Fallen Stars
Mystery Fifty-Three
Forbidden Zone
M5 stands outside, poised at the edge of a blue lake shimmering under a thin veil of gold dust. A faint, glistening residue of golden particles floats atop the surface, casting an ethereal glow across the still waters. Greed and Envy by their side.
Wrath and Vega in fresh new outfits: Wrath sports a sleek blue tracksuit with a cozy hoodie. Vega, meanwhile, retains his signature cloak, but now with a refined golden trim.
Greed and Envy also showcase their revamped looks: Envy, still adorned with her stag ceremonial headwear, now sports a new camouflage outfit that combines with matching gear. Greed's attire takes on a more refined, ice-blue aesthetic, with a light blue, icy-colored top and high-waisted skinny jeans that mirror the chill of winter.
Draco: Hm…
Greed: Are you all sure this is where Dorado said to go?
M5: We’re sure.
**Lake Omolon**
Draco: It’s just…
Wrath: Weird, right?
Draco: Yeah. Weren’t all the waters here supposed to be Scarlet Seas? Even the lake back in the first town was scarlet and rapid.
Vega: …The worst part? He said we’d have to swim in to find the adventure.
Draco: Can we trust Dorado, Lich?
Lich: I’d say we can. He hasn’t done me any wrong.
Envy: Are we supposed to… take off our clothes?
Wrath: Nope, he said to keep them on.
Without hesitation, Draco commits, running forward and launching himself into the lake with a cannonball.
Draco: Someone’s gotta go first!
Splash! The others exchange glances and, one by one, follow him in. They swim through the water, pushing aside shimmering clouds of gold dust drifting all around them.
As they push deeper into the lake, a soft glow begins to pulse beneath them, revealing an ethereal golden portal, radiating a warm, beckoning light.
They exchange another glance and nod, and swim directly into it! With no complication, they enter the portal gracefully.
Upon entering, they find themselves on a steep slide, swiftly carrying them down into the entrance. Surprisingly, their clothes are completely dry.
**Forbidden Zone; Golden Labyrinth**
They can feel the maze around them, its shimmering walls pulsing with an otherworldly energy. Each breath echoes softly, swallowed by the golden mist that dances in the air. Intricate patterns carved into the walls glimmer like liquid gold, shifting and changing as if alive, guiding them deeper into the labyrinth.
All of M5 can feel the energy emanating from the Forbidden Zone—its atmosphere feels almost homelike, as if they are embraced by it.
They all glance down in surprise, realizing their clothes and bodies are completely dry.
Wrath, mesmerized by the shifting walls, takes a cautious step forward.
Wrath: This place—
In an instant, trap doors trigger beneath them, sending them all plummeting downward. Vega manages to dodge the trap, but in the distance, he hears Draco's faint voice calling out, “Fall!” In a split second, he makes the decision to leap into his trap.
As they tumble into their respective traps, a gigantic golden ball emerges from the long tunnel of the labyrinth, rolling forward and crushing everything in its path!
In a dark area, Wrath calls out.
Wrath: Who's with me?
Someone ignites their hand on fire, illuminating the space and revealing Vega.
Vega: Yo.
Wrath: Oh, it’s just you. Are we the only ones here?
Vega: Looks like it.
Wrath glances up at the ever-shifting walls.
Wrath: While we search for the others, let’s catch up. Who did you run into?
Wrath and Vega walk, guided by the shifting walls.
Vega: I ran into this swordsman. Not very strong, but I couldn’t put him down.
Wrath: Met your match?
Vega: No, but he had a black blade—something I’m after. And make no mistake, I will come back for it.
Wrath inspects the inscriptions on the ceiling.
Wrath: You think the blade closed the gap between you two?
Vega: I’m not sure. What about you?
Wrath: Maaaan, I ran into this bloodthirsty psycho who had a formless beast like mine!
Vega: Was he strong?
Wrath: Was he strong?! His swordsmanship was unavoidable, and he controlled blood. Wearing metal armor too? That battle was a perfect conductor for electricity, amplifying my damage—his endurance was insane though; he was practically taking double, maybe even triple the pain...
Vega: …
Wrath: Yeah… he was freakishly strong. I’m not even sure what happened after my last attack—I blacked out.
Vega: That’s when you ran into your new followers?
Wrath: Well, they came before that. They helped a bit in the fight; I would have definitely died without them.
Vega: Damn, that’s crazy.
Wrath: It wasn’t just them, though—DOOM had someone else show up on his side, and Greed and Envy arrived with someone too.
Vega: Damn, that’s crazy.
Wrath: Then my friend from high school showed up; he somehow has a cosmic path, like what the fuck.
Wrath continues rambling.
Wrath: Not to mention another beast showed up.
Vega: (How many “Damn, that’s crazy” do I have to hit him with?) Damn, that’s crazy.
Wrath: Don’t do that! It was crazy!
They both share a laugh.
Wrath: Then I transformed into my beast form.
Vega comes to a halt, with a serious confused tone.
Vega: Beast form?
Wrath looks at his hands.
Wrath: Yeah. Apparently, I’m some kind of beast that I can transform into.
Vega: Can you transform now?
Wrath: No... I don’t think so. And honestly, I don’t want to. It felt... off.
Vega: …
Wrath: Though, having wings was cool. And my electricity changed.
Wrath attempts to surge electricity, but nothing happens.
Wrath: Huh? I still haven’t recovered from that battle?
Vega: ...You still haven’t recovered? From the fight you had a day ago?
Wrath: Maybe I oversurged myself. At least we made it out. Barely—nah, not barely! I beat DOOM’s ass, and I’d do it again!
Wrath’s triumphant look returns.
Vega: Let’s not get too comfortable.
Wrath: Meanwhile, while we're fighting for our lives, Draco's over there in paradise, playing chess and lambasting everyone like he's some grandmaster.
Vega: That’s true. After my fight, the guy tried to train me, telling me to create a “style”.
Shock comes to Wrath.
Wrath: You developed a style?! Me too! I kept getting taunted by my opponents for not having one, plus the guy I was fighting kept shouting his out!
Vega: I did.
Wrath: What did you name yours? Mine’s Wrath Style!
Vega: Of course you named yours that…
Wrath laughs.
Vega: Mines… it’s better to save it when I can show it.
Wrath: Oh, what a tease to the viewers!
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Vega: Huh?
Wrath: Nevermind. How do you feel about Lich? Do you think we can trust her?
As both Vega and Wrath see an opening ahead, illuminated by a dim light.
Vega: I think we can. She doesn’t seem untrustworthy, but I’ll keep an eye on her. *lightbulb* Oh, and by the way—
Wrath: What?
Vega: You won’t believe what I ran into while heading to a shrine.
Wrath: A monk?
Vega: Close, but no, I found a statue of a monkey that loves peaches.
Wrath groans in frustration.
Wrath: Don’t remind me of that idiot! I was just about to forget about him! He was almost completely out of my mind!
Vega: He was the first person I thought of when I heard that.
Vega and Wrath enter the opening.
**Lich’s Location**
Lich lands gracefully, and beside her, another figure descends, sending a wave of ice rippling across the ground when she lands.
Lich: You’re Greed, right?
Greed: That’s right. Lich?
Lich: Mhm. Looks like we’re the only ones here.
Lich scans the surroundings, her gaze sharp. She reaches down, touching the bare ground near her, infusing it with a swirl of pink Cosmos.
Lich: ...So many people have died in this labyrinth.
Though her grin remains hidden behind the mask, her eyes narrow with a cunning gleam, betraying her delight.
She rises, and she and Greed spot a faint light ahead. With a silent nod, they agree to investigate.
Greed: Lich, I’ve heard about you before.
Lich: You have?
Greed: The pink-haired reaper. I’ve heard all about the lands you managed to make coexist.
Lich lets out a soft, knowing laugh.
Greed: You should’ve invited me, I would’ve chained up anyone who disagreed with you.
Lich (snickering): I heard you were strong. I’ve been curious about you.
Greed (blushing): You have?!
Lich: Of course, Queen of the Tundra.
Greed, filled with glee, balls up her fists and screams in excitement.
Greed: I want them to call me that soooo bad, but I still haven’t earned my first title yet.
Lich: Surprising. One of my scouts wanted me to recruit you—that’s rare unless you’ve already built a name for yourself. You would’ve made a fine addition to my crew.
Lich snaps her finger.
Lich: In fact, why not join us? Break free from the shackles of being a man’s follower and embrace the strength of a true sisterhood.
Greed: I can’t just abandon him—I only just joined!
The Lich narrows her eyes, lifting a hand in a slow, hypnotic motion.
Lich: Why not? Come to me. Join us.
Greed shakes her head, snapping herself out of it.
Greed: I said no! And didn’t you just join the so-called men you want me to leave?
Lich breaks the trance, looking at her calmly.
Lich: That’s true.
Greed: So, are you going to abandon your group?
Lich: No, I built a real sisterhood. Though, they’re going to be so mad to see who I align myself with… Especially Bella.
Greed (sarcastic): Oh? What, are you scared of her?
Lich: Scared? No... I just don’t think she’ll take kindly to this little... “betrayal”.
Entering the opening, the dim light flickers, then fades. In an instant, something drops from the right side of the room, a bat in hand. Greed immediately freezes it.
Upon closer inspection, it’s a seven-legged slime.
Lich: Good job.
Lich walks up, her fist connecting with the ice block, shattering the creature with ease.
The light fully flickers on, and six other lights follow suit, all shining down on a book mantle.
Atop it rests an oddly large golden book, straps securing it closed.
Greed: What’s this?
Lich stands frozen, eyes wide in shock.
Lich: Th-the-the…
Greed: Spit it out already!
Lich rushes up to the mantle, her eyes glistening with quiet intensity as her hands hover over the grimoire. The book's cracked gold leather cover throbs with dark energy, its edges frayed from centuries of forbidden knowledge.
Blood-red runes crawl across the surface, their glow flickering like dying embers. The air around it grows colder, filled with faint, malevolent whispers, as if the book itself hungers for something more.
Lich: It’s the Grandioso Grimoire!!
Greed: The what?
Lich: You’ve never heard of it?!
Lich starts murmuring to herself, her voice barely audible: “One of the Eldritch Grimoires—also known as the Golden Ox—dark entities lurk inside—power, destruction, chaos, spells, undead, reanimation, ruin, decay, k-nowledge—”
Greed: Everything okay?
Lich gives Greed a darting, frightening look, her grip tightening around the book as she clutches it protectively, unwilling to let it slip from her grasp.
Greed jolts, raising her hands.
Greed: (Scary…) You don’t have to worry about me, I’m not taking it from you.
Lich rips the straps off the book with frantic energy, then slams it open. The moment she does, a malefic head emerges right above the book, rising as if drawn from its pages. With each page she turns, a new dark entity reveals itself, each one more horrifying than the last.
Lich flips through the ancient tome with frantic determination. As one page turns, a malefic golden ox head materializes, but Lich bypasses it. Her eyes roll back into her head, leaving only blank, pale voids, as her hands continue to flip the pages unnaturally fast.
Her body shakes violently, seized by an uncontrollable force, and she begins to float, the book still in her hand, as an otherworldly resonance fills the air, like the tolling of distant bells.
Greed watches in silence as everything unfolds, uncertain whether to step in and cool her off with a touch of ice. She reaches her hand out but slowly pulls it back.
Greed: Are you okay?
Lich murmurs some words in a forgotten tongue.
Greed: Right, rhetorical question.
Greed looks at the invisible camera, pointing at herself.
Greed: Am I supposed to help out?
Lich (voice distorted): WHERE IS LUCY!?
Greed: Lucy…?
Greed looks around, her gaze lingering on the frozen, shattered remains of the slime that’s twitching, reaching for the bat.
Greed: (This thing was protecting such a powerful book? Why hasn’t anyone else taken it before us? There has to be something else guarding it.)
**Draco’s Location**
Draco and Envy land at the exact same moment.
Envy lands but stubs her toe in the process. "Awk," she groans in pain, scowling.
Draco: What, are you disgruntled?
Her scowl is now aimed at Draco.
Envy: No. I’m not disgruntled. Are you?
Draco: I’m not disgruntled. You’re over here scowling and groaning.
Draco mocks Envy, “Awk, ah, ugh.”
Envy: Yes, I do scowl, and yes, I do groan when I'm hurt, but I am NOT disgruntled...
They stare at each other, inching closer and closer, face to face, each interrogating the other's gaze.
After a brief pause, they both burst into laughter. Draco laughs uncontrollably.
Draco: You're hilarious. I never met anyone who watched that show.
Envy: Oh my god, it’s my favorite.
Envy collapses to the ground, her hands and knees hitting the floor. Her expression drops, becoming somber and depressed.
Envy: So mad it got canceled.
Draco: It was so great. How could they cancel it?!
Draco sticks out his hand, helping Envy back up.
Meanwhile, in the darkness, the only thing that shines in the room is a mysterious, eerie golden apple.
Draco & Envy: …
Draco: Clearly a trap, right?
Envy: Uh-huh.
Draco: But what if it isn’t?
Draco steps forward toward it.
Envy: Are you an idiot?!
Draco picks it up, feeling its unexpected heaviness.
Draco: Maybe, maybe not.
Draco begins to bite into it.
Envy: Are you serious?! Let me at least test it first!
Envy’s vines snatch it from Draco’s hand.
Draco: Where’s the fun in that?
Envy’s vines pierce the apple, wrapping it tightly.
Envy: It’s not poisonous… but I don’t feel any benefits, not even the basic nutritional value you’d get from a regular apple.
Draco: So, let me eat it.
The vines toss it back to Draco.
Envy: Your funeral.
He takes a bite. His eyes widen as he suddenly zones out, his consciousness pulled into a featureless emptiness.
He can hear voices saying the same thing over and over again, “The truth shall be revealed.”
The emptiness reveals the labyrinth’s individuals, one by one. First, Lich is shown: "Yes, you can trust her, but beware of the dark forces she commands. They follow her, not you."
Next, Vega appears: "His ambition is to burn Mir to the ground and slice through its scorched remains with his sword.”
Wrath follows: "He has an insatiable desire to conquer it all for his reign as king."
Greed is displayed: "She has a need to ensure that she will never face vulnerability again."
Finally, Envy: "She just wants to be happy.”
And in the shadows, an unseen entity breathes heavily, steam rising from its nostrils: “Protect.”
The emptiness shatters like broken glass, Draco falls through, star shapes swirling around him. As he descends slowly, his mind snaps back to reality, and he grips his head, struggling to regain control.
Draco: How long did I zone out for?
Envy: What do you mean? You bit into the apple and then held your head.
A faint panting is heard, followed by a faint laugh and voice saying, “Howdy!”
Spooked by the sudden noise, Draco blasts the figure with his starlight.
Aga: Awk! What the hell?! Sh*t!
Draco: Oh, my bad.
Envy's plant reacts, and Aga, the elderly witch hag, is in immense pain.
Aga mutters, "Piece of sh*t. Who the hell blasts someone just for saying 'Howdy'?!" She checks her wound, her entire side missing, blood pouring from the gaping hole. "F*ck! That f*cking hurts!" She collapses in a pool of her own blood, cursing under her breath, "F*cking piece of shit. Son of a wh*re..." Her eyes slowly close, her breath faint. She lastly mutters out, "Truthbearer," and exhales one final time, marking her passing.
Draco: A bit…dramatic.
Envy: Yeah, she definitely overreacted. Besides, she's a witch—who cares?
Draco: That’s cold. What did she say, “Truthbearer”?
Envy: Mhm.
Draco: (So that was everyone’s truth, but what was that last thing…)
Draco glances at Envy.
Draco: (She just wants to be happy. I can trust her with Wrath; she won’t betray him. And I can trust Lich, good to know.)
Envy interrupts his thoughts.
Envy: My plants—they reacted to your attack. Do you control sunlight?
Draco: Yeah. I do.
Envy: Very dangerous power. Surprised you’re still alive. Paths like that get hunted down.
Draco: What do you mean?
Envy: There are entire cults formed around worshiping the sun. I've seen stars hunted for their paths, all to give them to a central figure in the cult. Sun, Moon, Stars, Comets—these are the hardest paths to control, simply because of the constant threat of being targeted by such cults.
Draco smirks wickedly in the darkness, his gaze glinting with malice.
Draco: I’d love to run into one of these cults.
Draco tosses the apple, and it lands with a thud, making a dent in the floor.
Draco: Now let’s get out of here.
Draco forms a tennis ball-sized sun in his hand, casting a warm glow as it leads him and Envy to a golden, shifting door.
**Wrath’s Location**
Upon entering the room, Wrath and Vega are confronted by an enormous purple flame, encircled by fifty smaller blue flame orbs, each flickering with intense heat and light.
Wrath: This is your territory, right? You handle it.
Vega: …Let the weaklings stand back.
Vega steps forward, his hand steady as he begins to unsheathe his sword.
Wrath: Weakling? I won my fight. You didn’t.
The flames begin to holler as Vega approaches.
Wrath: They’re that scared…?
The echoes of fiery, raspy voices fill the room, “He has come, he has arrived, he is finally here.”
Vega and Wrath have confused glances.
The flames lock their gaze onto Vega’s eyes, sounding off again, “We’ve been waiting for you, Flame Emperor.”
The enormous flame bounces into the air as the smaller flames circle Vega, drawing closer. He doesn’t react.
Vega: (I don’t sense any malice…)
The flames engulf Vega, encasing him. The massive purple flame descends, landing upon him. One by one, the flames begin to fuse with Vega, their fiery forms melding into his body.
A fragment of the purple flame lingers, drawn to Enma lurking in Vega's shadow. It materializes before it, and Enma, with its mouth widening in a jagged grin, opens its mouth, consuming the flame. As it does, a fiery outline ignites around Enma, adding a new, blazing intensity to its form.
Enma retreats back into Vega’s shadow, vanishing. Vega examines his hands and body, his gaze narrowing. His eyes still burn with a fiery glow, the remnants of the flame’s power lingering within him.
Vega: Wrath. You know all these folklore creatures. What was that?
Wrath: To me, it seemed like the Onibi. But I’ve never read about them referring to something or someone as the Flame Emperor.
Vega clenches his fists, drawing his sword as a flame ignites along its edge.
Wrath: Feel any stronger?
Vega: I-I’m not sure. I can feel something, but I don’t think I can use it yet.
The room's ceiling begins to cave in with a deafening roar.
Wrath: Great job. Taking that thing from this place seems to have triggered its collapse.
Massive chunks of debris plummet, crashing violently to the floor, dust and rubble filling the air.
Wrath and Vega dash toward the lone door, barely avoiding falling rumble and jagged shards of stone. The roof groans ominously above them as the destruction intensifies. Every step is a race against the collapse, with the room shaking violently around them.
**Lich’s Location**
Lich is sprawled on the ground, her eyes rolled back into her head.
Greed stands still, silent.
Suddenly, Lich’s upper body jerks upright, gasping as she snaps back to her senses.
Lich: Ahh… Sorry about that.
Greed: What was all of that?
Lich: I had to gain the k-nowledge.
Greed: (K-nowledge?)
Greed is reminded of Vulpucla's words: "She was so weird, always pronouncing the 'k's' in words."
Greed: (This was V’s date? She’s in their group now?)
Lich stands up, dusting herself off, the grimoire still in her hand.
Greed: Was this your first time getting one of those spell books thingys?
Lich: No. I already have two in my possession, and there are many more. I want them too.
Lich opens the book, Greed leans over to peek inside but finds herself unable to read any of it.
Lich: You won’t be able to read it. Each one is written in a different language—languages not of this world.
Greed: Not of this world…?
The room begins to shake violently, cracks spreading as the floor rips apart beneath their feet.
Lich: Let's move!
Without hesitation, Lich runs and kicks open the door, bursting through it as she and Greed land in a coliseum-sized room.
The coliseum is encircled by a sea of bones, scattered remnants of fallen soldiers, fallen intruders, their broken armor half-buried in the earth. The stench of death hangs heavy in the air, and the cracked skulls seem to stare, hollow-eyed, at those who dare enter.
They crash through the middle door as Draco and Envy stand on the side from the right door.
Draco: Hey! You made it!
On the left side, the door shatters as fire bursts through. Vega and Wrath fly out, barely controlling their momentum. Wrath tumbling uncontrollably.
Wrath: Ugh!
As they finally reunite:
Draco: What happened with you guys?
Wrath: Don’t tell me you didn’t have to go through a room collapsing on you.
Draco: Nope.
Greed: Even we had to go through that.
Vega: You’ve had it easy, huh, Draco?
Draco: What can I say? The best doesn’t need to struggle.
Draco senses the atmospheric shift, looking over his shoulder.
Draco: Let’s get out of here. We can catch up once we’re outside.
Envy: Agreed.
Suddenly, they hear it—massive footsteps reverberate through the ground, each one shaking the air. The creature drags a colossal axe, its heavy star forged blade scraping against the stone, sending a chilling echo throughout the room.
Lich: Looks like getting out won’t be so easy.
A hulking, savage minotaur emerges from the shadows, its eyes glowing with a cosmic fury. It lets out a deafening screech that rattles the very bones of the room, the sound echoing like a death knell.
**Starkiller: Minotuar**
[The Guardian Of
The Labyrinth Approaches!!]
Mystery 53 Fin