just shrugged in response, apparently being the only one happy with his.

"I dunno I think purple looks good on you. Oh and yeah we should be more careful..."

Gil wasn't listening. "Oh come on just chill. Its a maze. Besides the creepy red sky and all natural strobe lights this place is pretty harmless."

"Well hey at least this way you can attract all the attention while we run when something attacks."

Ryan cracked up at her remark and added in on the joke. "Bait then I guess? Guess we should change your name to Grill then!"

Uproarious laughter ensued while Gil just scowled back at them. "Yeah well... you're... umm..."

They both kept snickering thinking he just couldn't think of a comeback, but he seemed slightly disturbed somehow and was staring at something on the ground. It wasn't that he hadn't anything to say back, just some things were more important than the last say. Following his gaze they all looked to the bottom part of the wall of flowers next to them. It was weird, everything seemed to turn dark and just bend, something they quickly identified as wilting flowers and dieing grass. The wall before them began to lose its color and almost melt as if it was being taken over by a black fire. Before they knew it, purple tendrils started to grow out from the wall, but after a few seconds it was clear that those weren't growing from the vines. They were like tentacles coated in slime slowly coming through the leaves.

Jessica was moving backwards faster than them and found that saying the obvious was appropriate at the moment. "You know maybe we should, I dunno, be running?"

"Uh... yeah." It was all Ryan could say tearing his gaze away from the anomaly before him and tugging on Gil's shoulder to run too.

From there everything seemed like a blur, the adrenaline only setting in when they got a glimpse at what they had encountered. Just as they were moving to run it emerged, easily breaking through the dead foliage as if it were paper. So they began to sprint, barely able to keep themselves from veering off in a different direction from each other.

"What the hell is that?!"

"Shut it Gil it'll hear us!"

"You're being kind of loud too Jessica!" Ryan only realized he himself was shouting when the words came out of his mouth as if he was unable to talk any quieter at the sudden appearance of the enemy. No... the appearance of the monster.

He had only managed to get glimpses of something purple coming after them but looked away when a high pitched screech vibrated through the air and shook them to their very souls. It was terrifying, something was actually coming after them, and it wasn't any race he had ever seen. So it had to be a monster, the kind from those scary movies he'd seen as a kid. The kind he spent the following night wide awake, swearing that it was there in the closet just waiting to get him. However, now it wasn't hiding in the closet, it wasn't waiting to pull him under the bed, it was there and trying to desperately to get him.

It seemed as if everything had darkened considerably, the full moon phase no longer seeming to contrast the following new moon phase, everything just stayed relatively dark. Because of it, he could no longer tell if his eyes were closed or open, the dark phases were so black he might as well had his eyes closed. It was like he was dreaming, everything seemed so surreal.

It wasn't long until he remembered his companions, who were no longer with him. A somewhat distant screech told him where the monster was, where his friends were. No... NO! I have to... but I can't... His mind screamed desperately to refuse the thought that had popped into his head but his consciousness wasn't having it. He had to go back, he had no choice. What could he do though? What if they hit a dead end? They could be dead, which would render his next action meaningless, but he had to know. He had to go.

Jogging back, wary of his surroundings, Ryan found literal trails of black grass that crumpled noisily under foot. Entire sections of the hedge walls were completely decimated, nothing but compressed dead plants on the ground left behind. It clearly had been chasing something other than him, so against his better judgment Ryan moved from shadow to shadow until the creature had come into view. Controlling one's frantic pants was difficult, but when peeking around the corner to see the monster it was as if his breathing stopped altogether, along with his heart.

It looked like a giant purple slug covered in horrible warts and gelatinous tentacles that stretched in all directions and killed on touch. The stench of death and decay was overwhelming and filled every pour of his body. For every dead flower the smell just got worse, but he was too fixated on the beast to care. Something had caught his attention when it turned slightly, it had a head. Not only that it had part of a deformed torso, with no arms, holding up the head with the slug body trailing behind. It slouched over creepily with long dark hair with one sadistic eye showing from underneath. It reminded him of those deranged little girls from horror shows but the resemblance was lost amongst the putrid violet flesh.

Ryan didn't know where it came from, but everything that touched the slime it secreted died on the spot. He couldn't get close to it, and it seemed to be looking for them. Which on one hand was a good thing, that meant it hadn't caught Jessica or Gil yet.

What could he do now though? He didn't know where they were and he wouldn't find them if they were going all stealthy like him. Anything could happen now, he felt himself tensing up. He felt himself drip with sweat, the claustrophobia was kicking in again. It didn't need to be a small closet for him to feel this way, his own clothes felt too much now, too tight. The delirium of the lights changing made him stagger. Blood rushed to his head, he felt like passing out. The running had become a dull ache in his legs as they threatened to buckle under the weight. Not just his weight, the weight of this situation, the weight of everything. The weight of death knocking at his door.

Out of nowhere something clamped onto Ryan's shoulder. He yelped and with a startled shout threw the attacker off of him and back away. His legs went numb again, ready to flee, but he paused when he saw who it was. Both Gil and Jessica were behind him holding shocked expressions, Gil clearly not realizing what would happen if he approached unannounced when the guy was at his whit's end. Now, unfortunately, it heard him.

"RYAN RUN!" Jessica shouted a little too late, he had only begun to realize what was going on as a purple tentacle stretched and tightened around his leg.

Instantly, Ryan felt the decay seep through his clothes as he tried to get up and run. It only took a moment, like holding dry ice, he didn't realize the enormity of the danger until it was too late. Hellish screams escaped his lips, it hurt like none other. He could feel every inch it touched slowly killing him and reaching deep inside. He struggled, he flailed about and managed to get another tentacle to slap him across the arm. It left a black streak and another wave of pain.

Gil knew he had to do something without touching the monster who was slowly encroaching upon its helpless victim. He lunged, getting hit by dabs of the slime in a few places, but managed to get by okay and stamp on the one holding Ryan. The monster screeched and let go to which they both took as the initiative to get a move on.

"Thanks." Ryan could barely speak while holding back the pain he felt moving his leg but ignored it and ran straight.

"No prob."

All of them ran and ran, just looking for a way to escape. It didn't matter where, as long as it wasn't with that thing. They just had to go, on and on into the endless night, under the phasing moon. They never got anywhere though, but they always got away. They never hit a dead end, they never second guessed their decisions, and they never lost each other. Their elusiveness, though unrivaled, did not separate them from each other as they kept one another's suffering close to heart. Gil made sure Ryan's weakness did not slow him. Ryan stayed close to Jessica in case she should stumble on her way. Jessica kept an eye on Gil so that he may stay on the right path. It was a binding circle, an everlasting bond that tied them together and kept them moving. Though they were lost, they were together.

However, they never got anywhere, they never made it to their destination, they didn't want to. They just wanted to run from their monsters, until it would stop, but it'd never stopped. It seemed to appear at every corner. It knew the sounds of their beating hearts and kept them close to its lifeless one. There was one universal truth that manifested in the back of their minds

The monsters don't go away, until you do.

* * *

Ryan felt like he was floating, his body was here resting but his soul stayed suspended in that elevator. Still, it wasn't a bad feeling, in this dream he never hit the ground. In this dream, he was simply free falling forever.

They had found a tiny clearing with multiple exits and took the time to rest. They figured they were safe for now, after all the moon wasn't so dark anymore which seemed to almost signify danger for them, but it was almost preferred over the annoying brightness then absolutely darkness that so strained their vision.

Gil kept watch, faithfully keeping his ears open and on task. Ryan, who had just finished his watch, took no time in passing out from all the exhaustion and pain he had to endure today. Even so, he felt like he was always on the brink of consciousness, never truly sleeping. He must have been dead, because his body and mind couldn't take much more of this if he wasn't.

"Hey Gil..." Jessica spoke softly as she approached the jackal, who only slightly moved to acknowledge her presence. "You can rest now, I'll take watch."

"No... its fine, I can handle this. I also want to give Ryan plenty of time to rest up." He should have stopped there, but he had more on his mind. "I'm worried he won't handle the pressure being put on him." Ryan couldn't really focus on the words, but they lingered in his mind dimly.

"He's stronger than you think. I know he didn't quite mean to put himself in this situation when he said that, but I'm glad it was him who said it first." She paused. "No, it had to be him, it couldn't have been anyone else."

"Its a necessity that someone take the position, and now I've agreed to it I plan to follow my decision through to the end." Gil continued his guard duties, but kept the conversation going. "Its funny, all he had to do was walk through a door and say 'follow me.'"

"Its the kind of guy he is, or rather thats how his life works. Its like he's always been handed things he couldn't handle, things everyone but him wanted."

"Are you sure you're okay talking about him like this? You don't need to start telling me personal stuff."

Jessica laughed lightly. "Actually I can't remember all the personal stuff, just trying to scrounge up the things I know."

"We'll remember eventually, we have to."

"Gil... its okay if you don't..." She paused, then sighed, deciding against finishing her sentence. "Never mind." He was curious as to what she was going to say but didn't badger her for it. "Anyway, if you get tired tell me okay?" She just got a nod and he looked away. Jessica let out another sigh, somewhat amused at his behavior. The jackal was like a watchdog standing proudly at his post. "You know... you're a little cute when you're serious like this." Saying that, she stepped up close and gave him a thankful peck on the cheek.

Gil, confused and stunned simultaneously, only stared back as she walked away, completely blind to the reasoning behind the action. Jessica simply went back to where she was resting giggling quietly to herself. He had gone back to watching but she could only grin as she looked back at him. His tail had betrayed the serious demeanor and wagged back and forth cheerily, clearly showing that somewhere inside he felt happy but wanted to hide it.

So, ended Ryan's daydream, and silence once again returned leaving everything empty in its wake.

* * *

Step after step they walked at a brisk pace with mouths shut and eyes intent on scanning every shadow that passed. The sky had darkened again so they figured that meant danger was close again. They had to keep moving, they would die if they stopped now.

Still, it was only a matter of time before they were found, they knew that. The first sign that spoke of danger was the sound of branches snapping, like something was breaking through the hedges. Stopping Ryan surveyed their surroundings, the others waiting on him to make his move.

"Close..."

"Too close."

"Up ahead."

"Let's go back."

"Change route."

Their murmurs were barely audible as they turned to move back. They had guessed correctly, something had broken through the hedges on the path ahead of them, it was after them again.

Darting left and right they made their way through the maze trying to get away, but it seemed faster this time and as always had a general idea of where they were. Unfortunately for them, it wouldn't be so simple as to just run away this time, as they soon realized when a deafening screech sounded ahead of them.

"That purple slut is ahead of us?!" Odd way to describe the monster but they understood what she meant.

Ryan spoke up next, none of them as quiet as before. "Impossible, I can still tell something is right on our tail!"

"Then... the thing chasing us is..." Gil didn't have to finish, they all glanced back at a tall figure with multiple appendages. During the lighter phase it became clearer and Ryan took a moment to look the adversary over. It was tall and lean, and resembled a caterpillar to some extent, but the bristles on its body were sharp and its mouth had something pointy coming out of it. Its long insectoid arms were long and held it up, but not all of them were for the purpose of walking. It held two out in front with long scythe like ends. He watched for a moment as it sliced through the walls with ease and held them out menacingly toward them.

"I kind of liked the slug better..."

"Well its your lucky day, here it is." Jessica's sarcasm during horrifying moments were rather out of place yet somehow were the only thing keeping him sane.

They were surrounded on both sides, but there were plenty of paths to take to avoid danger. They found themselves in a "clearing" in the sense that it was an open space but there was still scattered segments of walls inside of it. It looked more like a battle zone than a maze, which is probably what they needed right now.

They all dived for cover and lost both of the monsters amongst the many walls, but it would only be a matter of time until they were caught. Ryan and Gil searched for exits out of the this space, but they all seemed to be on the other side where all the danger was. The strategy was simple, jump from cover to cover whenever it was a new moon and lie in wait during the full moon. Sometimes the creatures would be looking straight at them but not seem them passing by in the absolute darkness. It was working, they were gonna make it out and make another run for it.

At least, it would've worked. The monster with the scythes had been slashing about it seemed and before he knew it Gil had stepped on a branch and felt one of the silver needles stab right into him. Yelping with pain they had been immediately noticed, so Ryan tried to grab him to run but was already cut off. Now, they were surrounded again, but this time there was no other paths.

"Idiot why did you do that?!"

"Its not my fault those things fucking hurt!"

"Stop bickering and figure out how to get us the hell out of here!"

Jessica was right, but how could they escape this time? Thankfully it seemed he had the time to at least time to think about their coming doom since the sadistic beasts liked to come excruciatingly slow as if their fear of the grim death was better than the kill itself. "I... but... I don't know!" Ryan stuttered trying not to sound hopeless but he really didn't know, and what's worse they were all depending on him to figure something out. Why did he have to? He wanted to, but there was no way! There needs to be something, anything we can use!

Like a tool.

He quickly recalled the supposed tools they had been given and gestured frantically at his ring to demonstrate his words. "We were given these for a reason right?! Maybe they do something!" All their attention was directed toward the accessories, each of them trying different things thinking something might work. Gil was waving his hand about as if waiting to shoot a fireball from his ring like it had some special power, Jessica was apparently just willing it to work and was muttering something which was probably an incantation she read from a book, and Ryan was clueless as to any possible action he should take.

It was a nightmare, and it would soon all be over, because they'd die. It couldn't end like this, he didn't want to go to oblivion. He was scared, unable to hold onto his reasoning as he stood between them. At once both of his companions moved their hands wildly at one of the monsters on each side. They had given it all, but nothing happened, nothing happened at all. No sparks, no generated weapons, no magic spells, no circles of power, no hope of rescue, nothing. However, it was the thought that nothing happened that disturbed the poor green tiger the most. Absolutely nothing was happening.

Looking up he noticed the others wearing amazed expressions, simply holding their hands out in front of them. On both sides, nothing moved. "Um... can someone explain this to me?" Though something was apparently working Gil was still scared stiff with utter confusion.

When the slug's tentacles tried to get past but Jessica simply moved her hand to block and they receded. "They're... afraid? They're afraid of us?"

It clicked. "No... they don't like the rings! That doesn't make sense though, we have been attacked before and that never stopped them." He stared at his own silver one in contemplation, everything here seemed to make sense to some extent, like there was a pattern. So what about this?

"Ryan... I think that's what the colors are for. See? Mine is green, enemy is green. Same see?" Gil's simple observation left them both astounded.

"Wait wait wait! So you're telling me its freaking color coded? This really is a game..." This was a game. When the words escaped her lips it made their blood boil with anger at the thought.

"Anyway it explains why me and Gil were hurt by the purple one, and now we have an advantage. Well... we have an advantage in running away, think we can get by?"

"Let me try..." Jessica began to move forward and found the slug was moving back while still eying her for openings. "Its working!" Once it had been pushed back far enough that another path was revealed they all charged down it immediately, not giving them a chance to recover and go on the offensive again.

Ryan shouted gleefully at the triumph while she simply smiled, but Gil acted much more concerned than the others. While no one was looking, the green one had left, and he had no idea where it had gone. Without warning a nearby wall was broken down in front just as the purple one had been left behind. The green one had somehow get ahead of them, and they were too surprised to react quick enough. It was a good ten feet away so Gil held up the corresponding ring to keep it at bay while they reversed directions. What happened next though, left all sense of success in this situation far underground.

The caterpillar raised its mouth and the blade it held there was unexpectedly shot out as a projectile. There was no time to stop it, he thought he was safe with the ring, but then the flying blade came in contact with his hand. His fingers, were sliced clean off. The jackal didn't feel it right away and simply watched petrified as the still ringed fingers fell to the ground.

Then came the howl of pain and agony. "Gil!" Jessica hurried to be by his side, to which Ryan tried to prevent too late. The monster, unhindered, had easily made its way over to them in only moments, turning on the unsuspecting canine.

"JESSICA!" A scythed arm came down swiftly along her chest. All that he could see was a spray of blood that spotted the petals on the flowers around them. Her voice came out choked and painfully as she fell into shock, hardly making a sound before falling over and stayed unmoving. She was on the brink of death, to which the tiger did not take kindly to. Enraged he roared and launched himself at the monster, the air literally shaking in his fiery rage. The creature couldn't react in time and found a fist slam hard into its face, crushing its skull and sending it into the thorns of the hedge it was being pressed against. He heaved, feeling the fury overcome him. He wanted to kill, he wanted revenge. No one hurts his friends, no one touches her.

"Ryan!" Gil shouted, with injured hand held tightly and tears streaming down his face, trying to bring the angered beast back to reality. Thankfully, he was successful in doing so. That's right... Jessica! She was hurt badly, that much was obvious, and she would die in seconds if they didn't do something. As always, there was nothing they could do. His best friend was dieing right before him and he could only watch while on the verge of breaking down.

Then it occurred to him, he remembered the black board. This was a game, it had rules. "Gil come on we're running!" Ryan picked up her as gently as possible but had no time for being delicate. She was gasping for air, which meant she was still alive.

"Where are we going?!" He had tried to ignore the pain in his hand but was still whimpering pathetically, unsure of how to feel after losing half a hand. He was bleeding out as well so he might not live much longer than her, but Ryan seemed determined for some reason.

"Home base! We have to find it..." They had been running forever, how would they find the place where they started? It seemed impossible, but there was no other way. "We need to find it or Jessica will die!" Yelling gave him renewed vigor and the jackal had a hard time keeping up despite being the one not holding up a body.

It was pointless, how could they find it? No... no no no no! I will find it! Even if he did what would that do? Allow for a comfy death? Did he believe the one behind the board? I have nothing else... please, I'm desperate... Gil, noticing his determination and desperation, suddenly grew calm and ran alongside the tiger. "Its okay Ryan... we'll make it okay? Keep your head up." Ryan looked at him with dead, drained eyes, it was taking all he had left to do this. Yet, because he was there, someone he would rather have had suffered horribly back in the real world, because he was there he finally believed they could make it.

It seemed like only moments later that they came upon the entrance, sign, concrete passage, and everything they had left behind. Extreme relief filled his every pore causing him to almost drop the half dead one in his arms and pass out, but a horrid screech was heard once more reawakening him. "Take her Gil, I'll try to hold it off..." The jackal didn't argue and took Jessica before sprinting with all he had toward home base.

So Ryan waited, waited for it to show up, the screams getting closer. This was his last stand. Even if he managed to kill it the slime would get him in the end. He had no weapon to attack with, his ring was useless against it, so he'd simply be a temporary shield. However, he forgot, this game had rules. It was seconds later that he realized it could be heard no more and the next second it was clear the lighting had returned to normal signifying the danger was gone. He was bewildered, but thankful, and turned to go and see how Gil and Jessica were doing.

"Ryan, don't come in!" He stopped hearing the jackal's voice. Gil looked like he was pounding on thin air in the passageway, as if something was blocking him. "Don't worry we're fine, but you can't come in! If you do you'll be stuck remember? You have to reach the destination. You're the only one who can now!" A flood of information was coming back, he remembered everything now and it was all clear to him. They can't die at home base, but they can't leave upon entering. They had to complete their side of the maze, but he was the only one still outside. "Ryan you have to complete your destiny!"

The green tiger stood frozen, he was numb to everything now, even to the pain in his leg. He had to do what now? It wasn't like he didn't realize he had to do that, it was more like disbelief that he would have to do it alone now. Nodding dumbly he walked mechanically back over to the entrance to the right side of the maze.

Alone, complete this utterly alone? When all three of them had hopelessly been lost the entire time, do it alone? It was like he really couldn't understand the crisis of this situation, until just now. He began to head into the belly of the whale knowing full well his chances were slim. Only one word was said which summed up the entirety of his feelings going in. "Shit..."