"We need to move quicker," Sid explained as he ran forward. He stopped the next moment as he passed through a doorway. He grabbed onto the doorframe as his eyes looked down into the open abyss that he had nearly stepped into.

Ted put his hand over his stomach as he tried to catch his breath. It felt like his legs were on fire, and he was so tired. Even before they had started to run, he felt exhausted.

Well, that's not quite right. Right after he woke up, he didn't feel like he'd just finished exercising. He felt just fine. It wasn't until he started to move that it hit him.

It was like all the energy had been drained out of him. Like he'd pushed himself past his limits and had nothing left to give. Then Sid showed up, and demanded they run.

The first step hurt, but they got incrementally worse. Each simple movement wore him down more and more. His vision had even started to get a little hazy.

"That's easy for you to say," Ted gasped as his body screamed at him to stop.

Man, you don't look so hot bro. Death chimed in as he put his hand on Ted's shoulder.

Ted's clothes had streaks of sweat pouring down them. What the heck had happened to him? Those strange flashes. Like he could almost grasp what had been going through his mind before he woke up on the floor. But it was still out of reach, and now it even hurt a little as he strained to capture those stray thoughts.

Then, Ted felt himself fly up into the air. He blinked slowly before he looked down at what had happened.

Sid had picked him up and started to carry him.

"Sid, what are you..."

"It is merely the most efficient solution given the circumstances." Sid declared calmly before he broke into another sprint.

I don't remember this place being so creepy before. Death commented. Like I'm getting the creeps just walking around here now.

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"Things are different here...but we need to hurry to the top floor." Sid explained.

That was strange. Ted looked up at Sid. He was currently being cradled in Sid's arms like a baby, or a bride being carried across the threshold.

"Huh? Not exploring every nook and cranny anymore?" Ted asked.

Sid's eyes remained forward as he rushed down the weathered hallway. "New variables have been made apparent. With our limited time, our focus is better suited on confronting whoever lies on the final level."

That was even more strange. Ted opened his mouth but shut it again. Did Sid mean to phrase things that way? Had it slipped out? Whatever the reason, Ted wasn't sure he wanted to confront him with it. Not here. Not now.

Dang, guess you've been busy, huh? Death said as he stopped running and started to just continuously appear right behind Sid. You seem to have this place all figured out.

"To be blunt," Sid explained. "Most of the knowledge I have gained I am currently unable to utilize. It is...distressing."

"Distressing? I mean, it's nothing too bad, right? Hah. Hah." Ted asked nervously.

Sid was silent.

Yeah, I mean it couldn't be that bad, right?

Sid still remained quiet, but Ted saw a bead of sweat appear on Sid's forehead before it dripped down behind his ear.

Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.

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

"I mean, if you want to do things the easy way!" Og'drimun pouted as he crossed his arms and turned away from the rest of the group.

Sentenza shifted his eyes over to Narissa. "On to more important things, have you managed to find anything here?"

Narissa knelt on the ground and dug her gloved hand into the ash of the skinny robot. She lifted her hand as grains of charred remains tumbled over each other and slipped through her fingers.

"More than you could even begin to understand," she said with only a hint of disdain as she leaned in closer and watched the miniscule chunks get pulled down by gravity one by one.

"Mmm, I see...Hey, what are we looking at?" Pockets had squatted down next to Narissa in a very similar outfit, just with very exaggerated features. Almost like a mass produced Narissa halloween costume.

Narissa didn't shift her eyes away. "Something important, now go away dear. I'm doing important work." She waved Pockets away with her free hand.

Bang!

Pockets held her hand as she pouted. "What? I wasn't going to do anything."

The icepick she had been holding moments ago spun in the air before it clattered along the ground.

The reverberations of the bullet shook the ash in Narissa's hand and caused what was still in her hand to blow up into the air around her.

Narissa clenched her now empty fist and ground her teeth back and forth against each other. She stood up in a huff and flung both arms down at her sides. "I don't really understand all the hubub about apprentices. Just another distraction and chance for mistakes."

"Yeah, you tell them!" Og'drimun cheered.

Narissa glared at the demon, and his grin slowly went away before he coughed awkwardly and averted his eyes.

Sentenza seemed completely unbothered by everything. "Yeah, I don't care. Just be sure you get what I need." he glanced back towards the fleshy walls as they pulsed with an unnatural heartbeat.

"We should probably get going. I'm sure you'll be better at directing this place than the squirt." Sentenza suggested before he pulled out the stub of his cigarillo. He looked down at it. There was still about half left, but even still, he flicked it out towards the ruined hallway.

"Come on, we've wasted enough time."

Narissa rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say."

"...ver you say." Pockets imitated Narissa just barely a syllable behind.

Narissa put her head in her hands and let out a sigh. As she did Pockets copied her so closely that it seemed like they were moving in sync.