"..."

"....."

"...Well!" Throne jarringly interrupted the tense air around everyone with a loud shout, "Glad to see everyone's made it this far. I believe we can get going now."

"H-Huh?" I cocked my head back.

"The hell are you on about?" Gale too seemed taken aback, "Didn't you just...?"

"Gale, do you really wanna talk about this?" Throne smirked at him, insinuating something unbeknownst to me and Sheep.

"Mn..." Gale shut his mouth for a bit, but eventually answered back, "No, actually I do. You were just spouting all that crap about dragging me to Hell and back, then you turn on your own word and try to pretend nothing ever happened?"

"We've had our... differences, you and I..." Throne tried buddying up to him, but Gale kept holding the sword firmly pointed at him, "But, I believe our main priority is more important than setting the record straight. Arguing about all that had transpired in the first two floors would be detrimental towards our goal of keeping everyone safe."

Wait, did these two seriously get into a fight before Gale met up with us? Geez, there's something known as time and place, you guys... Regardless, that black arm on Throne, and Gale's aversion to this topic... It could very well be that he's the reason for Throne's current position in the first place. No, jumping to conclusions won't get me anywhere. I need to feel out the situation more before settling on a final verdict.

"You're saying it's water under the bridge?" Gale returned an impish grin, "Pssh! Like hell that's actually the case! I'd rather you just stuck with the "ominous enemy returning from the dead for cheap shock factor" role."

"Alas, I'm not akin to one of your novel characters. The dimensions of my being are a lot less flat." He guffawed, "I am quite disappointed in your actions, Gale, but we need to get out of here first. Where is Vas-?"

Peeking over Gale's shoulder while he was talking, he stopped mid sentence to witness in abject horror the fate of our sweet pea. Vastoria, in her ignorance, was still sleeping on the bed Gale told us she can never awaken from. As one would expect, Throne's reaction was that of disbelief first and foremost, followed by a strong sense of panic and dread, but then something surprising came about. He calmed his nerves, slowly approached her despite Gale trying to impede him, and lifted her off the bed.

"O-Oi, let go of her!" Gale tried stepping in, but Sheep and I stopped him, "You guys, he's gonna harm her!"

"Let him try, at least." I looked him in the Eyes, "She's as much of a friend to him as she is to us."

"...Tch, I'll block the doorway just in case he tries something." Gale backed off with a rather disgruntled tone.

What's with him? I get that he doesn't trust Throne all that much, especially after what happened back in the sky with Sab, but that was all just a big misunderstanding on Throne's end. Holding a grudge for that long frankly makes Gale kind of look bad. Somehow, I'm thankful the rest of us weren't there to witness those two's descent down the Shrine...

"Gale told me..." Throne carefully put Vastoria down on the uncomfortable oak wood flooring, "That the person who sleeps on the bed shall never wake up so long as they're on it."

"Oh come on, that's your big solution?" Gale huffed and puffed, "Besides, I did say that, but that doesn't mean she'll wake up now that she's not physically on the bed!"

"At least he's trying something." Sheep frowned at him.

"You gotta be kidding me..." Said Gale.

Throne's logic made sense, in a way, but so too did Gale's skepticism. Regardless of both of these claims, it was still our best and only shot at getting her to wake up. If push comes to shove, I don't mind volunteering to be the one to carry her out into the surface myself. Either way, she is NOT staying down here, no way no how.

"Vastoria." Throne called out to her, "Vastoria, we need you to wake up."

His pleas were met with unforgiving silence, however, so he had to try again.

"Vastoria." He continued, "We still have unfinished business, are you gonna leave that all behind?"

"...."

"Vastoria." He kept staring at her, "Gale brought you a nice new pair of wings to use."

"What?!" I jolted.

"Gale!?" Sheep was just as surprised.

"Vastoria." Throne kept going, however, "We're so close to a breakthrough, I can feel it! We... We need you to wake up."

He really does care about her. These strong emotions, strong as they were, still somehow failed to pierce her gilded heart... Wait, that may be it! Her heart, it's closed itself off to the point where it's already hard enough to reach as it is, and the wound on her chest is only making it harder! It's a stretch, but maybe if we tried to reach it through a less obstructed route...!

"Throne, sit her up for me, please!" I ordered, "I've an idea!"

"Maggie?" He shook off the emotions, "S-Sure, if you think it'll work..."

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

After Throne did as I told him, I took over in holding her up. Carefully, I inspected her slim back and pressed my left ear against it. The boys were confused, sure, but right now that didn't bother me one bit. Honestly, even I think I'm going crazy for actually thinking up this idea, but the truth is we've got nothing else to try, barring opening her chest up again with the mandible. Okay Maggie, with a soft whisper, now is the time to let your emotions run free.

"...Vastoria." I closed my Eyes, "I think of you as an earnest, heartfelt girl. A naive sweetie that's surprisingly dependable when the time calls for it."

"..."

"Hey, won't you tell me..." I felt her heart beat pressed up against my head, "Won't you tell me the dream you're having right now?"

"..."

"........"

".................."

A minute passed in complete silence as everyone held their breaths. It felt real, we all unanimously believed this would work. Eventually, however, even I had to face reality. My ear was pressed up against her back so hard, it honestly felt difficult to pull off. I didn't want this to be her end, to be our end... But it seems this was useless after all. With tears rolling down my face, I laid her back down on the ground. She looked so calm, it... Oi, why does she have that annoyingly smug smile on her face!?

"Ehe!" She burst out giggling on the ground like an idiot, kicking her feet about, "Did I get you all?"

"Put her back on the bed." Throne ordered with a serious face.

"I'll put her to sleep with the pillow." Gale volunteered.

"Yikes! Sorry, I apologize!" She whimpered, "M-Migu, you understand, right?!"

"S..." I spewed tears out of my Eyes like a waterfall, "Send me with her..."

"No!" She yelped.

----------------------------------------

***

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"Guys, look—I'm sorry, okay?" Vastoria begged for our forgiveness, "I was awake for a while, but you guys were giving me too much attention and I found it difficult to find the right moment to do the big reveal! Ohh, then you started saying all those embarrassing things, and I..."

"My ass, you were laughing at us like it was all just one big joke!" Sheep pointed to me cradling myself on the ground, "Look, you traumatized the poor girl!"

"I-I'm not... I'm just happy she's okay..." I said, fending off tears as much as I could, "Vastoria... Thank the Gods..."

"No, I wasn't laughing at you guys!" She explained, "It's just that Migu was tickling me with that ear pressed on my back! Really, I tried being polite and to keep a serious face, but I just couldn't help it anymore!"

"...Sigh, well, that's one issue resolved, but it does raise an even more serious concern." Sheep glanced over at the uncertain Gale, "It seems the Gods lied to you after all, for she woke up just fine."

"Mayhaps you should rethink your allegiance to them." Throne added.

"Allegiance?" The rest of us noticed an interesting word.

"It's not allegiance, quit making me look bad." Gale didn't appreciate the choice of words as he elaborated on it, "They just told me to get you guys out of the Shrine ASAP. They said it's not safe, and I chose to believe their word for it. Saying allegiance makes it sound like I'm following orders."

"Are you not?" Throne raised an Eyebrow, "Look, we're down at the bottom—Completely whole, not to mention safe and sound, and we just learned even the beds' curse is reversible."

"What are you implying?" Gale glared.

"You may think you're just trying to keep us away from danger, but what if the Gods just don't want us snooping about here and made up an excuse to keep us away?" He asked, "As far as anyone's concerned, that's just you enacting their wishes against us if that's the case."

"...Are you saying you wish to actually go to sleep on these beds?" Gale got serious.

"Guys, calm down." Sheep tried to interject.

"I am calm, but if any of you—even for a second—think that what I'm doing is unjust, then so help me...!" Gale raised his tone.

"Quiet!" Vastoria scolded him, "Gale, I've done this before, this will advance tim-!"

"It will not!" He screamed at her, "You morons, I've been tasked with protecting you, getting you out of here safe! The Gods gave me this task because they said this place was dangerous! You could get your soul permanently destroyed in here, so they told me to come get you back home safe!"

"...We never asked you to." I furrowed my brows, "If anyone wants to go with you, then no one's stopping them, but the rest of us are gonna keep exploring until we find something regarding resurrection."

Just then, as if hearing a trigger word, Gale popped a vein as he began foaming from the mouth. He was beyond livid, the only color he Could see now was Red. When he pointed a finger at us, I genuinely thought he was gonna start spewing fire out of it. Really, what's he thinking of trying to accomplish with this outburst? Even if there was someone willing to go with him before, all that flew straight out the window once they saw this side of him, surely. Looking around, everyone seemed to have taken a step back in fear.

"Tch...!" Gale hid his face behind his hands, frustrated to the point of tears, "I need you to trust me! And I know I'm not at all convincing, but I need you to believe in me just this once, dammit!"

"You should calm down first before that." I suggested.

"He's too far gone, Magnes." Throne put his hand on my shoulder, "The Gods' influence over him is too strong."

Dammit, you bonehead! You're the last voice of reason he wants to hear! Read the room and back off for once instead of always trying to have the final word! Geez, Gale really didn't like that. He looks like he's about to explode...

"Ga-!" My voice cracked.

"I'm with Gale." Vastoria firmly took a step forward, "With our lineup, reaching this floor at a later moment in time will always be easy to do. But if what the Gods said is true, then we shouldn't take Gale's worries for granted."

"But how can you be sure it's true?" Sheep worriedly asked.

"We'll ask them." She turned back to him with a confident smile, "They know and see everything, right? Besides, it's unfair to gang up on Gale like this."

"Vastoria..." He deflated with a sigh of relief, falling to his knees crying for her, "Thank you...! Thank you for this!"

"You guys coming?" Vastoria turned to face us as she comforted the unstable Gale, "If we're fast enough, I'll treat you all to some tea and biscuits at my sky island after this."

Throne's logic was sound, Gale's skepticism was sounder... But Vastoria's reasoning was the soundest of them all. I still would rather not go with Gale after what he's shown us, but I also can't leave Vastoria alone with him either. Sheep is probably thinking the same thing, hence why he crossed over to Gale's side too. Now Throne was the only one left standing across from us.

"Throne..." Gale extended his hand, still kneeling on the ground in a pathetic state, "You know why I'm doing this, so please..."

"Tch, why should I?" He brushed him off, "It only benefits you, after all."

"I don't want it." Gale blurted out, "After what I did to your hand, I don't want to accept the Gods' offer anymore! Just... Please follow me to safety. We can restart from there."

The Gods' offer?

"...I've got my Eyes on you." Throne glared, begrudgingly helping him back up on his feet, "Then, shall we hurry along? The tea will get cold otherwise."

"Aye aye!" Our shout roared throughout the Shrine.